Grady is a little mermaid. She lives under a bright blue sea. She loves to play with shells. One special shell is her magic shell. She keeps it near her tail. She sings to it each morning.
One day a gentle wave lifts her up. She floats to the deck of a ship. The ship is large and old. It creaks softly in the wind. Grady feels excited and safe. She holds her shell tight. She wants to explore and play.
She wanders past wooden rails. She sees bright ropes and sails. She hears a soft voice call. It is the Prince on the deck. He has kind green eyes. He smiles and greets Grady. “Hello mermaid,” he says gently.
Grady giggles and waves her tail. “Hello Prince,” she sings. “Will you help me play?” The Prince nods and bows. He loves to help new friends. They laugh together in the sun.
Suddenly the shell slips away. Grady gasps in surprise. The shell jumps and rolls away. It slides near a shining door. The door shimmers with crystal light. A Crystal Guardian stands by the door. It gleams like a tall statue.
The Crystal Guardian blocks the path. Grady feels a little scared. The Prince steps forward bravely. He takes Grady’s fin in his hand. “We can share a kind heart,” he whispers.
The Guardian tilts its head quietly. It asks for a kind gift. Grady reaches into her bag. She offers a small sea star. The sea star glows with warmth. The Guardian smiles and steps aside.
Grady runs to her shell then. She lifts the magic shell high. It glows brighter than the sun. She holds it close to her chest.
The Prince claps his hands with joy. “You found it!” he cheers. Grady laughs with delight. She thanks the kind Guardian too.
The sea shines with rainbow light. Grady and the Prince share a treasure. They open a small chest nearby. Inside they find many sea stars. They scatter the stars on the deck. The stars twinkle with soft light.
Grady feels happy and proud. She waves goodbye to the ship. The Prince waves back and smiles. They both feel warm inside.
Then Grady swims back down. She dives into her blue home. She hums a gentle melody. She holds her magic shell close. She knows that friends and kindness win. And she glows under the bright sea.
Every afternoon Grady and the kind Prince dance on the deck, laugh with sea stars, and watch the sun glow above the waves.