a woman in a mermaid tail swimming in the ocean

Liam was a fisherman in the quiet seaside town of Lirith. Each day, he set sail before dawn, the salty air and the ocean’s hum his constant companions. One misty morning, his net caught something unusual near the coral reefs—a shimmer too bright to be a fish. Tugging it aboard, he was startled to find a mermaid entangled in the ropes.Her scales glistened like moonlight on water, and her emerald eyes mirrored the sea’s depth. “Release me,” she pleaded, her voice as melodic as the waves themselves. Liam, stunned yet entranced, carefully untangled her fins, freeing her.“What’s your name?” he asked, barely above a whisper.“Maris,” she replied, her gaze softening.Maris hesitated before diving back into the water. But as she left, a seashell necklace fell from her grasp, landing on the deck of Liam’s boat. He picked it up, feeling a strange warmth in the smooth shell.Days turned into weeks, but Liam couldn’t forget Maris. He returned to the spot where they met, leaving gifts—a carved wooden dolphin, a garland of se