she watched him, eyes wide with wonder, as he emerged from the dark, grey doors of the dark, grey castle in all his brightness, with so many legged ones surrounding him like ants around the queen; but he always stood out, and her eyes were always fastened upon him, as he sat in all his colorful glory upon the throne they carried out for him. he would stare at the waves, turn everyone away, looking over his domain but how little did he know. not his domain, indeed she was more fit to rule it than he; royal blood of the seas in her veins, intelligent- but for this instance. for this instance, she fawned over the bright prince of the dark castle, and through this newfound foolishness she became else not herself, and so did she evermore leave behind the sea in her blood leave behind the tail she loved all for one who would never acknowledge her sacrifices and all for one would she fade away {excellent little mermaid retellings: the little selkie by km shea and the silent mermaid by brittany fichter} {poetry and art by the dowager}
