The Boy of the Forest and the Girl of the Sea

1

Somewhere, there is a forest upon a cliff that overlooks a small bay, connecting to the vast sea surrounding it. There is a legend amongst the locals about that forest and about that bay. Two individuals met there, and found what few ever experience: True love.2

Once upon a time, a young wood elf was exploring the boundaries of his home, the Elfin Woods, much to the warnings of his elders. Despite the wondrous animals that live there, were humans that should never be allowed to see him. For if they shall, then their secret world would be all for naught. He pondered this warning constantly as he swung from tree to tree, his pointed ears perked and his furry tail twitching, seeking a branch to grasp onto so he could hang from it. He went further and further, beyond the painted rocks that signaled the border of the elven world, and finally to cliff overlooking a vast blue pond. It was the largest pond he had ever seen. The frogs that inhabited it must have been enormous, and the fish could probably feed his entire village for years on end, and starvation would be a word unknown to the following generations. But, as he was gazing at this endless pond, a heavy breeze blew the cap from his head, and off the cliff. He screeched out in fear. That cap was woven from special leaves of the elder oak of their village by his mother, who only shortly passed away. He couldn’t let the wind so mischievous take it from him, since that’d be a sure sign he had crossed the boundary. He pulled out a twig, his forest wand, and commanded the wind to bring back his hat, but the wind pulled it from him farther still, as if laughing at his request. He had seen his elders do magnificent things with their magic, yet he could never do anything.3

The mermaid, young and naïve, wondered why the Fish God had advised them never to come ashore. Yes, it was quite warm out of the cool ocean waters, but the air was sweet, and the sights were magnificent. Why, she was completely unaware that giant coral existed upon the mountains that peaked above the water. She was always told coral couldn’t survive without water, yet here it was. Big, a strange green and brown color, swaying side to side in a happy display of life. If only she could capture that moment she’d take it back to the Fish God to show him the wonders he was missing out on. She laid in the wet sand, taking a deep breath before deciding to return back into the waters. One reason that the shore was off-limits was the race of man, who pierced the ocean’s flesh with wooden monstrosities, and used nets and the like to kill countless fish, some her friends. She had quite the fear of this mysterious race of demons that sought only death. She began dragging herself back into the water when an odd hat fell in front of her. She picked it up and turned it over many times, attempting to deduce the material it was made out of. She had never seen it before, but it felt nice, albeit weird. She decided to bring it with her, as a souvenir of her adventure that day. But, as she reached the water she heard a screech off in the distance, and looked up at the cliff to see a figure among the earthly coral.4

“Give me back my hat!” he screeched, jumped down from the tree and rushing to the cliff’s edge. He’d go down there, but elves are unable to leave the forest, and would quickly wither away.5

“Is it yours?!” she called back, afraid of the shrieking creature. Was he one of the fabled humans that so plague their ocean, or was he something far worse?6

“Yes it’s mine!” he answered, jumping up and down angrily. He wasn’t sure who or what had his hat, but he had to get it back, even if he had to fight for it. He brought up his wand again and called out to the wind, but all that answered was a gust of wind that pulled the twig from his hand. He ranted and raved as it dropped to the ocean below.7

“If it’s yours, then you should get it back!” she stated, holding it up. “Come down here and get it!” Her heart beat rapidly, excited yet very wary of meeting this individual. Maybe he was friendly and just wanted his wayward belonging? Or maybe he was a vicious beast that would eat her whole for taking something of his? So many thoughts crossed her mind.8

“You’d like that, wouldn’t you?!” he accused, shouting at her. What did she think he was? A fool? He knew many tricksters of the forest, and learned a thing or two from being in their presence. She was out to get him, but he wouldn’t let her get him that easily. “You come up here!”9

“I’m sorry, but I can’t!” she replied, sighing. She was beginning to think he wasn’t a monster at all, for what monster would give up an invitation to an easy meal.10

