Mermaids Curse

At Your Service

The dwarves looked at Gandalf for answers, and by the suspicious and confused look on his face he had none.

“I think it wants us to follow.” Spoke Dori sceptically, taking a small step forward.

“Bofur, you should go.”

Everyone stared at Gandalf.

“You’re joking!” Bofur huffed, “What even is it?”

“A Mermaid.”

Everyone went silent.

“What?” Thorin’s voice was low, and he looked up at the wizard through his heavy brow.

“Mermaid’s don’t actually exist, Mister Gandalf.” Balin stated in his usual kindly tone, however it was laced with concern and confusion, “They’re just a myth.”

Bilbo wasn’t listening to them, he was slowly edging his way to the corner where the creature was last seen.

Amara’s POV

I waited patiently. Nervously thumbing at the frayed hems of my wet tunic, my eyes glued to the corner.

Where are they? Did I scare them?

I bit my lip and made to swim back when I saw movement in the waters drawing closer. I waited some more, now pulling at the hem of my tunic growing more and more tense.

They’re very small for men, too small. They’re very stocky too, and I’ve never seen man wearing such strange attire.

I instinctively went back under the surface when a curly haired figure hesitantly came round the corner.

“H-Hello?” It asked, blinking at me. I only had my eyes out the water, and I was watching him intently. I noticed his sword hanging at his side and my hand moved towards the hilt of my own.

“I’m Bilbo Baggins,” He paused, taking another step forward, “Of Bag End. What’s your name?” He gave me a small smile.

I blinked at him. His face was round and his ears pointed. He had an overall friendly vibe about him.

“Amara.” I replied, scooting towards him slightly.

Normal POV

“Amara.” The girl replied, sliding towards the Hobbit slightly. When she moved the water did not ripple, it was as if the water parted for her, not her parting the water.

She had the largest eyes Bilbo had ever seen, and they were of bright gold. Her hair was half up, messily bundled towards the back of her head, the bottom of it hung down, fanning out into the water around her, it too was bright gold. Not a blonde, not a honey, not a caramel, but a bright, shinning gold that seemed to glitter like it was covered in hundreds and thousands of tiny diamonds. She had all sorts of assortments entwined into it; shells, strange looking coins, bits of coloured thread, beads and he swore he caught sight of the glimmer of a tea spoon behind her ear. He stared, eyes wide as she drew ever closer.

“Well it’s a pleasure to meet you Miss Amara.” He stuck out a hand for her to shake.

She stopped and stared at his hand quizzically.

Truth be told, she didn’t understand. Why was he holding out his hand?

She came closer, staring, inspecting the Hobbits hand. She gave it a sniff.

This amused Bilbo as he chuckled and wiggled his fingers playfully at the strange girl, just an inch or two away from her button nose. The sudden movement of his fingers made her jump though, and she moved backwards a few feet and made a strange noise, like a pur almost, but short, sweet, and sounded surprised. She then grinned at him.

Bilbo’s stomach dropped.

“No, they’re man eaters; they’ll entice you in with their songs, then drag you beneath the waves and rip the skin right off your bones with their sharp fangs.”

Fangs.

The strange creature had fangs. Not how the Hobbit imagined them though, they were shorter, not as sharp and she just had the one pair.

Suddenly the rest of the company came splashing round the corner, calling for Bilbo. This of course distracted him and he turned to their racket.

“Shhhh!” He hushed them, turning back around he found her gone. “Now look what you’ve done!” He exclaimed, “You’ve scared her!”

A response of muttered apologies came his way and he sighed. Turning back to the cave before them.

“Amara?!” He called after the girl.

“Wait!” Thorin’s voice echoed around the cave, “Is it safe?”

“’It’ happens to be a girl and she seems harmless.” Bilbo interjected, folding his arms across his chest. “And her name is Amara.”

Thorin gave him a look, one Bilbo had come to recognise to be ‘don’t sass me’.

Bilbo was about to speak again when Bofur pushed past him, his attention elsewhere. The rest of the company followed his gaze and found a rather nervous looking girl peering at them from around a large rock.

Bilbo tried to give her his sweetest, most sincere smile. But he wasn’t sure he saw it from behind Bofur.

“Bofur, at your service!” He introduced, rather abruptly. Amara eyed him rather suspiciously, when she didn’t respond he continued, “Thank you ever so for saving me back there.” He had his usual playful smile on as he jerked his head back towards the other cave.

She then smiled again, not a grin as before, but a small, earnest smile.

“You are welcome.” She replied quietly, her eyes flickering anxiously behind him towards the others.

There was a small pause before Gandalf cleared his throat.

“Miss Amara,” He began, giving her a slight nod, “We may be slightly lost…” Thorin shot him a tart look. “Water has spread since I was last here, those creatures have spread… You don’t happen to know a safe pass through these caves?”

“I do.” Amara replied, blinking at him, innocently not catching onto his hint.

“Would you be able to show us?” He tried again, less subtly.

She smiled again, “Of course.”

Gandalf smiled and chuckled, clearly somewhat relieved, “Well that’s good, isn’t it?” He gave Bilbo a small nudge. “I am Gandalf the Grey, and this is Nori, Dori and Ori, Bifur, Bombur, Oin and Gloin, Dwalin and Balin, Fili, Kili and-“

“Thorin Oakenshield.” Thorin’s baritone voice cut off Gandalfs cheery one as he had a glowered at Amara. He didn’t trust her, she was a mermaid after all, it was in her nature to be deceitful and lure unsuspecting males to their deaths.

“Yes…” Gandalf sighed disapprovingly at Thorin’s tone, “And of course you’ve met Bilbo and Bofur.”

Amara looked at them all, eyeing them all up, one by one. When her gaze fell on Thorin it suddenly felt like he had hundreds of tiny insects crawling all over him, she made him feel uncomfortable.

“I like your head ornament.” She suddenly said, her voice was cheery and sugar sweet, she smiled sweetly at Bifur.