Serena Monroe
<img src="https://i.imgur.com/7bHCSl8.jpg?1"Align="right">~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Prologue - The Setting of the Show
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Real Name: Serena Monroe
Stage Name: Serena, Siren of the Sea
Age: Unknown. Looks early 20's.
Species: Mermaid
Position at the Circus: Side Show Oddity
Theme Song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=98FMMdVsaRg
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Act 1 - The Face on the Outside
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Height: 5'7" // 152 cm
Weight: 126lbs // 57k
Physical Description: Most people who look at Serena when she isn't working will see a quiet but beautiful young woman, possibly just at the cusp of her twenties. She has long dark hair that hangs in damp tendrils around the column of her neck and over her shoulders, ending in a wavy cut in the middle of her back. Her eyes are the color the ocean at it's deepest and are as wide and round as the moon itself. Serena's skin is pale, soft and often appears to catch the light as if it were slick to the touch; though perhaps she simply wears a little too much highlighter. This would be strange though because Serena doesn't seem to wear any make-up. Her lips are naturally pink and her eyelashes are long and dark without assistance.
<img src="https://i.pinimg.com/564x/1a/eb/3b/1aeb3b1602167d9c185ba464ea79ef59.jpg"Align="right">Truly Serena rarely does little with her appearance beyond brushing her hair and occasionally braiding it. Her chosen style seems to be soft, feminine and a little bit peculiar. Serena can often be seen wearing clothes that look like they at least several decades out of date, yet beautifully maintained as if they have hardly been worn. She can always be seen with her clutch of pearls around her neck and she has been known to fiddle with them is she is nervous or uncomfortable. More often than not though Serena will be wearing a soft and contented smile upon the blushed shells of her lips.
Above anything, ignoring the eery and hunting gaze she can sometimes give. Beyond the soft curves of her body that will inevitably draw Men in to admire her beauty. Setting aside the fact that to those who spend that little bit too much time around Serena, they know that there is something definitely inhuman about her. Above it all, Serenea looks happy and she most certainly looks to be in love.
Distinguishing Features: Serena often looks like she has only recently stepped out of the shower. Most people who know her are used to this fact. Just as they are used to the fact that she will rarely go anywhere without Theo. While she might occasionally wonder off without her great protector though, Serena never seems to go anywhere without her pearls. It might be assumed that this clutch of pearls she wears might be fake or at the very least farm grown but they are in actual fact saltwater pearls, each and every one and they mean more to her than she can ever express.
The enchanted string of pearls was created by Isabella and Gideon Duvall. Before meeting the Duvall couple, Serena only ever left the water for short pockets of time. There had really never been any trick to it. It had always been an aspect of her species but like everything, there were rules. The moment that the last drop of water dried from her skin, she would begin to suffocate and be forced to return. Serena could only be out of the water and gain the legs that allow her to look and function as human, if she was wet. Now however, thanks to Isabella and Gideon, so long as she is wearing her pearls and they are charged with the sea water that gives her life, Serena can be free of the water for as long as 12 hours.
The little silver ring that she wears on her finger isn't nearly as miraculous but it is a symbol of her bond with the Man who's last name she chooses to share.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Act 2 - The Freak Within
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Personality: It is no doubt in poor taste to make such a pun but Serena is nothing if not serene. For this, people don't tend to think much of the young woman beyond thinking she's a little strange. I mean she isn't a huge conversationalist and she seems to spend so much time either on her own or with her beloved that it's no doubt a little odd. She seems to constantly be reading and the clothes she wears aren't exactly up to date. It is very common for her to miss or misinterpret a popular reference and she talks about common things with such a strange sense of awe that there is undoubtedly something peculiar about her.
