48. Chapter Forty-Eight

Chapter Forty-Eight

Meria

M y time spent in Walden, which was the first human kingdom I had ever visited, could be described in one word: blissful. Nearly every chance we got, Dominick and I spent time alone. It was an adjustment, not having the ships movements beneath my feet, and I was brought back to the first time I had met Dominick on Marren Island.

Dominick had me spend time with the horses and then in gardens. The plants above the sea could rival the coral reefs, which I loved. I got to know Peter and Gwendolyn even more, and Dominick, although still dealing with his curse, seemed happier and more whole than I had ever seen him before.

There was a lightness in his step, in his eyes, and his shoulders. He often pulled me into dark corners of the palace and kissed me until we needed to come up for air. It had only been a few days, but it felt like years.

Finn and some of the other mer, eventually, met with the Queen and drew up a peace treaty. No humans would hurt any mermaids, and no mermaids would hurt any humans.

Things were wonderful.

I was ready to break his curse, but I was trying to sense with my melody when the time was right. I had never trusted myself before–never fully trusted my heart or my soul. That time, with such an important task, I wanted to make sure I did. While it was horrible to wait, because seeing Dominick in daily pain also pained me, I was patient. I had spent hours in the sea, not knowing which time would be the last time I would have my tail, but it was nothing in comparison to spending time with Dominick. Even if I could never step into the waves again, I would be happy because, it was only with Dominick that I would receive my dream.

I was happy that he had not needed his sister to reunite with his mother and return to Walden. Although, indeed, I wondered where she was and hoped the Ancients were watching over her.

That happy bubble we were in, it was special, and I was sure neither of us wanted to burst it, but we had to. There were so many things we had left unsaid. I had to stop being a coward, and Dominick, he needed to express his feelings, even though it was hard for him.

“Mermaid, you are mine,” I heard from behind me as I walked down the main corridor, wearing a teal dress which Dominick said was the perfect shade for me, as it was the same color as my tail. The bodice even shimmered a bit. That first day I arrived, the Queen had commissioned gowns to be made for me. I was rather fond of them; they floated about me in a very pleasant way, and the way Dominick looked at me in said dresses, it was as if I was the only sip of water on a deserted island.

I liked that very much.

I was also given a maid, who braided my hair, but it was never the same as how Dominick had braided it, so I always undid the braids woven by the maid and sought out Dominick to redo it in his rope style. He never complained, and we always ended up kissing each other by the end, which I never complained about either, even when, sometimes, he messed up my hair and would have to do it all over again. Anytime with Dominick was time well spent.

His arms wrapped around my waist and pulled me into his room. He kissed down my neck as the door clicked shut behind us, and I giggled.

“You are not as afraid as a captive should be, mermaid. Perhaps, I should be more fearsome?”

I smiled at the way Dominick spoke at the palace. He had a slightly more formal way of talking. It was his princely side coming out, and I would have been lying if I had said that I did not find it incredibly dashing.

Dominick

Meria was inside my room and in my arms. Her hair was a wild mess around her, and it trailed down her back. To say it wasn't my favorite hairstyle, that would be a lie. As much as I enjoyed braiding her hair, seeing her hair as it was, all about her, that was the maiden– mermaid I had first met, and who I had grown so attached to.

Her eyes were so warm and welcoming. I trusted her. We had been in Walden for a short time, and I hoped that the reason she had not dived into the sea, never to return, was because she wanted to be with me. All her problems had been solved, and her mother had been found. Still, she did not leave; she remained at my side. That was what I needed. One of the reasons I had waited so long to share my feelings with her was because I did not want my feelings to persuade her to stay with me, if it was not what she wanted. I wanted her with me always, but I did not want to force her into anything.

Just one night earlier, I had been contemplating such things when I had a rather interesting visit from an Ancient.

“You are a fool.” I turned around to see a brown cloaked figure amidst smoke appear in my room.

“Excuse me?”

“I am Ancient Teddy, the most powerful Ancient in all the lands, and I said ‘you are a fool.’”

“No, I heard you–just why are you here, insulting me?”

“Listen, I get it, you are having a hard time saying out loud what is in here–” He tapped on his chest. “I get that, but I am telling you, you have wasted enough time. Tell that mermaid that you love her, or I will drag her in here and force you to tell her in front of me, or I will tell her for you. She is not going anywhere; she will not get tired of you; she will not leave you.”

“Why?”

“Why, what? I said so many things. What is the question?”

“Why am I blessed with her?” I asked, sinking down onto the bed.

“Ah, I see, you do not feel worthy ?”

“I am unsure of all the reasons for my hesitation. I know that I am too selfish to give her up even though I am unworthy–”

“You have been through much in your life. Everyone who said they loved you or was supposed to love you, failed you–or so you were led to believe. I know about how your father struck you– and how you believed that you killed him, how you thought your mother did not love you and sent you away with your father’s brother–who never was your father’s brother. I know Veeto took advantage of you, and I know you did what you had to do to survive.”

“And still, why can I not tell her?”

“It is not all that complicated. Your past has made opening up and trusting people difficult. But you opened up to Sands, and nothing bad came from it; also, you did it with Peter and your mother. Even Meria, she has never left you.”

“Yes,” I whispered.

“Have courage, be brave, Prince. You were The Cruel Hand were you not? I believe he was fearless?”

“He is dead, but no , he held every fear.”

