Tears of a Mermaid

They who taught us to sing had told us the humans sometimes found our songs entrancing, but I had never before had a chance to see it happen. The grandmothers must have been right, for I could see Marco's eyes gradually lose their focus, slowly close. His head began to sway softly as he followed my tune.

I continued, singing of the strange love between a normal person and a human, of their enduring tenderness, of their passion and of the eternal bonding between two lovers thrown together by conflicting tides.

The song ended and I sat, my hands in my lap, awaiting Marco's return from wherever my song had taken him. His eyes opened and his mouth closed. Still looking a bit stunned, he took a deep, deep breath, spoke in an almost reverential tone.

"The man is profoundly grateful for that experience."

"The lady is honoured by the man's thanks, but the song was a simple one."

"It had power, lady, and beauty." He grinned slightly. "Like the one who sang it."

I blushed, then found myself doing something I myself had not expected. I leaned in to him, put my arms around him, laid my head on his shoulder as I hugged him.

His hands remained by his side. I felt his awkwardness, realized he could not possibly know how to respond. I decided to be bolder still.

"♩ "   I whispered. Yes.

He understood then and his arms came around my back, squeezed me into a hug. I hugged back, pleased with his appreciation of my song, pleased — if still confused — with his complements.

I thought of the advice of a lore-passing grandmother on how to calm oneself in the face of uncertainty. I took a deep breath, tried to lift my mind above its eddies of confusion and let my attention focus instead on things around me, ones I could see and hear and feel.

Looking over his shoulder, I watched the gentle swells in the channel between islet and the larger island I called home. I felt the sand beneath my fin, smiled at the warm sun and breeze on my shoulders. I inhaled, expecting to smell the sea and the trees. Instead, my nose filled with a strange scent, one very different from the men of the People.

Marco smelled of storm-felled trees, of ancient ambergris, sweet and earthy. I was surprised to feel my body respond directly to that, a soft weight below my stomach, a stronger ripple in my tail, a tightness in my nipples.

Marco's simple hug changed, too. One arm now clasping my head, his other began to sweep gently down my back. Unlike those of the Sea People, his palm was rugged, work-hardened. I shivered, surprised at how good it felt on my skin.

I pulled him against me, harder now. There was nobody watching, yet I felt somehow shy -- and at the same time very unwilling for this moment to end.

His arms — so strong! — pulled me against him. My eyes widened as I felt a hand moving down my back, pausing on my hip. I could feel his fingertips explore my first rows of scales before both hands shifted to enclose my waist. I pulled back, saw the soft hunger in those strange blue eyes. I ran a finger across the odd hair on his cheek and chin, lifted my lips to him.

"♩ "   I whispered again. Yes.

His lips, so soft, so surprisingly soft, swept mine and his scent filled my head, inflamed my entire soul. The hair on his face tickled my cheek. I laughed a little at that, ignored it. My heart was pounding as I traced the line of his lips with my tongue tip, then back again. To my delight, they opened and my tongue was met with his own.

My breath caught, my nipples hardened as his hands slid softly up my waist, paused below my breasts. They moved again, flowed over my orbs; my nipples hardened still more as long fingers enclosed my soft flesh, squeezed tenderly.

His tongue teased mine, swept across it, tip to tip, playing and exploring, moved to trace my teeth, then slipped inside, searching, sweeping,...

Arousing. His tongue was pushing my arousal further and further. Were all humans like this?

I pushed the thought aside, focused on trying to return the pleasure he was giving me. My tongue toyed with his, did its own exploring. My hands ran through the strange hair on his chest; my fingers swirled flat nipples, slid down over his hard stomach, lower still.

I pulled back, frustrated, my fingers wedged just inside his shorts. Why did humans wear these silly clothes? 

I could see the outline of his hardness beneath the strange, pointless garment and gently ran my hand over it. I felt his breath catch, but realized that I had no idea what to do now. Mother Waters had given my People beauty enough not to be hidden and clothing was an unexplored cavern to me.

"How?" I whispered.

Marco chuckled, lay back a little. His hands took mine, guided them.

"Buttons," he said gently. "Twist them open through the holes."

