White Lilies

Curse of Freedom

Mirat lay on his bed cursing God. He recalled how she had accidentally taken him to be the prince of the 'waters'. He had laughed so hard asking, "Is there one man who rules all land? No, right?" She had blushed from embarrassment.

His life as a prisoner wasn't very bad, except he felt like a burden to her, a shameful creature that had to be kept hidden. He understood and admired her for being able to keep them hidden in plain sight but it killed him to feel so powerless with every day passing by. Water was his real home, he felt flipped inside out on land. Sweat was not even something he had considered a bane before. He wanted to bang his head on the wall while missing her presence. The sky looked dark enough for her to visit.

"You.. I think tonight's the night."

She slid the giant door aside, wearing the deepest shade of red he had ever sighted upon. It was now that her glory as a Queen shone from her clothes, just like the first day they had met. There was kohl in her eyes, a red bindi between her brows, gold earrings, bangles, necklace, and mangteeka on her head. She looked so bold, so powerful...

He realised that today was the day of escape. His responsibilities had called out to him at every waking moment.

"Why do you look so beautiful? Is it your way of asking me to not leave tonight?"

He would've really stayed had she wanted that. But he knew her. She would never want him away from his world. Yet, she came towards him, sat on his knee and put her ear to his shoulder.

"I wore this for you. Look at me. I don't want anyone else to. I have their eyes; I have the responsibilities. It feels like a dagger down my throat - I feel so suffocated. So, look at me. Look at me so that I can wear this dress again with the thought of your eyes on me."

He looked at her, "My eyes are always only on you, Mir."

Her lips softly touched his. He held her close. The night was awake to hundreds of whispers of "I wish"s. But what they both truly wished, none of them dared articulate.

She took out a key and freed his legs. With freedom came a price. A price he had still not paid; an impossible choice. He would have to either lose his voice or his ability to change into a human and the only way out was to have a child with his lover, except - she was sure she never wanted pregnancy. And he couldn't put her through it just for an alternate set of limbs for himself. Tears welled up in his eyes. He had to keep his secrets to himself.

She kissed his tears and drank them, "You're not allowed to cry alone. And now's not the time."

This shut him up as he focused on returning. If today was the night, it meant that before sunrise, not only did they have to leave him at the pond, but she also had to return back pretending to be asleep in her room. It was a race against time.

---------

It was the darkest night of the year. Sitara couldn't sleep in her weed. She tossed and turned, wishing against all hope for Mirat to return. She, his godmother, had been a target of specie-ism, forgotten after the death of the prince's mother. Qirat, former Queen of the Arabian Sea had been a symbol against specie-ism, but all efforts had dried up after she was assassinated and specie-ists blamed it upon poisonous octopi. It ached how she had used his voice as a barter for the magical contract. After all, no one else had witnessed the late Queen being murdered on land by a human.

The guilt made her pukish. Going to land was treason. She hadn't reported the late Queen's whereabouts for fear of the crown being ostracised while the sweet woman was betrayed by luck. It was a hiding girl she used to go to meet whose cruel father had finally found out one day. In her heart, Sitara knew that she had only kept quiet because a treacherous Queen as a symbol would have undone all the efforts taken against specie-ism. And yet, didn't it still happen again?

Sitara had tried so hard to stop Qirat's eldest child from venturing out on land but he had truly taken after his mother. Only this time, she had made sure to give him legs - for a price that wouldn't kill him but bring him to his senses. Mirat had been so adamant; Sitara hadn't been able to stop him. Even worse, they had not been in touch for the past few months. She couldn't imagine him receiving the same fate as his mother.

She helplessly formed another set of signal-bubbles, releasing them towards the land.

---------

Mir had called in favours from over the country. Letters upon letters had been sent in codes. Tala, her cousin, had systematically loosened up guarding in the path for certain time frames and Alak, her best friend and self-made merchant, had driven them through the narrowest shortcuts. He sat in the car while Mir left to see off Mirat in a small pond laced with white lilies connected to the Arabian sea. Because of her memories with another beautiful someone, she had been later able to trust Mirat and his ocean-ness. She had seen her die and thus, knew to let go now. His life was the most precious and she was going to protect her loved one this time.

Mirat embraced her tight as they prepared for the final goodbye. A selfish thought asked him to tell her about the magical contract, but he suppressed it. With her hands holding his, when the pond reached their waist, he chanted a hymn - "Accept me, O Water, as you accept everything that bows to you."

Blinding light flashed and Mirat had transformed. His scales were a majestic orange and white. Wavey patterns were etched around his collarbone. His ears were thinner and pointed and silver hair grew till his waist. She put a hand under his chin and pulled him into a kiss. Her eyes were watery, and he looked away to stop his emotions from overflowing. Fearing their wavering-hearts, they pushed each other away. Mir got out of the pond and started walking away.

" I'll miss your voice, Mirat. I don't know how I'll sleep without listening to it every night. Don't you dare forget me, love."

"I love you."

Mirat finally said it, at the worst time possible. She broke down sobbing but didn't turn back.