The Maidening Ceremony

Chapter Eighteen - Scene 2

Arilya had never heard sweeter words.  She was so thrilled - Finley had learned to love her after all!  After their "I love yous" had been exchanged, Dr. Damien came in to check on his patient, finding Arilya curled upon the bed beside him.

"What is going on, you two?"

"I am sorry, Dr. Damien, I just wanted to be close to him. I was so worried about him."

"This is highly inappropriate."

"I know, I am sorry." Arilya slid out from under the drape and off the bed, but Finley reached for her hand.   

"Do not apologize, Arilya. We did not do anything wrong. Doctor, this may make you uncomfortable, but there is nothing bad about it."

"Finley, the Council doesnot like mermaids and mermen to fraternize like this. I cannot allow it here. I let her come see you because she helpednurse you back to health when you were both young, but this cannot be.  I have to answer to the Council."

 "You do what you have to do and we will do what we have to. There is nothing wrong with me, I do not need to stay here any longer."

"But the sudden change in your tail – it should be monitored."

"What?" Arilya swam back to the bed. "A sudden change in your tail? What happened to it?"

Finley smiled broadly at her and yanked the drape to the side, revealing a tail as red and vibrant as her own. Arilya's hands flew to her mouth, but she could not hold in the gasp of delight that escaped her lips. It was really true – he could feel love. He really and truly could!

"Let us get out of here, Finley," she said. He pushed up from the table and they swam out amidst the doctor's protests.

Unfortunately, they did not get very far. The messengers were sent around the Community to alert the Maidening Class it was time to get ready and to send the rest of the Community to the arena to await the start of the Ceremony. A burly merman with a midnight-blue tail and matching hair stopped Finley and Arilya outside of the doctor's cave. He threw a nasty look at Finley's tail before barking their orders to them.

"Males to the south side of the arena, females to the north. You do not have much time to prepare for the Ceremony, so you must head there now. These mermen will escort you." He waved a bulky arm forward and two mermen emerged from behind him, one grabbed hold of Arilya's arm, they other took Finley's.

"We choose not to participate," Finley said boldly. The mermen laughed, the one holding Arilya started to swim away.

"No! Please – I do not wantto go to the Ceremony. Finley and I wantto marry each other." She tried yankingher arm free, but his grip was so tight she could not shake him off and hisfinger were cutting off the circulation in her arm. Finley, seeing her distress, dislodged fromhis captor and started for her, but the colossal messenger and his henchman both lunged and pinned Finley's arms behind his back.

"Arilya!" Finley cried, but her guard had dragged her several kilometers already and his began shoving him in the opposite direction. Their fates had been decided.