This impression that people seem to have about Serena being perhaps simple-minded is hardly an accurate one but she isn't going to argue with people to get them to change their minds. Truly, thinking little of Serena is a mistake. Not only has she been around for long enough to know more than even the most gifted Human could claim but she's incredibly clever. In fact in her travels, both through the ocean and on land, Serena has picked up a myriad of languages and has even learned to communicate via what's known these days as ASl or American Sign Language. She's a quick study and enjoys devouring books on a daily basis. Nothing makes her happier than being read to however. She honestly can't count how many times she has fallen asleep to the sound of a loved ones voice retelling a story from their life or reading one from a book.
<img src="https://i.pinimg.com/564x/d7/3a/d4/d73ad48416992bbb4297102aecd79f10.jpg"Align="left">There was a time when Serena could be considered rather sheltered. In fact, there was a time when she not only didn't know about the Human world but didn't care to know either. While this time is no more, Serena hasn't thrown herself into modern life as much as others have, though this is for good reason. It could be said that she is still just taking her time as time moves differently for one such as herself than it does for others but in reality, she is probably just cautious. That and she can only pretend to be Human for so long before she has to return to the water.
There are things about the Human world that Serena adores but she is wise enough to know that with the good comes the horrible and she has no desire to bring such things into her life. She doesn't care for politics or religion and she seems to have little interest in modern technology. She cannot drive a car, has never acquired a Facebook page of her own and she has on many occasion turned her back on anything that she considers to be a waste of time. What she truly seems to love are stories. It's not the human world that fascinates her so much, it's the humans themselves.
Serena will admit to enjoying the occasional episode of The Simpsons however. It is about her only modern vice. Well, that and sushi. For someone who lives on what could be considered a Pescetarianism diet, in that they only eat fish and vegetables, sushi was a revelation!
Serena has a wanderlust that so far, only Circus life has been able to fill. She chose to leave the Sea when she met a Man who changed her life and years later, she chose again to come out from where they hid in their secluded little home in the woods to join the rest of the world. Appearing as a Side Show Oddity or a Freak as she used to be known, seemed like the way to do it. The Humans were never going to accept her if they knew the truth and so hinting at it while lumping in a healthy dose of skepticism and disbelief was the only way. Serena loves performing though. She doesn't do it for the money or the prestige. She does it because it allows her to be true to herself and travel a world that for so much of her life, has been a mystery.
Species Description: Serena is a Mermaid. Many hundreds of years ago, her kind were a common sight for Sailors traversing the vast oceans. Myths and legends, poems and songs were written about them. Some stories say that they were kind and generous to Men who had lost their way, even going so far as to rescue them should they be found close to death. Other stories say that they were deceptively vicious, luring Men in with their Siren songs and then dragging them into the deep to their death with a kiss. The truth no doubt lays somewhere in between. All Serena knows is that there was a time when she had a Family and when she daren't spare a stray thought about Humans or their world and then she did and she can't go back.
Her Kind isn't seen so much anymore. It's possible that Serena is one of but a handful of Mermaids left and this is a thought that sadness her but she has no regrets about the life she chose. Serena enjoys performing. The truth is, she is more comfortable in her true form. Her gold and amber scales are as much a part of her if not more than her skin. When in her true form, Serena's iridescent scales wrap from the tip of her powerful fined tail and climb all the way up over her rear and around her waist. From there they are seemingly scattered like freckles over her skin. There is a splattering of them across her smooth stomach and her breasts are partially concealed by the amber scales as well. A few can be found in small patches across her forehead and down her arms but the area around the gills in her neck is bare.
<img src="https://i.pinimg.com/564x/97/41/ad/9741adb5b0747160dbacf466c5f5ec49.jpg"Align="right">As a Mermaid, Serena posses a near infinite lifespan. It should be noted though that just because she is immortal, does not mean she is invulnerable. She is a creature of magic but she can be harmed just like anything else. If cut, she bleeds and if her limbs are broken, they must be braced to heal. She is not without her defenses however. If threatened, when in her true form, Serena can produce a set of needle-sharp teeth capable of tearing through flesh. At any time however, should she choose and as a last resort, her kiss can suffocate a Man. These days though, Serena has little reason to attack. She has a protector after all.
