Cursed to the Sea

The Mysterious Man

I was woken at the break of dawn by the cursing of men above the decks. I stretched to look out the hole in the wood where golden light poured out.  The waves looked surprisingly calm after the episode the day before, and sparkled under the shining sun.  I craved to dive in once again, but I had no where to go anyways.  Even Will didn't want to see me.

I looked away in sorrow and back into the darkness, only to find myself eye to eye with a large watcher who's breathes came out came out in hot steamy huffs in my face.  I looked away and coughed.

"Food," the watcher said unsteadily before dropping a tray of something a hurrying away.  

I rummaged through the contents of the tray.  A cup of salt water and some kind of fish wrapped in seaweed.  Pirates obviously didn't know what mermaids ate.  Especially a mermaid who was once human.  

I spilled the salt water along my tail, instantly feeling rejuvenated from the dryness of the lower decks.  I took small bites of the seaweed.  

"Are you going to eat the fish?"  I heard someone weakly whisper from the other side of the room.  I tried to make out who had spoken, only to see nothing but a slim shadow.

"No." My voice came out rough and hoarse.  It surprised me more than the fact that someone was in the corner had. 

A bony set of fingers reached for the fish.  I pushed the tray forward just as the hand grasped the plate and felt the slimy scales of the dead fish.  It felt strange to watch as the person took hold of it by the fins and pulled it into the shadows.  I could hear the low moans as the mysterious man chewed.

"That was very kind of you," I heard the man say after he was finished eating.  "I haven't eaten in days, ever since I found the sickly rat in the corner, you might want to look out for my dried vomit."  I wrinkled my nose unpleasantly and drew in a sharp breath.

"That's quite disgusting."

"Not when you haven't eaten in days, they've forgotten about me.  I feed off of whatever I can find in the lower decks.  Most days I just go without a single meal.  You'll soon learn when they forget about you as well.  Unless you're a damsel of course, your father must be paying them to keep you alive." The man rambled on.

"I am far from rich," I snorted.

"You must be from another ship then.  I used to be a sailor myself, I was really one for the stars though, used to be an astronomer when I was young."

"Actually no-"

"Then where are you from?  Lurking onto the ship then?  I'm surprised Black hasn't married you off, you have such a beautiful face."

I touched my fingertips to my cheek.  Was I really beautiful?  I had never been considered beautiful, just the tall lanky lighthouse keeper's daughter.

"I am far from any of those things."  I looked down at my tail then shuffled into the light where the pale light reflected off my scales.  The man didn't even such as gasp.

"Ah, Syrena.  It's been so long my dear, never thought to to see you end up on this rotting plank of wood."

"H-how do you know my name?"  I stuttered.

"You've grown into such a beautiful woman since I last saw you." He said, ignoring my question.

"You didn't answer my question."  I paused when I noticed two bloodshot gray eyes staring back at me.

"You really don't know?  It was only eight mere years ago..."

I gasped and instantly began to lunge forward at him, only to find that I was still tied to the post.  The man's face was lit by the sun that shined in.  I would have recognized it anywhere.

"You did this to me," I hissed through gritted teeth.

"I saved you m'dear.  You didn't even give me a chance to explain!  Just swam off to find your daddy."

"You didn't save me, you cursed me!"  I wanted to strange him, dig my nails into his face and transform into my monsterous side so I could rip him to shreads.

"I did no such thing!"  The man sounded offended.  "I saved you, Syrena.  You would have died.  I used dark magic for you!"

"All you did was ruin my life!  My father can't even see me like this, the man I love thinks I'm some kind of sea witch, the whole town is in flames, all because of you."

"I blessed you my dear Syrena, you are a sea goddess.  Any man would kill for kiss from your very lips.  I kept you from things that would have been far worse than this."

"I don't believe you," I stated.  "I would much rather be dead than this," I gestured towards my tail.  The man sighed, his eyes looping down towards the floor as he shook his head.

"What's so wrong with being a mermaid anyways, people would die to be your kind!"

"My kind?  You've done this to other people?!"  I nearly bellowed.  The man laughed.

"No, there a real mermaids my dear, far more dangerous than you.  Under your scales, there's a human that yearns to break free, not in their case."

I opened my mouth to say something but words failed me. 

"Who are you anyways...?" was all I could say.

"I am Sebell, the son of the most powerful sacred witch in all of the Caribbean islands.  I am not really one for magic, but when I found you dying on that rock, I needed to save you." Sebell said proudly. 

"I did not wish to be saved."

"That is what you say.  I promise though, your tail will save a heck of a lot of lives!" he exclaimed. 

"Who says I want to save lives!"  I shouted. Sebell chuckled.

"You are a very stubborn girl, you know."  I folded my arms in protest.= and was about to speak when he continued," You must learn to love, to not go against what you are.  You are beautiful little Syrena, never forget that."

I felt a few tears roll down my cheeks.  I bit my lip and sank my head down to the floor.  Sebell sighed.

"Please do not cry.  Everything will be alright, you will not be mermaid fore-" Just before he could finished, the door swung open, making us both jump.  Black jumped down with a wide grin on his face.

"We've arrived," he sneered and used his swrd to break the ropes that tied me.  "Be ready, because this is the last time you'll see this ship, Alive."