Re: Curiosity Killed The Catfish R/rated

[questor]

"Yes he is a scientist and a very good one. But it took years of research and trials on me to make me what I am. First he was able to have the webbing between my fingers and toes grow. Then it was my eyes so that they could see under water and in low light. Then the gills and ability to breath underwater. it was a slow process that he has not had the time to improve on.

Then what you have said about her lingage I doubt that he can create two pair of legs, and feet if she but has one. My only hope was that the knowledge that made it possible for your race to become what they are would have helped find a way."

About that time, a few merpeople came in to have Hector hear their sides and make a decesion. At that time Merlin excused himself and swam off towards a small island a couple miles away. It was not more then a few hundred yards long and wide with mostly sandy beaches but it did have trees and a fresh water spring on it.

Here he had told his father to leave some things. It would be a place where he could come and think things out. Two of Hector's men accompanied him, due to his new Position. They would stay under water near the island. On the island was a radio that he used to contact his father. He explained the circumstances and his father replied back. "It would take a number of years of research, study, takeing blood samples, tissue samples and the like. Even then it is not gurenteed that it could be done."

This was even more disheartening. The knowledge that the ancient people discovered seemed to have been lost. How they had discovered it was also a mystery. What other secrets was lost back then when the land masses sunk beneath the ocean.

[LadyRaven]

Hector felt as disheartened as Merlin.  He wanted to comfort the man, but all too soon, council members were arriving with their own ideas and opinions and he was forced to allow Merlin to leave while he had to listen to them.  In the end, how glad he was!
"Are you sure?"  He asked the elderly female.  She nodded in return.
"It can be done."  She replied haggardly, "But it is not without danger."
"Please."  Hector said, "Tell me."
"There is talk in the ancient scrolls of a powder not unlike white sand."  The female told him.  "The scrolls tell of a magical property that allowed our people to walk on land for a certain period of time."
"Go on."  Hector said, truly intrigued now.
"The Atlantians used it so they could conquer the islands as our own were sinking, but something went wrong.  They spent too much time away from their natural home and were unable to return.  They lost their ability to survive in the ocean.  That is why they brought their war on Jakar.  We still possessed the magical sands and they believed they could reverse the mistake."
"How long does it work for?"  Hector asked.
"From dawn until dusk."  The female said.  "As a pureblood, Syrenne could use the sands to walk on land for one day.  But as I said, there are dangers."
"What are they?"
"The transformation, according to the scrolls, is very painful and frightening.  Once she takes the sands, her tail will split and the living flesh will bleed.  She could die before the transformation is complete." 
"What else?"  Hector asked carefully. 
"The transition back is just as painful and dangerous.  Her limbs would have to fuse again to create the tail and she would have to regrow her scales.  Such a transition could only happen once a moon at the very most." 
"So, for one day in a moon, she could walk on land with Merlin."  hector said. 
The female nodded, "Yes."  She said, "If she is able and willing to accept the risks.  But should she be late back to the ocean, even by an hour, the change would be permanent without more of the sands." 
"So she would be a ground dweller."  Hector said with sadness. 
The female nodded again, "She could be transformed back again with the sands, but the scrolls say that many Atlantians died trying to reverse the change.  Should she be late, she could very well die trying to correct it." 
Hector nodded to the elder female, "I will talk to her."  he said quietly, "And give her my advice.  The choice will be hers and hers alone."  The meeting was dismissed and Hector went to find Syrenne.
 
Unusually high up on the Spire, Syrenne continued to watch out over the ocean.  Near the shoals, where she so often swam and played with Haggum, she sighed softly at he tiny island there and wondered what it would be like to walk on the sands rather than slither through them as she had done.  She turned slightly as the rock dug into her rump.  The shift in her position made her scales glitter with great lustre which could be clearly seen from the island.  She looked like a perfect sapphire stone sat on the black rocks of the Spire.  Also, as the winds changed, she began to sing.  The sound carried to the island unawares by her.  She sang of the ocean and the vast beauty of it......

[questor]

From his island outpost, he could see the sparkle of her scales and then he heard her singing.  He smiled and sighed.  Years of research, testing and then there would be no gurentee that his father would be able to reverse the effect that the ancients had created, or even modify it. so she could be like him.  But without the duel leg bones, ankle and foot bones, even then it would not be possible to create that.

