The merchants new life

by Jade Copperfield

Chapter 10 Merfolk Child

I opened my eyes to notice that it was still dark. So I begin crawling out from under the bench, when I was almost out I began picking myself up but I hit my back on the bench and I fell back down. I crawled out entirely this time and stood up to go check my items. After a few minutes rummaging through my pack I noted that I have everything.

I looked at my shirt that I took off last night and thought" I should clean this".I grabbed everything and began walking down the streets to any place that looked like the place they did the laundry but I couldn't find it after a few minutes so I decided to just head toward the outside of town. I began walking on sand for actually I think my first time. If you don't count that random sand you can find in clearings or in dojos. But real nothing but sandy ground, I hated how it shifted after each step I took.

I continued walking until the sun started rising and I decided to take in the sight. The sun reflected on the water not like a circle but a burning horizon that looked to be engulfed in flames. I stared at the sight for a little longer until I decided to continue walking. I walked until I could put a house in the port town in between two of my claws.

I went over to the edge of the water and began trying to get the blood stain out of my shirt. It took a long time but I managed to get rid of most of the color. Unfortunately the color decided to run and give my previously white shirt with blue hems into a very light pink shirt with blue hems. It also didn't help that my shirt was now soaked with salt water and even if I dried it there will still be salt on it and it may shrivel a inch.

"This will have to do for now, and damn I really liked this shirt".I carried the shirt on my shoulder as I began walking back toward the town and unfortunately now whenever I touched my chest my wounds would start burning like there on fire. It caused me to sharply inhale a couple times but it passed oddly quickly.

As I was walking back I noticed something on the beach that wasn't there before. I stopped a second and focused my vision on the lump that looked like the exact color of the rising sun. It seemingly shined a fiery orange as I walked toward it similarly like when you stalked prey or snuck past hostile groups. So I was basically leaning slightly backward with my left arm in front hanging, and my right in similar shape while also in air except on my right. I also had my right paw pointed right while my left was pointed forward. When I was about five meters away I got a better view of what it was.

It looked similar to a fish but it also looked like it had the top of a human if I read the book correctly last night. Where legs would probably be there was a large green fin that had two smaller fins laying down on it's back that were sea green at base but went to the same shade as most of the lower half. The upper body was mostly a very light shade of green to the point it was basically white, it also had another pair of fins that looked to be where arms should be on any other creature. It's top half judging from its back seemed to be a male figure, it's head had what seemed like hair but it didn't look like you could see individual strands. The ends were green while the top was white.

I stared at it for a couple of seconds to figure out why it was here after all I didn't see it at all on my way through."Why is there a aquatic creature on a beach and why didn't I see it while I was walking after all I paid attention to everything on the beach even the seashells that I know will never be worth anything".

I decided to poke it to see if it would stir and it did by one of its arm fins moving slightly. I stood back up and looked at the creature again, and honestly the creature didn't look like it could ever hope to survive on land. So with nothing better to do and another possible preventable death I started trying to pick it up.

I took off my coat and pack before I began to pick it up. I put one arm under the chest area and another under the tail fin and picked it up slowly. When I started picking it up I noticed it was actually face first in the ground which most likely means that it may have got swept ashore or it crawled onto land for whatever reason. I started feeling the sand that caked the creatures front and how annoying it was as I slowly hobbled into the ocean. When I was knee high I laid it on the surface of the water and I began slowly moving back when I felt something hold my shoulder. I was also unfortunately wincing due to my wounds since cuts and salt don't mix.

"Mr. can you turn around". It sounded like a little boy with the unfortunately grating that makes me hate talking to children. I turned around slowly to see the creature I just put down less than a second ago wake up and swimming with seemingly no problem.

"Do you know where I am"? I looked at the boy and gave the most emotionless response I could.

"Your just outside Port Dorade or this is still part of it but I found you lying in the sand and since you don't look like a land creature I thought it would be good to bring you back to water". The creature started looking around the water in every direction not caring about the total stranger it just talked to. The expression on its face reminded me of sometimes when I was younger when I somehow lost my parents and didn't know how to even begin finding them. I stood there in the water waiting for it to calm as the back of my knee stung repeatedly and with growing intensity.

Eventually It calmed down and I felt like going over to my pack to see if it remotely mentions talking fish people. It tried to stop me from leaving by repeatedly tugging me but all it did was waste time. When I finally got out and checked my pack I immediately grabbed a cloth and wiped myself down, even my paws since they were covered in sand. When I felt remotely clean I grabbed my book and skimmed through it to find a section called Merfolk. And it described the boy almost word to word though it added most don't believe they actually exist.

I put my book away and called to the kid" Hey come a little closer will you". The boy looked at me then looked everywhere else obviously contemplating whether to trust me or not. The boy moved a little closer to wear I put a blanket down and was sitting on with little eagerness to leave it.

"What's your name and do you know how you got here"? The boy thought for a few seconds but answered me clearly. "My name is Adrian and all I remember is a storm and arguing and waking up right now in front of you". I could tell from his face that he finally felt the weight of his scenario, he bit his lower lip to stop from crying which it did mostly other than a few drops that fell. But my only question right now is"What storm"?there wasn't one last night and everything is extremely clear out today.

I kept an eye on Adrian as he tried to keep his emotions in check, which kept on cracking repeatedly."I want to help him but I cant follow him, I wasn't meant for the ocean, hell I don't even fly and I'm content with that but I cant leave the coast".I put my head down as I thought but an idea came to mind, that might work or will crash and burn. I looked up at Adrian to see he stopped crying and was now keeping his head underwater which I felt wasn't doing anything to help other than not show.

