-March 15th of 1964

A curly haired boy shivers in the cold rain as he carries the last of the firewood inside. Stomping his muddy boots on the rug, the curly haired boy slams the door shut with one foot. Hurrying over to the fire, the boy carefully, but swiftly places the logs onto the log pile. Letting out a sigh, the boy huddles next to the fire as his clothes drip puddles of water onto the floor.

“Young man, how many times have I told you to hang your wet clothes on the brass hook!” A silver-haired older woman harped with a glint of tenderness in her eyes as she sternly placed her hands on her hips.

“Sorry, grandmama,” the boy hastily said as he rushed over to hang his coat on the wooden hock, before returning to the fire.

“Bah, leave the boy alone,” a snow white-haired man grumbled back.

The older woman narrows her eyes at her husband, before turning away with her nose in the air and letting out a hmph. The older man grins at his grandson, who cheekily grins back now that his grandmama’s back was turned. Scurrying over to his grandfather, the boy says, “Grandpapa, tell me the story!”

Grandpapa smiles and says, “Well, I suppose one tale can’t possibly do you any harm.” Grandmama let’s out a snort from the kitchen but does not protest.

The boy’s eyes glow expectantly as he waits for his grandfather to begin. “Once upon a time, a long time ago, there was a young Mer-princess known to all as the little mermaid. The little mermaid was the youngest daughter of the widowed Mer-King and had five older sisters who were all the most beautiful creatures to be seen under the sea, but the most beautiful of all was the little mermaid who was as beautiful as a sea pearl. All was well as the sea was full of wonder and joy, but alas that was to change upon the eldest sister turning fifteen.

For you see, a special event transpires on a mermaid’s fifteenth birthday for said mermaid is permitted to swim to the surface to glimpse the world above. And so, each time the little mermaid’s sisters turn came and went, they would return with incredible tales of the world above.

The little mermaid would listen longingly to their tales and eagerly awaited her turn that would not come for many years. Finally, after much wait, the little mermaids time came, and she was permitted to rise to see the world above. With wonder in her eyes, the little mermaid saw every sight as a marvel.

Curious, the little mermaid even approached a human ship. On board the ship, there was a grand celebration being held in the prince’s honor. Instantly, the young mermaid princess fell maddingly in love with the handsome prince. But, suddenly and most mysteriously, a violent wind arose and sunk the ship. Amid the sinking ship, the little mermaid spotted her prince and dove to save him. With tender, love, and care, the mermaid princess delivered her prince the shore. However, the prince upon awakening and discovering the strange half fish woman near him, the prince fearfully drew his dagger and slew his unknown savior.

Furious upon discovering the treachery of the human prince, the Mer-King swore to destroy the nearby kingdom of the prince. Ferocious storms destroyed any sailing ship and fisherman boats no longer caught fish and thus most surely man began to starve and despair.

The prince’s father, the King was furious with the prince’s decision and cast the prince out, stating, that the prince could only return until the Mer-King’s wrath had been appeased. And if that very price was the prince’s life so be it.

Enraged at being so unjustly so, the prince rushed to a forgotten swamp where land and sea freely meet. There deep in the forgotten swamp was a Swamp Witch, who could walk on land and swim just as freely in the sea.

The prince upon finding the green-skinned Swamp Witch says, “Oh, great Swamp Witch, grant me thy power to destroy the sea kingdom.”

“Nay, mortal prince for I cannot, I am merely a simple Swamp Witch,” the Swamp Witch firmly declared, before carefully adding, “But I know of a way to make the Mer-King change his mind, that is if you are willing to pay the price.”

“Anything,” the prince swore.

“Very well, all ye need is to take possession of the looking glass of thy King father. Take the looking glass to the center of the caste and place it upon the stand there,” the Swamp Witch hissed, “But be forewarned young Prince should you gaze into the reflection of the looking glass a terrible thing shall come to be for that which resides within shall be unleashed.”

The foolish prince ignored the Swamp Witches warning. That very night, the foolish prince returned and snuck into his father’s castle to take possession of the looking glass of his father. With ease, the prince found which he sought and raced towards the center of the castle. However, just before the prince was to place the looking glass onto the center stand a glint of reflection in the looking glass caught his eye.

Ignoring the Swamp Witches warning, the foolish prince raised the looking glass and gazed into its reflection. The prince suddenly lets out a scream as the looking glass slipped out of his hand and shattered onto the stone floor. The prince clutched his head as a terrible horrifying transformation began to occur until a terrifying bloodthirsty beast stood in the prince’s shoes. With a fierce howl, the former prince had become a terrible beast. In a single night’s work, the beast would destroy every living soul in the castle, before being slaughtered by the remaining surviving Kingdom’s brave knights and sorcerers.

When word reached the Mer-King appeased by the most, terrible account, the Mer-King withdrew his wrath from the seas and the seas grew calm once more and the fish returned. With all at peace the people lived happily ever after, the end-,” Grandpapa said.

“But grandpapa, that’s it?!” The boy complained.

“Didn’t you learn anything from the tale?” Grandpapa asked.

The boy frowns and carefully replies, “Be careful of what you wish for and don’t judge others by their appearance?”

“Good, now let’s clean up for supper lest grandmama bite my head off,” Grandpapa good-naturedly declared. The boy lets out a groan but does as he is told.

Suddenly, the town’s bell tower begins to urgently ring. Grandpa and Grandma stare each other for a briefest of seconds before grandma hurriedly begins to pack. “Put on your coat, quickly, boy!” Grandpa hissed as he swiftly put on his own coat.

The boy stares in confusion never having heard the town’s bell tower ring before. “What’s going on grandpapa?”

Grandpapa hastily puts on his cap and coat only pausing to say, “Pirates.” Bewildered the boy is dragged out of his house by his grandmother, while his Grandpa hitches the horses to the wagon.

“But grandma, you left the door open!” The boy protested.

“That is the least of our concern,” Grandma hastily said as she climbed into the wagon and pulled her grandson after her.

Grandpa swiftly climbs onto the wagon and whips the horses forward as the wagon rolls forward in the mud. Soon enough the horses race away from the towns outskirt for the inner mainland. Minutes later, brawny men rush forward and begin to pillage everything within the abandoned home, before rushing elsewhere. By the time help arrived most of the citizens of the town would be slaughtered or taken away to be sold as slaves. And, once there is one pirate raid there surely is to be more to come.