The Mermaid's Egg

6 -- The Balor

"Queen Muireann, leader of the Merrows...mother."

Meara knelt before her queen, bowing with the deepest of respect. The Queen gazed at her daughter, her red cohuleen druith was twice as long than the average cowl, and it flowed like crimson water, across the polished golden floor.

Her body was decorated in crystal gems, a silvery crown rested upon her forehead. In its silver polish were encrusted ivory fossilized pearls from the realm of Finfolkaheem. Her beautiful face was painted in blue ink, runes that signified her position as Queen of the Merrows.

"High Priestess, Meara...my daughter."

The Queen then replied back, kneeling on the floor within a room glistening with starlight as her aura and her daughter's aura danced around like fireflies.

"You have been very busy today, my daughter." The Queen added "Avoiding your own clan and surrendering your own cowl to another Merrow, so that they could sneak in after nightfall. Let me guess, and tell me if I am wrong. You did all of this for the one who fell from the stars, is that correct?"

"It is correct, my Queen." Meara nodded, bowing her head "I believe that the star-child is the descendant of O'Sullivan More."

"I am told that the star-child has already bonded to Aisling." The Queen added "And that it has already hatched. It now seems that Aisling is alive inside the star-child's body. Seeing your cowl cloaking the child confirms this, my daughter."

Meara looked down as if this was a startling revelation! She previously had not realized that Kiandra had bonded with her own Egg. She was aware that Kiandra was dealing with some stress, but now it made complete sense.

"I am concerned, my Queen." Meara frowned, wishing Kiandra hadn't taken her Egg "The star-child hasn't agreed to becoming a Breeder. His methods of reproduction greatly differ from our own. And furthermore, with the time that I have spent with him, I have to say that he is emotionally unstable and unfit for this duty. He carries far too much regret and anger inside his heart. He blames himself for something that happened in the Realm of Adam. Though he is unwilling to say what it is."

"It is my humble opinion that it was a sheer accident that Aisling's Egg had fallen into his hands." Meara commented, heartbroken "Please allow the star-child to return the Egg back to the Sea. In my sincerest opinion, he isn't ready to be nursing children. He only wishes to return back home, my Queen. He has no desire to join our people."

"Daughter!" Muireann finally spoke after listening to the situation "The law decreets that whosoever bonds with the Egg, shall solely care for it as their own child. This is our people's custom. The same custom that you swore to enforce, as the Princess of the Merrows."

"I understand, I and abide by the ancient law." Meara acknowledged, but protested "But our law also clearly decreets that only a Fae will abide to our customs and traditions. Not a mortal man of Adam."

"If I may speak, my Queen." said a beautiful and young Merrow female, dressed in a shimmering blue cloak, kneeling just to the left of Meara.

She wore a shimmering silver tiara in her light brown hair that was decorated with many white iridescent pearls from the warmer tropical waters of the Atlantic. Her face was painted with the runes that signified that she was the appointed Merrow Seer. She served as the eyes and ears for her Queen.

Queen Muireann nodded, allowing her seer, Niamh, to speak freely.

"High Priestess, Meara..." Niamh addressed the princess "...I do hope that you remain well aware of the current circumstances facing the future of your species."

"I am." Meara answered.

"You mustn't allow your feelings to get in the way of your duties, High Priestess!" she tells her sternly "Without fertile Breeders to hatch your children, there is no hope for your species survival. Your population has become stagnant, like water that has ceased to flow. If we are unable to turn the tide in this decade, then your species will soon cease to exist."