He needed the original formulas, data, to study and see if something could be made.  Jakar might hold the secret since it had been mentioned in the tablets he had been able to aquire.  He would have full access to everything once he got there.  He walked to the beach and then entered the water.  He swam towards the little spot of ground above water.  The two guards followed at a discrete distance.

He broke the surface by Syrenne, "Hi there."  he said with a smile.

[LadyRaven]

Syrenne sat forward as she saw Merlin break the water and speak to her.  She smiled at him and motioned for him to join her.  "Hi."  She said warmly.  After that, she leaned back once again and stared up at the sky as she waited for him to join her.  She sighed deeply as she watched a single cloud drift overhead.  "What's it like to walk on land?"  She asked.  "Can you feel your feet move like I feel my tail?  Is it beautiful on land?  Do you have big cities like Jakar, like the stories say?  What does the ground feel like?  Does it feel solid like the Spire?"  She had a hundred more questions just like this......

[questor]

She had questions that he tried to answer. "For one that has walked there all his life, it is nothing, but for one that has not it would feel strange, perhaps akward at first but once one got use to it, they might hardly notice it." he laughed some at a few of them, "Yes you can feel your feet move and feel the ground, grass, and pavement under them. The ground as the pavement, artifically made walk ways and such, feel hard like what we are sitting on. Grass is soft and feels nice to walk on with bare feet. Then there is the sand, mud and the like." he laughed again. "These feels squishy but nice."

"Like I told you before, all the big cities that were not destroyed in our wars, have been abandoned. One can still see the metal and stone frameworks rising into the sky. We live in small cities now, perhaps like Jakar. Some are made of stone, others wood with stone facings."

He knew it was going to be impossible for her to see such things. But he did not have the heart to tell her that. The sun was soon setting and he said, "It is time for us to return to the Spire."

[LadyRaven]

Syrenne was enthralled by what Merlin told her.  "So this grass thing is like seaweed?"  She asked, "That feels soft and tickles my fins, but it's easy to get tangled up in.  Is grass like that?  And pavement is like rock?  Is it sharp too?  I don't like sand much.  It gets stuck between my scales and it's hard to get rid of." 

She looked out to the west as he told her about the cities.  She nodded when she remembered what he'd said before.  Yes, I remember now."  She said, then shook her head, "I don't understand places like Jakar.  They're not natural."  She watched as the sun dipped lower and lower and soon enough, it began to touch the horizon.  Merlin said it was time to leave, but she didn't want to yet.

"I like watching the light go down."  She said with some wonder, "It's like it sinks into the ocean, but it doesn't.  I'd love to know where it goes to when the night comes.  Some say it's a giant furnace like the bowels of the Spire.  My ancestors believed it was a gateway to the home of the Gods and if you could find a mountain high enough, you could reach out and touch it."  She looked across at Merlin.  "Some still believe it is, but not in the sense of before.  Hector told me once that spawn born during the shortest eve of the year were blessed with long lives and their homes and pods would be forever in light and riches.  I think he exaggerated a little, but it's a nice story."  She turned her eyes back to the fading sun and took a deep breath.

[questor]

Merlin chuckled. "My people, a very long time ago, thought along the same lines as that, just a bit different. The sun is like a giant furnace, that is many times larger then the world we are on. Our world circles it. When we get closer, it becomes warm for a few months. When we move further away from it, the cold weather sets in. Also our world spins around in a circle. That is why you see the sun come up and decend as it is now. On another part of our world the sun is just rising."

As the sun set and the stars appeared he pointed up at them. "The majority of those little lights are other suns with worlds spinning around them. They are so far away that we only see a little spot of light." Then the sun finally sunk below the horizon. "I think it is time to go now. Hector will be worried."

[LadyRaven]

Once again, Syrenne soaked in the information.  "Wow."  She breathed as she looked up, "Not so long ago, you'd have been descaled for saying stuff like that."  She kept looking up for a while longer, "There's so many of them.  Will they all have worlds like this?"  It seemed too magical to be true.  She wondered if those other worlds had oceans and people like her and people like Merlin on them.

