Dancing On Ice

Epilogue ~ The Uncollected Tale of The Little Mermaid ~

         

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9 Months Later

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"You know, the next time I think it's a good idea to fall in love with a fish, could someone be good enough to distract me with a pretty girl and save me the bother?"

Dalton glanced up from his book, looking at Cole out of the corner of his eye before returning his attention to the page.

They were aboard The Santiago.

She was flying neutral colours for the journey – considering the numbers of royals in the proximity – they didn't need to draw a great deal of attention given Dalton was aboard one ship and Princess Mai and her sisters were aboard the one just off the port side. The princesses were being escorted home by the king himself after their most recent visit and Cole had decided to join them for the trip there before he and his crew would part ways for the tropics, as company as well as a form of protection.

It was a clear, warm autumn day. The sea was smooth, the wind was favourable, sunset was on the horizon and they had enjoyed a day of relaxing in the sun, neatly crossing back and forth between ships that were joined, when necessary, with special bridges.

Cole had his arms folded on the side of the ship, looking down at the waves that rolled below them. Dalton sat slumped on a barrel beside him, leaning back against the ship wall, flicking through a book.

"I doubt it's something one is likely to experience more than once in a lifetime," he said. "I thought you were over all that. It was nearly a year ago."

"Yeah, I am," Cole sighed, closing his eyes and running his hand over his wild hair. "Maybe it's getting to me because it's nearly a year. Do you seriously not have anything new?"

"What do you want me to say? He's alive. He's fine. I can only tell you as much as my mother tells me, I haven't seen him since he left," Dalton said.

"Argh," Cole muttered, messing up his hair then straightening and walking around to the other side of Dalton and dumping himself on the crate beside him, crossing his long legs. "Bloody mer-folk. It was easier when I didn't know about them."

"You would still be pining after him even if you'd never learnt the truth. Also, being that I am half merman, I resent being called a fish."

"You can't transform, it's not the same."

"It is even without a tail."

Cole dropped his head back, watching the first of the stars begin to bloom amongst the sun-stained sky, greeting the moon that had appeared an hour before.

They sat in silence for a time. Cole watching the sky. Dalton reading his book.

Around them Cole's crew relaxed. Some had crossed to the princess' ship and there was a rowdy game of cards going on across the way – Dalton was fairly sure Princess Mai was winning, again – and everyone else was simply resting or minding instruments and horizon.

"Do you think he'll ever come back?"

Dalton closed his book and looked up at the sky, thinking.

"I don't know," he finally said, "My mother doesn't really discuss what he's doing or thinking. Honestly, I think he's still healing."

Cole closed his eyes. "Well, I can understand that," he muttered.

"Do you ever hear from Perry?"

Cole shook his head. "No, I won't. At least I highly doubt it. He's done with the mortal world for a while."

"You ever resent her for taking Perry away?"