The Mermaid of the Lake

Mermaid of the Lake

Once upon a time, in a land far, far away, there lived a beautiful woman. Now, this woman was no ordinary Sleeping Beauty or Snow White. No, she was beautiful in her own way. This woman had been named Eve, for she was as beautiful as the evening sky. Her eyes were a deep, soft blue that would shimmer in the moonlight. Her black hair would float about her body and frame her face like a blanket of thick, flowing fog. Her lips were a soft pink, and her skin was smooth and a pale peach color.

Now, this woman had been married to a man; a powerful sorcerer. He was the most powerful in all the land. He even had his own mansion and personal lake. He was not as beautiful as Eve, or even as young for he was already quite a years ahead of her. So, why would he have her? Simply because he was powerful. He had taken Eve from her parents and married her for a sum of money. He kept her like a treasure: praised, loved materially, and locked away. However, Eve remained loyal to the sorcerer. She even let herself think she loved him.

The powerful sorcerer had many servants, maids, and allies. A well-respected man should have all of those things; along with a beautiful wife. Evian had her own personal servant: a young, handsome man. He was Eve’s age, and life seemed to treat him rather unfairly for he seemed more suited to be a kind warrior or prince. This young man was Eve's favorite, for he did everything for her.

However, the sorcerer grew extremely jealous of this young man and blamed Eve for having him as a servant, even though he had chosen the young boy himself. While Eve and the servant were having tea in her room, the angry sorcerer burst in, blinded by jealousy.

He simply pointed his finger at the boy, and he closed his eyes with his heart still. Eve was shocked at what had happened and picked herself up and backed into a corner. The furious sorcerer stepped up to her and grabbed her by her beautiful hair.

"A curse upon you! You ,who can not, keep your beauty only to me, will be cursed to an eternity living in the shadows! Should you ever love again, may be your only resolve!" the sorcerer cursed Eve and dragged her to the lake. He then summoned his powers, and with a wave of his hand, the lake swallowed Evian.


Many years passed by and many decades came and went, still the sorcerer lived. He had replaced his beautiful wife with many concubines that showered him with fake love. He had forgotten about his wife, Eve, and moved on to be filled with corruption and greed. The sorcerer was near the vast lake with his many concubines entertaining them with simple magic tricks. The lake shimmered in the sun and reflected a clear, crystal water blue. In the very center, was a small island of sand and rock. There were small reeds that grew here and there on the island and lake shore.

On the island, something shimmered faintly. It caught the sorcerer's attention and dragged his eyes away from his empty-souled concubines. The sorcerer recognized it as one of his precious stones. Now, being very greedy, he intended to go get it. He excused himself from the group of concubines and soon rowed out towards the island. Once he had arrived, he was furious. It was not one of his precious stones, it was merely a piece of colored glass. The sorcerer was quite annoyed and angry at the little piece of glass and picked it up to throw it into the lake.

Just as he was about to throw it, something grabbed him by his long robes and beard and dragged him in. The sorcerer gurgled and screamed, but the concubines only fled in terror. The sorcerer was caught by surprise and scrambled to cling to the shore. His fingers dug into the sand, but it was futile. He was dragged in quickly, screaming and flailing, until no more could be heard. Only a few bubbles surface the water and broke the silence.

A mermaid climbed onto shore with her two arms. Her hair was black, but short and bedraggled. A grim smile crossed her face as she sat on the shore. Her scales had turned skull-bleached white on the inside and black on the outside. Black fins had given away to dark red shades as they were sprawled out on the sand. She was thin, lithe, graceful, and also poisoned. She was poisoned by her own hatred.

This mermaid was reminiscent of the late Eve. No, this mermaid was Eve! But, it was only a hollow form of herself. This Eve had been consumed by hatred for the sorcerer. So consumed, that it poisoned her body. She cut her beautiful hair that men once praised and it slowly turned white on it’s ragged ends. Eve, had come out for revenge among men.

As she sat on the shore, she gave a laugh, an evil laugh. It was once hers, but now it was only a laugh that meant delirium and hatred. It resounded through the forests, the mansion, and even the nearby village.  What was once a kind Evian, was now a vengeful mermaid.