Once the sun had completely gone, Merlin said it was time to go.  She still didn't want to, but he was right.  Any darker and they wouldn't be able to distinguish the dangerous sharp rocks from the regular sharp rocks and that would be bad for both of them.  With a heavy sigh, she nodded and started shuffling down the rocks towards the darkened waters.  "I wish I could see your world, Merlin."  She said as she sank carefully into the water, "If only for just one day.  I'd love to feel grass and pavement and walk the way you do."  She dipped down and filled her lungs, helping her sink back under fully.  "Do you think it could ever be done?"  How little she knew......

[questor]

He followed her down and into the water. The two guards were still there and joined them as they made their way back to the Spire. The light from above was gone and if it had not been for the experimenting on him he would not have been able to see underwater in the dark. He didn't want to tell her what Hector had told him. Nor what his father had said either. "Perhaps." he said. "Perhaps in Jakar there will be an answer." he told her. The how, those ancients had discovered the secret of changing and adapting to the water. Perhaps if he found something he could translate it for his father and see what he could do.

But the soft glow of some underwater mineral or something lit up the homes of the merfolk of the spire. It was a strange sight to see but yet beautiful at the same time. He took Syrenne back to her little nitch and gave her a kiss good night.

[LadyRaven]

Syrenne smiled as she saw the Spire lit up by the algea feeding slugs.  She thought they got brighter every year, such was the breeding that her people did with them.  That and the crystals that carried the light from the magma chambre below the Spire, it created a completely unique spectacle.  Slowly they descended and Syrenne finally spotted her little cave.

After Merlin kissed her again, she backed up and smiled at him, "Merlin?"  She asked, "Would you like to stay the night with me?  The currents are dangerous at night, especially now the seasons are turning.  If you need to, there's an air bubble on the ceiling.  It isn't big or anything, but..."  She was rambling, she knew it, but she really wanted to spend more time with him...

[questor]

Merlin smiled when she asked him if he would spend the night with her. He didn't need the air bubble. He was at home in the water as he was on land. He was a success story for his father and there were those that were using his research to begin making more like him. In a few years there would be several more just like him and it was going to be up to him to train them and now to get along with the merfolk. As the King now, he would bring the new hybrids down to meet and work with the merfolk, and like him get use to them and learn their ways. He would also have to teach them the language and other surface dwellers as well. Especially if his ideas were to work.

"Of course I will stay. But will not there be talk about the Spire tomorrow?" he chuckled. This would also be his first night spent under water. Another first, and probably not his last.

[LadyRaven]

Syrenne smiled a little shyly again and half shrugged her shoulders, "It's likely."  She replied, "But it's unavoidable.  It'll happen no matter when you decide to stay, or when I ask you to."  She moved into her little cavern and looked around somewhat.  The currents didn't turn or move the water inside and it felt quite a bit warmer with it being inside the Spire, but the water was still clean.  Overhead near the air bubble on the ceiling, there were more of the glowing minerals that gave the home a warm light.  Apart from her bed, or nest as she called it, there wasn't much else in the cave.  There was a small space across the room that held a small outcrop of rock that she used as a table and general junk heap.  It was filled with various trinkets and shells that she had collected for decoration and curios to show her friends.  Also, along the floor of the cave, she had pressed various sponges and seamoss onto the rock and into any crevices.  It looked like a mottled green and brown carpet.  It was clear she had taken the time to make her small home comfortable and welcoming and cleverly, the 'carpet' also kept the water clean as it filtered out any waste for its own food.

"I guess I should start looking for a bigger home."  She mused as she moved through the small but comfortable space.  Moving to her seaweed nest, she started pulling and stretching it out so he could lay on it with her and be comfortable.  "And a bigger nest to sleep in."  She smiled to him again before pointing to her table.  "You can put your tail and your blubber over there if you want."  She told him.....

[questor]

Merlin removed his the tail and sat it down. He was getting use to it and taking it off and putting it on. When he would use the island he would have to remove it before he exited the water and make sure it was kept in a secure location under water to keep it from drying out.

