Jen 10- Fairytale

Jen couldn't get him out of her mind. Every time she closed her eyes she saw Rook right in front of her; it was almost too much to take. Unsure of how what to do about these new feelings, Jen went to the ONLY person who could help her: The Dark Spectre Queen of The Sea.

The Spectre was an ancient, frightening, and powerful Witch who dwelt in her White Crystal Lighthouse at the base of an underwater Volcano. It was rumored that she had the power to transform living beings into any form she wished.

A rumor that Jen needed to be sure was true.

Over the seaweed forest Jen swam until she came to a skeletal entrance in the Deep Ravine. It was the pathway to the Dark Spectre Sea Witch's abode, or at least that's what the stories promised.

Diving into the ravine, a mighty current pushed Jen back for a bit until she managed to burst out its end and onto the other side. A lake of Boiling Mud greeted her at the exit. Bubbles of the hot substance floated to the surface, but with her speed and agility from swimming in races against her sisters, Jen managed to avoid the bursting bubbles and scorching mud.

On the other side of the lake, much to her surprise, was a forest of unusual plants with branches that resembled serpents. The tree limbs stretched out several feet, grabbing and holding onto ANYTHING that came near them. Wrecked ship wood, sea-animals, skeletons of drowned sailors, and even the body of a Little Mermaid.

"Haah!" Jen gasped in horror, covering her mouth. The color of her face drained at the dreadful sight. Logic dictated that she should've turned back, but then she thought of Rook and what kind of a happy life Jen could have had with him. The idea gave her courage to go on. Grabbing her necklace, Jen wound it into a tight band around her wrist so the tree's wouldn't grab it.

Diving through the forest like a bolt of lighting while still being swift and careful, a slimy branch still managed to grab her wrist as she passed through.

"Ahh!" Jen tugged against the plant frantically. "Hrrrrn-Ack!!"

They would've strangled her then and there had not one of the branches touched the stone on her bracelet. The effect caused the piece of jewelry to shine as brightly as the sun itself which made the Tree's retract their limbs in terror.

Jen breathed a sigh of relief while rubbing her sore wrist. Before she went onward, Jen noticed the deadly branches peek from the tips of their trunks, as if they were making sure she had gone before slithering out again.

Jen averted her gaze towards the other side of the forest. There was a clearing at the end which stood a Lighthouse of Pure White Crystal. The structure shone as brightly as a star. However it had a small orange halo from the glow of a dormant Volcano that towered behind it, catching what precious little light there was. The effect allowed the Lighthouse to be seen for miles around, and was what Jen used to lead her right to it.

Giant Snails crawled through the clearing, sticking their heads out to stare as the mermaid swam past with her hands crossed over her chest on her still beating heart.

Boom!

Jen stopped short of the door to the Lighthouse as a wave of fire shot forth from the top of the volcano. Like a school of fish she often liked to play with at home, the embers trailed down and surrounded Jen, slowly closing in to burn her alive.


"DO NOT KILL ME, DARK SPECTRE QUEEN OF THE SEA!!!" Jen cried out in fear. "I'VE COME TO ASK FOR YOUR HELP!!"

The flames suddenly froze in place, and pulled away back inside the Volcano. Afterwards, the Door of the Lighthouse slowly opened.

"Come in, come in, My Child....." A voice called out from inside the lighthouse.

Jen stared at the large doorway. Gulping with fear, Jen cautiously swam through just as the doors slammed shut.

**************************************************

Inside the Lighthouse, everything seemed to shimmer and glow like a dark rainbow. Standing in front of the closed door, Jen looked at her surroundings with some fear.

Furniture made of the bones of shipwrecked sailors littered the room that was made of crystal. Cupboards of Giant Clams and Oyster's stuck to the walls. Some cupboard doors were shut tight while others were left open revealing various vials and bottles. The contents varied, some vials glowing brightly, others swirled with colored smoke, and a few held hordes of severed parts of sea-creatures too odd or terrible to describe. A few specimens were alive and blinked at the young princess as she stood at the entrance awkwardly.

A Cauldron laid in the center of the room. It was a upside down tortoise shell without a cover to reveal a magenta pink light as smoke flowed out of it. Sharp teeth-like appendages shot out from the edges of the cauldron, which was held up by two crouched goblin statues. Hundreds of creatures swam about in the room for there was no ceiling and was open right up to the top. Sharks, Eels, salamanders, Crabs, and other water beings she did not recognize drifted above the Spectre's home freely.

"Aren't you even going to say, 'Hello?' A Voice spoke up from the other side of the room, snapping Jen out of her studying of the room.

A Throne of black marble sat behind the cauldron with a suspended giant Hermit crab shell dangling a ways from it. The Shell itself having blankets and pillows in it, obviously it was a bed.

"We mustn't lurk in Doorways, My Jewel," The voice teased, which Jen realized was coming from the throne. A Piscciss Volann, a jellyfish merman and Crab like merman, swam up from the throne as it slowly turned around to face Jen.

"We don't want people to question your Upbringing" The source of the voice chuckled, slowly being lit up by the light of the cauldron. "Not if you want to win your Man."

