in fiction

Wednesday, July 22, 2020

The Little Merrow

An Irish Retelling of The Little Mermaid


   Listen my children, for I have many stories to pass on before I leave this earth. The most important is the story of a young merrow named Carra.  First, we must begin at the very start. Long ago, the gods decided they wanted company. Dagda, the god of life and death, decided to create creatures to worship the Tuatha Dé Danaan, the gods. He drew up mud from the earth, and formed a creature in his image. This he called man. He created a helper for the man, called woman. He breathed life into them, and they lived. They were called children of the Earth and worshiped Dagda, the father of their nation. Just like their father, they were rather stubborn.  Epona, the goddess of water, decided she too wanted a race devoted to her. She drew the waters from the deep and created a creature with fins of a fish, and the body of a woman. She breathed life into it, and it lived. She gave it the name merrow, the children of the water. Just like their mother, they were very curious. Many other races were created, the banshees, the Abhartach, but we shan’t talk about those.     Many years ago that the port kingdom of Tawnylea was filled with excitement and celebration. King Finnan and Queen Eireen were about to give birth to their long awaited child. Having prayed to the gods for many years for an heir, the couple had their prayers answered. They gave birth to a son named Connall, for he was to be a great warrior. With joy in their hearts, the king and queen presented their son to their subjects. Unbeknownst to them, there was a celebration for the birth of a child not too far from their own kingdom. In the kingdom of Rathanna, Lord Fergus and Lady Aine had just given birth to a merrow named Carra. For you see, the merrow had built kingdoms and waged war just as we did. Carra was born, as her name suggests, with fiery red hair. This was quite unusual for a merrow who was always born with greenish-yellow hair. Her parents knew she would be no ordinary maiden; no she was going to do wonderful things.      The children of the water and the children of the earth had long been at odds. The children of the water were all born with the gift of song. Some merrow used this gift for evil, luring men in ships to their death. Sailors were warned of the treachery of merrow, and feared the beautiful creatures. Likewise, little merrow children were told stories of men who kidnapped merrow. Humans were not to be trusted. All merrows were gifted with a cohuleen druith. This cap enabled them to dive beneath the waves. If they removed the cap, they were able to walk on land as the children of the earth did. Many merrow did this, before the men stole their caps. When a man stole a merrow’s cap, she was his. She lost all memory of her past life and was forced to stay on land. Many merrow were lost this way. Both groups grew scared of the other. Merrow, who were once very curious, grew more fearful of anything connected to man. That was, everyone except Carra. When merrow turned ten, they would go on their first exploration. Carra’s five older sisters went with her as they headed out past the kingdom gates to explore the far reaches of the oceans. As they swam they came across a shipwreck.     “Stay away from there,” Bebinn, the oldest, told Carra.     “Why?” Carra asked, intrigued.     “It’s cursed, the children of the earth used to use it before it was swallowed by the ocean.” Carra nodded, and followed them as they swam away from it, but looked back at it longingly.     In many ways Carra was not a normal merrow child. She was abnormally curious about humans, always asking her teachers about them.  Her tutors expressed their concerns to her parents but they said it was just a phase. Carra excelled at all her classes, especially dance and music. Carra was born with the most beautiful voice that any merrow had ever heard. She was also the best dancer Rathanna had seen. They say that when you saw her dance or heard her sing, your heart was warmed. She was loved by all that met her. That’s why when she started to go out to the shipwreck, her sisters covered for her. Carra adored the ship, there were so many interesting things in the ship. She would spend hours in the ship, looking at the items and trying on the human’s dresses. Her sisters would make excuses for her, they didn’t understand her obsession, but they didn’t want her to get in trouble. Carra would come back and tell them all she had discovered, and they just smiled and nodded hoping she’d grow out of it.     Connall too grew up much adored. He was a smart boy, eager to learn. He was rather strange in the sense that he preferred books and music to swords, but his parents never minded. He was skilled in all he did, even swords despite his lack of interest. He was kind and compassionate; everyone knew he would one day make an excellent ruler. Connall also had a deep love of the ocean; he frequently went to the beach to read with his dog Alroy. He knew of the dangers, of the merrow who could lure men to their deaths, but he wasn’t afraid. In fact he was rather curious about the underwater creatures, and hoped one day he would be lucky enough to see one.    