《Back To Sea》 Scupper That! Whatever She Be! My only regret: Not having more time. As a little minow, I was told that men were the reason we merpeople stayed far below the surface. That they were monsters who sought to kill anything they deemed less than them. And I believed this story, that is until I met one myself. He was kind, and handsome, and brave. He is my husband. But it was everyone else who ruined us. Word got out about who I really was. At first, Eric swore they were wrong, threatening to silence anyone who would dare speak accusations against his lovely bride. The pain in his eyes. Nothing like the rage I see in them now. Mermaids and humans are enemies. Id done my best to convince him that shouldnt be the case. But just as it was hard for me to abandon my ways, Eric bears the same struggle. Still, I know he loves me. But the words of the people got to him. He kept pestering me about it. Inquiring about my origins and such. I avoided him too long. Eventually, he had to know for himself. Here I sat on the deck of his ship, where we first met, under a pitch-black sky. My arms tied behind my back. He was a gentleman enough to settle this account in private. But he could have at least allowed me to dress in something warmer than my nightgown. The bright flame of his torch lighting one side of my face and shading the other as he crouched to my level, leaning in to my ear. His jaw clenching. I am going to ask you one more time. Are. You. A mermaid? My throat tightened. I dared to look into his beautiful blue eyes. Eyes like the ocean. Eric. My dear prince. Dont. Does it matter? He took on a grim expression Id never seen before. That was the wrong answer! He gripped my arm at the shoulder and dragged me to the plank. Since you wont tell me the truth, we shall see for ourselves. He bent me over to stare into the furious sea. Once my home, now my grave. My life flashed before my eyes. My father, my sisters, my friends. I left them all for a life on land. Legs for a tail; that was the deal. I wondered if that witch was enjoying her new life under the sea because soon I wouldnt be. If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. Are you really going to do this? Sacrifice your wife for a rumor? Is that the man I married? Who did I marry? Ive shown you every side of me. I have yet to know anything about you. Guilt swelled in me. He was right. It was selfish and cruel of me to do this to him. To declare a vow of transparency at an altar, and withhold so much truth from him. This may be true. But I have no respect for a man who will kill his own wife. His fingers dug into my shoulder. What if Im right? What if youre wrong? From the corner of my eye, I could see him blinking back unruly tears. Oh Ariel, He pressed a hard kiss of sweet betrayal on my cheek, I sure hope Im not. Down I am tossed like a bad catch of fish. I slap the water, and my legs do a bad job at kicking. I hadnt learned how to properly swim like the humans. A wave crashed over me, tossing me around against my will. With the remainder of my abnormal strength, I freed my wrists from the ropes that bound them. I couldnt hold my breath for long. Slowly I descended. Just when I thought I was done for, a familiar yellow blob floated before me. Flounder! Accompanied by two dolphins. They each slid under an arm and guided me to a nearby rock that peeked just above the surface of the waters. I choked and coughed, creeping up onto the rock. My linen clung to me, wet hair fell if my face, and I felt uncomfortably damp and cold. Lifting my head, I could spot Prince Eric on the ship. He was curled up in a ball, bellowing in regret of the wife hed just killed. The faint notion that after all this Id be recognized as no more than a human martyr who died on behalf of the merpeople, tickled my brain. But at the sight of such a strong man crying whom Id come to love, I cried along with him. None of this was his fault. ''Twas more mine than his. Better this way, I thought. Better Im dead than a mermaid. Rendezvous Father always said that unlike my six older sisters, I likened Mother most. Not by looks alone; I carried her jaunty spirit. I was always one to make everything a game. It drove the eldest, Attina, to wrath. Whenever I came back after a long time away at the surface to bring home a human thing and show it to my sisters, most of them would listen in awe. But Attina wasn''t at all amused. "I can''t believe you are encouraging her. The girl needs to learn how to be a mermaid, not a human," Attina said from the high up apature of our special cave that she used as a seat. I allowed her interruption of my story as I was explaining the dingle-hopper, "How can I be any more of what I already am, Attina?" My sister lowered her head to the ditch where we sat in a semi-circle. Her pretty nose flared. "You are obsessed with a place that is forbidden. The enemy''s territory. It''s concerning to say the least." "We can learn from our enemies, too." I expected Attina''s surprised reaction to my claim, "Where are you getting such balderdash?" All my sisters answered, "Scuttle." Attina swam off her seat, her glittering tail flipping behind. She swam to me. Her hair was wrapped around five spiky shell cones that protruded from her head. A pearl-beaded body chain hid her chest flesh. A garnet ring in her greek nose. Silver bejeweled bangles weighed her wrists. As the heiress, she was given the widest selection of jewelry to be showered and choked in. Her tapered eyes held a serious gaze. "Imagine if Father heard you quoting a prisoner. Or if he found out you were going to the surface." "He will never find out," I said. "Will he?" She understood what I implied. "I never promised my clandestinity." "So you''ve told." "No. But I feel tempted to. For your own good. Only I don''t think I need to. Father is bound to catch on to your absence. You can''t keep this up, Ariel." I squinted her way, "We''ll see about that." "Stop it, Ariel. It''s not a challenge, it''s a warning. Life is not a game. This is serious." The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. "On the contrary," I tipped up my chin. "Its the biggest game of all." I ignored everyone''s shaking heads. Attina sighed, "This is your flaw, Ariel. You think you know everything. But soon your games will catch up to you. And you''ll find that you can''t have everything you want." As another wave whipped against my back, I opened my eyes. The tide had risen up to my mouth. My arms, still locked around the tip of this rock. It was a miracle that I had held on this long for the whole night. I desperately hoped Flounder delivered my message to my father. Any longer a wait, and my arms would give way. My body felt increasingly dehydrated as the saltwater continued to beat at my skin. But I held on. The sun was only adding to my peril. I pressed my cheek to the granite. With nothing more to do, I eased my mind into synchronization with the sounds of nature around me. My ears tuned in to the mews of the seagulls, the whoos of the wind, the powerful brushing and rippling of the waves. My nose recognized the saltiness of the air. Whether I liked it or not, I was home, or at least a league away. Then I heard another noise that made my heart stop, the dismal yet resounding lull of a conch shell. I squeezed my eyes shut as the waves pulled away from me, and the person I''d been waiting for approached. I must face him. I urged myself to lift my head and turn around. The image of a giant body blocking the sunlight was blurred before me. I couldn''t see much, but pushed off the rock and reached out a shaky arm, "Help me. Please." Before any further movement was made on my part, I was thrust up with the water and blown back with the wind. My innards lifted for a moment, then succumbed to gravity as I landed on the edge of the sandy coast. Was I broken anywhere? Somehow, I managed to lift my head after such an impact. This time the image was crystal clear. I beheld his veined arms, his lifted chest. The glorious white locks that spread over his broad shoulders. And in his mighty right hand, an engraved gold trident, nearly as big as him. Dare I say the word? "Father!" His steely expression turned down any hope I had. "Not ''Father'' anymore. I am not even your king, do you understand!" I frowned with quaking lips. "Yes. King Poseidon of Undersea, do I have your cordiality at least?" Sebastian, his second in command, whispered something to the king. King Poseidon then addressed me, "Cordiality is reserved for citizens of Undersea. But my mercy is given and remains as long you keep to your vow, and never swim below the shallows again." "But I have no friend here" "Dat eez no concern hof hours!" Shouted Sebastian. His high cheeks condemned me. The necklace of dead crabs strung together, jangled against his deep, swarthy chest. "Hand. Haccording to law, hall treasures of dee sea must remain therein." He swam closer until he was but one inch from the line that separated me from him. With an outstretched palm, he urged, "Dee comb." The comb. My mother''s comb. The last bit of opulence that remained with me. Without a fuss, I slipped it out of my hair and handed it over. But I concealed within my gown the better gift. The thing that had turned my life around. Sebastian turned up a surly smirk, "Dat will do." I couldn''t believe what I was hearing. I was being disowned and disavowed. "Do you want me to apologize? That''s what you want, isn''t it? Fine! I apologize! I apologize!" They turned their backs on me. "NO! FATHER!" In one whip of their tails, it was final. I was on my own. Walking Mess Sand, dirt, and now grass in between my toes. It''s hard to hide when there are hardly any trees or hills. Prince Eric''s castle our castle was plain to see from almost every side of the island. Smooth cylinder towers standing along the edge of the cape with a brick aqueduct stretching out to the sea. One of the towers in particular was the location of our chamber. I loved that room. Of course, I was probably the only one who noticed the pillars, rug, and ceiling murals. The humans made their castles similar to mermaids, but their walls were meant to keep the elements out. My father''s castle was very open to allow the water to freely flow through. Eric had little care for what the room looked like and more for the activity to take place therein. It wasn''t long before I too switched my interest. Stop it, Ariel. Remember how he pushed you off The Royal. Yes, how could I forget? I kept on walking through a small beech forest. The trees resembled white skinless bones shooting up to the sky. Curly branches twisted whimsically at their ends. Once, I would have looked up. I would have imagined myself climbing those branches even though I never could. I tried to tune out the accusatory voice in my head. The one that wouldn''t cease to tell me how awful I was. No matter how loud it became, I couldn''t believe it. I made a mistake, yes. But I guess it was fitting that I did. Because that''s a very human thing to do. And as of late, I could be nothing else. This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. My body could hardly carry on after being beat so repetitiously by the ocean. It gave me the flogging I deserved. I was weak with hunger. Starvation, that''s good. That would keep me moving. I had no plan for how far I would walk or where I was headed. I just had to be as far from Eric as possible. The land is flat. Too flat. Everything looks the same. Endless plains of short grass. I eventually walked far enough to see a speck in the distance. Walked further, and that speck was a cottage. No longer moping, I pick up the pace. My feet meet with the ground as though they were born to it. I am as fast a runner as I was a swimmer. Faster than any man, at least those I''ve seen. As quickly as I was acquainted with a patch of land, I passed it just the same. Within minutes the cottage was closer to me. It was easy to get going; hard to stop. I was headed for the door. As I braced myself for my head to smash, the door swung open, and I entered, slamming down the inhabitant. I held the child close to me, my arm around her little head. The sound of a man''s clogs made me cling tighter. He came closer, I could feel it. The girl was silent in my arms, not pushing away. In fact, she took to my embrace. It was a short moment savored before she was ripped from under me. "Let go of me datter!" I turned onto my back and saw him. He held a hard grimace with features carved out of stone. Angular cheekbones, a rugged, pointed nose, hooded eyes. His full flaxen beard covered the jawline I could plainly see. The girl in his arms continued to smile at me. I was tempted to smile back if only her caretaker wasn''t staring me straight in the eye with a pressing look. "Who are you? What is this?" He gestured at my appearance. I scrunched up the open neckline of my now tattered nightgown in one fist. I didn''t know what to say. "Can you not speak?" "Freja. My name is Freja." Lies Have No Legs, But A Tree? What an easy liar I''ve become. The useful excuses, already at hand like a deck of cards. Sitting at the table of this gentleman''s humble home with his daughter beside me, I waited for him to finish preparing the table with trays of bread, cheese, vegetables, and hard-boiled eggs. I smiled at the utensils near my plate. One of them, a wooden stick with four prongs branching from it. The humans had their name for it. But I would always know it as the dinglehopper. He sat down with a grunt. "Well. Clara. Tell Freja here what we do." The girl looked up at me with cheerful eyes, "Fa and I move trees." "You mean you cut trees and sell them?" I say. The girl, Clara, froze like she didn''t understand. Her father reached over the table and patted her arm, "It''s alright Clara. This one is just ignorant." I looked at them both, confused. There was a lot I still didn''t know too much about, but I was certain that I described their jobs correctly. He looked back at me. "Allow us to introduce ourselves. This be me datter, Clara. And I''m Arne. Tree moving has been part of our family for years. We dont brag about it, but we do take offense when compared to the common lumberjack." He leaned forward in his seat. "Now, in courteous fashion you would introduce yourself beyond just a name. I suspect there is a reason you''ve shown up at our door in such a state. " Oh. Yes. I say. I''d had about fifteen minutes to think up a story. My cards were ready. Let''s play. "My father is a fisherman." "An honorable occupation." "Yes. He has high respect in our community. You know, the upstanding sort." "Ha," Arne laughs, while looking at me side-eyed. And I know why. If my father was so good, what was I doing here? But I had an answer for that too. I frown, "But I fell for one of his men. Father didn''t like that. He thinks I don''t understand what it is I wish for. But I knew what I wanted." "So what did you do?" Clara said anxiously. "I followed my heart," I answered with a smile. "We got engaged and planned to elope. Father somehow heard of it. And before we could do as we planned, Father sold me to off a sailor." Nothing I said seemed to provoke even a smidgen of a reaction from Arne. So I continued. "I knew I had to get away. I wouldnt be his ship''s queen for anything. So I jumped." "Jumped?" Clara asked. Noticing the look on Arne''s face, I quickly realized how mature the topic was getting to be heard by little ears. "I left the ship. And found myself in the wilderness. I tried to see my lover again. But he was angry with me. He thought I left him on purpose." "But you didn''t leave him, your fa sold you," Clara argued. "Doesn''t he know you love him?" Something about what she said made my heart burst. I began to drip real tears, "Exactly. I thought the same thing. He must know I love him. Blasted! Why can''t he and my father just see eye-to-eye? They are so much alike. If only they didn''t hate each other none of this would have ha- happened." My breaths quickened as tears fell to my cheeks. Soon, I was crying so hard it gave little Clara a scare. Arne stood up. "That''s enough." I did my best to wipe my tears. "I''m sorry." The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there. "As you should be for bringing sentiments to a breakfast table. It seems you have withstood a lot. But if you are to be here, I don''t want to hear anymore of this nonsense between you and some rebel around me Clara." He grimaced, "Following your heartC foolishness." I scowled back. "Whats foolish about that?" Well, just look where it all got you. You betrayed your own Fa, and left a sailor all for a man who only broke your heart at the end of it. I raised my chin at him. "And I''d do it all over again." And you''d be a fool for it. I was getting so flustered, I forgot my appetite. "How dare you to diminish how I feel." Arne stared at me with souless cobalt eyes, I havent a care in the world for how you feel. "Fa!" Dont Fa me, Clara! Eat your food. He pointed to his daughter while looking at me, "But I care for what this one''s mind gets shaped to." Extremely offended at this point, I say something I probably should have thought twice before saying, "You are just like him. My father. And you will ruin your daughter''s life." His wide fist hit the table. "Get out of here. Get out now!" Fa, no. I gladly stood to my feet, stuffed two eggs in my mouth, and found the door of the cottage. I''ll admit, I could have quelled my temperament, and I wouldn''t have been kicked out. But who would put up with that? I mean, I guess his daughter has to, poor thing. "Absolutely, positively, the most unpleasantC" I heard a crash. It came with a flash of light, and then darkness filled the sky. Rain poured over me without holding back. Something told me King Poseidon was behind the sudden outbreak. I tilted back my head and let it have me. It may be the only way to feel him now. And I could perfectly feel his rage, disappointment, and sorrow. "I feel you, Father." I touched my wet neck, dragging my hands down to my chest. I felt the vile. It hung from my neck, hidden below the cords that cinched my low neckline together. I looked around for a dry place to sit. I saw a shed some yards from the home. I walked to it. The wood was painted a cute yellow color. I passed under the passage roof. The inside smelled like the wood, light and grainy. I looked around at all the supplies. Strange objects crafted for purposes I didn''t yet know. I sat down and settled in, taking shelter from the storm. Unscrewing the vile from its top which connected to the string around my neck, I slipped out the tiny roll of paper that was inside. I unrolled the note. An illuminated page torn from a manuscript dazzled before me. The red, braided frame encased a tiny sketch that had, at the time I discovered it, sparked new ideas in my head. This picture gave me hope to pursue a life of my own. A life with Eric. Laying on my side, I held it up in front of me and studied the image. The setting was a shore, blue webbed swirls made up the water that crashed against the yellow sand. A bronze bluff was the background. On the sand, A woman with long swirling hair, flowing in the wind. Her arms reached out at a young merman submerging from the water. He had a strong build and gorgeous flaxen locks. His arms were doing the same to her. At first, I tried to see it a thousand ways. Maybe they were rivals declaring war. Maybe he stole something from her that she wanted back. But the truth was plain and simple by the way their eyes trained on each other. It was plain and simple that the thing the merman stole was her heart. They were in love. This page, I found in the castle library on my first day above water. It was a single page hidden in a corner behind two shelves. I didn''t know who could have possibly drawn such a forbidden thing, or if it came from a fictional book or depicted a true event. But it was as if I was meant to find it. It let me know that I was doing the right thing. That I could find love on land. I flipped it over to the next side. In ancient letters it read, "Of little nature." Or in other words, "Unnatural". I scowled at the text. All of a sudden, I heard a rustling coming from the other side of the long shed. It was too dark to see anything. I quickly stuffed the paper into the vile, and screwed it back on my necklace. "He- Hello? Is there anyone there?" Another rustle answered back. I stayed near the shed opening. "I''m sorry. I just had to shelter here for the night. Please dont tell the man called Arne." No reply came. I inched toward the dark corner, "Unless... you are hiding like me?" I came closer. There was nothing there but a little sappling. Its roots weren''t planted in anything. I noticed a chain that wrapped around the trunk, keeping it close to the wall. I looked around but nothing else was there. I chuckled to myself. Must be hearing things. I looked back at the tree and chuckled again, "Now that''s a downright silly thing to do. Chaining a tree to a wall." I slid my fingers along the metal links. "That evil Arne must have an issue with freedom. Why, he must have seen you minding your business, and couldn''t bear the thought of a tree not belonging to anything. The only thing you were ever bound to was the ground." I found the end of the chain and started pulling, loosening, and unraveling the links. "Well, I''ll just undo that for you. There." I started to question my sanity. Was I really talking to a tree? My sanity became critical when the sappling seemed to lean forward one way and then the other. My eyes widened in surprise. Before I could be sure I was not going mad, I was forced to the side as the sappling busted past me. Its roots stepping forward like legs. I was shocked beyond words. It left out the opening, it''s branches bouncing along. Did I just see what I saw? Did a tree just walk? Lets Start Again The rain stopped, leaving the outside of the shed damp. The smell of moisture was in the air. I began to move to the opening. "I guess I should go now." "Not just yet, you scoundrel." I look behind me. Arne had come in through the other opening of the adjacent wall. He stared at the empty corner of the shed where the sappling had been chained. He then looked at me. "Where did it go." I stammered. "Where did it go?" He persisted. I pointed outside in the direction I saw it leave. His nose flared, "You have just made me lose a large profit. That one was going to the prince''s courtyard." My eyes went wide. "You work for the prince?" "I work for whoever needs it. But this time I was requested by the royal gardener. Now I have nothing to exchange." I blinked. "I am sure you can find other trees like that one." He squinted at me. "You know nothing about tree moving, do you?" I concededly nodded. "The sapplings are rare, younger, and the hardest to move, being the jump-iest. That also means they beg a higher price. If not for you, I''d have a good chance of bringing home some nice new equipment." He frowned. "And shoes for Clara. But now I only have time to move an older alder tree." I turned away, thinking about some way to fix this. "We will have to go find it then." "We won''t be doing anything. You have done enough." He went over to the wall full of equipment and took with him a rope with some kind of blade at the end of it, keeping wrapped around his shoulder. Arne called to his daughter. She ran outside. "Yes, fa?" "Come with me." "Yes, fa." Arne and Clara went around beyond their cottage into the wood that was behind it. I went with them. "I told you this doesn''t involve you," he said to me. "I can walk wherever I like." "Then remember to keep over there and away from us." No one had ever made me so eager to explain that I was a princess. We carried on into the wood. Arne held his daughters hand. Clara played a game with me where we think of all the things that fly. Of course, she was better at naming them than I. Then he held up his hand. Clara must have known what that meant because she immediately fell silent. The man''s eyes switched from side to side. He stepped forward silently and crouched and touched a spot on the ground. Clara. Come. He gestured with a two-finger beckon. The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there. Clara skipped over to her father. A smile filled her ruddy cheeks. Our tree? Arne nodded then looked at me. It came this way. How do you know that? Just look. The roots lashed the ground. That could have been anything. You dont have the eyes to see it. He stood up. He is probably trying to find a place to root, as of now. But he can''t hide from me. Arne continued forward with measured steps. A light rustling was heard for a second. Arne gestured for the us to freeze again. I hear you, you sap, he said under his breath. He slid the rope off his shoulder, holding the end of it where the blade was. I hear your tremulous branches. Arne kicked off his clogs. His bare feet slid around the dirt. I can feel your light tread. I leaned to Clara and whispered, What is he doing? An old tree-mover practice. To catch a tree, think like a tree. Be one with the ground. Arne closed his eyes and inhaled through his nose. He slowly raised his rope. Stand back, Clara. Clara clasped my arm and moved me back with her. Arne now had his space. He whipped his blade over his head, getting faster and faster. Another rustling was heard. Arne threw his blade in some direction. It flew like an arrow. The blade whooshed past the trees it did not mind, sticking itself into the heart of a sappling in motion. I gasped. You got him, Fa! Arne had to be quick as the sappling began to root itself. He held the rope and pulled. The tree budged begrudgingly, trying to latch onto the ground. But it was no match for Arnes tug. It dragged on toward him. Arne was going to win. He finally gave it one yank, and the tree was in his arms. Arne wrapped the rope around it, quickly. He tied a strong knot. A gravelly chuckle escaped his lips, Thats it. Settle down. You are going to a much better place. Better than I can afford to live in. But you will learn to behave yourself first and don''t make hell for me. Clara shrieked with glee and sang, We are going to see the prince! Tralalala, see the prince! I knew in that moment that my time with them should end. Well, I am pleased to see that you found your tree. But I have to go. Go? Dont go, Clara whines while tugging my arm. But Clara, let go, Arne voiced. Clara let go to urge her father. Fa, you cant! You cant let her go. Its her choice, Clara. He eyed me. He was right. This was my choice. But Clara brought her little eyes to me. She didnt say a word, just stared a sullen stare. I... I... They waited for my answer, I wouldnt want to be any more of an issue. No, you wouldnt be. Tell her, Fa. Tell her. Arne looked at his daughter, then he looked at me. Clara would appreciate it. Then I would love to stay. Juhuu! Clara spun in a circle with free arms. We walked together back to the cottage. Arne told me he wanted to have a discussion. I followed Arne to his room. He had a low bed dressed in the plainest white linen near a square window. A metal standing bowl beside it with a pitcher. And to my side, a dark dresser with a linen runner layed over it. It was a private, intimate space. I felt like an intruder. I have to be sure that