Prince Oliver of The Prasinus Kingdom was traveling on his trusty horse down a valley that leads to The Rubrum Kingdom. He was one of the many princes that were put off by Princess Scarlett’s mermaid form and left.
While his fellow princes didn’t seem to look back on their rejection of the mermaid princess, Prince Oliver started to have second thoughts on what he has done.
“Was I… Right on rejecting her like that?” He thought to himself. “I mean, I was interested in seeing her and all and made the journey to come to her home but… Did I make the right choice by leaving her all alone like that?”
It didn’t take long until his mind wandered. What if Princess Scarlett was born a mermaid and she merely presented herself as human to the outside world to feel accepted, and he just confirmed her fear by walking out on her like that? What if Princess Scarlett was suddenly cursed to be a mermaid not too long ago and tried to reach out for help, and he rejected her? Each time Prince Oliver tried to re-frame his leave, he just couldn’t find a way to justify himself to just reject Scarlett so easily other than… He just seemed to have no interest.
Scarlett wasn’t merely a human girl, she was a mermaid, a legendary creature of the sea. Scarlett was a half-girl half-fish royal princess that would’ve been a handsome wife and caring mother, all she had asked for a prince’s love and devotion. That wasn't much, was it? All she wanted was for Prince Oliver to care for her, and she would in return care for him back. What was wrong with that? Where had she gone wrong?
“Nothing.” Prince Oliver thought. “I came in expecting her to strictly be a generic human princess to warm a bed with and left once it turned out she was something more than that. Much more.”
Prince Oliver looked to see a large lake on his left. Wanting to rest, he ordered his horse his stop and decided to take a swim. He stripped himself of his emerald-colored clothes and proceeded to walk to the lake naked.
It was then that Prince Oliver’s mind thought of a tale that his mother read to him every night before bed as a kid.
The story went like this:
There once was a man who was married to his wife. She was incredibly beautiful, especially with her slim long legs and cute small feet. The couple didn’t know that they were being watched by an angry wizard.
The wizard was a cruel old man who had nobody to call a friend, let alone a wife. So one day, as the man and wife were outside feeding deer and birds, the wizard angrily went up the couple and cursed his wife to be a cervitaur - a human with the lower body of a deer.
The wizard cackled as the wife screamed in horror. Her two graceful legs became four clumsy limbs that ended in hooves instead of feet. The wife proceeded to cry as her husband angrily yelled at the wizard. But the bitter old wizard merely smiled, shrugged his shoulders, and walked away.
The wife sobbed as she covered her face from her husband and the animals. “Don’t look at me! I’m a monster!”
But the man went ahead and uncovered his wife’s face. She was shocked to feel her husband’s lips gently touch her own.
When their lips parted, the wife looked her love in confusion. “You kissed me. But why? I’m not a human anymore.”
The man replied. “Because you’re still my wife. Sure, you may be half-deer but you’re still half-human. That human half belongs to you, the woman I loved and will continue to love, no matter if you have hooves or feet. If you ask me, you still have more humanity within you than that cowardly wizard.”
The wife wiped her eyes and felt the nearby deer nuzzle their noses on the cervitaur’s soft pink skin. The birds then decorated the woman’s hair in flowers as the husband helped pick his wife up from the ground, and embraced her in a hug.
“I love you so much, dear.” The husband said in a shaking voice.
“I love you, too.” The wife said and returned the kiss to her one true love.
Years pass and the wizard returns to the forest to see what has become of the couple. He was shocked to see that the husband and wife were still together and even had many children - all of whom had the bodies of humans from the waist up and the bodies of deer from the waist down.
The family frolicked around in joy, paying the wizard no mind as they played with the nearby animals.
The wizard cursed and screamed at how it was even possible. But his hateful words were muted by the joyful laughter coming from the half-deer children and their parents.
The wizard proceeded to lie down and scream the mightiest tantrum that would make even the cries of 100 babies sound like the squeak of a mouse, but his words were given no attention. The wizard’s bitter hate proceeded to reach his heart, and his heart stopped.
The wizard’s lifeless body went on to become the family’s dinner. His reign never to be seen again.
***********
“I messed up.” Prince Oliver whispered to himself as his body floated on the water.
He wanted to return to The Rubrum Kingdom and apologize to the King and Queen for being so rude to their daughter. He wanted to return on his horse, but the journey would take days and he’ll likely be too late.
Prince Oliver sighed. “I wish I could return to Scarlett.” He said in a whisper.
As if on cue, the lake proceed to glow. Over’s horse neighed in terror as the water became a bright light.
It was then that Prince Oliver felt his legs feeling off. He looked down to see his legs pull together into one unified limb. He wondered how he could see this because his legs were underwater yet his head wasn’t. It was then Prince Oliver realized that his eyes have adapted for underwater vision.
His legs were now replaced by a muscular forest green tail. Prince Oliver gasped at his change, and it was then that he felt more air coming to his body than usual. He looked to see that slits formed on the sides of his torso. His upper body was now stronger, his more muscular build resembling a swimmer’s body - As if he was swimming his whole life.
Prince Oliver was now a merman.
“I can’t believe it!” He said in awe. “Oh man, Scarlett’s going to love this! I’m going to… Oh.” Oliver paused as he looked at his horse. The animal had a face of mourning as if it knew its owner would swim away, likely never coming back.
Prince Oliver swam up the horse and gently caressed its face. “It’s okay, girl. I’m fine, really.” He said with a smile. “I’m going to return to The Rubrum Kingdom and try to get Scarlett back. If I don’t come back to you with a mermaid by sundown, let mom and dad know. See you on the other side, partner.” Prince Oliver said as he patted his horse and swam away to follow a stream back to The Rubrum Kingdom.