Legend of the Mer II THE NEW GUARDIAN

by Sheri L. Swift

  “We’re good, but it’s a garbage dump out here, so you gotta be careful. Dad has one of the others up top and he’s dead.”

  “I will come; Prince Tristan send for Prince Makoa,” said Titus, but then soon saw Prince Makoa as he swam out, also concerned for Cole’s family.

  They three swam to the surface, careful to maneuver around boards, boats and other debris.

  “How’s everyone?” Cole asked hopeful, but still concerned.

  “We are fine, I understand we have had a visitor,” said Prince Titus as he swam closer to the boat to have a look.

  “Yeah, what concerns me is for him to be out here and not have you guys sense him, he had to be between me and you when the storm brought him this way and crushed him from what I can tell.” Cole lowered him back into the water and into Prince Makoa’s arms.

  “We will make sure that he is never found,” said Makoa with a stern expression to Titus.

  Titus gave a bow of his head and Makoa took the merman down below.

  “We must keep watch always, they have broken the truce,” Titus said sadly.

  “Yep, we surely will,” said Cole and then he and Jedediah went back to cleaning up the debris.

  Prince Titus sent some of the guard to unseal the cavern and the Fijian brothers joined Cole and Jedediah. Titus helped clean up below the water with more of his guardsmen and brought it to the surface for Cole and the men to load onto the boat.

  It was about a month’s time before Safe Harbor Island had cleaned up all the debris and repaired enough buildings, downed power lines and road damage to have the residents return to their homes. And it was all accomplished with team-work.

  ~~~~~

  CHAPTER 9

  MERMAID’S TREASURE HUNT

  In the early hours of the morning, King Titan looked upon the statue of his beloved Horaios once more. It will not be long my love and I shall join you and all my family that have gone on before me, he thought and could not help but to tenderly brush the cheek of the statue.

  Princess Rose swam through the last archway in the coral reef gardens and saw her King admiring the statue of his Queen.

  “Hello my granddaughter, you are the very image of your mother and your grandmother of old,” said King Titan lovingly.

  “Hello my King, forgive me, I did not mean to disturb you,” said Rose with a lowering of her head.

  “You have not disturbed me and there is no need of forgiveness Princess Rose. I cannot believe how quickly you have grown; you most definitely favor your human ancestors with aging. It will not be long and you will be ready for a Union,” said King Titan as he looked at her hair.

  “Yes my King,” said Rose, but could not help but to think of Prince Makoa at that moment.

  “I see, he is a fine merman and would be a good match for the daughter of the future King.” King Titan grinned.

  “Yes, yes my King,” Rose bowed her head nervously and said, “Forgive me my King, I must return to my mother.”

  “You have my leave granddaughter and my love.” King Titan waved his hand with a smile.

  Rose darted off as quickly as she could swim away.

  ~~~

  Later that evening, Prince Titus swam alongside King Titan as they patrolled the outer boundary of the city of Torbist. Titus felt as though the King had something he wanted to speak with him about privately.

  “You are wise my grandson; our people have grown fearful since the death of one of the others. Although we have not had an encounter since, I feel that they have let fear take root,” King Titan spoke with such love for his pod.

  “Yes my King, I have felt it also. I know we must be diligent in our watches and keep a double guard around the city until we migrate in the fall.”

  “That is our duty and our concern alone. We must find some way of lifting the spirits of our people. I have decided to have the Mermaid’s Treasure Hunt on the rising of the next full moon. Many mermen and mermaids have not chosen an intended which has been our way since the days of old and it has been many winters since we last had the hunt.” King Titan grinned to Titus.

  “Yes my King, I am guilty of not choosing an intended for my children the day they were born. As you know, Lana’s human emotions were strong against it and I allowed her to have her way. Then when the Fijians joined with the mer, they also did not want to choose an intended for their children.” Titus was saddened to think that he and Lana might have been the cause of some not following in the customs of their people.

  “There have always been those who did not choose and some have lost their intended in the Battle and have not chosen another. The Mermaid’s Treasure Hunt will help those who wish to join in Union or to pledge an intended for a future Union; we must continue to increase our pod.” King Titan smiled.

  “Yes, it will be good for our people.” Titus grinned as he could not help but think of Prince Makoa and his daughter Rose, even though Rose was not yet ready for a Union.