In two to three more days the representatives of the other communities would be arriving. He would then address them and let them know his view on things. The only time he would want them to seen their warriors would be if it was something that would effect them all. But until then he needed a place to stay. He grinned at her reaction to his comment and how she was preparing everything. When she mentioned a bigger place he had a feeling that she was talking about the two of them. The ach in his heart was bad. He wanted to tell her what Hector had said but decided not to at the moment.

[LadyRaven]

Syrenne cleared a little extra space to accommodate Merlin's things and once he had removed his tail and such, she went about arranging other space.  It was then she realised there was only one lump of moss for a pillow.  Moving past him, she half turned, "I'll be right back."  She told him with a smile.  "Make yourself at home."  She then darted from the narrow opening and disappeared to collect moss for Merlin.

She made it barely past the half way point to the moss rocks when several of her friends, including Adien, literally pounced on her.  Despite previous happenings, Adien embraced her friend as she always did and the group followed Syrenne down to the moss rocks.  "So."  Adien said with mirth, "I saw Merlin entering your little niche."
"I invited him to stay the night."  Syrenne said honestly.  There was little if ever any insinuation between the younger groups.
"That's nice of you."  Said another.  Duncan smiled at her and prodded her with his thick elbow, "How's the courting going?"
"Pretty good, I think."  Syrenne said as she fingered the necklace Merlin had given her.  They were all impressed.
"It must be if he's staying the night."  Adien said with a grin.  "Are you thinking to pair in private?"
Syrenne shrugged her shoulders, "I don't know."  She said.  "I guess that would be up to him, if he can under water."
"He probably hides it somewhere in the blubber."  Duncan said with a laugh.  Though there was very little insinuation, there was always room for a joke at another's expense, possibly a prank or two if one knew they could get away with it.  "Maybe he's like a whale?"
"Goodness!"  Syrenne said, "I hope not!"  She gave a slight shudder, "That would hurt too much!"
Duncan laughed, as did Adien and the others.  "He didn't mean that."  Said a third, another male by the name of Ronin.  "I think he meant maybe there's a hole in the blubber somewhere, but nobody has seen it.  By the way, the tail he's been going around with is really cool.  Did Thackery make it?"
Syrenne nodded, "It was for one of the elders, but it seemed he'd put a little weight on before the fitting.  Thackery kept it for spares, I think, but it's a good fit for Merlin."  She shrugged then as she began collecting enough moss for a pillow.  "As for the rest of it, I guess you'll have to find out when I do."  She grinned at her friends.
"Oh, by the by."  Adien said playfully, as she began pulling her friend about in a mock game, "I heard Hector was looking for you.  He had a meeting with the elders about you and Merlin earlier.  He seemed real happy about something they told him.  Mika said she overheard a few things being said about some magical sands and you walking on land and he was really happy about it.  Are you leaving us?"
Syrenne beamed with a huge smile, "Walking on land?"  She asked.  Adien nodded.  Syrenne hugged her friend, "That's wonderful!"  She cried, "Merlin can show me his world after all!"  She hugged her friend again and kissed her cheek, "But I won't be leaving my home, Adien, I couldn't do that to you and the gang.  I only want to look around and meet his family, like he's met all of you.  I'll always come home again."  The friends shared a group hug before Syrenne made her way quickly back to her hole.

Hector had been looking for hours for Syrenne and Merlin.  He wanted so badly to give them the good news, but also explain the risks to them both at the same time.  he wanted them both to know and understand what it would mean and how dangerous it could be if things went wrong.  After checking the usual areas that Syrenne went to and pretty much every inch of the Spire's main rooms, he went back one last time to her cave.  Peering his head in, he called out.  "Syrenne?  Merlin?  Anyone home?"  He saw movement and entered.  He was almost surprised to find Merlin there, but he was happy about it.  It meant he was settling in and more importantly, it meant Syrenne wasn't far away.  "Merlin, my boy!"  He said joyfully, "I've been looking for you and my maid everywhere.  I have such wonderful news for you both!"  The old merman was highly excited.  It was just then that Syrenne arrived, looking very much excited....

[questor]

While Syrenne was gone he looked around at the things she had. To him it was some nice peices of coral and shells from t he ocean. He was more use to other things on the surface. Pictures of his family, especially his mother who had died of cancer some time ago. Even with the medical breakthroughs caused by the wars, cancer was still a deadly disease that killed many.

