Marrying Atlantis

Chapter 3

I don’t remember falling asleep, but I do remember not going to bed with him next to me. I screamed out in surprise again but this time I kick him off the edge bed. He reappeared over the edge of the mattress rubbing his now sore shoulder.

“What’s wrong?” he asked.

“What are you doing in my bed?” I asked using the pillow as a barrier.

“We already went over this yesterday, it’s ‘our’ bed. Now go to sleep, its way to early” he said glancing at the clock before attempting to crawl back onto the mattress. I hit him away with the pillow determined to keep him at bay. He grabbed the pillow stopping me from swinging. “Calm down, what’s the matter?” Ah what’s the matter? He honestly didn’t know?

“I want to go home, for starters,” I was about to go on with the rest of the list when he stopped me.

“Are you hungry?” he asked still holding onto the pillow. I nodded and he finally let go of the pillow. “If you want your brekkie, you’ll have to get to the kitchen by yourself today.” He grinned before leaving the room, probably to crash of the couch as he expected me to take a long time. I took this as an opportunity to change into the turquoise strapless top I had gotten yesterday and pin back my hair with a silver comb with an Asian style lily on it in a similar shade. And then I attempted the journey down to the kitchen my stomach now grumbling.

 I could propel myself a little forward with my hands but the tail was still a big problem. Unlike everyone else mine wasn’t a ‘fin’ shape. It was like a ruffle goldfish tail. Holding onto the door frame I practiced just moving it up and down. It was about finding the right amount of power and rhythm. I let go of the doorframe when I felt confident enough and I moved forward. Yes I was doing it! That was until I got to a wall. Stopping let alone turning proved impossible as I crashed into the wall. So after a second wind, I took it slower. About twenty more minutes later I made it down to the kitchen a bit more battered than when I started. Sebastian, who as predicted was on the couch sat up, instantly noticing the scratches on my arms and a bruise forming on my hips and shoulders. Swimming over he circled me twice before pulling me the last few meters to the kitchen where he made me breakfast.

Sebastian didn’t trust me enough to make me swim down the street by myself and dragged me through the city. I noticed quite a few people… I mean Mers, were looking at us and whispering between themselves as we passed. I clung closer to Sebastian hoping they would stop.

We made it out to open water where he made me paddle as he guided, claiming direction would come later. It felt like hours, as I paddled back and forth at different speeds with Sebastian leading the way. He let go of me drifting less than a meter out of my reach.

“Don’t let me go, I’m going to sink,” I wailed reaching for him.

“Ye with little faith,” he said as I slammed into him. “Want to learn to turn now?” he asked. I shook my head.

“What about stopping?” I asked looking back down at my now developed bruises. He laughed.

“Just turn your fin like this,” he demonstrated. I tried copying but he had nudged my tail into the correct position. He made me try stopping several times till he was satisfied that I could. And then came with the turning. Moving the tail certain ways, you didn’t move it left or right but every axis affected which way you went. I had noticed when swimming in straight lines I would sometimes veer off courses a little. After ten minutes I told him I had enough as I was getting frustrated. It had taken most of the day just to move forward. I would hate to learn how to go backwards. We rounded the corner to the familiar street where Sebastian lived.

Outside the house where what I’m going to assume were reporters. Sebastian stoped me and backed around the corner.

“How would you like to go on a little holiday?” he asked suddenly, pulling me down another street.