Her story finally complete, Millicent sat beside Arilya on the bed and took her hand. "I do not want you to lose your spirit or who you are. You are a wonderful, special maid. You have withstood the cruelty and judgment of your peers and you are a better merperson for it."
"I am not sure I understand your story. What does tail color have to do with anything?"
"Our red tails set us apart from the rest of the group because they prove we can love. My tail has only ever been red when I allowed myself to love. Wyatt's tail took on red properties under the influence of my love, but it never fully turned. He was with me for the most formative years of his life, yet he never learned to love. Do not you see, Arilya? You have always had the ability, your tail never lost its red. You were born with love in your heart and soul. You are stronger than me, stronger than anyone else here because you have not lost it. I do not want you to ever lose it, and that is why you cannot put all of your hope in Finley, because he will never love you in return and that could be the one thing that breaks you."
Arilya wriggled her hand free and collected her knitting bag. "What does a blue tail mean?"
"I think, from what I have observed, that a blue tail indicates that merperson is as far from love as possible. They have no warmth, no caring bone in their body."
"Finley has an orange tail."
"Which is why he seems to care about you. He probably does. But that is never going to turn into love."
She put her bag on her shoulderand swam to the exit. "I think you arewrong about that."
YOU ARE READING
The Maidening Ceremony
FantasyCenturies ago, a group of humans made a choice to abandon their families for "freedom" in open waters. They didn't realize that family wouldn't be the only sacrifice. The ability (and desire) to love would be another. But the urge to love, the urge...
