(A different take on a mermaid wedding with a bit of added lore.)
A week later, Monica and Lake arrived at the wedding location in River’s kingdom. As it turned out, this was located in a huge valley shaped like a natural basin. This landscape caught the edge of a passing current, causing a perpetual eddy in its flow, like a giant whirlpool. At the center of the basin, in the eye of the whirlpool, sat an empty stone platform.
Huge crowds of guests had assembled, settling into the circular current and allowing it to move them around at a leisurely speed somewhat slower than the average escalator. Over such a vast area, the movement could hardly be registered. Lake chose a spot, and the two waited for the wedding to start.
Soon, a series of three groups filed into the valley, each made up of six burly mermen hoisting the largest oyster shells Monica had ever seen. Easily the size of a car, the mollusks that formed them must have lived for hundreds, if not thousands, of years. Proceeding to the platform at the valley’s center, the groups set their shells down on it in a roughly triangular formation and swam away.
“What are those for?” Monica whispered.
“One of them contains the bride,” Lake said. “The groom must find the right one.”
A mermaid in a seashell? How classic, Monica thought. “How will he do that?”
Lake smiled. “You’ll see.”
Not long after, Prince River arrived, dressed in an impressive sash and crown much like the one Lake currently had on to denote his rank. Oddly, a merman beside him, no doubt a groomsman, handed him a blindfold which he put on. Once they had made sure the prince’s vision had been thoroughly blocked, he was led to the three shells.
A hush fell over the crowd as everyone leaned forward in anticipation. Then, River began to sing. To Monica’s surprise, he had a wonderful baritone that rang out across the basin. Moments later, a lovely soprano that cut through the water and the heart with equal clarity answered him, making the song a duet. In a heartbeat, she realized the new voice must be Damon. Or Dana, she corrected herself. Her best friend had obviously left her old name behind, so she ought to do likewise.
“What are they singing?” Monica asked breathlessly.
“Their vows,” Lake explained.
“It sounds beautiful, but I don’t understand what they’re saying.”
“It’s in the ancient tongue. Tradition, you know.”
“I take it finding the bride is also a tradition?”
Lake nodded. “It is for royal weddings. The ceremony reenacts the creation of mer-kind. The story goes that the first mermaid was formed from a human, as hard as it is to imagine.”
“You don’t say.”
“Indeed. The way I heard it, long ago, the ocean saw that the land supported three great races: dragons, elves, and humans. Humans were much more impressive in the old days, you see. Feeling a bit left out, the ocean decided to create a mighty race to call its own. After a few failed attempts to make one from scratch, it decided to use one of the land’s existing ones. So, it began to call out from the shore, weaving a song of longing and sending it across the winds, hoping for an answer.”
“Hold on,” Monica held up a hand. “Are you saying there are elves and dragons for real?”
“There were,” Lake said sadly. “The elves moved on to other worlds, and dragons have not been seen for many ages. Most believe them to be dead.”
“That’s kind of sad. Though I’ll admit, I’d be too afraid to meet a dragon.”
“As would I,” Lake chuckled. “Anyway, the dragons and elves, like the empty shells, proved to be impervious to the beauty of the ocean’s song, and neither answered. However, the third race, mankind, was a bit more receptive, and before long, a lone human arrived, mesmerized by the music. That human joined with the sea and was remade into a mermaid, and our proud race was born.” Lake shrugged. “I’m leaving out many details, but that’s the basic summary of it.”
“Wow, that’s a beautiful story! But what’s with the shells?”
“Oysters represent rebirth. A grain of dull sand goes inside only to reemerge as a precious pearl. Sand into pearl. Human into mermaid. Maiden into wife. Commoner into princess. The theme of rebirth figures strongly in this occasion.”
“Ah, that clarifies a lot,” Monica replied, eyeing the ceremony with more appreciation.
As the song continued, River’s groomsman escorted him in a circle around the shells a few times.
Suddenly, as the song reached its crescendo, Dana’s voice rose into a high note worthy of a star soprano, and River fell silent. His groomsman pushed him towards the middle of the shells and left him on his own. With only that one sweet note to guide him, River immediately ducked down and took hold of one of the shells. Muscles rippled as he pried the oyster open, and there, revealed in all her glory, sat Dana.
Monica gasped at the mermaid’s beauty. Her face had been expertly made up, and her hair had been interwoven with numerous strings of gold and beads until one could barely tell where her golden hair ended and the jewelry began. A gossamer top made of see-through fabric covered her torso, letting everyone see the bangles and bracelets covering her arms. It seemed she was wearing half her body weight in ornamentation.
Instantly, having been successfully discovered, Dana ended her song and flew into her groom’s arms, snatching off his blindfold and embracing him.
The two kissed as the guests applauded and cheered. In front of the entire kingdom, the two were now husband and wife, prince and princess as well as future king ad queen of the realm. Monica clapped, tears in her eyes as she wished Dana a happy marriage.