The Mermaid and the Princess
Becoming Human
Aurelia found her way back to her aunt’s cavern in the depths of the ocean. She entered into the mysterious cavern and found her way to the cauldron in the middle. There waiting for her was Ophelia, still putting ingredients into the massive black pot.
“Have you made up your mind, princess?” the older mermaid asked.
“I have.”
“And your choice?”
“Legs.” Aurelia didn’t hesitate to answer. She knew she would rather have a chance at being happy then to live a life she didn’t want.
“And your payment?”
“My singing voice.” Ophelia gave Aurelia a queer look.
“Are you sure my dear? I can’t just take your singing voice, I must take it all.This means no more talking, singing, not even a whisper. Is this the gift you wish to trade?” Aurelia knew of the consequences of her actions, but she would rather have legs and be with her human, then a voice but no one to share it with.
“I am sure.” replied the little mermaid. As she said this, Ophelia grabbed a knife from the table beside the pot and went towards Aurelia.
“Then open your mouth and stick out your tongue child.” she said. Aurelia obediently opened her mouth. “This will hurt a bit.” As she said this, the mermaid felt the knife slice into her tongue. The pain was too much to handle but when she tried to close her mouth, her aunt tugged harder on her tongue. It seemed that the pain would never end but soon it did. Ophelia had carved a symbol on the mermaid’s tongue in a shape of a star. She let go of her niece’s bloody flesh, took the knife and shook the excess blood into the cauldron. As she did this, a puff of smoke flew from the container, turning the inside contents a deep purple color. The taste of blood was overwhelming in Aurelia’s mouth but she couldn’t do anything but swallow the metallic flavored redness.
Ophelia waved her hands over the cauldron and whispered a few strange words over it. She then took a ladle and placed it into the bubbling pot. Taking what was in the spoon, she then poured it into a small vile and gave it to the mermaid.
“Now listen carefully. When you reach where you’re human is, make sure to beach yourself first. If you drink it while in the water, you will drown. As soon as you are on land, drink the potion and it will split your tail in two and make legs. A warning though, walking on legs will be tough, but it will feel like you are being stabbed by a thousands knifes with every step you take. But with the pain comes beauty as well, for you will be able to dance unlike any human.You will capture the attention of all who look at you. Now, do you know where to find this human of yours?”
“I do not.” said Aurelia slowly. The pain in her tongue as she spoke was beyond terrible.
“Then I will give you this then.” her aunt said as she went over to a vanity and picked up a small necklace from it. It was a simple necklace with a sapphire colored crystal on it. “This will lead you to her. When you are close to her, it will shine brightly and sparkle. If not close it will look like any other piece of jewelry.” Aurelia nodded to tell her aunt that she understood.
“I must also caution you to one last thing. You will be permanently human, but if your human girl is to marry another and give her heart to someone else, you will die of a broken heart and turn into sea foam.” Aurelia had not thought that something like this would be said and it saddened her that it was a possibility. But the little mermaid had faith in what she was doing and nodded once more.
“Good. Now are you sure that you are ready for this?” Asked Ophelia, searching her niece’s eyes for an answer.
“I am.”
“Then be off and may the gods smile on you.” Ophelia went and hugged Aurelia tightly, knowing that this would be the last time she would see her niece.
“Thank you. I will never forget your kindness.” As she said this, the mermaid swam out of the cavern and headed towards the big island where her human girl waiting for her.
As she swam towards the island, Aurelia tired to take everything in as she swam by. She wanted to remember the vibrant colors of the coral reefs, the curious little live the fish had swimming around all day. She wanted to take to memory the way the water felt in her hair as she swam by and the way it glided across her body and tail. She would miss her tail and it’s pinkish red color that seemed to glow in the sunshine. It was all so sad to be leaving this precious underwater world behind. But Aurelia started to think of the curious world above and how much of an adventure it would be to discover all the new things there.
