The Pirate's Princess

by Bethany Wicker

  “What? No,” she exclaimed. “You can’t just touch a mermaid’s tail. Don’t ever ask another mermaid that.”

  “Why not?”

  She cleared her throat and didn’t meet my eyes. “Because it’s a form of flirting and seduction.”

  “Oh man, I’m so sorry. I didn’t realize. That’s for letting me know that one though.”

  “You aren’t at all what I thought you’d be.”

  “And you’re everything I thought you would be.”

  “That’s kind of weird. What makes you say that?”

  “Well, I had a feeling that all mermaids weren’t evil and intent on killing sirens immediately.”

  “We’re taught to, but it’s a little hard to follow through with it when the Kraken is right there.” She pointed behind me. “I don’t even understand how that’s possible. No creature sees the Kraken and lives.” She gasped. “That means I am going to die.”

  “You’re not going to die. Not by us at least. Now, that we’re acquainted, do you mind helping me look for something?”

  “I wouldn’t bother. This ship has already been raided several times. The only thing I managed to find was this shiny necklace a few miles away.”

  She opened her hand to reveal a silver necklace and I gasped in recognition. The familiar heart-shaped pendant contained blue, white, and green jewels that were arranged to create a circular design. It was Steel’s necklace. The only memory he had left of his mother.

  “Can I have that please?” I whispered with longing etched into my voice.

  “Why would I give it to you? I found it.”

  “Because that belongs to my—” I cut myself off. Were Steel and I still dating?

  Her eyes flashed with surprise. “You’re her.”

  I tilted my head to the side, staring at her with confusion. “I’m who?”

  “You’re the girl that cursed pirate is looking for.”

  “Steel’s looking for me? You mean, you know where he is?”

  “Well, not exactly. I’ve only heard about him from my friend. Apparently, the captain is cursed and has fully given in to the darkness within him. He’s searching the ocean, looking for someone who was taken from him by the sirens. He claims he won’t stop until he finds her and will kill anyone who stands in his way. It’s you he’s looking for, isn’t it?”

  “I think so. If it really is Steel then yeah.”

  “My friend told me he’s known as Bloody Steel.”

  “Yeah, that’s him. I have to find him and let him know I’m okay. That was his mother’s necklace. It’s the only thing he has left of her. Can you please give it to me? Maybe I can trade you for something else.”

  “Can I have one of the pirates off of his ship in exchange? Pirates are the tastiest.”

  “What? No way,” I yelled defensively.

  She cracked a smile. “I’d heard the siren princess had been staying with humans, but I didn’t realize she actually possessed feelings for them.”

  “They aren’t all bad. Just like not all sirens or mermaids are evil.”

  “Who says we aren’t?”

  “Considering the fact that we’ve been holding a civilized conversation for a while now, I can deduce that you aren’t going to attack me.”

  “Good point. All right, I’ll let you have it if you tell me what you plan on doing when you become queen.”

  “That I can do, but you’ll probably think it’s silly. I want to try to bring peace between mermaids, humans, and sirens.”

  Serena started laughing, but quickly sobered up once she noticed I was serious. “You can’t really think that’s a possibility, can you?”

  “Of course it is.”

  “Then you’re dafter than I originally believed, but a deal’s a deal. I can tell you’re being honest, so here.” She held out her hand and dangled the necklace from her fingers.

  I took it from her and felt a little closer to Steel just by holding it. “Thank you.”

  “Is that what you came here to find?”

  I shook my head. “I’m looking for a map. I’ve been told that mermaids stole my dad’s necklace and I believe the map will lead me to it.”

  “You’re pretty naive aren’t you?”

  I bristled. “No, I’m not.”

  “Yeah, you are. You’re pretty quick to tell an enemy all of your plans. Now, I can swim off to King Triton and pass on that bit of information for power or gold.”

  I felt the Kraken move in a little closer. “Do you want me to kill her?”

  I looked at him over my shoulder. “No, I think it’ll be okay.”

  “You can understand him?” Serena’s eyes widened as she glanced between us.

  I shrugged. “It’s a newer discovery.”

  “Is he going to kill me now?”

  “I already told you we weren’t going to hurt you. Besides, I don’t think you’re going to tell King Triton a thing.”

  “And what made you come to that conclusion?”

  “It’s just a feeling I have. So, do you want to join me?”

  “On a journey that may just lead us to our deaths? Meh, why not? I’ve got nothing better to do.”

  I grinned. “Good, we can start by trying to find the map.”

  The Kraken lingered outside of the wrecked ship while Serena and I dove in. I followed the path that would’ve led us into Steel’s room, but everything was a mess. It was hard to recognize what was what. My stomach lurched at the sight because this ship had once been my home. It was even harder to believe that the creature who was responsible for this was hovering just a few feet away and was no longer an enemy.

  Serena remained silent and calculating. I could tell she was watching me and hadn’t fully decided whether or not she could trust me. I didn’t blame her. It was odd hanging out with a mermaid after being told how violent they were. I’d had a feeling that it was an exaggerated truth and Serena here proved my instincts were correct. It made me curious as to the truth behind why the necklace was taken. Serena might be my only chance to hear the mermaids’ side of the story.