Connall got that chance when he turned eighteen. As was custom in Tawnylea, Connall had his first voyage on a ship. His father and mother watched him sail away, unaware of what was to come. They had an uneventful voyage for the most part; they sailed to a kingdom that they frequently traded with. Connall oversaw a trade, and they headed home. Carra, who had been exploring a shipwreck, saw the shadow of the boat pass by. Curious, she swam closer to it. When she realized what it was, she nearly swam away. However, she had grown bored with the shipwrecks, she wanted something new to see, so she carefully stuck her head above water. The ship was massive, bigger than she had ever seen. As she swam closer she saw them, children of the earth. They were incredible, unlike anything she had ever seen.  She heard laughter, and swam within a couple feet of the ship. These creatures hardly seemed dangerous if they were laughing. That’s when Carra saw him, a tall handsome man with dark hair and sea blue eyes. He was the most beautiful thing she had ever seen. He was the one that was laughing, his eyes twinkled with amusement. Someone called him Prince Connall. What a wonderful name. He seemed to sense that someone was watching him and turned towards Carra, but she dove under the water.     Suddenly, as if the great goddess herself knew what was going on, the sea grew angry, tossing the boat this way and that. The sky opened up and flashed with fury. Carra heard a lot of shouting as the men on the ship tried to handle the rough waves and furious wing. In an instant there was suddenly a fire burning on the ship as a bolt of lightning struck one of the masts. Carra watched in horror as the ship started to burn. The men rushed to a lifeboat, and dropped into the ocean below. Connall was about to get into one of the boats, but was knocked out by one of the falling beams. The ship, unmanned, crashed into some rocks and Connall was thrown into the water. Carra didn’t even hesitate before diving beneath the waves to rescue him. Grabbing him, she swam to the surface so he could breath and headed to shore. It was a long swim and lasted until morning.     When they reached the shore, Carra removed her cap so she could go on the land. Her scales fell away and Carra was surprised to see legs. She wobbled a bit at first, but managed to pull Connall onto the beach. He was breathing short breaths, but he was still alive. Carra sat next to him, amazed at how there was very little separating them now. Besides her webbed fingers and toes, they looked very similar. As Carra sat there she felt love wash over her. She sang to Connall the song of devotion, pledging herself to him. As she sang his eyes started to flutter open. Suddenly, there was another voice calling for Connall. Carra put her cap back on and dove into the ocean, quickly swimming away before she was spotted. Gregoir, Connall’s caretaker found him dazed on the beach.       “Prince Connall, thank the gods you are alright,” he exclaimed.       "Gregoir, a woman saved me, the most beautiful woman I have ever seen.” Gregoir regarded Connall most strange, and helped him back to the palace. For days Connall neither slept nor ate, searching the kingdom for this woman, but she was never found.      It came to pass that the evil King Calbhach, the king of the ocean, heard of Carra’s wonderful voice. She had also grown into a beautiful maiden. He gathered twenty of his men and went to claim her as his bride.  When he swam into town, the kingdom shook with fear. King Calbhach was much feared for he had black magic and the power to steal souls. Legend has it that in his palace he had a room of souls stolen from merrow who crossed him. Lord Fergus had no choice but to promise Carra’s hand in marriage. Carra, much distraught over this went to try and see Connall one last time. Two of the king’s men found her and brought her before him.      “Why were you going to the surface?”     “I’m quite curious about it sire,” she replied quietly.       “And it would have nothing to do with a child of the earth named Connall?” Carra’s eyes widened. “I have ears and eyes everywhere dear.”       “I-I…” Carra stammered. King Calbhach held up a hand.      “I propose a deal, I shall let you go to the surface and you shall try to win this man. If he shan’t fall in love with you by the new moon, or shall proclaim his love to another, you shall return to me and shall forever be mine.”      “I don’t understand…”     “Your soul. If the new moon comes and he has not proclaimed his love, you will be my wife and your soul shall be mine.” He paused and grinned a most evil smile. “Of course, I must have your voice before you go. A child of the earth is helpless to resist a merrow’s singing, that is hardly fair. Do we have a deal?” With a snap of his fingers a scroll appeared. He held out a quill. Taking a deep breath, Carra signed. King Calbhach grinned widely. He held out a shell, and suddenly Carra felt her throat constrict. A golden light came from her mouth into the open oyster shell before shutting tightly. Carra tried to talk but nothing came out. “You better hurry,” King Calbhach said.  “The new moon is only fourteen days away.” Carra quickly swam away as King Calbhach laughed. 