we understand each other, Arne began. You may not think I am good for me datter. But she is all I have. And we are taking a real risk by bringing you along. So I need you to stay out of trouble, okay? I am not a child. Arne frowned. Yes. Yes, youre right. I dont know why I made such a fuss. I held my hand over my heart, I will not cause trouble. I promise. Arne seemed hesitant to believe, but I think at some second, he moved on from it. Now, I had my own complaint. Arne, there is something you need to promise me. I dont want to be seen by anyone. I am... notorious in the village. Just how scorned was the affair? I frowned. The people they say Im a witch. That I cast a spell on the my beloved. I see, he scratched his platinum beard. With that poppy hair of yours, you will be spotted in a moment. I agreed. Well get you a cloth to cover it. And... He pinched his nose, Perhaps Ill go get some lake water for your bath. Afterwards, we leave. He took his time getting the water, then returning to fill the tub for me. Arne explained he didnt have time to heat the water first. I told him it did not matter. It really didnt. He left quickly. I used a sponge to clean myself. Once done, I was given an olive green dress to wear. Clara did not say where she got the dress from. I assumed it was her mothers. Do you remember your mother, Clara? I said as I pulled up the sleeves. Clara smiled at me. Her pretty dimple showing as she concisely said, No. Other Side Of The Gate I remember riding through this market for the first time. The people loved me, then. I was the talk of the town. Back when they whispered on about Eric and I, predicting us as soon to be betrothed. It was the good whispers. The kind we both pretended we never heard as we rode on. I was the mysterious lady love that no one knew. And that was just the problem, wasnt? Eventually people will stop accepting mystery, and start wanting answers. Now I passed on foot. No carriage. No fanfare. Just a large man leading a tree in front of me and his daughter beside me, her supple hand in mine. I tugged on my head-linen every so often, doing my best to keep the red strands hidden. The buildings of the village were built so purposefully around a fountain, framing a circle. Merchants set up tents, stands, and carts. Wherever there was space in this enormous circle, someone was selling something. Even in the dim archways did the stands continue. Old men and women sat by their goods: wood-woven cages holding pheasants, baskets holding fruits and herbs, pens gating swine. And these weren''t without their lines and crowds. The hagglers were spare, but they were there. The market was fuming with the smell of dead fish that came from a good many stands. I am more immune to the smell than before. But if I could, I would try to convince the people away from seafood. However, I found that not many villagers would appreciate a seaweed diet. The sea was more than part of these people''s lives, it was the very foundation they and their children thrived on. It was their livelihoods, their history just as much as ours. Within these crowds, the rich man and the noble man, the poor man and the crook, they all mixed together. Working together. Breathing the same smelly air, and living in the same place. Protecting the same system as their fathers had. Like us merpeople. I could see that. Sadly, father never could. We walked pass the open shops and further on through an archway. A little girl with dull brown hair came up to Clara. Clara! Ida! The two giggled, holding hands. The girl said with wide eyes, I''m glad I caught you in time. Is it true? You are going to see the prince? Clara proudly answered, Mm, hm. And I will get to sit at his table and eat on his pretty dishes, and I will be given a dress just like the princess, and Clara, Arne admonished. Clara''s eyes switched to her father, then lowered dimly, Well, maybe not the dress and all that. Oh, but you will bring me back something, won''t you? Clara raised her eyes enthusiastically at her father. He shook his head. Her eyes lowered again. I dont know about that, but I will tell you all about it when we''re done. Arne nodded at that. Ida just smiled, Alright. Please do. My mor is waiting for me. Goodbye, Clara! Goodbye! Arne took us up some steps. A velvety voice called out, Arne, dear. Arne, the most insouciant man I have ever met, immediately reacted to the sound. He spun himself around to see the older woman on the sitting on a rug against some church steps. She was legless. He approached her and knelt. "Josefine." "Where are you off to?" The woman said as she knitted away. Oh, nowhere. We''re going to the castle! Clara blurted. The castle, you say? I figured it''d be somewhere important since you have a sappling this time. Arne''s head faced down. Now, don''t be so shy about it, Arne. Just the fact that you can walk from here to the next stand is something I envy and no pity can change that. Arne took off his tricorne hat and lowered his fair crown to her. "Arne. Not in the street." "Please, Josephine." Josephine slowly appeased his wish and placed her rough hand on his head. He closed his eyes and sighed. Where is the boy? You know Aksel is working right now. Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings. You need someone to help you. This does help, dear. I love to be outside and watch the new commotion on the street. I''d die being inside on my own. Dont speak of death, please. Well, dont you treat me like I''m dying, sir. Fa, we have to go, little Clara whined. "Alright, Clara." He stood upright. "Who is this beauty, Arne?" The woman looked at me. Arne acted unwilling to answer. He came over to me and placed one rough hand on my shoulder. His other gestured toward me, Hils Freja. Nice to meet you, Freja. I am surprised to see Arne making a new friend. She''s Clara''s new friend. All my friends are dead. "Now, Arne. Some things never die," she said, staring at me with a stare that had the same hidden charm as a wink. Does she know? I thought. I tugged my linen just to make sure not a root was exposed. Very swell meeting you, ma''am, I said. We should be going. Awkwardly, she did not speak or changed the way she looked at me. I eyed Arne. Yes. Come on, he said. The path to the end of the village was straight. I didnt ask about the woman or what she was to him. Though, I''m sure she mattered to him in some way. We walked through a vast field, our path lined with purple blooms of salvia. It brought us to the outer gatehouse of the castle. Stop, there! A man in a spruce soldierly suit and smart heels was there. Who are you, and what is your business here? he urged. His voice, sonorous and guttural. I wondered if the man was blind to not see the tree we brought all this way. But Arne slipped out a scroll from his pocket bearing the red (royal) seal. He didnt say a word, just handed it over to the guard. The guard inspected the letter. His eyes drew up at Arne again. With a more accommodating attitude he said, Right this way. He pushed open the gate and let us through. A second guard came to show us around. We made our way past the outer court. Which is nothing but a large area with no nature to be found, where gentlemen practiced on their horses for some war that was sure to never come. We were taken to the next gate. Behind it: the inner court. Enclosed by smooth, stone walls, collums, and stairs draped in vines. Plants in terracotta pots were arranged against the walls. The balcony at the top was where Eric and I would have tea. But when he wasn''t there, I would sit and read a new book from the library. Whatever would interest me at the time. I had no issue with human words since I was taught to read by... There is no use remembering such things! An old man in clean, more humble garments approached us. How are you, my good sir? Arne shook his hand, Well, sir. He gestured proudly at his catch. I have you the best The best indeed, the gardener cut him off. And you shall receive a worthy exchange. But first, he bent to little Clara, would the ladies like a tour? His eyes raised to me. I stiffened as he gave a mild squint. I knew him. And there was no doubt he found me familiar. Yes, yes! Clara said, jumping and clapping her hands. Please, Fa? Arne nodded, As long as you behave. And listen to Freja. I will. The hefty maid with dark hair came to greet us; Carlotta. I turned my face just slightly. Visitors, welcome! My name is Carlotta. She always had a pleasant disposition that was quite contagious. And what are your names? Clara, miss. Clara. Pretty. Thank you. It''s my mors name. Wonderful. And what about you? My gaze slowly met hers. I prayed she wouldn''t recognize me. Please don''t recognize me. Freja. Miss. Nothing changed in the way she looked at me. Good. The woman smiled. Pleasure to meet you, Freja. Now, follow me. The farthest she took us was where the laundressess worked. The smell of damp clothes was in the air with the sound of sheets being beaten. Carlotta showed Clara the trough with actual running water. They used it to fill the wooden tub over the fire. Hot steam, catching the fabric hanging on the line. The laundress moved a long stick around in the water, wet clothes turning. I hadn''t been down here before. Only seen the better parts of the castle. I recognized the sheets. Made of the best linens. An ''E'' embroidered on the pillowcase. E for Eric. The maid let Clara turn the stick, and took me aside. I went uncomfortably with her to the other side of the room. Her heavy hand, guiding me. She leaned her face to mine. Thats a lovely girl you''ve got. Oh, yes. Though she isn''t mine. Oh. Forgive me. I thought you I mean. Not by blood, I saved. I see. Well, she is charming nonetheless. And obedient. I believe she would like to work here if you dont mind. Um... I believe it would solve many issues, prin uh, Freja. My eyes widened. What was that? What? You you almost called me princess. The woman moved from me. No I didn''t. I said Freja. At this point, I felt silly. Was I that obvious? Poor Carlotta seemed to be pretending on my behalf. I touched her shoulder. Carlotta, please. Just tell me you know. She hesitantly regarded me. You shouldn''t be here. The prince, he has announced you dead. Shhh, I said. I dont know how you are not, but I am too smart to believe in such things as mermaids gaining legs. Still, you should be gone. Trust me. I will be once we are done here. Carlotta''s forhead folded. That man out there. Are you truly his wife. Who? Arne? Oh, Carlotta, I don''t move that fast, I chuckled. Then I frowned. There is only one man whom I claim. How is he? Not well, princess. He hasn''t eaten anything, he''s had a horrible fit, and... She stepped into my space to not be heard, I hear Grimsby is trying hard to speed his grief so that His Highness can focus on plans of war. Plans of wa what? It cannot be so. I blow out my cheeks. Where is Sir Grimsby? I wouldnt advise you look for him, princess. You must remain hidden. But, what do you mean by war? War against who? Why, those below us, of course. Those below us. What a clever euphemism. I could imagine it taught to children: Your enemies the merpeople they are below you. Beneath you. They are not fit to live. It nearly broke my heart to hear even sweet Carlotta spouting such divisive nonsense. I felt like saying something to that, knowing carefully how I cannot. My eyes took in the area around me, and I noticed something amiss. Where is Clara? Misplaced Help me find her, I pleaded. I promised Arne I wouldn''t cause trouble. Imagine if he found out I lost his daughter. Carlotta moved to the door. "She may be outside looking for her father. I''ll check." But I had a feeling that was not the man Clara would be looking for. Carlotta left me here. Seeing that the other women paid me no mind, I walked through the door of the room. I went up the wooden steps to find the long hallway. It proceeded in two directions. That means Clara could be anywhere. I knew these walls, the cylindrical ceiling adorned in sculpted filigree. They were the freshest shade of red, trimmed in such a pale green it should be white. Id run through these halls before, barefoot because I hated shoes. If I had time to reminisce, I would. But I carried on past the soft rectangle light of window after window, room after room. I came around a corner, calling Clara''s name softly. I strolled by the pale green doors that opened to the dining room. The frames of Eric''s parents sided the doors. I could see the long table over the marble floor inside. And the paned glass wall provided a panoramic view of the ocean this castle sat near. The ocean I nearly drowned in. I heard footsteps, and hid behind the wall of the dining room. The servant moved past. I sighed. With my head hanging low as memories of that night came flooding in, I focused on finding Clara. The hall took me by the kitchen. Righting further on from it was the second balcony hovering over the line of the cape. I came nearer to the arch pass the led to the balcony. My heart jumped when I noticed sight of a white wig. I quickly moved aside to not be seen. What are you going to do when there are no more fish to be caught, your Highness? The tutorial chatter most certainly came from Grimsby. I dont want to think about it now. You have to. You''re the prince. As if I need reminding! Prince Erics voice ripped out. I could hear him beat his fist on the stone rail of the balustrade. What good is it? Prince or not, I am a sole fool. I am alone by my own doing. With no time to moarn. Can''t a prince buy time? I squeezed my eyes. My heart melted for him. Sir Grimsby spake, Sadly, that is something a prince cannot buy. I imagined him placing his freckled, bony fingers on my husband for a brief consolation. Listen. When you father died, I hadn''t a clue what to feel and no time to mourn him. But I had to move forward and care for his heir. In the same, my lord, you have a kingdom to care for. There was a long silence. Then Eric said, King Poseidon crossed a line by withholding our fish. I will give him a chance to be diplomatic. If he refuses to give us what we want, it will mean war. As you wish my king. My heart thrummed. War? No. This is wrong. My father, would he really withhold the fish from the people? The idea the settled In, making more and more sense. He might. If this is retaliation. For me being here. What are you standing around here for, girl? I looked up, startled by the voice. Sir Grimsbys hooked nose stared down at me. He raised his white brows at me. I didn''t hesitate to run. Wait! Gaurds! Somebody, stop her! Before I knew it, multiple feet stormed after mine. But there is no way they could ever catch up to me. I thrusted forward through an archway, around the circular glass table and further into a green room. The room was an ornate circle, textiled with different shades of the pale green that reminded me of seaglass. Gold trimmed the walls, wrapping around to the section of red textile behind the gilded throne chairs; the throne room. The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. I was caught in a dead-end. The gaurds surrounded me, their muskets pointed my way. Then, in he stepped, parting through the men. Though not a soldier, he carried himself as one. You would think him fine by the way nothing seemed to weigh him down. But his face was the face of a man who couldn''t be pushed any further; couldn''t be bothered by a girl sneaking around the castle. He looked straight at me. I am graced by the sight of his ocean eyes. I waited for him to recognize me, to slander me, to decide on killing me for good. I waited for him to call me a witch. But he did not do any of those things. Where is your keeper? he said. I furrowed my brows. Do you not understand? he urged. I am her keeper. Everyone looks ahead at the large man standing in the door. His daughter at his side. He motions to me. Freja. Come. Eric stares distastefully at me as I walk over to Arne. You, sir. What is your business here? I am a tree mover. I was doing business with the gardener. Eric scoffed. Well, from now on I want to know about all business conducted in my castle, is that clear? Does anyone hear me? Someone write that down! He looked at Clara and I. You should all know better. Back at Arne, Do you not know how to keep your women out of trouble? Arne didn''t flinch when he said, From what I''ve heard, neither do you. I sucked in a breath, stopping my gasp. Prince Eric gave Arne that same deathly stare he had given me. But Arne granted him no cower. Get out of my sight. All of you. We are escorted out by the gaurds. I did not look at Arnes face. We did not speak all the way back to the cottage. ... Clara slept by my side. We shared the bed. I tried to sleep. I tried in vain. Out of all that happened today, there was only one thought plaguing my mind: He didn''t recognize me. I know I didn''t want him to. But nothing could make the truth hurt less. Carlotta knew it was me. The gardener had some idea, I''m sure. Even Grimsby seemed to consider it. But the man whom I knew better than anyone else, The man whose lips I kissed, whose bed I shared, he showed no sign of even notioning it. I couldn''t keep the pain down. I left the bedroom with a candlelight to cry alone in the kitchen. I sat by the window, viewing the starry sky. I sat and cried as quietly as I could. Though somehow still, I awakened someone. I turned my head and wiped my cheeks as he came in. Forgive me, sir. I hope I have not spoiled your sleep with my sentiments. Not at all. I was never asleep. You werent? He came around the table to me. I have my own demons that keep me up. I lowered my head, understanding. Look, Freja. If I have come across... cruel, forgive me for that. It has been a while since a woman was here. You have, in one day, brought to me all of those womanly issues to have to handle again. I didnt realize I was such a problem. No. He came to me. Crouched be my seat, one arm holding the back. You are not understanding what I mean. This day has been a very different day. And I have you to thank for that. Clara, she needs a woman to look up to. Someone she likes and trusts. You will be good for her. I lift my salty cheeks to grin. Thank you. His expression went serious, But you have to promise me to learn to control yourself. Recklessness will not do well here. I nodded, I promise. Swear it on your father''s life. My throat constricted. Alright. I swear it. Scuttle My first experience with the human world happened within my own. For a long time, I was just like the others, never daring to see the surface. The idea hadn''t even crossed my mind. But I was often getting myself into trouble. I can see in retrospect just how much of a menace I was. But I should say that it wasn''t my nature to annoy. I was only chasing the undertow. Chasing down the feeling of excitement that I lacked from my pampered life as a princess. I was the master of creating games that my sisters would take the fall for. I remembered once daring Aquata to race to the drop-off. She was always the most eager to accept my dares, being the most athletic of us. Arista counted the time in crab clacks once we propulsed. We shot past our garden and through neighboring crowds, making two currents in our trail. The city was illuminated by special fungi and plants; natural lights everywhere. Beauty everywhere. The barrier walls were built with irregular archways. Passing through one, led to a smaller hole fixed at the top of the wall. Pass through that, and the next may be fixed more on the right. The perfect obstacles. She zoomed ahead of me, forcing bubbles in my face. I used a trick I learned from the pistol shrimp. I stretched forward my arms, taking aim. I fixed my hands to make the same form as the shrimps claw. With one quick chop, the string of water shot forth. Stunning my sister in the backside. I glided past. Hey! No fair! I giggled, leaving her behind. Being the youngest doesn''t mean anything when you have twice the ingenuity of your older siblings. I was leading for a while as we made our way out of the Atlantican community. She soon caught up. We were neck and neck. The drop-off was getting closer. We dodged through high stalks of kelp. That was when I got caught in a tangle. The kelp wrapped around my tail. I could see Aquatas shadow pushing ahead of me. Ugh! No! I wriggled until I broke free. By the time I made it to the finish, Aquata had beat me. A complacent smirk on her face. Youre just lucky I fell behind in the kelp. Sounds like a sore sport. Admit it, Ariel. I''m the best. I admitted nothing. My displeasure had me believing this couldn''t be the end of the game. Out of habit, my eyes started scanning out into the open ocean. There was but a blur in the distance that I could see. I squinted hard. There it was, lining the other plateau. The gigantic structure of cages stacked on cages: Prisoner Passing. Aquata. You want to see something amazing? Aquata tracked my gaze. No. Don''t even think about it. Too late. Already have. I moved forward. Aquata grabbed my shoulders, Thats enough, Ariel. The game is over. I shook her off. I started this game. I say when it ends. She crossed her arms, Then I''m not playing. She thought that would stop me. And it should have. But I had to know what was on the other side. To her shock, I swam across. I made it over, tuning out her shouts and efforts the convince me to turn around. The cage stack reached a mile high and the same wide. The inmates there reached out their hands at my tail, calling to me. Pleading that I change my Father''s mind on their fates. This was surely no place for a princess to be. The iron bars were covered in rust. The magic that keeps it uncorroded clearly didn''t exist here. I loomed on past the silhouettes of forgotten mermen. If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. Then I heard a Whos there? The shadow of a guard and swordfish came into view. I swam downward to not be seen. Down into the darkness. The gaurd came over. His chest plated in silver armor, and arms bearing cuffs as part of the uniform. He missed me, looking around in suspicion. I could not be caught today. Not again. Father would be furious. He would never let me outside the castle again. The gaurd swam away. "You, pike what is your name?" A low whisper called to me. At the sound, I sank further into the abysmal trench below the cages. But I knew whoever it was could still see me. My poppy-red hair is hard to miss. "Tell me your name." I slowly swam upward, keeping far from him. I saw the form of a man hunched over. "Ariel. Don''t tell the guards I''m here." He chuckled, "I have more pressing matters upon me than getting a young mermaid caught." He signaled for me to come near. I floated hesitantly toward the rusted iron bars. His swollen eyes studied my face. "I can see the green of your eyes, Ariel." "My eyes are blue, sir." "But they are green due to displeasure. There is something you want, isn''t there? Even though you don''t know what it is." I shook my head, "I don''t know what you speak of." "You do, Ariel. You do." I frowned, "Father won''t like me to be here." "Then why are you here?" I couldn''t see the point of his question, "I''m in hiding. Do you not know my reputation around here? I am the troublesome princess." He chuckled again, "No, you''re not troublesome. Just bored, is all." He leaned closer to the bars. A shade fell over his eyes, framing his hooked nose. He fidgeted with his fingers eagerly, "If you could ask for one thing, what would it be?" I thought about it for seven seconds at least, "Something new, I suppose." The merman nodded, "Something new." He let out a peaceful breath through his hairy nose and... fell asleep? Unsure what sort of conversation that was, I decided to leave. The cages rattled as more mermen cried to me. I could here the gaurds censuring them to stop as I swam over to the other side. I came back to the castle and retreated to my crystal chamber. My sisters pryed on about what I saw. Attina waisted no time in lecturing me about the way a princess should behave. I suffered it for a while before going to sleep in my oyster bed. I tried to forget about the merman in the cage. But his answer echoed in my head all that night. Something in its open-endedness left me eager to speak to the merman again. So the very next night, I snuck out to the royal stack of cages. Eventually, I found the quizzical old merman. I asked him what he meant by "something new". And he told me. Scuttle was unlike the other prisoners. He was not a barbarian or a lower-class thief locked in for a petty crime. The reason wherefore he was caged was that he''d been to the surface. From behind his rusted cell, he imparted secrets of the world above. And every night I consumed them dietarily. His stories of people who beat the soles of their feet on the ground to the sound of music, breathed air, or could cry and spit without it being washed away, kept me on my best behavior. It kept me free from boredom. I miss who I was before the stories finished being told. I miss the ignorance. When stories was all they were. When Scuttle was finally sentenced to death, I mourned him in silence. The only one I could tell was Flounder. My heart was broken. Scuttle had been the only one who truly understood me. I yearned for the stories. Stories he would never tell again. So I made up my mind to make stories of my own. I went to the surface. I collected the treasures Scuttle had told me about, feeling a thrill each time the objects matched how he''d described them. Then one day, a very large human thing moved overhead during the roughest billows and stormiest weather. The Royal ship was jostled madly by the coming waves. I swam up and crawled to my special rock to watch. Lightning struck down on the main mast throwing the ship out of order. Rain poured, creating more chaos in the sea. Winds blew at high speed. It was all a perfect mixture of turbulence and shock. Terror raining down on men would make for a fine show for King Poseidon. I heard a strong voice cutting through the storm. It was a string of commands. I peered from my rock for the one giving the commands. There he was, holding onto the ratline. Dark, handsome hair, dripping in the rain. He raised in his hand what Scuttle had dubbed a "snarfblat". His old companion, Sir Grimsby yelled at Prince Eric to come down and get in the cock boat for his safety. The men were are direly concerned, but not my Eric. He laughed at the danger and happily played his flute with one hand. But the storm would not be mocked. Another bolt aided in breaking the ropes. He was dropped into the sea. I felt a strong conviction. Would I let this human die? "One less monster to care about" many would say. But I loved the things humans would create, and I never could understand how the makers of such wonderful things could be bad. Perhaps all of the collecting I''d done was out of admiration for not just the objects but the humans themselves. Perhaps I''d wanted to be one. Either way, I knew that a life was a life. And his was fading under the water. Without another second to waist, I dove... Hygge It wasn''t as if I had a choice when Arne told us to go for a walk. Arne was insistent on taking us. He left hurriedly with a pouch full of gold krones. Our pace quickened to keep up with him. Clara got easily winded so Arne held her the rest of the way. Arne, if I may... I started. What is it? I dont see why I had to come along. Because we go everywhere together. That is our way. Right, Clara? Clara''s head dangled over his shoulder. Yes, Fa. Yes, Fa. No, Fa. Did the girl know any other words? Arne seems to be the judge of everything. I wished I didn''t have to go anywhere today. I felt like being stored away for millenia. For no one to see or know me. The idea of war subdued my mind. I hadn''t gotten much sleep last night, as cozy as it was. I started this mess. And neither Arne nor his daughter, nor anyone in all of Atlantica were aware of the stakes. We footed a path alongside the woods. Where exactly are we off to? Arne didn''t answer, but his look promised a surprise. As we continued to a clearing, I saw the little hut made so weakly that you could see the inside through the lean-to of beech tree branches. Arne took us closer and I saw the plank of wood resting on two wooden X''s to produce a makeshift stand. Upon this were wooden tools. Goddag, J?rgen! Arne shouted. I wasnt sure who he shouted at, until the man''s head poked out of the hut. Noticing us, he smiled. Arne, old friend! They gave each other a brotherly embrace. Hows the wife? Arne asked. Well. She''s well. What brings you this way? Arne raised the heavy pouch of coins. A fortuitous jingle came from it. J?rgen laughed, Who did you deliver for this time? The prince himself? You would be surprised. Arne set Clara down to stand. My clara needs shoes. Certainly. I''ll just measure her, then. The man went in his hut and returned with a wheel of measuring tape. He began to wrap and discern her feet from as many angles as needed. Then he jotted the measurements down on a slip of paper. What big feet, you''ve got, Little Clara. Grown much since the last time I saw you. He turned to Arne. Afford me a week and I''ll have them done. Yes, but thats not all. I want four pair. Four pair? I interjected. How many shoes did the girl need? Shed grow out of them anyway. Arne took me by the arm, shooed Clara off the stool, and sat me down. I was confused. J?rgen gave me a once over and said, Well, this is new. I don''t believe I have ever seen you, miss. Her name is Freja, Arne spoke for me. She lives with us now. Very good. Do allow me, miss. He lifted my grass-dirtied foot. But, Arne... I said. He held up his hand at me. I wont have any of my women barefoot. Your women? You know what I mean. Once J?rgen finished measuring my feet, he let Arne know the price, and then Arne paid. I was excited to get back to the cottage. Bleating goats welcomed us home. The summer sun shone vibrant on this patch of land. It was peaceful here. Not as busy as the town or even the castle. We entered the cozy home. Arne told Clara to steep a kettle and took me away for another conversation in his room. The door left open, of course. He had that same wide stance he usually would take when sharing concerns with me. His meaty arms crossed with hands gripping under his pits. Arne possessed all the stoicism of men. But to his credit, it fashioned him a rock unwavering. His yes was never more or less that, same for his no. I have to go in town to pay taxes. Can I count on you to look after Clara? As far as I knew, Clara was not a challenge to keep. Still, I understood what bothered him. Arne. I know yesterday was... interesting, but I All I need is a yes or no. I loathed the way he brushed aside my explanation as if it stole too much time from him to listen. Why, sir. You are no gentleman. If I was a gentleman, we''d be here all day. Well, I was going to speak to your comfort, but now I dont have all day, Freja. Yes. You can trust me, I conceded. I wanted to argue but found it futile. Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original. He kissed Clara''s forehead before leaving. I sighed and turned to the girl. So, Clara. What would you like to do? We have to prepare for supper. We need to go out to the well. Oh. Alright then. Arne may have given me a place here but nothings guaranteed if I were in fact bad for Clara. This was my chance to prove why he should keep me. I let Clara walk in front of me on the way to the well. I carried the yoke on my shoulders, a bucket hanging on each side. Our shadows fell forward over the rich green pasture. A joyful buzzing of cicadas among the hot fields. Clara ran ahead when she saw the well. I lumbered on forward. When I reached the well, I gladly dropped the yoke. Clara told me to hook the bucket to the rope. I then turned the handle, lowering it into the well. We filled both buckets. Now heavy, they were, as I carried them on the yoke. My form bent. Clara exclaimed, Its fun to work with you. Im glad you think so, I grunted. My head covering was slipping to the back of my head. Strands of red flopped over my sweating forehead. Clara looked at me with gleaming eyes. You are so pretty. I grinned. Not as pretty as you, yndling. She blushed at that. Clara raised her pointer finger with lifted brows, Fa thinks you are pretty, too. It is bad to lie, Clara. I said this sternly. No lie. He does think it. He told me, she insisted. I watched my feet as I took more steps. Hm. Well, if he did, then I suppose that''s nice of him. Freja, I''m glad Fa let you stay. Her words were warm on my heart. I am, too, yndling. She skipped alongside me. I cant wait to tell Ida about the castle. How long have you and Ida been friends? Since birth, Fa said. Close as our mothers. Really? What kind of games do you and Ida play? We love playing graces, and when I visit her, we play with Idas doll. But when we aren''t doing that, we go around selling her mors eggs. One time, the old man Baggi gave us six krones for five eggs... The rest of the way was filled with laughter and stories of things that go on in town. So much joy came from a short walk. I wondered if Arne was having as fun an evening as us two. Coming into the cottage again, I realized I needed to tell Clara an embarrassing truth. I didn''t know how to cook. Clara frowned at me. That wont do. Won''t do at all. She tapped her chin, pacing away from me then back. I can teach you. It is simple. The girl ran to the larder. I followed. We were enclosed in the small space of arrayed jars, barrels and sacks. Clara asked me to get the pickled lettuce on the top shelf. She picked some potatoes from the sacks on the floor. Then we opened one of the barrels for the salted pork. We returned to the kitchen with our items, ready to roast and slice and gravy. ... By dusk, a savory aroma circulated the little house. A fine dish had been prepared. But the man of the home hadn''t come. Enough time had been in our wait, so taking initiative, I told Clara to go ahead and eat before our food cooled. Clara said grace before we ate. Afterwards, I took her to bed. Dissappointment rested on her little face. I wanted Fa to see what we''d done. He will still appreciate it whenever he returns. But it is your bedtime, yndling. She yawned, I am glad to be getting shoes. Are you? Yes. Fa is so nice to us for that. You will thank him for me? My eyes shared her twinkle, Surely, I will. She yawned again. Sing to me, please. Fa always sings. Sing what? Fa sings Den Lille Ole. Im afraid I dont know it. Thats alright. I would like to hear something new. What do you know? It had been ages since I last sang. I was aware of my voice''s affect on humans, Eric specifically. It could do more than lull but lure one into subconsciousness. I hated this and swore to myself never to sing again. Because I wanted our love to be real. But Clara was just a pike. And one short lullaby for her comfort was a good reason to break a rule. There is a song my sisters would sing me to sleep with. What? I sat myself on the edge of the bed, pulled her up from under the sheets, and cradled her in my arms. The way Arista had cradled me when I was yea small. I brushed from her temple to her cheek with the side of my hand as I hummed before saying: Down in the heart of the ocean, there''s a blue whale there in motion. With lots of little creatures. In his belly, they abide. He gorges through the water, and he sucks in all the current. A-flowing, soon it werent, when he ate the rippling tide. His heart, all but resounding. His way, all but unbounding. The sea and he share a mutual respect. Far older than your father, More loyal than your brother. To one and one another, A strength do they reflect. I watched her eyes, the same cobalt as her fathers. They seemed dazed. She slipped into the net of inebriation I cast her. Her body fell back, lacking any ounce of resistance. I leaned close to her bright face, kissed her forehead, and she was out like a candle. I laid her down and tucked her in. Just as I was walking to the sitting area, the door of the cottage creaked open. Clara is alseep, I immediately stated before the man walked in. Your food is in the kitchen. It is cold, so you know. Arne denied my presence, going into the sitting area. He plopped himself down by the crackling hearth. One hand on the arm of the chair holding his head. Arne? The flames in the hearth reflected in his eyes. His blank stare slowly gained emotion. Overwhelming pain grew in his eyes before he closed them, sliding his hand through his hair. He body bent further, shoulders moving with each restrained whimper. Before he had come home, I was ready to give him a talking to about the way he had spoken to me earlier this evening. But now I see, that this man is not as heartless as he meant to convince me. He was nothing but a smoldering coal. I could have taken his ignoration as a sign to leave him alone. But I did not do that. I neared his body quietly. I was unsure whether to touch him or say something, so I crouched to the floor and sat by the leg of his chair. He was not noticing me as he kept on crying into his palm. This brought to me flashes of the night with Eric again. When Eric had cried, all I wanted to do was hold him and make his pain go away, forgetting all the pain he caused me. And now, I could faintly see all the pressures that hovered over this man, all that made him a ruin in this chair. He was not a prince; no army to lead or country to protect. But I realized you don''t have to have all those things for chaos to inhabit the mind. I sat, stared, and studied. It is Josephine, his deep voice explained. She had a stroke. Im so sorry. I raised my hand, not sure what it would do or where it would land. I chose to hold his knee. It will be alright. She is home now. And she is whole. While you and I walk, she flies. We have our legs, and she has wings. That much she can hold over us now, I hoped my notion had at least amused him, silly as it sounded. To my relief, Arnes sob had stopped. The new sound I heard from him was wry chuckle. His head lifted off his hand to see me. There was a gloomy glow in his eyes, but he tried to smile. You can go now. Ill be fine, I think. I stood, nodding. Goodnight, Arne. I turned to leave. And Freja. I looked back at him. His tensed forehead calmed. Thank you. We should spend more nights in conversation, if you like. I nodded, Certainly, then went off to bed. Natural Bewitching Life in this cottage began and ended in this way: kettle in the morning, kettle at night. Whispering in between was some vague and empty threat of my husband''s plan to war with the king of Undersea. But that was only what I heard when we went into town. Here in this cozy home yes I said home I didn''t know what went on outside. All I needed to remember was to put that kettle on before Arne left to fill an order, and put it on at night during our now scheduled chats. I had learned so much over the past two weeks. The mundane ritual of daily life didn''t offend me because at least I''d done something with my time. And Clara was such a joy. She gave innocent aid whenever I got stuck on a chore, never holding it against me. I didn''t even think she realized how much better at living she was compared to me. It was as if she hoped to fashion me a role model for herself. The days were always filled with duty, the afternoons with play, and the evenings with long, quiet conversations with Arne once Clara was in bed. They were at first polite conversations like about the weather or the work we did. Painfully polite. But as our characters settled with each other, the more we would tell. Arne had told me his dream to take in more poor children and teach them a trade. I could see an ember dwelling inside him when he mentioned it. That was the first time I had known Arne to have a dream. And a selfless one, too. I had shared my hopes to one day fix all my mistakes and those I''ve hurt. I did not say who, but he had understood my sentiment, adding that he wished he could have gone back in time and prevented many things from happening. Somehow, I read through the air what hed meant. I asked him, What happened to Clara? The way he blinked said he knew what I meant. I meant Clara, his wife. His hands made nervous circles on his lap as he looked down, remembering. The royal carriage happened. The implication in his words had me on edge. He started to explain, It was just another day. Never saw it coming. I placed down the cup of tea in my hand. His dark, reflective eyes met mine, She Clara, wanted to get a new cloak because her old one was falling apart, bless her heart. I took her in town. T''was my treat. Then suddenly it came. Charging through the street, he glided his hand through the air to illustrate. It came fast as an elk. Headed for dear Josephine. Josephine? She was only talking with a merchant when it came. By the time she was aware of it, she stumbled in surprise, and the wheels of the carriage ran over her legs. A clot of sympathy built in my soul. And is that why she...? Arne confirmed with his eyes. I didn''t even think, I just threw myself on the horse and tried to steer it away. The rider the devil blew his pistol at me. You were hit? No... But Clara was. He took a sip from his copper mug. Nothing followed his remark. I felt the sharp blow of silence in the room. Sorry, I didn''t mean to You do not have to be sorry, Arne assured me. I am able to speak on it, now. Who would be so wicked and reckless to run a woman over, and shoot another? For a long time I haven''t been able to say. No one has. Though we all know the name. Eric. Prince Eric. The mention of his name hit my puzzled ears. I could not dare to believe that. I would not. Are you sure? Am I sure? I was there, Freja. Everyone may think he can do no wrong. But he was younger then, and selfish. Not to say I believe any of that''s changed. And not to say I don''t still resent him. Arnes brows drew together when he realized I was crying. What is the matter? Nothing, I said, staring into the heavy air. I just hate hearing of death. So do I. He placed his hand on mine. He had never held my hand. So do I. His touch reminded me of my father''s gracious hand, which I had not felt in the longest time. Id be lying to think I didn''t miss my father now. As Arne stared into my eyes, I thought we were underwater for a moment. I felt my legs dissappear, a tail taking their place. He was breathing just fine in it the water as deep as his eyes. They poured light into me with the turning up of his grin. And with the drop of it, the light passed on. The tide pulled away from me, and I was a human again. What happened? I thought. Why did you take the light away? This was not the only time I would feel a strangeness around Arne. In the week following, Arne had brought some visitors over: Idas family. It was an impromptu and unusual thing. I hadn''t known him to be social, but I hadn''t really known him anyway. I made them plates of goose and gravied potatoes. Clara and Ida and Idas older brother, Fr?win sat together, with Idas parents on the other side, and Arne and I on both ends. I let the other adults get on with their chat as I silently watched Clara and Ida make jokes. But that didn''t mean I wasn''t listening to the conversation. Idas mother mentioned something about the prince meeting with the kings representative, Sebastin. I was surprised Prince Eric was even able to persuade him to come to the surface. No one knows yet what came of it, she was saying, only that they met. I think the prince may have issued a warning and nothing more. That''s my hope. Well I feel he should declare war, The husband said, tearing away at the goose meat. We could do with a good war. Would finally bring some life to Atlantica, some need for patriotism. Good war? Drivel, I thought. He looked like the type of fool to make such remarks. With a head that could only contain an egg, and eyes no wiser than his sons. I shouldnt need to remind you that Atlantica isn''t just us, but those below as well. I looked over in surprise at Arne. He had never mentioned to me his thoughts on the mer-people. And that short statement had me interested in what more he thought. Eh, what is your conviction? Fr?win said, with the same nasty way of eating as his father. You dont think its right that they should keep our fish from us, do you Arne? Arne brought his stoic gaze upon the young man. I believe the best thing for both worlds is to try at peace first. Right you are, Arne, Idas mother said in loud agreement. We don''t need dead men, we need fed men. Is that your new mantra, Gertrude? Her husband teased. Yes, and I hope it becomes yours, too. Mor, I don''t want the mermaids to fight us, little Ida chirped. Gertrude covered her heart. Then everyone felt ashamed at discussing war among the little ones. Oh, dear. Are you done? You and Clara can go play in her room. I sat through the rest of the futile conversation as it somehow progressed into Idas father listing out hypothetical concerns for why war is necessary. Excusing myself from the table, I went to the sitting area. Arnes shirts still hung by the window. The moonlight shined through the linen and cast a haze on the dark clay walls. Four skinny chairs surrounded the fireplace. I sat myself in the one closest to it. I just wanted to forget about everything. I wished Father would stop his fit. He knew he had me in a desperate situation. He knew he was tormenting me. This behavior was beneath him. I was turned toward the hearth when I felt a hand pat my shoulder. Whats got you confounded? The woman said to me. I just... I had to get away. I understand. My husband can get a little zealous. She sat in the chair beside mine. So. How did you do it? Do what? She smirked at me with mischievous eyes. You know. Wheedle your way into Arnes barred heart. My eyes widened. I glanced at Arne who was still in the kitchen. Had he not told them I was only...? well, "his maid" would have been a good term. He noticed me looking. I looked again at Gertrude. I I suppose Its more like I... busted through the door. Gertrude guffawed. A determined young woman. I like to see it. You know my mor always told me, ''Never let the man you want intimidate you''. If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement. I returned a feeble smile. It is good to see him happy. Happy? I said, bemused while looking over a second time. Is that what you''d call it? Why, yes. He hasn''t been so happy since his last wife. The men soon came into our location. Arne leaned against a corner while the other man and his son stood on the faded mat in the middle of the short room. Gertrude, my beloved wife. There is no end to the occasion until the fat man sings. Gertrude ho-hoed into her palm, then eyed me, You see what I have to deal with? We shall sing Det Var En L?rdag Aften! her husband announced. Well, we know Arne won''t croak with us. Croak? Whos croaking? I sing like a bird, her husband asserted. Yes, a seagull! Fr?win quipped. To that he received a playful hit on the back from his father. The fat man began: It was a Saturday evening I sat and waited for you, you promised me to come but you didn''t come to me. The wife joined in: I laid on the bed and cried so bitterly, and every time the door opened, I thought it was you. I knew this song Eric had sung it to me. Gertrude waved at me to join in. But singing was a dangerous thing for me to do. Still, she was insistent. So I reluctantly whispered under my breath: Where can you pick roses, where no roses grow. Where can you find love, where no love exists. Though I whispered, it wasn''t long before their eyes pinned on me. The magic was wrapping around their ears, gripping their minds. Well, all except Arne... All except Arne? He watched me from his corner, but not with a dumb stare or numb stare. It was a very normal stare of intrigue. And that was far scarier to know. They all fell silent as I finished: I wanted to pick roses, I pick no more; I loved you so much, I''ll never love again. Gertrude was leaning over my shoulder, so stupefied that she tipped over and fell on the floor. That snapped her husband out of his daze. Gertrude? He came to pick her up. Gertrude, what happened? Gertrude held her head, I dont know. I must have had a spell. Fr?win stood there, still staring. Fr?win, get your sister now. We have to leave. Arne got off the wall and stepped forward most composedly. It was good to have you. It was good for us to come. Yes, Gertrude seconded. And what a pleasant wife of yours, too. Arne didn''t look my way. He didn''t deny her remark, and he didn''t explain. All he said was, Thank you. I watched them leave and felt relief. Arne turned to me. I searched my mind for an excuse, I dont know what happened. They all... Arne came closer until he towered me. Lets not speak of this. I squinted. Yes. Come. We should clean up. ... I was not prepared for what awaited the next morning. With no orders to fill, Arne suggested we all go out in the field. He took out a hoop and two wands for us to play graces, a game where we try to keep a hoop flying. Arne stood by and watched as I passed the hoop to Clara. He set his back against and alder tree. I wondered what he was pondering over. It seemed impossible to know what Arne was ever thinking. The moment Clara stopped rubbing her sticks, and the hoop fell, I suggested she play pretend with her corn-husk doll while I rested. I then made my way to Arne. When he saw me, he tried to see over me. For some reason he wouldn''t look me in the eye. I leaned against the same tree. I wish you''d play one game with us. I never was good at games. I laughed. Liar. A man of your constitution? Arne kept a hard face. Whats troubles you? Arne? He finally regarded me, I have something to confess. My cheery mood immediately settled. A light breeze shook the leaves we were under, filling the silence. I am listening. I see I''ve been selfish to keep you here. Not at all, I vehemently stated. You know I adore caring for Clara. You shan''t get rid of me. I like being here. I have no where else to go. Maybe I know that. Maybe your dependence on me is why I have taken you for granted. Perhaps I''m evil for it. No, you haven''t been so bad. You have taken me in and treated me like one of your own. Yes, that''s the issue. Wherefore? After a long pause to my question, Arne took my hands in his. I saw a burning light in his eyes as he gazed at my own. Freja. I know we both can see how well we work. Even with all of our disagreements, there is something that draws me to you. Perhaps I''m a fool to say it so soon, but Freja, you bring me hygge. I started to instinctively pull away, but his hands held tight to mine. What is this about? I shut my eyes from the sight of his, Whatever your going to ask, don''t. I wont ask. Marry me Freja. I kept my eyes closed yet felt his cheek meet mine. Be my wife, he said. In three words, he made everything spin. I felt I''d gone mad. My mind was flooded with legalities, and the memory of walking down a long, creaky dock to stand and state my vows before a spectating crowd. How had I mistaken the breeze on that day as fateful instead of ominous? How did I not hear the words recited from my lips. Lies, all lies. And now, I am still strung to him; to Eric, by an invisible cord. He thinks I am dead, he thinks the law that bound him to me is no longer in effect. But I am still breathing, still dragging on. And if I were to be found out, marriage with Arne would only complicate things. I couldn''t put anyone else through another dishonest relationship. I can''t. I pulled away from him. It was the best thing to do. My rejection must have shot his barred heart, which he had opened only to me for a mere, regrettable minute. I could not find a good explanation to give him, so I didn''t even try. Arne was a fine man, though I never told him. And his proposal, while untimely, did appeal to me. But I am smarter now. Too smart to fall into fantasy''s snare again. Fantasy is a bigger lier than I. ... The rest of the day proceeded in an awkward air. Arne took my distance for what it was and found some excuse to go away for a while. He said he needed to clean some of the tools in the shed. I had eventually finished the laundry. Taking Arne clothes into his room, I noticed how unkempt his bed was. I shook my head and decided to fix it. When I lifted his pillow, I had to blink twice. My page the drawing I kept there it sat underneath his pillow. I checked my vile. It was indeed empty. But I hadn''t realized I lost the page. When? When had Arne taken this? I seethed my anger while roughly throwing his bed together. It made me aghast to know he''d seen the picture, and then he stole it! Oh, I had a lot to tell him after dinner. I waited for Clara to go to bed. Then as I took up the dishes to wash in the bucket, Arne came to help. I knew he desperately wanted to speak to me as I clanged dish after dish in the bucket before handing it to him to wipe with a rag. Slow down, he said, noticing my brash behavior. Why? Don''t you want it done? I said. I raised a challenging brow at him. The gesture put him off. Without breaking them would be nice. Yes it would, wouldn''t it? Because it''s what you want. And whatever you want, you get. I tallied on my wet fingers, You want your home clean, your food prepared, your daughter cared for. You want everything. I threw out my hands. He grimaced, Have you lost your wits? After all I do for you. No, its what I do for you, Arne. I pointed my finger right in his face. I fulfill all your wants, and still you want more from me. I lifted my vile off my chest, displaying the rolled page still inside. Guilt raised his brows. I had him shocked and I loved it. What do you want to know, Arne? Ask me. This is why you want to marry me, isn''t it? I will always be nothing more than a mystery to be solved. You think that is why I want to marry you. Why did you steal it? Arne returned me a complacent smirk and a shake of his head. Freja, I know more behind that picture than you do or ever will. That''s why I took it. My eyes went wide, What? He flicked down his rag and came closer to me. But it has nothing to do with my proposal. I know you have secrets, Freja. Never did I buy your story first time you showed up here. But if that had ever bothered me, you would not still be here. He brought his large hands upon my shoulders, gripping me in place. I am glad you stormed into my life the way you did. Because I would have never looked for you, and I would still be a mess of a man. I see all you do, Freja. I