The chapter is being dedicated to MissAsgardian and seulil2061
As I made my way to the beach, the moon was rising from the west. The water rippled gently against the sand.
I sank to my knees. “I can't leave you behind,” I spoke to the ocean.
I glanced around looking for Arno. My face began to heat up as I thought about leaving with Arno. The mist came in leaving me alone with my ocean.
“Why isn't he here? Did he forget about me?” I thought disappointingly.
Then, from beyond the mist, I heard a man begin to sing,
“Tell me something,
princess,
are you happy in this modern world
or do you want more?
Is it love you are searching for?
I'm calling.
In all the good times
I found you,
longing for change.
It's in bad times,
I miss you.”
Was that Arno? His voice sounded like heaven calling for a response.
“Tell me something,
Prince.
I'm tired of trying to fill that void.
Or do I need more?
It's hard keeping it so hardcore.”
A tear dribbled down my cheek,
“I'm calling too.
It's in good times
I find myself longing for the sea.
And in the bad times,
I'm afraid.”
I saw the dark shape of a man coming closer in the fog,
“Jump off the deep end.
Watch as you dive in.
We'll never need the ground.
Crash through the surface,
where they can't hurt you.
Go far from the shallow, love.”
he replied singing softly.
Strangely, I felt myself being called towards the water. The water flowed over my ankles as I stepped closer to the image.
“I'll jump off the deep end
and watch as I dive in.
I'll never need the ground again.
Going below the surface where
they can't find me and
can’t hurt me now.
I'll be far from the shallow now.”
I sang as the fog cleared revealing Arno, but not as a human!
I gasped, “You're a merman?”
He nodded, “Come with me, Honeymarin. I can show you love you have never known before. Become my merprincess.”
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."
"Why are you telling me this Ariel and how do you know who I am?"
"Because Arno loves you so much. We all used to play here on the beach and swim. He was the one who taught you to swim."
"What? I don't remember any of that?"
"You remembered how to swim and that you loved the ocean . Arno and I always watched you from a distance but he couldn't bring himself to say hello once you came back to the water."
"What do you mean, Ariel?"
"My brother is a bit of a chicken when he thought you left. He thought you didn't want to be around us anymore."
"No. I got very ill so my parents told me to stay away from the water."
"Were you just sick? And you don't remember anything about us?"
I got a virus that wiped some of my memories and no not really. I remember somethings but not all"
"You two looked familiar from someone I met. It's coming back slowly"
" So, you do remember bits and pieces?"
"Yes"
"Why didn't he go and confront my father about his love for me?"
"We couldn't as we didn't have feet and he never came down to the water."
"Oh." I looked away with sadness.
"He was so brokenhearted. And the day he mustered up the courage and go to the palace...he thought he was too late. You were to be married off but you and Arno talked on the balcony. And now you're here. Please don't break his heart again. Going through it once with him, was very hard on our family."
"What am I supposed to do?"
"I can't make the choice for you, Honeymarin. But I really hope you choose him. You will be more happy with us than being a prize from treaty making."
"I want to be with him, but what able my parents?"
"They will stop you and maybe be so angry with you..."
"I want to be happy"
"Happiness sometimes means leaving everyone behind. No one should live where they aren't valued. Treaty brides are not right."
"I agree. When will I become like you and Arno?"
Let's plan on early next morning. Then I can gather our family for they will want to be apart of the ceremony. "
"But what about…"
"But what about what?"
"The wedding."
" I'm guessing before the wedding you should go and see your father once more and tell him that you are leaving to find your own happiness and love."
“Honeymarin, you are going to go to your father in the morning and you are going to have to makes a quick, so you can exit to where my family and I are waiting. Right now it's probably almost morning now.”
"I don’t think he will be happy with me, but he will eventually have one of my sisters marry Titus. Ariel what does ur parents think of me?"
"They know all about Arno and you and with all the stories we've told them, they will be happy you finally made my brother same again.”
"What?"
"What, what?"
"What did you tell your parents?"
"All about our adventures we did together and Arno could never stop talking about you. Well, if he wasn't talking about you, he was brooding. Mother and Father, have always wanted to meet you but being the rulers of the merpeople, they didn't have much time to come to shore."
"What do u mean by brooding?"
“Well, he couldn’t concentrate on his duties and he barely spoke to anyone.”
“So, he was thinking about me and couldn’t do anything he was suppose to do.”
“Pretty much. I mean he tried.”
“Speaking of him where is he?”
"He believes he has to continue as a guest to your wedding so not the throw suspicion. If anyone caught wind of who he is, we could be in real danger from the Virfu. Also your family as well, which is why you have to do this alone."
"What do u mean?"
"As a princess Honeymarin, you should understand how easy it is for royalty to start blaming the other side and if anyone found out that Arno a merman prince is in love with you, Honeymarin, then they will start accusing them for kidnapping...and both nations could go to war with the merpeople."
"I don't want him or you guys to get hurt"
“Then it is imperative to tell your parents alone and leave out all the names.”
“I will tell them.”
I go back to my room wondering how my father would feel. Wondering what my life will be like after I leave my home and start anew.