Upon the lush and bright lands of the northern most island were the people of a quiet and yet well-travelled town. A small port was built on the inner most point of the bay that gave life to the town, and from this port business and trade was conducted all year round as the island was the last land for those departing the continent and the first welcome to those arriving. The town itself housed very few patrons who found their living either in the more distant farm lands or as sailors and traders upon the ocean front. Of a military and government there was none, for the town was a satellite port to a much larger nation upon another island.

                It was known by many sailors as a welcome place to grab a drink and some fine food. Upon the completion of their worldly travels, these sailors would come and share stories and tales of the monsters and mayhem and of the women and treasures from every corner of the known world. They would laugh and shout and make merry with the ale brewed right there in the small port town.

                Yet, of all the tales and wonders they told of there was one mystery that the local bartenders knew well. Every traveler upon their first visit would be welcomed by the fanciful tale and would ask of more to the story with every stop to follow. It engulfed the minds of these brave and adventurous men and challenged them to find the truths of the tale and yet none did.

                One fine evening as the sun was low in the sky on its descent into night, a young man whom had left his crew that very day went about looking for a drink and a warm place to stay in the local tap house. He sat alone, though it upset him none for he would not be in town long. He was only passing by. As he drank up at the bar, he heard the sailors exchange their tales and tell of the distant lands they had seen. Each making it excruciatingly obvious that his travels were more perilous and he more brave than any of the others whom had spoke before him. The lone traveler simple chuckled to himself, but he did not chime in. It was a losing battle, and he cared little for the praise of random sailors and drunkards.

                It was not until a while later when the men too grew tired of each other’s tales that they turned to the bar tender and each in turn asked for his words; the first man asked for a tale that none of the others had told, the second immediately said he wanted to know where the women with an open bed were, and the third instead persisted he wanted to hear of magic in the local land. The bar tender merely smiled for a moment while he cleaned a recently used mug.

                “I can answer all three of you with one story,” the man said in a calm voice much unlike the now drunk sailors. The lone traveler found his interest peaked and also listened in.

                “There are many a family and many a lady here in this quaint old town. There are none however so pretty or so wise and loving as the fair maiden who lives upon the hill just past the lighthouse. Her eyes sparkle as the Caribbean reefs and her hair flows through the wind like the waves of the wild ocean. Her skin is as soft and smooth as a newborn. She comes down to visit the town about once every month and all the sailors who have laid their eyes upon her say they are without doubt that she is a mermaid who has chosen to live on the land. She has never denied such and it is certain that her innate ability to swim between the islands would mirror such an origin. What really draws their attention however is that she is without a man and open to meeting one.”

                All the sailor’s eyes widened in unrivalled delight with such news. The most beautiful woman; a mermaid at that, and she was looking for a suitor. With only a moment’s hesitation for their intoxicated minds to comprehend what this meant, each man leapt from his stool to meet the fair maiden.

                “Ah, but there’s more!” the bar tender shouted stopping the three men in their tracks. “She has one rule; any man that can unlock the door to her cottage will have also unlocked her heart. The key also is not hidden.”

                The three men sat back down. “Where then is it?!” They shouted with eagerness in their eyes.

                As if on cue, the lone traveler looked up and noticed that walking along the rafters of the roof was a bright orange feline and something shimmered around its neck.

                “Ah, there it is,” the bar tender said looking up at the cat as well. “Around that nimble creature’s neck is a lace with the key intertwined. A man would have to catch her and remove the tool to win over the fair maiden. So many have tried, it has been years; as long as this old man can remember and yet none have succeeded. That cat is quick and clever, a man of rigorous strength would likely lack the agility to get his hands on her. The lovely creature answers to no one, but the maiden.”

                Again, all three sailors stood up with their eyes locked on the cat among the rafters and nothing else. There was for a moment of silence until one said softly and with intensity, “She will be mine.” And with that he immediately threw his mug up at the feline and she leapt to another rafter dodging the attack with ease.

                “Now surely, that is no way to win over a woman,” the bar tender said, though the sailors paid him no mind.

                The cat appeared to lose interest in the sailors and so it made its way to the wall and then climbed down to the doorway where it made its escape. The three drunk sailors wasted no time as they set out to chase the creature. Having left the now mostly empty bar a much quieter place, the bar tender only shook his head. The lone traveler turned to speak with the man. “Surely chasing the nimble thing is no way to go about it. I don’t see why they don’t instead try to befriend the feline. She is after all a cat and prone to enjoying a good treat and a rub from a gentle and welcoming hand.”

                The bar tender only turned his head slightly with a half grin. “Indeed. A good gentleman could truly win the key.”