“Well, being brave doesn't mean we have no fears, Prince–it means that even though we fear, we do the difficult things anyway. That is bravery and courage.”

“I know you are right. Meria deserves to hear my feelings for her.”

“Yes, so you will tell her?"

“I will tell her,” I said with determination.

“Good–because it is exhausting waiting, and I am getting impatient. I have a life, you know–although I am an Ancient, I do things.”

“Sure–”

“Now, if I were you and had someone to do those things with? If I had a love like yours? I would shout it from the mountain tops of Haleston and write it in stone and gold.”

“I promise, I will tell her.”

“Good,” then with a grunt of irritation and a puff of gray smoke, the Ancient was gone, and I was left alone, feeling more like an utter fool than I ever had in my entire life.

I had been ready for a very long time in many ways, and she was there with me, and I was holding her. It did take me a while to discover that my feelings were really love and not infatuation.

Having a lack of love in my life made it difficult to recognize it for what it was. But, I loved Meria with everything in me. I knew I did.

I still wondered which star she had chosen, and I hoped that someday she would share that with me. What was a desire she had that was even greater than her goal when she set out on her journey?

“Meria–” I whispered as I hovered over her mouth, her beautiful, perfect lips, which I had the privilege of kissing every single day. Truly, I was a blessed man, blessed by the Ancients. I would go through everything I had gone through during my life, over and over again, just to have her there with me in my arms and in my life.

“Yes–” she whispered back, her warm breath on my lips. She always smelled like the freshness of the sea–and the waves. I tangled my hands in her messy hair.

“Will you stay with me forever?” I wished I could say that I was not afraid of her answer, but I was. With one word, she could break me. With one word, she could send me into endless torment. One word, and I was going to be either the happiest I had ever been in my entire life or begging Sands to tie an anchor to my boots and send me to the locker’s depths.

“Yes–” she said with a nod, her eyes locked onto mine.

I grinned. My confidence grew as I realized what that word meant.

“Will you stay with me forever ?” she asked.

“Yes, always,” I said back with a side smile I knew she liked because of the way her eyes looked at my mouth. “How could you ever doubt it?”

“There are many things we have not said, Dominick.”

“I know, and I wish to say them now. You have been so patient with me,” I said. I moved closer. “Listen to all I have to say, for I am not sure I can say it a second time,” I began while caressing my lips softly against her mouth, teasing her.

She whined.

“Kiss me,” she pouted, and I gave her one gentle peck and stepped back.

“I must say this,” I said, putting my hands up.

She laughed and nodded, waiting.

“I love you, Meria.”

“Dominick!” she cried out, reaching for me, caressing my face, with tears dripping down her cheeks. “I love you , Dominick, so incredibly much,” she whispered. I wiped away her tears and smiled.

“I am not one to make long poetic verses. I am a pirate, and all I can say to express how I feel is that I am so deeply in love with you; my heart is yours. I will go with you to the fathoms and let you rip my heart from my chest, because it belongs to you.”

“I am no siren! I would never drown you in the sea! That is a bit offensive,” she said, placing her hands on her hips.

I chuckled.

“But I will say,” she added. “I wish to never leave you as long as I live.”

“The point is that I would let you–if that was what you wanted. I would still love you even if you were a siren. Is that not romantic?” I asked, turning my head to the side.

“You would let me drown you if I wanted to?” she questioned.

“Yes–that's how much I trust you– love you,” I said with a chuckle. It was not working, not going as I had expected. I should have never asked for advice.

“You know, that sounds like something Sands coached you to say. I want to hear what you want to say,” she said, pursing her lips and raising a brow.

Blast, it was advice from Sands. I had asked him just that morning how to confess my feelings. I should have known not to ask him. So much for him once winning the heart of a princess.

“Okay, maybe I did get some pointers from Sands, but he says women want long declarations.”

“Not this mermaid ; I just want whatever you wish to tell me, right now,” she said, walking closer to me, touching my chest, her beautiful light blue eyes holding me captive.

“You are it, Meria.” I said, stroking her cheek. She leaned into my touch, and I smiled. “When I went into the Mirror Sea, I was given the choice of my desire, and I realized then, under those waters, that what I desired the most was you –making you happy. I do not know why you left it behind–left behind the star that could save your people–”

“Because I took a different star–one that was one of your deepest desires,” she whispered.

“What was it?” I asked gently. But she ignored my question.

“That was much better than what Sands told you to say,” she giggled. That had been a new thing for her since being in Walden–her giggles. I loved them as well as the brightness in her eyes whenever she discovered something new in the human world. I liked hearing that girlish giggle; it was as if I had earned the right to hear such a vulnerable sound from her.

“Yeah?” I asked, caressing my lips against her jaw.

“Yes–you have a way with words that he does not.”

“Well, you are mine–I will keep you forever. You are this pirate's grandest treasure. I love you with every single aching beat of this heart, and I wish to marry you and have a family–with as many little children as you wish. I want to create that with you–play on the beach, in the sea, on a ship, and come back here from time to time. I want all of that, and I will steal it if I have to. I like to steal, rob, and plunder, you know.

“It is true, you are a pirate,” she said playfully with a shrug and a smile.

“It seems my reputation precedes me,” I said teasingly.

“I want that, too–every single thing.” Then Meria took my face in her hands and looked me in the eye. “There is only one last thing to do. Show you what I learned from the star I chose, and finally, let it come to be.” Then she pressed her lips to mine.