  “They would make a great match indeed.” King Titan smiled once more.

  ~~~

  Jedediah and Prince Makoa talked together in Lobster Grotto.

  “So dad says there’s gonna be a Sadie Hawkins sort of deal with you mer.”

  “I am not sure what you are talking about?” Makoa was intrigued and raised one brow.

  “It’s where the girl kinda chooses the guy they wanna marry; I guess what you call a Union.” Jedediah grinned.

  “Oh yes, we call it the Mermaid’s Treasure Hunt,” Makoa chuckled.

  “So, you gonna do it?”

  “I do not think so; Princess Rose is not of age.” Makoa grinned, knowing he just shared so much of his heart.

  “So if Princess Rose did it would you?” Jedediah laughed and gave a nudge to Makoa.

  “Yes, I would have no choice but to do it.” Makoa grinned once more.

  “So how’s it work?”

  “The mermaids pick out the one item that they treasure the most and they go and hide it where King Titan tells them to. When King Titan later calls for the blowing of the conch shells, the mermen race one another to see who can find the treasure of the mermaid they desire and swim back to her. The merman then offers to return it to the mermaid and if she accepts, then they are joined as intended or some will join in a Union right away. If the mermaid does not accept it, then she rejects the offer.”

  “Man that could be a real bummer if she refused it.”

  “Or if the wrong merman were to win her.” Makoa winked.

  “You guys have it so much easier than us humans. We make it so complicated,” Jedediah said with a sigh.

  “Yes, I would have to agree,” Makoa chuckled.

  “We’ve got so many different ways to be phony with each other and never be our true self.”

  Makoa could sense Jedediah’s sadness, “You can always choose to marry a mermaid!” Makoa slapped him on the back.

  “Yeah, yeah, you know my dad’s pretty much got my whole life planned out,” Jedediah let out another sigh.

  “Arius knows your true path Jedediah, not even your father knows it.”

  “I guess you’re right. We better hurry up and get those lobsters before they get away.” Jedediah gave a half grin.

  Then he and Makoa filled the net bags and took them home.

  ~~~

  As Rose brushed her hair while holding her mirror she began to think, what is my greatest treasure, besides my family and friends? Then she not only looked in the mirror, but also around it and at the dolphin handle. Yes you are my greatest treasure, she thought and smiled to remember the gift from her grandfather and the work Prince Makoa had put into it.

  Lana couldn’t help but hear the thoughts of Rose as she entered her home. “Rose, you’re not thinking of joining the treasure hunt are you?”

  “I do not know mother; I am so confused by all of the thoughts running through my head.”

  “You wanna talk about it?”

  “Mother, the night of the storm when I was leav
ing the garden, I nearly swam into Prince Makoa as he was also entering the garden; I could not help but to hear his prayer,” Rose said sadly.

  “Is it something you can share?”

  “I believe so; he was asking Arius to help him choose wisely in a mate.” Rose lowered her head.

  “There’s nothing wrong with that Sweetheart, you even told me once that you prayed the same.” Lana went and patted Rose on her shoulder.

  “Yes, but now the King has declared the hunt and I think he may join and if I do not, then he will choose another.”

  “Rose, I don’t know if he’s joining the hunt, but what if you join and he doesn’t; are you prepared for another to have you as his intended?”

  “Perhaps that is what I am supposed to do; to know for sure if it is him.”

  “Rose, anything can happen in the hunt; even if he joined, another may somehow find your mirror before he can,” Lana said with a smile.

  “Yes, the mirror is my treasure and I will have to pray upon the matter.” Rose grinned.

  “I will too,” said Lana and she gave Rose a hug.

  ~~~

  On the night that the moon was full and the tide had risen, King Titan proclaimed that the Hunt should begin. The sound of the conch shells filled the city of Torbist and all of the mermaids began to line up in the Hall with their treasured item before King Titan. Some chose their favorite shell, others their comb, some their crown of pearls. Princess Rose swam and joined the line holding her mirror.

  Prince Makoa swam into the Hall to see those that had joined; he could not believe that Rose had swum to the line with her mirror. He began to panic, why did Prince Titus not tell me that Princess Rose was to join the hunt? Does Rose wish another for a mate or is she testing my devotion to her?

  Prince Titus also swam to the Hall and was completely surprised to see his daughter Rose join the hunt, and before her true time had come. Then he saw Prince Makoa and read his thoughts as he swam to him. “I did not know that she would join the hunt.”

  “I did not realize it myself, now I must also join the hunt, with your permission?” Makoa bowed his head.

  “You do not need my permission, King Titan has proclaimed the hunt for all, but you have my friendship and my hope that you will soon be the intended of my daughter,” Titus said with a smile and grasped Makoa’s arm and Makoa did the same as a form of hand-shake on the matter.

  King Titan smiled as he saw that Rose was one of the mermaids that had come. “As you know, we mer only have the Mermaid’s Treasure Hunt every ten winters or so. I pray that all of the mermaids standing here before me will be blessed by Arius to receive the mate intended for her. If she refuses her gift, then all knows that she is not bound to anyone.

  All of the mermaids gave a bow of their heads to King Titan.

  Now the mermen began to gather in the back of the Hall and all were discussing the possibility of winning Princess Rose for themselves.

  This made Prince Makoa all the more determined to best them all.

  “Now I ask the mermaids to turn to the mermen gathered in the back of the Hall so that all may see the treasure that they will be hunting for.”

  The mermaids all turned and Rose blushed to see Prince Makoa gathered with the others for the hunt and she knew that he would know her treasure very well and prayed that it was the treasure he sought.

  Then King Titan spoke once more, “As all of you know, the mermaids will be well guarded. I have decided that the hunt shall take place in the sacred Cavern of the Whales; the humans cannot go there and the others have never been accepted there before. Some of the guards have already searched out the cavern and now guard it awaiting the hunt.”

  “Why are you not with them?” Titus grinned to Makoa.

  “I was not sure what Rose would do,” Makoa chuckled.

  “Very wise of you, she most certainly takes after her mother.” Titus grinned once more.

  Now King Titan addressed the mermen, “May Arius give you wisdom and speed to find the treasure you are meant to have.”

  The mermen all gave a bow of their heads to their King.

  “When the conch shells blow next, it will be for the mermaids to go and hide their treasure,” said King Titan with a smile to them all and then he lifted his hand and the conch shells blew loudly throughout the city.

  All of the mermaids swam their fastest together out of the Hall.

  Rose could not help but to give a slight smile to Prince Makoa as she passed.

  I will do my best my love, he thought to himself, but Prince Titus could not help but hear it.

