An Ardizevepa's Evening of Changes

I remember a time when the sky was deep blue and the sea was covered in foamy clear turquoise.  Every star would whisper secrets to another and the fish would climb aboard laughing and playing at ease.

The wind had whistle each individual's fate and cry out into the hollow night.

The trees would glisten with each touch of the sun, crinkling if ever stepped.

Where the salt in the sea would kiss their lips before taking their everlasting breath of air.

And if you dived deep enough you would find yourself in a deep secret world filled with mermaids laughing and sea mammals chattering.

On the darker ends of the deep sea you would have found caves filled with wonders where magic beings who cast spells and pranks upon others.

They raised beneath the reefs and had enchantments all over.

But the mermaids were the ones that viciously brought sailors to their deaths and sunk their ships through song.

Of those two kinds, they never dared to cross the others' path for it was an unstated rule.

For everyone except for her...

~~~~

1000 years ago, 927 A.D. sailors have been discovering and exploring through our waters.

Like anything with territories, all from the sea were protective of it.

Some strangers from an unknown place were invading their homes so why shouldn't they fight to protect it?

The mermaids from the sea had a clever thought and began singing their hearts away to every sailor that passed.

The sailors aboard were drawn to the beautiful voices and were brought to their deaths by jumping through the waters.

And those who survived, well they were just known as those crazy, old sailor's tale.

And now at the young age of 1114, those events still go on today.

Well down here in these caves and caverns you hear all sort of stories and rumors what happens up above.

Our kind was known as the deep sea clan or Ardizevepa.

Every blue moon, they would go around fertilizing the eggs.

After all hundreds or thousands hatch, they stay there about forever and we rely of ourselves to survive.

Everyone here we're family and it is home in a sense.

And we stayed here just content with living, no one disrupting us.

No mermaids, though, we tend to not bother them because we never really got alone.

They were beautiful and we... Well we're not the most handsome bunch.

And they didn't like how we used spells and enchantments to play tricks on others.

They were superstitious about the whole thing, but we saw nothing wrong with it.
...

I went along my day as usual,
Woke up
Stared at my dangerously long nails
Perfected my monstrosity perplex,
Allow the water to flow through and tangle up that deep green hair of mine.
And then I watched for any intruders.

Since nobody dared to go pass because of the fearsome rumors, it made my job a lot easier.

I could just sit and watch the ocean for a long time.

Frankly, we never got anyone coming around.  If there were any it was for hatching season and the last one who was eligible for that already left.

They say you should be confident with your look until you face the hard truth that you look less than others, but the thing is we are known to be fearsome, lurking in the shadows trying to scare off intruders.

Sure, we are better than what the rumors tell that we are, but it's not like we want some kid to baby sit or anything and that's me saying it.

I'm one of the younger ones here too, which is why my job is watch duty.

I would absolutely love to be working with the spells and enchantments, but I'm either not old enough or they have no one to replace me.

See everyone here helps each other, yeah we rely on nobody else but ourselves but that is the one thing we rely on others for.

But with those words flowing through my head and spilling out, I saw the brightest light ever seen to known coming towards me at rapid speed.

It was so bright I couldn't help but wonder, is this the sun I heard about?

Am I going to finally get to see it?

I always heard about the sun and it was always nice and wonderful.

It had magic to light up the whole world.

Are we now going to see it as it lights up this place?

In a sense I don't mind, but I'm always used to the dark and it would be a strange adjustment to my eyes.

The light keep growing and growing and coming closer and closer until I realized the light wasn't the sun but a glowing figure or sea thing---for that matter.

Now that I realized it wasn't the rumored magical sun, I want to run and hide.

Maybe I'll close the cave and it will think we're closed.

Yes, and don't see me.  There is nobody here.

Just leave.

I don't want to act scary to show the rumors are true because they aren't.

"Alehkzir what art ye' whimpering around like there's a fool where yer head shall be?"

Oh no.

Oh no, indeed.

I'm in trouble.  I don't know what's worse that thing over there or--or Keth Zykrula.

Keth Zykrula is one of the oldest and wisest one here and knows all sorts of magic voodoo with quick yeshaaa.

"Uh..uh da-da sea glowing, I don't trust!" I managed to mutter, but I still sounded like a fool.

"Aye yi ya, rumored to be the fearsome and scariest beasts in the ocean and yet yer scared as a catfish." Keth Zykrula shakes their head, dark locks pinned up high above her head.

"Well rumors aren't necessarily true, Zeth Zykrula." I smiled sheepishly.

"Figures," The Keth huffed, "Hey you there.  Light fish or whatever ye are.  Be gone, art yer' 'fraid of us the mighty deep sea clan Ardizevepa?!"

The being just got closer than before and smiled widely.  "Ardiz... What now?"

"What a good minute yer a mer?!" She pointed her finger at the mermaid.

Wow, I thought, so that is what they look like.

But this mermaid looks neither bewitching or spoiled.

"Yep, wanna play a game?" The mer replied not bothered by us at all.  "I love playing games with new people-"

"Listen child of coastal sea, shouldn't ye get back home?" Zeth Zykrula tried to urge her to leave,  "Don't ye think it is dangerous, dark, and scary?"

"Aren't you taught that the deep sea clan are fearsome creatures of the depths?" I asked the young mer as well.

The mer looked down and frowned, "Don't send me back.  There are so many rules.  I want to go on adventures through the wide and wonderful ocean.  Where the sea is so vast and free.  And don't get me started on father, he says exploring is dangerous and princesses aren't meant to." The girl tugs on her silver hair that flowed all around her.

Interesting...

The rumors don't do her justice.

Look at her, that mermaid-- she is not spoiled.

Oh she doesn't hate us nor is sucked up, caring just about glitz and glam.

And my oh my, she is more beautiful than I thought mermaids would ever be.

Her silver, yet almost bronze hair flows gently down her shoulders.  Her skin is colored in a beautiful golden brown shade that brings out her red-- no ruby, so clear and purple eyes.  The brightest eyes I seen, an entire ocean could be filled in them.  Her tail so white and pure, I never seen anyone more beautiful.

"The daughter of the mermaid king?" Keth Zykrula gasped pushing my thoughts away, "Oh ocean have mercy on us, we are in no doubt screwed, royalty screwed."

"Nope because we're going to be friends.  I'm Levidias I mean Levias, the mermaid" She held out her hand to me.

"Alehkzir." I told her, "Alehkzir the Ardizevepa."

Zeth Zykrula looked at me as if I lost my mind.

Maybe I had but at that moment I didn't care.

I put out my hand and she shook it.

Forever in time, that moment will forever be known to all as the day an unlikely friendship was born-- or it should have...

