Pretty Fin

by Smokey Moment

  She giggled then tried coaxing the fish to her. She hummed and held her hand out. The sounds seemed to soothe the fish. He appeared to float slowly towards her. He got close enough to examine. Fin looked at its gills then looked at the side of her body. Her skin had parted. Openings down her side resembling the fish. The thin separations were barely visible. Fin touched her gills. She hadn’t noticed them in the tub. The discovery startled her. It was another unique experience. She watched as the fish got even closer. She touched it gently before it became spooked and unhurriedly swam away.

  Fin’s tail was magnificent. A beautiful, blue scaled extension, that had her in awe. She wiggled it then chuckled. This wasn’t at all like the times she changed in the tub. Here, she could be free. Finora stopped admiring her tail and swam quickly to get away from the area. It wouldn’t be long before her father would enter in after her.

  She swam, trying to see as much as she could. It was a breathtaking sight. Sea anemones lit the way. She swam up to the brightly lit reef and touched the anemones and sea urchins. Sea cucumbers tucked inside their folds as she brushed against their tentacles. Small pink sea urchins moved slowly across the rock. Everything glowed. The reef was natural light. Fin was amazed. It was more beautiful than she had imagined.

  “I’ll get her,” Lark blurted. “No. I’ll get her. She would never come to you,” he said, as he ran and leaped into the water below. His guards watching from above. He hit the water. His legs turning into a massive, beautiful black tail. Small amounts of silver, barely visible, on its underside. A tail powerful enough to propel him at high speeds through the warm, clear blue-green water. He looked around. He spotted Fin immediately. His eyes widened from the shock of seeing her.

  He wasn’t prepared for what he saw. She had a tail. A beautiful blue and green tail. At times, depending on the angle, camouflaging her in the water that surrounded her. Zander stared in awe. He had no idea Fin was capable. It was a wonderful yet scary reality.

  Whether she could change was a mystery they never knew the answers to. And it was a subject they avoided. But she was a nermein. There was no reason she should not have been able to form a tail. But Aterra could not. And so, it was feared that neither could Fin. Fin was different. But they had no idea the extent of her differences.

  Aterra’s inability to change was a mystery that had not been solved. And it turned into a secret the castle and its occupants worked hard to cover up. King Zanders parents never talked about it. And one day the workers were sworn to secrecy. But Zander was not ready for Fin to discover anything. She was difficult enough to control. This would make her want to enter the water more. Their waters were vast. She could swim to Panga or enter the Palimora Sea and swim to Eulachon. It was a lot to worry about. She would need to heed the warnings. Obey the travel rules. Respect the property lines. Keep from the dangerous animals that dwelled within. And above all else, keep away from the deadly dunes.

  Fin saw her father and swam away. Zander swam quickly trying to catch her. But Fin was too fast. He was shocked at her speed in the water. She had an innate ability to use her whole body in a quiver and flex motion, along with her tail, to propel herself. It was a brilliant sight. Her natural abilities made him proud. He couldn’t tell what she was doing. It was seamless. Her body not appearing to move, as she glided through the water. Like that of a skilled swimmer.

  It took nermeins years to learn to move with little effort. A skill one would want to master if they planned to travel through the Arapaimas. Small rivers used for travel. They ran east, west, north and south. Zander watched her. Fin came to a stop. He approached slowly from behind, trying not to make his presence felt. One small ripple would give him away. Her back was to him. Her attention was on the undersea life that surrounded her. Bioluminescent algae, plankton and other aquatic animals crawled and swam near the rocks and floor below. It was a jeweled city. A world all its own.

  Fin marveled at their colors. The swaying movements of the anemone. Small schools of shrimp, fish and sea cucumbers. She looked to her right, and saw a huge fish. She tried to get it to come to her. She hummed. The fish stopped. She hummed again, and it turned and approached her slowly. Its body was three different colors, mostly blue and green. She looked down at her tail. Her color was similar. She looked similar to them. But then, she wasn’t. Fin reached out and touched the fish. It allowed her to rub along the top of its body. Soon the fish dashed away. Fin giggled. She was thrilled.

