The Merman's Love

It was calm, quiet and cool on the sea with only a light breeze brushing Captain Lance’s face as he piloted his ship through the salty waters. Almost without warning, the clouds covered the brilliant stars overhead as a storm moved over the ship. Lighting streaked through the sky and ramparts of thunder crashed all around the ship.



Captain Lance and his crew heard an uncharacteristic scream howling up from beneath the sea. The waves rose and began striking the ship's hull.



The scream came from the Sea Lord's castle deep beneath the sea. Marid, the Sea Lord, was a merman. He was angry at his son, Khnum, who neglected his legacy and married a human. Marid couldn’t stand it and cursed Khnum for eternity forcing him to spend his life away from the waters. Marid spelled the words and gestured with his trident showing Khnum his way out while Khnum’s blue tail and red fins changed to human legs. Marid waved his trident again to kick Khnum out of the waters.

Khnum’s curse calmed the sea. Khnum ascended to the surface of the water, a few meters away from Lance’s ship. Lance ordered his crew to save Khnum so they threw the ropes to him. Khnum tried to avoid it but Lance jumped into the water and forced him into the ship. Once Khnum entered the ship a huge whirlpool appeared next to the ship, causing the ship to roll to its side. From the whirlpool, a man made of water materialized carrying a trident in his left hand and pointing at the ship. He told Captain Lance that it was a mistake to save Khnum. He gestured with his trident and cursed the ship’s captain and crew to stay in the water and sail the sea for eternity, Khnum looked at his father with pain.

“It is my fault. Don’t punish them, isn’t it enough that you have cursed me?”

Khnum’s father ignored him and disappeared into the whirlpool.

Khnum looked at Lance with grief and said, “Sorry, I didn’t mean for this to happen.”

With an angry voice Lance said, “We will leave you, there on that island.” He pointed at the shore in front of them and said, “It is as far as we can send you now.”

Khnum tried to swallow his agony and explain but before he opened his mouth Lance pushed him off and said, “I don’t need your pity!”



Khnum was left on the island just as Lance promised. Lance and his crew left to face their destiny; endless lives sailing the sea for eternity.



Khnum walked on the island and realized, it is where his wife Laura first met him. He knew she lived there. She owned a hotel there by the sea, according to what she told him. He started looking and asking for her, until finally he found her hotel. It was made of wood, very poor structure. He found Laura standing in front of the hotel gazing out to sea expectantly.

Laura asked with a smile on her face and optimistic eyes, “Did you tell your father about our marriage?”

Khnum answered with a grin, “Yes honey, I did.”

Laura looked excited and asked, “And?”

Khnum hugged her to hide the tears in his eyes and answered, “He made me human to live my whole life with you.”

Laura jumped with joy and said, “That’s great news together forever.”

Khnum smiled, tried to hide his eyes from Laura and managed to say, “Yes, Darling, together forever.”

Laura felt suspicious and tried to make eye contact and said, “Is something wrong?”

It took enormous control for Khnum to answer her calmly, “No, nothing is wrong everything is just fine. Let us enjoy our lives.”

Khnum hid the truth from Laura. I lost my kingdom and throne and what was my birth right for my love, Khnum thought.



After two years of happy marriage, Laura became pregnant and she told Khnum once she knew.

“Good news darling.” She told Khnum with joy like sun rays coming out of her face.

Khnum with a slight smile on his face asked,” What darling? Are we going to upgrade the hotel?”

Laura with a gesture exclaimed, “No, I’m pregnant.”

Khnum amazed his eyes widened and gazed with a surprise and cried, “What? How? ”

Laura gave him a serious look and her eyes watched him then asked, “Is something wrong?”

Khnum tried to hide his feelings and replied, “No of course not. I just never thought that mermen can have kids with humans.”

Khnum kissed Laura and told her, “Honey, I got to go check something, take care of the baby for me. Bye.”



She is pregnant with the Sea Lord’s heir, am I going to tell her the truth? Khnum thought. He knew that eventually he would have to say the truth. He tried not to think about it.



After the baby was born, Khnum realized that his newly borne baby was a female who had the potential to become a mermaid. Khnum hid the truth from Laura but gave her hints. He made it clear that water might be dangerous for their daughter. He reminded his wife that he used to be a merman and there is a potential that their daughter might be a mermaid but, He didn’t mention anything about being the heir of the Sea Lord. Khnum called his baby girl Mystic because he was hiding many things important from Laura at that time.



Khnum taught Mystic everything he knew about life except what he knew about his nature and the sea. He refused to either take her to the beach or let her swim. Laura was confused with how he handled Mystic with her questions about the sea but she trusted him.



