FSE

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It was five years ago that he'd had the chance encounter with the strange, alien creature; five years ago that their worlds collided, and fate cast a charm on their lives. Neither could have known the true significance of their meeting that day, when the riptides flowed just right, and a young boy went out for a swim. On that day, a spark ignited a slowly-burning flame. Thus, our story begins; a tale of land and sea and love, unconditional.

Isaac lived an easy life compared to most boys his age. Being the son of the merchants' guildmaster had its perks; mainly the comfort of never going hungry or losing the roof over his head. With no fields to plow, boulders to clear, or mine carts to push, Isaac's family had something that very few families of the era could ever claim to possess: spare time.

Summer had come in Farlan, and the family of three had taken leave from the busy inland cities with which they were accustomed to spend some time out by the sea. The eastern coast of Farlan was typically congested by seaports and harbors, but a few small beaches remained undeveloped for the wealthier citizens of the nation to enjoy. While Isaac's family wasn't exactly at noble status, they were far more well-off than most.

So there stood Isaac, gazing across the deep blue sea at a seemingly endless sky. When he was younger, his father had told him of the family's exploits; voyages across the sea to Silas and the many island nations between the two known continents. The boy remembered the stories of pirates and monsters and ghost ships, menaces to the trade industry that his great grandfather had established so many years ago. Now a boy of fifteen, he knew better than to believe in stories of monsters and ghosts, and since his father had worked his way up to a managerial position and said farewell to his sailing days, the stories eventually stopped flowing in.

But he didn't need stories now. He was here to have fun! The summer sun was hot against his skin, and the ocean looked so inviting. Isaac didn't hesitate, taking a running start into the water and splashing his way out to the shallows. He'd always loved the water; it was in his blood, according to his father. The family's history in sailing must have had something to do with it. His parents trusted him enough to leave him unattended while he swam, much to the boy's relief. He didn't want to be babysat. Isaac swam out deeper and floated on his back, staring up at the deep blue sky and big, puffy clouds. Nothing could ruin such a perfect day.

Or so he thought. A swift change in the currents tugged at the boy's body, causing him to jolt upright. He'd been warned about riptides before, but had been fortunate enough to have never been caught in one. His parents had told him about what to do in this situation, but by the time he even processed that thought, the current was pulling him further out into the water. His natural instinct was to fight against the current, to swim back to shore. For all his efforts, though, the sandy beach never drew nearer, and he quickly began to feel the fatigue in his arms and legs. He called out several times, hoping that someone, anyone might hear him, but his parents had remained further inland to talk with some family friends, and other beachgoers were rare in this secluded shore. He was alone, and as his head began to slip beneath the waves, a single thought managed to push its way past the frantic, panicked noise within his mind:

"I'm going to drown."

Isaac took a deep breath just before he felt the water overtake him. Perhaps if he rested for a moment, he could pull himself back up to the surface! All he had to do was hold his breath. Hold it for a solid two or three minutes...

"Never. I'll never be able to hold it that long!" the boy pinched his nose and clenched his jaw. He'd never held his breath for more than a few seconds. His lungs were already beginning to burn, and his body's natural, irresistible instinct to breathe out and in screamed at his tired muscles. A wave of dizziness broke Isaac's concentration, and he loosed the breath he needed so badly. His diaphragm instinctively contracted, drawing seawater into his lungs. It didn't take long for Isaac to feel his consciousness slipping away, and in his last moments of lucidity, he could swear he saw something moving toward him in the water. An angel, perhaps. A messenger of the gods, come to deliver his soul to the heavens. Soon, he was far too tired to panic anymore. All he felt like doing was sleeping. Isaac shut his eyes and decided that passing out would be preferable to fighting for every last second in pain...

The sound of waves breaking against the shore was the first thing that returned to him, followed by the familiar heat of the sun against his skin. Perhaps some cheeky angel thought it might be funny to bring him to heaven's local beach? Or maybe... he was alive? Isaac took in a deep breath, as if he'd suddenly remembered the need to breathe. Sweet, precious oxygen filled his lungs, and he took a few more breaths and savored them. The boy opened his eyes and checked his surroundings. He was still at the beach, and from the rough feeling on his back, he must have been laid down on the sand. A pleasant ocean mist brushed past him each time the waves hit the shore, indicating a close proximity to the water.

"I'm... alive?" he finally worked up the energy to speak. His muscles were still sore, but he managed to pull himself up into a sitting position. A quick glance toward the path inland revealed that his parents had not come to check on him, or if they had, they hadn't seen him sprawled out on the sand. He silently hoped that he hadn't scared them and sent them up and down the beach in search of their potentially dead son.