Connall was sitting on the beach with Alroy playing his fife when Alroy took off running. When he followed Alroy he came across a woman in a thin, tattered white dress.       “Sorry miss, we didn’t mean to bother you.” As Connall looked, the face seemed familiar. “Have we met before?” The woman shook her head. “You look familiar…” As he thought he figured it out. She was the woman that saved him! “You’re her!” He exclaimed, “the one that saved me, what’s your name?” The woman touched her throat. “You can’t speak?” She nodded. “Oh…you can’t be her then. Where are you from?” Carra, at a loss for what to do vaguely motioned out to see. “The sea? Were you on a ship?” Carra nodded. “You poor thing, come on, I’ll help you.” Connall brought her to the palace where she was bathed and clothed by the servants.     Carra was only supposed to stay a night, until the rest of her shipmates were found, but Connall was quickly taken by the woman, as was the rest of the palace. She was helpful, curious, and filled with such joy despite not a sound coming from her mouth. She was also a magnificent dancer; no one had ever seen such a dancer. Connall found himself telling her all about his life, his dreams, and his worries. Through hand gestures and writing Carra was able to speak, and through this they were able to have many long conversations. It was on her fifth day there that a princess came to visit from another kingdom. The king and queen had planned the meeting months before, a prospective wife for Connall. In one of their talks by the ocean Connall told Carra that he did not want to marry the princess. He was in love with the woman who had saved him. She had the most beautiful voice he had ever heard. He would not marry anyone but her. Carra’s heart leaped for joy as well as broke in half when she heard this. How could she show Connall she was that woman?      The king and queen were very disappointed at their son’s rejection of the princess and pressed him to get married. When he told them about the woman, they were very upset. His father proclaimed it to be a merrow and Connall should forget her. The queen very quietly mentioned Carra, if he liked spending time with her so much, perhaps he could marry her. That planted a seed of an idea in his head that grew every time he was around her. It was her fourteenth day there when he felt himself quite in love with her. He brought her to the beach to tell her. He was about to proclaim his love to her when he heard the voice, the beautiful singing voice from that day on the beach. Before Carra could stop him, he ran off towards it. Carra followed, afraid for what was to come. There on the beach was a beautiful woman, who looked quite like Carra with her red hair, singing.      “It’s you!” Connall exclaimed.      “It is, I have been searching for you.”     “As I have you.” Carra stared in horror at what was transpiring. Something was very wrong.     “Come my love, come to me and proclaim your love,” she held out her hand. Connall took a step towards her, but looked back at Carra. Carra had tears in her eyes and silently pleaded with Connall not to go. He looked back at the woman. “Leave her. Come to me, it is me whom you love.” Connall once again took a step before stopping.      “I…” he started, his conflicting feelings warring inside of him.      “You love me, not her.” The woman said, her voice taking a rough tone.      “No.” Connall said forcefully, turning back to Carra. “Carra I…” Before he could finish, the woman had changed shape into a hideous serpent like creature. It lunged at Connall, Carra pointed and Connall turned just in time to dodge the poisonous fangs. Connall drew his sword and swung, cutting the serpent’s head clean off. As it fell it became the head of King Calbach. Carra gasped, and found her voice returned.      “Connall,” she whispered. He turned at her voice.      “You can speak.”      “I was her, I was the woman.” Carra said.       “It doesn’t matter my dear, I love you with or without a voice.” He proclaimed kissing her.     ​With Connall and Carra’s wedding, peace was reached between the children of the water and children of the earth. No more did they have to fear each other. When they ascended to the throne after the king and queen passed, they were the most gracious rulers to have ever ruled. When Connall and Carra grew old, they walked into the ocean to never be seen again. It’s said that they are still alive today, and if you listen closely on a clear night you can hear the most beautiful voice singing, accompanied with the fife of her beloved.
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Tuesday, July 21, 2020