Noteworthy Qualities: Most notedly would be Serene's long and powerful gold and amber tail when she is in her true form. There is no hiding or disguising this but that's kind of the point. With it, she can swim for great distances and to incredible depths.
She also possesses other qualities that are unique to her kind.
Serena has the ability to either give life or take it through her kiss. She is in possession of a set of incredibly sharp teeth that she can call forth at will to tear through flesh if threatened. Her voice is hypnotic and capable of lulling a Man or Woman into a feeling of calm and what appears to be a waking dream.
Serena is an ancient being of myth and magic. Much of what she can do, she has no use for today but she will never not be extraordinary.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Act 3 - The Big Finale
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Character History: It would surprise no one to learn that Serena's story begins in the Sea. There was a time when she lived below the waves with her Sisters and they never needed nor wanted to be apart of the world above. That time is long gone however but Serena would not return home now, even if she thought it was possible. Truly the moment she met him, she knew that she could never go back because doing so would mean ignoring the fact that she was forever changed for loving him and it would certainly mean leaving him behind and that, was simply not an option.
Serena can't remember the year in which she got a far closer look at Humans than she had ever hoped to get but it was a long time ago. Her memories of the event however are still clear. She recalls the night when was scooped out of the ocean with a net that cut ribbons into her skin. She knows that for years after she would often wake up from a nightmare of the many glaring faces bearing down at her as she thrashed against the deck of the ship. She recalls being poked with the tips of swords and then hefted into a barrel full of water until it could be decided what to do with her. There had been talk of selling her to a King as a noble prize while other voices made suggestions of cutting her into pieces and selling her in bits to increase the profits.
<img src="https://i.pinimg.com/564x/cb/b3/10/cbb31073d47001c847678c4ee5fe104e.jpg"Align="left">More than anything, Serena remembers the fear she felt. It's unclear to her just how long she spent stuffed inside that barrel surrounded by Men who would make her insides shiver even today. She knows that it would have been far longer and her fate may have been far more tragic had he not stepped up and saved her life and then in return, she saved his.
Theodore was different. She knew it the moment that he spoke to her without moving his lips. He had sensed her fear and knew that she was not only sentient but intelligent. Wheather that was his reasoning for saving her, Serena can't say for sure. His motives are his own but on her part, she knows that through his kindness and selflessness, she fell in love with him. In part, it's her fault that he nearly died. If she hadn't allowed herself to be caught, if he hadn't been so determined to set her free, his shipmates would have had no reason to spear him through the chest and together, he would never have needed to roll them off the side of the ship and into the dark water below. There is no doubt in Serena's mind that she would have died that night if it weren't for Theo and Theo would have died that night if it hadn't been for her kiss.
Breathing air into his lungs, counter to what her kind were capable of, Serena kept the Sailor alive long enough to get him to land. She didn't want to see him die of course but at the same time, she didn't know how to save him. Honestly, she can't say for sure why his fatal wound suddenly stopped bleeding. She has her theories but they are only that. It is possible that the act of a Mermaid's kiss had given him the gift of life or perhaps it was Theo's promise to act as her protector that essentially stopped time and stopped his body from both aging and dying. So long as he kept his oath to both love and protect her, he could not die. She needed him. He needed her too.
It has been hundreds of years since the couple made their oath to one another and neither of them have faltered an inch. For a time, the couple lived in relative seclusion. Serena turned her back on the sea and Theodore turned his back on his people. All they needed was each other and for a time, the little house in the woods was more than enough for the pair. Serena had water and the Man she loved, she needed nothing else. It wasn't until decades later and the many thousands of books that Theodore had read to her, that she discovered her wanderlust. She wanted to see the world, have adventures and meet people again. There had to be others out there with hearts like Theo's. Not everybody could be so cruel as the Men who had captured her.
