The Mermaid
The stories of men spread the fastest underneath the surface of the waters. Carrying through the streams and into the sea the myths and woes of men were told and retold, holding a lesson, carrying some wisdom, inspiring names. It was how Deirdre's name came to be, inspired by the sad tale of Deirdre of the Sorrows for whom so many wept so hard. No one had ever thought that a tragedy would strike the sea maiden alike to the woman she was named after.
Deirdre always had been the curious and daring type. Flitting too close to the shores, touching the bottom of the boats. She would challenge friends and family alike to see who were the boldest, sometimes even just outright peeking out of the water when men were present. Deirdre had believed herself to be too smart, too cunning for those silly beings called humans, only to find out the hard way that only she was the biggest fool of all. Entangled in nets and unable to get out after one particular dare the maiden was taken ashore, examined and humiliated before dressed like them.
It was while a particular bad storm was raging. The currents were strong and the boats had been caught in a sudden change of weather. Deirdre had thought nothing of the wind, believing that it wouldn't affect her as a being of the sea. However, that night the sea may have wanted to punish her for her folly, as it swept her away and right into one of the fishing nets the villagers laid out at night. The ropes cut deeply into her skin and she was badly badgered by the time she was found. Mistakenly believing her to be part of a shipwreck Deirdre was taken back to the humans, a place where she didn't belong.
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