Moonlight Diner


Things Aren't Always What They Seem

    It was during the lunch rush when she entered the diner. A girl in a leather coat and a beanie went unnoticed among the hustle and bustle of the busy diner. She sat down at the bar, plopping her dufflebag at her feet. She brushed the dust off her coat, and ordered a coffee with milk and sugar. She took out a notebook and started furiously writing, hunching over the book as she did. ​The din of the restaurant had faded to a soft murmur as most of the people had left. The girl still sat writing, pausing every so often to take a bit of her sandwich or a sip of her coffee. In the kitchen, the waitresses discussed the young girl. The diner’s main clientele were regulars. A stranger was not unheard of but was something to be discussed.
    “What is she writing so furiously?” Flo asked peeking out of the window at the girl.
    “Looked to me like a letter,” Savannah replied, popping her gum. “When I was servin’ her, I saw a dear David at the top.
    “David? Ten bucks she’s a runaway bride.” Flo said.
    “She’s far too young!” Maggie remarked shaking her head.
    “Back in Georgia,” Savannah spoke up, flicking her blonde ringlets over her shoulder. “We got married by eighteen.”
    “Couldn’t find someone to put up with you?” Flo smirked to which Savannah gave a little huff.
    “I had many beaus I’ll have you know,” she stated before leaving the kitchen.    
    “I’m still saying runaway bride,” Flo said to Maggie. Maggie once again shook her head.
    “I bet you’re wrong.”
    “You’re on,” Flo grinned and shook the older woman’s hand.

    “Howdy miss,” the sudden voice started the young woman so much she nearly ran a line through her paper. She turned to see a young, handsome blonde man with a plaid shirt, cowboy hat, and the bluest eyes she had ever seen. “Sorry I didn’t mean to startle you.”
    “It’s all right,” she replied.
    “Writin’ quite furiously there.”
    “Yep.”
    “Name’s Joshua,” he stuck out his hand.
    “Alex,” she said hesitantly shaking his hand.
    “Might fine pleasure,” he smiled widely.
    “Hey Joshua,” came a singsong voice. Alex and Joshua turned to see Savannah.
    “Afternoon Miss Savannah, lookin’ pretty as always.”
    “Such a flatterer,” Savannah giggled.
    “Mama always said flattery put the world at your feet.”
    “Smart woman, want the usual?”
    “Yes’m thank ya darlin’.” Savannah flounced away and Joshua turned his piercing eyes onto Alex.
    “Haven’t seen ya round here,” he said.
    “Not from here,” Alex replied trying to go back to her writing.
    “Where ya from?”
    “Not from here.”
    “Closed book ain’t ya?”
    “Did you want something?” Alex snapped.
    “Just wanted to chat, ya looked like ya needed to talk somethin’ out.”
    “Well I don’t.”
    “Alrighty then,” Joshua shrugged. Savannah brought him his food and Joshua started to eat.
    
    ​Alex and Joshua sat next to each other in silence before Alex spoke.
    “I ran away,” she found herself saying.
    “From?”
    “My boyfriend David.”
    “Why?”
    “Let’s just say he wasn’t right for me.” Joshua got quiet.
    “Did he hurt ya?” Alex froze, and didn’t respond. Joshua’s face grew angry. “How badly?” He was quiet, which was more frightening. Alex silently moved her sleeves up to show several bruises and cuts on her arms. She paused and then moved her scarf to show her neck. There was a lot of bruising, it was so bad you could still almost see the hands wrapped around her throat. Joshua’s face turned red as he tried to control his anger. “Does he know ya left?”
    “Yes, I’ve been gone for a few days now.”
    “Do you think he’ll come after ya?”
    “Yes,” Alex whispered, “and he will kill me.”
    “I’ll protect ya,” Joshua said taking her hand. It was if a spell was broken and Alex pulled back.
    “How did you get me to talk? I didn’t want to talk.”
    “Maybe ya just felt comfortable, I make people feel at ease.”
    “I haven’t felt at ease for a while.”
    “Let me help ya,” Joshua said earnestly.
    “Why?”
    “I have a soft spot for damsels in distress.” Joshua once again reached for her hand, and this time Alex allowed it.