  ~~~

  Princess Rose was fearful as the mermaids passed their guardsmen and neared the Cavern of the Whales; there were several sperm whales swimming guard over the entrance, but they only seemed to smile at the appearance of the mermaids.

  Rose had been here a few times before in her youth; her father had brought her so that he could show her the cycle of life; how the whales know when it is time to go to their final resting place and how their bodies lay on the Ocean floor. The hagfish and others eat the dead causing nutrients to float up and feed plant and fish alike. He also showed her how the bones of the whales provide for many tools and weapons of the mer, not to mention combs and mirrors for the mermaids.

  Rose was the last one to pass between the whales and enter the cavern. She finally got up the nerve and swam closely to one of them.

  He blinked one eye to her as if it was a wink and Rose giggled and swam passed him with a smile.

  When she entered the cavern, she saw the glistening walls and that the cavern was lit up with a blue light from the plants around and within the cavern, much like her own home. There were many large skeletons of the whales. Rose was in awe of the sacredness of life to death and knew this was a special place and she was honored that she was allowed to enter in. She began to search out a good place to hide her mirror.

  The other mermaids were hiding their treasures quickly and then they began eating clams from the bottom of the cavern.

  Rose had a tinge of fear rise up within her as she remembered what many had said about the clams; they said that the clams from the Cavern of the Whales made a mermaid more fertile. I hope that I will have more time with my family and that Prince Makoa would not expect me to join in Union so quickly. Now she wondered if she should have joined the hunt after all.

  Calm down Rose, she thought and she decided to eat a few clams so that the others would not think less of her, besides she did love clams. Wow, these are very good, she thought with a smile. Rose looked all around the cavern and tried to think of a place where Prince Makoa would be able to find her mirror. She remembered her father saying that the cavern had a hidden room where the mer kept many of their unfinished items they were crafting. Rose swam to the back of the cavern slowly as to not let the other mermaids know where she was hiding her mirror.

  The last mermaid began to swim out the cavern and she stopped and called to Rose, “Come on Princess Rose, they will all wait for our arrival before the mermen can hunt!”

  “I shall be there quickly, I think I have found just the right spot,” said Rose, but still not entering the hidden room.

  “Alright, see you soon!” the mermaid said as she left the cavern.

  Now, where are you? Rose thought as she swam along the back wall. When she got to the end of the cavern it was completely dark in the corner and there she discovered it; two walls overlapped leaving enough space to enter in. Only a mer or a creature of the deep would be able to see in such a dark place. As her eyes adjusted, she saw the many new carvings of the mermen lying on rocks and even hanging up along the wall. Several carving tools were there as well. She had an idea to hang her mirror along the wall resting across three pegs. She carefully placed it there and was pleased that it was nearly hidden by the tips of the spears. That is perfect; she thought and then swam as quickly as she could to catch up to the others.

  ~~~

  Lana could believe Rose had join
ed the hunt, even if Titus couldn’t. She just prayed that she’d do the right thing and be careful with her heart if Prince Makoa was not the one who retrieved her mirror. She now waited in the Hall with everyone else for the return of the mermaids.

  “Hey, here comes some!” said Princess Talei as she was also hopeful for a Union between Prince Makoa and Princess Rose. She herself had chosen against joining, she wasn’t sure if she was ready for a Union right now, and didn’t know if she even wanted to be someone’s intended.

  Several mermaids began to swim into the Hall now and both Lana and Prince Makoa were anxious to see Rose.