Together, just the two of them, the couple traveled the world. It wasn't always easy, in fact at times it was incredibly hard. Theo kept her safe, making sure that only those who could be trusted learned the truth about the pretty girl he kept in the tank. There were moments when she was free of course. Moments when she could walk and talk like everyone else but they never lasted long. Out of the water, Serena was offered the ability to connect to the Man she loved in a way she would never have expected but even that was not without its hardships. She could touch him, hold him, feel his body against her own but she could never stay to fall asleep in his arms. The moment her body dried, she was given a choice. Return to the water or die. Still, she wouldn't have traded those moments for the world.
<img src="https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/originals/81/1a/a8/811aa840260078703d5829e035e290ff.gif"Align="right">It took a long time for Serena to come to the decision that she needed more. Not that her life with Theodore wasn't enough. It was more than she ever could have hoped for but together, surely they could see more, do more. She wanted to meet people, hear their stories.
Suddenly joining society was never going to be easy though. It wasn't like Serena could pass for Human for very long. The second her skin dried, she would be forced back into the water and into her true form. There was no escaping this fact and so it was decided that instead of hiding it, they would embrace who and what she was and so her life in the Circus began.
With Theo acting as her manager and protector, Serena at first began as a Side Show Freak who appeared alongside regular humans with deformities or odd abilities outside the norm. It was a world where they did what they could to survive, Serena was a rare and beautiful draw for circus and carnival looking to make a little money. Like everything in life, some of those early years were good and some were bad. Still, taking the risk the couple moved from Circus to Circus and slowly, they watched the world change.
It's been almost fifty years now that Serena and Theodore have been with The Circus Obscura. For her part, Serena is thrilled to once again be around people just as strange and just as peculiar as herself. It was even through the kindness of the Duvall's that she was given her pearls and allowed to leave the water for longer than she ever had before. So long as they will have her, Serena has no plans to leave. If she has Theo and water to swim in, she has everything she could ever need.
Your Act: Serena, Siren of the Sea is not so much a main stage act as she is a Side Show Oddity. She is the one who will draw in the masses and elicit the oohs and the ahhs from the crowd. In her large tank, Serena will swim, her gold and amber scales catching the light and reflecting partners throughout the water as she twirls and tumbles within. Never having to rise above the water to breathe, people search for the trick and the lie but they have yet to find one. There is no visible seam or stitching to her costume and her great tail has the ability to move and whip with a power well beyond that of even the most sophisticated animatronics. Should in the end, you still question her authenticity, from below the water, releasing no bubbles and yet a hauntingly beautiful sound, Serena will sing for you a hypnotic song.
References:
[*] P. T. Barnum Serenea, now there's a name I haven't heard in a while. I take it she is still traveling with her great protector Theodore? Of course she is. If Serena Monroe is knocking on your door asking to join your show, don't think, hire her, immediately. I have never come across a Side Show Oddity who can draw in a crowd like the Siren of the Sea herself. You know what she is of course? It won't be easy, keeping her safe but she has Theo. She'll work hard for you though and so will he. You won't regret it. I didn't.
[*] Tom Norman Ha, Serena! Of course I remember her. You don't forget a beauty like Serena Monroe. Especially when you work with the off looking bunch like I do. She never really fit in with them, the freaks but you can't deny her ability to pull in a crowd and people need a bit of that. Ya know, beauty, after they're done staring at the Elephant Man and the rest of 'em.
[*] Tod Browning People still think I faked it ya know. Of all the people in my film, The Living Torso Johnny Eck, those conjoined twins Daisy and Violet Hilton and that sweet little weirdo Schlitzie, Serena was the one that people couldn't believe. Great little actress she was though. I had to hunt her down of course. She had never even considered being on film and that Theo of her's thought it was a bad idea. Said she didn't want that much publicity. He warned the same. I told her my film wasn't going to be that popular so not to worry. I didn't make it for the fame or the money ya know. If I wanted that, I would have gone more mainstream. I was just trying to tell a story and a good story it was but still, people didn't like it. They liked Serena though. I'm only disappointed that I never got the true colors of her scales to show up on the big screen like they deserved to be seen.