A picture of her or anyone would not last long in the ocean. Nor would the other items, books, paintings, wood furniture and the like. It was definately going to take some getting use to staying under the water for longer periods of time. He was thinking these thoughts when Hector arrived. He was excited about something. Then Syrenne came swimming up fast also excited.

His curiosity was peaked. "What is it?" he asked, looking first at Hector and then Syrenne.

[LadyRaven]

Syrenne shot past Hector to Merlin and hugged him tight as Hector clapped, realising that she already knew.  "My boy!"  He said happily, "It seems there might be a way for her to walk on land after all."
"It's true!"  The mermaid yelped, "Adien overheard the council meeting with Hector.  She said something about magical sands!  Isn't this the most wonderful news you've ever heard?!"  She was truly excited and happy.  So was Hector, but his smile hid the dangers of which he needed to tell them next.

"I know it's exciting."  Hector said a little more calm now, "But I need you both to listen to me now.  I need to explain the story first."  He looked more at Syrenne than Merlin.  "What Syrenne has said is very true."  He began as he moved further into the small home and made himself comfortable sitting on the desk-like outcrop of stone.  He wouldn't dare go near the bed, that was theirs and only theirs.  He noted the armfuls of moss that the maid had brought back to make Merlin comfortable and smiled.  But back to the matter, he thought. 

"The Elders have been going through some of the old tablets and legends."  He began, "In response to your new found status, Merlin and the respect that you've shown them despite your um.."  He pointed at the tail prosthetic, "Or lack thereof, but in any case, they found something."  He smiled again, "It was always said that the war between Jakar and Atlantis was fought over bloodlines, but that isn't necessarily or entirely true.  The wars were fought over a certain power from deep underneath the ocean floor.  Beneath our fins, there lies a magical world that neither you nor I could ever dream of.  Some believe it is the realm of the Undergods, the keepers of the afterlife.  It was said that they held the power of the forging stone, the keystone of our world.  Every rock beneath us all was created from this forging stone."  He looked to them both to make sure they were following the story.

"Now."  he continued, "The story goes that the Undergods began to fight amongst themselves about the upper world.  What should and should not be created etc.  During the fight, a lower Undergod named Azreal stole the forging stone and fled to our realm.  He shattered the stone and spread the dust over the ocean floor.  The immense power of it created the land that you now walk on.  He then destroyed the portal between our realms to stop the Undergods from destroying what he created, but every once in a while, they try to break through, causing tremors under us, but to get back on point."  He coughed and smiled again.

"This powerful dust bonded together to make a very rare kind of sand once it had created the upper world.  Most of it fell back into the ocean and was collected by our ancestors for its rarity and beauty.  An Elder here has some of it that was given to her grandmother's grandmother by those ancestors.  It was this sand that the Atlantians waged war with us over.  They had discovered the secret and wanted it only for themselves so that they may rule both land and water.  They failed."  He looked at them both again, but this time, the smile had gone.

"There isn't much of this sand and its preciousness means there will never be anymore, at least to our knowledge.  There may be an Elder or two in Jakar that holds some, but it is unlikely.  You could have perhaps one or two adventures and sadly, there is a time limit."  He looked to Syrenne with some sadness.  "The sands only work by daylight.  Once the sun dies, you must return to the ocean."

"What if I don't return on time?"  Syrenne asked.
"You will lose your tail."  He said, "You will never be able to return to the ocean again." 
Syrenne looked to Merlin and then back at Hector, "How does it work?"  She asked.
"That is the dangerous part."  He said.  "The sands literally cut your tail in half to give you legs.  It is very painful and very dangerous.  It is said that many died during the process due to blood loss.  Your flesh has to be split apart and moved to re-join as legs."
"And the reversal?"  Syrenne asked.
"It is equally as dangerous."  He said, "The legs will have to rip open so they can be re-joined again as one limb."  he moved off the desk and came to them both.  "I know how much you wish to wander the upper world with your new mate, Syrenne and I know how much he wants that too."  he looked to Merlin, "But I would ask that you consider the risks.  It is dangerous and it is painful.  Is the pain and danger enough to risk a single day on dry land?"  He looked to them both carefully before backing up a little.  "I'll leave you both to think it all over.  Such decisions need careful discussion first.  I'll be in the main hall."  He bowed slightly and then leaned forward to kiss Syrenne tenderly on her forehead before leaving.

