by Ka Vang
The Mystic Mermaid Queen was known throughout her kingdom and the human world for her goodness. There were some humans who fear and despise her for her power, while others spoke lovingly of her kindness to the poorer humans. Yet her story was also one of mystery and fable.
In the bustling little village of Zagar, situated about five days’ worth of walk from the Mystic Water, there was also known a man name Matthew of Zagar. He was a young, handsome and cold man. Half of the people in Zagar were intimidated by him; they say his green eyes were as cold as frozen sea water, and his laughter was sharp enough to hit a squirrel dashing from the trees. Matthew was filthy rich; the money inherited from his deceased parents.
“There goes Mister cold-Matthew.” people would spat as Matthew would stalk down the streets, never opening his lips for a muttered, “Hello.”
His charity was about as much as sea water being turn into drinking water. Matthew’s tall height and black hair gave him the air of an imposing black bear. At age 24 he was too young to be allow the full responsibility of his great wealth. But of course, nobody dare say a word to him: he would probably pick you up by the neck and throw you into the horse manure.
One night after retiring to bed, Matthew had forgotten to put out his candle by his bedside. The consequences were devastating for Matthew, but for the people of Zagar it was mixed contentment and pity. Unknowingly he had knocked the candle over, spreading fire through his bed and blanket. When the smell of burning flesh woke him, in his haste to scurry over the bed he landed on the floor as the motion brought his blanket in ablaze on his face. The screams were heard throughout the entire village of Zagar.
“Is he dead?”
The doctor, the only one willing to come tend Matthew, looked over at who it seems to be Matthew’s only friend. The 12 year old boy with his dirty brown hair and matching eyes, had the look of deepest concern on his face. The doctor shook his head, thinking to himself how anyone would bother about the welfare of such a man as Matthew. “No, but it looks like his eyes were damaged the most severely. I doubt he’ll ever see again.”
Tommy looked down at his mister Matthew’s bandaged eyes, knowing how devastated and angry Matthew will be once he’s awake. And he was right, for the next few weeks were the most hardest on Tommy. Matthew took out his anger and shame on poor Tommy, who could only do so much as to walk out the door.
On the day when Matthew was at last not throwing his rage at his servants, Tommy finally urged up the courage to approach him.
“Why don’t you go see the Mystic Queen for help?” Tommy swallowed the confidence out.
Matthew slammed his fist on the lunch tray in his lap, spilling his soup. “I don’t need help! Especially not from a stupid fable. With the money that I have, I’ll get all the help I can get from here, not from a human-fish!”
“But so far, none would help you. Why not ask-”
Matthew slammed the tray off his lap, relishing at the sound of crashing plates and broken cups. His pride kept him simmering at the thought of sweeping so low as to believe a stupid fable. Ask a human-fish for help? Ha! What could a stupid fish do?
As the days go by, summer was lazy in coming to Zagar. Matthew, whose passion had lie in nature and the outdoor, was increasingly loosing reality due to his disability. The once taken for granted ability was taking its toll on him. He didn’t know how he could live the rest of his life being blind. The thought was like a horror story, already the blackness was starting to terrify him. With or without money, he was going to have to find other ways to get his vision back, even if that meant believing in that stupid fable.
On the morning that summer came rolling in, Matthew found himself and Tommy setting out for the Mystic Water. His desperation disgusted him, yet it had to be overlook. Matthew resisted the urge to laugh at what he was about to do, but the only thing that prevented him was that once he laugh, his hysterical laugh would probably never be stopped. He knew from the pain of the sensitive tissues around his eyes that the wound was more hideous than it felt. His pride kept him from unraveling the bandages; his pride the only thing keeping him on the brink of insanity. Matthew sighed and clutch his walking stick awkwardly, still not use to its purpose. His free hand was holding onto the handle of the wagon Tommy was pulling. Matthew grimaced at the image of the villagers smirking at him behind their hands, or maybe openly now with his disability.
Just as sunset was closing in on the pair, they reached the poorer side of Zagar. Matthew cringed at the touch of the many hands covered in dirt and grease pulling on his sleeve, asking for money. He shooed them clumsily away, but the little tykes just made rude remark about him. Tommy silently took out a bag from the wagon, and he pressed into each kid’s hand a gold coin, silencing them with a finger to his lips. The children giggled and ran away, biting the coin for assurance of being real.
“Tommy boy, what is taking us so long? Why aren’t we moving?” Matthew barked, his annoyance crumbling up his face.
“Nothing, mister. Just checking the wheels, mister.” Tommy smiled inwardly, then he resumed pulling the wagon onward.
After a while there came in their way another stop. A woman ahead of them seems to be dragging a younger woman away from what it looked like their house. The younger woman was crying, desperately trying to hide her face with her hair. Tommy caught a glimpse of her secret: the left side of her face was totally disfigure. There were many scars crisscrossing her cheeks, and her left eye was half shut. Sadness and pity crossed Tommy’s mind, as he suddenly stopped the wagon and walked over to them.
“What is going on here?! Get a move on Tommy. Tommy boy?!” Matthew cursed his eyes, feeling shame at his own disability.
“Tommy? What in the world have you gone to-?”
And with that Matthew was subjected to the troublesome addition of another passenger, Myss. Apparently her stepmother was planning to move her out before her family goes and live with the oldest daughter, who had gotten herself married to a rich merchant. Myss was not considered worthy to go with them to live in their luxury. How Tommy convinced Matthew to take Myss along with them still made Matthew scratch his head in wonder and shame. If it weren’t for his blindness, he wouldn’t be in this stupid mess, being controlled by a mere servant boy and tagging along helpless creature-disfigured at that. Matthew hated sympathy from others.