  She was used to seeing the fish on her plate. But it was quite different seeing them alive. In their habitat. Her habitat. A world filled with more light. It was an underwater light show. Fin saw the algae and moss that glowed at night on land. But these were creatures of the water. Slightly different in size and appearance. Something she had not witnessed.

  “Wow!” she exclaimed, as she tried to touch a plankton as it slowly moved through the water. As Fin neared the animal, it darted away. Fin giggled, unaware her father was approaching from behind. He moved slowly though the water.

  She could feel the small changes in the water. Slight fluctuations in the ripples. She was sensitive in a way that was remarkable given that she hadn’t spent a lot of time in the water. Fin turned around. She scurried from Zander. “Fin!” he called out. His telepathic voice as powerful as it was on land. She stopped and stared at him then took off again. Zander was growing frustrated.

  “This is not play time. Come here! You are not in trouble. But you must come to me now,” he said. Fin looked around. She wasn’t ready to get out of the water yet. She wanted to go further out. Deeper towards the floor. She had gills, lungs and a sophisticated internal system designed to sustain her life in the water. The same as her father. The same as all nermeins.

  Some chose to live in the water. Some on land. They were equipped for both. And it was obvious that Fin would be preferring the water. It was a personal preference. And it was allowed so long as no one lived in the seas. There were large lakes and rivers if one wanted to live their lives in the water. The seas were off limits. Patrolled by men called uaru’s.

  “Fin… Do you hear me? I know you can hear me. This is transference. We use it sometimes to communicate when in water. You can still speak. But sometimes it is easier this way. It protects your voice from damage from the debris. But not everyone can do it. Do you understand,” he said, trying to educate his daughter on their way of life. It was supposed to be Aterra’s responsibility to teach Fin. But Zander knew Aterra didn’t teach Fin much. She was private. She had her own struggles. It was why she hired Lillia. To help be the mother she never could.

  Fin looked at her father. His desperate attempts to remove her from a natural part of their lives was puzzling. “Why can’t I stay poppa,” she asked, maintaining her distance. King Zander wasn’t prepared to answer her. He was her protector. The disciplinary. The King of Mojarro.

  Talks about life and the uniqueness of her bloodline was new territory. And he and his wife tried to keep her from knowing anything until she was old enough to understand. They believed they were doing right by their daughter. She needed to be educated on life in the waters. It was different. It seemed exciting. But it could be dangerous.

  “Oh Fin… There is so much to know. You are much too young to understand the complexities of our world. One day I promise to show you all there is to know. The power of water. The mystique of it. How to use it to strengthen yourself. How to use it to heal. To travel. To relieve stress. One day you will be Queen of Mojarro. Queen of these waters. Right now, you should be having fun. Not worried about these things. Come to me Fin,” he said, extending his hand. “No,” she replied.

  It was no use trying to grab her. Zander would wear himself out. She moved like a guppy in a large body of water. Able to maneuver and make quick turns effortlessly.

  “No… Then what is your plan? Why are you in the water? Haven’t you seen enough? Yes, you can change your legs to a tail. No, the water will not kill you. I was not lying to you when I told you th
at. I believed you were not capable. It is a long story. One day your mother and I will explain it to you. Now let’s go home,” he said. Fin stayed back. She wasn’t convinced her father was being honest. “No Daddy. I’m different,” she said, as she turned and swam further.

  The dunes were not too far away. He hoped she would stay captivated by the reefs. Not venture into the dark depths of the Trojian. Zander approached slowly. Fin could feel him. The pounding of his heart. The speed and rise of his chest. He was uneasy. She was fine. No damage had been done. His ordeal should have been over. She was not dead. She had survived the fall, and the entry into the water. Fin wondered what he was hiding.

  “You are no different from any other nermein. And if you were, it wouldn’t matter. Your mother and I would love you just the same,” he said. Fin didn’t believe him. Yes, they loved her. But he wasn’t honest in saying she wasn’t different. She was. And at six years old, she could tell.

  The game of cat and mouse continued, as Fin scurried away each time her father got near. Zander sighed, then took off after her. The water was clear. Nothing had stirred up the sediment and sand of the bottom. He could see his daughter clearly. She moved fast toward the darker waters. An area avoided by the citizens. He tried to keep up. He shouted in vain. His telepathic voice as loud and strong as his speaking voice.

