Sapphire

By Stephanie Krischuk

Sapphire is a mermaid who lives deep in the dark sea, who longs for the sunshine and light of Above. Against her Clan’s law, she sneaks Above seeking adventure and excitement and falls in love with Trident, a member of a rival Clan. Before she realizes it, she is in the middle of a Clan feud, risking banishment and worse, Trident’s life. Can she save both herself and Trident from disaster?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Stephanie Krischuk
• Release date: Jul 12, 2015
• ISBN: 9781310368318

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SAPPHIRE

By Stephanie Krischuk

Copyright 2015 Stephanie Krischuk

Smashwords Edition

1

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Chapter 1

Shades of Blue

Swimming to the surface wasn’t permitted, but Sapphire couldn’t resist the allure of the shafts of sunlight that penetrated the blue waters of her home. She was the youngest, the impetuous one who pushed the rules just that extra little bit. Her father spent more time with his Clan duties than was strictly necessary and her mother usually helped watch over the grandchildren, so their youngest child often went unsupervised. Sapphire had taken to slipping away unnoticed and sneaking up to the surface to play in the sunshine and watch the giant ships float by, with the fascinating strange humans on board. Aware of the folklore surrounding mermaids, she knew she was perpetuating a myth, but she couldn’t help herself. Not that she was lovelorn or mischievous; she was just excessively curious. Her mother was continually admonishing her, Child, that curiosity of yours will get you into a lot of trouble one day!

Sapphire’s family, the Neptune Clan, lived deep in the ocean, far below the human world. Sapphire had found a hole in a remote corner of the net that surrounded her Clan’s Boundary. With a little tampering, she’d been able to tear the hole big enough to squeeze through. The Boundary Net was patrolled, but all merchildren learned the schedules of the Net guards at a young age, and were adept at avoiding being caught. She tried not to stay Above too long, not wanting her absence noticed, but her visits were becoming longer and longer.

She loved the sunlight. The sun’s rays did not reach into the depth of the sea where her Clan lived. Once she had discovered the effect of the sun on her tail, she couldn’t get enough sunlight on her iridescent scales. Sapphire resisted vanity, but the truth was that she was stunning in the sunlight. Above, her skin was a luminous cornflower blue and her long hair a flowing skein of cobalt. But her tail! Her tail was every shade of blue imaginable. And how it sparkled! She spent hours just twisting it in the sun, watching her scales glitter like thousands of gemstones. Her mother had put fear into her children, claiming that if their tails were out of water too long they’d dry out and fall off, so Sapphire made sure to dip her tail in the water often. To her delight, she found the water only made her tail glisten and gleam all the more. The first time she leaned over and saw her reflection in the water she had been startled by the intensity of her own eyes. They twinkled like sunshine on water and were a more piercing blue Above than they appeared below. She giggled, then grinned in delight as her reflection mirrored her every move.

Underwater, the MerClan looked as dark and murky as the water that surrounded them and the further down they went, the darker everything became. It wasn’t pitch dark because of the strategically placed luminescent lichen, but that pale light couldn’t compare to the explosion of brightness from the sun Above.

Sapphire was also enthralled by the human world, especially with the humans themselves. She had found a secluded alcove where she could perch unseen on several moss-covered rocks and watch the ships as they came to dock. She was exceedingly careful; if ever she sensed someone was even slightly aware of her, she would slip back into the sea and return home, her head full of the scenes she’d just observed.

She loved to watch the comings and goings of the ships, the men and women in their fancy dress who came off of the vessels, and the rough, coarse workers who stayed behind to attend to the crafts. They were so bound to Earth and seemed fearful of the sea that was her home. She loved the strange sound of their conversation, aloud and noisy. Her own MerKind communicated using their hands, bodies and tails. Family and Clan members were also often so closely attuned to each other that they could hear one another’s thoughts. She was surprised to discover that she could hear the humans’ thoughts as well, if she concentrated, but often what she heard was fleeting and out of context, and made no sense to her.

One particular ship caught Sapphire’s attention. Its most striking attribute was that it was completely black, contrasting sharply with the other white ships with their cheerfully waving white sails. When the black ship docked, no one was there to welcome it. Great fanfare and a noisy crowd of people always greeted the other vessels; the people welcoming their loved ones home or eager to board themselves. But the humans seemed to avoid the black ship and its crew entirely, as if they were afraid of who might be on the ship. Their fear piqued Sapphire’s curiosity and she waited for the ship, sometimes even going so far as to follow it out to sea. She had been disappointed that it wasn’t here today, but she had entertained herself with her own reflection which wasn’t difficult at all.

Sapphire gave her tail one last twist and slipped gracefully into the water. She knew she was pushing the time limits and thought it best she head for home. She hadn’t gone far when she heard a familiar voice calling her in her mind. Uh oh, she thought, as she recognized her sister’s frantic voice.

