LEGEND OF THE MER by Sheri L. Swift Page B

following behind.  It was wider than it first appeared, with a long dark tunnel.  As they neared the end, a bright light shone.  When they finally left the tunnel, Lana could hardly believe her eyes.  She saw a large underwater city that was beyond anything she could have imagined. 
     
    “Welcome to Torbist, the city of the mer,” Prince Titus said smiling to see Lana’s expression .
     
    “It’ s so beautiful and so big,” said Lana surpri sed by it.  There were hundreds of what appeared t o be domed houses.  Each one had only an oval shaped hole in the front.  They were brown and seemed to be made of some type of hard clay.  The homes outlined the entire city.  There was also coral reef gardens running throughout the entire cavern and Lana couldn’t believe how many brilliant colors there were.  The gardens had several white marble archways and statues of the mer within them.  The center of the city had the most brilliant light coming from what looked like a large multi-faceted crystal.  The walls of the large cavern sparkled even more than the blue cavern Titus had taken her to.
     
    “Your great-grandfather helped to build this light for our city.  He placed several lenses in the tunnel above that goes all the way to the top of Gull Island .  They refract the sun, leading the light down to the crystal.  Even on a clear night, the city is lit by the light of the moon.  We also have luminous plants all along the cavern walls that keep the city from ever being completely dark .  The top of the cavern has a breathing space which is also vented like the smaller cavern in which you used to live ,” explained Prince Titus.
     
    “Is this her?” S miled a young boy of a mer.  Lana thought he looked like a younger version of Prince Titus, only he had light blonde hair instead of white.
     
    “Yes Uly, this is she,” s ai d the Prince.
     
    “Hello, my name is Prince Ulysses, but you can call me Uly like everyone else.”
     
    “Hi Uly, my name is Lana . ” S he smiled at him .
     
    “Her name is Princess Lana.  This is my nephew, Tarrock and Rema’s son,” said Prince Titus.
     
    “Uncle Titus has been waiting a long time for you,” said Uly.
     
    “Yeah, I know . ” Lana smiled to see Titus blush a little.
     
    “Hello Princess Lana, welcome to our city.  My name is Princess Rema and I am the mother of Ulysses,” she said as she gave a smile to Lana and a stern glance to her son.  She looked a little li ke Princess Tarra. 
     
    They all have such similar features , Lana thought.
     
    “Lana, I wish you to meet my parents, Prince Terrance and Princess Cassandra,” Titus said as he turned to them.  They were both smiling and seemed to be so young.  Titus’ father did have a short white beard and some white hairs upon his chest, but their faces appeared to be nearly as young as Lana and Titus.
     
    “Hello, I’m glad to meet you,” Lana said nervously.
     
    “We are very pleased to meet you,” said his mother.
     
    “Yes, welcome home to your people,” said his father.
     
    “Lana, I am so happy that you have returned,” called Princess Tarra as she swam towards them.
     
    “Thank you, it’s good to be here,” Lana said again a little nervously.  How strange that we ’ re all able to carry on a conversation in our minds .  Then all those gathered around let out a slight giggle and Lana realized that they must have just read her thoughts.  Her father was right about no one having a private thought.
     
    “You will get used to it,” s ai d Titus.
     
    “It is time Titus,” said Princess Tarra.
     
    “King Titan wishes to greet you in the Hall,” said Titus as he held her hand and began to lead her towards rows of large white columns that went from the cavern floor to the ceiling.  They were on either side of what looked like marble tiles on the floor.  They were beautiful with a blue and green Italian motif.  It looked as though they were joined by gold