Prologue - The Setting of the Show
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Real Name: Serena Monroe
Stage Name: Serena, Siren of the Sea
Age: Unknown. Looks early 20's.
Species: Mermaid
Position at the Circus: Side Show Oddity
Theme Song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=98FMMdVsaRg
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Act 1 - The Face on the Outside
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Height: 5'7" // 152 cm
Weight: 126lbs // 57k
Physical Description: Most people who look at Serena when she isn't working will see a quiet but beautiful young woman, possibly just at the cusp of her twenties. She has long dark hair that hangs in damp tendrils around the column of her neck and over her shoulders, ending in a wavy cut in the middle of her back. Her eyes are the color the ocean at it's deepest and are as wide and round as the moon itself. Serena's skin is pale, soft and often appears to catch the light as if it were slick to the touch; though perhaps she simply wears a little too much highlighter. This would be strange though because Serena doesn't seem to wear any make-up. Her lips are naturally pink and her eyelashes are long and dark without assistance.
<img src="https://i.pinimg.com/564x/1a/eb/3b/1aeb3b1602167d9c185ba464ea79ef59.jpg"Align="right">Truly Serena rarely does little with her appearance beyond brushing her hair and occasionally braiding it. Her chosen style seems to be soft, feminine and a little bit peculiar. Serena can often be seen wearing clothes that look like they at least several decades out of date, yet beautifully maintained as if they have hardly been worn. She can always be seen with her clutch of pearls around her neck and she has been known to fiddle with them is she is nervous or uncomfortable. More often than not though Serena will be wearing a soft and contented smile upon the blushed shells of her lips.
Above anything, ignoring the eery and hunting gaze she can sometimes give. Beyond the soft curves of her body that will inevitably draw Men in to admire her beauty. Setting aside the fact that to those who spend that little bit too much time around Serena, they know that there is something definitely inhuman about her. Above it all, Serenea looks happy and she most certainly looks to be in love.
Distinguishing Features: Serena often looks like she has only recently stepped out of the shower. Most people who know her are used to this fact. Just as they are used to the fact that she will rarely go anywhere without Theo. While she might occasionally wonder off without her great protector though, Serena never seems to go anywhere without her pearls. It might be assumed that this clutch of pearls she wears might be fake or at the very least farm grown but they are in actual fact saltwater pearls, each and every one and they mean more to her than she can ever express.
The enchanted string of pearls was created by Isabella and Gideon Duvall. Before meeting the Duvall couple, Serena only ever left the water for short pockets of time. There had really never been any trick to it. It had always been an aspect of her species but like everything, there were rules. The moment that the last drop of water dried from her skin, she would begin to suffocate and be forced to return. Serena could only be out of the water and gain the legs that allow her to look and function as human, if she was wet. Now however, thanks to Isabella and Gideon, so long as she is wearing her pearls and they are charged with the sea water that gives her life, Serena can be free of the water for as long as 12 hours.
The little silver ring that she wears on her finger isn't nearly as miraculous but it is a symbol of her bond with the Man who's last name she chooses to share.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Act 2 - The Freak Within
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Personality: It is no doubt in poor taste to make such a pun but Serena is nothing if not serene. For this, people don't tend to think much of the young woman beyond thinking she's a little strange. I mean she isn't a huge conversationalist and she seems to spend so much time either on her own or with her beloved that it's no doubt a little odd. She seems to constantly be reading and the clothes she wears aren't exactly up to date. It is very common for her to miss or misinterpret a popular reference and she talks about common things with such a strange sense of awe that there is undoubtedly something peculiar about her.
This impression that people seem to have about Serena being perhaps simple-minded is hardly an accurate one but she isn't going to argue with people to get them to change their minds. Truly, thinking little of Serena is a mistake. Not only has she been around for long enough to know more than even the most gifted Human could claim but she's incredibly clever. In fact in her travels, both through the ocean and on land, Serena has picked up a myriad of languages and has even learned to communicate via what's known these days as ASl or American Sign Language. She's a quick study and enjoys devouring books on a daily basis. Nothing makes her happier than being read to however. She honestly can't count how many times she has fallen asleep to the sound of a loved ones voice retelling a story from their life or reading one from a book.