  But it was no use. Fin wasn’t listening. And the speed at which she travelled was impossible to keep up with. Zander wondered how it was possible. She was faster than anything he’d ever seen. And she was moving toward the dune. An area that sat just off The Dark Lair; One of the most feared places in all of Madaka. A mystical place. It held secrets. It was forbidden. And no nermein had gone there and lived to talk about it.

  It was difficult to approach. The heat alone could kill their kind. Zander panicked. He knew something about the lair. It was known as death valley and he knew of only one man who successfully went through and returned. His father King Zaire.

  The area surrounding the lair, called the dune, was comprised of chemicals and heat from the earth’s core. Dangerous gases escaped from the ground bubbling up to the surface and making the whole area hazardous. On the other side of the dunes was a mountain. It spanned from the water to the sky. Its surface made of pointy, razor sharp barbs that could slice skin like a knife. No one touch or scaled the rock. King Zander believed the gods of Madaka built it that way, to keep them from reaching the top. It was the only mountain of its kind. And at the base was a hole. Called the Dark Lair.

  If one survived swimming over the hot layers of the dune, there was still the lair to contend with. A tunnel of concentrated gas trapped from the lava. Uninhabitable by their kind and lethal if inhaled. The depth of the hole was impossible to go through without breathing, and one breath was enough.

  Zander stopped just shy of the dune. It was as beautiful as it was dangerous. The ground glowed and yellowish orange hue. It seemed to move. And every now and then a huge yellow bubble would pop, like a light show. Zander wanted to get out of the area. They were too close. One touch of the lava and he would not make it back. He looked around. Fin was nowhere to be found. He panicked. He hoped she didn’t travel over the dune. Soon he spotted her. She had made it half way.

  “Stop right there. Turn around now!” he shouted. She was in awe of her surroundings. The bubbles popping up from the brightly lit ground was interesting. She hoovered over the bubbles. King Zander watched, horrified. She should have been weary, sick and having trouble breathing. But she wasn’t. She seemed unaffected. “Fin! Come to me. Please. Come to me,” he commanded telepathically, hoping to reach her on a deeper level. Fin wondered why he stopped at the dunes edge. She was just a few feet away. Yet he stayed back.

  “Why daddy?” she replied, using the same telepathic power. “Just do it. Come to me now,” he replied. Fin looked around. King Zander became more nervous. He believed she was holding her breath. It was impossible to survive the gases that escaped. Fin wasn’t ready to go to him. But she could sense that her father was at the end of his rope.

  She swam back to him as he waited with his arms outstretched. She swam fast into his arms and he held her tight. “Don’t you ever do that again. This area is forbidden,” he said. “But why?” she asked. “Because it is dangerous. You could have died. Do you understand?” he scolded. Fin paused. She was confused. She looked back at the bubbles. She didn’t understand. She was fine. “Do you understand Fin?” he repeated. “Yes daddy.”

  “Fin!” the Queen shouted, as she waited for the King to scale up the rock back to where they were. His men reached for him and pulled him up as he got close to the top. “Mommy,” Fin said, as she ran to her mother. Aterra picked her daughter up and hugged her. “You can’t do that. It’s not safe,” she said, as she wept. She was filled with emotion. Zander smiled at her. The Queen nodded at her husband. He had saved the day again. He usually did. Aterra turned and walked back to the castle, holding her daughter close. She carried her the entire way. The flash of danger still in her heart, mind and spirit. Fin kept her head on her mother shoulders. She enjoyed the touch. It was rare. Her mother hadn’t hugged or held her in years.

  King Zander stood looking over his kingdom. The city of Mojarro was a spectacular place. A city beneath the earth’s ocean with its own atmosphere. A vast land surrounded by mountains, trees and water. It was covered in bioluminescent moss and algae that made the land a unique and beautiful light show. Night life was important. It was the time to enjoy the lights of the ground, trees and mountains even more.

  One could stand on the cliffs edge and see lighted sea creatures swimming in the water. The coral reefs lit the waters of Madaka, unless deep in the ocean. There, sea creatures lit the way. Madaka was a unique place and its people, a unique species. A peaceful civilization. There were no more wars. No weapons. No hunger. No ill will. Wars from generations prior had created the nonviolent world they were living in now. And it seemed all nermeins lived happily and were at peace with their lives. Everyone, except little Fin.