~~~

Suddenly many mermaids started surrounding us in a circle.  There were all in massive silver armor and held spears up to us.

How pleasant.

"How dare you demons kidnap our princess?!" The main one in the middle exclaimed at us.

"Kidnapped," Zeth Zykrula scoffed, "Why would we kidnap any of your mermaids let alone princess when we want nothing to do with you.  You fear us for what some superstitious reasons so we left you alone and now you come back here demanding false claims?"

The one who accused us of kidnapping widen his ears and looked at us in fear.  "L-L-Levias you aren't hurt, my love?"

The mermaid peeked from behind me and shook her head, "Nope, we are just playing.  I am going exploring and he-" She pointed to me and I flinched when she said that about me. "Is going to come with me and we are going to have lots of fun."

I wasn't a male.

"I'm.. I'm neither male nor female..." I stood there, looking uncomfortable.

The young mermaid put her hands to her bronze colored cheeks, "Oh no!  I'm terribly sorry!"

Well this couldn't get any more awkward.

I outted myself to a huge group of strangers, it wasn't like I was uncomfortable with what I am. Instead I just knew I was different, but being like this made me comfortable with how I am.  I knew there would be some claiming I was sacrilegious and that was what bothered me the most.

"Levias," the elder voice called again, "They could hurt you any second,
come quickly."

The girl looked at me hesitantly, "I'll make it up to you and we are going on an adventure together!" She exclaims grabbing my frilled-scaled arm.  "Exploring we shall!"

She, of course, didn't pull me with all her weight, I decided to go with her.

I turned the side of my head and watched the mermaids look in fright as we swam off, starting something new here will ever forget.

That day was the day mermaids and Ardizevepa would interact again making our lives changed forever...

//Hello, hello, hello!
I have finally finished writing the entire story and decided to publish it.

~Legend tuning out