Katherine discovers the mystical oceans that she had guarded every day, drawn to its magic.
While Braderian discovers the joys of the land and begins to abandon his ancient heritage.
WARNING:
Mentions of drowning, PTSD, and violence.
Please do not...
"Dr. Emerson?" I questioned my father as I looked over the small piece of plastic he handed me.
"Yes, Emericus is a little strange for a modern human name, unfortunately."
"I see. Then Braderian isn't much better is it?"
"Right. You'll have to choose an alias to go by during your time here."
I nodded in thought. We stood on the beach as my father explained his situation to me. And to come up with a plan to assimilate me into human life, to complete my mission.
Emericus was the heir to the Throne of Oceans, he was the leader of the merfolk and commanded the seas. But he fell in love with a siren, a royal sorceress, and had a bastard child. Shortly after his coronation, they were discovered. The relationship and the spawn of it was scrutinized by both merfolk and siren alike. He left us both and went on to be king, but suddenly, he vanished. He was believed to dead and only the most imaginative would've believed he ran off to be with a human.
'And yet here we are..'
"Well then, what do you say about the name Brad? It is simply shorthand for Braderian but it sounds very classically human."
"Ah yes, Brad. It sounds eloquent. Does this name hold high power in the human language?"
Father held strange expression, as if holding back laughter.
"Indeed, son. Indeed it does."
"Then it is satisfactory." I nodded again, pleased with this choice.
"Now about your vocabulary.."
"Is something the matter with my language, father?" I spoke smoothly, confident in my wording. My accent suddenly seemed off and much too formal compared to my fathers.
"Well yeah, modern people, don't exactly talk in Shakespearean English, dude."
"What..what happened to your speech, father?!" I was shocked at how quickly it changed, I could barely understand the casualness of his words.
He chuckled. "Don't be so stiff and formal, try listening around today alright? Pick up some slang."
I merely grinned nervously, perhaps this may be harder than expected.
-
"4:30?!" I exclaimed towards my parents.
"And two hours long this time. I think you should put in some more time and talk to Mr. Emerson more, honey."
"But Mom.."
"No buts. You're only going to get worse if you don't get help."
"Yeah yeah.." I grumbled and crossed my arms.
"And until tonight I need you to come with me to run some errands, okay?"
"Alright Mom, can we stop for açaí??"
She sighed. "Yes, fine, we can get some açaí."
"Yay! Thank you!" I burst out. Excited to try some açaí bowls.
- •The Store•
Brad walked alongside Emerson as they passed a few racks of clothes. Looking through for the right size and style, while Brad still only wore board shorts. It wasn't uncommon though seeing as they were in a beach city.
"Alright, son, go try these on. I believe they're the right size."
Emerson held up a pile of clothes and handed them to Brad before rushing him into a changing room.
Brad inspected the odd denim and cotton materials and slowly pulled them on, stopping sometimes in confusion.
"You good in there?"
"Uh..yeah, Dad!"
Emerson let out a small chuckle, hearing Braderian use human slang was amusing.
After a few moments, Brad emerged from the small changing room. He smoothed down his hair and looked down at the outfit.
Emerson quickly tossed him a backpack and the outfit was complete.
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
Looking it over, he nodded.
"Looking sharp, son."
"These clothes are so," Brad stretched his arms a bit. "Restricting."
"Well, it's not like we're in the oceans, so a little sacrifice in movement is needed."
"But wouldn't it be better to remain as frictionless as possible?"
"Moving through air is much easier than moving through water, a little friction never hurts."
"I suppose." -
Emerson payed for the clothes and Brad kept them on for the rest of the trip. They explored the boardwalk and the small town.
Finally, they stopped for lunch. Emerson went buy a couple burgers.
Brad sat a picnic table and twiddle with his newly unwebbed fingers. Feeling the warm sun on his skin was nice. The dank caves where the sirens resided barely receive any sunlight. Too deep for light to pass through clearly.
Instead they depend on magic and underwater creatures that emit bioluminescence.
Emerson sat down with the burgers and drinks, sliding a tray over to his son.
"Eat up. The land's greatest delicacy."
"Oh is this what you called a 'hamburger' ?"
He merely nodded and took a large bite. Smiling with content at the meal.
And as Brad was about to take his bite, a middle aged lady came up to his father.
"Emerson, how nice to see you!"
Father spoke up and greeted the lady with familiarity.
"Hello, Mary. I see Katt is with you!" He grinned and waved to the girl standing behind Mary.
I turned my attention towards her and gasped. It was her. That human girl.
"Of course and is this your son?"
"Yes, this is Brad. He came to visit from his mother's."
"Oh, well it's nice to meet you Brad. You look about Katy's hm?" She gestured to her daughter. I met her eyes and I couldn't make out the expression they held. Some sort of recognition and astonishment glittered her soft brown orbs.
"You're-!"
We started at the same time and I clasped a hand over my mouth, trying to regain composure.
This lady, I recognized from my father's stories. His human lover. I didn't know she had a child..