There was the Dark Spectre Queen of the Sea! The Witch was lovely with her long black hair floating around her in a halo. Her eyes a shimmering amethyst, skin like a rose and dressed in a red gown. A Seviper coiled around her shoulders, as a Mioltic stretched across her lap, letting it's mistress pet it absentmindedly.  

She appeared human but her arms were covered in black scales from her shoulders down to her nails, sharp and taloned. Her hands webbed like most merfolks, but the membrane was a dark purple and curved fins erupted from the  back of her hands. Jen also noticed her webbed Sea-Gull feet the Specter had at the end of her legs. The limbs which peeked out from under her red dress as she sat on her throne surrounded by the various creatures she called Her "Pets."

This was Vanessa, the Dark Spectre Witch of the Sea!

The witch's followers swam around her in a circle like sharks, but really it was to keep an eye on Jen to make sure she didn't cause any trouble.

Jen nervously swam forward until the young mermaid could float near the cauldron, staring at The Sea-Enchantress from a safe distance.

"Do you know what I want?" Jen asked, feeling awe and fear at the sight of the Dark Spectre Queen of the Sea.

"Hmm, what can a Mermaid Princess want from a Witch?" Vanessa purred, standing from her throne. The Witch then let her pets drop to the floor as she strolled over to Jen, she absently pet a passing Shark on its head.

"You want to be like the Humans, and to have the Prince you saved from the storm to fall in love with you," She rolls with a sigh. Afterwards, giving Jen an exasperated look of affection. "It's a foolish idea, but have it your own way, Beautiful Princess."

The witch then snapped her fingers which caused the cabinet shelves, Oyster-Cupboards, and various nooks and cranny's to burst open. Hundreds of potion vials flew out and poured their contents into the her cauldron which glowed intensely. A large purple flame boomed to life with each added ingredient. Vanessa suddenly stopped near the cauldron where in a flash of light she conjured a coral ladle for her to stir the contents. Inside the stew sounds of moaning and crying were heard like a drowning man begging for his life.

Jen stared at the flames in wonder. Her hand gripping the Emerald-Bracelet with some unease, wincing in fright at the eerie sounds that came from of the liquid being stirred by The Dark Spectre Queen.

"You are fortunate, Princess," grumbled the Piscciss Volann servant as he swam past her. It's tail nudging the princess forward a bit. "If you hadn't come here in the next three days, her Highness wouldn't have been able to help you for a full year."

"Pyke is right, My Dear," chuckled Vanessa as she dipped her finger into the potion to taste. "I take a year off from magic to rest and during that time I normally do NO business."

Vanessa runs her tongue over her teeth in thought while tasting the potion, considering the  mixture's content levels.

"Hmm....too much Shark's tooth, needs something to thin it out," Vanessa mutters, snapping her fingers as she swims away from it.

As Vanessa heads over to a shelf carved in the wall with jars on it, a large Black octopus crawls out of nowhere to stir the potion for her carefully and quickly.

Vanessa levitates some pearls from a jar with a spell. Once the gems arrive the witch kisses the pearls before dropping them into the cauldron. The act of which resulted in a beam of fire shooting out briefly just before the potion glowed blood red. Vanessa then pulls out a knife, slicing her wrist and letting her green blood fall into the mixture.

As the drops of blood hit the surface of the drink, the potion became as clear as water. The Dark Spectre Queen of the Sea pulled back her hand, Jen noticing the wound on her wrist healed instantly.

"The potion I have prepared, when drunk, will turn your lovely tail into those Clumsy Supports that Men call 'Legs'. You will be able to dance like an angel, and even when you walk, the Revonnians will be amazed at your graceful beauty," Vanessa glanced over her shoulder at Jen. Staring at the princess as the potion steamed and bubbled before settling down.

"But you still won't be a human, unless the Revonnahgander prince loves you with ALL his heart and marries you. Only then, will you become a permanent Human."

Vanessa swam away from the Cauldron as the Black Octopus servant stirred its contents. Floating in front of Jen, The Witch rested her hands behind her head in a relaxed pose.

"No dancer will be more graceful then you," Vanessa's expression darkened, "but with every step you take you'll feel Pain, like sharp knives stabbing into your feet. But if you can bear this, I'll help you make your dream come true."

"I want it..." Jen spoke softly while clutching her bracelet tightly. "No matter the pain...I must be with him..."

"DON'T BE HASTY!!" interrupted the Witch. The loud noise caused Jen to jump. "That's not All."

Vanessa gently ran her fingers through Jen's short brown hair, before floating away to pick up a crystal goblet. The witch then turns to walk back to Jen with it in hand.

"Once you step foot on Land, there is No going back, and after bearing his child you will have a soul." She sways gently as she walks toward Jen. "Never again will you be a mermaid, never to plunge beneath the water's back to your parent's Castle, to your Sisters, Tak, Grandmother or Grandfather."

She then gave Jen a wry smile.

"If the Prince does NOT love you but instead marries another Girl," Vanessa tilted her chin up with a single finger, "you will not live to see another Day." The words were said softly, but her tone darkened. "You will DIE!"