don''t need to know your past to love who you are now. I stared into his narrow eyes with the intent of finding a feebleness there; seeking out a lie. All I found instead, was the half moon outside reflecting in them. The last candle had burnt out, leaving us in the dark. The bone of his nose was more prominent than ever with the way he was shaded, his face half-lit by the moon. This entire setting was fighting against me. I had to come up with a reason not to slip into this delight. Arne. I''m afraid I''ve bewitched you. He slipped one hand down my arm to my waist, bringing his other arm around my shoulders. He drew me closer near his neck. T''is only a natural bewitching. And half the fault of my own mind. You see, you''re dangerously charming by design, my dear. Your passion, your hope, your antics, I love them all. And I love you. What was happening to me? My fight was failing. I let him ensnare me with his eyes. Let him run his nose down the side of my face. His lips migrated to my ear. I felt him pull my head-covering down. He buried his face in my hair. All the while, my mind repeated, I love Eric. I love Eric. I love E... Arnes lips grappled onto mine. I felt the strength in his jaw. His beard brushed against my chin. My insides were a-stir, my mind blank. I couldn''t believe my hands were reaching over his chest up to his muscular neck. Warm blood was building there. I had missed this feeling of being held and caressed. I had missed this dance performed by our mouths. I was almost completely lost in the moment. For some reason, I felt the urge to tell him my real name. I wanted to know how it would sound when he said it. And that was when I knew I had to stop. With the last bit of consciousness I had, I tore my lips from his. I gasped, reaching for some sense of and awareness, then ignored the baffled expression on his face. I wish I could help you understand He put his forehead on mine. I do understand. I shook my head. No you don''t. You don''t see how you have complicated things. I can''t do this with you. And if you truly loved me, you would never ask me to marry you. I shoved him, and went back to scrubbing the dishes. I waited for him to stop watching me in shock, and finally leave me alone. Shortly after, I vowed in my heart that I would never think of this night again. A Call To Action My new clogs padded the dirt. They were clunky and made my feet look huge, but I had never liked wearing shoes more. Arne had been strict about us wearing them everyday. He didn''t want to deal with us tracking dirt into the house again. It never bothered me because I found it fun to clack whenever I stepped on harder surface. Speaking of Arne, he had not been saying much to me lately. Our nightly chats were often brief or skipped. I couldn''t understand why our friendship had to end simply because I would not marry him. "Stay near me, Clara." I called behind her as we went deeper through the trees and shrubs. We were foraging for berries to put in a pie. Every minute or so, a tit whistled a pattern of tones above us. Clara knew what berries were fine to eat, so we picked those. We picked blackberries and elderberries. We went deeper through to find some raspberries to balance out the intense sweetness of elderberry. Its quite a season for berries, isnt it? Clara was acting strange with me. Whenever I spoke to her, she would return a straight smile, tip her head away from me and then say, "I want to keep walking." She had done it a few more times before I had to remind her, "Clara, I don''t think we should be so far from your father. He will wonder what''s taking us so long." Clara halted in her pace. Her fair strands swaying with the slight breeze. I had never seen a girl so still. "Clara?" I stepped up to her. As I came closer, I saw the wet side of her face. "We cant go back. I haven''t shown you the lingonberries." "Clara, are you crying?" "There''s so much I have to tell you about. You have to stay. If we go back, you''ll just be cross. You are always cross with Fa. And when you''re cross, you want to leave. "Clara, is that what you think?" I crouch to her and hold her skinny arms. "I would never be so cross to leave." The girls face was tight with sorrow she panted as she said, "Freja, you love us don''t you?" "Of course I love you." "And Fa?" Of all the questions I could have been asked, this I could hardly bare to answer. But she needed to believe me when I said I would stay. "Yes, him too." "Then... why won''t you be my mor?" I felt a needle prick my heart. "Did he tell you?" She shook her head, "I heard. I heard you tell him no by the tree." I looked downward. "I have my reasons, yndling. But it has nothing to do with you." I touched her cheek, "You are a perfect little angel. You understand that, right?" "I don''t understand. Ida has a mor. Why not me?" I didn''t know what to tell her. For she did deserve a mother. The best mother the world could offer. She broke free of my caress, threw off her clogs, and ran deeper into the cluster of trees. "Clara!" "T''isn''t fair!" her small echo carried. The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. I attempted to prompt myself after her. But as I took one brisk leap, my clogs gave out, causing me to slip. I hit the ground with my hands, realizing why Clara had left her shoes. So I did the same and proceeded in the direction she fled. The little one had done well to hide. I couldn''t make out the sight of her blue dress, patterned in tartan. It was nearing noon. Arne had already been behaving in a short manner towards with me. I could not return without his only daughter. But at some point, that was no longer a worry. My worries had changed. Her blue dress was in sight. The top half spotted with yellow juice that dripped from her mouth. Her petite form rested stiffly against a bush of round red berries. Berries she held also in her trembling hand. A mix of fear and agony shot from her eyes. I understood quickly that she was not enjoying her snack. Her name was shrieked from my lips, frightening birds to scatter in the treetops. I ran to her. She was squealing a plea. I knew she was trying to tell me something but her mouth would not open. "Oh, Clara, what have you done?" I noticed an obscure figure moving somewhere behind the trees. I wondered if it was Arne. But Arne would have shown himself immediately. Somewhere, hidden in the deepening shadow, for a mild second, I believed I''d seen two eyes. Two green eyes, just before the sun cast a beam before me and the slight vision beyond had dematerialized into the void. Clara sqealed again, drawing me back to the situation at hand. I slipped one hand under her head, the other under her legs. Clutching her body to mine, I brought her out of the wood. Trembling myself because I knew Arne would not be able to handle this sight. The sight of his own daughter swinging limp in my arms. He must have seen me coming from the window because out of the house he charged to meet me halfway to the door. He expressed an anxious look. I returned a dire one. He took the girl from me and brought her in to his room. He laid her gently on his bed. "Clara, dear. What has happened to you? Well, can you not speak?" He put his hand on her tiny chin. Clara''s eye dripped with pain as he slowly pulled her chin down. There was a popping sound of plausible disjointment. The girl weeped. Her mouth snapped shut with his release. My chest was pounding inside. I had never known a condition like the one I was witnessing. "What is it, Arne?" I calmy pleaded. His face remained hovering over his girl. "Lockjaw," he muttered. "What kind of berries were she near?" I gulped down my worry, answering in a wary voice, "They were tiny, red berries." I knew by the way he turned his face from his daughter that my information offered no hope. He stood up and stepped out of the bedroom. I held up a hand at the seething girl, before following him. I found the man looking as though he was at wit''s end. His forehead was pressed against the wall with his arm resting above his head. His chest released a weary pant. I could see that between his squeezed eyes was prayer. "Arne? Wh-What are you suspecting it was?" "I don''t suspect. I know. There''s only one thing she could have eaten." "What thing, Arne?" His delayed speech was driving me mad. The ominous word passed from his lips, lips I''d tasted sweetness from to now taste bitter truth, "Baneberries." He turned to regard me with deep and dire eyes. "They are poisonous. She knows that. Yet she ate them anyway." I heaved while growing faint, "Poison you dont mean? No. No, you''re not saying she could... Arne? Arne what are you saying?!" I begged him to tell the truth I wanted to hear. That this pain would leave her soon, and she''d be alright. Arne was covering his face with his enormous hand. Dropping it thereafter, as his fingers slipped down from his eyes, his wrathful gaze rested on me. "You were supposed to be watching her." I felt the words cut me. "I was. But then she ran from me." He approached me menacingly. "Thats why you follow after her." "I did. You werent there so you wouldn''t know." Your right. And had I been there, this would never have happened! Because clearly I cannot trust you to protect me datter from something as simple as berries! His bluster flung a drip of spit against my cheek. I wiped it and stared sternly at him, "Is this how you would have spoken to me had I become your wife?" I captured his subtle flinch. He said to me, "How you''ve managed to make this about you is beyond me." He stepped pass me to sit in the kitchen and... give up. But I am not one to give up. "I''ll make this right, Arne. I promise I will." He had already ceased hearing me, his head bent over the table. I remembered the eyes I saw in the wood. Someone had been watching us. And it couldn''t hurt now to find out who. I gave the pitiful cottage one more adoring gaze. The people in it had my heart. I needed to find help, and there was some imbuement of hope there in the wood. Once the scene was taken in to the fullest, I left out the door. Hush Now Every time I heard a rustle, whip or crack, I scanned the area around me. I knew I saw someone before. There had to be. I hadn''t a clue what I was doing, but I couldn''t just stand around and do nothing as Clara slipped away. I went to where Clara had been found. I felt as though the trees were watching me. Or perhaps someone in them. I turned my eyes to each tree that circled me. "I know you are there," I called. "Please. Please help me." All that answered was my echo in an acre of silence. I saw no distinct form of a living creature. I dropped to my knees. "Even if I speak only to myself, I am not leaving. The forest is going to hear me. Because she is a good girl. She doesn''t deserve this." I held my arms to my chest, "Not little Clara. My Clara." Closing my eyes, I felt the trees were listening. I felt myself being swallowed under their shade. "Only I deserve this. Not one human, and not one mermaid. But I I who am neither. I am just some unnatural thing. I am nothing." "Those are strong claims." I opened my eyes. The body of the sniveling voice stood over me. I drew my gaze over the root-wrapping formation of legs attaching to human feet. Then up the body that was clothed in moss and vines to the green face covered in darker green freckles shaped like leaves. Dazzling eyes cast down at me. Her dark lips parted as she said, "For one to call oneself unnatural, you must have done something unforgivable indeed." My tongue was in a twist as I continued to gawk. Part of me was elated that I had been heard. The other part, the curious part, couldn''t help but ask, "Who or what are you?" She rose her back from its current bend with a dragged breath. "I haven''t spent thousands of years in a forest to be regarded with such triviality. I know what I am. It is your pathetic unawareness that intrigued me into standing here." "Thousands of years, you say? You''re immortal like the mermaids." A passage in the mythology book in Eric''s library came to mind. "I''ve read of a creature like you. A der... dra..." "Dryad," she whispered. I nodded, "That''s right. A dryad." "I know it''s right. That''s what I am." As she spoke with agitation, beetles and spiders scattered down her face from the bush that made up her hair. Slightly repulsed, I turned my eyes to the baneberry bush. "Clara the girl that was here before she ate these berries." "So?" My forehead tightened at her dispassion. "She''s an innocent child!" "Yes, yes. As you have stated quite adamantly." She held up her hand at me. "That girl and her brute father have done nothing but terrorize my trees." It took me a while to understand her annoyance, "Terrorize? They don''t chop the trees. They only move them." "They steal them. Which makes them thieves, and is that any better?" The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. "Its not like you own the trees." "What was that?! If anyone can claim the wood, it''s me!" The dryad turned her back on me. Slowly, the roots that made up her legs began to unravel, sinking into the ground. "I am beginning to be bored of this conversation, lady." I could see that she was starting to turn into a tree. She raised her ams, and they locked in place, morphing into branches. Her skin became bark, creeping up to her neck. Just before it reached her ears, I stood and shouted, A girl is dying! Have you no heart? The bark softened. And the tree base reverted back to legs. She turned to me, stepping close enough to put her face in mine. "My heart is made of wood. Ringed by all the ages I''ve spent observing the barbary of the humans." She gestured around her, "So no. I don''t. At least not the kind you speak of." "But if you can care for your trees" "It is only my nature to. What is your nature?" "To believe in the good of all." "But all don''t believe in the same good." "Agh, I have no time for this! Please. Help me if you can. I''ll do anything." The dryad''s lips turned up mischievously, "Just what I''ve been waiting to hear." She stepped back from me. She picked the berries off the bush and held them out to me. "If you give your life for the girl, I shall have faith in your kind again. And I''ll retract the poison from her with a spell." I stared into her palm. The memory of a similar interaction, resurfaced; the first time I had ever been offered a spell. But it was different then. That was for a selfish cause. This was not. I wondered what my life was worth. All I ever brought anyone was misery. My father, my sisters, my husband, and now Arne. For once, I wanted to bring something good, like hope. "I''ll do it," I said, taking the berries in hand. "Just promise me you will follow through." "I shall start halfway with the spell. Only once you''ve eaten the berries, shall the poison be drawn out of her." "How will I know she is actually saved." "Well, I don''t think you can afford not to trust me at this point. But if it makes you feel better, understand that I could have decided not to reveal myself to you at all. So that''s something." I faintly agreed. "I''m ready." The dryad stretched out her hand at me. She walked in a circle saying: Cyanide, Formaldehyde, Ricin, Oleander. Since you''ve done a mighty work, lets do a work that''s grander. She gestured for me to eat. Without hesitation, I threw the berries into my mouth. My lips closed on fruit. As the berries crushed inside, a surprise was let free. Not a lovely surprise. Sharp crystals punctured my palate, my tongue. I opened my mouth again but the pain was too much to even cry. So I whimpered. Berry Fractals, baby''s blood, gone now is the pain. But not to waste, for now the curse shall be another''s bane. A disagreeable feeling rose within me, and my belly expelled the berries along with acid and bile. I stumbled onto my back. The dryad''s body became a blur above me. She brought her face close to mine, her bright green eyes skimming my pained expression. "You have done it. The girl shall be saved. And I now believe that humans can be good." Her words gave me a sense of comfort and redemption. "Hush now." I closed my eyes. The pain wouldn''t end. I continued to take quick breaths through my nose. Then I heard something I couldn''t have possibly heard. But I did. And I saw their faces. Auburn Attina, raven Alana, dark Adella, brown Aquata, platinum Arista, and gold Andrina. They were singing to me: Tell them not O'' where I go. Let me billow by. Left behind thy heart below for a chamber in the sky. ''Lert them not that they might wake. Let me below by. T''was my time and soul to take to a chamber in the sky. The Tipping Point "Which will you choose, Ariel?" I blinked, coming to awareness. Arista''s light-blue eyes stared in wait for my answer. She was holding up a gilded clam in one hand, a bioluminescently patterned one in the other. Possibly to try on as cups for our bosoms. "What?" I couldn''t remember what was happening. "You know, for the opera." The opera? Oh right, the opera! That''s today? I remembered everything. I was supposed to sing a solo after my sisters. Looking around, I saw that we were in the castle garden, a vibrant space full of pumping xenia, open brain coral, bispira, and even deadly fire coral. You never touch the fire coral, my sisters often reminded me. The edges of the space were confined by golden pillars. Waves of light playful bouncing off the gold. "Someones in a daze, again," I heard Adella''s dreamy voice croon. She came forward from behind me. "I think I know why." She looked down at her hands coyly as she fiddled with my comb, the comb she must have swiped from my hair. Sticky fingers. Once, Adella had taken Father''s trident without him even noticing. Of course, when he found out, she was punished justly. But Adella never could stop her thievery. I snatched it back from her. "What would you know?" Adella turned up a smirk, and beckoned for the rest of my sisters to surround me with an uncomfortable stare. "Do you see what I see?" she said to them all with crossed arms. "All that light in her eyes, the glimmer on her lips?" "You''re right," they gasped. "What is it? What is it?" I demanded. "Oh, tsk, tsk, tsk. It''s mighty bad, isnt it?" "Terribly." "Our Ariel''s gone and gotten her heart stolen." "But by whom?" I turned away from them. "All of you are out of your minds." As my heart began to flutter at the mere thought of him, I started to grin. I whipped back around, "Will you all keep a secret?" They clasped there hands and nodded excitedly. Each of there tails flipped in quick motions. I noticed Attina was not around. Good. "I met someone." "Who?" I relaxed myself on a giant stone above their gazes. Flounder snuck out from behind me and snuggled himself under my arm. "He''s not like anyone in all the sea." Adella sighed, leaning against the rock I sat on. "Sounds romantic." "Of course you''d think so, Adella," Andrina said with an eye-roll. "She hasn''t even told us what he''s like yet." "He is fearless, and talented, and" "Handsome?" Arista suggested. I giggled, "Yes. Very." Do you know his name? I jumped when I heard the oldest, Attina. She wore a skeptical expression, coming forward. Though her hands were folded together, the bracelets were still jangling. "His name?" I said, "His name is Er... Ares." Ares was a very mermadic name. Attina gave me a dubious hmph. "And just how do you plan to see him again? With Father''s rules on leaving being stricter than ever." Classic Attina. She never ever allowed me a moment to just be happy. I peered at her fiercely, "Rules are only strict to those who follow them." I could tell our other sisters were stifling their gasp. A smoldering tension passed between mine and Attina''s stare. She raised her hands and clapped, and the others obeyed the signal, leaving me with her. I never wanted this to be our relationship. I had understood why Attina was so strict, just like King Poseidon. I had expected it from the oldest, the heiress to the throne. But I also wished she would for once stop being so secretarial with me and simply be my sister. The way she had been when I was younger. "Attina, listen" "I''ll spare you from explaining, Ariel. I saw you save him." My mouth shut. Shame, now shadowing me. But it made no sense for me to be ashamed. "He was drowning. What should I have done?" I earnestly wanted to know. Were there any rules or guidelines that could have helped me through that situation? When his body had begun to jerk violently as it filled with sea water. When in seconds his bravery evanescenced before my eyes. In seconds, he had appeared so helpless. This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. "You should not have been there in the first place!" Attina blew a bubbling breath, "I knew it was only a matter of time before you''d have met one of the monsters you admire. Why? Why had I tolerated you?" The rocks in the ring in her nose changed from garnet to amethyst. "Your behavior would have gotten me in trouble." "Attina, why do you act as though Father is watching you from every side of the ocean?" "Its called integrity, Ariel. A word you will have much time to think on." I tilted my head at that strange and implicative point. Then she said, "You''re not going to the opera. You are staying in the chamber." "What? You can''t make that decision!" "But Father can. And he has." My heart dropped. "You told him." Attina neared me, bringing her frown close to my face. "I warned you. I''m sorry, but if this is what will teach you to be a mermaid, then sobeit." I was so angry that my body boiled the water around me. "Just how much have to told him?" Attina removed her gaze from mine. "Attina!" I heaved. I read through her silence. "Not my collection? Not my collection!" "Its time to say goodbye to the upper world, Ariel." I shrieked in revolt. "I hate you, I hate you!" I flipped past her. I zoomed my way to the cave not far from the castle. The cave where I''d hid my treasures. For the entire swim, I repeated my hate for my sister under my breath. By the time I reached the cave, I noticed the dark form peeping out of the opening. Heard the jangling of his string of crabs. I froze as Sebastian caught sight of me. He barked at me to not run away which was just what I had planned to do. "You get yer spoiled tail hover eer dis histant!" I knew he was most likely not alone. My Father must have been in that cave. I braced myself as I decended over to him. He stood at my side, taking me into the darkness. The moment we passed through the gap, I looked regrettably at the storage surrounding me. Chests, books, tools and charms all stolen from an old sunken ship and stored within in the gaping walls of the cave. My trove of treasures filled the cave in a spiral up to the aperture of light that fell to a single spot on the sandy floor. In that spot, glinted the new addition to my collection saved from the crash of The Royal; my Eric. His likeness in stone. That statue was made at his exact height. Someone had given him a sword in his left hand. The depiction wasnt true to his character the way it stood there so dramatically heroic. But I liked to think that some side of him was that way. Under different circumstances, I would run my naughty hands over the stone chest, and rest them on the puffy shoulders of his sleeves. I would peer into the glossless eyes and speak girlishly to it things I would never have the gall to say to the real him. Now the thought of that behavior made me blush in front of Sebastian. Har you going to hattempt han hexplanation? he urged. I shook my head, There is nothing to explain. I agree. The chilling, voluminous voice of my father vibrated the water. Father? His mammoth figure moved into the light. Brightness bouncing off his snowy hair and beard. My Father had seen thousands of years. And with that much time, his mind was settled for topics such as humans. I remembered being a young minnow shielded under his wide shadow. He loved me more than any of my other sisters. And because of it, my betrayal struck him the hardest. "I see exactly what you have been up to for the last, what, year?" he said. Yes, I confirmed. This is a direct defiance of the law, of many laws. I dont know what to say. I''ve had commoners disobey me, but my own daughter... Commoners? Like Scuttle? I immediately regretted opening my mouth. The cave water was still, like Father''s body, and like his expression. How do you know that name? He grabbed my arm and pulled me in. How?! "I went there! To Prisoner''s Passing. I went there." I squeezed my eyes in sorrow. "He was my friend. And you... You killed him. You killed him," I whimpered. If the water did not exist I''d have cried. He released me. "Clearly your secrets run deeper than I know. You have gone to the surface several times, you saved a human, and you spoke to a prisoner." "I guess that would make me a criminal, wouldn''t it?" King Poseidon grumbled in annoyance. "I don''t understand you, Ariel." "Because you don''t try to understand." "Dont try? All I have done is try to understand your antics." "Only to confine them with another one of your rules. Father, I understand that you have seen the humans slaughter mermaids and kill whales, but I live in this time. And I have not heard or seen of such instances." The king only grew with anger, his grip tightening on his trident. "So you, an inexperienced pike, think that you are the judge of humanity''s righteousness?" "No, but" "You think he is worth your mercy?" He pointed his trident at the statue. That motion alone caused me to tense. "You don''t... you don''t know him." "Know him? I do not have to know him. They are all the same!" His arm remained extended as his furious gaze narrowed on the statue. "Spineless, savage, harpooning fish-eaters, incapable of any feeling" "Father, I love him!" His head faced me, his arm lowered. "No. Not you, a mermaid in love with a human. Ariel, listen to yourself." I lowered my face. "I can''t ignore what I feel. Even if I want to. Tell me, Father. Are angry that I could love a man?" I drew my eyes to his, finally making a dangerous claim. "Or scared that he might love me back?" These words ment nothing, because Eric hadn''t ever seen me save him. But I wanted to put the idea in my father''s head, just to have him the slightest bit stumped. And it worked. His eyebrows shot up with unbelief. "So, help me, Ariel, I will get through to you. Whether it takes this!" He raised his golden weapon at one side of the cave. A mighty blast shot forth, destroying and disintegrating the objects. "No!" "Or this!" His blasted the other side. I grabbed his muscular upper arm. "Father, please!" Ignoring me, he lowered his trident back at my Eric''s image. "Or this." "Dont!" In one blast, he disintegrated my Eric, destroyed my dreams, and by proxy, killed me. I fell upon the sand and cried as the king and his second-in-command left. I felt my will slipping from me. I was considering the thought of giving up. Of becoming a normal mermaid, an obedient princess. As I lie there, my mind reminisced on everything I had collected and the stories behind each thing. So much I lost. So much I would never get back. Flounder found me. He whispered in bubblinese: Come. Up top. A witch. "A witch?" I said. Sealed In Silence Numbness. That''s what I felt. A numb pain in my swollen cheeks. I