Syrenne turned to Merlin with wide eyes, but also with fear.  "What do you think?"  She asked him as she put her tiny hands in his large ones.....

[questor]

First one then the other began telling him. Hector made reference to ancient gods and the trembling of the ocean floor. He had studied enough to know that was all volcanic and tectonic plate distrubances. But what had been produced from all of this was something different. The called it magical, but more then likely it was something else more scientific. But he was not about to tell them that. So Jakar might hold more of the sand as might the lost city of Atlantis. No one knew where that was, but perhaps the elders would know.

From what Hector was telling them, the process was painful and dangerous. Plus it had a limitation to it. This was more his father's type of thing then his. His father would love to study the sand and see what it was that made it possible for the change. But from what Hector said there was but a limited amount at the Spire and probably at Jakar.

But if it was as he had said, collected for its rareity and beauty, then more then likely there would have been more stored somewhere within Jakar and possibly Atlantis. All this flashed through his mind as Hector and Syrenne were explaining things to him. When Hector left and Syrenne and him were alone she asked him what he thought.

"It is a chance to see my world, but a dangerous and painful one. I think before you try such a thing that we should first go to Jakar and see how much of it there is there and have my father take a sample of it and check it out. If anyone can figure it out and if there is a way to do it safer and with less pain, it will be him."

This was the way the ancients had done it but he did not think that it was like Hector had said, back then. Now perhaps because most of the secret was lost or hidden away. If the Alantaians wanted to rule both surface and the oceans then they had to have had a way to do it easier and for longer periods of time.

"Does anyone know the location of the sunken city of Atlantis?" he asked Syrenne.

[LadyRaven]

Syrenne nodded in understanding, believing that Merlin would not want to risk the dangers.  She felt disappointed at the same time, but she wasn't about to get upset about it.  Common sense told her it was too risky despite her want to discover the upside world.  With a light sigh, she nodded again, "Your father is a great scientist."  she said in agreement, "No doubt he would find the answer."  Merlin then asked where the sunken city was.

"I was told from old stories that it was somewhere north of here."  She said, "The Elders used to say that the Spire was directly between the two cities.  Only, there's thousands of leagues of deep ocean before any sign of shallows if you head north.  Only a few have ever been far enough to find any shallow water and it took them years to make the journey."  She shook her head, "We're best asking them in person."  She furrowed her brow slightly, "In fact, the best person to ask would be Athenon. She's the oldest of all the council members and I think her father was one that made the journey. There's maybe only one other creature that I know of that could help, but I doubt he would want to be disturbed." She half smiled at him, "And your first meeting with him wasn't exactly pleasant for either of us." She rubbed her knee slightly where the sucker bruise had just about faded.....

[questor]

Merlin nodded and for the first time had a glimmer of hope. He chuckled when she mentioned the giant octopus that had protected her on their first meeting. "No I don't think he likes me to well." He would have to inform his father that he was in need of the ship again. It would travel across the ocean a bit faster and without the need to rest, then he or the merpeople could. "We will talk to her tommorow and by then the representatives from the other communities should be here and I can ask them as well about the sands."

He then helped her with the moss and looked down at it. He moved to it and laid down, letting his weight bring him down to it. He was wanting to hold off on the mating part of everything until she was able to change. Then he would be more confident that they could and everything would work out.

[LadyRaven]

Syrenne offered a small giggle and nodded. "He doesn't like many folk." She said, "He's always been a grouch, for as long as I can remember." She watched as he got settled on the bed and wondered what he was thinking.

Moving forward, she settled onto the bed next to him. As she sank into the seaweed, she curled her tail around Merlin's lower body and seemed to snuggle into him. Tomorrow, they would talk to Athenon and then the other leaders from the outlying communities. She was looking forward to it, but more importantly, it was a glimmer of hope that she could follow Merlin onto land if only for a short time.

Closing her eyes, she snuggled further into Merlin. She tried to get comfortable, but the blubber he was wearing kept squeeking against her scales and she began to fidget. "Merlin?" She asked quietly, "Do you have to wear the blubber all the time?".....

