Chapter 2

    Chapter 2

           

            She hid behind some anemone. She looked both ways to make sure that no one saw her. She swam quickly to the large underwater cave. She held her breath out of anxiety until she was able to make it to the cave. She had a secret. A dark secret.

            She swam deep into the dark and endless labyrinth of tunnels, passages, and choices, until she saw light. A tunnel lead to a beach of golden sand and tall palm trees. The luminescent blue moon hung in the dark, glimmering sky. Millions of glittering golden stars shone, nestled in the galaxy of hopeful darkness. She, alone, sat on the beach of shimmering beauty that she was forbidden from, yet forced to go to.

            She knew everyone was forbidden from being there, of course, but “everyone” wasn't going through what she was going through. At night, all the maidens and warriors of the waters of Poseidon were forbidden from the shores of the connecting world of dreams, hope, and mutual beauty as the undersea paradise of the merfolk. But she was excused. She knew that, because the great Poseidon didn't drown her, as he could've. She knew he was watching.

            Every night of the full moon she was forced to go to the shores of the world above. On blue moons, the Sacred Jewel of the Seven Seas was released to cover the full moon, casting it as a blue shadow of lunar likeness. Then, it was up to her. Just as the job her mother, her grandmother, her great-grandmother, her great-great-grandmother, and so forth of the generations were forced to do until death. Her secret was what was going to end her life.

            Tears ran down her cheeks as she let beautifully sweet melodies flow out of her open mouth, feeding the Jewel great power. She could almost hear the great Poseidon laughing at her despair. She knew there was no point in crying, but she couldn't help it. Why her? Why her?

            Of all the fish in the sea, why did it have to be her? She didn’t do anything wrong, right? So why her? Her thoughts blurred together into impossible questions as she continued to sing. Why?           

Her singing grew stronger and the moon turned a violent shade of cobalt. The light blue colors trickled through the night sky, forming a staircase. A woman in a billowing blue dress stepped on the surf, walking on water towards the girl. Her long, black hair blew in the wind, her shimmering blue eyes powerful, yet gentle, like the ocean. “I am Amphitrite, Goddess of the Sea.” The goddess smiled.

            The girl gasped. Suddenly her long, shimmering yet elegant tail disappeared in a shower of golden light and were replaced by human legs. She now wore a gleaming dress of pure gold. “Your highness,” She stuttered. “How?”

            Amphitrite smiled, and waved her hand over the sea. A golden dust came from her long, nimble fingertips and fluttered onto the dark waves, transforming them into golden splashes of liquid. “Magic..” By now the girl’s hand was covering her mouth as if she was having a heart attack. “Wow...”

            She tried standing up. She staggered backwards, her new found legs trying to balance. She finally got a hang on it, like she always did. Every blue moon, strangely, it was always the same.

            “We will have to make this particular meeting quick, for I have a certain, um, what do you call it? Proposition? Yes, I have a proposition for Boreas, the North Wind. Alas, he won't be happy doing something for the sake of a mortal.” The queen sighed, but went back to her smiling self in seconds.

            For a moment, the girl was confused. What did the queen mean? She decided it was none of her business. If the goddess really wanted to tell her, she would. So, no complaining.

            The queen was acting strange that night, as if something important was about to happen any second. The girl sighed, annoyed by the fact that she was always restricted to know about important. Why mention it around her anyway? It was just something to make her more annoyed.

            Her mind went back to the reason the she was even there. She would always be surprised to have the great Poseidon's queen and the ancient sea goddess come to turn her into a... a... she squeezed her eyes shut and opened them to see if it would make a difference. Nope. She would always have to have this happen to her, just because of her ancestor’s mistake. The great mistake...

At least, that was what her mother had called it when she had to explain about the curse. Stupid curse. If it weren’t for the curse she wouldn’t be what she was.                  

All of a sudden dark clouds filled the sky and it started to thunder. “Is Zeus angry with Poseidon?” The girl questioned Amphitrite.

            Amphitrite smile disappeared. “Yes. Actually, it is about you. Apparently Poseidon is deciding on whether or not he will give you a chance to vanquish the source of this curse.” The goddess smiled mysteriously.  

            She felt flood of relief flush through her. Then something hit her. “Wait, what's the source?” She asked desperately. Amphitrite smiled, waved her hand, and disappeared in a shower of crystal blue water. “Goddesses..” The girl muttered.

She tried to become a mermaid again, but she knew she couldn't. What was the point? She couldn't change back 'till morning, because then a magical ray of light would transform her back. Yay! She got to be a.. a.. a monster for a night. Great, right? Wrong.

         She unwillingly started singing again. Well, at least there was a possible way to change herself back. She sang her heart out, and the dark blue moon seemingly laughing at her. She knew it wasn't Artemis's fault, but she was very angry at her for not taking control of her moon. Stupid old blue moon.

            She couldn't take it anymore. As she sang, she burst out in tears. Suddenly she was hit with a strange sensation, as if she was being watched. She shook the feeling away. It was just another thing to point out how different she was.

 Why couldn't she just be a normal girl?! Why?! Because she was Leira, the Guardian of The Sacred Jewel. That's why.