He showed me with the top one, thick fingers and thumb popping it loose. How curious, how foolish! His eyes opened wider as my slender hands tried the second, fumbled, tried again, felt the wretched button slip through my fingers and then finally succeed. A wider gap could be seen, flat abdomen underneath, his skin somewhat paler there.

I giggled, ran my palm up his stomach, back down to inside, found his still-hidden hardness. Opening a third button revealed the tip of his sex, solid, dark. He hissed as I swirled a finger around it, slowly traced the length of his slit.

The other buttons followed. He lifted his hips and I smiled at how his rampant organ bounced as I dragged the shorts off his legs before tossing them to one side.

Out in the open, it was much akin to those of men of the Sea People, but how odd it seemed for it not to be protruding through a scaled genital slit! I stretched out to touch it, stopped just short, looked up to his face. His blue eyes held a almost solid warmth - and a desire I felt shimmer down my body. I felt my own genital scales retract, felt the breeze on wet labia now exposed.

My hand touched him then, felt his warmth, the soft stiffness. His eyes narrowed as I ran my hand over it, closed my fingers around it, squeezed.

I moaned slightly as he caught one of my nipples with thumb and forefinger, pulled gently, stretching. He released it, clutched my entire breast gently with his whole hand.. His lips came back on mine and my head again filled with his scent.

I began to pump his shaft slowly, gently. I gave a small yelp of pleasure as a finger ran over my sex and spread my slipperiness along it.

"Marco," I whispered. "Marco!"

His lips found mine again, our tongues now coiling and twisting like mating eels. I felt my breathing speed up, gasped softly as his finger found my entrance, explored. I began to pump his shaft faster, my hand dragging his softest skin over and along his length. He moaned softly, broke the kiss and shifted his lips to my breasts.

His finger probed deeper as his lips found a nipple, licked a circle around it again and again. I slowed my stroke, took a moment to run my thumb over his slit each time my hand reached his shell.

A heat built within me. I tried to lower myself to his sex, but those massive arms held me in place. All I could do was to pump him as fast as I could.

His teeth nipped one of my buds gently, seizing it, stretching it before he let go, caught it again with eager lips, lashed it with his tongue.

I began to give low cries, forced my eyes open only to see his own clenched shut in his pleasure. His thumb stroked my clitoris as his finger stroked further into my softness and I felt the infinite, the endless, wave after wave of roaring surf, rolling me through a happiness I'd not imagined before. I cried over and over, hardly musical now. My hand slowed, almost stopped, but it was enough and I felt the warmth of his pearly offering cover my hand, saw it coat his stomach.

I collapsed onto the ground, continuing to stroke his shaft, slowly, gently now. My pleasure continued to flow even as his hand stopped its movement inside me. I felt him lie beside me, took comfort in his presence.

I suppose he slept. I know I did. I was awakened by a whistling call from very close, just the other side of the islet. I looked at the scene the two of us made and my veins filled with ice with the thought of the grandmothers learning of it. The tide was coming in and I was out of Marco's arms and into the water a second later, diving deep, deeper still, my tail driving me away, as far away as my breath lasted.

When I surfaced, almost back at my own island, I looked back and giggled at the sight of the pale human figure on the distant beach dancing back and forth, his back to several of the People, trying to pull that silly pair of shorts back up his legs to cover his nakedness.

Certain I had not been seen there with him, I felt my pulse slow down. I took a moment to ponder the feeling of his lips on mine, on my breasts, of the exquisite wonder of his long fingers on and in my sex. I shivered, smiled happily, wondered...

+

I was still wondering the next morning. One of the grandmothers was singing a teaching song to a group of youngsters on the beach. Figures could be seen sunning themselves on rocks and sand. Several families were sharing a meal. A large clutch of very young pups frolicked and splashed in the shallows. Save for the presence of the anchored ship, was all very normal, the way things had been since Mother Waters first blessed the Sea People with Her favour.

All was normal but my feelings.

I myself was circling the vessel, a dozen pups in my wake. Every young woman of the People takes her turn, giving mothers a time to rest and gaining in her turn experience in dealing with pups. I'd decided on the spur of the moment to take my charges out to see this new thing in our world.