opened my eyes. The sunlight blurred my vision. Once the blur passed, I was unsure why my surrounding looked the same as before. Hadnt I gone into the light? I felt heavy as if I wouldnt be able to get up if I wanted. I rose my back and peered around. Turning my face from the left back to the right, I was startled to see the dryad once again staring over me. She made a mean scowl at me. "I thought you were dead." So did I. I wanted to say that, but the moment I opened my mouth, I heard a popping in my ears as my jaw disjointed around the swelling in my cheeks. A painful mistake. My jaw snapped shut. "Interesting." The dryad observed me. "You are still suffering from the side affects of the poison, even though you survived. And... you''re a little out of shape." My eyes followed her gesture, pointing down, down at where I should have seen bare, peachy legs. But Ariel didn''t have legs. Freja had legs. And I was not Freja anymore. I flipped up the tail, green scales shimmering. How did this happen? "The poison must have killed the false form, leaving your true form. You, my dear, are caught in your lie." What was I going to do? Arne could not see me like this. I pleaded with my eyes, Help me! "Dont look at me like that. Have I not done enough for you?" The dryad crouched by me. "You deceived me into thinking you were human." I scorned at the puerile creature. I wanted to let her know that she was not the only one I had deceived. And I didnt care either way because I could not go anywhere with this tail, and I couldn''t speak. I was mute and immobile. I was dead weight. The least she could do was help me out of the wood to a river or... that''s it. I picked up a twig beside me and drew squiggly lines in the dirt. I pointed to myself, then the drawing. "What is it you''re trying to say? Speak up, will you." I gave her a hard stare. "Oh, I forgot. You can''t talk. Well, how am I supposed to know what those lines mean?" I put my hands together and moved them like a fish. I pointed again to myself and the drawing. "Alright. I think I understand. The river, right?" I nodded excitedly. She waved her head, considering it. "I guess I wouldn''t mind getting you to it so I can be left alone." She helped me out of my heavy dress and stays. Then she tore a piece of fabric to cover my breasts. She lifted under my arms and dragged me and my heavy tail over the dirt and moss. The dryad was stronger than she seemed. She took me all the way to the river. Dropping my arms, she stared into the body of water. I watched the dryad''s eyes grow serious. She then turned to me. "The trees have a way of communicating with their roots. They can reach other tree roots far away and share information. Sometimes I tap into the messages myself." She chuckled mildly, "Trees are awful gossipers. But I was told by a willow who was told by a needle tree who was told by some beech trees who were told by my alder friend you took inside the prince''s castle... that there is talk of a war between land and sea. Is this true?" If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. I nodded. She looked down for a moment. "I may be against both peoples, but I believe in balance. If a war starts, the king of Undersea might use anything from floods to hurricanes to fight. And foolishly, the humans would think they have a fighting chance. They would jeopardize my trees." Her gaze had drifted up to the sky before she finally regarded me. "No point in telling you this. You are just a common mermaid. Though, I wonder how you came to have legs. ''Tis a pity you cant tell me now." There was a time when I was not a common mermaid but a mermaid princess. And still, I had no more will than anyone else. "Alright. Meeting you was... different. Um... goodbye." I hid my smile. It was funny to realize how bad the dryad was at ending an acquaintance. But I supposed I would have had a farewell just as odd if I''d been alone for thousands of years. She came to my side and pushed me. I rolled into the river. My body went in with a splash. I let the water consume me. My skin now longed for it. I breathed the delicious, clear river water. The way it filled me was like being filled with life, energy, and power. This kind of invigoration, I had long missed and forgotten. Once I was completely full of it, I shot up from the water and ended my fall in a dive. I swam forward, feeling free. Feeling alive. I swam past the vibrant grass and mossy rocks that impinged the river''s sides. But the feeling soon passed the further I went downstream. I knew this river would eventually lead to the ocean. Though, I couldn''t exactly stop myself from flowing in the river''s current. It wasn''t long before I was carried into the sea. After I made it in, I quickly swam toward the edge of the land and crept onto the sand. I remembered my promise to my father. To never swims past the shallows. Should I have disobeyed yet another rule? I couldn''t do that. My head hung with the realization that I had no place of belonging. Not the land nor the sea. I wondered if I was meant to live always in between. Though this disheartened me, I couldn''t sulk now. It was time to accept. I raised my head. Looking to the right, far in the distance, I saw the cove. The cove where I had met the witch. She hadn''t told me her name or why she wanted a tail. I remembered that way she outstretched her hand, pointing with long sharp nails down at me in the pool. She wouldn''t let me see her face, hiding it underneath her black cloak''s hood. She spoke slowly, deeply. "Legs for a tail." I had eagerly made the deal. But now I had my tail, and I wondered if that meant she could no longer swim. Perhaps she was drowning as of this moment. I went into the water and swam toward the cove. I peered into the mouth. No one was there. I went inside. Lifting my eyes at the craggy walls of the cave that were painted by the motional reflection of the water. Her old cauldron remained on the land, dusted by the sand that must have been tossed by the wind at some point. I began to think of a plan for myself. Here was a place I could hide. Away from both humans and mermaids. I could survive off the seaweed that washes on the beach. Though after being fed human food, my palate would long for variety. I remembered cooking in the kitchen with Clara. I was missing her already. I had given my life for her. And with that, I was content. But I also knew I''d miss holding her as I slept. And Arne... I missed Arne, too. I missed his resoluteness. Nothing ever moved him if he didn''t want to be moved. I imagined he would say at this moment, Control your sentiments or they''ll control you. And he''d be right. I have gotten into so much trouble that I otherwise could have avoided if I wasn''t so impulsive. But should I try to change myself? I''m not sure how I could. Am I the problem? Should I be as loyally obedient as Attina? Or as predictable as Arista? Should I be as appreciative as Clara? Perhaps I should always try to be. These are traits I definitely need to model. But I am not all that bad, am I? Someone has to be a risk-taker. Someone has to have heart. Someone has to think beyond what is commonly accepted as true. I have seen the upper world. I have an understanding of the humans that none of my sisters, nor anyone in all of Undersea have. No, I am not them. And I do not want to be. Arne let me know that I don''t have to change. Right before he kissed me. But Ariel, you promised yourself you wouldn''t remember that. I know. But how can I not? He told me he loved everything about me. And maybe, some day, I will be able to as well. I listened to the calming ambience of the waves. Finally, I could admire it. I had no one waiting on me. Nothing to do. No imminent peril, for now at least. I could just rest. And rest, I did. Long Time, No See When the night came, I had easily fallen asleep in the pool of the cove. Delirious, it took me some time to tell that I was not alone. But I must have sensed the slow movement in the water through my unawareness, because I was slowly becoming roused. I heard whispers. I really hope that stays tight. Of course it will. I''ve seen sailors tie knots like that. Fine. Do you think Ursula will be pleased with us for once? I dont know. The mermaid''s quite pretty. Why do think she wants her? Can you stop asking useless questions? You''ll wake her up. Now help me. The moment I felt a hand touch my tail, I open my eyes. Two mermen stared down at me. They both had deep brown curls and olive skin. I could tell they were of a prime age. For the one on the right, his right eye was completely hollow. And for the one on the left, it was his left eye that was also missing. Being by each others side made thier eyes meet as if they were two halves of the same face. Before my sore mouth could attempt to scream, one placed his hand on my mouth. Listen here, dame" he said with a surly tone. "You are either going with us by will or by force. Which shall it be? A bite to his hand was my answer. He retracted it with a yelp. Then he started chortling. "That''s just fine with me." I felt him yank the rope they wrapped around my tail. As they propelled forward, I flew in the water. They were pulling me along. We cut a trail through the water, moving at a head-jerking speed. I had screamed for a while. Then I stopped, seeing it was of no point. Finally, we weren''t moving anymore. Everything was still and blue. It took me some time for me to realize where we were. When I looked downward, I saw the shrouded depth below. This was the trench. While they paused, I took hold of the rope the was around my tail and tried to pull it apart. I felt another yank that pulled my tail up from under me. Dont even try it. He looked at his brother. "Come on." We went down into the trench. Slowly, our bodies were enveloped in the darkness. I couldn''t see the mermen, but I felt the steady pull of the rope. Farther on, I wondered if they were trying to bury me. I had never been this far underwater, and being new to this environment again only made it harder to endure the heavy pressure of the deep water. Farther still, the mermen said nothing to each other. All around me was a scary marine silence. I tried to somehow will my eyes to see through the obscurity. I wanted them to adjust so I could see something, anything. A harsh cackle suddenly pierced through the darkness. I whipped my head in all directions. Then I felt one of the mermen''s hand grab the back of my neck, forcing me to look down. A cluster of purple light emitted from a fresh skeleton of sea monster. Another cackle blasted from the canal through mouth of the skeleton. They took me to it. It was like being consumed. We moved through the throat canal. The esophagus, in the process of decay. There was a little garden of sea polyps sticking to the walls of the throat. Watch your head, the merman behind me said. I didn''t know what he was talking about until I turned to see one of the group of polyps stretching towards me as if I had attracted them. They made little sqeals at me. I moved away. Then the ones sticking to the other side reached for me. I bumped into the mermen leading me, then I sped forward, flipping my strong tail. He tried to keep a grip on the rope. He failed, when I used my large fin to slap him in the face. Ow! You rebellious little... His brother swam to me and grabbed my arms. Alright, enough. Don''t make me have to hurt you. I writhed and wriggled, trying to free my arms. I wanted to scream, though it was impossible and no one would hear it anyway. Stop playing around, you fools, and bring her to me! The boisterous command coming from the belly made me shiver. The mermen urged me forward. The belly was enormous, and dim. I came to the sight of a wide, iron basin, crafted to look like a claw. Purple and pink liquid swirled inside it. I raised my head to the dark, whale-like figure towering over it. She looked at me with big, intimidating eyes. A deep familiar rasp in the way she crooned, Hello, Ariel. She put her face closer to the purple light, "Remember me?" I squinted in denial. But as soon as her features sat in my head, I knew I had seen the half of her face before. She was the witch. The one that gave me legs. Seeing her again, I wasn''t sure whether I was relieved or worried. I''m sure it must come as real shock to see me like this. I kept staring. I wanted to know how it was possible. This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version. What''s the matter with you? Can''t you speak? I shook my head. The witch looked at the mermen. Why cant she speak. They stammered anxiously. Tisn''t my fault. He''s the one who kept silencing her. Me? Your the one who kept threatening her. I dont know what you are talking about. Untrue. You know you kept Silence! the witch commanded. She finally set her eyes on me again. Well, whatever the issue is with your voice, its too bad. Because I was hoping you could tell me how you have a tail, and I have these. In a moment, I was caught in the dangerous embrace of black, sticky tentacles. I could feel the clingy cups as the tentacles wrapped tighter around me, squeezing me to the bone. I was lifted higher. Look at me. Behold the glory, Ariel. Thanks to your reversion, I too am in my true form. This is who I was before he banished me to land. I was confused. Thats right. Youre father banished me, for one simple crime. I gave a merman legs. He was much like you, in love with some woman from above. He paid with his strength for me to do it. This story sounded familiar to me, but I was not sure why. She then released me. I floated back down. Oh, that King Poseidon is the worst. I''m sure you''d agree. Rather than a father, he treated you like a sovereign ruler. Ursula floated toward me. Her octopus half, pushing her forward. And everyone else is scum. She gave me the strangest look. A look that made me less eager to sympathize and yet unwilling show opposition. I wasn''t sure what to make of her expression. She seemed like a scarred being with an unpredictable mind. Someone who may have valid reasons for what she wants, but you never know it is she truly wishes for. Her wide mouth stretched into a devious smile. Now, lets talk about the reason I''ve called for you. The witch swam back to her basin, and swiped her hand over it. The swirling liquid revealed an image of the king. It was him in real time, speaking with Sebastian and Attina. I slowly came forward for a closer look. My heart slowed as I watched them. If only I could see him, if only he had not banished me. Maybe then there would be a chance of reconciliation. The scale focused in on the golden trident. Ursula eyed me. Remember what I did for you. And that it isn''t my fault that any of it fell through. You will return a favor for me, won''t you Ariel? I simply squinted, waiting for her to tell me what she had in mind. Imagine this. You show up before the king. You get arrested, of course. But just before you are taken away, you warn the court that his advisor, Sebastian, is trying to overthrow him. The king wakes up the next morning, to stare his assassin right in the face just as he tries to murder him. The king survives with his trident. Sebastian... doesn''t. I gulped, disturbed by the notion. Ursula continued. Realizing you were right, he relents to calling on you. You each have your moment of tears and reconciliation, etcetera, etcetera. He lets you free from your cage and you go back to being a princess. Now that he trusts you, you will admit to being worried for his safety and insist he employ a certain magical expert for his protection. She placed her hand on her fat chest with flared fingers. Then I am called on as the best option in all the sea. That way you can be a princess and I can be respected once again as the royal sea witch. My eyes widened. It sounded like a very clever plan, but there were some issues with it. Firstly, I thought, how can I guarantee that Sebastian is going to attempt assassination on King Poseidon? Secondly, I would never do such a thing to Sebastian. And thirdly, none of this is going to work if I cannot speak. She tickled the bottom of my chin with her long nail. I see that you aren''t convinced. Well, I wouldn''t be a true merpus if I hadnt made a fool-proof plan. She gripped my jaw aggressively. Her eyes inspected it as she pressed on the swollen spot. I clenched my teeth in pain. No don''t do that, that''ll worsen it. Just take your time and slowly drop your jaw. I shook my head. But she looked at me with a convincing, confident look. I did as she said, feeling my jaw lock halfway and popping on the way down. Now slowly close it. I drew in my jaw as slowly as I could, the motion seemed easier this way. The tension behind my ears slightly relieved. It will get easier with time. But for now, there are other ways to communicate. And if you are worried about the advisor, she shrugged, don''t be. Sometimes the only solution is cruelty. Those who taste it die. And those who use it thrive. No. No, I couldn''t. I had told many lies, but none to the detriment of someone else. But I knew I had to do as Ursula said. What would she do to me if I disobeyed? It''s funny the first time I made a deal with a witch, I had not felt so much pressure, so much at stake. I now had the feeling that I could not say no. This was what all of my trouble had brought me to. Just as Attina had said: Soon your games will catch up to you. I had tried to run away. I''d thought I could hide from punishment. But punishment has followed me through land all the way back to sea. The sea witch did a beckoning motion to the liquid in the basin. Fetay gaove! she chanted. The liquid swelled upward, bubbling and swirling. Rolling, and steaming. Until the tiny object that it created released into Ursula''s palm. A golden little snake that was smaller than a thumb. She gave it to me. When you are in the castle, let go of the snake. When it finds Sebastian, it will wrap itself around his finger. Then everything will unfold just as I said. I stared down at the shiny, little thing in my hand. I didn''t dare close my fingers on it. My expression grew weary. Ursula was so adamant that this would be a good plan for the both of us. But I never said I wanted to be princess again. None of this was actually what I wanted. In fact, I had no idea what I wanted. I just wanted to be free. I wondered why that was such an impossible wish. I raised my head at Ursula. I did have a choice. Just as I did when I decided to die for Clara. With talk of war already causing distress. The one thing I had control of was myself. I would not go through with this. I attempted to throw the snake. But it only floated an inch away from me in the water. Ursula held it in her hand for a scary second. Her gaze drifted to me. Ooh. Is that a no? I nodded warily. Oh, Ariel. I don''t get told no. Ever. Two tentacles went around me, squeezing in my ribcage. Another grabbed at my arm. She drew me closer to herself. Taking my thumb, she let free the snake it curled around it and locked into a gold ring. Bite yourself, she commanded. Some sort of haze, like whatever must have befallen Gertrude when she heard me sing, had overcome me. I saw myself do they action. Felt the harsh bit on my arm. Saw the ooze of blood mixing in the water. None of it was my will. She put her face in mine and chuckled. Her chuckle grew into a cackle. You see, it works. If you want to be free, give the ring to Sebastian. Or else, suffer. Now I saw it. The truly sinister expression. There was no mistaking that whatever the witch was intending, went beyond the plan she disclosed to me. Flotsam! Jetsam! The mermen swam forward. Take her away, for now. Keep her in the cove until I call her again. The mermen each took an arm. They pulled me towards the throat canal. Ursula said behind me, Perhaps you will soon appreciate my plan, Ariel. I know how you like games. Thief In The Night We floated upward through the darkness. Their hands held my arms tenaciously. As we finally left the trench, we were halted by the roaring command of one merman. One of the mermen guarding the cage stack. "Keep your fins inside the cages, you lot! Or neither of you shall be fed tonight! And not another word between you and the prisoner above, below, or beside you. The first scum I hear will get a taste of the seamount''s heat." "What about the second?!" The entire stack shook with the laughter of the inmates. "Keep giving me lip, and youll find out." I caught sight of the stately officer as he hovered by. My captors pulled me down. One of them kept their hand over my mouth. As if I need it. The officer was, though much older than me, quite young. His eyes were shielded below the visor of his gold helmet. He had a short, golden mustache drawn above his lips. His tail was thick and strong, the way a well-worked tail would be, same for his arms. In his hand was a spear. The best swordfish, at his side. I hoped hed see me. I hoped he''d float down and see the two holding me. Again, I bit the hand that covered my mouth. "Ah! Stop doing that." His brother shushed him. "Can''t you see she''s trying to get a sound out of you?" The officer floated over to the trench. My captors pinned me against the craggy wall of the drop off. "Sir, is there something wrong?" one of the guards called above us. "Did you here something?" the officer answered. "In the trench, sir?" "Just, did you hear anything at all?" "No, sir." "Hm, I must be exhausted. You keep watch tonight." "Yes, sir." The officer''s tail flipped out of sight. After a few seconds, we were sure he was gone. I felt instant dread. My captors took the chance and swam upward, taking me with them. They speedily swam forward. We came upon the reef, coasting over the coral. I felt tired, not very sure what all just happened to me. They drew me up to the surface of the pool, and I looked around and realized we made it back to the cove. I turned around and saw their one-eyed faces, feeling trapped in by their presence. I shrugged to say, What now? "Now, you sleep. Tomorrow, you will see your precious father." Moving up, they sat themselves on the sand. They gestured for me to do the same. Every movement I made in beholdeness to them felt like pain. But this was my fate. I lifted myself up, sitting with my heavy tail far from them. The old cauldron, behind me. Looking forward, I could see the starry sky outside. The moon reflected on the dark waves. It glowed so softly like a dream. "Do what must be done," one of them said in a whisper that carried to my side of the cave. Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere. "There is no other way," said the other. I looked at them, suddenly having a question in mind. What exactly are they doing here? Why do they work for the witch? Is it by will or force? They kept a watchful gaze on me, waiting for me to fall asleep. But how could they expect me to now? I closed my eyes. The sound of the waves no longer calmed me. It acted as a kind of mark of anticipation. The repetition of the going in and moving out kept me restless. While I lie on my side, back facing the mermen. I rubbed the ring on my other finger, then tried to pull it off, but the snake remained wrapped around it. I spent an hour staring at that ring, thinking of what Arne and Clara might be doing now. Had they looked for me? Were they distraught? And most importantly, was Clara still alive? I had to believe she was. But for right now, I wanted for them to sleep just fine without me. I wanted them to continue with their lives as though I was never a disruption. It''s better this way. When I felt a tap on my foot, I sat up. The back-lit face raised a finger to his lips. He wore the breastplate of a merman in my Father''s army. But why would a soldier of the King have swum to the surface? Then I notice the mustache, and the familiar helmet. He must have been the officer we saw at Prisoner Passing. Had he followed us here? "Come. I am getting you out of here. You''ll be safe." I am not sure what to do. I glimpsed over at Flotsam and Jetsam (I was not told whom was whom) both in deep sleep. I hoped it will last, almost considering leaving. I looked again into the officer''s kind eyes. He had a spear in his left hand ready for defense, but could I take this chance? Could I actually swim away with him? I was not certain if I could even trust this officer. There was a possibility Father told him my features. I would not be surprised if he knows exactly who I am. As the thought became more plausible, I shook my head and shooed him away. He would lock me up, I knew it. Not that I''d be opposed to it, but this what what she wanted. Ursula. I couldn''t go with him. I couldn''t. "What is it? Don''t you want to go?" I whipped my arm in his direction, grunting. "I don''t understand. Why wont you say anything?" "She''s saying," the single voice echoed from the other side of the cave. Then the sound of two alert brothers, "Back away." They scooted forward, dropping their heavy tails in the pool. They fell in, coming for the officer. The officer chuckled. "Have a good rest, fellows?" They continued to lurk threateningly. "So that''s how it''s going to be?" With a readying clench of his spear and teeth, he dove in, sinking out of sight. Flotsam and Jetsam looked around the dark pool. I held my breath. After a long ten seconds I concluded he left me. Flotsam (probably) looked at me and laughed. His voice grew loud until it came to a halt with the strong arm that broke from the water, wrapping around his throat. The merman flipped back, causing sharp ripples in the pool. But the Officer kept a good hold of him, drawing up the rod and holding it diagnol to constrict the merman at his chest. He kept him still as he roared at the other brother. "Come closer, and he gets it!" The officer confirmed his point by sliding the weapon down until the spearhead is grazing the side of the merman''s face. "I crave the thrill of spilling blood." The free, distraught brother''s eyes flickered as he juggled the only choices laid before him. The officer would not wait for long, pressing the point further into his brother neck just under the jaw, making his victim wince. The point broke the skin, drawing out a slow ooze of blood. "Make a decision." He drove the blade further in. "Flotsam!" The free brother, Jetsam called. "Broth... e..." "Make a decision," the officer repeated sternly. Jetsam made his way over to me. He climbed up on the sand, flapping his tail in a scoot towards me. He grabbed onto my arm and yanked me down into the water. I felt my face smack the surface, body going down until he pulled me up again. "Here! Take the mermaid! Just let him go." He threw me forward. The officer turned up a half-sided smile. "I thought you were reasonable." He peeled his fingers off of Flotsam''s shoulder then came and took me by the arm. Jetsam swam to his brothers aid. "Flotsam, brother!" "Brother." Flotsam''s response was less enthusiastic. In fact it sounded a trifle like anger. He stared at his brother as his neck bleeds. Stared him scornfully in the eye before smacking his face. And what a jarring sound it produced. "Idiot!" The officer still held my arm, slowly backing away. We turned around. Not wasting a second, we shot through the water. Everything is dark so we could not see where we are going. But he hled my hand tight through our swim. Like a poor habit, I had to trust in this this chance of freedom. Whatever is happening, I couldn''t help but feel the slightest bit relieved. “Look Whos Back” I stared at him by the threshold leading from our bedroom to the balcony. His short, dark hair lifting a little in the cool breeze as he gazed pensively at the courtyard and the land reaching far beyond. I didnt want to join him there and break his thoughts. I can feel you staring. I grinned, stepping forward. My long, rosy garb slid along the floor. He had donned me in the finest silk, yet I hadnt ever known what the poorest felt like. Eric held out his hand for me to take. I laid my head on his handsome shoulder and gazed with him. It never gets old, does it? No, he said. I wouldnt wish for another view. Well, except... He turned me into him, his hands on my waist. Eric''s eyes beheld mine. Thats better. His finger slipped under my chin, causing me to blush. Thats the view I''ll never tire of. My eyelids lowered as I waited for him to deliver on the kiss he promised with his eyes. Ariel. His tone was sharp. I looked at him, bemused. Eric? Why did you lie to me? I stepped backwards, out of his touch. Eric... I didn''t mean to hide who I am. I just wanted you to love me Eric shook his head as all the light in his blue eyes fled. Im not talking about that. Then what? That''s the only lie I''ve told. You told me you loved me. My eyebrows folded together, I do. He turned his gaze way from me to rest it on the land again. We are more alike than you know, Ariel. What does that mean? He continued to be lost in his dangerous thoughts, thoughts I wish I could hear to put an end to them. Read to me, Ariel. He pointed at the table behind him. A book of poetry sat on it. Please. I glanced back and forth between him and the table, then gathered my skirt and walked over to it. I sat down and opened the book. The 48th verse. Then read on. I flipped through to where he instructed, then started reading: In this heart lies a fire. In yours lies the same. What shall become of us if we Would meet flame with flame? Selfish is the heart''s desire. Little did we try To see beyond the gain of love, That love would never die. I slapped down the book, immediately. I will not read this! This is not us. I stood up and approached my husband while his back faced me. What we have is real love. Im sure you believe that. Eric! I held my hand to my chest. Say another word and it will kill me. Have you forgotten, Ariel, he finally faced me, that I''ve already killed you? His words shot through my heart. I was terrible to you. I embraced him at the waist as I buried my face in his chest. You aren''t terrible. You just made a mistake. And so did I. My eyes dripped. Perhaps the mistake was getting No. I lifted my gaze to his and held the side of his face in my hand. What has become of my brave prince? Please, Eric. Give me some kind of hope. He grinned somberly as his head dipped lower. Can you kiss a dream? Let me find out. I closed my eyes again as his lips slowly traveled to mine... I attacked the shadow above me, feeling that my hand hit directly between his eyes. A roar ensued out of the officer. I opened my eyes, the water was now a true blue with light from above pouring in. I saw the merman who helped me. I suppose I deserved that, he said, holding his forehead. I waited and stared at him. He had taken off his helmet, exposing his blonde hair. He seemed very understatedly handsome in appearance. But it was enough to compliment his courageous demeanor. I was hesitant to thank him for rescuing me, even with my eyes, not sure what his plan was for me. Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings. He regarded me with intrigue. I had to get a closer look at you now that I can see you better. I don''t believe it. Former Princess Ariel. His tone hinted at a slight astonishment, until he said, How incredibly stupid of you to be here. He shook his head at me. How did you even get your tail back? Did... He moved close to me with interrogation in his eyes. Did they send you? As a spy? I knew once he said it that there was no point in shaking my head. He believed it. Why dont you speak? I contemplated the pain I would feel to demonstrate my issue. But alas, I dropped my jaw with a popping sound; a harsh shut, thereafter. The officer scratched his chin. Puzzling Pisces. I rubbed the sides of my cheeks, gently. He eyed me with what seemed like concern. You know I will have to arrest you, right? I frowned and nodded. I had been waiting for this. You will go willingly? Another nod. He pulled out two metal bracelets from the chain on his hip. Just in case. He slid each on my wrists. A gravitational pull forced my wrists together. He then placed a hand on my shoulder. Come with me. ... Even though I was swimming through as a criminal, I was still excited to see the kingdom I had long missed. Passing through the last stone passageway, I was greeted with a school clouding my view of the common grounds. The glittering fish moved by, and there it was. The community I left long ago. We were modest and lived our lives in peace. The echoing sound of a sacred blue whale was always nearby. Common merpeople had no sheltered homes to themselves the whole ocean was a shared home. Some lived underneath rocks, some among coral. Others, very special mermaids, could tolerate the sting of anemone, so there they dwelled. But here, the people came together for trade and services. My people were metalworkers, farmers, educators, artisans, and healers. However, the metal workers were rarely in the common grounds, for all their work had to be done over the nearest seamount. The young minnows we passed on the right were now attending their lessons in the ditch. The teacher held up a pearl for them to observe, no doubt teaching a lesson on the mermadic currency system. Ah, I remember that. To the left, there passed a group of mermen carrying a shark who was limp in their arms. Probably taking it to the healers hut, made out of a domed assimilation of rocks. This way, know one could miss it. I quickly noticed just how many fish were here, this far down. Even humpheads, clownfish, eels... All of these species are usually never down here. Keep moving, the officer urged with a nudge. I had to keep on. Though as I went by, more mermaids caught sight of my familiar bundle of hair swaying around in the water. I turned my gaze away from their shock, and ahead toward the blazing structure reaching high. The palatial work of art I once lived in. It was placed right in the spot that caught the most light from the surface, drenching the silver in a golden glory. Even the sand surrounding it appeared gold. Every room was hidden in the tubes that were connected by twisty bridges that made trails down the body until finally extremities stretched outward as is if in a manner welcoming to the people. Not far from the palace was the opera house, made out of the same glistening material. It was a round open structure held together by pillars around a large ditch. As we swam further to the palace gatehouse, I felt so many things. I couldn''t tell if I felt ashamed, excited, or scared to be here after all this time. I was home, finally. We stopped under the skinny archway, so close to the palace that I shivered anxiously. The guard in the gatehouse took one glance over at me, then afforded the officer a nod. We passed through, a firm hand guiding me from behind though I already knew the way. ... We were a good ways into the palace, encased by the seaweed-garnished walls. Colorful plants lined the floor. Where the halls intersected, I could hear the euphonic medley of laughter sounding. I immediately halted to my apprehender''s puzzlement. My bones went stiff at the sight of my beautiful sisters chatting on. I am telling you the truth. I saw them togeth Aquata was in the middle of saying as Arista tapped her shoulder, peering over at me and the merman behind me. My sisters regarded me with blank, incredulous stares. Aquata lingered forward with wide eyes. Well, look who''s back, the unfitting remark was Andrina''s which I actually didn''t mind because it somehow served to lighten up this otherwise bitter reunion. Aquata did not mind the officer as she took hold of me. Ariel. Is it... really you? She moved aside, beckoning the others. They all made faces. I dont believe it, said Adella. Shouldnt you be on land with your prince? Alana added with raised eyebrows. Why would you ever come back? There was a detectable quaver with her question, and underlying proof of unresolved pain. Pain that I caused. All I could do in response was frown. Im afraid she won''t be able to answer any of your questions, the officer spoke for me. There is some kind of issue with her prohibiting her speech. What? Why? I couldn''t tell you, but I need you to move out of the way. Now. If you mean to take her to father, you must know that both he and Sebastian are outside of the kingdom at the moment. This news relieved me immensely. I almost sighed, though I did not want to seem any more guilty than I already was. Well that can only mean the king has left The Princess Attina in charge, I assume. There was a hint of hostility in Aquata''s answer, Yes. He has. Then may you please... step aside. He waved a shooing hand at her. His tone was patronizing. Aquata slowly positioned herself out of our way, and so did my other sisters. With that, I continued being guided forward and away from my sisters'' presences. The shivering I felt calmed a bit, though a trace of it still tickled my spine. I wasnt sure how I could possibly face Attina after all this time. And after the reaction of the others, I doubted Attina would have forgiven me most of all. I held my breath as we made it further down grey hall to grey hall. More blue whale sounds echoed in my ears from some place afar. I could never be fully ready, could I? We are here, I heard the officer say. I then noticed the entrance we stopped at. Inside was a circular space shielded below a decorative skeletal dome. The area was clear and full of unmoved sand. The sturdy pillars, adorned in spirals of seaweed, guarded the center most spot where the crystal throne sat. And hovering beside it, honorably, she was magnificently surveying. In her opulence, her bangles, breastplate, nose ring, and tiara. Every part of her glistened. But something new had been added to her appearance. Right in the top of her auburn head, keeping her hair in it''s place... my comb. My longing and adoration vanished in seconds. In the same time, her faithful scorn caught sight of mine. Whats In A Reach We shared a stilly gaze with each other like always. Attina lifted her chin pompously so she could look downward at me. Bring her in. I moved closer with the officer''s urge. I was not sure what she was thinking as she glowered at me, but I wanted to be out of her presence and soon. With King Poseidon absent, who knew what she would feel the power to do? My princess, I rescued her from the clutches of two wayward mermen. There was something about the way the officer addressed my sister. The way he said ''my princess'' sounded a trifle familiar for a guard. She glanced at him briefly before saying to me, Rescued? Her regal form relaxed as she appeared to have concern. The evasive, invincible Ariel was... captured? Attina swam up to me. The hands she kept together in a ''downward prayer'' at her anterior separated, reaching out to me. My little sister. I gave her a puzzled look. Her arms remained outstretched. Something in me told me not to trust the gesture. But some other part of me yearned for any familiar touch I could get. Conflicted, I didn''t immediately go into the hug. I stretched my hands to hers slowly making contact with our fingers. To my surprise, she took hold of my hands lovingly with her own supple ones. Hands that never knew what it was like to lift a heavy, wooden yolk under a blazing sun. They clashed with my rough, experienced hands. Her tight lips became a warm smile. It was too much at once for me to understand. I continued to gaze into her emerald eyes. Her lips pressed together sorrowfully, then she drew me into her, embracing me like an older sister only could. My older sister. I felt her many pearls against my chest. I missed you, you little scoundrel, she whispered. Then she withdrew with a sigh. But, you have made an irrevocable mistake. I frowned, nodding. So, what are we to do with you? she said, slipping her finger into a flowing lock of my hair, looping it around. Atti What wAS THAT?! Attina shouted as she whipped her head toward the presumptuous merman. The look she shot him was full of threat. He swallowed, blushing a little. Forgive me. Princess Attina. Do you mean to send her away with your father absent? If by send her away you mean to prisoner passing, then no. That is no place at all for a mermaid to be. Princess or not. Still the same Attina. But I am going to punish her as I see fit. As her face turned again to me, I became unsettled by her mischievous smirk. I could tell she was contemplating her retaliation. I know just the thing... ... The webbed iron doors creaked a subatomic tone as the two gaurds pushed them outward. I entered through the gigantic arch opening, approaching the hollow space. The water in there seemed murky and mysterious. It wasnt until I had allowed myself to be in it far enough that I noticed the soft light trickling down from above. Although, it did not trickle down to me. If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. This is where you shall stay, my sister said behind me. I turned to her, knowing she could not see the pain in my expression. Nor could I see her since she was practically a silhouette in front of me. You will serve me, no one else. You will come when I call on you, and return here when I am done with you, understood? I held out my arms and shrugged to say, Why? She continued to stare at me. A frozen statue. I have to do this. For my sanity I have to do this. There was a quaver in her voice. You know, he still loves you. It''s why he hates you so much. I tilted my head, not understanding. Youre still his favorite. No matter what you do. No matter what I do. A sense of anger surged through as she spoke. I am the one who listened, who stayed. And yet... She paused, returning to her sensibility. Which hurt me more. I actually thought she was being vulnerable with me for once. I guess not yet. I hope you understand, Ariel. I need him to forget you. She turned around, passing the officer whose gaze followed her with a turn of his head. She didn''t regard him, swimming away. He came forward to me. Your meals will be brought to you. And I was told to give you this. I couldn''t see what he was handing me but took it. I feel the smooth inner side, and the rough outer side of the shells. Lining the inside was marine mucilage to make them stick to my breasts. A proper covering, he said. It sounded strange to me now to hear shells considered more proper than the cloth I had wrapped around my chest. Then he held out his palm, looking away and waiting. Even though he didn''t see me, I moved away from him, unwrapping the layers of cloth. I can relate to you. I freeze, my back still facing him. He was talking to me? Why? In fact I envy you. I too know what it''s like to love someone you can''t. I wait for him to finish his thought. Though, I never found myself mesmerized by a woman from the surface, there is one mermaid who has always been... above me in a way. She and I have only recently been properly acquainted, but I loved her the moment I first laid eyes on her and she knew nothing of me. I was putting on the shells now... I heard him sigh. If only she wasn''t so keen on propriety, I''d tell her how I feel. I relaxed, sighing as well. I knew he was talking about Attina. But that''s also what I admire about her. I respect her boundaries. Respect the rules. And that is what makes me different from you. I will remain a respectful citizen while suffering inside. Yet you pursued your prince, and now you are scorned. An anomaly... and a disgrace I shoved my cloth at him, wanting him to stop. For a moment, he did. I held myself, panting angrily. Then he said, My name is Evander. And I''m telling you all this only because I know you can''t tell anyone else. A short silence followed before he made a brr sound as he shook off the awkwardness. And that''s the last time I ever do that. Right, I''ll leave you now. He finally made his way back to the arch. I was almost relieved, when he turned to say, And youre welcome. For the rescue. Now he left. I am unsure what just happened, why a gaurd opened up to me before my sister ever will. Maybe it''s like Arne said. I must be somewhat charming. To everyone except Attina. The doors wrench closed. I am left in the dark. I look upward at the light coming from far, far away. And here I am, in a secluded tube squished between the other rooms of a palace. I''ll never get out of here. It felt like what it was bondage. The thought made me brush the ring on my finger again. But I realized that I only felt my finger, not the ring. My eyes widened, heart pounding. I was both elated and devasted. Where was the ring? I retraced all the moments of today in my mind. I knew I had it on when I entered the palace. It didn''t make sense anyway that that ring would just release from my finger. That should only happen if... The witchs words echo in my mind: When you are in the castle, let go of the snake. When it finds Sebastian, it will wrap itself around his finger. Let go of the snake? But I couldn''t let go of it. When did I..? Then it was clear. The immediate memory of reuniting with my eldest sister came to mind. When she reached out her hand to me, and I reached out mine, and our fingertips touched. That must have triggered the golden snake to release. Holding myself tighter now, I hoped I was wrong, because if not, my sister was under Ursulas control. Gifts Tighter, Attina demanded as I forced my tired hands to tightly wrap her hair around the fourth cone. It''s been six days and she had turned me into her hairdresser, organizer, and footman. I have had to follow her around all day. Sometimes I wished to be put back in my tube sooner. But I was honestly relieved every time Attina called for me, or made some wild complaint about how I did her hair. These were good signs. Signs that she still had her mind and will. As I pulled her hair tightly again for the fifth and final cone, I watched her hold herself impatiently. I was spying the ring on her finger. It seemed like she didn''t notice it there. Which she most likely didn''t among the other rings and bangles weighing down her hands. King Poseidon was still absent. No one seemed to mention when he would be expected to arrive. I decided that worrying about it would be unnecessary for me. But I wondered what exactly he was off doing. I was sure that if my sister could stop acting so bitter, she could tell Father I''m here. And then that would stop this war from happening. Right? The artic mermaids are coming today. I wrapped her hair once more before dropping my hands in surprise. They are bringing us treats to show there aliance. My heart dropped. Aliance? More mermaids here to fight the humans? There are already so many of us. Attina, that is not fair. Our sisters are going to be out of the castle until the meeting is over. But since you already know so much about the war, I assume, will you stay with me? I could not understand why she was asking. I have to do whatever she says. She was also wrong about me knowing much about the war. I hadn''t lived with Eric for over a month now. I knew no more than anyone else. But her offer was the perfect opportunity for me to learn. So out of both force and will, I nodded. Good. I would hate to be alone. Entertaining guests. Without Father. It was a little amusing to notice her nervousness. Attina always seemed so perfect as if she knew exactly what to do no matter what. But right now, she wasn''t trying to punish me by telling me to stay. Well, not completely. She actually wanted me. I lightly patted her shoulder to comfort her. She let out a sigh. What can I say? It feels good to be needed whatever the circumstances. Evander soon came into the chamber, bowing. Princess, if I may escort you to the throne room. No thank you, sir. I know the way. She swam over to him. The closer she got, the weaker the strong officer''s tail became. Should you not be gaurding prisoners right now? Evander kept his composure, lowering his eyes at her from a straight neck. I have many of my soldiers there already. Not that any trouble would even come to Prisoner Passing. And besides that, I don''t think it''s fair that criminals should have more protection than you, princess. Ha, ha! she laughed incredulously. It only added to her beauty. Well, I... she stopped herself before continuing to argue with the officer. You know what? Follow behind me if you choose. But when the arctic mermaids get here, I want you to be as silent as Ariel. The officer nodded, moving his pinched fingers across his lips to show that they are sealed. Attina turned to me, Are you coming? I went to her. And all three of us left out of the opening of her chamber, descending from the edge of the tower. We floated across the bridge curving downward toward the other side of the castle, easing our way through the decorated arches above. Our skin shimmered under the golden light haloing our path. I used to wonder if it was some kind of royal right to have the Suns light penetrate its way to our castle. The Sun must have thought so as well. Swimming toward the next opening, we ended inside the second level. Attina continued to lead to way through the corridors to the throne room. Once in, she went to hover by the throne again. I noticed a loose strand of her hair and tried to fix it but she slapped my hand. A few minutes later, a guard who wasn''t Evander entered the room. Someone is here to see you, Princess. Attinas back straightened. Ariel. Go admit the guests. I met with the guard, and he escorted me to the entrance of the palace, where I came to meet a bald merman with a lean but strong build, and brown skin that gave off a blubbery sheen. He worn the tusks of some animal around his neck. Two others holding spears were at his sides. Behind him, two mermen with sleek dark braids were holding each end on the large chest they brought. The chest had strange and foreign ingravings all over it that looked like a pattern square eyes creating the background of a scary-looking face, and two smaller faces. The chest wore a colorful theme of blue, white, red, and green. All Attina wanted was for me to welcome them silently. But what I had kept from her for a while now was that I had been doing my jaw stretches and the looseness was already improving. I was ready now to try it out. Welcome, all of you. I am most honored, said the old man. And may I ask who you are? The merman grimaced in offense. I am Nanuq, king of the arctic mermaids. I thought you were expecting me. Oh, no. First time I open my mouth, and I''ve already made a stupid mistake. Of, course we are. Please forgive my ignorance, your highness. I am merely the maidservent. Well then, I should think you impertinent to even inquire upon me. I bowed my head. Yes, sir. Well, the princess Attina is inside. If you would follow me... The princess? Where is the King? Did he not know? Immediately I felt like I was being put in a stressful position, having to explain something I hardly understood. I can not presume to know. But I am sure that she may be able to explain. Please, your highness. A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. His face seem to harden just slightly. This is very unprofessional. But I''ll allow it. Lead the way. I led the way to the throne room. As we came in, Attina was already red as a crab when turning her face away from Evander as if she had been arguing with him again. She saw the king behind me and bowed. We stopped in front of her. The king returned the bow. King Nanuq, it is an honor to be in your presence. And I in yours. With a foreign command, Ilagek kanani, his servants to came forth and let the chest down on the sand. Attina placed a hand on her heart, pretending to be surprised. I see you have carried this across the seas. What a pleasant gift, King Nanuq. For this trouble, you have my highest gratitude. He gave a nod. Now, where is the King? he said plainly. The king? Uh, yes, the king. Apologies, your highness. The king is not here at present. He has been away to speak with the Matron. The Matron? Yes. The second eldest of our blue whales. I see. So he is having a spiritual session. And I believe I am here also because of this Matron? Yes, King Nanuq. Our Matron was recently found wounded. By whom? By the eldest blue whale. The Patron. She swam closer to him. And I went over to Evanders side to watch the interaction. And what does a whale wounding a whale have to do with me being here for a war. I understand that it may seem unrelated. But the Matron has told us that her wounding is a sign of imbalance in the world. By father has done his best to seek out this imbalance peacefully by withholding the fish from the humans in order to garner the attention of Prince Eric. He has spoken with the prince twice, proposing a treaty be made. But the Prince as refused to make any bonds with us. So, as I understand, your king has blamed the humans for the imbalance. The way he put it seemed to have a hint of disbelief. Attina was silent. Forgive me for still not understanding, King Nanuq said. But all this sounds very odd to me as someone who has made peace with humans where I come from. His statment was not only appalling. It was music to my ears and hope for my heart. So much so that I tried to not believe it. His kingdom had accomplished something I had thought impossible my whole life. I wondered what Attinas answer would be to that. She put her hands together in their signature downward prayer position, sighing through her nose. That is impressive, King Nanuq. And highly commendable. I only wish the humans here were not as stubborn as yours. King Nanuq considered her words. He then motioned to his servants, saying, Ammak. The servants obeyed the command, opening up the chest. I floated further up to get a better view of what was inside. Attina smiled while nearing the chest. She reached in and pulled out handfuls of pearls. Then some beaded necklaces with wooden pendants. She then pulled out little stone-carved statues. Some where shaped like mermaids and others were shaped like men. Attina seemed to disregard the ones that looked like men. There was also a long ivory horn she pulled out. It was so long that when she held it vertically, it was as tall as her. What is this made of? From the tooth of a narwhal. Interesting, she said with awe, placing it back in the chest. Very interesting. And for your generous gifts, I would like to return the favor. You may have whatever you wish here. The king will not mind at all. He nodded slowly. Then I have only one request. Wonderful. What is your request? His eyes drew downward for a moment before regarding her again. For some time now, I have been in want of a wife. All was quiet. Attinas bangles shook with