The Mermaid's Mirror

Chapter 35

As Lena waited, the mer-folk first gathered outside the circle of rocks, joining hands. They began to sing, wordless melodies at first.

"It is your song of welcome," said Melusina.

The delicate sounds shaped into words that Lena could understand: "She is welcome ... she is welcome ... she is part of this world ... she is not of this world..."

The mer-folk released their hands and swam swiftly up to her, drawing close, then gliding away from her, still maintaining the circle. They flowed near, then backed away as rhythmically as the tides. In and out they moved.

"You are part of this world ... you are not of this world ... speak your name ... speak your family..."

"Names are very important. Tell them your name," prompted Melusina.

Thinking as clearly as she could, Lena formed the word: "Selena."

"Speak the names of your people," sang the mer-folk, smiling and circling. "Share the names."

Lena looked questioningly at her mother.

"Tell them the names of your parents," said her mother.

"Melusina, Brian," recited Lena.

She sensed confusion among the mer-folk, and even from her mother.

"Brian is my father," she reminded Melusina.

"Ahh ... Brian," she said, although Lena could tell she did not remember him.

With a sudden swish, an older mermaid appeared next to Melusina.

Lena started; she had seen only a glint of gold before the mermaid was beside her mother. She must be unbelievably fast, she thought.

"Selena," said the mermaid.

Lena nodded. Something about the regal bearing of the mermaid made Lena feel like she should bow or curtsy, or kiss her hand, or something. Her eyes were so light that it was hard to tell if they were blue or green, and they bored into Lena with unsettling intensity. Her hair was light as well, glowing with many shades of gold and silver. She wore her hair twisted into several tight plaits that encircled her head like a crown and trailed down her back. Lena could see pearls and shark teeth glimmering in her hair. Her double-finned tail was pewter gray.

She has a double-finned tail, too, like Mama, thought Lena. Then she peered closer at the mermaid's pointed chin, and realized she was looking at her grandmother.

"I am Amphitrite," said the mermaid. "You must learn the names of your people in this world."

"Grandmother." The word whispered through Lena's mind.

The mermaid smiled then, her expression softening. She did not embrace Lena, but reached out to take her hand. "Child of my child. You are most welcome here."

"Thank you," said Lena. It wasn't quite the same affectionate greeting her grandfather had given her, but maybe Amphitrite wasn't the hugging type.

With a grimace, Amphitrite's gaze swept down Lena's body and legs. "Is she able to swim with those legs?" she asked Melusina.

"Mother!" answered Melusina, in a tone universally employed between mothers and daughters: exasperation. "Of course she is able to swim." With a proud smile, Melusina reached down and stroked Lena's feet. "Look at her lovely feet. They have grown so, since she was a baby! They were perfect little moonbeam feet."

Amphitrite gave a frosty smile. "Yes, lovely." She addressed Lena. "You must be glad to escape the land."

Lena blinked. Glad to escape the land? Did that mean she was never going back? A tendril of worry touched her mind.

But after all, why should she go back? She had missed her mother. She wanted to stay with her.

A fleeting image of a child with blue eyes ... a memory of someone calling her name through the night ... then the hypnotic rocking of the sea drew those thoughts away from her, gently, insistently.

Lena raised a hand to her brow, as if to hold her thoughts inside her head. It's like my memories are getting washed away, she thought.

Amphitrite noticed Lena's bewilderment and turned to her daughter. "The child is exhausted, Melusina. She needs food and rest. Let us not linger over the welcome circle."

"Yes, Mother," said Melusina, appearing flustered. She turned to Lena. "Selena, after you answer the welcome, our people will approach you. Do not be nervous."

Lena looked at all the mer-folk surrounding her, still circling in and out. "What should I say?" she asked.

"You must say what is in your heart."

Lena watched the mer-folk as they flowed inward and ebbed outward, their song fading to a whispering welcome.

"I—" She faltered.

They waited.

"I ... think you are all beautiful," blurted Lena.