The lake that surrounded her soon started to become a dark red from the sorcerer’s remains. It spread throughout like a disease and made the sand it washed upon tinged with red. Crows flew far off, as if fleeing a disease or unknown evil, and cried unheard warnings to all. This new Eve would live eternally, for mermaids can not die. She is preserved as the woman she once was many decades ago.


500 years passed by and all abandoned the mansion and lake. The villagers left and people avoided going near the lake. Many thought it to be haunted for many men who neared the lake rarely left it alive. Tales were told of an evil mermaid who would drown men to their deaths. Many forgot the once legendary and beautiful woman Evian and the evil sorcerer, for many say that they were the first victims of the mermaid. The lake became a dark, bloody red and the shore was said to have scattered bones of men.

A traveler from a distant land had happened to pass by the abandoned mansion. It was not at all haunted, but nature had taken its course over it. It was not haunted in any means, because the lake was quite a walk away. Although, one would notice the surrounding forest had an empty sense, as if life had abandoned hope there.

The traveler had once been a strong leader of an army. However, he had been captured in battle, taken to camp, and kept. Until, he had finally run away. He ran from his land and ended in this one. The traveler’s name was Freyn. Freyn had never heard of the tale of the mermaid and the lake and so, went to stay for the night in the empty mansion. He peacefully slept that night, but couldn’t help but feel like the forest beyond was devoid of life.

The next day, Freyn had went to the village and noticed that it was completely empty. He wondered at this, but decided to move on because it, too, was taken over by nature. The next village was not too far away and only south of the vacant one. There, he heard the tale of the mermaid. An old woman offering him a place of rest had weaved the tale for him:

“Many, many years ago, a beautiful woman once lived with her great husband. The husband was sorcerer! But, he was not prepared for what the lake had held. They were sailing in the lake, enjoying their prosperous and loving marriage, when suddenly...both! Both had been taken in by the evil mermaid! Soon, she started only having a taste for men! Yes, only men satisfied her. They say that at night, she becomes a blind, beautiful woman and entrances men to their death! To this day, she still lives in that lake. And to this day, that lake is now red! Red with the color of the men’s blood. Bones fill the lake and shore! Spirits and ghosts haunt it and no man who nears it ever comes out alive.”

Of course, he thought this was a very funny tale for he knew that old ladies like to exaggerate stories for little children. He asked her what happened to those who survived the lake, just to satisfy her.

“Oh, only those men who give offerings may leave peacefully. The mermaid only accepts peaches and wine.” Freyn chuckled to himself for he only thought this was an old wives tale. He fell asleep after greeting the old woman good night.

The next morning, he left the kind woman’s house and decided to go to the lake to humor himself. He was never firm in superstitions and thought it to be entertaining or just a myth. He walked to the mansion and remembered that the lake was nearby. He stepped through the mansion and followed straight through the forest. Although it was growing, life seemed devoid here. It was eerily silent, and nothing made sound. All that could be heard was the gentle rocking of water in the lake.

Freyn had arrived at the lake and was surprised! He never thought that what the woman had said was true! He gazed at the slight scattering of bones and the dark red water. In it, he could see a fin splashing through. Scared, although determined, he left the lake before he was noticed. He quickly traveled back to the town and took his supplies with him. He had taken an abandoned cart from the empty village and tied the horse he was traveling on to it. The cart seemed out of place from the empty village, as if some people had suddenly left it. Freyn had then prepared offerings of wine and peaches to be taken down to the lake. He had also prepared a trap for the mermaid. A strong wooden box, within a steel cage, was made. The top was removable and a seeing hole was allowed. He purchased some sturdy rope and left for the lake once more.

Freyn arrived at the lake the next day, for he wanted to get up early to raise the offerings. He arrived at the lake and noticed that the mermaid was still asleep, for the lake was very still. He left the offerings of peaches and a bottle of wine on the shore with a trap around it. Rope had been buried in the sand around the offerings and he planned to capture the mermaid. With the mermaid gone, Freyn thought he could regain his position as a leader of armies through fame.

Hours had gone by and finally the mermaid had woken up. She glanced briefly at the shore and started to swim to collect her offerings. She climbed onto shore with her two hands and leaned over the gift. Happily, she began to drink and eat the meal.

