SWNOVELS Rescued By The Merman: Chapter 5
It’s been a little over a month and I’ve heard no word about Princess Halla. I cannot stop thinking about her, wondering if she is all right. Against my father’s wishes, I have been swimming along the shoreline, hoping to discover whether she still lives.
However, the docks are quieter than normal. Most of the ships were burned and now lie at the bottom of the sea after the dragon’s attack. The people of Solwyck are busy cleaning up, trying to rebuild their once glorious city.
Sailors and dockworkers are usually a rather chatty lot, but it seems even they have little news of her condition. There are rumors that she will never walk again. I pray this isn’t true.
Walking for humans is like swimming for my kind. I cannot imagine how difficult my life would be if I suddenly lost the ability to swim.
Movement in the water beside me startles me. I spin toward it and find my brother, Toren.
“I knew I’d find you here,” he says. “Why have you returned? Father will be angry if he finds out where you are.”
I arch a brow. “Then I suggest you do not tell him.”
He purses his lips. “Father was already angry at you for turning down the offer of betrothal to Princess Allana. Imagine if he found out now that you’re here after he has expressly told us to avoid humans.”
“And who will tell him?” I cross my arms over my chest. “You are the only one who knows.”
He runs his fingers roughly through his short, dark hair. “I will not report you, but if anyone else sees you out here, word is bound to get back to him. Why are you still coming here? What are you hoping to find?”
I try to think of a lie but finally decide I do not want to keep secrets from my brother. We have always been honest with each other, and I don’t want to end that now.
“The woman I saved—she was Princess Halla. I merely wish to know if she still lives.”
“Is that all?” he asks, a hint of sarcasm in his voice.
My brother knows me too well. “That’s all,” I reply, but he doesn’t seem convinced.
He studies me with narrowed eyes. “Well, you shouldn’t be here. You need to come home. Father was looking for you; that’s why I came. To warn you.”
Frustration burns through me. “I will return shortly. For now, I—”
I stop short when something catches my attention out of the corner of my eye. I whip my head toward the castle and notice a flash of red hair. I recognize the princess. A tall man with hair of the same color walks alongside her as she rolls down the path in a strange, wheeled chair.
It reminds me of the carriages the humans sometimes ride around in, but those are always pulled by horses. I dive beneath the water and swim closer, hoping to get a better look.
When I surface, I conceal myself behind a large rock formation jutting above the water line. Toren follows me.
“What are you doing?” His voice is a low hiss. “They might see us.”
“That’s the princess. I want to see how she is doing. Besides, the land dwellers know there are Mer in these waters. We helped them during the attack, remember? What does it matter if they see us?”
“That was an exception. Humans are dangerous, and many of them believe we are, too. Do you not remember the family we forcibly had to save because they’d rather risk their lives in a burning ship than accept our aid?”
I frown. “Not all humans dislike us.”
“Then why are we hiding?” He huffs, gesturing toward the beach. “We’re practically spying on the princess now. Why is that, Errik?”
I clench my jaw. “We’re hiding because she is with a male. We do not want him to believe we are a threat. You’ve seen how protective they are of their females. It’s almost as if they believe we mean to steal them away.”
Toren laughs, then his expression grows curious. “I wonder if that really works?”
“What?”
“Our song,” he replies. “Does it really lure the humans to the sea?”
I shrug. “I think it is mere curiosity that draws them to us when we sing. Not some sort of bewitching enchantment.”
It’s terrible that this rumor makes humans so wary of us. I think back on the woman who would have rather died on a ship with her children than trust us. Even after she regained consciousness and realized we had saved them, she fought our people as they tried to help her back to shore. Fear often breeds hatred, to all our detriment.
Long ago, our kind were enemies, but we finally made a truce with the land dwellers. The last thing we need is renewed hostility between us. So, I struggle to believe that some humans are still fearful, even after we helped them during the dragon’s attack.
Toren and I continue to observe Princess Halla and the man walking behind her as they move along the shoreline beneath the castle. The black cliff wall gleams with a pearlescent sheen beneath the rays of the sun.
The castle is made of shimmering, white stone, and sits atop the cliff wall. The spiraling towers stand proudly beneath the pale blue sky. The shimmering silver rooftops are like glowing beacons. The bold, blue-and-silver banner of Solwyck castle hangs from the tallest tower, fluttering in the wind.
This part of the coast is more rock than sand. I observe as the princess struggles to move the chair. It would undoubtedly be easier for her to walk, and I fear the rumors must be true. She has lost the use of her legs.
