Beyond the Sunset

~Chapter One~

Nanshe's POV

The thick slices of kelp tore at my silky, delicate fingers. Indigo liquid streamed out of the cuts that formed on my hand, and I bit my lip to keep myself from crying. The water around me became unbearably murky, a sign that meant I was working too much for my body to handle.

My ears became alert at the sound of Ikatere, my baby brother, screeching and sobbing like a polisher who had lost a jewel. I worked my way through the forests of vegetation to flick my fins and create bubbles for him to pop. He squealed in delight, and I spun my head around to see who - if anybody - was watching me. I spotted nobody, so I dug a divot in the sand for my to rest my blue and violet tail on the soft, white sea floor. I clapped for Ikatere, and he clapped back. I sang, and he mumbled along. I laughed so hard that bubbles began to float from my ruby red lips, and that's when Mother noticed.

"Nanshe! What are you doing?" Her long fingernails dug hard into my light beige skin. "Do you see those bubbles?" She pointed upwards. I gulped and nodded. "Do you know what bubbles do?" I nodded again. "Then tell me, Nanshe! What do bubbles do?"

"They go to the Forbidden Unknown," I whispered, careful not to make a single ball of air.

"I can't hear you!" She rattled my body more and more until Ikatere began howling again. Dragging me to the backwoods, she began muttering under her breath as if she were casting a spell upon me. "I tried to convince Ahti that we needed to begin harvesting during moonlight hours, but no..."

"What?" I cocked my eyebrow towards the surface. Had Mother been talking to the King?

Anuket's POV

Eight diamonds

Two pearls

Ten gold ingots

I squealed with glee as I studied my list of duties, but they weren't duties to me. They were privileges, and my family had been keeping the Royals' precious stones unblemished and neat since the beginning of their reign. I grabbed my supplies, flipped my emerald and ice blue tail, and sat at my desk for sterilization.

"First cleansing, then adding the oils to make them glisten, and then setting them in their correct cubby for all the public to see," I explained to a young apprentice.

"Then what?" The girl stared back at me with her head tilted to the side.

"You go home and do it all over again with another set the next day!" I slapped my hands together like a retarded seal. Believe me, I've seen them. They're pretty "special".

"I don't get it!" She whined as she scooped up her gems.

"What did you say your family does?"

"We're gatherers, but my teacher said that I had an eye for detail and-"

"Oh, that explains it." Gatherers constantly pick at sea grasses day in and day out. Some get lucky and get to extract the oils and minerals from them, but that, of course, causes their hands to get excruciatingly dry. "You'll learn to love it!"

"Mother said the same thing about collecting seaweed..."

I clucked my tounge and shook my head. She would grasp the concept soon enough.

Vedenemo's POV

"Come on, honey."

"Daddy, no."

"We have to. The kingdom is depending on us."

"I just can't."

I kept my sea-foam green and teal - the royal colors - tail still. I couldn't.

"I'm not going to be there. You have to do this on your own."

I sighed and stood up straight, careful to keep my posture at the "legitimate crest", as my trainer put it. "Your body, especially your scales, will thank you later."

Daddy finally hugged me goodbye and left me at the dreaded site. The sushi bar. I had a date.

"So, why did you get the squid entree? I mean, I understand it's savory and all, but don't you girls have this thing about your scale colors getting weaker if you don't eat fruits and veggies?" My date, unfortunately, was an obnoxious boy who only cared about body image. Self absorbed little-

"So, your father is a Duke?"

"Yrsh, mrm." He completely stuffed himself with the complimentary chips.

"So, why couldn't your parents hire a manners consultant? I mean, they can't be so blind as to see that you lack the appropriate behavior for a 'date'." I put finger quotes around "date" because I found this as more of a "Bash Vedenemo Fest for One".

A/N

Hey, guys! So, this is just a fun little story that I felt like making. I've been obsessed with mermaids since... well, forever, I guess! I've always had a ton of these story ideas in my head. Some insprided by dreams, some by pop culture, etc. etc. So, this is going to have three points of view, and you can tell that these girls are going to be connected at one point.

About the super weird names: they're actually names of water or fish Gods and Goddesses from mythology. Be prepared for more unusual (yet water related) names as I add more characters.

Thanks for reading, and don't forget to vote, comment, and follow!