Sapphire sent a thought to Aquamarine that she was on her way home, but Aqua couldn’t hear her yet. Aquamarine was the only family member who knew Sapphire sneaked to the surface. And while she didn’t exactly approve, Aqua would never betray her younger sister. Aquamarine and Sapphire were only one year apart and had a strong bond. Their other two siblings, Cobalt and Teal, were both several years older and sometimes acted more like parents than siblings.

Sapphire wished that Aqua would come Above with her just once, to experience this miraculous world. They were required to take the human course in Mer School, and Aqua claimed she knew all she cared to know about the humans and their world. But what Sapphire read in books was nothing like experiencing all of it first fin. She longed to show her sister a different way of life than the one dictated by their father and the Clan Elders, but Aqua refused.

As Sapphire descended toward her Clan’s Boundary, the sea got darker and darker and her mood followed. Sapphire had trouble believing she was the only Merfolk who craved the brightness created by the sun. Compared to the human world, their world was so dark. True, they had cultivated many sea plants that glowed in the dark, mostly marine plankton like dinoflagellates, which were alluring and created lighted pathways throughout the compound, but their dull glow just couldn’t compare.

Sapphire compromised by filling her room with several cages of glowing fish. Her father, an avid fishermerman, proudly approved of his daughter’s fish collection, which contained exotic and rare fish that few families had acquired. Sapphire didn’t mind his pride but felt it was misappropriated since she liked the fish for the soft glow they provided more than for the status the fish provided her family. But since her father approved, she had placed the fish cages throughout their home, making it one of the brightest within the whole Neptune Clan.

As Sapphire drew close to the net, she tried Aqua again. I’m almost there. The sisters were so close that hardly a thought occurred that the other couldn’t hear, but distance seemed to affect Aqua’s ability to receive. So far, Sapphire had never ventured far enough that she could not hear Aqua. This practice was called Thought Range within the Clan, but Sapphire had yet to discover a limit to her range.

Aqua’s voice was immediately in her head. Hurry!

I’m just getting to the net, Sapphire replied, a little alarmed by Aqua’s intensity.

I’ll meet you at the tear, Aqua responded quickly, escalating Sapphire’s concern.

The net served double duty, delineating the Neptune Clan’s Boundary and also keeping the Clan enclosed. The net was high enough so it couldn’t be seen from the main areas of the Clan but low enough that the humans would never discover it. Not that humans ever came down as far as the Merfolk lived. The net’s webbing was large enough to let most fish through, but larger sea creatures — such as sharks, dolphins, and whales — were kept at bay. The main entrance was patrolled by two guards, which made sneaking in or out impossible. The Boundary Net was also patrolled, but the guards worked solo and were more lax than the entrance guards. A hierarchy within the guards made the entrance the most coveted prized position.

At the tear, Aquamarine waited for Sapphire, a distressed expression distorting her pretty face. Aqua and Sapphire could be twins but for their different blue hues. Aqua’s coloring was a light greenish blue, a more gentle blue than Sapphire’s dark, arresting color. Aqua’s hair was lighter too, a pretty turquoise color, while Sapphire’s hair was such a deep blue it looked black in the water. Their eyes followed a similar pattern. Sapphire’s eyes were like the sky just after sunset, while Aqua’s eyes were more green than blue, conjuring visions of shallow waters and white beaches.

Once Sapphire was inside the net, Aqua took her hand and set off at a fast pace. What is it? Sapphire asked.

Father has called a Meeting. A Poseidon was seen near our Boundary. Aqua’s words were short and clipped.

Sapphire felt a shudder ripple through her. She’d never known a Meeting to be called in her entire life! They were part of history, when the mermaid wars were still raging. But that was all ancient now, having ended years before Sapphire was born. Of course she knew of the Poseidon Clan, but the Clans had been at peace for several generations. Sapphire and Aquamarine swam quickly to the large dead coral cave that was used historically for Clan Meetings, but more recently had been converted into a lecture and concert hall. There was space for several thousand but their Clan filled only a third of the cave. Sapphire hated being inside; the dead coral made her scales feel too tight. One day soon, she would ask Aqua why it had died, but this was not the time.

The Clan of the Poseidon … their father, Athanasius, had already begun his oration. His scales flickered a bilious green, as if the mere topic of the Poseidons filled him with disgust. The two mersisters slipped in quietly next to the rest of their family. Their mother, Esmeralda, and siblings Cobalt and Teal, were all already seated. Esmeralda shot them a reproachful glance as they settled onto their designated seats, which were carved from coral. Their brother, Cobalt, the eldest, gave them a wink. His children and wife, Serenity, were absent. Teal stared straight ahead, not even acknowledging her sisters. Teal’s husband, Jade, and kids were all seated quietly next to her.