I waved to the humans on board. When they waved back, a dozen or more tiny hands around me echoed the movement. I smiled; it was a time to build good memories. I saw Marco leaning against the mainmast, arms folded. I wondered what he was thinking.

Then his eyes were on me. His smile became gentle, his arms shifted and crossed his chest and he was hugging himself, hugging me. I felt my heart beat faster at the fondness in those sea-blue eyes.

We circled the baker boat at the slow speed of the youngest; I named parts of the boat for them as we passed -- 'hull', 'mast', 'rudder'... We stopped at the bow and I explained the figurehead, reminding them of brave Neesa and the lessons she had brought us.

Marco's figure appeared at the head of the ramp then, half a loaf of bread in his hands. I smiled at him, anticipating his kindness to my charges.

My small clutch was approaching the bottom of the lowered ramp when a shrill, strident alarm whistle rang out from shore. It grew and echoed and continued, louder and more insistent as more People joined in.

My eyes darted around, searching, scanning anxiously.

My heart almost stopped at the size of the fin cutting the surface of the water, speeding directly towards us. A quick look told me more than I wanted to know.

We of the People are taught to respect all in Mother Waters, but also to be prudent with some in particular. I could tell at a glance that this hammerhead was huge -- twice, perhaps three times as long as myself.

My heart fell, knowing there could be no time to get the pups to shore.

How had it got past the males offshore?

I hadn't time to wonder. There would never be enough time now.

My eyes fell on the ramp, a tail-length away. I grabbed the nearest pup and literally threw him up onto it.

To my surprise, Marco caught the terrified youngster in mid-air. Turning quickly, he handed it to another, who passed it up in his turn. Now the second, then another. More followed, but everything in the world but the monstrous fin seemed to slow down to almost nothing.

Time.

Six were safe, then seven, but the beast was almost upon us.

The pup must be preserved.   There is no deeper law for the Sea People, none more commanding. There are no exceptions, no exemptions and the only adult there was myself.

" ♬ "   I screamed to the oldest of the remaining pups. Get them up the ramp! Fast as you can!

I shot one last glance at Marco's wide eyes, the look of horror on his face. I whistled one sad note of farewell, then turned to meet the onrushing predator.

The pup must be preserved...

To my surprise, a strong arm from above grasped me about my tail, pulled me bodily out of the water. I shrieked as Marco literally threw me, a full-grown woman, up into the arms of another human, then plunged into the water himself, a harpoon in his hand.

I gave moan of dismay as, legs thrashing clumsily, he dove under the surface just in front of the shark.

The wails of the pups still in the water brought me abruptly to my duty. I reached down, helped them to safety before turning, my heart in my throat, to see a massive writhing and rolling under a broad patch of froth-filled, crimson-stained water.

I watched aghast as the fin reappeared, zigzagging back and forth. It twisted, turned, shook as if the huge fish was gnawing at something.

I gave a low groan.

Its head shot out of the water then and I cried out at the sight of the harpoon shaft protruding from its mouth. Rows of saw-edged teeth ground futilely against human steel and the shark fell back with a splash, the fin circling and weaving. Beyond it, a circle of vengeful Sea People drove in, their own harpoons in hand.

My head turned back and forth, searching for Marco. There was nothing and I felt my eyes fill with tears as the water became calmer.

Then a hand broke the surface. His head emerged, coughing, gasping. He sank back and I was over the side, diving down, searching, carrying him in my arms back up to the sun of life.

As we neared the ramp, I could see a human form above us holding up pups one by one to reassure anxious eyes on shore. Then came a deep-voiced chorus behind us, a savage warsong as the hammerhead met its end on the males' spears.

The next hour was chaotic -- every minute muddled, muddy water. Eventually, I slipped off, found a sunny rock near my family beach, worked to calm myself. Images of the onrushing fish filled in my mind, along with visions of what might have happened and wonder at Marco's action. I was deeply upset, utterly confused.

+

My mother approached me soon after the tide changed. I could still hear the People marveling at the events.

"Come with me for a small time, Narisa," she said. "There is something I would show you." She did not explain further. I meekly followed her, my mind still whirling over the events of that morning.