[questor]

He ginned a bit as she asked him about the blubber he wore. The wet suit was an insulated suit to keep his skin safe and warm. But the longer he stayed in the water the less time he had to ware it. His skin was developing small scales to help protect him. He unzipped the wet suit and removed it then laid down with her. "There is that better?" he asked her and slipped a an arm about her.

He could imagine all the talk going on with everyone in the community. But it was now expected that the two would pair and take the reigns of power. His first real appearance of King and Syrenne as queen would be the next day when the representatives from the outer communities would arrive King! It still made him nervious and excited at the same time. He would present his ideas and position. Lay out plans to visit each community. He wanted to make sure that all knew he was there for them, that their welfare was his top concern.

He kissed Syrenne's neck and shoulder as he got comfortable again. "Have you thought of what you will tell the representatives tommorow. Your first official speech as Queen?"

[LadyRaven]

Syrenne stared with a smile as he removed the blubber and laid back down again with her. Openly, she looked him up and down, appraising him so to speak and she liked what she saw. She did have one comment though that might make him laugh. "So that's where it is." She said, looking brazenly at his manhood. "And it doesn't tuck away under scales for protection. No wonder you wear the blubber so much." She settled down next to him again and rested her head lightly on his chest.

Against her cheek, she could feel tiny scales that were still soft to the touch so she knew they were new scales. It seemed Merlin was adapting to underwater life quickly. It reminded her of spawn and their first soft scales. It was a little odd though because she could see and feel hair between them. This, she assumed was another reason for the blubber. Hair was drag and hair on the chest was a bad thing if a merman wanted to have any speed at all. Also, she could see hair around his manhood and this she found odd also. She couldn't resist asking. "Merlin? Why do you have hair down there? Is it there to keep your penis warm when you're outside?"

The topic then quickly moved on to her thoughts about tomorrow's meeting. She was nervous about it, but excited also. "I don't know what I'll say to them." She said honestly, "Though being myself completely might not be a good thing. Hector would tell me to be polite and keep any unsavoury thoughts like biting and clawing to myself." She gave a soft giggle and snuggled right into him. "I suppose the best thing would be to simply say hello." She furrowed her brow a little ten, "Though, if the deep community are coming, it might not be enough."

[questor]

Merlin laughed at her comments and shugged his shoulders at her questions. "Well all humans way back in history were covered in hair and then as they reached certain climates they lost the hair or most of it. Why we still have hair where it is I have no idea. My father would probably be the one to ask that question to."

Hoping that he had satisfied her questions, he relaxed and soon was a sleep. His first full night under the surface and he was breathing good and normally. Something else he would have to record and relay to his father. When morning came he awoke and looked around. He was adapting to the sea quite well. When he would leave the water the scales seemed to retract into his skin and his skin would be able to stand the heat of the sun more.

He hoped that these sands that Hector and Syrenne had talked about could be replicated by his father or that they could get alot more of it. Also that a way could be found so as not to be so dangerous. He rose from the bed of moss and gently kissed Syrenne's cheek. He had alot to do before his meeting with the representatives. He put on his wet suit and whispered in her ear, "I'll be back iin a bit. I have to communicate with my father about the sand and all." Again he kissed her but this time on the lips and smiled at her, before he left.

[LadyRaven]

Syrenne woke as Merlin did, feeling the movement from him as he stirred. She didn't want him to leave yet and offered a small groan of disappointment as he moved from under her tail. During the night, she must have tangled it around him. She sighed softly and smiled as he kissed her cheek and then opened her eyes as he spoke to her. He had to see his father about a few things. she nodded and then kissed him back lovingly. "I'll be in the main hall." She told him. "Will you be wearing your tail?" But he didn't answer, he'd gone.

Rising, Syrenne moved around her home to stretch and then left to hunt down some breakfast. Once she was fed and suitable supple again, she went to the main hall to find Hector waiting for her. Arien was there also with a selection of fineries. "Ok." She said to them, "What did I miss?"
"You're meeting with the communities." Arien said, "As Queen, you need to set the example."
"Why would I need all that to set an example?" Syrenne asked.
"The Queen must give a presence that rivals her fellow females." Hector said, "In other words, you need to look stronger, more feminine and more beautiful than the rest. That way, you gave their full attention. Now come here and sit down while Arien works her magic."
Syrenne groaned, but did as bade.