“And why is that?!” he inquired, sitting down on the ledge, squinting his eyes to get a better look. She had flowing red hair, the length of her body, and what appeared to be a fish’s tail. She wasn’t a human, that was for sure, but she wasn’t an elf, unless that’s what happens to elves that leave the forest. They become fish! He pondered this all, this new information and this strange new being. She was cute, and wore very little clothing. Only a garment of some kind of weed across her chest. Very peculiar she was. Still, monsters know many disguises, and feigning innocence is a very easy way to capture prey.11

“Well, you see, I’m a mermaid, and I can swim with the best of them, but climbing just isn’t in my repertoire!” she explained, giggling. Because of the way the sun was positioned, all she saw of him was a shadow, a very angry shadow. If he didn’t want to come down, she had to find a way to get up there, or at least get closer to him so she could return his hat. But first, she had to find out whether or not he meant harm. “You know, as a mermaid, crawling isn’t very easy for me either, and frankly, it’d take me awhile to get back in the water. If someone was out to eat me, now would be a good chance as any!” She watched him now, waiting to see how he reacted.12

“Um, ok then!” he said, bewildered, “But I don’t plan on eating you, so that little bit of information was a tad useless, don’t you think?!” What games was she playing? This was definitely a trap, definitely. She was going to eat him up faster than you could shake a stick at. And he could shake a stick pretty fast.13

“I guess so. Sorry about that!” she apologized. Ok, she figured. He was friendly, or at least not a predator of any kind. Now that that was solved, she sought a way for them to meet. He wouldn’t come down here, for reasons she wasn’t aware of, and she couldn’t get up there. The climb and the sun would dry her out pretty quickly, and she’d be cooked for a hungry animal to eat, a thought she found most unpleasant. She looked around, keeping an eye open for anything that might help her out. That’s when she spotted a cave in the cliffside not more than ten feet from the waters below. And luckily for her, there was a large, flat rock she could sit upon, further bringing them closer. “Hey, you!” she called, not sure what to call him.14

“Yes?!” he answered, wondering what she was up to.15

“If you are unwilling to come down here, how about we meet halfway?!” she suggested, awaiting his answer.16

“How do you suppose we do that?!” he asked, watching her closely. Halfway might be a good idea. She wouldn’t be close enough to eat him, and he was confident in his own agility and nimble movements to escape if such an occasion arises.17

“There is a wound in the side of the cliff,” she pointed out, “And by the looks of it it should lead somewhere up to your position. If you follow it from your end and reach the cliffside, you and I will be able to meet face to face, and I can give you back your hat.” She took a deep breath, then sighed with relief. All that yelling was getting to her throat, and she would welcome calmer words.18

“Sounds like a plan!” he accepted, scouting the area for any caves that might lead down there. Her plan sounded very reasonable, and as long as there are tree roots growing nearby, he should be safe from withering away. Finally, after a bit of observant searching, he came across the cave, which was larger than he thought it was. He slipped inside and walked down in a spiral, nearly tripping a couple of times it was so steep. He wondered what kind of animal made such a tunnel, but quickly dismissed that thought in fear of actually meeting it. Down, down he went until a patch of sunlight greeted him at the other side. He was a lot closer to the shore than he thought, but a few thick roots lining the side of the cave gave him comfort knowing he wouldn’t die. One danger avoided, but the other was a lot more uncertain.19

She watched the cave after he had disappeared, not letting her attention stray one bit. Finally, he appeared, and with that she slid into the water and swam in his direction. It wasn’t far, and for such a fast swimmer she was there in no time. She splashed out of the water and onto the flat rock where she lay. Now she got a good look at her stranger. He was adorable, but probably the oddest thing she had ever seen. He was short, but then again so was she, and he had the loveliest green eyes that shimmered in the daylight. He had pointed ears, and a long furry tail. He wore a green outfit with a brown belt around the middle, but no pants, although he did wear shoes. He was such a strange creature, but she found him to be quite alluring.20

