The Show Must Go On

*Chapter Four*

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My eyes grew wide. Even with the little amount of education that I had received, even I knew who Poseidon was. He was one of the top three Greek Gods, along with Zeus and Hades. And although I did recognize the name, it took me a few seconds to recall exactly what and who Poseidon was. I recalled that I had been taught that the power had been split in between three Gods, mainly. Poseidon was the ruler of the sea, Zeus who was the ruler of the sky, and Hades who was the ruler of the underworld. Even though I am a religious man, I prefered to view my God as a single entity who controlled and overlooked everything, not multiple entities with split jobs and tasks, so I had always believed these Greek Gods were just as much a fantasy as mermaids were.

"...But you may call me Astoria." Her eyes gleemed, if what she was telling me was true (and I had no doubt to disbelieve in her), then I was sure nobody from where she was come had ever called her in such a relaxed manner. Being the daughter of a God would call for a name with a title, nobody would ever just call you by your name.

"Astoria..." I whispered to myself, tasting her name on my tongue. She laid her head back down on her arms, staring at me with amusement in her eyes.

"You may come closer if you wish Charles, I shall not harm you like I harmed the others." I took a few cautious steps toward her. If the tales that were told of her kind were true, then they were a dangerous kind. As children, and even at one point as a sailor (I had taken many odd jobs including being help on a ship) we had been warned that if we strayed too far into open water a mermaid would come and entice us with their flirtatious nature and good looks, and once in their grasp it was said that they would drag you underwater and drown your poor soul and then make a feast out of your body.

So as I approached I was extremely cautious, all these stories and tales swirling about in my head. I took three more steps towards her and them slowly began turning towards the right, I began circling her and the tank she was in. As I went around her, she stayed in the exact same position, the only thing she moved was her tail which lazily made its way back and forth. From this side, I could easily see where her "human skin" turned into scales. I could see that just at the top of her hipbones, the last of her soft golden skin turned into the glimmering scales. I made my way back around and faced her once more.

"How do I know that you are not going to hypnotize me with your beauty and then eat me as a ploy to get out of here?" I asked staring straight into her eyes. To my suprise she responded by throwing her head back and bursting out into laughter.

"Oh silly Charles!" Her tail was moving faster, as a few small tinkling giggles escaped her lips. "That is a very human thing to say! Don't you think if I wanted to hypnotize you, I would have already done so and would have already been long gone? Plus us mercreatures have a much more refined taste in food then humans, in a way you could say it would almost be canabalistic." A small shiver ran up her body, as she was even repulsed by the meer thought of eating a human.

"Pardon me, if I do say so myself, us humans are quite tasty." I watched in amusement as Astorias eyes grew large and her mouth dropped in shock.

"You've eaten one of your own kind!" The ends of her lips downturned into a frown, from pure disgust of the thought. I let out a throaty laugh. It was too much.

"I was merely telling a joke, goddess." I said bowing towards her and taking my hat off chivalrously.

"Please don't..." She whispered barely audible enough for my own ears to hear. I stepped towards her. " I have always hated being called by title, it only is a reminder that people believe that I am better than them, when in all truth, I am not... I am but one of them."

A question suddenly encased my thoughts and refused to leave.

"... Astoria, how were you taken? How is it that you are here before me?" And just as I spoke those words, I could see a noticeable change in her. Her eyes darkened and as her eyes began to water, I suddenly felt as if I was drowning. Her tail stopped moving and she sunk under the water, her hair swirling and floating around her.

"It's a story I would rather not recount." Even though she was underwater, I could hear here just as clearly as if she was not.

"Please Astoria, I need to know, I need you to speak of this unspeakable truth." And for some reason I did, I felt as if I was being pressured into asking her. But if I didn't, it would be detrimental, to not only myself but to her as well.

She grew quiet. The silence tearing through me. I took a step closer.

Her eyes locked on to mine once more.

"I was angry... I was so angry." She took a pause. "I was angry at my father, I told him that I wished I was no longer his daughter. That I had wished to be born to a more humble family, and for the first time in my life, my father raised his hand at me....I left, like a coward, I knew what I had said was wrong, and I left, just like that." I could see the water vibrating around her as she shook in anger, anger towards herself.

"While I was swimming I was filled with so much hatred, towards not only my father but towards myself as well, and I failed to watch where I was going and ended up in a net, and just like that, I was sold from one person to another." Her face changed from one of anger into something more gentle, as she continued to look at me. "That is until I ended up her in front you." Her eyes shimmered and shun. Her head bowed ever so slightly.

Just like that I was reeled in. I took the final few steps toward her. Up onto the steps that had been set next to her tank. I climbed up those steps and she rose up to meet me, her face came out of the water, we were face to face, meer inches away.

I couldn't resist, my hand reached out to touch her.

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I'm sorry I wasn't able to upload sooner, my life had been crazy lately! -_-

Hopefully after this week it'll get better!

Anyways song for this chappy is: CocoRosie Tears for Animals

Adios ~ Cosmic_Tears