~Azure~
Mikayla Mott
Once long ago, there lived a family of 3 beautiful princesses. Not only were the princesses the most elegant ladies one had ever laid eyes on, but also they were ladies of the sea, merladies, as one might call them. They lived in the palace with their father, King Mer. Each was more beautiful and perfect than the next, but it was agreed upon by all the people of the kingdom that the youngest sisters beauty far surpassed that of her elder siblings.
Azure, the youngest sister, had hair of blood and eyes of sapphire. She was painfully beautiful, however, it was well known across the kingdom that she was unhappy with her being. She had a burning desire to know what life on land was like, and she spent most of her hours daydreaming in her garden about fantastic occurrences on land.
She had once, long ago, witnessed a shipwreck where upon the ship were hundreds of sailors and ladies in opulent ball gowns. Azure had followed the ship, engrossed by the luxuries it presented. In her adventure, she had accidentally made eye contact with the most handsome being she had ever seen. They locked eyes for a moment, Azure taking in his coal black eyes and the golden crown lying upon his jet-black hair, before she realized that she was not to be seen. She had quickly dove underwater to avoid being found out, but resurfaced moments later to find the Prince still staring at her, this time closer and more ecstatic.
The Prince was awestruck by Azure’s beauty and asked for her name.
“Azure” she had sang in response.
“I am Prince Ancre,” shouted the man, “please, come join in our festivities.”
“I cannot. I must go,” sighed Azure.
“Then before you depart, please, sing for me,” Prince Ancre asked.
Azure opened her mouth and the most stunning sound the prince had ever heard enchanted him. He wished to speak again with Azure and spend all of his days with her. He began to tell her this, but she had disappeared, into the depths of the shadowy sea.
Azure often replayed this happening again and again in her head until her heart felt so broken that she had to come out of her dream. There was only one though that Azure could hold onto and it was the most hopeful thought one could have.
When it was each sisters’ 18th bornday, she was permitted to visit the land for one twenty four hour period. After that, she could decide whether or not she wished to return to the sea or make an exchange and keep her legs forever more. From the moment Azure gained knowledge of this enchantment, she knew what her choice would be; she would give up anything requested of her, in order to escape her endless blue cage.
On December 21st, Azure woke up earlier than usual with a pang in her heart. She questioned why her heart should feel so anxious, until she realized that today was her 18th bornday. She hastily ate breakfast and departed to the Kings room to speak with her father about her day's journey. She told him of her intentions to meet with the evil sea squid in order to make her exchange and claim her legs forever. Although Azure could see the heartbreak in her father’s eyes, she knew she had to make this decision.
She quickly said goodbye to all of her sisters, and left before her heart shattered from watching the tears freely pour out of each of their eyes’.
She swam to the Sea Squid’s house, only pausing once she reached the entrance. The entire house seemed to be engulfed in a smoky fog, with long, spikey tentacle like plants wiggling in the sweep of the sea tide. She hesitantly pushed herself down the path, carefully avoiding any interaction with the charming sea horses and sickly hermit crabs. She was unsure of their enchantments and poisons, so made sure to keep her eyes forward and reach the porch as quickly as possible.
She found the Sea Squid wrapped in a black stained blanket, swinging sweetly on a chair held up by shark skeletons.
“What?” asked the witch in so raspy a voice that Azure had to close her eyes to keep her eyes from watering.
“I’ve come to make an exchange. I wish to have legs for the rest of my being.” She spoke loudly and clearly, to make sure that the elderly Sea Squid heard her properly.
The Witch cackled and spoke again.
“You will give me your voice in exchange then,” claimed the Sea Squid.
Azure hesitated but knew that once the Squid had made her statement, there was no compromising or debating.
“I shall,” claimed Azure, slightly quieter than before.
The Sea Squid took Azure’s voice and gave her a pearl from the nearby oyster patch. She instructed Azure to hold the pearl in her mouth until the sunset. Once the sun had set, she would gain her legs and be able to swim to the shore where she would spend the rest of her life.
“There are no returns, and hopefully no regrets,” murmured the Squid, “Leave.”