He was frightened by her sudden surfacing that he nearly fell backwards, but kept his balance. He could see her a lot more clearly now, and found that, while wet, her haired maintained a dry look, as if immune to the water’s effect, and glowed in the radiance of the sun. She was a very long individual, mostly from the tail. Her normal half was the right proportions. She didn’t look dangerous at all, and in fact, he found himself quite taken with this strange girl. Strange was a word he couldn’t stop using. She had some sort of rock in her hair, but a nice rock, that sparkled in the sunlight, and had several grooves along its surface. Unfortunately, she didn’t smell as nice as she looked. It wasn’t a horrible smell, but it wasn’t very pleasant either.21

“Did you want your hat back?” she asked, glad to finally be able to speak normally. She held it up for him to see.22

“As long as you don’t plan on eating me!” he stated, reaching out for it.23

“Wait, what?” she said, surprised, “You thought I was going to eat you?”24

“Yea,” he agreed, blushing a little. “I had never seen something like you before and I was afraid that you might try and eat me.”25

“Same here,” she giggled, “Here, here’s your hat.” She tossed his hat as hard as she could, the hat landing at his feet. He picked it up and put it back on his head, making sure it was on tight.26

“Thanks,” he said, before turning around and heading back up the cave.27

“Wait!” she called out.28

“Yea?” He turned around and went back to the mouth of the cave.29

“How about we talk, find out more about each other, and the worlds we come from?” she asked, a hopeful look in her eyes.30

“Sure, why not?” he shrugged, sitting down on the ledge. And so they did. Quickly, they delved into conversation, and told each other tales of the worlds they lived in. Back and forth, back and forth, further gaining each other’s trust. She told him of the ocean deep, where fish much larger than that of his ponds roamed, and animals such as crabs and octopuses lived amongst her people, the merfolk, who all were half-fish. He told her of the trees, the birds, the wolves, and his people, the elves, who dwelled deep within the forest. All had pointed ears and furry tails, and were very fond of music, playing flutes and drums and having festivals many times a year. Her people didn’t have instruments, but listened to the music of the whales as they sang to each other. For hours they talked, and for hours the flower of love blossomed amongst the two of them.31

But a boy of the forest and a girl of the sea can’t be together, for he cannot leave the forest, and the sun would surely dry her up if she stayed out too long. It was something that crossed their minds as they each returned home, but they had promised to see each other each day at the point where the sun was its highest, and so they did. Now, a couple of months had passed, and their love grew stronger still, despite the odds they faced.32

“Hey there, Eliene,” the elf greeted, a basket of flowers on his arm. He had become accustomed to her scent, and found it delightful now.33

“Hi, Drin,” she replied, carrying a bucket of coral. They had each brought each other a gift, a piece of the world they came from, to give to the other.34

“Eliene, this is for you,” he offered, tossing the basket to her, which she managed to catch. “They are various flowers I picked and sowed to make necklaces. And a rose to go in your beautiful hair.” She blushed at his comment, and tossed him the bucket of coral.35

“I brought you coral to craft into all sorts of shapes,” she suggested, “And a feather from a parrot, something my mother gave to me some time ago. You could put in your hat. Oh, and I found your wand that you told me you lost. I search forever, but I finally found it.” He smiled, nodded and slipped it into the side of the hat, then took his wand and put it into his pocket.36

“How do I look?” he asked.37

“Very handsome,” she replied. Then, she sighed. “You know, I wish we could be together, instead of just merely talking like this. I-I-I care about you, Drin.”38

“As do I, Eliene,” he said, sighing heavily, “As do I. If only….” His voice trailed off as he looked off into the distance, the sun shining brightly in the sky. “We’re like the sun and the moon, constantly chasing after one another but never having the chance to meet.”39

“That’s sad, but romantic,” she cooed, admiring him deeply. Why were they cursed to such lives? It wasn’t fair. All of a sudden, she found herself crying, and quickly dove into the water and away from a stunned Drin. He called out to her, but she kept swimming away. Still, he understood how she felt. He, too, was greatly upset by their predicament, but he had no idea what to do. He couldn’t leave the forest without dying, and he rather not see harm come to her. His mind was heavy with such sad thoughts. He came to a single conclusion. It was for the best, but they should break it off. Otherwise grow up lonely, chasing something they can never have, like the sun and the moon.40

