Exploring

It was a few days later, Ariel was out seahorse riding with Athena, both on a large yellow female. Her sisters had been invited, but all seemed to have had plans. Attina was fossil hunting with the history tutor Patrick Oldreef, Alana was at her friend Pearl’s house, Adella had drama club, Aquata at art club, Arista was at a friends and Andrina was playing the palace with three friends. Riding through the villages the pair stopped to chat to the inhabitants, listing to what they had to say.

“I’m telling you they caused no end of trouble, kids” said one.

“She’s right see they’re nice kids but parents went away for weekend, and left their eighteen year old son in charge. Now twins are fifteen and all three are lovely really, never given us much bother, other then the odd ball over the fence. Well we heard the music at two in the morning.”

“A racked it was, had half the row up, and it didn’t end till gone four.”

That and such other comments were heard, by all counts the party had been a wild one. Leaving the village, pair rode out into the wild ocean, passing schools of fish. Then out of nowhere, the pair came upon a pod of blue whales. Seeing the pair three whales swam over to investigate. Seeing them Ariel gasped in aw at their size, even more when three encircled them.

“Hello Athena I have not seen you for many months” said one, with a large white scar on her right flipper.

“It is wonderful to see you Polyhymnia (Greek muse of singing), I am glad you are back.”

“I am glad to be back, I have travelled far, it is nice to be back home. You have grown much little Ariel.”

“She has, she also has my curiosity.”

“I thought she would, ah the mischief we used to cause as young ones.”

“We did cause our parents some worry.”

“We were young and eager to explore. You must swim with us for a while, your horse deserves a rest.”

“That would be lovely, I am not sure Ariel would be able to keep up.”

“She can ride on my back, as can you.”

With that Athena and Ariel got off their horse’s back, with Ariel going to sit on Polyhymnia’s back, with Athena swimming besides her friend. As they swam the two friends talked, with Polyhymnia telling Athena about the oceans she had visited. As they swam, the whales began to sing their own songs, songs of love, joy, family, friendship and adventure. Sitting and listening Ariel was enchanted by what she heard. Though all mer could understand the languages of other marine creatures, Ariel had never heard blue whales sing before. As she listened Ariel left the music echo around her, music more beautiful the any she had heard before. Swimming next to her friend, Athena let the music take her, remembering her childhood adventures with the whales.

Far above them on a ship, a young prince with jet black hair stood listing entranced. Listening, he looked down into the deep ocean, for a moment imagining he was swimming with the whales. As the whale’s music reached its height they swam closer to the surface. They surfaced with a mighty splash as the song reached its climax. On the ship the prince watched in aw as they surfaced, his heart full of joy at seeing the magnificent creatures. Now their song had ended the whales swam close to the surface, their pace slow and relaxed.

“I have not heard those songs for some time, I had forgotten how beautiful it was” said Athena.

“You would do, are music is different from yours, am I glad you were able to share it with us.”

“It was pure and moving, what did you think of it Ariel?” Athena asked looking up at her daughter.

“It was beautiful, it felt like the music was all around me.”

“That is right little one, you felt the power of our song.”

On Polyhymnia’s back Ariel was lying down with her tail in the air gazing about her with curiosity. Coming to sit next to the daughter Athena allowed herself to relax and listened to the sounds of the surface. The sounds of the water, and the calls of the birds who were flying high above them. With the sun shining the pair felt its warm rays on their skin.

“I wonder what it is like to be a bird” Ariel said.

“I do not know, you will have to ask Harlin.”

“It must be nice to fly in the sky and see everyone below.”

“I am sure it is, Harlin once told me at to fly was to be truly free. I replied that is what swimming felt like, to be able to anywhere in the world. I could not imagine not living in the sea.”

“Athena I see a human ship ahead, you should both dive down out of sight.”

Looking ahead Athena saw the outline of a human ship with a mermaid figurehead. Seeing it the pair dived down into the sea, hiding among the whales as the ship sailed by. On board the ship, the black haired prince was stood on deck, standing on a box to get a good view of the whales. As the ship came close he gazed at them, amazed at their size.

