Mermaids in Palus (Chapter 1: Aphrodite's Mudflat)

[Black Clay Lord]

So here's Chapter 1 of my 5 parter Mermaids in Palus.

Originally, it was Aphrodite's "River," but then I went the mudflat route.

Funny how that happens, eh?
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The arcane purple portal opened up, and out stepped Aquarius & Fontanne. The sisters looked around at where they had stepped into, and both seemed pretty confused. "This doesn't look like the Northern Wastelands to me..." Aquarius says. "Looks like a forest land to me." Fontanne said, before noticing a river. "I wonder where this river flows to?" She pondered. "Let's find out." Said Aquarius. Agreeing to this, the 1/2 Mermaid sisters follow the river.

Though these two had no idea where the river leads to, they had a feeling that it would lead them to some form of civilization. After all, that's common knowledge to find a community by a river. But not too far ahead, Fontanne spotted what looked like one of the natives here. Keeping her guard up, Fontanne approached the native. "Excuse me." She says. The native glances at Fontanne. "Ah, hello." She says. "From where do you hail from, traveler?" She asks.

"Well, we're from a different realm, that's for sure." Aquarius answers. "Hmm... You certainly aren't from the Azura Host, that's for sure." The native woman says. "The what?" Fontanne asks. The woman blinks. "Oh, you're truly not from these parts, hmm?" She asks. Fontanne & Aquarius shook their heads. "My sister Aquarius here was here once." Fontanne reveals. "Not by choice though..." Aquarius said. "Where'd you go?" The woman asks.

"Northern Wastelands." Aquarius answered. "I was kind of hoping we'd be there first." She then says. "All that being said..." Fontanne says. "Where are we?" She then asks. "This is Nalac." The woman says. "Nalac?" Aquarius asks. "That's right." The woman says. "It is Palus's great River Nation, and the goddess Aphrodite watches over us here." Fontanne rubbed her chin. "So an Aphrodite exists here as well..." She pondered. But then she shook it off.

"Well, I should get going," Said the woman. "You enjoy your stay on Nalac, you hear?" She then says before running off. "Wait! We have more questions!" Fontanne calls out, but to no avail. "Well, shoot. She's gone." "Now what do we do?" Aquarius asks. "Just keep following this river I guess..." Fontanne sighed. Aquarius nodded, and so she & Fontanne resumed their path, following the river path down, but towards a different direction this time around.

As they walked, Aquarius soon spotted a statue. "Huh? What's this?" She pondered, approaching the statue. Fontanne looked at it herself. Both note that it's a statue of Aphrodite. "This must be Palus's Aphrodite." Said Fontanne. "That's funny, she looks like a mermaid." Aquarius. "But... That's impossible. I was told mermaids don't exist here!" Suddenly, a giggle broke the silence. "Indeed, but sometimes you never know." A voice said soon after.

Fontanne & Aquarius look around. "Who said that?" The former asked. The sisters looked behind them, and soon spotted a brilliant pink woman. "Who're you?" Asked Aquarius. "I am Aphrodite, darling~." Aphrodite says, smirking. "And you two are?" She then asks. "I'm Aquarius Socrates. This is my sister Fontanne." Said Aquarius. "Hmm... Ya know, I've met two among your family name sometime before." Aphrodite said. Fontanne blinked from this news.

"You have?" Fontanne asks. "Yes indeed." Aphrodite says. "Now, what were their names...? ...Ah, I remember. Thessalonike & Eurydice." Aquarius giggled. "Then you met some fun ones in our family." She said. "So it would seem~." Said Aphrodite. "But tell me... What brings you to my stretch of Palus, hmm?" She then asks. "We were hoping to get to the Northern Wastelands right away." Fontanne answers. "But, seems we wound up here instead."

Aphrodite rubbed her chin. "I see." She said. "Well, I just might be able to help you reach your destination." She then says. "You'd do that?" Asked Aquarius. "Indeed." Aphrodite answers, smiling. "However, first I'd like to see how good you are in mud~." She then giggles. "But I don't see a place to sink here." Aquarius said. "Follow me." Aphrodite says. "And, do swim with me instead of walking~." She says before diving back below the flowing river.