Their father, noticing the sisters’ late arrival, glowered at them before beginning again. The Clan of the Poseidon has returned to our seas. Under no circumstance is a member of my Clan to talk to them or even acknowledge their existence. Any sort of interaction with a Poseidon is strictly forbidden. The Elders, seated regally behind Athanasius in their full robes and hoods, listened with somber faces. Sapphire wondered why this occasion warranted such formality.

For those too young to remember the last visit of these scandalous beasts, Athanasius continued, again directing another baleful glance at Aquamarine and Sapphire, the Poseidons cannot be considered true seafolk. Not only do they have dolphins as consorts and go Above and walk among the humans, but they also still practice Sacrifice to the Kraken. He hovered in front of the podium, his tail flipping sharply in loathing with each word.

Sapphire shuddered involuntarily as she always did when the Kraken was mentioned and grabbed Aqua’s hand. The two sisters shared a shocked glance. The Poseidons still gave Sacrifice to the Kraken? Sapphire couldn’t believe it. She’d been taught in Mer School that Sacrifice was no longer legal. She knew her Clan hadn’t allowed it for generations. Her curiosity about the Poseidons increased. What did it mean to have a dolphin consort? They still practiced Sacrifice and they walked Above with the humans? Father didn’t allow anyone to go Above, let alone walk with humans. How was this even possible?

Sapphire looked around and saw the Merfolk gathered in the cave nodding in agreement with her father’s statements. Athanasius continued, It is a filthy, impure way to live and we condemn it and them. As he continued to expound on the immoral and erroneous lifestyle of the Poseidons, images flooded Sapphire’s head. She held perfectly still, amazed by these pictures, unsure who or where they were coming from but not wanting them to stop. The scenes were similar, with Merfolk walking among the humans, smiling and laughing as if they belonged Above, walking on two legs, out of the sea and their tails! They looked almost human, only much more dazzling and luminous. When she recognized her brother Cobalt and his wife Serenity, she gasped aloud, causing Aqua to shush her. Sapphire focused on the image of Cobalt and Serenity, their eyes twinkling in merriment as if they were playing a grand joke on the entire human race.

A loud ruckus at the front broke into Sapphire’s thoughts and she redirected her attention to her father who had aimed his gaze toward several young rowdy mermen seated in front. Sapphire rolled her eyes to see Achan causing the commotion. Her father thought he was a prominent upcoming guard, but Sapphire found him to be arrogant and irritating. Fortunately, he was in Aqua’s class, so had just graduated and wouldn’t be returning to school with Sapphire. He’d always been a bully and was especially mean to any mermaid who wasn’t enamored with him, like Sapphire. As one of the last young available mermen in the Clan, he was under the impression that all mermaids should treat him like a king, but Sapphire would rather have each and every last scale pulled off of her tail by a flesh-eating fish than give Achan her affection.

No, Achan, there will be no fighting. Athanasius’s voice was sonorous and commanding in their heads, demanding to be obeyed. We are no longer at war with the Poseidons, nor do we want to be. Their Clan members greatly outnumber ours. They know we do not view their lifestyle as proper, but it is not our duty or desire to change them. We simply do not interact with them. This is why we installed the Boundary Net, to protect our Clan. Disobeying me or this law could lead to excommunication, so use discretion if you are unfortunate enough to encounter a Poseidon. That is all. And with a wave of his immense hand, their father dismissed the Meeting.

Sapphire turned to her mother, wondering how she would explain her tardiness, but Esmeralda was deep in conversation with Teal and was steering everyone out of the hall without a backward glance. Cobalt gave his two youngest sisters a wave goodbye then and followed his family. Sapphire started after them, but then heard her father. Aquamarine, Sapphire? Would you come here, please? His tone was quiet, which made it all the more terrifying.

Sapphire gulped. She looked to where her Father waited, his arms crossed, a frown furrowing his face. The ten Elders were motionless and expressionless behind him. She knew she had been testing the limits by going beyond the Clan’s Boundary and knew sooner or later she’d be caught, but she never intended to pull Aquamarine into her misdeeds.

As they swam obediently to their father and the Elders, Sapphire filled her head with probable excuses her father might believe in case he was already trying to probe her thoughts. They stopped before his podium and hovered there while he slowly chose his words. Sapphire knew their father was deliberately postponing his announcement to make them more anxious, and she resented that. She dared a look at an Elder but none would make eye contact. Instead, they appeared to be looking through her, not at her.

The ocean’s current whipped Athanasius’ wild mane of dark green hair into snake-like tendrils around his head, causing him to look more intimidating than usual. Threads of coal black ran through it; his age was beginning to show. Finally, he said, Would either of you like to explain why you were late to the Meeting? Did you not hear the Summons?

Sapphire panicked, not having realized there had been a Summons; that meant she’d been way out of Thought Range. She knew she was in dangerous water now.

But before she could even frame a thought, her sister said sweetly, "It’s my