"You almost didn't make it." came a voice from behind; a melodic tone with a pleasantly feminine pitch.

"Oh... really?" it took Isaac a moment to even realized he'd heard (and replied to) someone. When his brain finally caught up with itself, he spun around and nearly lost his balance, fumbling dizzily against the sand and nearly face planting into a large, rocky formation from which the soothing mist apparently came. Leaning against one of the lower rocks, waist-deep in water, was a girl. She was on the tall side, but probably around Isaac's age. Her hair came down in long chestnut locks, framing a delicate face and bright blue eyes. A simple cloth top tied around her chest preserved her modesty, and her figure beneath the water was hidden from view. Various little trinkets, necklaces, and bracelets hung around her neck and arms, adorned with gems and polished stones.

She smiled at Isaac in a curious manner, leaning forward and floating a little closer to the shore. "Are you feeling alright?"

"I... guess so." Isaac regained his balance and managed to stand, moving toward the water to meet the unfamiliar girl. "Did you... save me?"

"Well, do you see anyone else around?"

"I suppose not."

"Then there's your answer." the girl produced a little giggle in her throat and stopped just before the sand curved upward beneath her, "You humans don't do too well in the water, do you? Don't you know you need gills to swim like a fish?"

"It's not like I tried to drown or anyth--" Isaac caught that peculiar comment a little late. "Wait... What do you mean, 'you humans'?"

"Huh? Oh!" the girl grabbed hold of one of the rocks and slowly hoisted herself up onto it. There were no legs below her waist, but instead, a long, bright blue tail! Its scaly surface glistened in the sun, and thin, translucent fins gently flopped against the rock as she settled atop it. "There." she said, "Much better. Understand now?"

"You're a... a..." Isaac's eyes widened to the size of dinner plates. Sure, he'd heard the stories, and even believed them as a young boy... But was he really standing before a real, live... "Mermaid!"

"Huh... Haven't you seen one before? Almost every sailor has seen at least one." the seaborne woman curled a lock of hair around her finger. Her tone almost sounded smug.

"Well, I... no, I haven't."

"Really? Then why are you dressed like a sailor?"

Isaac gave himself a quick once-over. All he had on was a pair of shorts to swim in. He gave her a cock-eyed look as he answered, "This is about the furthest thing from a 'sailor's look' that you can get."

"What? No, sailors always dress like that, I'm sure of it! I mean, they'd get their clothes all wet if they didn't!"

Isaac eyed her suspiciously, "Have you ever met a human?"

"I..." the mermaid huffed and ducked her head, "No..."

"So you haven't seen a human or a sailor." Isaac grinned, "Strictly by numbers, that gives me the advantage."

"Sh-Shut up! I've seen a human now, so that makes us even!" the aquatic girl carefully crawled down the rock and onto the sand, pulling herself over to Isaac and poking his chest, "Besides, I saved your life! That's got to count for something, right?"

"Hmm, good point..." Isaac knew better than to argue with a girl. "Alright, I admit. You win."

She didn't seem convinced, though. She narrowed her eyes and gave him a sideways glare, "You're mocking me."

"No, no! I'm being honest!"

"Then prove it, human!" her hands went to her hips, and she gazed at him expectantly. "Show me your gratitude!"

"Ah... alright." This wasn't the kind of girl Isaac was used to dealing with. Most of the ones he'd known were from school, and his privileged upbringing meant he typically dealt with snobs or soft-spoken little angels. Maybe mermaids were just incredibly free-spirited? Either way, he wasn't going to get away with any old 'thank you', so he decided to bust out the charming gentleman routine. He took one of her hands in his and bent forward, pressing a kiss just above her knuckles, "My lady, you have my sincerest gratitude, and I am forever in your debt."

The mermaid's expression turned to a mix of puzzled and bashful. She didn't retract her hand, but her tone betrayed a hint of confusion. "Is this how humans give thanks?"

"Not always." Isaac released his grasp on her hand, "There are lots of ways. I just chose that one."

A faint blush crept into the seamaiden's cheeks, and she responded with a simple, "I see."

There was a bit of an awkward silence. Isaac, fearing he may have come on too strongly, decided to move the conversation along. "So! Um... my name's Isaac. It's a pleasure to meet you and... be saved by you."

"I would certainly hope so." her smile returned, "I'm Eris. It's a pleasure to save you!"

The two shared a laugh, and the awkwardness from before seemed to melt away entirely. Isaac looked out toward the sea, "You know... I'm here for a few days. Do you come around this area often?"

"I do stop by sometimes. Usually there's nothing to do, but if you're going to be around..."

