Prelude
The MerAishas were a race apart, dwelling on the bottom of the sea. After
events, chronicled in other books, the MerAishas retreated to a great city under
the sea, protected by Water Faerie magic and still with their Crown. Ruled over
by their new royalty, they lived happily, cut off from the outside world. Their
numbers began to fall, and the once great MerAisha kingdom shrunk. Refusing
to give up their individuality, they clung to existence as best they could.
It was one of their own who dealt the final blow.
Siren of the Sea
The sea sparkled in the sunlight, still and calm. Nothing
living could be seen around this area and the place was empty...almost empty...
Tiané thrust once more with her powerful
tail and broken the surface of the water. She deftly flipped herself onto a
nearby rock and sat, sunning herself. She was a MerAisha, a very rare type of
pet, with a beautiful scaly tail instead of legs. She ran her paws through the
water and flung a handful upwards in sheer ecstasy, laughing in glee as she
was bathed in glittering droplets.
Growing tired of the solitary rock, she struck
out for the shore of Krawk Island. It was her favourite place, whiling away
the hours observing the sailors. The shore soon came into view. Perching herself
discreetly on another outcrop of rocks here, she watched tall ships gliding
in and out of the harbour. She was growing tired of this until something caught
her eyes and tugged at her heartstrings. On the left, she spotted a large group
of pirates. In the midst of them, she saw the most handsome Aisha she'd ever
seen.
He was dressed in a sailor's garb, with a small
scar under one eye that added to his wild appearance. He was coloured Pirate,
his grey fur stiff with salt, and had a small Krawk by his side. The Aisha broke
into a grin and shoved his messy black hair out of his eyes. Tiané found
herself staring closely at him. She'd never seen an Aisha that looked so free,
so wild! The Aisha ducked his head and entered the Golden Dubloon. The ocean's
depths held no treasures for Tiané any more and she sat impatiently on
the rock far into sunset, waiting for him to reappear at the door of the Golden
Dubloon.
Finally, she sighed and resigned herself to re-entering
the now dreary water. In the gathering dusk, she swam home alone.
***
Tiané had been told man a time by would-be suitors that she was beautiful.
Right now, she wanted nothing but an admiring glance from the Pirate Aisha -
and she was confident she would get it...and him. She soon reached the palace
and, whisking through the protective magic that enclosed the palace, she arrived
at her bedroom. Rushing into her mirror bedecked room, she couldn't resist a
twirl to affirm to her wonderful looks to herself. Tiané was vain, but with
good reason. Her long blonde locks tumbled down her bare shoulder to her scales,
glimmering blue-green, setting off her azure eyes. She readjusted the two shells
serving as her top and smiled happily.
Tiané was meant to join her father for
dinner but she preferred to sit here and plait her hair. Very little was available
on the depths of the ocean - everything had to survive a long underwater journey
until it reached the sealed off palace. Tiané found most books dull,
but avidly read romance stories. Now she flopped back on the bed and cast her
thoughts to the Pirate Aisha. However, she soon stopped dreaming and sat up.
Tiané needed constant entertaining and amusing so often found life under
the water dull. She was discontent and felt trapped in the ocean, even if she
was a MerAisha, and she knew now that her place was on land - especially since
she'd found her love. Life on land seemed a distant dream...
Tiané made her decision swiftly - she
would quit this dreary place and beg Manicla, a local Water Faerie and close
friend, to assist her in capturing the pirate's heart. Tiané brushed
her hair once more and smiled at her reflection. No more stuck down here, with
no future as the queen of an ignored race. She would be revered on land, and
her beauty known throughout the lands. Tiané sustained herself with this
thought as she hurried to the doorway, she found her exit blocked by her father.
He was angry at her tardiness in attending dinner but his expression softened
slightly when he saw her. He smiled gently.
"You remind me so much of your mother, Tian,"
he said wistfully.
"Tiané, father. It's important!"
His face creased into a frown.
"Show respect, Tiané!"
Tiané touched her forehead with her tail
briefly in the customary salute to elders and flicked her hair out of her eyes.
She was resentful of having to pay respects to all elders, even her own father.
She was a princess and the last princess, after all - the last descendant of
the line of royal MerAishas.
Her father embraced his sulking child and looked
into her azure eyes steadily.
"What are you going to do now, Tiané?"
Tiané met his gaze and her eyes flashed
in defiance.
"I'm going to leave this faerie forsaken, accursed
place!"
His sea green eyes hardened.
"You are my daughter, Tiané. You are young
and headstrong but I love you. However, you will not go gallivanting off or
leave this palace. I must teach you to rule when I am gone - for you are the
last of the royal MerAisha line."
"I know that, but I do not care for this boring
place. You care only for your people, father!"
"I am a king and so I care for my people - but
you are one of my people too. You are a MerAisha, and a descendant to the Crown.
You must learn to care for your people, to lead them wisely and well, to attend
to the kingdom. The power vested in the Crown will help you but it will help
only the wise, not the foolish!"
Tiané blazed with fury at his level tone
of voice.
"Stay here, old man, with your kingdom! It is
mine no longer! I am leaving!"
Tiané stormed out of her and out of one
of the many exits to the palace. The palace was guarded by much Water magic
so no water ever came into the palace. Tiané flung open the hatch and
slipped out into the dark water.
Back in her room, her father sent away the servants
and cried. Tiané was his only living memory of his wife - both had been
impetuous, rebellious, and wild. But both were kind hearted, fierce defenders
of the defenceless and charming. Now he had lost them both. Tiané was
the last princess of a fast dwindling race...his future, and that of his people,
depended upon her...
To be continued... | 
