The World of Aer Mara

Halla is a baker in a small seaside port town, and Gilnor is a Merman Prince of the North Sea. Trying desperately to escape his ‘oppressive’ life in court, revolving around his ascension to the Aer Mara throne, Gilnor disguises himself as a human and comes to the town where Halla lives. They meet, become friends, and inevitably fall in love; but Gilnor cannot reveal to Halla who he really is by Mer law. Not only that but someone is trying to keep them apart by oftentimes nefarious means…

Shanhalla "Halla" Grimbear

Name: Halla (Shanhalla) Grimbear.
Race / Species: Human.
Age: 30.
Gender: Cis Female – She / Her.
Occupation: Self-employed baker.
Sexuality: Heterosexual.
Height: 5′ 10″ / 177.8cm
Build: Broad, muscular with a soft layer of fat over the top. Strongwoman / Amazon type body.
Eye Colour: Emerald green.
Hair: Shoulder length, wavy, deep brown with a slight red tint.
Notable Features: Body heavily freckled.
Family: Arthur (father), Derewyn (mother), Nelhana (sister), Galhame (brother).
Love Interest: Gilnoruil.
Likes: Cooking, tending bees, dancing, singing (privately!).
Dislikes: Spiders, hypocrisy, injustice.

Halla is a well-liked young woman in her community. She moved to the seaside port town to realise her dream of starting her own local bakery and to escape city life. Her family lives elsewhere, but she is particularly close to an old widow named Evelynn Ormston.

Gilnoruil Eldarin

Name: Gilnoruil Eldarin.
Race / Species: Mer.
Age: 32.
Gender: Cis Male – He / Him.
Occupation: Crown Prince / Heir to the Aer Maran throne.
Sexuality: Bisexual, greysexual.
Height: 6′ 2″ / 188cm (human form). 7' / 213.3cm long including his caudal fin (Mer form).
Build: Tall and athletic. Muscular but not heavily built. Swimmer / dancer type body.
Eye Colour: Silver-blue.
Hair: Straight, mid-back length, black with silver streaks at the front about an inch wide that he normally wears in 4 braids pulled back into a single ponytail.
Notable Features: Scales are black with silver highlights. Pointed ears in Mer-form. Silver scales over his 'human' half appear and bioluminesce (including the silver on his tail) when amorous. Dark blue spots appear over his whole body when baring his venomous fangs. His venom can kill other Mer. His voice can influence other beings and control water.
Family: Thrandiel (father), Aurien (mother), Sileveth (sister).
Love Interest: Halla.
Likes: Singing, playing instruments (he can play many), dancing.
Dislikes: Sea snakes, Celestia, being made to to something he doesn’t want to.

Gilnor is the first child of the King and Queen of the North Sea Mer kingdom; Aer Mara. He despises being the heir, and sees his world as a prison - being groomed towards ruling and an forced into an arranged political marriage.
While he doesn't personally care for the surface world or the humans that inhabit it, he begins visiting it as a way of both escaping his predicament and as an act of rebellion, since Mer are supposed to avoid humans. Weaving a disguise so he can walk on land, he finds the place has it's charms... Especially when he meets the kind young woman at the bakery.