“Wow you are wonderful creatures” he said.

Hearing the boy Polyhymnia looked up at him with interest, seeing the aw-struck look in his eyes she smiled. On impulse she playfully splashed her tail, sending water up into the air and onto the boy. Gasping in shock the boy laughed as Polyhymnia swam up the boat, looking the boy strait in the eyes.

“He loves the sea and every creature in it, yes he is a true sea human. I would not be surprised if there is mer blood in his family.”

In that moment the boy felt himself sinking in the whales eyes, as if the whale was speaking to a part of his soul. The whales spell ended as soon as it began, as the ship sailed away from the whales and Athena and Ariel surfaced.

“I saw that human boy, he was a strange one.”

“A sea human I think, one born by it and who loves it, one who may have mer in his heritage. It seemed to me that the sea was calling to him, but he seemed just as happy on land.”

“Humans are strange, it is time we left, I promised Ariel we could go exploring.”

“You have your others liking for adventure little one, keep hold of that, and your playful spirit. I hope we can swim together soon.”

“Thank you for letting me ride on your back Polyhymnia.”

“Call me Nia child, your Mother does, my full name is rather to long. Nia is what my friends call me, you are certainly one of those.”

Diving down back down into the sea, the pair got back onto the seahorse’s back and began to explore. Swimming near an area of rocks Ariel said.

“Mummy that looks like a cave” pointing to a large rock and an entrance behind it.

“Well then lets go and have a look” Athena replied, tying up their horse to a rock.

Pushing the rock back, Athena and Ariel swam in, both gazing at what they found. A tall circular cave, rocky shelves lined the walls, a rock in the centre, with a hole in top of it.

“This is like a secret hiding place” Ariel said swimming over to the shelves.

“It looks like the cave has created for that purpose” Athena replied swimming onto the rock in the cave’s centre.

“Can this be our secret place, where I can hide things I do not want my sisters to see?”

“It can yes the area is safe and it is beautiful place.”

“Here feels like another part of home, like it me to see it as part of home.”

“I get that same feeling to.

Home is
A place of warmth and wonder
Home is
The sea and all that’s
Underneath the waves
We splash and play
Where angelfish roam
And sometimes being

Home is
A funny flounder swimming
Home is
A group of guppies grinning
Floating by
Below the tide
You’re never alone

When you look around and see a friendly fin
It’s home
Wishin’ on a starfish in the sand
Or being in a private place
That’s all your own
Home’s an underwater wonderland
You’re always welcome

Home is
A feeling deep inside you
Home is
Your heart will always guide you
There again, to all your friends
Anywhere you roam

For home is love
And love is always home
Love is always home
Love is always home…” Athena sang hugging her daughter close as she sang.

“So this place can be home to.”

“Of course it can, this is a private place of our own. Privacy is something every mermaid needs when she has six sisters.”

Leaving the cave the pair pushed back the rock and Athena marked the cave on a map she always carried with her. Once back on their horse the pair rode for a few miles till they neared a place called Ship Wreck Rocks. An unpredictable current mixed in with sharp, large and often hidden rocks. Over the centuries thousands of ships had been wrecked. Often their crew were lucky and able to swim to the rocks on the surface or else a passing mer person might help. But just as often all hands were lost, bringing sorrow if their families. To the humans the place was known as Sailors Doom, a place where ships were lost and were mermaids lived.

“Can we go down?” asked Ariel.

“. The currents are strong, why do you want to down?”

“To see if the ships have human things in them, please Mummy just a quick look.”

“A quick look Ariel but that is all, make sure you stay close to me” Athena replied. .

Riding down the steep cliff, the pair looked at the wrecked ships. The ship’s ghostly skeletons shone an eerie shade of green. As she got closer, Ariel felt fear creep into her heart.

“I am brave, they cannot hurt me. Daddy is brave, I will be brave” she though.

