once upon a time

The Queen of all Mermaids took the hand of her eldest daughter.

”I am weary.  Your time has come, time to take my place. Our people are waiting to crown you. Go, child’.

‘Are you not coming with me Mother?’ she asked.

‘I cannot Princess, this you must do alone to prove you are worthy.’

‘But where do I go?’ 

‘To the horizon’ her Mother said.

‘How will I know when I’m there?’ the Princess asked.

‘You will know little one. You will know’

And with that, her mother was gone.

She was alone. 

She swam with a kaleidoscope of fishes, through forests of coral and above deep dark places that made her shiver. But the horizon came no closer.

‘How far is the horizon?’ she asked a dolphin. ‘As far as you can see and farther still’ it said.

Which way is the horizon?’ she asked a starfish. ‘That way child’ it said pointing in five directions.

‘How long will it take?’ she asked an oyster. ‘How long is a string of pearls?’ it replied.

‘I’m tired, may I ride on your back?’ she asked a seahorse. ‘No Princess’ he said. ‘You have to go alone’.

Suddenly the ripples began to glow. Flowers floated around her. From the shimmering sea towered a rock of silver, gold and sparkling diamonds. At its peak, a jewel-encrusted throne and alongside it sat her Mother. Finally, she had reached the horizon.

She heard her Mother’s voice. ‘Your journey is over Princess. It’s time for you to lead your people’.

A hundred smiling mermaids swam to the surface and formed a circle around her. They splashed, they frolicked, they laughed with joy. They formed a nest of arms and gently lifted the Princess higher and higher. Songbirds of every colour fluttered and whistled, rainbow fish lept and dived. 

‘Place her upon the throne’ said her proud Mother. ‘Let us all welcome our new Queen of all Mermaids’