They reached the edge of the forest just before night time, the trees being shrouded in misshaped shadows, and the eerie calling of unknown animals. Only the graceful full moon gave a feeling of light and security to the tiresome heads of the travelers below. Myss, a young woman of barely 19, smiled gratefully at the little brave boy who had rescued her. She was glad that Mister Matthew doesn’t know her true appearance. She was sincerely grateful Tommy didn’t ask how her face came to be. They set up camp as far into the forest as they could, the tall grass and sleeping flowers providing a welcome cushion to the travelers. Tommy made a fire while Myss started on the food. Matthew blamed the girl for their tardiness, yet mainly he blamed himself, though he wouldn’t dare admit it.
For the next few days Matthew started noticing an unusual change in himself. The warmth of the sun was more distinct to his skin, the calls of the birds sounded like hidden melodies to his ears. He began to have a vision he’d never thought possible: the vision of his heart. Myss was the reason, Matthew grudgingly admitted. Her musical laughter and her soft storyteller voice reminded him of the ocean. There was a change in Tommy as well. Laughter and talk was always present around the campfire every night. Confusion and happiness became a mixture in his blood. The cold barrier around his heart was melting.
On the fifth night before reaching the Mystic Water, Matthew asked Tommy to bring Myss to him. Alone beneath the stars and moon, Matthew confessed to her. Joy flooded him when Myss replied with the same message. She quietly confide in him of her face, telling her worst fear of Matthew rejecting her after his vision is back.
The next day, Matthew held Myss’s hand in his, never feeling more happy in his life. They reached the Mystic Water by noon, indulging in the ribbon-like breezes and the warmth of the sun. Tommy was awed by the sparkling beauty of the Mystic Water, excitement building at the thought of meeting the famous Mystic Queen. Matthew was blind to all except the soft hands in his, his only goal right then to get his vision back so he could at last look upon his love’s face, no matter how scarred it was.
“Matthew, tell me your wish.” Myss quietly said.
He smiled, pointing to the cloth around his eyes. “I wish for my vision back so I could lay eyes on the one I love.”
“And why do you feel that you deserve such a thing from the Mystic Queen?”
Matthew frown slightly at the sudden firmness of her question. “I have changed much since I’ve become blind. It has taught me so much about who I was, and who I’m willing to be. I know I haven’t been the best-”
She slowly dropped his hand, winking at Tommy who stared aghast at them, and began to sing. The language was one neither Matthew nor his servant had heard before. Matthew was blind to all that happen, but Tommy saw it all like he was spellbound. Matthew’s bandage faded away like mist, revealing the sensitive tissues. Like magic, the tissues repeatedly healed and bonded together to form smooth skin. His eyes, a stunning shade of emerald green, blinked, then widen in amazement. He carefully lifted up his hands, as if daring it to be just a dream. Those green gems automatically zoomed on Myss, who stood before him with uncertainty in her eyes. Matthew saw her scars, her half-closed eye, and then beneath he saw her eyes, as blue as the sea itself, her hair a shade darker than her eyes, and her smooth slim figure. Her face would’ve scared him if he were still his old self, but now he knew better. He knew who was underneath the surface.
“I love you.”
Myss smiled, the smile transforming her face into something new. In a moment her body was changed, her face turned a pale light blue, her eyes changed into large blue pools, and her legs grew scales in shades of blue. There perched upon her mass of blue hair, was the largest pearl settled in a crown of shells. Matthew gasped, while at the same time Tommy grinned. Myss’s fish-like tail trailed to the ground and her fins curved on the sand, while a white glow held her upright. Suddenly from the water came mermaids and mermen of all shapes and colors. They bow one by one to Myss; the realization hit Matthew cold in the stomach.
“You’re the Mystic Queen? But,...how,...why?” Hurt flooded into Matthew’s eyes, he felt betrayed and fooled. A sliver of his old self came creeping back, the shame, the coldness.
“Matthew, yes I am the Mystic Queen. I knew all along who you really were. I knew you were seeking me, that’s why I had to test you to see if you would change before I give you your wish,” the Mystic Queen laid a cool, webbed hand on Matthew’s arm.
“What, what have you done to Myss? Is she even real?!”
The Mystic Queen smiled, shaking her head. “No, but there is a Myss inside of me if you look carefully.” She took his palm and laid it on her heart, letting him feel the same pounding as his own, the memories of Myss and him flashing through his mind like a dream.
Still unsure, but more in shock, Matthew stayed silent. Myss is the Mystic Queen. Should he trust the queen not to make a fool of him? The Myss he’d love still linger in his mind, yet it was hard to picture her as the Mystic Queen. For once in his life he didn’t know what to do.
“I know how you’re feeling. But even if I’m a queen, it doesn’t mean I can’t be the woman who you fell in love with. I am still her, just in a different form.” she held his hands, her love flowing from her like waves. Her eyes were full of truth and caring. Myss was inside of her.
Matthew’s old shame and coldness evaporated, replacing him with pure, white light. “I believe you.” He smile shyly at her. She grinned back, then urging Tommy to come along, they walked over to the Mystic Water. With each of her hand in Matthew’s and Tommy’s, she led them under the water. Her merpeople followed, singing with happiness for their Queen, for she has found love at last.
As the years went by, fishermen and sailors swore they saw a human man and child swimming in harmony with the Queen of the Mystic Water and her merpeople. Nobody knew who they were. To this day the people of Zagar still keeps the mystery of Matthew and his servant Tommy a beloved story to their children.
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