"We could... hang out? Maybe?" now it was Isaac's turn to be bashful. The lightly-tanned skin of his cheeks turned just the tiniest shade of red.

"I don't know." Eris' tone sounded more playful than uncertain. Her lips curled into a cheeky smirk, "I've never hung out with a human. You'd have to be a good swimmer."

"I'm totally a good swimmer!" Isaac took the bait, the boy crossing his arms and glaring at the challenging mermaid, "Today was just a... fluke. Besides, you're not exactly the best walker, are you?"

Eris' smirk quickly faded into a pout, and she glanced down at her tail, "Ok, so it's not exactly suited for land travel..."

"So, I guess that makes us even then, huh?"

"I still saved your life!" Eris grinned and started to push herself back toward the sea, "So don't worry, human boy. If you start to drown again, I'll be there to pull you back up to the surface."

"Smug little..." Isaac grumbled and followed her into the shallows. Still, despite that overbearing pride, she did make him feel a lot more secure about swimming. He didn't want to get swept out again.

"So if you're such a good swimmer, how'd you wind up nearly becoming fish food?"

"A rip current, I think." Isaac stuck close to his new friend as the water got up to his chest, "I tried to swim back to shore, but tired myself out."

"Parallel! You swim parallel to the shore when you feel a rip current!" Eris demonstrated accordingly, diving under the water and effortlessly flipping her fins, their lovely blue scales shimmering beneath the waves.

"That probably could have saved me a near-death experience." Isaac mumbled as he watched the mermaid beneath the surface. For a moment he envied that powerful tail of hers, but upon remembering how silly she looked crawling around on land, that envy quickly dissolved. "I'll keep my legs any day of the week."

"What's that?" Eris' head broke the water's surface, and she floated back over toward Isaac.

"Nothing, nothing."

The mermaid hummed and swam in a slow circle around Isaac, "Sooo... What do humans do on their off time, anyway?"

"Most humans don't have a lot of 'off time'." Isaac watched her circle him, images of sharks coming to mind and sending an unsettling chill down his spine, "Young humans play games, usually. Or read, if they're the scholarly type."

The mermaid's eyes lit up, "Oh, what kinds of games do you play?"

"Ah, well... Kids my age typically play ball games or wrestle." he gave her a quick look over and quietly remarked, "Somehow I doubt wrestling a mermaid in her natural habitat would be a good idea..."

"Your legs can only flail so much before I'd pin you to the ocean floor." Eris grinned that smug grin again.

"Yeah. That." The very thought was horrifying. Nearly drowning on his own had been traumatic enough. "So what do mermaids do?"

"We hunt, race each other, ride on mantas and... Oh! I know what we could do!" Eris ducked her head under the water and looked left, then right, giving herself a quick nod before coming back up. "There's a shipwreck not far from here. Wanna go see it?"

"Ah... You know I can't hold my breath for that long, right?" Isaac could almost feel the pressure against his chest just thinking about it. Plus, there were the stories of shipwrecks being haunted by their dead crews, and though he would never admit it, the thought of such a thing gave him the creeps.

Eris grinned and grabbed his wrists, tugging him through the water with quick flicks of her tail, "What, are you scared?"

"Of dying? Yes!"

"Shhh." she pressed a finger to his lips, "Don't worry. I won't let you drown. Promise."

"I don't see how--"

"Shhh!" the mermaid hushed him insistently. She released her grasp on his wrists and turned around, "Come on. I'll keep you safe."

Isaac wasn't entirely sure what to think of this. He'd only just recovered from nearly drowning, and he'd be swimming a lot further from the shore than he ever had before. Still, Eris would be with him, and she did save him before. He gave a quick glance over his shoulder toward the shore--his parents still were nowhere to be seen. He wagered he'd have some time before they came looking for him. "Alright." he finally said, "But no longer than an hour, ok?"

"Deal." Eris smiled and slowly propelled herself forward, "Come on! You'll enjoy yourself, I promise."

Isaac kept in pace a few feet behind her. The whole situation still felt so surreal to him. He'd grown up reading stories about mermaids and how brutal they could be; luring human ships to rocky shores and stranding or sinking them, then dragging the helpless sailors to their watery deaths. The thought crossed his mind more than once, that Eris was luring him somewhere to drown him.

"But if she wanted to do that, she wouldn't have saved me to begin with." he figured. It gave him some level of comfort and allowed him to enjoy this little swim. He was swimming with a mermaid! Swimming with a creature whose kind rarely showed themselves to humans beyond trade negotiations, and learning things that no other kid his age would ever know. How could he not be a little excited?