"Very well, little mermaid, I shall accept your challenge."
"It wasn't a challenge you filthy-"
"I, Alexander vow to make you love me before the spell shall break."
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Neris hadn't known what to say, so she had just left. Left Alexander on the docks, but after a few minutes where Neris could feel his sadness, he had also left.
What had he wanted her to say? Say that she'd never leave him, that she wanted to stay here with him? She couldn't. It would never work, she was in the water and he was on land. Neris didn't want him to stay behind, staring at the sea while Jack grew up. What would happen when he became king? Would he hand the crown off to Jack or Francesca?
Or would he be the king who spent his days by the docks, who never saw his subjects, was too busy with his mermaid? He'd be executed or shoved off the throne and where would that leave them?
Or would she promise to stay with him forever, and they'd be happy he'd become king but somehow make it all work until she was being ignored for his kingdom and he had to marry somebody else. Maybe he'd marry a peasant boy or a princess as part of an alliance. Or they'd simply drift apart, a year is a long time to get to know somebody, but maybe it wouldn't be long enough.
Alexander could promise her a love that would be written into the starts by her ancestors now, and she could accept but after she said yes, what happened?
Hercules killed Megara. Perseus left Ariadne on an island. And if the wife didn't die, the story was cut off at the happily ever after.
But Neris's story didn't end after she said told Alexander that she'd live with him. She knew he wouldn't kill her, or leave her on an island but he could drift away from her.
No. Neris would return home to her family, claim the throne, marry to gain the alliance and live her life, she might not be happy but she could be satisfied. Neris would do her duty.
Neris. Alexander spoke her name like a poisoned man speaking of his antidote. You don't have to leave.
You don't understand, I do have to leave.
The prince had no idea of duty. Once that might have been an insult, but now it was like a blind man telling a man who could still see that he had no idea of blindness. The prince was blessed to not understand the pressure of her having to return.
And Neris knew it was only because the prince had no idea what it would be like to want to return to your family, especially after they'd tried to sign you up for a marriage you didn't want. Alexander might never feel the pressing need to rush to his father's side.
And he might not see it this way, but Neris thought he was lucky. He was the eldest son, he could abdicate and become a fisherman if he wanted to, or he could be a scholar who studied the stars. But he wouldn't do that. Neris realised.
