Brody
Legacy Name: Brody

I

she is young, barely a merling when she leaves the castle for the first time. the whispers that follow her are fearful. she does not understand why.

the surface?

She does not understand where she is to go. What she is to do.

II

Go.

She does not have a choice, there is no arguing with her mother.

speak of this to no one.

Her scales shake.

III

she gulps and at once air, not water fills her lungs. the moonlight bounces off the droplets that cling to her slender legs

she curiously moves what she has learnt to be toes.

IV

she holds her tongue as she shows the items to her mother. waits.

this will do.

she leaves with a sigh of relief. repeat.

V

they are speaking of the surface.

no one can go up there, for they would surely die

she pauses.

you're right, its much too dangerous

now she understands.

VI

i'm telling you, she is doing things no witch has done before.

she catches the whispers. listens harder.

something to do with the humans. the surface.

eyes are everywhere. she know's they are doomed.

VII

the rumours have started that another had gone missing. again, she does not believe her when she denies involvement. she heard the screams.

"Once upon a time, an evil witch lived in the depths of the ocean in a castle built of the spars and timbers from shipwrecks. She had one daughter."

Ever since she could remember, her mother had sent her up to the surface with one strict instruction- communicate with those from the land only when absolutely necessary. And so, as to not draw suspicion she would swim up to the shore in the hours of the night, and dry off on the beach during the sunrise hours.

The little old man at the farmer's market never questioned her shyness anymore, and she was able to get the ingredients her mother needed each day rather easily.

That is, until one day when the old man struck ill, leaving his young son to run the stand. With her mothers instructions ringing loud in her ears, Petra does her best to shake the boys attention, However, her efforts prove to be futile. She purchases 3 apples and a pear, and giggles while he fumbles to close up the stand. They end up spending the day walking down the beach, laughing while collecting sea glass.She was careful to avoid his pointed questions about her family, and simply shrugged when he asked why he had never seen her before.

At the end of the day, when the sun kissed the water, he asked when he could see her again. She laughed a bit, before quietly pressing her lips against his. And then, dipping her toes into the foam, she walked out to sea, ignoring his frenzied pleas before simply disappearing into the waters.