the subtle trembling of there wrists. I started to feel a contemptuous wave of heat coming from behind me. I realized it was Evander. Of course, Attina answered to my surprise. And if you would give me some time to consider it Not you, King Nanuq said. I will have my pick of one of your sisters. A cloud of concern grew in Attinas eyes. Alright then. Well, they are not here right now. But I can send for them. Ill wait. Attina waved to one of the guards, and so he left to retrieve the princesses. While we waited, Attina offered to give King Nanuq a tour of the palace which he did accept. I began to follow them out of the throne room when I felt a hand catch my shoulder. Hold it. Evander spoke from behind his helmet. I wasn''t sure when he placed it on his head but it looked silly to me. She doesn''t need you anymore. I don''t know why I almost hated him for saying that the way he did. Back to the tube with you. ... I was just starting to become immersed in my own thoughts again, as I always do in my solitary confinement, when the iron doors opened again. Two guards came up to me and took me by the arms. They said nothing which scared me. Whats happening? Where are you taking me? Of course, neither of them were going to answer me. I was taken to the garden where all my sisters hovered in a line. Their faces were full of guilt as they looked up at me. There she is, Attina announced to my right. King Nanuq was beside her. Its her. Just as I began to assess what I was here for, the king pointed to me with dissatisfaction in his eyes. She is your maid. Do you take me for a fool? She is our sister, I swear it, Attina said, almost in desperation. I punished her for... going to the surface. It''s against one of our most important rules. But I promise you, she is of royal blood. Now I became even more confused. What was Attina trying to do with me? What are her gifts? King Nanuq asked while side-eyeing me with the most unsettling intrigue. She can sing. And tell stories. King Nanuq scratched his chin at that. Hmm, Stories. I do love stories. And her name? Ariel. Ariel. Pretty. I desperately wished I could leave the garden. King Nanuq let out a breath, addressing everyone around. May I speak with her alone? I looked Attina straight in the eye. No! Certainly. However, you wont find her very chatty. He eyed me again, I have my ways. Attina waved gestured toward the entrance, and slowly my sisters followed her. Some looked back at me for a second. The rest just hung their heads. Here I was. Completely alone with him. The golden walls, seeming to close in on us as he approached me. Look at me, he demanded. I dont look at him. Ah, so you are stubborn. No. Just confused. Confused? He came closer. What confuses you? Why I was brought to you. Perhaps because your sisters find you expendable. His hand slowly came up to my chin, turning my face to his. As he studied me, I became incredibly stiff. Tell me, Ariel. Are you tame enough to be the wife of a king? I gave him the honest truth. No, sir. I can be forced to do anything, but I cannot be tamed. He scoffed. Strange. I never thought there was a difference. Oh, there is. Force is a bending of will. Taming is bending the soul. I should have remained quiet. For, my words seemed to amuse him more than scare him. And his small eyes began to stare intently at mine. I promise that I don''t intend to bend your soul. But I can grant you freedom from this place. Why would you want to? I would make hell for you. He chuckled, sounding a little less like the old man he was. Im old and little scares me, Ariel. If it''s hell you''ll bring, then douse me in the fire. He opened his arms for emphasis. I moved away, shaking my head. I cant. He met me again, taking my hand and kissing it once. Your hand is rough. Very, I added. Like the women in my kingdom. I abhor soft hands. They are a sign of laziness and incompetence. Perfect. Although, I may have to fatten you up. Your skin is not tough enough for the artic. You''ll freeze. I took back my hand. Your Highness, instead of assessing whether I would make a good wife, why not take me at my word that I won''t? He didn''t frown at me, still grinning. Its either you or one of your sisters. Im not picky. But I will get my gift as promised. Once the war is over. I heard his threat and immediately thought of how terrible I had been to my sisters. And the worst thing about it was that I didn''t blame them for wanting to get rid of me. I could not imagine any one of them leaving with King Nanuq. It would not be right or fair. Oh, how I wished Father was here. He would know how to settle all of this. Please, King Nanuq. Allow me a chance to consider it. Sisters Unite Alone with my empty thoughts. I didnt know what to think at the moment. My sisters really did not care what happened to me. But why should I complain now? By tomorrow, it will be all said and done. I will be King Nanuqs wife. I''ll be a queen. Considering my current situation, I should count it as grace. Except, I don''t. Atlantica is my home. Atlantica, my mind repeats, thinking it will somehow strike rebellion in me, even though I know there is little of that left. The very name of this place was so synonymous with the people I love that it would feel like a form of treachery to leave. Especially after how I have helped to ruin it. I couldn''t help but wonder, Is there nothing more I can do? But I knew the answer to that. No, there is nothing more. I hated to admit this to myself because I used to believe that there was always a way to fix things. And it made me angry to have to face the facts. Why fight? Why even try to stay in a place doomed beyond repair? A war is bound to start. I was startled by the sound of the doors wrenching open. They were taking me already? It was too soon. Ariel. When I heard the hiss of one of my sisters, I let out a relieved breath. She moved inside. Psst, Ariel. Im here, I swam over to her, her face becoming clearer. It was Adella. I knew you could talk. Well, I couldn''t before. She felt around for me. Finally we held each others hands. Ariel. There you are. What are you doing in here? Did the gaurds let you in? She held up her hand. Dangling from her finger were the keys to every part of the castle. How did you...? You stole them, didn''t you? Of course, I did. Of course, she did. Sticky fingers. But why? Were getting you out of here. We? Hey, hurry! another mermaid said as she poke her head in. The coast is clear, but I dont know for how long. Adella pulled me, Come on, Ariel. But... I took back my hand. You cant. I have to go or one of you will. Yes, and we have already decided who will go. What? Who? Adella grunted, No time now. Just come if you want to be free. Adella! Get her quickly! the one keeping watch urged. Ariel, are you coming? I hesitated. I dont know why I did. Something about all of this just felt surreal. Ariel! Alright. Alright, Im coming. Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit. We swam out of the tube, meeting my other sister outside. Aquata, I said enthusiastically. She held a finger to her lips to shush me. Want to play a game, Ariel? The way she asked the question told me she had a plan in mind. I smirked. She pointed upward at the ceiling. There were lights. Green lights above the passagway. Follow the algae. Race me to the front of the castle. Those were the only two instructions she gave before she zoomed away. I started off after her trail of bubbles. She swam from passage to passage, green lights illuminating the way. I caught up with Aquata, swimming by her side now. I never thought I''d have this moment with her again. And though my situation was serious, I was certain that we shared a mutual nostalgia. She looked at me with a smile that I couldn''t help but return. She looked ahead, her smile dropping. Stop, she said as she grabbed my arm. The lights above us her red. Someones close. She took me up to hide in the corner of the ceiling. Below us, three soldiers came into view. One of them was Evander. Amateurs! How could you have lost the keys? Where did you lose them? Officer! Another guard interrupted them, coming from where Aquata and I had been. The doors to the tube have been opened. And the mermaid is missing. Oh, no, I breathed out. Hush, said Aquata. You have to be pulling my tail. Organize a search party. No one sleeps until they find the mermaid. Sir, yes, sir, the guards saluted. And, whatever you do, do not make Princess Attina suspicious of anything. Sir, yes, sir. We waited until all of them left. My mind was sinking into worry. Aquata turned me around. Alright, change if plans. She moved in front of the algae then released her hair from its band. The red lights fell off the wall, sweeping over to her hair and covering every strand. Now I''m you. My hair doesn''t glow. You really think they''ll fall for that? She shrugged, Its worth a try. Ill tell the others to do the same. The others? Aquata grinned. Yes, Ariel. We''re all in on this. Except for Attina. I finished her sentence already knowing who she meant. Aquata, tell me. Who''s going? She drifted towards me solemnly. I am. I held in a gasp. No. She took me into her embrace. Why, Aquata? Why? It will be an adventure. And King Nanuq... hes rather mean. I like it. My eyebrows drew up in surprise. But he''s so old. She cleared her throat. Our father is old. King Nanuq is merely mature. I dont expect you to understand. But Ive lived in these walls for a long time, Ariel. I think its time for something new. I know you understand that, at least. Yes. But I will miss you. I know. I''ll miss you too. She pushed away from me. Now you have to make a swim for it. Wait. I just want to know why you are all helping me. I thought I ruined things between us. Aquata nodded. We were sad you left. A little angry, too. But we all know you were never meant to be contained. You''re like a shark. If you don''t move, youll die. I laughed. I hadn''t heard anything more true. Go, Ariel. While there is still time. She shot away. I went forward, continuing to follow the green lights. Until I heard someone shout, There she is! The sound came from my left. I saw the gaurd and drew up towards the ceiling. Then I realized that he was not looking at me. In fact, he swam in the opposite direction. The gaurd must have seen one of my "impersonators". I kept moving. I heard a whistle. Over here! I saw the glowing red hair a mermaid showing herself then evading down the hall and was startled by the gaurd who was just under me. His attention was garnered just in time before he noticed me. For the next ten minutes or so, I passed through the castle as more impersonators distracted the ubiquitous amount of gaurds that were in my way. I stopped for a moment against a wall. Craning my neck, I saw the doors to the outside. But there were two gaurds keeping post at the doors. Psst. I looked above me. It was Arista. She pointed ahead and my eyes followed the gesture. Of course. The widow. I looked back at her asking with my eyes for her to distract the gaurds. She gave me a wink then swam into their view, making sure to turn her face so they wouldn''t be able to recognize her. Oh boys, she crooned. How did I get out of my confines? The meremen''s eyes widened as they came to alertness. They held out their spears. Halt! they shouted. Arista giggled swimming away. As planned, they went after her. I smiled. Now was my chance. I could be free. I angled my self perfectly in front of the window. As I pushed forward, I slipped right through like a thread through a needle''s eye. I continued on, trying to make it as far as possible. I began to feel relief. I couldn''t believe that I had actually escaped. But my hope fled when I felt someone grab at my arm. I came to a stop as he jerked me. Where do you think you''re going? Turning, I saw his face. Evander, please. His expression was furious. You said you couldn''t talk. Evander... I said. That''s logically impossible. He pulled me back towards the palace. Wait. Stop. You have to help me. I do not have to do anything for you. A Soul To Bury, A Man to Marry King Nanuq stared into my eyes with a half-smile on his face. Are you ready, mishka? I said the only correct answer. "Yes." Evanders last warning to me was why I had to go through with this. He could have told Attina everything. But he didn''t. Not even to King Nanuq, though he has made a suggestion to him to keep me contained. Which is why two Arctic mermen were now guiding me into a cage. I appreciated my sisters'' efforts to free me. But fate had decided yet again. It was time for me to remove myself from my beloved home. Hopefully then, it might have had a chance to heal. The guards shut the iron latch and then lifted me up on each side. Gently, they moved with their King before them. I was carried through the city, trying my best to ignore the judging stares of a people I could no longer claim. Each showed their disdain in creative ways. While some simply grimaced, some sang a song full of negative words about a princess that was more likely than not me. Some went so far as to throw rocks which warranted the soldiers'' threatening censure. They were yelling all kinds of slurs, but the one that stuck out to me the most was "traitor". It was lucky for us to get by the tight crowd that parted as we passed. Finally we were out of the city. I gripped the bars of my cage, watching as its splendorous glow that doused the city, declaring its existence grew smaller and dimmer until I could no longer see it. I should have known this would be my only way out, a shameful way. So, what are you going to do, Ariel? My shoulders tensed as I heard the familiar voice right behind me. The worn but dignified dialect. I whipped around in the cage, soon gasping at him. I dont believe it. Scuttle scratched at his snowy beard. What? Do I not look as handsome as usual, he chuckled. Instead of chuckling back, I frowned. Youre not really here, are you? Im as much here as you believe I am. My shoulders hunched as I sank into myself. How could I believe anything when my mind kept reminding me it was not true? Want to play a? NO! No more games! I am tired of all the games. My breaths gained weight. I only want to sit here and wallow. His head tilted empathetically. I once knew a young pike who saw life as a game. The biggest game. That young pike was a fool. Too young to understand how terrible life could be. Or how real, my eyes drew up to his soulful ones, death could be. So, what is left? he said. I held his gaze. The truth. He squinted. What truth? What are you? Are you Ariel, the princess of Undersea or Ariel, the princess of the land above? Or are you Freja, the peasant lady with a little girl and a tree-mover for a family? I folded my hands, pondering it. I dont know. I dont think I am any of those things. Then you must not love your prince as you did when you saved his life. What do you mean? Of course I still love him. And you must not care for Clara as you did when you gave your life for her. But I do. That''s not true. And you must not be same inquisitive, spirited, brilliant mermaid I poured my knowledge into until my last day alive. Seeing his point, as striking as it was to my heart, I placed my hand on his spotted knuckles. I still am. Then perhaps you are all those things... and more. Scuttle surely had a way of making sense out of the conundrum in my head. So, what game did you have in mind? I said as I sat back with a sigh. It shall be my very last one. He stared silently at me for a moment. His flipped-back hair lifted a little in the dense, gray water. Answer the riddle. A face to kiss, a face to miss. A soul to bury, A man to marry. Are these four individuals, or just two? That is for you to decide. A face to kiss, a face to miss, I repeated the words. A face to kiss Eric. And to miss? Oh, I cant say. There are so many. You have to guess. Just one. I could not argue with his rules, so I forced myself to think of one face among all the others that I couldn''t live with never seeing again. His name perched upon my mind. Father. Correct. Correct? Wouldn''t anything I say be correct. As long as it''s true. And since I am your conscience personified, I will know if you are in fact telling the truth. Alright. What next? A soul to bury. I took a moment to politely hesitate even though the answer is obvious. Yours? He nodded with a calm expression of acceptance. Your last one, Ariel a man to marry. Easy. Eric. You said his name already. I began to feel a rising heat below me that started to singe the floor of the cage. I raised my tail and hovered. You said I could choose how many individuals this is about. Only if it''s true. The heat climbed up through the bars of the cage''s floor, reaching me. Scuttle, being a figment, remained unbothered by it. I, on the other hand, was uncomfortable. So I floated upward, grabbing the bars above me. I was now frustrated as well, growing more uncertain of my answer. Then King Nanuq, because I am about to marry him anyway. Is he a man? Oh, what do you want me to say. If you know the answer, why won''t you say it? Because. The riddle is not for me. As Scuttle''s ghost began to ripple in the wave of heat that broiled the water, I knew something wasn''t right. I had to wake up. Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site. Opening my eyes, I saw King Nanuq hovering right by the side of my cage. The two soldiers now held me from above, having me dangle over the scorching mouth of a seamount. My eyes displayed my fear to him. Wait! What are you doing? King Nanuq''s distant countenance turned surly as his cheek folded with a half-smile. I promise it''s nothing personal. I only mean to get something out of the stupid war. I dont understand. He pressed his forehead to the bars. You are very beautiful, but I found a more rewarding proposal on the trip to your kingdom. A seawitch wants a princess dead. And you certainly look like the one she described. I was stifled by the realization that he was referring to Ursula. You want to marry Ursula? With a strong grimace, he pushed off the cage, swaying me dangerously too much. What?! No. What she proposed was a chance for me to gain more than my strip of the artic. I am going to help your father win his war, then I am going to take his kingdom from him by killing him. And with the witchs help, I will conquer all seven seas. No, I squealed as the heat rose. It is good that you will not be missed. Otherwise your death would be awfully tragic. He raised his hand as a gesture for his men to prepare to drop me. Goodbye, princess Ar what is that? I turned my head to see the large body swimming straight for me. And it was not stopping. I gripped tighter to the bars above me and closed my eyes as I braced the following slam... My heart was jostled towards my throat, head whirling. My tail flailed uncontrollably. As we banged to the ground, I fell on my side and went dead still. I wasnt in the seamount, I was on the ground near it. I peered upward from the side of my eye at the shadow of a huge merman throwing the men around. They tried to overwhelm him, but he was to fast, striking left and right. I closed my eyes again, not wanting to see the violence, and somewhat hopeful that my rescuer would succeed. I listened to the noises of the men shouting and grunting until there was only silence. Then I felt his shadow spread over my cage. I curled into myself, shivering. Not because I was afraid but because I felt I recognized him. Father? I whisper. No. The dense but younger voice of another familiar individual had me open my eyes. I sat up, tilting my head up at his smile. At the sight of his gentle cobalt eyes, my heart raced and my mind muddled. His fair hair glistened in the dancing light and shadow of deepwater. This had to be another ghost. Arne? Is that really you? It is. It''s me, Freja, flesh and all. Or should I say, Ariel? I didn''t know whether I should smile out of excitement or frown out of shame, so I gave him something in the middle. But how? Trying to make sense of it, I found my eyes trailing down his beautiful body until at last I found his tail. It was definitely real and definitely there. Ill explain later, he said while rubbing the back of his neck. You better. Arne''s focus dropped to the ground as he scanned for something. I didnt see a key on the soldiers. Have you seen it? Maybe King Nanuq had it. Arne looked at me with a disappointing look of misunderstanding. King Nanuq? Tell me you fought him, too. But he could not tell me. The next thing I felt was another impact as I was soon lifted and thrown forward. I hear Arne shout. NO! It happened slowly to me. I was plummeting downward into the hot breath of the open mouth of the seamount, soon to reach a belly full of lava... then I stopped as if caught on something. I turned and saw Arne straining to keep me from falling in. We heard the laughter of the devious king. Have fun falling in love. He shot off and away from us. My whole body stiffened as I met Arne''s gaze. His forehead creased with determination. The veins on his arm were showing. You cant hold me for long. Dont. I can do this. I pull trees for a living. But now you have nothing to plant your feet into. And you have no feet to plant. He grunted frustratedly, clearly agreeing with my point. I''m sorry Ariel. For everything. For blaming you. You saved her life. Gro told me. Whos Gro? The tree spirit you bargained with. She told me I''d find you in the sea. I searched for you for days. You did? If I wasn''t in water, my eyes would be spilling over. If I could just get to you. I''d hold you, not this cage. I made it easy for him by swimming upward to the front of the cage. Here I am, I said with a feeble grin and a pitiful laugh. His eyebrows sunk. He kept pulling. His head flipped back as he flipped his tail quickly. You haven''t worked out your tail enough to propel us both. I can still try. I have to. Being bereft of belief, I had no encouragement left for him, so I remained silent instead. The man continued to pull with all his might, seeming to make some progress, but I could still feel the heat at my tail. I had never seen Arne turn such a furious shade of salmon. Arne, Arne, I repeated quietly. I knew fatigue was catching onto him. We were both decending. Arne! What! His eyes widened at mine. And I saw myself in them. I knew in that moment that I had to decide what my fate would be. Did I want him to drop me or not? Did I want to make him watch another woman he loved die when he had a chance to save me? I realized that to Arne, I am not the worst thing in his life, but his redemption. His hope. So, give him hope, already! I love you. Something seemed to start off in his brain. He needed no further words from me. Arne pulled the cage towards his chest with one arm, and he started pulling at the latch with his other. In three jerks, the bolts loosened, and the latch of the cage was flung forth. I swam through the opening, wrapping my arms around his neck, his hand freed the heavy iron cage, letting it go down into the hole. I caressed his face, reminding him to float up even though he was tired. With his arm around me he ascended slowly. Then I heard a rumble below us. Faster, Arne! The seamount erupted forth mounds of molten rock. Arne tried to move faster, but he wasn''t fast enough. Remembering I had a tail of my own, I helped in propelling us up as the hot stuff shot us faster like powder in a gun. ... I felt the kind sun lick my skin. Through my eyelids, I could tell there was light waiting for me. My chest lifted and fell, taking in the salty air. With a stretch running up my arms a down my tail, my eyes opened. I turned my head urgently, trying to find Arne. I found him, alright. Spotted the pale and perky rear of him just as he pulled up his britches. The muscles on his darling back glistened in the sunlight. I briskly looked the other way, feeling an onset of blood rushing to my cheeks. I waited for him to walk over to me and kneel beside me. Even as his shadow enveloped me, I did not look at him. Not until I felt his fingers slide up my bear arm. For, he had never seen me like this topless with only clams for a covering. Ariel. The way he said my name made my skin burn. I dared to meet his amorous gaze. And with my own eyes, I let him know that the words I had said in the water, I meant completely. His fingers tightened gently around my arm. He hoisted half of me onto his lap, then dipped down and pressed his lips against mine. His arms embraced me, pressing me against him. One hand slipped underneath my wet hair, moving my head further into his kiss, further into his overwhelming attack. I threw my arm over his shoulder and his neck lowered as his lips pulled at mine. More gently, they brushed against my cheek and down the side of my neck. He was making up for missed time. I felt the safest I had ever felt. Safer than with Eric. As he bestowed his love upon me, I knew that I couldn''t live without him. And that made me cry. Tears streamed right into our lips. He continued to kiss me, but I slowly pushed away. Ariel? What are we doing? This can never work. My legs aren''t coming back. Ever. Well find a way. There is no way. And besides, I''ve lied to you all this time. I dont care. I told you I understand you. How do you understand? Where did you get your tail from? Arne took hold of my hand. I have never told anyone this. Not even my wife. You know how I told you that I come from a long line of tree-movers? Yes. That was on my mors side. But my fa was a mermaid. Merman. Right. Suddenly, my mind was piecing things together. The way that Arne was unbothered by my singing, the page Id kept in my vile, the story Ursula told. I gasped once everything made sense. Your father was the one in the drawing. Yes. He fell in love with my mor at this coast. And in order to be with her, he made a deal with a witch. How did you know? She told me. The witch, Ursula. She said he gave up his strength for legs. Thats right. That''s why for all the years I knew him, he was weak and feeble. Nothing like the drawing. He squinted at me. Where did you get the drawing from? I found it in the castle library. The day we went? No, not the oh! Oh, no. Arne. What is it? I never told you. I am... I scooted down from his lap and rolled over on my side. I am married. To the man who killed your wife. The man that is going to war against my father, King Poseidon. After saying the truth, I needed to see his expression, but I was two afraid to look. His hand lowered around me, turning me at the waist so I could look at him. It seems you are... a princess twice over. It was surprising to me just how forgiving Arne was behaving. I dont understand. You are not angry with me? I cant be. I cannot blame you for falling for him. He''s a charming man. You didn''t know much about humans at all. But you took a chance because you believed we could be good. You put your faith in us, and God knows we don''t deserve that. I see it as a reason to love you more. Arne pulled me in close for another kiss. I let you go once. I shall not make that mistake again. But...the war. We''re practically doomed. The side of his hand swiped the hair off my face before he tapped my chin with his finger. No. No? A grin turned up on his face. You and I are going to stop this war from happening. How? I dont know