Following Aphrodite's lead, Aquarius & Fontanne jump into the river, assume their mermaid forms, and swim right behind Aphrodite. Despite being comfy showing their mermaid forms to Aphrodite, the sisters still kept themselves hidden from view beneath the waves. Reason being was that the folks around here only know of Aphrodite's form, and they had absolutely no idea how the people here would react upon seeing different mermaids here.

Eventually, Aphrodite stopped, and Aquarius & Fontanne followed. "Hey, why'd you stop?" Fontanne asks. Aphrodite just giggled as she points forward. Aquarius & Fontanne looked to where Aphrodite pointed. Ahead, an expansive tidal mudflat greeted their sights. "A tidal mudflat?" Aquarius asks. "This is something you enjoy, is it not?" Aphrodite asks back, giggling. "Oh, yes actually." Fontanne answers. "I figured as much." Aphrodite said, smirking.

"Why don't you two explore it first? I'll come to you once you've settled in." She then offers. "Sounds good to us." Aquarius said, smiling as she & Fontanne exit the river and reassume their human forms. They at that point reach into their satchels and change from their battling clothes into bikinis. Fontanne checked something first. "Our provisions are still okay." She said. "That's good," Said Aquarius. "Nothing worse than soggy food to eat... Yuck..."

The satchel with Aphrodite, who gets out of the water herself. Aquarius & Fontanne move onward towards the expansive tidal mudflat. Ahead, they spotted the ocean, and it was quite the view indeed. Though this was barely anything new for Aquarius & Fontanne, as their home is nestled a good walking distance from 3 beaches anyway. Nevertheless, the sisters ventured onto the mudflat itself, and find it to be really squishy indeed, much to their delight.

"Ooh, squishy~." Aquarius giggled. Fontanne giggles as well. The two started searching the mudflat for a nice deep spot to sink in. At first they seem to hit it big when the two sink down some. But Aphrodite just kept observing. If Aquarius & Fontanne were happy, she'll step in. But, if they move on, she'll keep observing. Nevertheless, Aquarius & Fontanne help each other out in the mud, rubbing it on their skins when possible. But soon, disappointment arose.

As Aquarius stood up, she found that this spot was only knee deep. Clearly, this just wasn't good enough for her. "C'mon it's got to be deeper." She said. "Yeah, I think we can do better." Fontanne said as she started to crawl across the mud's surface, and Aquarius sat down and pulled her legs up. Fontanne however, didn't take long to strike gold, in a matter of speaking. Her foot suddenly plunged, causing her leg to sink to the knee immediately.

Aquarius noticed. "Here give me your hand." She said, reaching for Fontanne's hand and taking hold. But then, she too felt the plunge to her knees. "Ooh! This is deep!" Aquarius exclaimed. "And I wasn't even trying to look." Fontanne quips. "Definitely promising..." Said Aquarius. Satisfied nonetheless, the sisters settle in and allow the deep mud to sink them both, but such would only cease if they were to actually sit down upon its surface at any given time.

Aphrodite sees that Aquaius & Fontanne have settled, and finally stands up & approaches the two. "How deep is this spot anyway...?" Fontanne asked. Aquarius shrugged. "If you don't mind a little spoiler..." Aphrodite says as she gets up to the 1/2 Mermaids. Aquarius & Fontanne glance up at Aphrodite. "Where you stand, it's breast deep." She says, before smirking. "...For me that is." She giggles soon after. Aquarius & Fontanne though...

They were not fazed by the revelation in the slightest. "That's cool," Fontanne says. "We like going all the way under anyway." She adds. Aphrodite giggles. "Then I shall enjoy watching you two slip under~." She then says as the three sink slowly in the mud. "Oh, by the way..." Aphrodite suddenly says. "Cute bikinis~." She then quips. "Thank you." Fontanne says. "We've had them for a while now." Aquarius said soon after. "They suit you." Aphrodite responds.

The 1/2 Mermaids just giggled and continued to sink. Suddenly however, Aphrodite snatched Fontanne and pulled her closer to herself, wrapping her in her arms. "Hey, what's the big idea?!" Fontanne asked, shocked at the sudden move made on her. "Didn't anyone tell you~?" Aphrodite asks, giggling. "I'm the goddess of love after all~." She said, before dipping her hands into the mud, and started rubbing Fontanne silly shortly after that, smirking.

