Breathing Water #FLA2018

Breathing Water

"Naevia, don't you understand? You are risking the future of our kingdom!"

The queen of Atlantis; the ruler of the ocean kingdom, squeaked as she paled every passing minute. She had been haranguing me for almost half a day.

"And the throne! You are the heir to the throne!" She continued, pathetically.

"Mother, I don't want the throne. Give it to someone more willing." I blurted for the nth time.

"But Naevia, you have to understand. That human of yours is unworthy of your fins and your throne. Think through child. Once your silly love ends, Atlantis won't be home for you."

"Please mother, I am no longer a child. I know what I am doing. So don't worry about me." I exclaimed.

Mother sighed.
Her eyebrows were knitted together. I could vaguely see her expression since her chestnut brown hair was waving with the water currents.

"Naevia, I cannot make you understand," she began, "If you use your power to become human again, you won't be able to transform back into your fins. Do you understand?"

"I do, mother."

Then she looked directly at me, her eyes showing concern and every word as clear as crystal.

"But remember dearie, you are my daughter. And I am not ready to lose what's mine."
                                              ***
A few years ago, fate brought me to Augustus. I remembered every second of the day. I was swimming along the north Caribbean border when two Killer Sharks began to chase me.
When my fins were getting weaker, I was nearing to a pirate ship.

'Humans are ferocious creatures,' Mother had once told me, 'Don't even make them see you, they will eat you alive like the other fish.'

But circumstances lead me so close to the ship, a human dwelling. It was then he saw me.

Our eyes locked with each other. It happened in a fraction of a split second. And the next thing I knew was that I had fallen in love, with a human, for crying out aloud.

Augustus of the Caribbean saved me from the Killer Sharks.

I was very indebted to the man. I wanted to show my gratitude so badly that I searched the sea bed for the remains of sunken ships and gifted him every treasury I could possibly find.

As the Heir to the throne of Atlantis, I had the power to transform into a human being when I wanted to.
I would also runaway from home for months on end and live as a human girl, with him. We travelled to the far Atlantic in his ship too.

One night, he took me to a Masquerade ball.
Looking into his emerald eyes, I swirled on my beautiful toes and swayed in his arms.
It was a magical night.
When we were alone in the garden at midnight, I found him embracing me.
His warmth dazzled my skies. I wanted to be with him as a woman forever.

"I love you, Naevia. Even if you have fins or feet, even if you breath water or air, nothing can stop me from loving you." That was what he whispered to me.

"I don't want to leave you, Augustus. I want to be with you forever." I whispered back.

Augustus let go of me and stared at me. His eyes were a peculiar hue, one that was paler and dissatisfied.

"You know that I can't come with you to your world. And I know that you can't live as a human forever," he began muttering, " So it's better to stop this right now before it gets stronger, I don't want to bear a stronger pain."

I touched his cheek and looked into his eyes.
"Nothing will be okay if we quit now. Our pain will not recede and time will not heal our wounds. Do you want to be unhappy for the rest of your life like a widow who never sees the light?"
He looked down.
"No, darling," he said, "I don't think I'll survive without you."
"Do not worry Augustus," I said to him, "I will find a way."