                The traveler spent that night at the inn, knowing that the sailors would chase the cat until they passed out from their ale. It was a useless attempt by them to win a woman that they had no chance of even meeting.

                The next day the traveler went to the market to grab some food as he planned to stay in town for a few days. His ship back home would not come for some time. He wondered what to do with his time as he noticed the cat from the night before climbing along the tops of each stand within the market. He asked one of the traders and found that the locals paid no mind to the cat and would occasionally feed it. They knew the challenge was an impossible one and many of them already had families and wives, they did not need some mythical fair maiden. So, the traveler asked them to show him how they fed the small feline.

                It was not a difficult task as the cat trusted most of the locals but they would gently wave some food, most often fish, before the cat and then once they had its attention, they would set the food down and take a step back. The cat would slowly and calmly approach the food as long as the person kept just out of arms reach. This was a technique that the traveler saw fit to try. He had plenty of free time within the next few days and so he spent them feeding the cat.

                He started off doing as the locals did and set the food down until the cat would come to it. He did this a number of times making no effort to ever pet, rub, or in any way touch the cat. For the entirety of the first two days he fed the animal when ever it was near and tried his best not to abandon its trust. On the third day, having just coaxed the feline to some fish the traveler extended his arm as almost a welcome of sorts to the cat. He did not move quickly or try to grab the small creature instead he only sat there with his muscles eased and a smile upon his face. The cat approached him slowly and sniffed the very tips of his fingers. However, it then turned and left.

                The traveler continued this technique for the next two days he even began talking to the cat. As it would always approach him and move slowly, sometimes even coming closer than just his fingers. He would speak to it, telling the creature about his day and asking it questions knowing full well it could not speak, but trying to get it used to listening to him. It was nice, the traveler felt pleasure having someone to talk to.

                Upon his last day in the town, the traveler went up near the cottage upon the hill in hopes of seeing the cat. He had spent so much time with it that he found himself almost having no care for the maiden or the key. He truly enjoyed being around the cat, it was a pleasant creature and being his final day, he wanted to pet her, to thank her in a way for keeping him company as he had waited. As he sat on the hill for not too terribly long the cat showed up walking through the field coming from the town. He had a slice of fish; however, the cat came straight to him before he even had time to pull it out. The cat came close and sat just before the man.

                “Well,” the traveler said, “It’s been nice. I have to leave tomorrow though. I don’t really know much about the maiden but in truth, I’ve enjoyed your company the most, dear cat. Thank you for allowing me to talk with you.”

                The cat stood and gently approached. She titled her head and rubbed it along the traveler’s thigh as he sat. He was shocked for a moment as this was the first time the cat had gotten so close. He gently lowered his had to the cat’s head and seeing that the feline did not immediately run away, he began to pet it. The cat’s fur was so soft and in this moment he was immensely happy.

                After a few moments, he felt comfortable with the feline as if it hadn’t spent the last few days in fear of him. He began to rub its head and pet its back. He did so until he accidently felt the lace around its neck. It surprised him, as he had forgotten about the key for the time. He moved his hand around the lace to find the key on the lower end and for a moment he held it. The traveler looked at the key wondering if he should take it. It was however his last day here and he had come for the cat, not a woman he had never met. So, he released the key and rubbed the cat once more as he looked to the ocean front and the sky.

                “I hope she takes good care of you. You deserve it, my feline friend. I wish I could take you with me.”

                “You can,” a soft voice answered.

                The traveler looked down and no longer was he petting a cat but instead his fingers were running through the red hair of a woman whose head was upon his lap. In surprise he pulled back his hand and the woman sat up to meet his gaze.

                The traveler had to take several moments to register this woman for her beauty was incomparable. The story of the fair maiden had done nothing to describe this woman. Her face brought warmth and made the man’s heart soften almost to the point of feeling light headed. Her eyes could only be gateways into heaven as nothing of the earth could describe their beauty. Most stunning of all was the key around her neck. She was the cat.

                “you’re….” the traveler began

                “A shapeshifter,” the maiden responded. “I have spent the last several days with you and have listened to every word you spoke. You are a kind and gentle man. The likes of which rarely pass through this port.” She looked down at her own chest and lifted the key in her hands. “I willingly give you the key to my heart, kind traveler. I would be most gratified if you would take me with you.”

                The traveler was overwhelmed with joy, with passion, and with love. He had fallen for the maiden without ever realizing it. Her beauty was immeasurable and yet it meant nothing to him in comparison to the friendship they had formed. “I will cherish and care for you, my fair maiden,” the traveler said and upon the next sunrise the two left for their new home.