Getting off their horse’s back, the pair swam through a ship’s window, and down into the cabins. Swimming through a hole in the floor, the pair found themselves on a long corridor, which was lined with rooms. Entering the nearest room, Athena saw it was similar to that of a teenage mermaid. Swimming up to vanity table, Ariel picked up a silver and diamond bracelet, along with a silver handheld mirror. Holding the mirror up, Ariel saw her reflection looking back at her. Then on a bedside table, she spotted a statue of two humans dancing.

“Mummy look” Ariel called to Athena.

“Oh that bracelet is beautiful, a little big but beautiful.”

“Can I keep these things?”

“I think so they would make lovely souvenirs of our adventure. You had best keep them out if your Daddies sight, he will not like them.”

“Where could I keep them?”

“In the cave we found, no one but us would know they were there.”

“That is a good idea Mummy, I can keep all my treasures in there.”

“You can Ariel, it is the perfect place.”

“I like exploring wrecks, they are not as scary as Adella said they were” Ariel said, as they swam out of the ship.

“That is because you are a brave girl. Your Daddy is very brave, he was never scared of exploring wrecks.”

“He did that?”

“Oh yes as a merboy he did. I used to go with him, we did have some close calls.”

Getting back on their horse, the pair rode back to the cave, where Ariel put her new things on a shelf. As they left the cave, Athena stopped and looked backing, smiling as she did. Riding home the pair got back just as the evening meal was being served. Sitting down the girls chatted about their day, with Attina showing them some of the fossils she had collected. After they had put the girls to bed, Athena and Triton swam out to the palace gardens. As they sat on a rock, Athena told Triton about her day.

“I do not like this Athena, this interest Ariel has with humans.”

“We were both the same as children, we even went further.”

“We did but things were different back then, which was before…………….Back then it was safe.”

“I understand why you fear this, but maybe is just a passing interest. I know there is a risk she could get hurt by humans if this goes on. She is only young, I am sure it will pass.”

“I wish I shared your optimism Athena. I just cannot be sure that it will, she is adventures and very curious.”

“As were we once, we gave are parents some sleepless nights.”

“We did, but that was before The Ban. You know the tales about mermaids and humans falling in love. You know what happened four hundred years ago.”

“Triton you are overreacting, Ariel is only four, it will be a long time before she falls in love.”

“I know that, interests start as children can continue. You know the story of Hope.”

“I do. She was a mermaid born with magic in her blood, but as a child she acquired a fascination with humans” said Athena.

“She swam up to the surface and sat on the shore, often swimming up the human castle by the sea. At age twelve she met the blind son and heir of the human king while he was sitting on the beach. They became friends and met most days, his blindness meant that Hope was safe.

At sixteen she told him what she truly was and allowed him to touch her tail. Three months later the Prince introduced her to his parents. Both had always known merpeople existed, both were glad their son had found a true friend. By this time both realised that they loved one another, though neither had the courage to tell the other.

As Hope grew she grew powerful, her magic’s power surpassing that of her parents. On the Princes seventeen birthday, Hope was able to use her power to cure his blindness. Seeing her, the Prince was amazed at what she had done for him, and invited her to the party that night. Using her magic she became human and walked on land with her friend. His parents were grateful for what she had done and made it known throughout the kingdom. That night the pair kissed and Hope chose to stay a month. At the months end the prince asked her to marry him and she accepted, willing to forsake her home and family for love.

That is what I fear for Ariel that the same thing might happen to her.”

“Triton there is little chance of that. Hope was able to become human because she was born with the magic. Ariel does not have that power and she is a princess. This phase will pass even it does not, one day she will find a merboy who she will love. We cannot know what the future will hold, things could change in time.”

“You are very wise Athena I am just worry over nothing, a phase it all it is” Triton replied putting his arms around her.
In her bedroom Ariel slept soundly, in her dreams she was a human walking on land with the human boy she had seen. Reaching the sea, the pair turned into merpeople and swam back to Atlantica, where her family welcomed them. As the waves crashed onto the shore near a white castle, human prince with raven hair dreamed of swimming with mermaids. Far below the sea Ariel slept, as she did she dreamt of the world above.