The Pearl

Chapter 9

Marker; 7572 reads and 516 votes
(Published 12-31-18 Happy New Years!)

An; So a couple of things.
1. Official new favorite chapter to write for is Arthur.
2. So my dream is to have some good music to go along with each chapter. So, can someone suggest me some spooky, mermaid like songs?
3. I accidentally published this like 3 times.
4. currently writing this from my death bed. The leftover chines food did me dirty last night.

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Summer Present

I walked to the spot where the Athame had been standing. There was a small dent in the sand where she had rested her driftwood staff, but other then that, there was no trace that she had ever been there.

Ray still stood in the same place she had, when she had sealed her fate.  She was staring at the ground with a troubled expression on her face.

"Ray," I said softly.

Her head jerked up.  "I'm fine," she said, but her words rang false in my ears.

I reached out and hugged her. She hesitated for just an instant before she hugged me back so fiercely that I could barely breathe.

"Marina, I never understood all this time why you wouldn't just take a pearl.  Even after falling in love with Arthur and...Arthur!"

She let go of me and ran towards the still kneeling figure of the man she loved. She stopped a foot away from him, like there was an invisible barrier between the two of them. And I supposed now there was.

"Are you alright?" she called.

Arthur was still on his hands and knees. He coughed uncontrollably, but held up his thumb to her, a human hand motion that let people know that they were alright.

"I forget what that hand symbol means?" Ray said, "Does that mean you're alright?"

"Yeah," he managed to say between coughs. "I know this may be the last thing I should want in the world right now, considering what just transpired, but I just need a tall glass of water."

This made Ray let out a small laugh, but that laugh devolved into a serious of sobs.

" We can't be together anymore Arthur," she groaned.

"What!?" Arthur raises his head to look at her. He had stopped coughing. "I just almost drowned today, after being drowned for real. You made a deal with a witch that might end in you becoming her slave. So, it's safe to say we now finally have an appropriate level of couple dysfunction.  We were far too perfect before. Why give up now?"

"Arthur I need you to stop being funny for just a moment, and listen to me."

"But I thought my humor is what you love most about me?" He gave her a weak smile.

"Arthur...."

"Right, right."

"How much of my bargain with the witch did you hear?" Ray asked.

"I heard it all," Arthur said and struggled to his feet. "But why are you so upset? All you have to do is stop taking souls, which honestly darling, I was going to insist that you gave up anyways. That and break off your arranged marriage to prince-what's-his-face at some point."