An hour later and a lot of swearing, Syrenne looked as she had never done before. Her tail had been literally scraped clean and her scales buffed to a high shine. Her hair was throoughly combed through to remove any and all tangles and then knotted back in various ways to hold the crest of her bloodline. The medallion sat neatly on her forehead as it should and glittered against her skin. Once that was done, her front was covered in shark slime and then scraped clean to show off her breasts and slim shoulders. This gave her the presence of a female more than capable of providing strong and able spawn. All in all, she looked just like the Queen she was expected to be.

Staring at herself in the glass shine of straight slab of stone, Syrenne judged herself carefully. She looked almost the same, but stronger and more feminine than before. In all honesty, she rather liked it. Arien moved behind her and quickly went about preening herself to the same high standard, but not to outdo her queen.
"Any male would be proud to have you." Hector said to his ward with pride, "You look truly stunning and unique. Merlin doesn't have a clue just how lucky he is."
"I think he does." Syrenne replied as she stared at herself a while longer.
"Not a chance." Hector said, giving Syrenne a little squeeze. "Seeing you like this, I bet he'll fall over his own tail. You look like nothing else in this ocean."
"Thank you, Pappa." She said warmly and hugged him back.

After a few more minutes of preening and making sure everything was perfect, Syrenne made her way to Hector's own chair. He bowed away from it and she sat in it nervously. It felt strange, but she tried to make it look like she belonged there. The community leaders began to arrive and they milled about for a while as they waited for Merlin to return. They did however, make sure to stare openly at Syrenne and many began to comment on her unique looks and beauty. Syrenne sat with her head high in pride as she too waited for Merlin, silently begging him to hurry up.....

[questor]

Merlin left the tail at Syrenne's home and swam to the island and radioed his father. He explained it all to him and he could tell his father was quite excited about it all. "Sounds like some sort of radioactive material that has a unique property. In it's raw form it can do the change but in a very painful and dangerous way. I think it has to be refined for it to work the way it should. The ancients knew that I think and used it to go from land to sea and back again. When you get some let me know and I will bring the portable lab aboard the ship and see what I can do."

Once he finished there he ate. He was not ready just yet to eat raw fish underwater. Another thing he would have to do. After he ate he swam back to the spire and put on the tail, tried the best he could to make himself look presentable, then made his way back to the Main Chamber. Once he entered all eyes turned towards him. Many looked perplexed as he swam in with a tail like them and not like what they had heard of him. But soon it was evident that it was not real. But that only made the deligation look hat him in even a more favorable light. He had gone through the trouble of trying to be more like them. This pleased them. He swam towards the throne like chair that Hector usually sat in and stooped suddenly as he saw Syrenne. His eyes went wide and the look of awe filled his face and eyes.

The smiles of the people in the room told a lot to those from the Spire. He recovered enough to move forward and take his place at the right side of the throne. Syrenne was the hereditary leader of the mer people, he was the king by right of combat. He looked over at her and smiled. "You look extrodinary, and so beautifu." he whispered to her. He placed a hand on one of hers and turned to look at the representatives.

Taking a deep breath he began. "I am Merlin. Now the King of the Mer People. But here beside me is your true leader. Syrenne, daughter of Greyold, brother of the dead rightful King." he began. "But as King it seems I am to rule, to make laws and the like."

"But that is something perhaps down the road. For now, the decree that all mer people go to Jakar is resended." there were many sighs of relief. "Further your leaders, those that rule over you like Hector here does those of the Spire, will continue to do so." Again there were murmering throughout the representatives. "I am here to serve you, not the other way around. My job as I see it is to insure that you have freedom and are able to thrive and be well. The only time that I see where I would need your warriors would be if the people are threatened by an outside force."

He went on to tell them that he and Syrenne would rule from the Spire. That Jakar would be governed by General Sandahar and that he would make trips there to visit and make any laws necessary for the good of the people. Also that he would be visiting all the outlying communities to see what could be done to improve their lives there. He spoke for some more and then turned it over to Syrenne.

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