yet. We will figure it out. And we will do it together from now on. A Small Chance I smelled the wet shoots of grass. The sun was setting behind us as Arne carried me back to the peaceful cottage. I could not wait to see Clara. But I was not sure what shed think of my tail. Of course, to a little girl as imaginative as her, it may just be the thing shes dreamed of seeing. Arne opened the door, taking me in. My eyes skimmed the space. Where is Clara? I took her to stay with Idas family until I found you. Oh, I said, almost frowning. I really missed her. Now that were back, I can go get her for you. Right now? As the sun sets? No. Tomorrow. I nodded. So its just us? I lifted my eyes to stare up at his. My nose grazed the side of his hairy jaw, taking in his comforting scent. Arnes arms tightened around me. I could hear his heart beating in his warm chest. Um he coughed, looking ahead. Ill set you down. He carried me further into our warm abode. My head lay on his chest, and my eyes drooped tiresomely. He took me to where we kept the tub. Slowly, Arne lowered me in. My tail flopped over the rim. Is that comfortable for you? Itll do, I said. Why complain? At least I was back. I assume you must be hungry. Famished. Let me see what I can cook up. I let him leave me, becoming interested in my own thoughts. I still did not know how I was going to prevent a war so imminent it was practically carved into our future, staring back at me and laughing. I gazed at my tail, still disbelieving how we made it out of the water with our lives. Disbelieving that in this moment I was safe. I heard the sounds of pots clinging in the kitchen as Arne started to cook supper. I wondered if his mind was also racing with attempts to find a solution. Oh, Arne how brave he was. And his confession in the water downright shook me. It wasnt hard for me to imagine a life with him, but I felt as though I didnt deserve to. I knew hed wait to talk about this, but we could never get married as he desired. What priest would bind a man to a mermaid? Or a man to a woman whose hand was already taken? I was still Erics wife. And though it pained my core, I could not shake my love for him. I cared for Eric even now. My heart bursted for his grief. And yet, every time Id remember the night he threw me off the boat, I wished I didnt care. I wished I could hate him properly. How could I when he didnt even understand me? I never trusted him enough to let him understand me. Though perhaps I was right not to trust him. What if I had told the truth that day? What if I had said, Its true, Eric. I am a mermaid. Not a witch or a mermaid witch, but a mermaid princess of Undersea. I left it all for you. Because I love you. Thinking of his face now, his hardened features, the rancor in his gaze I dont know. I dont think it would have changed anything. Either way, I could only see him pushing me off the Royal just the same. Because it would crush his pride to think he married me, to think he had me in his chamber, to think he loved me. His pride was why I never could trust him. It manifested through the same disdain Id seen in my fathers eyes when his dearest daughter dared to love a human. Mermen thought they were purer than humans, and humans thought themselves superior to the merpeople. But Arne he was something different. He was of both worlds, and he saw the good in both. Saw the good in me. This was why we made sense. Him and I, we were the balance this world needed. The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. As the savory aroma of vegetable stew snaked its way to my side of the cottage, I let my concern for Eric, for Atlantica, for the entire world slip behind my conscience. I was home for real now. Wherever Arne was, I wanted to be. He was my home, my newest treasure, my love. His shadow moved before him as he came around the corner. I watched as he emerged with a bowl in hand. Ill set it here on this stool for now. Its quite hot, he said. Thank you, Arne. He came to kneel by the side of the tub. I extended my arm over the rim and he held my hand in his. His cobalt eyes glowing with an adoration I never noticed before. It made him appear less mature and stoic and more youthful and feeling. I marveled at the change in him, squeezing his rough hand tight. What are you thinking of? For now? You. I pressed my lips together with worry, Im trying to think of you, of us. But I fear Arne put his chin on the rim, staring up at me patiently. What do you fear? I muttered, Its all vexation. I cant have you and you cant have me. Not as a wife. Who said so? He seemed so calm. I stammered. Everyone? I said with a shrug, confused as to why I needed to explain it. His gaze turned profound. Ariel, if you want to be married, then we shall be. Do you? I hesitated only because I didnt understand. But in trusting him, I said, Yes. Yes, I want to marry you. I would love to. His serious eyes softened, a grin showing on his face. He reached for my face and pulled me in for a gentle kiss. I could feel this becoming natural for us. Tomorrow, then, he promised. All I could think was, How? Confused, I simply chuckled. Arne, dear, has my absence made you unwise? No, Ariel. Its struck wisdom into me. His fingers ran down my cheek. I have a plan. A plan to end this stupid war and give us the life we want. My face drew closer as I listened, my eyes wide. What is your plan? Well cover your tail and call you disabled to the priest. Which wont be a lie because, well, you are. Then after we say our vows, I will expose you. I moved away. This was not sounding good. What? Why would you expose me? Just hear me out. What can they do if we are married? They can do a lot. Theyll take us to court. Well be tried and hanged. Not if they recognize you as their princess. This will be more than a race-mixing ordeal, it will be a marital crime. One that involves the prince. Which means I gasped, picking up his sentence, Well have gained Erics attention. Wed be going to the palace. He nodded. To the palace where you will speak to him as a mermaid princess on behalf of her people, and as a past lover, gently negotiating with him to call off the war. My heart sank. I shook my head. I cant, I said, breaking his inspired mood. He frowned. Ariel. I cant Arne. He wont listen, anyway. And besides, how can I face him? My eyes began to cloud. You dont understand. Hell never forgive me. Not after Ive betrayed him. Arne held my shoulder. Ariel, help me understand. What happened between you? Why did you leave him? I frowned as I recalled the night we parted, knowing there were few ways I could tell it without Eric sounding like the monster Arne accused him of being. I didnt leave. He I squeezed my eyes and dipped my head, he threw me off his ship. He did what? Arnes stern voice rose. It wasnt his fault. He believed I was a witch. Everyone said I was. And he believed them? Arnes hand found my face again. Ariel, it strains my heart to think you have blamed yourself for that. No good man would ever behave like that. But it fits the likes of him. Prince Eric has abused women before. My throat wrenched, remembering Arnes story about how his wife died and how Josephine lost her legs. Arne youre right. And I know you are. But I still care for him. I still feel responsible. Youll have to ignore the feeling, Ariel. For us. For Atlantica. I need you to be brave. I need you to show him that he hasnt left you scorned. Show him the most callous, dispassionate side of yourself. My eyes went wide. It felt like he was asking the world of me, and yet I knew it made perfect sense. Even if he does call off the war, hell never let us be happily married. Well, we know he wont claim you after seeing your tail. But what if he hangs us? What if Clara is left without a father? My remark made Arne''s brow twitch, the rest of him calm and unwavering. Is there any chance he may love you too much to make a public execution out of you? Think, Ariel. For, if you say there is none, then I will abandon the thought. For him, I considered it. My mind went back to the fateful night again. I could hear the rough waves of the ocean, could feel the heat of his torch by my faces side while the rest of me was stinging in the cold wind of the night. I remembered how he bent me over the edge of his ship. I remember chewing back my admittance as I endured his accusations, telling Eric that his behavior made me see him differently. What if Im right? hed said to me. I had replied, What if youre wrong? Finally I remembered how he kissed my cheek just before he tossed me, saying, Oh, Ariel. I sure hope Im not. That was all I needed to remember before I had my answer. Eric had hoped I was a mermaid. He had hoped I would live. And the way he grieved afterward confirmed that he would never want to see me die again. There is a small chance. Wed and Weep Most men carry brides over thresholds and only after they are wed. Here I was being carried into church in my grooms arms. Walking beside him was my soon-to-be-daughter. I had asked Arne to make sure she wore her prettiest dress and he did. Clara skipped down the aisle in a yellow ensemble. Her hair crowned with marigolds. We passed her up, coming before the alter. The parson gave us the vows to repeat. After Arne, I said mine, feeling his strong arms warm as they held me. I kept my eyes on his, rejoicing internally for this moment while also anticipating the moments to follow. But how could I not feel safe in his arms? With the way he smiled at me so assuredly, I knew this was no mistake. Whatever was to come of us, I truly believed in the bond we shared. I believed Arne and I could face anything. By the end of the vows, we were husband and wife. But he would not kiss me. Not yet. Arne turned to the parson. "Come with us," he said before rushing us out the door and down the stone steps of the church. The parson followed, confused as Arne took us towards the center of the town. What is your idea, sir? Arne ignored him, turning to the street. Goddag, everyone! Strangers halted at the sound of Arne''s strong voice. Every eye soon landed on us. Arne raised me more as if to present me. Hils my new wife. I want the world to see her, and to witness our first kiss as kin.Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings. Gasps of delight among the crowd were followed by a gentle applause. Clara began hopping and giggling near her fathers leg. I could here my heart pounding nervously. Arne finally looked down at me, his platinum brows lifting as if saying, Ready?. I grinned as a response. His face lowered to mine, his arm pressing me closer to his chest as kissed me hard. Stunned by his passion, my eyes nearly rolled back. Arne had a way of rendering a girl unconscious. I felt him begin to unwrap the blanket covering my tail. At the last tug, he withdrew his lips and dropped blanket over the cobblestone street. My tail was on display for all to see, dangling out the bottom of my dress. The gasps that ensued were not of delight this time. I felt the sudden tension heating the air around us but refused to look anywhere but Arne''s eyes. Not the crowd, nor the gaping parson. Just the cobalt blue of my husbands soul. One more and final tug, he gave my head scarf, revealing my scarlet locs. Revealing me. A riot erupted. I could hear the parson raving. Poor Clara wept at the reactions of the people. But Arne didnt flinch. And neither did I. It wasnt long before the prince''s men were alerted to surround us. Their rifles directed our way. Arne stared unfazed at the men, gently moving his hand over my face to keep my head against his chest. Wait! Cutting through the crowd, Ida''s mother, Gertrude approached with raised arms. The soldiers moved aside as the woman crouched down, taking Clara. Let me keep the child for you. Arne nodded. Thank you, Gertrude. Though she nodded back at him, her frequent blinks displayed a silent disapproval. She turned away quickly with Clara despite the girl''s pleas to stay with us. I frowned. We knew we''d be separated, but it still tore my heart. My spine was on the verge of a shiver. Everything I feared was becoming real. No regrets, Ariel. Find your courage. Glancing up at the soldiers, I matched Arnes audacity. Looking ahead, my gaze was on the palace, ready for whatever would be next. The Last Song Stuck inside a jail wagon, we were. Iron bars surrounded us as we made a rickety ride past the familiar fields of salvia. I viewed them quietly, trying my best to keep calm. Arne beside me hadnt anything to say. We had said it all. We knew our plan. I kept reminding myself that for the entire ride. Before I knew it, we were stopped outside the castle gatehouse. One soldier stepped forward to address the sentinel. I tried to ignore my rising anxiety, but as I watched the men speak, unable to hear a word, something about this didnt seem right. Swiftly turning to Arne, I said, No. Not this way. Ariel? Are you doubting the plan already? No, Arne. I just know I cannot appear before Eric as a prisoner. It wont help his mood. Arne fixed me a curious look. What else would you have in mind? I turned and touched one of the bars on my side. I could... The idea lingered furtively in my mind as I was too appalled at myself for even considering it. How could I bring myself to speak it? Theyre about to open the gate, Ariel, Arne patiently told me. If you believe this is something you must do, do it. I met his gaze. I told myself I would never do it again. Never ever. Arne watched my eyes, his gaze sure and direct as though he has beginning to understand me. He placed his hands on my lap, his wrists cuffed in iron. Do it for me. He began to lean into me. I did the same to let him speak in my ear. I dearly adore the sound of your voice. I looked up at him, my heart instantly calming on the matter. I grinned and nodded. Alright. For you, then. The moment the gates began to open, I opened my mouth and let out a lilting ring. My melody, as mystifying as I could make it. The gaurds halted, immediately drawn to my song. They each approached, completely entranced. Arne''s fingers slipped around mine as he briefly squeezed my hand, offering gentle encouragement.If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement. As I looked the other way, I was mildly shocked at how close the gaurd planted his face against the bars. A little further back please, I sang. He obeyed. Now open the cage. The guard swiftly pulled out his key chain and unlocked the cage. After, he held out his hand to help me down. I grimaced, though still humming. His fervent behavior made me feel worse about myself, but I could not stop singing. Taking his hand, I slowly stepped down, the other man came to my aid. Raising a hand to say ''wait'' , I looked back at the wagon as Arne scooted himself towards the opening, about to step down. I am not sure what then came over me. Perhaps the sharp impetus of my love, a sudden wave of righteousness. This is a war I''ve started. I must finish it alone. Close it. Arne immediately shot me an urgent look of confusion that pained my heart as the gaurds began locking him up. Ariel, what are you doing? Take him home. Ariel! I stepped back, farther away from the wagon. You must go home, Arne. I stifled my urge to cry. I love you too much to put you in harms way. Arne gripped the bars, shaking them frantically. What happened to doing this together? If Eric sees you So you care more about what Eric thinks of us? His accusation stabbed like scissors. No, I gulped. I care what he does to you. I turned to the chauffeur. I said take him! I sang in soprano. The wagon turned around as the horses cantered. Arne continued to watch me in dismay. I averted his stare, turning back to the men before me. My magic stirred within me. I embraced it, feeling emboldened and prepared to do what I must. Thank you, Arne. Lowering my jaw, I let my hum fall into words: I heard a weep behind in the walls, ''hind the walls. Someone a-weeping down the halls, O'' knight. It was soft and strained. Gave me quite a fright. So tell my weeper to stand by, stand by. They led me through the gates. My voice finding a stable strength as I continued. Take me to the weeper of my soul, Of my soul. Tell him that his woman has come home, O'' knight. If my hopes ring true, love will make this right. Prince Eric, please do stand by, stand by. We passed into the the inner court, coming around to the entrance of the castle. I hadnt enter this way in such a long time. As I viewed the stone steps, I spoke one last verse. Though I come as gentle as a lamb, as a lamb. May you not assume what I am, what I am. For, you banned my love when you banned your bride. Prince Eric, I come to test your pride, your pride. The Little War Here is what I knew. I knew Prince Eric would likely not hurt me. I knew that I was not the cause for this potential war. And I knew I''d have to give him some answers once he saw me. I could not make this about Arne and I. I wanted to greet my prince as if my problems were all my own to discuss. Problems that involved me, Eric, and our kingdom''s fate. As I honed my focus on this mission, I grew distant from my surroundings, no longer amused by the pale green walls. The guards brought me to our chamber as I had instructed, then onto our balcony. The one holding me set me down beside the table. I had to choose a place like this. Some place Prince Eric never usually brought his anger. An intimate space in which I knew him as simply Eric, the man enamored by the sea. Leave me, I sang. And fetch the prince. They quickly left. While they searched for the man my heart had already ceased to know as ''husband'', I set my eyes on the view of his stone courtyard, sighing. As warm, salty breeze set in. Closing my eyes, I listened to the sound of tits nesting in one of his trees. The short respite was welcome. I had only just left a marriage ceremony with the man of whom I hoped to spend the rest of my life, and here I was about to confront the first man I''d given my heart to. The first I''d ever laid eyes on. It had been so long since Eric and I properly spoke to each other. I had no surety of him hearing me out rather than throwing me away forever. Still, better he throw me away than my Arne. Whatever was to happen, I''d do my best to get through to him. If not for my fate, the fate of Atlantica, above and below. Behind me was the sound of a sword unsheathed. I craned my neck to find fury exemplified through the cerulean blue eyes of my dear... dangerous prince. The sword which he kept only for ceremonial reasons, held steadily in both hands. It''s edge, mere inches from my neck. I couldn''t be sure, but something about his stance felt somewhat... feeble. Simply and sternly, he uttered, Come to torment me? Eric? I leaned forward in my seat. Stay where you are! His blusterous tone made my shoulders tense. I couldn''t move if I wanted to, Eric. I Silence! I dont no what trick this, but I order you to leave now. You may take me to hell when I''m dead. But for now, you will depart from me, spirit! Eric, it''s me. Ariel. He winced at the sound of my name as if it hurt. I told you to to leave. He jerked his blade threateningly. With no way to leave his presence, I raised my wrist to block the sword from touching my neck, then lightly touched the tip with it. Cut me then. And see that I am flesh, blood, and bone. Pressing my wrist and against it, I allowed myself to bleed. Bright crimson trickled down my forearm, dripping onto my skirt. Eric watched, his eyes nearly crossing as he focused on my wrist. No, surely not. How can it be? You know how, I whispered exhaustedly. Even a moment in his presence was making my head pound in conflict between all the rage I had ought to unleash for what he had done to me and the obligation to reach a settlement with him. Care and concern was no longer part of it, I realized as I viewed the unstable man. I was just... tired. Eric dropped his sword, finally. Oh, Ariel. My Ariel. No, not yours. Never yours. He drew nearer to my side, reached for my face and turned it more to view me better. Instead of cut you, I should kiss you. Don''t. Please, don''t. Unable to stop him, he did so. I suffered his royal affection, unsure why I had once yearned for it. Each brush of his lips afflicted my heart with a growing sense of hostility, and I wanted it to end. New memories flooded my mind. The realization that all the time I had spent in this castle, under his rules and constant questionings, I was not free. I had always felt just a tad stifled in his presence. He is not more mad now than he was then. I was only careful not to provoke it. I longed for my true love so tremendously to wash away Eric''s caress with his own. I wanted Arne, but I had to be Eric''s wife in this moment. When it was more than I could take, I gently lifted his face off mine, staring directly into his eyes with only a ghost of a smile.Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original. You love me? Overcome by grief and ecstasy all at once, he nodded. Yes. Dearly. Truly? All of me? He seemed usure of what I meant but nodded again. I turned his face down to let him truly see all of me. Even the non-human parts? Eric immediately straightened, throwing my hand down from his cheek. I suppose this is your answer. He stepped around to the front of my chair, staring silently at my tail. A dead look in his eyes. So I was right. He looked at me again. And you decieved me. I wanted to be sure I could trust you. And what about my trust! Oh, shut up! I ripped out faster than I could stop myself. He seemed shocked. We both were. Never had I spoken to him in low respect. I am the one who should cry deception, Eric. I believed you loved me. Despite the blood that seeped from my wrist, all the rest of it coursed fiercely through me as I began speak my mind. But love doesn''t throw women off boats, or forget a spouse''s face. I laughed. You dont even know... I tried too late to quiet down. What? What don''t I know. My gaze intensified condemningly. You have no idea that you''re standing here today... because of me. He cocked a brow. What nonsense are you letting out? I am talking about that stormy night when you fell off the Royal. He remained still, though I knew his recollection was perfect. I leaned forward, tense in my chair. I held your fate in my hands, Eric. Could have let you die. Could have saved us all the pain, I added with a wave of my hand. But out of concern, I didn''t let you. That''s right. This mermaid saved your life. There followed a moment of silence. I wasn''t sure what he was thinking to say, but the longer he waited the more I began to regret opening my mouth. Peace, I thought. I am supposed to make peace. Eric, I am not trying to cause trouble. Oh, you''re well on your way. My cheeks sank. Please here me out. I have, Ariel. Until now, the image you pulling me out of the water had remained a hazy dream in the back of my mind, one I never could shake. Now I know why. He leaned back against the balustrade, arms crossed, gaze interrogative. And now I want to know the real reason you''re here. For a split second his eyes drifted to the sword he left on the floor beside me. I took in and let out a breath. Alright. I am here for my people. Your people? Yes. And who exactly are your people? I pursed my lips. What a perfect question. My people. People with purpose that drives them everday. People with families, responsibilities, talents, and trades. People who share our beautiful sea. My people are Atlanticans, above and below. And what then, Ariel? You want me to call off the war? I looked down, knowing I was losing his interest in me. I never presumed I could persuade you. Of course you can, he scoffed. Like you how persuaded my men. My eyes widened. Theres only one explanation for why you wouldnt be in chains right now. Eric, I swear on my life, I would never do it to you. I cant say what you would or wouldn''t do. You''re a liar, Ariel. The way he said it, struck through me. I have never told a lie that would hurt someone I care for. Do you love me? Eric... He beat his fist on the rail, By God, Ariel, I am going to get a direct answer out of you! In one on step, he crouched down to me while grabbing me at the shoulders. His face in mine. Look me in the eye, and tell me you love me. I couldn''t avoid it. I met his gaze, my mind racing. I love the man I believed you were, the man I hope you are! Hope is foolish! He said with his hands now clamping the sides of my head. I am what I am, Ariel. You know this. Either you love me or you don''t! Eric, you''re kingdom won''t survive this war. To hell with my kingdom! His hands slid down to my neck. My eyes teared over as I shook my head. Eric, please. Don''t do this. They tightened around my neck, more and more, my chair lifting onto it''s hind-legs and landing backward against the table behind me. I flipped my tail, trying to push me off me with my hands pulling at his. As I writhed, a bright light lit his face and I began to see stars, my breathes getting shorter and shorter. Then... a sudden release. I noticed the back of someone in uniform amidst us, grabbing Eric at his blouse, but I was too busy gasping for air with wide eyes up to the sky. Dizzy yet regaining consciousness, I looked over at them, astonished. It seemed Arne had found his way into the castle. You know what it''s like to lose someone, eh? Arne had Prince Eric in his clutches, his body halfway over the rail of the balcony. He landed a debilitating punch to his gut. Eric hunch over in agony. Arne lifted him up again. You ever felt it twice? Another punch to Eric''s skull this time. Eric fell across the table, then turned over, still full of fight. Strong and quick as he was, his own advancement turned Arne''s cheek more than once. Arne turned swiftly enough before ducking down to elbow Eric in the side. Then on he threw his fists, keeping Eric down for a time before Eric maneuvered out of his grip. It began to look like neither had the upper-hand. I couldn''t believe what I was watching. The plan of peace was failing before my eyes. Stop! Stop! I yelled. Then... a turn for the worst as Eric''s eyes found the sword which had slid under the table. I could see him reach for it. Arne must have seen it too, seeming to try and keep Eric from scooting towards it. In a panic, I used my tail with the intent of sweeping it away, but I somehow swept it closer to him. Eric immediately grasped hold of it, flipped over the other chair and onto Arne making him grunt, and hopped onto his feet. A heavy pant released from his chest as his sword drew on my husband. Concede and she lives. Arne''s wide chest rose and fell as his breathing calmed. He looked up at me, seeming to weigh his options. I concede. Now. Tell her not to sing or else you die. I won''t! I insisted. He didn''t need to tell me. I offered Arne a pathetic pained expression before covering my face to cry. Where are my guards?! Eric shouted. The men showed up soon, ready to take us away. They took Arne by the arms just like before. Sir Grimsby was with them. And when he saw my face, he smiled a surly grin. The men cuffed my arms behind me. Taking me up by each shoulder, they dragged me inside. Arne and I were taken through the castle in a long, shameful journey down to the prison. On our way, a young gaurd called out, Just a moment there!