  King Zander stood at the cliff’s edge. His guards Arfusei, Ziege, Sparrow and Lark at his side. He was surprised at Finora’s abilities. “You ok Sire,” Arfusei, one of his most trusted body guards asked. “Yes,” he said, as his mind raced. “What is it?” Arfusei asked. King Zander looked at him. “She swam like she’d been swimming all her life. Better than anyone. Faster than anyone. She swam over the dune. She was right at the entrance to the lair.”

  Arfusei furrowed his brow. “How is that possible? Others have tried. No one has been able to swim over the dune, let alone go into the lair. Those that have tried, have perished. That can’t be? How?” he questioned. “I don’t know.”

  Unanswered Questions

  T

  he grass was coming in nicely near the castle. The king had imported soil and grass seeds and the result had amazed the princess. She walked barefoot through it. It had come in thick. Luscious. And soon more would grow on all sides. King Zander was trading more gold and alexandrite for soil and plants. Mojarro stood to benefit from King Nephrus of Panga and Queen Rasbora of Piratchu’s blessings. His city had the jewels. And their cities had the soil. It was a perfect system.

  Fin was celebrating another milestone. She was turning eighteen. Her friend Raelyn was on her way. The two planned to eat the special meal prepared. It was Fin’s favorite. Jellyfish and karra beans shipped in from Eulachon. Her father had a surprise for her but he decided to hold off. He wasn’t sure how she would take it. They hadn’t spoken of it. But the king had taken notice to his daughter’s affinity towards the opposite sex. She was showing interest. Good news for him. He had several options open to him. It was well known that she was the most beautiful princess in all the land. And with beauty came suitors. He was content for now, just allowing her to be happy on her special day. And all she wanted was time with her friend and freedom from prying eyes. He obliged her. No guards were permitted to close. They were to watch her from a distance.

&n
bsp; “Fin! Rae is here,” shouted her lady’s maid Lillia. Fin turned back to the castle. “Coming,” she shouted, looking up to the window. Lillia smiled and walked away. Fin was excited. She had been so busy going to events with her mother, that she barely had a moment to herself. All local events that didn’t require much in the way of travel. Which meant no need to swim in the travel streams. Fin wanted to go further. She wanted to jump in one of the traveling rivers and go somewhere far. Anywhere. Just to feel alive. To feel a part of her world.

  “Rae,” she exclaimed. Rae was beautiful nermein. She was small in stature, slightly shorter than Fin with a petite frame. She was beautiful with delicate pale skin and long golden hair. And Fin’s closest and dearest friend. “Fin. I missed you. My mother sent you something,” she said, handing her a box. “Wow! What is it?” she asked. “I won’t tell. Open it,” Rae replied. Fin excitedly sat down and opened the handmade wood box covered in leaves. It was a kind gesture since plants with large leaves were rare in Mojarro. The Queen looked on. She would need to thank Rae’s mother later. It was obvious the wrapping came from Panga since they were the only ones with such rare plants.

  “Oh my. What is this?” she marveled, as she removed the small round jewel from the box. “I don’t know. I found it inside a sea creature. I have never seen one before. There were more creatures. But I couldn’t find one with another jewel,” she said of the pearl. Queen Aterra was surprised. She was familiar with the rare mineral. She had seen one on Queen Rasbora once.

  “That is so beautiful Rae. Thank you. I will have it fastened to gold. Fin can wear it as a ring,” Aterra stated. Rae looked at the queen’s ring. She wore a gorgeous yellow stone. She had never seen one. It was unique and stunning. “I like your ring Your Highness. I have never seen that stone,” Rae said of the yellow diamond. It was the rarest of them all. No one had the stone. It was given to Aterra from Lark. She tried to get him to disclose where he’d found it but he told her it was a lone stone among others on the ground near the mountains. Aterra sent her men in search of more. But they were unsuccessful. She treasured it. Especially after Queen Rasbora saw it and raved about it then requested one for herself. It pleased Aterra to have the only one. To have something that Queen Rasbora wanted. It made the stone priceless.