  After searching the carnage that was once Steel’s desk, I understood that finding the map was a lost cause. It had either been destroyed or someone beat me to it, not understanding what it meant. All I knew was that it wasn’t here.

  “What’s next?” Serena asked from the other side of the room.

  “I’m not sure. I guess the only option really is to find Steel,” I replied.

  Serena curled her tail and turned to face me. “I feel like I should say I’m sorry my kind stole the necklace in the first place, but I’m not surprised that it happened one bit. Your father stole King Triton’s girlfriend and mermaids are all about getting even.”

  “What? That can’t be true.”

  “Her name was Adrianna.”

  I gasped and felt my blood go cold. “That was my mother’s name.”

  She blanched. “You mean you’re the daughter of King Delmer and the half-human, half-siren Adrianna?”

  “Yeah, that’s my mom and dad. What happened between them and King Triton?”

  “Look, we can’t talk here. Let me bring you back to my house because people are going to be back here to look for anything else they can find on Steel. All creatures of the sea are scared of him right now and are looking for any way to gain an advantage over him.”

  “If I go with you, you’ll explain everything about my parents. The truth.”

  “I promise.”

  “And you aren’t leading me into a trap?”

  “Even if I was, it’s not like it would really be a trap with the Kraken fighting at your side. It would be more of a slaughter on our end. Besides, you might just be the only one who can do something about the mess we’re in. You do realize King Triton is going to want to meet you.”

  “Whoa, one step at a time. For now, lead me to your house and I’ll listen to what you have to say.”

  Once we were out of the ship, I explained to the Kraken what we were d
oing as Serena watched our exchange curiously. He explained that he would look for Steel’s new ship while we talked things over.

  Serena and I left right after that and—to my relief—swam in the opposite direction of Siren’s Call. Dad had to know I’d left by now and I could only imagine how furious he was at the moment.

  Chapter Eight

  Serena led me to an underwater cave that was dark and secluded. I would’ve completely overlooked it had she not pointed it out and I followed her into it. I might be an idiot for trusting her, but I was giving her the benefit of the doubt. Besides, what she said about the Kraken was a good assumption. I highly doubted he would let someone attack me without taking revenge.

  “Are you the only one that lives here or are your parents with you too?” I asked curiously because the space was smaller than I’d anticipated.

  Serena’s eyes filled with longing and loneliness. “It’s only me. My mom died not too long after I was born and my father not too long after that. It’s been just me for as long as I can remember. I didn’t have any other family to raise me, so this was the safest place I could find. I visit King Triton’s castle often though and have a handful of friends there.”

  “I’m sorry to hear that. My mom just died recently and I know how much of a hole it leaves.”

  “My hole isn’t too large considering I don’t even remember them. Not even what they look like.”

  An awkward silence settled between us and I took the opportunity to scan her living quarters. There were various trinkets scattered around the place and everything had a shiny tint to it, even in the darkness. They were mostly silver and some gold. There were a lot of jewels in the corners… piles and piles of them and I wondered what Steel would think if he found a place like this.

  “Do all mermaids collect shiny things like you?” I asked.

  She giggled and it pierced the silence. The sound was strange coming from a mermaid… darker. “It’s sort of a thing we do. I can’t help but love anything that sparkles, especially if it comes from humans. They create magical and beautiful things out of metal.”

  “Tell me about it. Steel and his crew love to steal stuff like this. I’ve always wondered, is it weird raiding the dead?”

  “Considering their humans, it doesn’t bother me. It’s not like I care that they’re gone.”

  “That’s very morbid.”

  “Maybe to you but it’s our way of life. Besides, they have no need for trinkets in the afterlife, so why not give them a new home?”

  “Fair point. I guess it’s just weird to me as an outsider looking in. So, when we going to get to the topic of my parents?”

  “I guess right now. I’m sorry I don’t have any seats for you to sit in, but it’s kind of hard to sit in a chair with a tail. I feel most comfortable laying down.”

  “I’m used to living on an island, so I’m pretty sure I can find a seat anywhere.”

  To prove my point I went ahead and sat on the floor. I stared up at her expectantly. Serena giggled as she twirled and then rested on the floor. She flattened her tail onto the ground and looked like she was stretching it.

  “All right, where should I start?” She tapped her chin in thought.

  “Maybe with the part about my dad stealing my mom from King Triton. You know, that whole story.”

  “Yeah, yeah. I’m not sure if you were already told this, but your father and King Triton used to be best friends. They were inseparable. That was also a time when mermaids and sirens worked together to capture humans and collect food. It was an era of peace and harmony—besides the fact that we like to kill humans. I don’t think that will ever change, but anyway, back to the story.

  “Your mother, Adrianna, was a gift to King Triton from her human father. Her mother had already passed away and her father was having trouble with the ocean affecting his land. In a way, Adrianna was his offering to keep the storms from shredding his land any more than they already had. It was a selfish act, giving up his daughter for land, but King Triton accepted her as tribute. He was so enraptured by Adrianna’s beauty that he immediately declared she was to be his future wife. And that is where King Delmer came in.