"Hey I'm going to look around town for help want to tag along somehow". The boy lifted his head out of the water so only his eyes showed and he nodded before asking" What's your name mister"?

"It's Jade now let's go find your parents".

---

The sun was almost directly above by the time I got back to the ship that the Khamega, Samuel I think owned and questioned me about how I stared at it. And during the time back here I had to stick close to the edge so that Adrian could see and follow me. And now I'm waiting for him to turn up and with nothing better to do I decided to pull out a couple of carvings I had. Some of them are shaped like wolves while others looked like Discord, and any person of note. Hell I have a carving of a famous diplomat that helped civilians that got in the crossfire of conflicts and was generally a really helpful Gryphon. Adrian couldn't stop looking at them and luckily the dock was only like a foot from water so he could watch me examine them.

"Hey what's this and why does it look like a assortment of animals"? He was staring at a Discord statue I put there for him to look at and since then he's been asking many questions.

"I don't know why probably because he's apparently the god of chaos where I'm from". After a small amount of time a few people came by and bought a carving or two and every time I would also ask them if they've seen a couple looking for their kid but they always said "No".

I was almost ready to pack up everything and leave when the person I was looking for came by and stared at me and Adrian. I could guess what was going through his mind involved why the hell is this guy selling stuff in front of my boat or why the hell is he back. I noticed his eyes rest on Adrian as I kept an eye on him.

I asked him" Hey I might need your help". He looked at me for a second until I think he connected the dots and walked toward Adrian, who went back completely in the water possibly trying to hide himself.

He said" Hey little guy, let me introduce myself my name is Samuel and this right next to you is my ship, now what's your name"? Samuel leaned near the edge to take Adrian's fin for a hand shake. Adrian responded" Um may name is Adrian how are you mister"? I stared at the scene a few feet away not wanting to interfere.

After shaking each others hands or hand to fin Samuel turned to me and asked" So what's with the kid, didn't see him with you yesterday"?

"I found him on the beach this morning, I picked him up, dropped him in the water and the instant I did he woke up and began panicking. I asked him what's wrong and he told me that there was arguing and a storm came in. And judging by how he reacted tells me that he's lost and I can't find his parents". Samuel looked me over as I explained but found no real fault in my explanation other than the obvious.

"There wasn't a storm last night you know that"? I nodded to him and then he looked over at Adrian who was waiting and probably trying to tune out the conversation.

Samuel said to Adrian" Are you sure there was a storm last night"? Adrian looked up and tried recall everything as clearly as possible even though he was extremely nervous.

"I was with my mom and dad when they started arguing over something and shortly after they finished the water got extremely harsh, the currents got faster, and when we surfaced the waves were the size of buildings. I remember we went for a cave but I guess I hit my head on something and now I'm here". When Adrian was finished me and Samuel both looked at him. I made sure my face stayed the same empty void while Samuel looked at the boy with sympathy.

Samuel asked "Is that all that you remember happening". Adrian nodded glumly and looked down through the water." Well then unfortunately we cant do anything to help you unless you-". He was cut off by a verily loud cry the came from the sea and the next thing I knew two More Merfolk came at the boy and hugged him at lightning fast speed.

A feminine voice that sounded like a heavily concerned mother started shouting" Oh thank Gaia your all right I thought we would have never find you"! one of the two Merfolk looked like a little older than the boy while the one shouting and giving Adrian a death grip looked more feminine while looking around the same age as the older male." Guess that's his parents then so my job should be done". When they finished having a small reunion they looked at Samuel and Thanked him While they looked at me and had a rather unique reaction.

The mother shouted" Demon"! loud enough to require me to cover my ears. While I was dazed slightly the mother, father, and Adrian himself were no longer there. They more than likely were hiding in the water near but now I didn't care anymore, if they didn't want to thank me or even look at me for a second they didn't need me here. Samuel looked at me as I picked up everything and walked away at a steady pace back toward the main road out of town.

"If the parents don't want to talk or act remotely civilized toward me fine but you didn't need to shout and scatter like rats. But why did this actually hurt me just why"? My stomach felt like a bottomless pit along with my eyes that felt like they wanted to tear up. I continued walking until I was almost outside of town when Samuel decided to talk.

"Hey are you okay"? I looked around at him not even bothering to ask why he wanted to bother me. I couldn't care anymore and I didn't people to see me with even a hint of emotion, even if there only strangers.

I said" I'm fine and I don't remember giving you my name It's Jade. now leave me alone I don't want to see anyone". He looked at me oddly before shrugging and walking back into town. I turned back toward the road and began walking north not wanting to stay in Port Dorade for any longer.

When night time started to fall I set up camp under a tree and grabbed a bottle of scotch and began drinking it down with little care. I drank the amber liquid directly from the bottle and eventually fell asleep shortly after finishing a bottle. Hopefully tomorrow would be better and that I would have no issues in the next town.

I didn't have any dreams that night and I remembered one thing. I forgot to get a sewing kit.

Author's Note:

this chapter previously was for him to be in a clinic but I got this Idea and felt it was better. besides there is more than likely going to be more than a few times that he has to get professional medical care. And yes this chapter was called something differently.

next chapter is going to be quite different and violent. don't shield your eyes.