To my surprise, there was a formal Grandmothers' Circle assembled further along the shore. Beyond them swam a wider circle of men and women and some of the older pups. The circle parted as we approached and, to my surprise, my mother slid to one side, clearly intending me to enter by myself. Wondering, I swam in, looked about. I noticed with some nervousness the circle of solemn faces closing behind me.

I settled myself. It was only just that I be censured for putting the pups in danger. This judgment too I would face with dignity.

I stopped in the middle of a ring of impassive eyes. The Eldest moved out of the circle then, paused an arm-length in front of me. I found it hard to read her expression, but then, I could not remember ever having seen her smile. She had, I'd often suspected, been born grave, had had grey hair before being weaned.

Her eyes fixed on mine, she waited a few seconds, then, to my amazement, her hand came up to caress my cheek. She spoke, her voice very low.

"♫♬ "  You intended to sacrifice yourself for the pups, didn't you, Narisa?

Truth is everything. I merely nodded.

"It was a brave thing," she said gently and I marveled at the smile growing on her face. "Despite the expectation of custom, yours was a valiant act. To put oneself in peril for others may be necessary, but it can be mercilessly difficult at the moment. We — all of us — are deeply proud to have you among us, my girl."

I had not expected such words from anyone, let alone the Eldest, for in doing what we ought, we are but playing our part in society and should expect no praise.

Her head fell to one shoulder and her smile faded somewhat, being replaced by a look of wonder. "But the man, Narisa, the baker! There is no law binding humans  to our pups, no expectation for them  to risk themselves!"

I said nothing, did nothing. The slow sway of my tail to keep me above the water was the only motion I could possibly make now.

"Yet, despite that, Narisa, and despite our histories of bitter animosity, a human risked himself for the young of former foes."

She shook her head slightly, added in a very low tone, "And for you, too." For a second, I almost thought one of her jade-green eyes had winked at me.

She looked around, her gaze sweeping over the assembled Circle. Where there had been seriousness, I now saw smiles.

The Eldest's eyes caught mine. "It is the decision of the grandmothers that, while we do not reward bravery, we must always acknowledge it. Accordingly..."

Her hand appeared above the surface of the water then, her palm filled with the blue-green glow of a perfectly-etched gem.

She moved slightly forward, reached up and dropped its chain neatly over my head.

Her withered lips kissed one of my cheeks softly, then the other.

"Go now, Narisa. Present the human with this token..." and here she lifted the Tears from between my breasts, let it fall again, "...of the gratitude and acknowledgement of all the Sea People. The tides shall carry his story."

There was a susurration of approval from the circle and those beyond it. Looking around, I saw happiness, nods, agreement, heard a soft chorus of sung approval.

"And one last thing, girl."

Saying that, the Eldest then put her arms around my neck, pulled us together and put her lips to my ear. Her voice was low enough that I could barely hear it over the whistles of the others.

"Neesa too broke with the solemnity of the People, Narisa. When faced with questions of couples and islet picnics, who am I to swim against her  current?"

My head snapped back, my eyes wide at the implications of her words. Her smile was broad now, loving, and her face no longer solemn. For a second, I thought I could see a tear in one of her eyes and realized that she too had been young, had known love.

She nodded at me with a kindness I had never suspected possible on her face. Her hand again patted my cheek.

"Go, child. Go make your  Misha happy."

With that, facing me the while, she swam slowly backwards to rejoin the grandmothers. As if by magic, a gap reopened in the circle and a hundred heads, silent now, bowed towards me as, heart pounding, I swam slowly out into the lagoon, out towards the baker boat.

"What was all that about?" Marco called as I reached the ship. "Wait! Are you crying?"

I was, but I wasn't about to admit it.

" ♪ " I called as I swam past.  Come!

I began to swim out of the lagoon, towards the islet. Looking over my shoulder, I saw a curious expression on his face as he climbed down into the dingy. His crew watched as he cast off and, looking over his shoulder, rowed after me.

+

He knew the way; I didn't have to linger for him. I arrived at the islet in time for me to wipe my eyes, calm my nerves and ponder the Eldest's words.

When the dingy arrived, I was still in the water, just my head and shoulders showing. I could see Marco puffing slightly as he tied the boat to a low branch. There was a look of curiosity on his face.