The further she swam, the brighter the pendent glowed on the necklace around her neck. It soon was so bright, the mermaid knew she had to be right on top of where the girl was. Aurelia surfaced from the water and took a look around. She was right in thinking that the girl was still on the island, but she was on the other side of it. Palm trees swayed back and forth near the beach and lush vegetation welcomed the mermaid with it’s bright green leafs. As Ophelia had said before, she washed herself on to the shore where he tail was completely out of the water. She was holding on to the vile so tightly on the way to the island that her hand ached as she loosened her grip around it. It was such a lovely purple color and the sun against it made it look like a beautiful jewel she would have found in a treasure chest back in her little grotto. Aurelia looked at her tail. The sun made it sparkle and danced against her scales. It would be the last time she would ever see it. In a way she was glad it would be gone, but it was like she was getting rid of a piece of herself. She hugged her tail, putting her face against the scales for the last time. Now was the time to drink the potion. There was no going back after this. Now was the time to also say goodbye to her voice and the only way she knew how, was to sing her favorite song.
“Take my heart and soon you’ll be dancing where the shore meets sea. Alas my love ten year it be till I belong to thee.” As she finished the haunting ballad, she uncorked the vile and swallowed it’s contents. It liquid burned the whole way down her throat like she was swallowing a hot poker, sealing her throat from ever opening again. A final gasp and her voice was gone. She moved her lips but nothing came out. The she felt the liquid course through her veins and down into her tail where she watched the scales melt off unto the ground and h ripping sound that was her tail splitting in two. She opened her mouth to scream but silence was the only sound to come forth. The pink color of her tail turned into a soft fleshy color, her fins turned into feet with ten five toes on each foot. The burning went away and soon the mermaid was a mermaid no longer. Instead she was a human girl, and a very naked on at that. A faint smile came to her face. She reached down and touched her smooth legs and wiggled her toes. It was so magical! The mermaid scrambled to stand, but her legs gave way beneath her as she felt the instant pain come from her feet. It was so painful that tears sprang to the mermaid’s eyes. how was she going to do anything like this, let alone walk to her human? Aurelia couldn’t take it anymore as she laid back and rested. It took a lot out of her to think of what she just did to herself. Her body felt warm in the sun and she closed her eyes, thinking about her new life with the human girl.
“Have you made up your mind, princess?” the older mermaid asked.
“I have.”
“And your choice?”
“Legs.” Aurelia didn’t hesitate to answer. She knew she would rather have a chance at being happy then to live a life she didn’t want.
“And your payment?”
“My singing voice.” Ophelia gave Aurelia a queer look.
“Are you sure my dear? I can’t just take your singing voice, I must take it all.This means no more talking, singing, not even a whisper. Is this the gift you wish to trade?” Aurelia knew of the consequences of her actions, but she would rather have legs and be with her human, then a voice but no one to share it with.
“I am sure.” replied the little mermaid. As she said this, Ophelia grabbed a knife from the table beside the pot and went towards Aurelia.
“Then open your mouth and stick out your tongue child.” she said. Aurelia obediently opened her mouth. “This will hurt a bit.” As she said this, the mermaid felt the knife slice into her tongue. The pain was too much to handle but when she tried to close her mouth, her aunt tugged harder on her tongue. It seemed that the pain would never end but soon it did. Ophelia had carved a symbol on the mermaid’s tongue in a shape of a star. She let go of her niece’s bloody flesh, took the knife and shook the excess blood into the cauldron. As she did this, a puff of smoke flew from the container, turning the inside contents a deep purple color. The taste of blood was overwhelming in Aurelia’s mouth but she couldn’t do anything but swallow the metallic flavored redness.
Ophelia waved her hands over the cauldron and whispered a few strange words over it. She then took a ladle and placed it into the bubbling pot. Taking what was in the spoon, she then poured it into a small vile and gave it to the mermaid.
“Now listen carefully. When you reach where you’re human is, make sure to beach yourself first. If you drink it while in the water, you will drown. As soon as you are on land, drink the potion and it will split your tail in two and make legs. A warning though, walking on legs will be tough, but it will feel like you are being stabbed by a thousands knifes with every step you take. But with the pain comes beauty as well, for you will be able to dance unlike any human.You will capture the attention of all who look at you. Now, do you know where to find this human of yours?”
