Zara: "Your name is so beautiful. Will you call me this way?"
Me: "If this is the name which I called you, then I shall call you thus."
Zara: "Very good. Do you know for how many years I reached you? I waited so many years for you. I didn't even wish to get a glimpse of you from a distance. That's why I approached you twice. I approached very close."
Me: "Did you ever love me? Why am I going so crazy over you?"
Zara: "Water fairies can't love. Only the sky fairies can do that sort of thing. That horrible fairy who was with you might, but she won't be able to come anywhere near you again."
Me: "Then what is water fairies' ability?"
Zara: "You'll see what we can do."
Me: "Hmm, we'll see."
Zara: "Then watch."
Zara began to move her hands gracefully. I had no idea what she was doing. She began a completely mad dance with her hands — and then I saw the water rise up. It was coming right towards me.
Me: "Wow. I can see you have mastery over the water."
Zara: "Not just me. all water fairies do."
Me: "Oh."
Zara: "You will be able to do it too. after your initiation is complete."
Me: "What else can you do?"
Zara: "I'll show you."
Me: "Hmm."
Zara crossed her lips and whistled. Then I witnessed a whole pod of dolphins come up out of nowhere in front of us.
Me: "Are those real dolphins?"
Zara: "Why do you doubt it?"
Me: "No, this is the first time I've ever really seen dolphins in person. it doesn't feel real."
Zara: "There are many more things that will amaze you when you see them. I'll show you everything."
Me: "Just because you can do many things, I also can do many things."
Zara: "Yes. you draw very good pictures. and you will be able to do these things too someday."
Me: "Don't speak about that. I am able to do things which you cannot even imagine."
Zara: "See."
Me: "These things cannot be seen. they must be felt, fool."
Zara: "But speak something."
Me: "Alright, shut your eyes."
Zara: "Why?"
Me: "If you keep your eyes open, I won't be able to use my power."
Zara: "Oh, I see. Okay, I'll shut my eyes. let's see what your power is."
Me: "Mmm."
Zara closed her eyes. All my fear dissipated. Because this mermaid had always been within my heart — the one I'd always tried to glimpse. Today she stood before me. How could I be scared?
I kissed her lips. Everything surrounding us was silent in shock. There was lightning in the sky. Zara grabbed me tightly.
Me: "What did you see of my power?"
Zara: "Anyone can do that."
Me: "Hmm, but not anyone can kiss you."
Zara: "Hmm, you can only say that because you are my future husband. Otherwise, you would not have the courage."
Me: "Future husband?"
Zara: "Yes. We will marry on the day you are crowned queen. And then we will be together. You will rule all this mermaid kingdom, and I will rule beside you as queen."
Me: "But why so quickly? I have not yet finished studying. How can I marry you so soon?"
Zara: "You'll be king of all this mermaid kingdom in fifteen days. Do kings read? You will be taught now."
Me: "I know all that… but I can—"
Me: "You don't want to know. Fine. I'll go tell your queen — your mother."
Zara: "Mother won't let you go. Once she wanted to take you to the sky-fairy. If you go with that sky-fairy, we'll never be able to bring you back."
Me: "Why? You and they are fairies too. Then they were unable to come into your world. Why can't you go to where they are?"
Zara: "Only the Cosmic Kings can go to both Waterrealm and Skyrealm."
Me: "Cosmic King means. you're full of the strangest stories."
Zara: "You don't even know the tale of our Waterrealm. Be quiet and listen."
Me: "Mm-hmm, I'll listen. I'm lying on your lap. Start."
(I lay down in Zara's lap. Zara began stroking my head.)
Zara: "There is no time for the whole story at the moment. I am telling you about the Cosmic King. Our first king of Waterrealm was called Harkiumas. He was called the Cosmic King. He was carrying a big trident, called the Life of the Sea. Whosoever carried that trident would be the strongest person in this world. Whosoever carried that trident would be able to go to Skyrealm and Waterrealm. That trident was made with the mixture of powers of Skyrealm, Waterrealm, and Humanrealm — it was powerful enough to destroy things. If it was possessed by a king, he would be the Cosmic King."
Me: "These are all imaginary tales. I've heard stories like this before, and I've even seen a movie about them."
Zara: "You used to think the Waterfolk didn't exist. And before long after the king of water humans and waterfolk will be you. You were supposed to marry a water-fairy. It was all fantasy. But to you now, it's all real. There are many things that are unreal to you but real to us. Real things have come to seem fantasy to you because no one could prove them — yet. But the proof is all with you."
