Mermaid Dream

Chapter 2

 A mermaid? The water gurgled around my waist and as if in a trance, I swam over to him. 

“As long as I'm here with you, no one can hurt you. They don't deserve you, love,” he took my hand and gave it a small kiss. 

“Arno?” 

He nodded, “What do you think about becoming a mermaid and escaping this marriage?”

It was almost too good to be true. “Is this real?”

 I could barely believe the merpeople were real.

 “How would you make me into a mermaid, Arno?”

 He smiled, “My sister Ariel has magical capabilities and she can do it.” He laughed, “Maybe you should pick your chin up out of the water before a fish swims into it.” 

I snapped my mouth shut for a moment and then a realization hit me. I could leave my family and go do what I wanted. Arno was asking to grant me freedom. But I was still hesitant.

 I glanced back at the palace and then at Arno, “I would love to, but I have to consider my family. Give me one night to think this over.” 

Arno's face was visibly disappointed but he agreed, “It is a big decision that you have to make. I'll be waiting here tomorrow morning for you.”

 “Arno? Arno?” 

I heard a female voice calling through the fog.

 “I'm over here, sister.” he turned in the direction of the most beautiful mermaid I had ever seen.

 He nodded to me, “Ariel, let me introduce you to Honeymarin.”

 “Is this the girl you've been pining over, Arno?” she gushed. 

His cheeks turned as red as his tail and he mumbled something. 

Ariel teased, “I couldn't hear you brother.” 

He gulped and slipped off his perch into the water.

 Ariel grabbed her brother's shoulder, “I was just joking with you, Arno.”

 He paused, “Would you be willing to transform her into one of us, tomorrow morning?” 

She looked at me incredulously, “You're thinking about diving into the water?”

 I nodded feeling a little awkward. 

She paddled her tail over to me and wrapped an arm around my shoulders, “Arno, you are something.” 

I looked at Ariel and she looked back at me, “You are the perfect maid for my brother. We've seen you down here at the water's edge since we were young. I couldn't have picked a better future sister.” 

I smiled, “Thank you, Ariel. I'll let you know my answer tomorrow.” 

She giggled and they bid me farewell and I made my way back to my chambers. Sleep was pretty much non-existent as I tossed and turned. But as soon as the sun peeked over the tides, I knew what I had to do.

I went to the beach and met up with Ariel but Arno wasn't there. 

I looked at Ariel wondering if she knew where it could be. Ariel glanced at the tides and the soft wind that was coming with it. 

Then she glanced at me and suddenly said, “You disappeared for a long time and it’s only been a few months since I learned how to transform a merperson into a human.”

Ariel continues telling her that she only learned the spell to help her brother so Honeymarin could walk on dry land so he could find her.

"Because Honeymarin you are human...and merpeople can't leave the water. So I learned a spell giving Arno legs so he could go on land and find you."