Flounder Boy

Prologue (a very fairytale format)

Once upon a time, there was a quiet, young boy who was not remarkably strong or bright, but he was kind in all that he did. His father brought him onto one of the kingdom's finest fishing boats. There, the boy longed to learn his father's trade, so he may float upon the sea forevermore.

However, a cyclone capsized their fishing boat pulling the sailors down under. He swam with all his might. He kept fighting towards the surface. His body grew stiff, and he began to drown. It seemed hopeless. But a great blue flounder witnessing the boy's struggle admired his persistence. So the fish caressed its scales against the boy's feet transforming them into a fish's tail. And the flounder turned a glacier white. Fainting into the abyss, the boy survived as a merman.

A wandering mermaid Princess awakened the boy. She asked him who he was, but all he could remember was the white flounder. She took the boy to her kingdom where they grew to be the best of friends. The kingdom referred to him as "flounder boy", but she, the youngest Princess, called him Kyran of Ammos after their ancient tongue as she found him resting in a bed of sand with the light surrounding him in a field of darkness. He was always there at her every beckon. She was desperately innocent and gullible, despite her poised authority. But it was her enormous eyes holding the capacity for wonder and tenderness that Kyran so admired. And so he fell in love.

How much he wished to confess his love to her, but the words wouldn't slip. Through the years, they went on adventures of the sea, but she wished more than anything to break through the surface and see the world of the land. When she came of age, she was permitted to go.

Kyran accompanied her in her travels about the surface. Eventually, his love for her became too hard to bear. Upon the glaciers, he planned to tell the Princess, but a fleet of ships passing by distracted her. Mesmerized by such majestic vessels, she dove toward them. Kyran followed after her, once again swallowing his confession to her.

The festivities upon the ships were magnificent. "But what for?" they wondered. It was the Prince's birthday. The handsome Prince cocked his head high above the others. The sight of him repulsed Kyran, so he gazed upon his lover who gazed upon- the Prince! Oh, how Kyran's heart crawled into the sand like the crabs. So quickly did the Prince steal away her heart. Without an exchange of words. Not even a glance. He saw it in her eyes. She was in love with the Prince.

Kyran's grief spread like a- "Storm!" someone cried. And before long, the ships were overturned and all fell to the depths. A net dragged the Princess fast towards the bottom. Kyran went to free her, but she yelped, "Don't worry about me! Save him­!" She pointed to her sinking prince. Reluctant, he darted after the Prince and carried him to shore. When the Princess was free, she swam to see the Prince and kissed him as he woke. Then, the kingdom guards spotted them, so she and Kyran fled.

The Princess flooded Kyran's ears with her longing for the Prince. "We're perfect, you see! He's a prince, and I a princess!" But with each day, her song waned without the Prince. "Oh, Kyran!" she cried. "If only I could be on land. Surely, he would love me then." He could not bear her sadness any longer, so he searched the seas hoping to appease his lover's desire.

One day, he came upon a sunken ship. From within, a white flounder appeared. "White Fish!" the boy exclaimed. "Why can I only remember you from my past?" The fish laughed. "It is only courtesy to remember the face of your rescuer," said the fish, which proceeded to tell the boy how it had granted him with a gift to save his life. "You can live in the sea and upon the land whenever you wish." Kyran asked the great fish to grant the same gift to his friend, but- "I've used up all my charm! Look! I'm without color," spoke the fish. Kyran's gloom returned. Sympathetic, the fish suggested, "Go meet the Sea Witch. She shall surely help you. But BEWARE... just beware..."

Kyran found the Sea Witch's lair. She cackled, "I know your wishes! I'll have them true. Give me a human's voice, and she'll become as them, too!" But Kyran knew no human who would gladly give up their voice- "Oh, wait!" he exclaimed. He beached himself upon the shore. His tail dried and legs formed. And as a human, he cut off his tongue and dived back into the water. He gave it to the Sea Witch, and she gave him a vile. "Give it to the princess, but know: Before the third sunset, she must be loved and kissed by a human. If not, her lover must die in her place before the year's end. Otherwise, she will perish." Kyran wrote the witch's words upon a piece of coral, for he could no longer speak. And at the end of the note, for which he intended for the Princess, he wrote 'I am in love with you'.

Kyran handed the vile and coral to the Princess. "I can be human!" she exclaimed. And before she read to the very end, she drank the vile, still unbeknownst of Kyran's love. Her fins split, and she began to drown, so Kyran rushed her towards the surface. The little Princess immediately began her pursuit of the Prince. She spent all day with him, rapt by his fine wares, eloquent speech, and soft complexion. He was amused by her beautiful voice and dancing skill, but the Prince had no intention of marrying the little Princess. Despite this, he told her, "You are very lovely. Though, I must leave tomorrow to attend the princess's birthday of the faraway kingdom. But, do not worry. I shall return. And before tomorrow's sunset, we'll be married!"

On the second day, she sung with glee and told Kyran all about the Prince, and how she'd marry him at sunset. Kyran could not bear to see them married, so he left. Meanwhile, the Prince was seduced by the power of the princess of the faraway kingdom. And during the second sunset, he was betrothed to her, and abandoned the young mermaid Princess.

Now, Kyran believed that his lover had married the Prince, but he still came to see her. Upon the shore, she cried, "The Prince has married another! I will surely perish at winter's last sundown." "This cannot be", Kyran thought. "She cannot die! I must find a way to help her. I--" "I must..." muttered the Princess in a hushed voice and interrupting Kyran's thought. She had her back to him, so Kyran could not make out her words. She turned to face him. Her face went pale, and her eyes were crazed.

He motioned his eyes at her to speak up. "I MUST KILL THE PRINCE!" she exclaimed.