Where to start . . . I assume you have all heard of the story of the little mermaid, Princess Ariel, the youngest daughter of King Triton. How she fell in love with a human prince named Eric. How her father forbade it and because of teenage rebellion and desire to be with the one she loved, she turned to the Sea Witch, Ursula. Ariel made a deal with her and traded her voice for human legs. She was given three days to get the prince to get the prince to kiss her. A lot of things happened after that which ultimately led to Ursula’s death and the wedding of Princess Arial and Prince Eric.

Then a few years later their daughter, Melody, was born. She was said to be the first child born between land and sea. Wrong! Melody was just the first known child to the silly little merfolk of Atlantica. I’m sure you’ve all figured that there may have been others who have fallen for a human. And though many of them failed there was one other. And she too succeeded in being with the one she loved. Here’s the catch, she was what was known as one of the Cecelia, also known as Octopan.

That’s right! She was a Sea Witch, just like Ursula. She was even her much younger cousin, Jenna, my mother. Agh, I know what you’re thinking. You think I’m telling you all this to seek some sort of glory of being born as the first child of land and sea. I’m jealous of Ariel and Melody getting all the attention. While I’m stuck in the shadows because I’m the daughter of a sea witch. And we all know how greedy that type of merfolk is. Heh, okay, No. First off, I'm the second, my older brother, Dylan, is the first. He was born three years before me, and I three days before Princess Melody, whom I have nothing against. It’s just that if I want you to know my story, I should probably start with my mother’s, right?

Now if I got my timetables right my mother was born long after Ursula’s banishment from the kingdom and probably around the same year as the birth of either the fourth or fifth Mer-princess. My mother has deep blue eyes with a small mole under her right, and snow-white hair. Though back then her hair was long and stopped just short of her waist. When in her sea form her skin is a light blue and her tentacles are black with a blue undercoat. On her left arm just below the shoulder, she has a birthmark that resembles the shell of a scallop. Jenna, my mother. Apart from her appearance, she was a bit different from the rest of her kind. Jenna couldn’t stomach the idea of eating fish, so unlike the other Octopans, she lived off a purely vegetarian aquatic diet. She viewed other sea life as potential friends and not as pets or food. She also dreamed of a day when all merfolk may one day live together peacefully. She was often bullied for this, as well as punished by her parents for her idealistic views and mindset. Resulting in all her hard work regarding magic being overlooked. Some of the potions and talismans she made while training were often stolen and critiqued by her persecutors. It never mattered how talented she was, never accepted. My mother was a bit odd and possibly even rather naïve, but despite that, she was also rather cunning. Jenna also had magic powers that could easily rival that of her cousin Ursala, but she kept it hidden.

She often spent time away from the hostile environment she lived in, doing personal research on aquatic plants and other potential ingredients for potions. She even found a cave hidden beneath a cape that fills with water during high tide. There she practiced magic undisturbed. This place became her secret base where she crafted potions and harnessed talismans away from the rest of her kind.

One day while she was out, she met a young mermaid around her age named Caspia. She was crying having gotten separated from her family. Jenna had just perfected a tracking potion. She asked Caspia if she had anything on her that one of her family members may have given her. She said that her mother gave her the bracelet she was wearing. Jenna told Caspia that she could help her find her parents, but she wanted something in return, her friendship. My mother was lonely, being a Cecaelia with such idealistic dreams left her without a single friend. Caspia accepted and was led to Jenna’s secret base. She found the potion and poured a drop of it on the bracelet. “Now all you must do is follow the bracelet back to your family.”

The bracelet began to glow and fly away, “thank you,” said Caspia as she followed the bracelet. Jenna shouted, wishing her luck. And the following day she met Caspia again. She kept her promise and the little two girls often laughed and played together. It didn’t take long for her to discover that Caspia was a princess. Jenna shared her dream with her and Caspia didn’t laugh at it. She hoped that Jenna’s dream could come true one day as well and she wanted to help make it true. The two became very close friends.

Caspia often talked about her sisters and how her new baby sister, Ariel, had just been born and was already stirring up trouble. Jenna thought she was lucky to have such a big caring and loving family. Caspia’s problems often seemed a bit minuscule in comparison, but she liked hearing about them. They were a nice distraction from her own.

Then one day Caspia stopped showing up and the music that often played throughout the sea was silenced. Soon news of Queen Athena’s death came to her home. Her family laughed and cheered at the news, and Jenna’s heart broke for her friend. She got angry on her behalf and said, “Someone just died, and you cheer?” The room went silent as they all looked scornfully down on her.

“She is the queen of our enemy why wouldn’t we cheer,” said her father, “she was loved by King Triton, the man who outcasted and scorned our kind. He would act the same if one of us died.”

“You don’t know that” Jenna retaliated.

“Oh, yes he does!” her mother then chimed in, “It’s about time you listened to us young lady. You need to stop living with your misconception of equality amongst merfolk, Jenna. It may one day get you killed.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” She asked.

“Your aunt was once like you she fell in love with the King of the sea before Triton. But for him it was just a fling, he broke it off, but not before she became pregnant with his child, Ursula. He broke her heart and her dream. She moved on she had to, but it didn’t stop there. Prince Triton at the time wasn’t interested in being king, the king thought it was because he had no competition. When he heard of the existence of his daughter, he had her brought to the castle. Though Triton became more interested in the throne, the king’s love for his daughter also grew. He left the throne for them to share, but King Triton banished her for her use of magic and being known as a Sea Witch. The rest of us were outcasted by Alantica.”

Her father then added, “Your dream is nothing more than fantasy. The other merfolk is just as deceitful and cruel as what you think of us.”

It was then that she blurted out, “But that was then, surely if we show them good faith then maybe one day.”

“Enough!” screamed her mother, “If you’re going to keep living in your fantasy then get out of this house and never return!”

“Fine!” Jenna yelled back. She was determined to prove them wrong, so in her friend’s time of need and her plight to prove herself, she planned to sneak into the castle to see Caspia but was caught.

***   

She had been brought before King Triton, “Do the Octapans think me so weak soon after my wife’s death that they infiltrate my castle! Do They Think by sending a Child, I would show mercy.”

Jenna panicked hearing his raging voice and was barely able to speak in his presence, but she had to. “I-I di-didn’t come here t-to cause you to harm your-r Majesty. I only came to give my con-condolences for your loss.”

“Nonsense”

 “And to see my friend Caspia.”

“Caspia,” the king said in shock, “You Came Here To Take One Of My Daughters From Me as Well.”

“No, we really are friends, I mean no harm.” Jenna spoke panicky, “Just ask her she’ll vouch for me.”

“Very well,” Triton called in his daughter. Caspia’s eyes widened when she saw Jenna flanked by the royal guards. “Caspia, do you know this Sea Witch.”

And out of fear of her father’s rage, she answered him “No, I don’t.” My mother doesn’t remember much of what was said or done after that. The shock of being betrayed and abandoned by her best friend was too much. Only that she was locked up in the palace dungeons and how she escaped using her magic. Then she finally made her way back home only to hear her parents talking about how happy they were to have finally gotten rid of her. She then returned to her secret base. She had given up all faith she had in merfolk and cut her hair short. It was at that moment that Jenna decided that she would live out the rest of her days alone. She closed off her heart and vowed that she would never care for someone else, so she would never get hurt like this ever again.