Azure took the pearl to her mouth and swam to the beach where she had seen the ship, Terre De La Vie, dock. She waited on land for the sun to set, but before the time came, she had fallen asleep.
Upon waking up, she was confused as to her setting. She looked around, realizing that she was still on the beach. She looked up to see the magnificent palace, with a handsome figure walking towards her. And she looked down, letting a squeal of excitement escape her lips and she realized she finally had legs; the most elegant, long, sophisticated legs she had ever seen.
The figure approached and Azure smiled up, realizing it was her Prince.
“Bonjour, ce qui vous amène ici?” asked the prince.
Azure opened her mouth to tell the prince who she was and where he had seen her before, but found that no sound came out. Her heart sank, she would never be able to explain to him who she was, and he did not recognize her from the many moons ago when they had met in the stormy sea.
Azure went with the prince anyway and he dressed her in striking gowns and shoes made of glass, she ate the most lavish food one could imagine and walked arm in arm with Prince Ancre for many days.
Although Azure had wished this upon herself, she grew unhappy as the days passed. She loved the prince more and more with each passing sun, but she could not speak with him or share her opinions or tell him stories like others could. Having this daily reminder of her exchange with the Sea Squid was devastating.
As the days passed on, the prince grew farther and farther from Azure and she struggled to gain his attention. Without her ability to sing, or share tales, she was lost in sea of young women fighting for the crown.
Eventually, Azure could not suffer the heartache any longer and left the castle one night. She returned to the spot on the beach where she had once arrived with so much hope and happiness. She sat as the sun swam across the sky, looking up at its beautiful rays, dreaming about her father and her sisters. She wished she could speak with them one more time and tell them how sorry she was for abandoning them and heir world.
Nightfall came and Azure slowly fell asleep to the peaceful crashing of the ocean waves upon the shore.
Some say Azure died of heartache upon the sandy shore that night, while others claim she is still alive, living out her days as a silent woman. No one will ever know the true ending to his tale but tread carefully forward; no one ever truly knows what one wishes for.
Mikayla Mott
Once long ago, there lived a family of 3 beautiful princesses. Not only were the princesses the most elegant ladies one had ever laid eyes on, but also they were ladies of the sea, merladies, as one might call them. They lived in the palace with their father, King Mer. Each was more beautiful and perfect than the next, but it was agreed upon by all the people of the kingdom that the youngest sisters beauty far surpassed that of her elder siblings.
Azure, the youngest sister, had hair of blood and eyes of sapphire. She was painfully beautiful, however, it was well known across the kingdom that she was unhappy with her being. She had a burning desire to know what life on land was like, and she spent most of her hours daydreaming in her garden about fantastic occurrences on land.
She had once, long ago, witnessed a shipwreck where upon the ship were hundreds of sailors and ladies in opulent ball gowns. Azure had followed the ship, engrossed by the luxuries it presented. In her adventure, she had accidentally made eye contact with the most handsome being she had ever seen. They locked eyes for a moment, Azure taking in his coal black eyes and the golden crown lying upon his jet-black hair, before she realized that she was not to be seen. She had quickly dove underwater to avoid being found out, but resurfaced moments later to find the Prince still staring at her, this time closer and more ecstatic.
The Prince was awestruck by Azure’s beauty and asked for her name.
“Azure” she had sang in response.
“I am Prince Ancre,” shouted the man, “please, come join in our festivities.”
“I cannot. I must go,” sighed Azure.
“Then before you depart, please, sing for me,” Prince Ancre asked.
Azure opened her mouth and the most stunning sound the prince had ever heard enchanted him. He wished to speak again with Azure and spend all of his days with her. He began to tell her this, but she had disappeared, into the depths of the shadowy sea.
Azure often replayed this happening again and again in her head until her heart felt so broken that she had to come out of her dream. There was only one though that Azure could hold onto and it was the most hopeful thought one could have.
When it was each sisters’ 18th bornday, she was permitted to visit the land for one twenty four hour period. After that, she could decide whether or not she wished to return to the sea or make an exchange and keep her legs forever more. From the moment Azure gained knowledge of this enchantment, she knew what her choice would be; she would give up anything requested of her, in order to escape her endless blue cage.
