Atargatis

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Contently, Atargatis ruled her mermaid kingdom from a palace decorated with fan-shaped scallop shell walls and brightly colored radiating flutes. Impresssive were the delicately tinted purple turritella columns. Dangling from a beaded silver chain around her slender neck was a piercing blue jewel, the Mermaid’s gem, the symbol of her queenship. For centuries, it had been passed down from one mermaid queen to the next. Late one night, a squall brewed in the East bringing with it, a violent, thrashing storm. The creatures of the sea settled down in the safety of the depths to wait until the calmness of the ocean was restored, when word came that a ship had been wrapped in the deadly tentacles of this deadly storm. Bravely, Atargatis swam into the turbulent shallow waters. She quickly peeked out of the tormented waters and in the far distance, she spied a ship helplessly grounded upon a reef. Submerging herself into the water she swam towards the ship. It was her duty to help the struggling passengers and crew. Breaking the surface near the ship, she discovered the ocean was littered with floating casks and the splintery remains of broken planks. As she examined the ship, flashes of lightning illuminated a tattered black flag flying from the masts. A white skull and crossbones sewn into the ragged material glowed in the darkness. It was the famed pirate vessel, the Banshee. The thought that these survivors were pirates sent shivers through her scales. Yet, it was her duty to rescue them. As she swam around the ship, her delicate blue eyes failed to detect any signs of life on board. Maybe they had already abandoned ship? Still, she searched thru the swirling waters, until a white capped wave caught her unexpectedly and pitched her into the hull of the vessel. Dazed, Atargatis took one last look at the ship and disappeared into the depths. Once again in the safety of her palace, she took a moment to feel a slight tenderness in the back of her neck. It was then she realized it was gone. The symbol of her queenship, the fabulous Mermaid's gem had fallen from her neck.