Kelsie's head bumped against the tap and she sat up. How long had she been in here? The bath water had gone cold and Will had left the room. She still didn't know where she was.
'Will?' Kelsie asked.
Her voice rang out and echoed throughout the empty room. Hopefully it would reach Will, wherever he was. Kelsie decided that she might as well do something to pass the time while she waited, and so she started to sing. It was a sorrowful song and she sung it with a lot of passion. It was one her mother had sung to her as a child.
It was about a selkie venturing onto land for the first time and falling in love with a man. He was kind and caring and they managed to make a life together, despite their differences. Unfortunately it was not to be, as one day her husband got caught in a storm while fishing. To rescue him she had to switch back into seal form, and that meant that she could never again be human.
By the time Kelsie had finished she had tears running down her cheeks. The song had always made her sad, but now that her mother was gone it hurt her even more. Sighing Kelsie sank back into the bath, closed her eyes and awaited the memories.
++
The door creaked open. Kelsie opened her eyes to see Will standing in the doorway.
'Was that you singing, Kelsie?' Will asked.
'Yes it was.' Kelsie replied.
'You have a very beautiful voice, I like it.'
Kelsie blushed, she'd never had a human compliment her singing before. It had always been princes from the neighbouring kingdoms hoping for her hand in marriage. Always buttering her up so that they had more of a chance at becoming king.
'Thank you, Will. Now, would you mind handing me that cloth over there so that I could get out of this cold bath water?' Kelsie asked.
He moved from the doorway and walked over to the other side of the room (being very careful to avert his eyes from Kelsie's body) and grabbed the towel off the wooden stool it was sitting on. Then he handed it to Kelsie and walked out the doorway, but at the last moment he turned back and smiled at her reassuringly.
'Clothes can be found in my room; which is the one on the left. Come find me if you need help with anything.' Will said.
'I will do that. Thank you, Will.' Kelsie replied, smiling. It felt good to be cared for.
++
Author's Note: That awkward moment when you realise that that was the first act of kindness that she's experienced in twelve years. 😭
This chapter was initially published on the 11th of September 2017, edited initially on the 7th of October 2020 and edited again on the 13th of August 2021. I hope you enjoyed reading it!