undeserved devotion

she watched him,
eyes wide with wonder,
as he emerged from the
dark, grey doors
of the dark, grey castle
in all his brightness,
with so many legged ones
surrounding him like ants
around the queen;
but he always stood out,
and her eyes were always fastened upon him,
as he sat in all his colorful glory
upon the throne they carried out for him.
he would stare at the waves,
turn everyone away,
looking over his domain
but how little did he know.
not his domain, indeed
she was more fit to rule it than he;
royal blood of the seas in her veins,
intelligent-
but for this instance.
for this instance,
she fawned over the bright prince of the dark castle,
and through this newfound foolishness
she became else
not herself, and so did she evermore
leave behind the sea in her blood
leave behind the tail she loved
all for one
who would never acknowledge her sacrifices
and all for one
would she fade away

{excellent little mermaid retellings: the little selkie by km shea and the silent mermaid by brittany fichter}
{poetry and art by the dowager}