Tale 37- The Mermaid's One Love

 During her travels through the desert, the Traveler quickly became wary of scorpions. Nasty little creatures with venomous stingers, they’d penetrate her cloak and kill her in an instant. She couldn’t rush, but she had to avoid danger. The blazing sun burned through her cloak, obscuring her vision and turning her hands a bright, painful red. The only sounds were the wind and the rustles it created in the sand- until she heard someone speaking. Moving toward the sound, she found a pair of fellow travelers riding on camels, who immediately noticed how weak she looked and handed her some extra food and water. Lifting her onto one of their camels, the husband and wife decided to tell a story to pass the time, since the young girl would be with them until they managed to cross the relatively short desert. The wife turned to her as she gulped down the water, smiling, and told her the tale of ‘the Mermaid’s One Love’.

‘Years ago, there was a beautiful mermaid living in a shining palace underwater, made of the most precious corals and rocks one could find. The mermaid had a gift, her sparkling blue eyes, which could bewitch any human she set her sights on, leading her to cast her spell on a thousand men, bringing them down underwater and giving them the position as her loyal guards, who would serve and care for her at every whim. Despite the company of her castle, she still found herself deeply lonely, as she had nobody to truly love in the world- no family, no friends, merely captive humans who were now her mindless servants. In her desperation, she made the decision to become human for a time and seek out a true companion to end her lonely days, being found by a group of sailors. One of them, a strikingly handsome young man, she found herself drawn to. He offered her shelter in his humble home, caring for her in a way none of the guards did- with a loving tenderness, as if she was his wife. Slowly, the mermaid began to fall in love with the sailor, whispering a prayer to the stars that they could be together forever. However, one dark night, she found herself unable to sleep, and discovered the man’s true colours- he was bewitching her, being an advanced sorcerer who had enchanted himself with his looks in order to trick anyone who fell under his spell. He reminded her of how she used to be before she’d discovered the beauty of true companionship, and not wanting to turn him into a mindless soldier, fled his home and disappeared back into the bottom of the ocean. Every night, however, she watches him from afar, with the hope that someday he may change his ways and her prayer might be answered.’

They reached the edge of the desert, the two travelers explaining there was a city nearby that the Traveler could find refuge at, the Traveler thanking them for their kindness and the food they had given her. Heading down the path toward the city, the two waved her off, the Traveler feeling the burning heat beginning to cease as she got closer and closer to the place that never slept.