When Mystic turned 18 years old she fell in love with a man called Kevin. Mystic was very secretive about Kevin because, he was on the surfing team in school and sometimes he would take her with him to the beach.

Kevin was so in love with Mystic that he couldn’t stop thinking of her. Kevin decided to talk to her about making their relationship official, when they were on the beach. Mystic was enjoying the view; Kevin was lying next to her.

“Mystic, when are we going to tell your parents about us?”

Mystic avoided looking him in the eyes and said,” I don’t think we need to. I am 18 now.”

Kevin looked at her with a surprise and said,” Look, I want to do this right. I don’t want to go behind your parents. It is just not right.”

Mystic sighed and said,” I don’t want to talk about that now Kevin.”

Kevin gazed with confusion didn’t know what to say. Mystic ignored him and ran directly to the water. She felt like it was calling her, she couldn’t resist the temptation of going there. Kevin ran after her to follow her but she was faster than him. Not bad for her first time, he thought.

Mystic felt herself swimming so fast in water, she had a tremendous speed. After few hours under water, she realized that it is not normal. She felt tired so she decided to go up to the surface to catch her breath. She saw a ship sailing in the sea. She knew that she was far away from home. She asked for help to go home since she didn’t know the directions. She stepped on the ship and a whirlpool with the Sea Lord appeared. Not again thought the Captain of the ship.



The Sea Lord said with a deep loud voice, “Send me the daughter of the sea, or I will wreck your ship.”

The Captain of the ship in a loud angry voice said, “Give us our freedom then we will let her go.”

Mystic watched the argument. She decided to save the ship, so she jumped directly into the whirl pool.

The whirl pool dragged Mystic deep under the water and she was able to see the Sea Lord’s castle. When she got near the castle, the gates opened for her. She entered amazed by what she saw, she started exploring the place. The Sea Lord was sitting on his throne, staring directly at Mystic. Marid told Mystic the history, about her family, her birth right and everything about what she should have known earlier.



Mystic was shocked. It was too much information for her to consume all in one day. Mystic took a deep breath, felt her gills in action and managed to say, “Why now are you claiming me, after cursing my father. I am not pure blood to you.”

Marid answered with a sad look in his eyes, “The years I have spent without my son has weakened me and my magic to control the waters. I am dying Mystic and there has to be an heir to take my place. I cannot leave it to anyone who is not my blood.”

Mystic looked at him with sympathy and said, “Remove the curse from my father and send me back. I promise I will do what you want.”

Marid answered with pride, “I won’t remove it from your father but I will remove it from Lance’s ship, so that they send your father to me.”

Marid waved his trident and removed the curse as he promised.

Captain Lance realized that he was free. He went to the island where he left Khnum and saw a worried man staring at the sea. He approached and found that it was Khnum. Lance was just turning away when Khnum saw him. Khnum realized who he is. With confused aloud voice asked “Captain Lance?”

Lance stopped and watched Khnum’s eyes and said,” Isn’t enough what you caused, what do you want now?”

Khnum told him about his missing daughter, narrated his whole history as an heir of the sea lord, hopping that Captain Lance might help him get back to the sea, to save his daughter. Khnum gave him the description of his daughter. Lance recognized that she was Mystic “The girl who jumped into the whirlpool to save my ship from the Sea Lord.” Lance said. Khnum begged Lance to show him the place where she jumped.

“I owe your daughter my freedom, that’s the only reason I am helping you.” said Lance with pride

Khnum and Lance went to the spot where Mystic jumped.

Khnum in a huge voice cried, “Give me my daughter back.”

Marid heard his son’s cries. He couldn’t tolerate the cries of a father for his daughter. Sympathy and passion filled Marid’s heart especially when Mystic begged him to remove the curse from Khnum.

The Sea Lord Marid waved his trident to remove the curse, Khnum jumped to the water and went directly to the castle, hugged Mystic and looked into his father with tears in his eyes and said, “Thank you Sea Lord”

The cold heart of Sea Lord melts and looked to his son and hugged him “I missed you. I want you and Mystic to rule the sea instead of me.”

Khnum smiled and said “I love you father but I love Laura more. Mystic will come visit you more often now but I cannot leave Laura alone. ”

“As you wish son but allow Mystic to stay with me.” Marid said with pain in his voice.

Khnum went to Laura alone while Mystic chose to stay with her Grand Father to learn more about her kingdom. Mystic married Kevin and told him the truth about herself and her family. Kevin asked Mystic to turn him to a merman, to get close to her and know her more. Unlike her mother who refused to live underwater. Mystic changed Kevin with her new Powers that she got from the sea.

word count: 1972