On December 21st, Azure woke up earlier than usual with a pang in her heart. She questioned why her heart should feel so anxious, until she realized that today was her 18th bornday. She hastily ate breakfast and departed to the Kings room to speak with her father about her day's journey. She told him of her intentions to meet with the evil sea squid in order to make her exchange and claim her legs forever. Although Azure could see the heartbreak in her father’s eyes, she knew she had to make this decision.
She quickly said goodbye to all of her sisters, and left before her heart shattered from watching the tears freely pour out of each of their eyes’.
She swam to the Sea Squid’s house, only pausing once she reached the entrance. The entire house seemed to be engulfed in a smoky fog, with long, spikey tentacle like plants wiggling in the sweep of the sea tide. She hesitantly pushed herself down the path, carefully avoiding any interaction with the charming sea horses and sickly hermit crabs. She was unsure of their enchantments and poisons, so made sure to keep her eyes forward and reach the porch as quickly as possible.
She found the Sea Squid wrapped in a black stained blanket, swinging sweetly on a chair held up by shark skeletons.
“What?” asked the witch in so raspy a voice that Azure had to close her eyes to keep her eyes from watering.
“I’ve come to make an exchange. I wish to have legs for the rest of my being.” She spoke loudly and clearly, to make sure that the elderly Sea Squid heard her properly.
The Witch cackled and spoke again.
“You will give me your voice in exchange then,” claimed the Sea Squid.
Azure hesitated but knew that once the Squid had made her statement, there was no compromising or debating.
“I shall,” claimed Azure, slightly quieter than before.
The Sea Squid took Azure’s voice and gave her a pearl from the nearby oyster patch. She instructed Azure to hold the pearl in her mouth until the sunset. Once the sun had set, she would gain her legs and be able to swim to the shore where she would spend the rest of her life.
“There are no returns, and hopefully no regrets,” murmured the Squid, “Leave.”
Azure took the pearl to her mouth and swam to the beach where she had seen the ship, Terre De La Vie, dock. She waited on land for the sun to set, but before the time came, she had fallen asleep.
Upon waking up, she was confused as to her setting. She looked around, realizing that she was still on the beach. She looked up to see the magnificent palace, with a handsome figure walking towards her. And she looked down, letting a squeal of excitement escape her lips and she realized she finally had legs; the most elegant, long, sophisticated legs she had ever seen.
The figure approached and Azure smiled up, realizing it was her Prince.
“Bonjour, ce qui vous amène ici?” asked the prince.
Azure opened her mouth to tell the prince who she was and where he had seen her before, but found that no sound came out. Her heart sank, she would never be able to explain to him who she was, and he did not recognize her from the many moons ago when they had met in the stormy sea.
Azure went with the prince anyway and he dressed her in striking gowns and shoes made of glass, she ate the most lavish food one could imagine and walked arm in arm with Prince Ancre for many days.
Although Azure had wished this upon herself, she grew unhappy as the days passed. She loved the prince more and more with each passing sun, but she could not speak with him or share her opinions or tell him stories like others could. Having this daily reminder of her exchange with the Sea Squid was devastating.
As the days passed on, the prince grew farther and farther from Azure and she struggled to gain his attention. Without her ability to sing, or share tales, she was lost in sea of young women fighting for the crown.
Eventually, Azure could not suffer the heartache any longer and left the castle one night. She returned to the spot on the beach where she had once arrived with so much hope and happiness. She sat as the sun swam across the sky, looking up at its beautiful rays, dreaming about her father and her sisters. She wished she could speak with them one more time and tell them how sorry she was for abandoning them and heir world.
Nightfall came and Azure slowly fell asleep to the peaceful crashing of the ocean waves upon the shore.
Some say Azure died of heartache upon the sandy shore that night, while others claim she is still alive, living out her days as a silent woman. No one will ever know the true ending to his tale but tread carefully forward; no one ever truly knows what one wishes for.