The mer-folk circled in very close, and many hands reached out to caress her. Three or four of the mer-folk merely bowed to her before swimming away, while others stroked her arms or hair. The little mermaids and merboys were fascinated with her legs, and took cautious pokes at them.

Instead of feeling afraid of so many strange creatures crowding near her, Lena felt the gentleness of their hands, so fleeting and light. Each touch was like a blessing. They were careful not to dislodge her sealskin cloak.

"Oh, here are my sisters," said Melusina, holding out her hand to two mermaids, both with white-blond hair and dark blue eyes, their upper bodies wreathed in identical sparkling sapphire necklaces. "Metis and Thetis. Twins, as you can see!"

The mermaids swept forward and brushed light kisses on Lena's cheeks.

Melusina continued the introductions: the husbands of her sisters, and all of the young cousins. "And this is young Amphitrite ... named, of course, after your grandmother. And this is Piskaret ... this is Fossegrim ... and Calypso..."

Lena nodded and smiled, although the mer-folk were beginning to blur together in her mind.

Then she saw a broad-shouldered young merman lagging behind the rest of the group. He waited until there was no one left to greet her, then he approached.

As he drew near, Lena admired his chin-length green and brown hair, which radiated out from his head like a cloud. When he got close enough, she could see his dark, almond-shaped eyes and his full lips. The sight of his exotic beauty made her nervous.

Gazing at Lena with a rapt expression, the merman touched her arm.

The brush of his fingers across her skin caused Lena's heart to flutter.

Instead of bowing and leaving, as all the others had done, he backed slowly away, still gazing at her.

Lena discovered that it was possible to blush under water. The merman's lips were slightly parted, as if he might speak to her, and Lena longed to hear her name in his voice.

"Nix is handsome, isn't he?" said her mother with a smile.

Instead of answering, Lena looked down at her cloak, fussing with the way it rested on her shoulders. Nix.

***

"Melusina," called Lena's grandfather. "The child must be sinking, after that long journey. She needs food and rest."

"Yes," agreed Amphitrite. "The welcome circle is complete, and the vote has been cast. She should join us for nourishment. What does she eat?"

Melusina smiled. "My daughter loves the eggs of the salmon! She shall have as many as she likes."

Vote? thought Lena.

"The kelp juice is excellent for regaining one's strength," said Merrow.

Following Amphitrite and Merrow, she swam with her mother to the large stone table. Mer-folk were now bustling around it, heaping the bowls and plates with food. Goblets filled with some kind of liquid, heavier than the seawater, rested on the table.

Nereus swam up with a primitive-looking chair. "Please," he said. "You are family. But today you are also an honored guest." He put the chair down by the table and bowed, indicating that she should sit.

"Oh," said Lena. "Thank you." She settled into the chair, which was hard and bone-colored. As she looked more closely at it, she realized it was made of actual bones. Some of them were clearly whale bones, but some looked decidedly human. She suppressed a shudder.

"You may try any of these foods, and decide which you like," offe red Amphitrite.

Merrow held out a goblet, and Lena nodded her thanks, taking a tiny sip. It felt strange to be drinking under water. Her grandfather was right; the kelp juice was good, and she felt stronger already.

Amphitrite presided over the head of the table, passing Lena the gleaming plates with different foods on them: mussels and clams, shrimps and crabs, strands of seaweed and slices of sea slug.

"Try the periwinkle soup," said Merrow. "It has bits of rockfish in it."

"Oh. Thank you." Lena politely tried as many of the delicacies as possible. She reached for some small wrinkled bits of food. "These look like raisins," she said.

"Ah, the fish eyes," said Merrow. "Delicious!"

Lena's hand halted.

"The eyes were only harvested after the fish had died," Melusina hastened to assure her.

"Oh," said Lena, her own eyes wide. "Thank you. Maybe later. Mama, please tell me about the vote Grandmother mentioned."

"After the welcome song," said Melusina, "the village voted on whether or not you would be allowed to remain."