Skip to main content

ARIEL AND BLUE-BLOOD SHOES

 

The waves crashed violently against the craggy mountainside and the moonlight shone on the lacy froths. As I waded through the water and stepped on the wet sand, I remembered another night which was many moons ago. The same glinting lights through the palace doorways and windows, the fireworks adorning the night sky like shooting stars and meteors. A royal celebration with all the works and the guests dressed up in their best finery and aristocratic jewelry. Of noble births they all were. Blue blooded as the matriarch had pointedly told me once. 

That unholy night! That night of icy hearts and howling laughter, the echoes of cackling that followed me till I ran on wobbly legs to find my place of comfort where the land met water…

Hot tears streaming down, I regretted those days when I lost my heart to a man so spineless. Had I not dragged him to the shore, he would have been a mangled mass after being torn apart by the piranhas and other monstrous maws. 

How I regret…Oh! How I regret it ! 

I'd swam furiously, until I tired myself out wanting an outlet. 

***

Finally the day had arrived.

The crown prince had borne an heir to the throne to carry on the family name. If only the world was fair, but it was not! So I had to snatch, grab, do whatever I could to calm the storm in the pit of my stomach.

As I made my way to the palace, the same wobbly legs took shape as I hobbled along, almost tripping on the wet sand. As I arrived at the palace grounds, I waited for an opportunity and blended in with a group of ladies. Their billowing gowns and oversized hats concealed me perfectly.

Poseidon and sea-glass luck were in my corner, as I slipped into the royal chambers. There he was in the bassinet, bundled in swan's down and softest silk. 

Revenge would be a dish served cold. Very, very cold. As cold as all your icy hearts!

Retrieving a vial of potion given by the sea witch from the pockets of my nursemaid's dress, a drop and two dripped between the rosy pink lips of the bairn. The cooing and gurgling exasperated me! 

I uncovered the baby and my eyes widened in glee to see a flapping fish tail instead of legs. The potion had worked!

Prince Eric would now wake up from his 'amnesia' and remember me—ARIEL!

Grabbing the new, untouched baby shoes from a gift box, I crammed them into my deep pockets.

The sea-witch could earn a few riches after selling these for a hefty price.

I slipped out unnoticed in my drab maid's dress into the kitchen and out the back door. As I met the welcoming waves, I gave up land legs once again and dived into it with a jubilant splash, my mermaid's tail sashaying to the wails and horrendous screams wafting from the palace and resounding in the kingdom.

An eye for an eye…and legs for a tail !

©️ Sangeetha Kamath  

Pic Courtesy: Image by sung hoon nam from Pixabay

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

ANAM CARA

The waves are soft and frothy. Laced with gossamer frills tenderly kissing the tips of my toes covered with the grainy sand of the rugged seashore where I'm sitting, wistful. A gust of briny breeze tousles my hair as I gaze as far as my eyes can see.  A flock of terns wheel overhead, their sharp, shrill cries punctuating the air as they dive and swoop over the surfs. A lone frigate bird, its crimson belly dazzling like a jewel skims majestically above, its long, slender wings outstretched as it rides the thermals high above the ocean. I absorb the sights and sounds of the late afternoon while absentmindedly scooping seashells beside me. As the afternoon phases, the furthest rim of the ocean is fringed in a gilded hem and the sleepy sun yawns, its dipping glow streaking the sky in a mellow tangerine and warm cherry. As I continue sitting there, the ships and yachts appear --specks of light from the portholes glimmering in the distance, reminding me of the phrase “That ship has saile...

A-Z Blogging Challenge Theme Reveal

Hey everyone! April is almost upon us and it reminds me of my childhood summer vacations, visiting my cousins in different cities, playing with them and watching movies late into the nights, brunches, more outdoor skips and hops and when the boiling sun drove us indoors, how the tangy, icy lemonade pitchers awaited us.  April is also about April showers, new beginnings and of late —the month of blogging! I'm excited to announce that I'll be participating in the A-Z April Blogger Challenge, starting on April 1st! This challenge is all about pushing myself to create new content, connect with fellow bloggers, and have immense fun while doing it. Throughout the month, I'll be posting daily(except on Sundays) on a variety of topics, ranging from personal reflections to mixed random bags of thoughts especially bordering on memoirs and non fiction. That's something I excel in apart from writing fantasy and the paranormal.  2025 will see my blog Sanguine Allegory bustling with ...

BOKETTO

  In my quiet moments, I pause the world from its frantic pace. In that stillness, I wistfully gaze into the distance and just let things unfurl as they please. I let my thoughts flow, absorbing nothing. Internalizing nothing. And just like that, the strands of tightly woven twine untangle and the knots come loose. Today, as usual, I found myself caught up in the hustle and bustle of daily grind. I was rushing to get things done, stressing about deadlines, and feeling overwhelmed by the sheer amount of tasks on my to-do list. But then, I took a deliberate pause. With a deep breath, I stretched, stepped away from my desk, and walked out onto my balcony. Leaning on the railing, I looked down at the familiar lanes of my neighborhood, twirling around the corners behind the blocks of apartments.  The park and playground stood deserted at noon amid the cluster of flowering trees and surrounded by the hedges lining the curbs. I gazed at the sky, feeling the warm sun on my face and ...

HILANG

  Chapter 2               Muay, the Maddening Scamp Seasons had gone by with vibrant autumns and chilling winters. Muay Thai had now  become very outgoing and social. On a full moon night, this newly transformed scamp  had bounded away on some nocturnal adventure.  I waited for her return for almost a week. As I searched high and low for Muay Thai, my heart raced with panic with every passing moment.  On one of my search treks, I spotted something that made my blood run cold. Lying on the ground, partially hidden by the underbrush on the curbside, was Muay Thai's collar. The vibrant fuchsia leather was faded and dirty, but the delicate zircon pendant still sparkled in the sunlight and that had caught my attention. Holding it gently in my hands, I examined it for any sign of what might have happened to Muay Thai. But there was nothing - no blood, dried or otherwise. Maybe, just maybe, Muay Thai was still out there, waiting ...

EILÍFUR GJÖF (ETERNAL GIFT)

  It was pre-dawn and still dark. The shrill alarm jolted me from the depths of a death-like sleep even as I tried to cling on to the fading vestiges of a sweet dream. I was just within reach of seeing its mysterious ending but it was gone. Like a wisp of smoke! I tried to slowly blink away the remnants of sleep from my eyes---heavily lidded and which just refused to open even a crack at a grim time like this. The alarm was ringing incessantly. Could it be a mistake that I set it to go off so early? At this bleak hour?!  Uh! Hold on, it wasn’t the alarm but a phone call for crying out loud!” At this unearthly time, when most of this side of the world was asleep, I dearly hoped that it would be from one of the two sources--Either from **Piny Woods Primary School or **Woody Pines Primary School. Yes, Thank God! I was right! I recognised ** Carrie’s number of **Piny Woods Primary School. Phone calls during pitch-black hours did tend to give me the chills, driving me to think only...