  “He was visiting King Triton as he usually did. This time was different though. As soon as his eyes landed on your mother, he was smitten and nobody could tear them apart. Not even King Triton because Adrianna never possessed feelings for him. This angered him—as you can imagine—and he threatened King Delmer, but your father wouldn’t back down. It was only a few days after that that King Triton banished him from mermaid territory. That was when the dark days began. I was only a child then, but I can remember it so vividly, as if it had happened yesterday. King Delmer tried to apologize to King Triton, but he wouldn’t hear it. Instead, he attacked your father right where he stood. When King Delmer bested him, King Triton became angry for a whole new reason and that was when the plan to steal the sirens’ necklace formed.”

  “My dad said that mermaids stole the necklace because they were jealous of our power, but that doesn’t seem to be what really sparked it.”

  “Oh, that’s exactly what sparked it. It just wasn’t the only thing. The mermaids began to hate the sirens for being able to go on land when they couldn’t. For example, your mother was only half-siren. Because of that, her gills could only tolerate being underwater for one month at a time. Any longer than that, and she was taking the risk of drowning. So, once a month, your father would join your mother on the land, and they would bask in the sunlight until their heart was content. King Triton was envious of this because he could’ve never given your mother that. In a way, he is a prisoner to the sea while stuck with his tail, as am I. The only difference is I’d rather be in this water than on land.”

  “I don’t understand. Couldn’t King Triton just give himself legs with the power of his trident?”

  “No, that isn’t a possibility. Magic like that doesn’t exist for us.”

  “Why not? It doesn’t make sense for us to be able to have human legs and not you all.”

  “I don’t know the reason behind it. I just know the facts.”

  “Do you know why my parents decided to live on land permanently? Dad said the sirens wanted to kill Mom.”

  She nodded. “It happened after King Delmer found out mermaids stole the necklace. The sirens turned on him and blamed your mother for why they could no longer possess human legs. For that reason, they turned on her. Adrianna almost died, but King Delmer saved her by killing members of his own court. After that, he ran and took refuge on an island with your mother. It seems they got busy and had you.”

  It fell quiet as she gave me time to process everything. Why had my father lied to me? Serena’s story was too detailed to be false. I also wondered why nobody else back at the castle talked about the truth either. Were they forbidden to? No wonder King Triton was so angry, but… the others…

  “Why do mermaids want to kill sirens still? I understand King Triton’s reasons, but what are the others’?”

  “It goes both ways. After that whole dilemma, sirens attacked mermaids and mermaids attacked sirens. It became a normal thing to see each other as enemies.”

  “Sounds more exhausting to me.”

  “Not to creatures who enjoy killing humans for a living.”

  “Very true.” I glanced at her tail. “I wonder what it would be like to have a tail.”

  “I wonder what it would be like to have legs.”

  “Maybe we’ll both find out one day.”

  “You will with the help of your necklace. I’m a lost cause though.”

  “Don’t say that.”

  “Whatever. So, what are you going to do now that you know the truth?”

  I chewed on my lip as I debated it. “I guess I’m going to stick with my plan. I’m going to find Steel and get him to help me search for the necklace. To tell you the truth, Dad doesn’t even know I’m here. He refused to let me leave or give me any answers so I snuck out.”

  “No
way! The siren princess is a badass.”

  “I wouldn’t say that.”

  “Are you hungry? I have some seaweed if you want some.”

  That sounded terrible and slimy. “No thanks, I’m good.”

  She laughed at my disgusted face. “Have you ever tried it before?”

  I shook my head.

  “Well, then don’t knock it until you try it.”

  I sighed. “All right, you talked me into it. Pass some over here.”

  Her grin widened as she handed me a piece of the green plant. I didn’t let myself think about it as I shoved it into my mouth. I chewed slowly while she awaited my verdict. The texture was definitely slimy, but the taste was subtle.

  “It isn’t so bad,” I admitted. “Not my favorite, but definitely edible when you’re in a bind.”

  We decided to wait for the Kraken to return with information on the location of Steel before we did anything else. To pass the time, we talked and learned that we had a lot in common. I could see us being friends once this mermaid/siren feud was ended. We were able to keep a conversation going until we were both too tired to keep our eyes open.

  ***

  It wasn’t until the next day that the Kraken called to me from outside of Serena’s cave. I’d spent the night on Serena’s floor. It wasn’t the most comfortable place, but it had been the only option.

  “I have found him,” the Kraken told me. “Your pirate is located about twenty miles from here.”

  “Thank you for finding him so quickly. It makes this task a little easier for me,” I said to him and turned to face Serena. “Are you coming with us?”

  She shrugged. “Guess I’ll come with you, but I’m not going up to the surface. Pirates don’t react well to mermaids.”

  “Can you blame them?”

  “No, not really but that doesn’t change anything.”

  “Steel won’t hurt you if I tell him not to.”

  “You can’t promise something like that. You can never prevent the actions of others. I’m safer in the water, so that’s where I’ll stay.”