Fantasy Tales Series: Rise of The Merfolk

Chapter Thirteen~Edited

The night air was crisp and cool as we stepped out of the shop. I had lost track of time and it was close to ten at night. Gwen had given Cora and I some extra knitted jumpers she had lying around to keep warm on our journey down to the beach. My phone was almost dead so I tucked it away to conserve the battery. The moon was full and white and the stars were breathtakingly shining in the sky. I spotted star formations and marvelled at how big the universe was. It was bigger than I had ever imagined now that I knew the existence of mythical creatures. The stars were actually big balls of gas in the sky and it blew my mind. Our plan was to move under the cover of night and get Gwen back to the sea. Where she belonged.  

I glanced at her and although she appeared frail and slow, I could see the beaming smile of happiness plastered all over her face. Gwen had explained she was 352 years old and how she had been separated from the ocean for over a hundred of those years just stewing alone in her shop. I thought that now she was free her smile made her look younger. The Western tribe had all agreed going on to land for a few years would be the smart thing to do while the wars raged on- they thought their tribe would have returned by now and the war ended and the species united. I couldn't imagine locking yourself away waiting patiently day after day for the child of prophecy to walk through the shop. Gwen was truly a selfless person. 

If even an Oracle was surprised at the lengthy war than what hope did the rest of us have? I was surprised how she had foretold my birth a hundred years ago. That was nuts.

We arrived back at the beach. It was even more beautiful at nighttime to gaze at. The waves were fiercer and the tide reached half way up the beach now instead of just the shore. We were in the private section of beach where I chose to use for swims now and again. Crickets chirped and the wind continued to blow causing goosebumps to arise on my arms, even with the jumper on. The sand was crunchy when I stepped on it.

Cora instantly started taking off all her clothes and Gwen started to follow her. I looked away out of embarrassment as quickly as possible. Luckily I didn't see anything. I was still adjusting to the whole nudity thing.

'You guys really don't care, do you?' I said sarcastically. It was a defence so that I didn't feel as awkward.

Gwen probably smiled- I couldn't see it though. Even without her speaking I knew that she picked up on my discomfort. 'You were raised as a mortal my dear. Most creatures are tied to primal forces and therefore we don't care about things such as nudity, war is still sad but much more expected and we are very spiritual.' accepting war as an eventuality sounded stupid to me. How hard was it to just get along? 

'We also don't care what gender our mates are.' Core muttered spitefully. 'The fact that mortals are so hung up on it is one of the reasons I don't visit as often as I should. It disgusts me.' I agreed with her of course, but it was interesting to hear other species not have an issue with same sex couples and yet for some mortals it was. It hadn't even crossed my mind that the supernatural  community wouldn't care. It was such a mortal concept that I barely gave it the time of day. 'Huh.'

'Huh what?' Cora laughed at me. 'I'm sorry to sound harsh but It's weird for mortals to care so much about what gender their mates are.' She would be very proud of Lila in that case.

'No, I just hadn't considered that before. While we're on the subject may I ask how Merfolk have children?' It had always bothered me- how did Mermaids reproduce if they were half fish? I once read a tale that said Mermaids reproduced by magic- that the moonshine every once in a while mixed with sea foam and a life was born. I had always just went with that as the explanation. 

'Same way you do.' Gwen explained gently. 'We turn to human form to give birth too. Mates who are the same gender have a more magical way of doing things but it is done all the time.'