<img src="https://i.pinimg.com/564x/d7/3a/d4/d73ad48416992bbb4297102aecd79f10.jpg"Align="left">There was a time when Serena could be considered rather sheltered. In fact, there was a time when she not only didn't know about the Human world but didn't care to know either. While this time is no more, Serena hasn't thrown herself into modern life as much as others have, though this is for good reason. It could be said that she is still just taking her time as time moves differently for one such as herself than it does for others but in reality, she is probably just cautious. That and she can only pretend to be Human for so long before she has to return to the water.
There are things about the Human world that Serena adores but she is wise enough to know that with the good comes the horrible and she has no desire to bring such things into her life. She doesn't care for politics or religion and she seems to have little interest in modern technology. She cannot drive a car, has never acquired a Facebook page of her own and she has on many occasion turned her back on anything that she considers to be a waste of time. What she truly seems to love are stories. It's not the human world that fascinates her so much, it's the humans themselves.
Serena will admit to enjoying the occasional episode of The Simpsons however. It is about her only modern vice. Well, that and sushi. For someone who lives on what could be considered a Pescetarianism diet, in that they only eat fish and vegetables, sushi was a revelation!
Serena has a wanderlust that so far, only Circus life has been able to fill. She chose to leave the Sea when she met a Man who changed her life and years later, she chose again to come out from where they hid in their secluded little home in the woods to join the rest of the world. Appearing as a Side Show Oddity or a Freak as she used to be known, seemed like the way to do it. The Humans were never going to accept her if they knew the truth and so hinting at it while lumping in a healthy dose of skepticism and disbelief was the only way. Serena loves performing though. She doesn't do it for the money or the prestige. She does it because it allows her to be true to herself and travel a world that for so much of her life, has been a mystery.
Species Description: Serena is a Mermaid. Many hundreds of years ago, her kind were a common sight for Sailors traversing the vast oceans. Myths and legends, poems and songs were written about them. Some stories say that they were kind and generous to Men who had lost their way, even going so far as to rescue them should they be found close to death. Other stories say that they were deceptively vicious, luring Men in with their Siren songs and then dragging them into the deep to their death with a kiss. The truth no doubt lays somewhere in between. All Serena knows is that there was a time when she had a Family and when she daren't spare a stray thought about Humans or their world and then she did and she can't go back.
Her Kind isn't seen so much anymore. It's possible that Serena is one of but a handful of Mermaids left and this is a thought that sadness her but she has no regrets about the life she chose. Serena enjoys performing. The truth is, she is more comfortable in her true form. Her gold and amber scales are as much a part of her if not more than her skin. When in her true form, Serena's iridescent scales wrap from the tip of her powerful fined tail and climb all the way up over her rear and around her waist. From there they are seemingly scattered like freckles over her skin. There is a splattering of them across her smooth stomach and her breasts are partially concealed by the amber scales as well. A few can be found in small patches across her forehead and down her arms but the area around the gills in her neck is bare.
<img src="https://i.pinimg.com/564x/97/41/ad/9741adb5b0747160dbacf466c5f5ec49.jpg"Align="right">As a Mermaid, Serena posses a near infinite lifespan. It should be noted though that just because she is immortal, does not mean she is invulnerable. She is a creature of magic but she can be harmed just like anything else. If cut, she bleeds and if her limbs are broken, they must be braced to heal. She is not without her defenses however. If threatened, when in her true form, Serena can produce a set of needle-sharp teeth capable of tearing through flesh. At any time however, should she choose and as a last resort, her kiss can suffocate a Man. These days though, Serena has little reason to attack. She has a protector after all.