Freyn had been watching behind a nearby bush and had the rope poised. The box was opened and ready to receive whatever was put into it. Freyn pulled on the rope fiercely and bound the mermaid. The mermaid screamed and dropped her food trying to crawl back to shore. Her tail whipped about her and she resisted the rope with all her might. But, it was futile. Without the water, she had no power.

The mermaid was dragged into the box and sealed there. She pounded and screamed and cursed at Freyn, but he only ignored her. Finally, she tired herself out and became silent. Freyn latched the box to the cart and had the horse pull it. Luckily for the horse, the mermaid was quite light-weight.

After some hours of traveling, Freyn thought he should feed the mermaid. He opened the latch covering and lifted down some peaches and wine once more to placate her. The mermaid looked up at Freyn fiercely her eyes locked in his. Freyn gazed back and thought how beautiful she was. Though wily, there was a wild, frisky look to her. Her blue eyes entranced him and her now dry hair was held like a fog around her face. The mermaid only snapped at him with a hurtful response and he closed the lid.

Freyn continued on his way thinking deeply. She seemed so beautiful...too beautiful to be held as a trophy. His heart seemed to race against his mind. No longer did he want to have fame and glory of the battle. No, he only wanted to be with the mermaid. Although she was bitter and angry, Freyn decided to commit himself to saving her from her own hatred.

The sun soon started to set and Freyn rested his horse and prepared camp. While preparing fire (quite foolishly for he could only find a few good sticks), he suddenly heard a cry! It came from the box where the mermaid was kept and he rushed to it thinking she was somehow injured. The cry let out was painful and slightly whimpering. As if, someone was suddenly struck from behind with the fastest and sharpest arrow.

Freyn had opened the lid of the box, only to find a human! He looked, puzzled at the human, and figured it was the mermaid because she looked the same as the mermaid. Freyn thought for a moment and realized it was the mermaid. He remembered the old woman's tale about how the mermaid would transform at night into a blind, human girl. Deciding that she was helpless for she was blind, he lifted her out of the box and onto the ground next to him.

Also, since she was a mermaid only covered decently by scales, Freyn thought it to be a good idea to clothe her. Dressed in his soft robes, the human girl was warm and cuddled into the clothing. Freyn thought how vulnerable she was right now. Without the water, the mermaid could easily be taken and controlled. Freyn dismissed these thoughts, for he didn't want to damage what already was. He could sense a bitterness for being taken out of the lake and carried around from the mermaid. It was present in her face and in her being. The way she only stared into nothingness with her clouded, blind eyes and her pursed lips emanated bitterness.

"...my name is Freyn." he began. The girl only ignored him and looked away from the voice.

"I took you because I thought it'd be better for everyone. Also, it'd be better for yourself. Maybe, you could start to feel better about others." Freyn tried to explain. The mermaid continued to ignore him. Treating him only harshly was the result of 500 years or more of anger. Freyn took her hand and she resisted. He almost let go because he felt how soft she was; as smooth as water itself and smelled of rain. He grasped her hand tightly and placed in it, a soft peach. Another attempt to please her and possibly open her mind to him. The girl took the peach and started to eat it slowly, but with wide, hungry bites.

"What is your name?" Freyn asked. There was a long silence and only the soft chewing of the peach when she finally responded.

"My name is Eve." she muttered. Freyn perked up his head at this sudden response. He thought it would take days to get her to speak, but now she has! Freyn nodded at this delicate response; any wrong word and everything might break. He sat in silence with Evian for the rest of the night and waited for her to get tired. Once she showed signs of fatigue, he lifted her into her cage once more.

The following day, Eve was a mermaid once more. And those days were followed by silence from her. For many days, Freyn could only use simple gestures of kindness to show her that he was not like all men; to pacify Eve's anger. He even opened his heart to Evian to show he wasn't cold and heartless. Through those many days, Eve was greeted happily by Freyn and treated well. At night, she would refuse to accept any sort of help and stumbled blindly in the darkness. Though slowly, Freyn made his way in. Eve stumbled once and Freyn caught her and lowered her gently to the ground.