Me: "Seriously, I don't believe any of this."
Zara: "So you think it's a dream?"
Me: "Mm-hmm, all a dream."
Zara: "Then do you want this dream to shatter and be real?"
Me: "Mm-hmm. But I want you with me in real life."
Zara: "You'll have only me with you. and that is your reality."
Water-being: "Princess, our new king and your mother have summoned you."
Zara: "Okay, let's go."
Me: "We're going to leave so early. we didn't even get to see the sunset."
Zara: "Since you have to return home before dark in your homeland, the same here applies. Otherwise, you'll be punished."
Me: "Punished.? I'm going to be a king. Will they punish me too?"
Zara: "You will be a king, but you are not yet. The queen here right now is my mother — she won't let you off."
(Oooo.)
I stepped into the water. Zara took my hand. Her tail turned into a fish tail, and she pulled me into the water. I took a deep breath and held on to Zara's hand. It was kind of strange — if there was someone with a fish tail in front of you, you'd be surprised just thinking about it.
We went ahead and stood in the presence of the mother of Zara. She sat on the throne of royalty. Zara bowed her head with me.
Queen: "Princess Jianiia, I hear you kidnapped our future king from his training grounds."
Zara: "Mother, I could no longer stay away from him. How many days do I have to stay away? So I brought him for a little chat."
Queen: "That may be pardoned; there will be time for that. But for accepting him in training, you shall be punished, Princess."
Zara: "But, Queen Mother."
Queen: "No more talking. Tomorrow you shall remain in the royal palace all day. You may not go anywhere."
Zara: "As you say, Queen Mother."
Queen: "General, take the new king to his royal chamber and leave him there."
Zara: "Queen Mother, I shall take him."
Queen: "And as for your punishment, you may see the new king again only after tomorrow. Now go straight to your room, General."
General: "Yes, Your Majesty. Come along."
(The general pulled me away. I don't even know how to swim well, so he grasped my hand as he pulled me away.)
I didn't notice it then, but wow — what a beautiful palace. Everywhere there were fish-like things lighting up the place. It was so lovely it brought tears to my eyes.
Me: "Your palace is very beautiful."
Commander: "Yes, sir. But this is not just our palace. It's your palace too."
Me: "Very beautiful. Truly, I've never seen anything so beautiful in my life."
Commander: "You have not seen our kingdom yet. Our kingdom is prettier."
Me: "Then I will have to make the tour of the kingdom."
Commander: "Sir, it is not possible. Tomorrow you will have to begin training. It is my responsibility to make you ready within fifteen days."
Me: "But I hardly know how to swim well. I don't even possess a tail like you."
Commander: "You don't need to have a tail to become like us, sir. You won't believe, but our first king was a guy like you. He was our greatest and strongest king."
Me: "He had a good trident. but I don't have one."
Commander: "Power doesn't reside in an instrument. By having immense willpower, you can build up power."
Me: "The more I see you, the more impressed I am. but there's something strange about it too, because I'm seeing you like that."
Commander: "Oh wow, fantastic."
(The commander stood stiff as a statue.)
Me: "You can change too."
Commander: "Yes. Everyone in our army is capable of doing it. But it's a secret. Other individuals think that only the royal members are capable of doing this, but children of our water city army are capable too."
Me: "I don't understand why it's a secret."
Commander: "Our water country has four kingdoms. You will be one king among four. There are three other kings. In battle, we use the secret tactic: we place enemies above the water and draw out their power."
Me: "Oh."
Commander: "Yes. See, your room is ready. It's designed after the upper air. Whenever you can switch this to suck all the water out of the room and dry it out like your environment. Switch the other switch and the whole room will be filled with water."
Me: "Your technology is very advanced."
Commander: "Yes, as a matter of fact. Now rest. You did not train today. Tomorrow you will train all day."
Me: "Okay. Thanks."
I switched it on. All the water escaped. Behind the door there was something similar to a laser visible. Water couldn't go through it. Extremely advanced technology. It was marvelous. But I wasn't satisfied. I would have been satisfied if Dad, Mom, and Hridi were also present. But they couldn't keep their breath under water like me. I would need to bring them here and keep them in this one room. No — I must return home. But I don't even know which sea I'm in. I can't return home from here without brains. I'll have to go out. If I was their king once, I'll need to stay here. I can't spend my whole life here.