Noteworthy Qualities: Most notedly would be Serene's long and powerful gold and amber tail when she is in her true form. There is no hiding or disguising this but that's kind of the point. With it, she can swim for great distances and to incredible depths.
She also possesses other qualities that are unique to her kind.
Serena has the ability to either give life or take it through her kiss. She is in possession of a set of incredibly sharp teeth that she can call forth at will to tear through flesh if threatened. Her voice is hypnotic and capable of lulling a Man or Woman into a feeling of calm and what appears to be a waking dream.
Serena is an ancient being of myth and magic. Much of what she can do, she has no use for today but she will never not be extraordinary.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Act 3 - The Big Finale
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Character History: It would surprise no one to learn that Serena's story begins in the Sea. There was a time when she lived below the waves with her Sisters and they never needed nor wanted to be apart of the world above. That time is long gone however but Serena would not return home now, even if she thought it was possible. Truly the moment she met him, she knew that she could never go back because doing so would mean ignoring the fact that she was forever changed for loving him and it would certainly mean leaving him behind and that, was simply not an option.
Serena can't remember the year in which she got a far closer look at Humans than she had ever hoped to get but it was a long time ago. Her memories of the event however are still clear. She recalls the night when was scooped out of the ocean with a net that cut ribbons into her skin. She knows that for years after she would often wake up from a nightmare of the many glaring faces bearing down at her as she thrashed against the deck of the ship. She recalls being poked with the tips of swords and then hefted into a barrel full of water until it could be decided what to do with her. There had been talk of selling her to a King as a noble prize while other voices made suggestions of cutting her into pieces and selling her in bits to increase the profits.
<img src="https://i.pinimg.com/564x/cb/b3/10/cbb31073d47001c847678c4ee5fe104e.jpg"Align="left">More than anything, Serena remembers the fear she felt. It's unclear to her just how long she spent stuffed inside that barrel surrounded by Men who would make her insides shiver even today. She knows that it would have been far longer and her fate may have been far more tragic had he not stepped up and saved her life and then in return, she saved his.
Theodore was different. She knew it the moment that he spoke to her without moving his lips. He had sensed her fear and knew that she was not only sentient but intelligent. Wheather that was his reasoning for saving her, Serena can't say for sure. His motives are his own but on her part, she knows that through his kindness and selflessness, she fell in love with him. In part, it's her fault that he nearly died. If she hadn't allowed herself to be caught, if he hadn't been so determined to set her free, his shipmates would have had no reason to spear him through the chest and together, he would never have needed to roll them off the side of the ship and into the dark water below. There is no doubt in Serena's mind that she would have died that night if it weren't for Theo and Theo would have died that night if it hadn't been for her kiss.
Breathing air into his lungs, counter to what her kind were capable of, Serena kept the Sailor alive long enough to get him to land. She didn't want to see him die of course but at the same time, she didn't know how to save him. Honestly, she can't say for sure why his fatal wound suddenly stopped bleeding. She has her theories but they are only that. It is possible that the act of a Mermaid's kiss had given him the gift of life or perhaps it was Theo's promise to act as her protector that essentially stopped time and stopped his body from both aging and dying. So long as he kept his oath to both love and protect her, he could not die. She needed him. He needed her too.
It has been hundreds of years since the couple made their oath to one another and neither of them have faltered an inch. For a time, the couple lived in relative seclusion. Serena turned her back on the sea and Theodore turned his back on his people. All they needed was each other and for a time, the little house in the woods was more than enough for the pair. Serena had water and the Man she loved, she needed nothing else. It wasn't until decades later and the many thousands of books that Theodore had read to her, that she discovered her wanderlust. She wanted to see the world, have adventures and meet people again. There had to be others out there with hearts like Theo's. Not everybody could be so cruel as the Men who had captured her.