"And it's only fair that I share mine with you~." Aphrodite said, as she rubs Fontanne still. Fontanne felt Aphrodite's hands glide all over her body. Her breasts, her butt, just about nowhere on Fontanne's body was safe. However, Fontanne protected the area in between her legs, though it wasn't necessary as Aphrodite was respectful of Fontanne's wish to not be touched there anyway. Instead, she just focused on the thighs themselves, even the inner ones.

"Good grief, this feels so good..." Aquarius & Fontanne moan out, taken aback by the feel of the mud. "Well, if you think this feels good," Aphrodite says. "You should try the mud up in the Hollows~." Fontanne blinked. "The Hollows?" She asked. "Yes, it's a rather interesting wetland I should say~." Answered Aphrodite. Aquarius & Fontanne feel that there's possibly more to the Hollows than Aphrodite is letting on, but they decide not to press the issue on it.

Instead, they just focused on the sink they were enjoying alongside Aphrodite. Halfway to their breasts, Aphrodite released Fontanne soon after, and Aquarius felt that Aphrodite was satisfied. She wasn't, and Aquarius was pulled towards her next. "H-Hey!" Aquarius exclaimed. "No, no~. It's your turn now~." Aphrodite giggled, wrapping her arms tightly around Aquarius, and shamelessly started groping her left breast without any moment's hesitation whatsoever.

And speaking of which, the trio were now breast deep at long last. But for Aphrodite, this is where she stops sinking. Fontanne & Aquarius were poised to continue sinking, but Aphrodite just kept Aquarius wrapped in her hold, molesting the 1/2 Mermaid before she could think of letting her go. Aquarius dared not resist though. She didn't want to offend Aphrodite through rejecting her advances, but the goddess could read Aquarius's body language easily.

Despite her lusty nature, as she had done with Fontanne, Aphrodite didn't do anything that would make Aquarius greatly uncomfortable. "Aphrodite..." Aquarius moaned out. "Ah, your moans are music to my ears~." Said Aphrodite, before nibbling on Aquarius's ear, making her squeak constantly. But it didn't take Aquarius long to feel just as hot & bothered as Fontanne was, and the sisters sink further down into the mud; their breasts disappearing fast.

And at last, Aquarius & Fontanne, after resting at chin deep for some moments, slip under the mud, leaving only their indents behind, which bubble some. But, nevertheless, Aquarius & Fontanne rise back up once they touch the bottom. They had also recovered some from what Aphrodite had done. "Good grief this mud is amazing..." Said Aquarius. "Glad you think so." Said Aphrodite, smiling. "I wish we could stay though..." Fontanne says soon after.

"Oh, no worries. I understand." Said Aphrodite. "Come back sometime, and I'll introduce you to my daughter." She then adds. "Sounds like a deal to me." Aquarius giggled. With Aphrodite's help, the trio exited the mud, entered a river, and washed the mud off. Aphrodite also returned the satchel Aquarius & Fontanne brought with them. "Now then," Said Aphrodite, pointing westward. "If you follow this river, you'll reach the Hollows." She said.

"Okay, simple enough." Fontanne says. "Is there anything else about the Hollows we should know?" Aquarius asks. "Right now, just know that it's really muddy & swampy." Aphrodite giggles. Once again, Aquarius & Fontanne glance at each other with raised eyebrows, but once more, they decide not to press the issue. They had a mission: To reach the Northern Wastelands no matter what. "Well, we better going then." Aquarius said.

Aphrodite nodded, consenting to Aquarius & Fontanne's departure. "Come visit me anytime, ya hear?" She says. "We will." Both Aquarius & Fontanne say, following the river pointed to them, heading west. Aphrodite then retires into the water herself. Although this was a fun encounter for Aquarius & Fontanne, Nalac was certainly a spot they'd have to return to sometime. However, right now, Aquarius was wanting to see Garnet & her nomads again.

As she & Fontanne travel west, their travel across some of Palus's lands had only just begun. But what sort of messy troubles awaited them in the aforementioned Hollows? And will its overseeing Goddess Demeter allow them to pass through unhindered? Or... Will she subject them both to quicksand as much as possible before leaving?

TO BE CONTINUED

Aquarius & Fontanne: Me

Aphrodite: Sabbie