Princess of the Ocean

A great storm is heard, strong rain, there is lightning, thunder and big waves from my mad ocean. As I emerge from the sea I feel my memories disappearing. “What’s going on!?” That’s the only thing that I get to say but no one answers, I’m by myself. I am out of the water now, the rain tastes so sweet and the air is like nothing I’ve felt before. I lay down on the soft sand and close my eyes; meanwhile, I try to remember who and what I am, but I can’t. I turn to get comfortable and try to sleep. In my dreams I see a princess, a princess of the ocean. Is it a mermaid? I think. It is not, it’s a… A jellyfish? Yeah! It’s a Jellyfish Princess, that’s weird. Wait, is- is that me!? 

I wake up really confused, I stand up and see a little girl standing in front of me, with a little shovel in one hand and a bucket in the other. “Are you okay miss?” she asks. I can't really speak her language but I nod and smile in gratitude. “I see you're wearing a fancy, violet pouf dress, are you a princess?” I understand the little girl likes princesses and that she is really curious about me. Suddenly I am able to talk with human words as if someone had told me how to say what I wanted to. “Wearing a dress doesn’t make you a princess, my love.” I say. She looks confused. “Okay… and what about the crown you're wearing?” I take my hands to my head searching and find a golden crown covered in sand. A memory rushes into my mind, it’s kind of a water serpent but it is huge and violet. It’s bowing down to me as if I was a princess, the ocean’s princess maybe? 

Now I remember it’s not a what, it’s a who. Her name is Devora dragon of the water, daughter of Hydra the dragon of multiple heads. She- She is my friend, my best friend. I see Devora was trapped, but in what? What is that? I look back at the little girl who was staring at me as if I was crazy. I smile “Excuse me, where are we?” I ask, trying not to sound crazy. “Southern part of Santa Monica’s Beach, California,” she pauses to look at me top to bottom, “Are you sure you're okay? Did you hit your head or something?” I look around for something that looks similar to the artefact where Devora is being captive. That’s it! “And… what is that?” I point at the artefact that seems to be floating in the water. “That is a boat, did you hit your head or something?” she repeats. I love the fact that she cares so much about me. “I’m okay, baby. I’m just new around here.” Her face lights up with joy. “Well, it just happens that I’ve lived here my whole life, maybe I can show you around. I- I mean if you want.” I’m not sure if this will be a safe adventure but she seems really nice and she might help. “What’s your name?”, I ask. “Shannon, with two ‘n’” she answers smiling. I giggle, “Well, Shannon with two ‘n’, let’s go explore California!” 

Shannon starts walking and I follow. We get to a place called ‘Santa Monica Pier’ which, according to Shannon, is an amusement park; to have fun. She bought two water bottles and two big ‘Hot Dogs’ which seemed to be bread with sausage and sauce. “What are we going to do here?” I ask as I finish my ‘Hot Dog’. “Everything!!” she replies, her smile is so contagious that it makes me smile too, “but first, sit down.” Shannon sits down in a rock and I sit beside her, looking at the sea. “What are we doing?” I say. “This is called admiring the view.” she says. I look at the horizon and take a deep breath. “I like admiring the view.” I say, while I look back at Shannon. A tear from her closed eyes runs down her cheek, but she is still smiling. “Are you okay?” I ask. “Yes,” she says, wiping her tears away and turning to me. “You don't seem okay,” I say. “I’m okay, it’s just… my dad,” Shannon seems to be sad now, “He died two years ago, sailing these same seas.” She looks back at the ocean. “I’m sorry,” I say wiping another tear from her face. “I’m sorry to… But it’s okay. Now… we need to get to know each other,” she says facing towards me again. “Why?” I ask confused. “I won’t go around with a stranger.” she says laughing.  

“Okay, you start.” I say. “Fine. I’m Shannon, I’m 10, my dad died two years ago and my mom works at ‘Le Méridien Delfina Santa Monica’, a hotel. Your turn.” Shannon looks at me intensely. “Okay… I’m Violette, I’m 18, my dad is…” I can’t remember, so I close my eyes and try with all my heart. It is a matter of seconds until I remember. And now, there it was, a memory. I see a man, he must be my dad, and he's crying by the sea. There is something else, in the sea, talking to him. It’s a jellyfish woman, as the one of my dream, but this isn’t me, even though we do look alike. She must be my mom, but why would my dad be crying for my mom? It’s in this moment that something comes out of my mouth without me knowing what I am saying. “My dad is a king and my mom was his queen. She died when I was five. Some sailors were hunting her, so she left, that way, they would find my dad and me. When she thought she lost them, she started her way back but they found her and killed her.” Shannon looks sad and confused. “What do you mean hunting her? King of what?” she asks. I take some strength and spill it out. I tell her what’s going on, my memory loss, my dream, everything. “So… you are a Jellyfish Princess of the ocean?” Shannon asks. “I think so, yeah, basically.”

Well, now Shannon knows the truth. “What are we going to do about Devora?” she asks me. “I don’t know.” We stand up. “Let’s go inside.” Shannon says. We get inside the huge amusement park, trying to have some fun, which is kind of difficult due to what’s going on. We played every single game, and now it’s getting dark. Shannon said it would be nice if we went for a walk by the sea, so we’re here now, walking. “Violette, why do you think you’re here?” she asks innocently. “I guess I’m here to save Devora…” Before I can continue my sentence, something comes out of the ocean. It’s huge head comes towards me and bows. “It’s nice to see you, Violette.” says the creature. “Wh- who are you?” I ask terrified. “I’m Devora, you silly girl.” All our memories go rapidly through my mind. “Oh my! Devora I remember you!” I lean on her bowed head and remember my memory of Devora being captive in a boat. “Wait, you were being held captive in a boat, weren’t you?” I say really confused. “Yes, I was, but that was years ago when we were still young, your mom saved me, don’t you remember?” I look at Shannon who is really amazed by Devora. “But my mom is dead, right?” I’m say even more confused. “She sure is, and that was because she saved me… ”

“Let me help you remember. When I was still a small and insignificant dragon whelp, or baby dragon, as humans may say, my mother Hydra, the dragon of multiple heads, lost sight of me for a moment. I was in the sea playing. Before she noticed, some sailors found me, and they locked me up in a cage. My mom couldn’t do anything because she is not a water dragon, so she asked your mom for help. She saved me and told me to go as fast I could, and I did. That was the last thing I heard from her before my mom told me that… ” Devora pauses sadly. “That the hunters killed her, I remember that part.” I say finishing her sentence. “It’s okay.” I answer to Shannon and Devora’s sorry faces. “But what is Violette doing here then?” Shannon asked Devora. “She was sent here by her dad, for a day, to study humans and figure out what we, the ocean mythical creatures as they may say, are dealing with.” Shannon gets surprised and takes a step back. “One day? So… does she need to leave now?” she asks and her beautiful smile disappears. “When the sun is no longer seen, she will turn back to her Jellyfish Mermaid form.” I notice Shannon getting really sorrowful about that, so I say the first thing that comes to my mind. “We’ll come here every night to visit, it's a promise. Right, Devora?” Devora smiles. “Of course” she says. Shannon begins to cry and I hug her. When she stops crying, we lay down on the sand and Devora lays her head beside Shannon. We’re just there, Shannon starts petting Devora’s head and I turn back to my Jellyfish Princess form as I look at the stars, admiring the view.

The End