    The two started to talk about love, life, and everything. They talked for a while until Alex realized the sun was starting to go down. She jumped up, causing Joshua to do the same.
    “I have to go.”
    “Wait, what?”
    “I need to go, I’ve stayed here for too long, he’s going to find me,” Alex started to throw on her outer layers.
    “I’ll drive ya wherever ya want to go,” Joshua replied.
    “No, no, I won’t get you involved. You’re just going to get hurt.”
    “I’m already involved, I won’t just abandon you now.”
    “He’s going to kill you,” Alex whispered, her eyes pleading with him.
    “I won’t let him,” Joshua squeezed her hand.
    
    Before either one of them could realize what was happening, a tall man with dark hair ripped Alex away from Joshua. The man’s face was contorted with anger.
    “What the hell are you doing Alexandra?”
    “Get off me David,” Alex spat. “I’m not going to be bothered by you anymore.”
    “Who is this?” David asked gesturing to Joshua.
    “None of your concern, let me go!”
    “Not likely, we’re going.”
    “She’s not going anywhere with ya,” Joshua said stepping forward.
    “She’s not your concern,” David scoffed.
    “Actually, she is. I won’t let ya hurt her anymore.”
    “You won’t let me?” David laughed, shoving Joshua with his free hand. “You couldn’t handle me cowboy.”
    “Wanna bet?” Joshua swung, and his punch landed on David’s jaw. David dropped Alex’s arm and lunged at Joshua. A fist fight ensued as Alex dove for her dufflebag. She was rummaging in it when David managed to get his hands around Joshua’s neck. Alex panicked and looked harder. Joshua’s face was turning blue as he was unable to breathe. Alex found what she was looking for and ran at David. She raised her weapon, a wooden stake, high above her head.
    “See you in hell, you bastard,” she said plunging the stake through his heart. David let out a screech and disappeared in a puff of smoke.
    
    Alex dropped to her knees to kneel at Joshua’s side.
    “Are you ok? I’m so sorry. I didn’t…” Alex fumbled over her words at a loss for how to explain what just happened.
    “Ya failed to mention he was a vampire,” Joshua said sitting up. Alex looked at him, her mouth agape.
    “You know about them?”
    “Everyone does,” Alex looked around the room, the few remaining customers looked unfazed by the encounter.
    “I don’t…”
    “Are ya ok?”
    “Yes, he didn’t hurt me,” Alex gently turned Joshua’s face to examine his neck. “You’re hurt.”
    “It ain’t that bad,” Joshua said softly. “It was worth it to keep ya safe.”
    “Flatterer,” Alex said smiling before lightly kissing him. “Thank you.”
    “My pleasure.”
    “Now I really should go,” Alex said standing. Joshua’s face fell, but he tried to cover it.
    “Have more vampires chasing after you?”
    “No,” Alex said smiling. “I need a drink, care to join me?” Joshua broke out into a grin and stood.
    “I’d love to,” he grabbed Alex’s duffle bag and then the two walked out hand in hand.

    In the kitchen, Maggie had a small smile.
    “I love a good start to a romance.”
    “It’s disgustin’” Savannah grumbled.
    “I believe you owe me ten bucks,” Maggie said to Flo. Flo grumbled and handed over a ten-dollar bill.
    “Stupid vampires, it’s always vampires.”
    “No, last week it was werewolves. I’m still finding fur in the booths.” Maggie replied.
    “Only in Aurora,” Flo laughed.
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