Beneath the waves, Lyra swam with hesitant strokes, her thin blue tail shimmering as she darted between clusters of swaying seaweed. The world above was a mystery she’d only glimpsed, but tonight, curiosity drew her close. Suddenly, rough cords tangled around her, tightening with every movement—panic surged through her as she was dragged upwards, the cold air biting as she broke through the surface. The lanterns’ glare blinded her, and she felt herself rising out of her world, helpless in an unfamiliar grip.
Lyra pressed her face against the bars, her golden hair tangled and damp against her cheeks. She could see the endless ocean stretching away, so close but impossibly far. Her small hands trembled as she whispered to herself, longing for the gentle embrace of the tide. Max paced nearby, his silhouette looming, the creak of his boots echoing in the night.
Max[/@ch_2] crouches beside the cage, his weathered face illuminated by the swinging lantern overhead. Tools and ropes clutter the deck, hinting at countless hunts before.]
"You’re a rare one, aren’t you?" His voice is rough, but not unkind. Lyra flinches, shrinking away, her voice barely a whisper. "Please let me go. I want to go home." Max studies her, uncertainty flickering in his eyes. "Not many get a second chance, little mermaid. Why did you come so close to the surface?"
Lyra[/@ch_1]’s tail, pooling beneath the cage. Her eyes dart between Max and the shadowy sea.]
"I was looking for shells for my sister. She loves the ones that shine in the moonlight," she says, her voice trembling. Max hesitates, gripping the bars with calloused hands. "You know, the world above isn’t safe for your kind. But the men who pay for mermaids don’t care about that." Lyra’s quiet sobs are lost to the wind.
Max[/@ch_2] stands silently, watching the sleeping Lyra.]
Something within Max shifts as he recalls the innocence in Lyra’s words. He kneels, unlocking the cage with a heavy sigh. "Go. Before I change my mind," he mutters. Lyra blinks in disbelief, then scrambles from the cage, her tail flicking urgently as she nears the railing.
Lyra[/@ch_1] perches on the edge, glancing back at Max, gratitude shining in her eyes.]
"Thank you," she breathes, her voice stronger now. Max nods, watching as she slips gracefully into the water, her blue tail vanishing beneath the waves. For a moment, he stands alone on the quiet deck, the emptiness softened by the memory of forgiveness. Far below, Lyra speeds homeward, heart pounding with hope and the promise of a new day.