It was only after traveling for three months did Eve show a single kind response.

"Thank you." were the two words that began a long sentence.

"Thank you for showing me, in my bitterness, that you are different among men. I am, of course, still holding onto my hatred of all the rest...but you are different." she said rigidly. It seemed to come out almost as an apology for her ways. Freyn took this to heart and embraced her tightly, for it meant he had a chance at winning her love. Slowly, Eve opened up her heart to Freyn and their conversations increased with their friendship. Freyn fell in love more and more with Evian-for it was not just her entrancing beauty that drew him in-but it was really her whole self.

Eve questioned herself everyday with her newfound feelings. She questioned the justice in her gender prejudiced revenge and the hardness of her heart. 500 years had made Eve so struck with new feelings that were long forgotten. However, there was one last wall to the curse that bound Eve to her state. Even she did not know of this. With being a mermaid, came complications. In order to be free of the curse, she had to love. That, she remembered from the corrupt sorcerer's words. It could not just be any love, no it had be true to the mind and soul.

But to love is not just the key to the end.

Although the months went by and Eve loved Freyn throughout her whole body, she had to commit one more step in becoming a true human once more. Freyn had visited a good witch when their love was not making through to the curse. The good witch only had these words to follow:

"A mermaid's wish, is of one but danger. All mermaids fear to be human-for they lose what will make the human. Choose wisely what you really want. Death is the key to humanity."

Freyn accepted this and so did Evian because the good witch was bound to only speak in riddles. Eve, being the smarter half, knew what she must do. They left the good witch's domain; Freyn puzzled and Eve troubled. Every night, Eve pretended to sleep, only to hear the witch's words echo in her mind. She wanted to be with Freyn in whatever way possible; but should she really go through with it? Internally, she cursed the sorcerer that made her like this and men of his kind. Torn apart, she slept restlessly each night. To be human, was to be able to be free once more. But to stay bound to the curse, was to be imprisoned and miserable.

And so, each night, Eve lay awake and hesitated. Clutching a small knife, she couldn't bring herself to do it. Every night, she feared what would happen to her. To lose what would make her human, would make her die.

Eve was without Freyn one night, for he had been sent by Eve to wait in the forest. Thinking it to be a romantic surprise, Freyn waited; and waited; and waited; and waited. Worried and confused, he came back to the camp at which they were staying.

Eve left herself in a mess. She clamped leather in her mouth and let out tiny screams. Though immortal, Eve could feel every bit of pain a human could. Her heart was clutched in one hand, still beating freshly and pulsing. The arteries severed and blood trailed everywhere. Freyn, horrified, he came to Eve and panicked. She seemed alive, but hollow. Her eyes were dilated and her body was cold. The heart in her hand stopped pulsing and lay still. Freyn cried at her side, confused and bewildered as to why she would do such a thing.

Freyn took her body and placed it in a casket full of flowers. For three days he mourned the loss of his love, tears making his eyes puffy and his body numb to everything. He continued onward, not eating or sleeping, but just traveling to a sacred place where all souls could rest forever. However, Freyn had not looked once at Eve's cold and still body. He would burst into tears at the sight of her.

Eve's body was quite still and pale, but showed no signs of death. She remained the same for those three days and the flowers around her seemed to prosper even though they were held to no ground. What was most strange, was how Eve's body stayed. Normally, mermaids revert back to their form in death; enchantments, curses or not. And for three days, Eve lay still and almost like she was sleeping.

On the third day, Freyn arrived at the sacred place and only rested before then to treat his horse. He arrived there and carried Eve's body to the temple of the sacred place. He arrived at the burial ground at twilight, carrying Eve's soft body with him. Fireflies hovered here and there and mist rolled in. The sun set; setting the sky on fire.

Suddenly, Freyn felt a warmness. He glanced down at Eve, unsure of what it was, and saw the hole in her chest was recovered with a small sapphire gem inset. Eve slowly opened her eyes and looked up at Freyn. Her blue eyes were reflecting his tearful ones for a few seconds. Freyn could not believe it. Eve was truly alive once more. He held her close and stifled cries of joy into her shoulder.

Eve laughed softly "Why are you upset? I was only taking a nap."