Tales of Merlia: The Tale of Holly Day

Part 12

"I'm sorry for being so...hateful. I still don't like you, and I will never forget your crimes."

"I don't expect you to...but I will always be sorry things had to be this way, whether you choose to forgive me or otherwise."

Redbeard and Solaria sat in the snow beside the grave, watching the dark clouds turn a light grey as the sun began to rise, staining the little patches of bare sky pink and amber before the clouds sank in to hide it.

The snow fell lightly now, and there was no wind to chill bones nor hearts.

Solaria drew her knees to her chest and hugged them, her eyes red and puffy from tears.

"Tell me mortal..." Solaria croaked, "How do you have hope when the world is freezing? There is no way we can reverse this horrible winter. There is no spell or method to keeping it at bay. Keeping heat in houses is nearly impossible, sickness is rampant. And yet, you remain...hopeful of a future."

Redbeard smiled as he watched Luna form a huge ball of snow and began to roll it to make it even bigger.

"Well, Holly must have been in worse situations with a lot less and she remained hopeful. You know, my great grandmother used to tell this story whenever she had the chance...about Holly."

"Oh?"

"I would think you would know it, considering how bonded you were," Redbeard mused warmly.

Solaria shook her head solemnly, "Actually, out of all the things she's shared, stories about the Great Human and Mer War were not among them. You could not get her to talk about it, unless you were able to get her soused to the gills."

"It was a horrid war..." Redbeard noted, "My great grandmother suffered from night terrors and shell-shock until the day she passed. Things about nets lined with barbs of poison made from the Killer Plant, children being drowned...horrid and ghastly things."

"Didn't your grandmother almost kill Holly...?" Solaria mumbled.

Redbeard's face grew red, "Well, as the story goes Holly made her way to the underwater kingdom to confront my great grandmother Merlia about the drownings of human children. Pleading her to end the war, that not all humans are worth the bloodshed, especially children."

"And right there in the throne room, Merlia hacked at her. Aiming to slash through Holly and make her bleed. But Holly would not fight back, no matter how many cuts lined her body or how painful the spells were on her skin. She kept going until Merlia's energy was spent, and through my kin's exhaustion she puffed, 'How can this be? How are you still standing? Why are you here? What are you trying to accomplish?'?

"And as Holly spat out blood, she smiled and said, 'I was hoping you would listen to what I had to say.'"

"Merlia was floored, 'You came here on a hope?'"

"Holly only nodded and said, 'If you're finished, can I have some wine. It's been a long journey.' Funny thing is Merlia gave it to her."

Solaria burst out in a guttural laughter, "Yeah, that's Holly for ya...always opting for mercy over fighting..." her eyes shined with warmth as she gazed toward the king, "There was a time where we were making our way through a dark forest somewhere where the dead would come to life, all moldy and falling apart and hungry for blood, and Holly refused to hurt a single one. She actually...talked to them!"

Shaky laughter filled the air, warm but still so...unsure.

"The crazy girl talked with them, like they had any sentience. Any...humanity. She truly believed that they were still human underneath..."

The old king chuckled in return, "That she did...she always saw the good in everything. And in turn, she always had hope that we were all good deep down. In a world where humans see us mers as disgusting seductresses, she saw the good in us...and made us hope that humans could be...deep down at least...good."

Solaria rolled her eyes, "No one is pure. Mortals and spirits alike are filled with both good and evil, it's only a matter of what you choose to be. Do you want to do the right thing? Or do you want to walk among the shadows? Or do you want to do neither. Life is full of little things like that and Holly knew it well. She just didn't believe that people couldn't change..."

"Do you believe people can change?"

Solaria shrugged, "Depends on the person. Some people are beyond saving, Merlot the Maiden showed me that beyond anything, some people are born evil. It was one of the few things me and Holly could never agree on."

"And yet, you loved her?"

"Deeply..." Solaria murmured, "We argued over our philosophies sometimes, but we never stopped such things from remaining close. After all, there are more pressing matters than philosophy. We were goddesses after all, you know? The weight of the world is on our shoulders."

"I know how that feels...somewhat..." Redbeard muttered.

Solaria scoffed, "While you are a king, and that is a pressing job, it cannot compare to the cosmic control I and the others must endure."

Redbeard nodded, "I'm not comparing that aspect...but I understand having everyone look to you and the crushing feeling you receive when you fail them. Everything you do, you do for them. Even if it means sacrificing your life. I think for that we can both agree on that."

Solaria said nothing for a moment before nodding.

"That still does not earn respect from me..."

"I don't need it, my goddess, it is I who respects you."

Solaria scoffs in return as she stood up to help Luna roll the huge behemoth of a snowball, smiling as she watched the small mer struggle to roll it.

"You really are a fool Redbeard."