That next day, he went back to the cave, their meeting place, with the question of how to break it off plaguing his mind. How should he tell her? Will she even accept it? Would they be able to stay friends? So many questions, yet no answers. He slipped down the steep spiral until he came to the cave’s mouth and waited. And waited. And waited, yet for hours there was no sign of her anywhere.41

Elsewhere, the young girl swam for her life, exhausted yet unable to stop. She had gone to see the young elf a tad early, eagerly awaiting his arrival. Yet while sitting upon her rock, several humans enjoying a day at the beach spotted her, and now several frightening men from one of those wooden behemoths chased her endlessly, striking at her with all sorts of weapons, from the massive spears that had slain whales, to the bird-killing arrows. They had trapped her in shallow water, and she was unable to swim back into the depths of the ocean. She’d lead them away from her and Drin’s meeting spot so that he wouldn’t have to suffer the same fate as her. Finally, she began to slow, tired from constant running. That’s when an arrow pierced her back, stunning her. She began blacking out, feeling a net drift around her and pull her from the ocean. She heard them speak to each other, muttering how they’d bet rich. They went ashore, dragging her along the sand when she got a second wind. She screamed out in agony, desperately trying to free herself. She bit at the roped, her tail managing to keep the men away. Alas, it wouldn’t be long before she did from the loss of blood, but as long as they didn’t get her, she didn’t care. She only worried about what would happen to Drin. She figured he would move on and find a girl he could actually be with, instead of a monster like herself.42

Drin began nodding off as the hours drifted by. Where was she? He was very worried about her now, and severely hoped nothing bad had happened to her. That’s when he heard her scream, and quickly looked around, finding a few humans dragging her in the sand. He rushed up to the top of the cliff to get a better look, unsheathing his wand along the way. He had to help her, he had to save her. He was going to protect her, for her loved her so much more than his own life.43

“Okay mischievous wind,” he called out, “Listen to me and listen good. We may not be on good terms. I have always cursed your existence, but I am a wood elf, a friend of nature, and so is Eliene. I love her, and I want to protect her, so please?! Help me?” With that, he waved his wand and leapt off the ledge, his heart pounding. Down, down he went, hope fading away quickly, when all of a sudden, a gust of wind pick him up and carried him over to her. He cheered, for he finally mastered his magical talent. Now, he set his sights on her and the humans that were trying to capture her.44

“Let her go!” she heard a voice demand. She looked up to find Drin fall from the sky and land in front of her, spooking the humans. She was so proud of him, to see him mastering the wind. Her heart fluttered in his presence, and her love for him soared. He turned to her and winked, and she swooned.45

“I’m here to protect you, as long I am alive to do so,” he promised, and with that, waved his wand again, summoning a small whirlwind to take her suppressors away. After, he helped her out of the net, tossing it aside. But, as he did that, he fell to his knees, breathing heavily. He had left the forest, his place of sanctity, and now he was going to pass away, for without the protection of the forest, he can’t survive. She screamed as she dragged herself to his side, embracing him for the first time. He put a hand around her, only to feel the arrow sticking out of her back. He looked at the blood, and saw the red-stained sand beneath them. He stared into her eyes, tears welling up.46

“I’m sorry, I should have protected you, but I didn’t,” he sighed, leaning into her, his body fading. She could feel life draining from her body, but managed a bit more strength, her eyesight darkening.47

“Don’t be, because it’s my fault. I brought the humans here,” she muttered, blaming herself. He placed a hand on her cheek, fighting with all his strength to live.48

“Fate may be against us, but our love is stronger, and no matter what, we will be together,” he groaned, pulling her face to his and kissing her softly. In that moment, both their lives faded away, but they didn’t stop existing. No, they went on in spirit and finally found a way to be together.49