"DIE! DO YOU HEAR!? DIE!!!"  The Black Octopus cried out in a high and twisted voice.

"I understand.." Though her mermaid heart was beating rapidly.

"I hope you do," Vanessa remarked. "It's hard for one SO YOUNG to understand what it means to die."

Jen nodded her head, looking down as she took a deep breath before looking up to stare defiantly in the Sorceress's face.

"When a Mer-person dies, they become nothing more than a drop of foam," Jen's eyes dim at mentioning this sad fact. "To forever be driven about by the waves of the Ocean."

"Hmmph," Vanessa chuckled in amusement, "she seems to understand boys. Should I give her what she wants?"

"Give her legs! Break her heart!!" The Various creatures cried out in sadistic glee.

Vanessa just rolled her eyes at their excitement, Goblet still in hand as she scoops up the clear potion into it only to hand it to Jen. Before Jen reaches out to take the goblet, the Sorceress pulls it back.


"OH! One more thing, we haven't discussed the matter of payment," Vanessa coyly remarked, trailing her finger across the rim of the crystal goblet.


"What do you want?" Jen looked frantic. "I'll give you Everything I have for the drink!"

Holding out arm to show the golden band with the Hourglass shaped emerald on it.

"This Bracelet?" Jen asked.

"Ha!" Vanessa peered at the Gem, only to laugh, before handing the goblet to her Pices servant as she swims over to a cabinet.

"I appreciate the offer, Angel-fish. The ONE thing of Value, an Emerald that can calm storms, and I've already got one like it," Vanessa spoke over her shoulder while pulling out a necklace. Then she swam back over to Jen and held it out for her to see. "I don't even use it, since I already can calm storms on my own."

Jen peered at necklace in shock; it belonged to her Cousin Gwen. The princess couldn't believe her eyes believing her Cousin vanished Six years ago. Gwen's parents refused to speak about the incident, but Jen ALWAYS wondered what happened. Now, she may have finally found out the truth. Her green eyes fixated on the swaying emerald. The hypnotic gesture caused Jen to slowly reached out to touch it in disbelief.

"This Emerald..."

Jen gasped as Vanessa pulled the necklace away, before throwing it over to the Black octopus who caught it only to threw it back into the Cabinet.

"The WORST trade I EVER Made," Vanessa says in a regretful tone. "I WON'T make the same mistake again."

"Then, what do you want?" Jen asks, though her mind wandered back to the necklace in the cabinet.

A slow smile formed over Vanessa's features, as she swam to stand in front of Jen, before slowly reaching out to trail a finger up and down the front of Jen's neck.

"THAT, which is Most precious to you, Your Voice."

Jen's face paled as she quickly clutched her throat in alarm.

"But....Oh," a sigh of disappointment bubbled out of her mouth. "How will I Tell Prince Rook how I feel, or make him fall in love with me?"

The Black Octopus slithered forward to them while holding the goblet that contained the brew.

Vanessa took the goblet from her Servant and sauntered around Jen. Holding the chalice high as the crystal that made up the cup began to shine with a bright light, like a star in the sky.

"You'll have Two legs to dance upon, when you dance, It'll be like your swimming on land," coyly holding the goblet in front of her face, blocking her expression from view as she holds it out to Jen.

"And your Beauty, Your Eyes. Eyes that can Enchant a heart, even if it's a hundred times harder than stone," she places the goblet in Jen's hand, and jerks her head at her to prompt her forward.

"Sing! I've taught you my songs," The Goblet shown a stunning spectrum of lights right onto Jen's face, giving her an angelic appearance. "You can sing more beautifully then ANYONE in the Sea, but it's what I want for my drink. So sing this one last song. Once you finish it, you'll become mute."

As the witch let go of the Goblet, and slowly stepped away from The mermaid. Shadows seem to grow and extend from the corners of the Lighthouse, as Vanessa stepped backwards. Letting the shadows engulf her from sight.

"But everyone who sees you, will think you're the most Beautiful woman in the World."

Jen was soon alone in the room, but she knew what she had to do. As she stared into the Goblet, the image of Rook smiling at her filled her mind. And that alone made up her mind for the rest of her life.

~Everything is so dark~
And I know there's something wrong
But I can't turn the light on

In that split second change
When you knew we couldn't hold on
I realized I lived to love you

Save yourself
Don't look back
Tearing us apart until it's all gone
The only world I've ever known sleeps beneath the waves
But I remember

I won't give up on you
I can feel you in my heart, just show me the way
I don't belong here
Alone

I can still see your face
Where it's burned into my mind
I die every time
I close my eyes, you're always there

Save yourself
Don't look back
Tearing us apart until it's all gone
The only world I've ever known sleeps beneath the waves

But I'm the one who's drowning
Without your love
~I am lost and I can never go back home~

And with that final Note, Jen lifted the goblet and downed the entire potion. Pain suddenly shot through her body like fire as she finished the last drop.

Doubling over in agony, clutching her stomach in pain, Jen tried to cry out, but no longer possessed the ability to do so. The Little Mermaid soon succumbed to the darkness that consumed her as she was lifted out of the Dark Spectre Queen's abode, and towards the above world.