Together, just the two of them, the couple traveled the world. It wasn't always easy, in fact at times it was incredibly hard. Theo kept her safe, making sure that only those who could be trusted learned the truth about the pretty girl he kept in the tank. There were moments when she was free of course. Moments when she could walk and talk like everyone else but they never lasted long. Out of the water, Serena was offered the ability to connect to the Man she loved in a way she would never have expected but even that was not without its hardships. She could touch him, hold him, feel his body against her own but she could never stay to fall asleep in his arms. The moment her body dried, she was given a choice. Return to the water or die. Still, she wouldn't have traded those moments for the world.
<img src="https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/originals/81/1a/a8/811aa840260078703d5829e035e290ff.gif"Align="right">It took a long time for Serena to come to the decision that she needed more. Not that her life with Theodore wasn't enough. It was more than she ever could have hoped for but together, surely they could see more, do more. She wanted to meet people, hear their stories.
Suddenly joining society was never going to be easy though. It wasn't like Serena could pass for Human for very long. The second her skin dried, she would be forced back into the water and into her true form. There was no escaping this fact and so it was decided that instead of hiding it, they would embrace who and what she was and so her life in the Circus began.
With Theo acting as her manager and protector, Serena at first began as a Side Show Freak who appeared alongside regular humans with deformities or odd abilities outside the norm. It was a world where they did what they could to survive, Serena was a rare and beautiful draw for circus and carnival looking to make a little money. Like everything in life, some of those early years were good and some were bad. Still, taking the risk the couple moved from Circus to Circus and slowly, they watched the world change.
It's been almost fifty years now that Serena and Theodore have been with The Circus Obscura. For her part, Serena is thrilled to once again be around people just as strange and just as peculiar as herself. It was even through the kindness of the Duvall's that she was given her pearls and allowed to leave the water for longer than she ever had before. So long as they will have her, Serena has no plans to leave. If she has Theo and water to swim in, she has everything she could ever need.
Your Act: Serena, Siren of the Sea is not so much a main stage act as she is a Side Show Oddity. She is the one who will draw in the masses and elicit the oohs and the ahhs from the crowd. In her large tank, Serena will swim, her gold and amber scales catching the light and reflecting partners throughout the water as she twirls and tumbles within. Never having to rise above the water to breathe, people search for the trick and the lie but they have yet to find one. There is no visible seam or stitching to her costume and her great tail has the ability to move and whip with a power well beyond that of even the most sophisticated animatronics. Should in the end, you still question her authenticity, from below the water, releasing no bubbles and yet a hauntingly beautiful sound, Serena will sing for you a hypnotic song.
References:
[*] P. T. Barnum Serenea, now there's a name I haven't heard in a while. I take it she is still traveling with her great protector Theodore? Of course she is. If Serena Monroe is knocking on your door asking to join your show, don't think, hire her, immediately. I have never come across a Side Show Oddity who can draw in a crowd like the Siren of the Sea herself. You know what she is of course? It won't be easy, keeping her safe but she has Theo. She'll work hard for you though and so will he. You won't regret it. I didn't.
[*] Tom Norman Ha, Serena! Of course I remember her. You don't forget a beauty like Serena Monroe. Especially when you work with the off looking bunch like I do. She never really fit in with them, the freaks but you can't deny her ability to pull in a crowd and people need a bit of that. Ya know, beauty, after they're done staring at the Elephant Man and the rest of 'em.
[*] Tod Browning People still think I faked it ya know. Of all the people in my film, The Living Torso Johnny Eck, those conjoined twins Daisy and Violet Hilton and that sweet little weirdo Schlitzie, Serena was the one that people couldn't believe. Great little actress she was though. I had to hunt her down of course. She had never even considered being on film and that Theo of her's thought it was a bad idea. Said she didn't want that much publicity. He warned the same. I told her my film wasn't going to be that popular so not to worry. I didn't make it for the fame or the money ya know. If I wanted that, I would have gone more mainstream. I was just trying to tell a story and a good story it was but still, people didn't like it. They liked Serena though. I'm only disappointed that I never got the true colors of her scales to show up on the big screen like they deserved to be seen.