Chapter 2-3 (1/2)

Chapter 2: Gemstone and Pearls

“You're a…” stammered Roselda.

“Merman.” continued the young man.

Roselda was stunned while looking at the man sitting on the rock. Was she seeing an illusion? She might be really being played by 'them'. She became afraid of the thought. It's really true what the elders were saying from their village. There's really an engkanto1 in this place.

She looked again at the young man’s appearance. He actually did not seem scary. In fact, his face was amiably looking back at her. His hair was brown colored and has curls in some parts. She couldn't see ears on either side of his head, but the slices, probably gills, were instead present there. His skin has brownish complexion and on the top of his shoulders and at the large part of his back have spots that seemed to glow in the darkening enclosure. But what really caught her attention was his tail that he soaked in the calm water.

Through the light coming from the setting sun, his tail seemed to sparkle. Its color was full orange with both sides having streaks of yellow and white. But that’s not all; his hands were also different. Similar to ducks, his hands have thin skin webbed between his fingers.

“Sorry. I must have disturbed you.” she heard the merman spoke as he dived towards the water.

“Wait, don't leave!” shouted Roselda. “Please, stay.”

In the mind of the young lady, hundreds of questions surged. She found a real fay, a merman. She only read this kind of creatures in the books. Moreover, they were considered as fictional beings only. But here she was talking to one. Whether it was through supernatural means or not, this one was real in flesh and blood.

The merman stopped swimming and looked at her. A smile was drawn in his thin lips.

“My name is Eda. And you?” said the girl who shortly sat on the rock where the merman was before.

“Managat,” replied the merman. “I'm called Managat.”

“Nice to meet you,” Roselda said. “Why are you here? Isn't your home in the middle of the deep sea?”

“I’m just strolling around.” Managat replied. “Every time I get the chance to escape from the guards, I come here to hide.”

“Guards?” asked Roselda.

“It was forbidden for us to rise to the surface. Our law says that mortals should never know that we're alive.” Managat explained.

“But I'm talking with you now,” Roselda pointed out to him with concern in her voice. “That means you broke your law.”

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Managat smiled at her. It’s quite mesmerizing to watch his eyes. They're twinkling gray.

“I chose to not obey our law,” said the merman who neared slightly to the girl. “A choice I know that will give lots of joy to my heart.”

“You’re just a truant,” Roselda said laughing.

Managat was looking at her with puzzlement. He seemed baffled with her every laughter.

“How about you? Why is a lady like yourself in such a place?”

Roselda smiled. He's such a courteous fish, she thought.

“I was picking sh.e.l.ls and conches that I will use as decors in our house.”

Once again, the merman was puzzled. “I'm sorry but I do not understand you.”

Roselda showed her bag made of nets which was now filled with sh.e.l.ls and conches. Only then the merman had the clear understanding.

“Ah, you were gathering,” said Managat. “I, as well, gather pearls.” He rolled the small bag hanging on his side which Roselda also just noticed. “Here…”

Her eyes grew wide-open. She just saw pearls so close by. On the spread-out palm of the merman, there were different sizes and shapes of them. In their village, anyone who found even just a tiny piece of pearl was already a big jackpot; but here she was, looking at a cl.u.s.ter of glittering pearls in front of her.