“I do not.” said Aurelia slowly. The pain in her tongue as she spoke was beyond terrible.
“Then I will give you this then.” her aunt said as she went over to a vanity and picked up a small necklace from it. It was a simple necklace with a sapphire colored crystal on it. “This will lead you to her. When you are close to her, it will shine brightly and sparkle. If not close it will look like any other piece of jewelry.” Aurelia nodded to tell her aunt that she understood.
“I must also caution you to one last thing. You will be permanently human, but if your human girl is to marry another and give her heart to someone else, you will die of a broken heart and turn into sea foam.” Aurelia had not thought that something like this would be said and it saddened her that it was a possibility. But the little mermaid had faith in what she was doing and nodded once more.
“Good. Now are you sure that you are ready for this?” Asked Ophelia, searching her niece’s eyes for an answer.
“I am.”
“Then be off and may the gods smile on you.” Ophelia went and hugged Aurelia tightly, knowing that this would be the last time she would see her niece.
“Thank you. I will never forget your kindness.” As she said this, the mermaid swam out of the cavern and headed towards the big island where her human girl waiting for her.
As she swam towards the island, Aurelia tired to take everything in as she swam by. She wanted to remember the vibrant colors of the coral reefs, the curious little live the fish had swimming around all day. She wanted to take to memory the way the water felt in her hair as she swam by and the way it glided across her body and tail. She would miss her tail and it’s pinkish red color that seemed to glow in the sunshine. It was all so sad to be leaving this precious underwater world behind. But Aurelia started to think of the curious world above and how much of an adventure it would be to discover all the new things there.
The further she swam, the brighter the pendent glowed on the necklace around her neck. It soon was so bright, the mermaid knew she had to be right on top of where the girl was. Aurelia surfaced from the water and took a look around. She was right in thinking that the girl was still on the island, but she was on the other side of it. Palm trees swayed back and forth near the beach and lush vegetation welcomed the mermaid with it’s bright green leafs. As Ophelia had said before, she washed herself on to the shore where he tail was completely out of the water. She was holding on to the vile so tightly on the way to the island that her hand ached as she loosened her grip around it. It was such a lovely purple color and the sun against it made it look like a beautiful jewel she would have found in a treasure chest back in her little grotto. Aurelia looked at her tail. The sun made it sparkle and danced against her scales. It would be the last time she would ever see it. In a way she was glad it would be gone, but it was like she was getting rid of a piece of herself. She hugged her tail, putting her face against the scales for the last time. Now was the time to drink the potion. There was no going back after this. Now was the time to also say goodbye to her voice and the only way she knew how, was to sing her favorite song.
“Take my heart and soon you’ll be dancing where the shore meets sea. Alas my love ten year it be till I belong to thee.” As she finished the haunting ballad, she uncorked the vile and swallowed it’s contents. It liquid burned the whole way down her throat like she was swallowing a hot poker, sealing her throat from ever opening again. A final gasp and her voice was gone. She moved her lips but nothing came out. The she felt the liquid course through her veins and down into her tail where she watched the scales melt off unto the ground and h ripping sound that was her tail splitting in two. She opened her mouth to scream but silence was the only sound to come forth. The pink color of her tail turned into a soft fleshy color, her fins turned into feet with ten five toes on each foot. The burning went away and soon the mermaid was a mermaid no longer. Instead she was a human girl, and a very naked on at that. A faint smile came to her face. She reached down and touched her smooth legs and wiggled her toes. It was so magical! The mermaid scrambled to stand, but her legs gave way beneath her as she felt the instant pain come from her feet. It was so painful that tears sprang to the mermaid’s eyes. how was she going to do anything like this, let alone walk to her human? Aurelia couldn’t take it anymore as she laid back and rested. It took a lot out of her to think of what she just did to herself. Her body felt warm in the sun and she closed her eyes, thinking about her new life with the human girl.