They stop, and the man takes her hand. He brings the back of it to his lips in a brief kiss, then leaves, walking back along the shore until he turns and makes his way up the winding path to the castle.
The warm, saline breeze whips through her long red hair as her luminous blue eyes watch the sea. The tide is low now, so there is no worry of her being overcome by waves, but I wonder what she means to do down here.
Cautiously, I slip beneath the water and move closer, concealing myself behind another grouping of rocks jutting up from the water. Toren follows, and even though I am not facing him, I can sense his judgment, heavy at my back.
When I stop, he moves up beside me. “Grandfather once told me that the castle was built on that cliff because of these rocks.”
“What do you mean?”
He glances around at the many tight formations that line this part of the shallows. “Not only is it shallow here, but the rocks make an approach difficult to navigate. So, there is little chance an invading force could attack the castle directly by sea.” I had never considered this, but he is right. “Father says there is a good chance another kingdom, or even pirates, may try to invade.”
Alarm skitters across my skin. “Why?”
He gestures to the ruined city. “They have been weakened by the dragon’s attack.”
Worry tightens my chest as I turn my gaze back to Halla. “Surely, Father would provide them aid if they were attacked by sea.”
“I do not think so,” Toren replies. “You know how much he hates them after Mother’s death.”
“Mother’s death was an accident.”
“It does not matter. He holds them and their ships responsible.”
I recall that horrible day. Our people were trying to save the humans during a terrible storm. They were caught out on the open sea. Their ships broke apart beneath a strong wave, injuring and killing several of our kin who were trying to help. Mother was among them.
Pushing the dark memory from my mind, I return my attention to Princess Halla.
My jaw drops when she gathers the hem of her tunic and lifts it over her head, discarding the fabric onto the sand beside her. She then unfastens her pants, carefully tilting her body on the chair as she slides the material down her legs.
“What is she doing?” Toren asks beside me. “I thought the humans disliked nudity.”
He’s right. While our people think nothing of it, the humans only disrobe to bathe or to mate. The only reason our females wear shells to hide their breasts is that they hate the attention they receive from human males otherwise when they swim too close to shore.
I notice that Halla still wears a band of material across her chest to cover her breasts and a scrap of fabric between her legs that hides her pelvis. For some reason, the sight of her makes my heart rate quicken.
“I do not know,” I reply to my brother as I continue to watch her, wondering what she plans to do.
She grips the handrails of her chair tightly and pushes herself up as if trying to stand. I frown when her arms tremble with the exertion of holding her weight while her legs do not move to support her. She collapses onto the rock and sand.
I gasp. Without thinking, I rush toward her, my tail propelling me at full speed beneath the water to reach her quickly.
“Where are you going?” Toren shouts.
“To help,” I call over my shoulder, not bothering to look back.
“Stop, Errik. You should not—”
I dive beneath the water, unwilling to hear the rest of his sentence. I know what I’m doing is wrong, but I cannot leave her lying on the beach. I want to at least help her back into her chair.
“Errik!” My brother’s voice rings in my head beneath the water as he uses our mind link to speak to me. “Come back!”
“No!”
Ahead, I stop short when I notice Princess Halla has entered the water. Her legs float behind her, unmoving as she raises her arms in long strokes and begins swimming out to sea.
My eyes widen as I notice the heavy scarring across her torso from the dragon’s flame. I cannot imagine how painful that must have been for her.
“What is she doing?”
“I do not know,” Toren replies. “But it is none of our concern. You need to come back with me. Now.”
“I will come later.”
“Fine, but do not say I didn’t warn you. If Father catches you out here, you will be punished.”
I don’t bother to answer because he’s right. Yet I do not care. I’m more interested in following Halla.
She continues swimming, keeping her head above water because humans cannot breathe beneath the waves as I do. I remain hidden beneath the surface, following behind her at a safe distance to avoid alerting her to my presence.
Exhaustion is evident in her features and movements as she begins to struggle with each stroke. Yet, she perseveres. Ahead lies one of the larger rock formations, so expansive it is like a small island. Rocks surround and shield its beach from the view of the castle. I suspect this destination is her goal.
Sure enough, when she reaches the island, she pulls herself onto the rock. Panting heavily, she drags her legs out of the water and twists onto her back, staring up at the sky. I hoist myself onto a rock behind her so that I might observe her while remaining hidden. I do not wish to scare her.
The thin bands of fabric, that cover her, cling to her body. The outline of her breasts peek through the silken material, as well as a curious patch of red hair between her legs, which are not entirely still. I watch her slowly move her feet, but when she sits up and lifts her thighs with her hands to position them, I grow concerned.
It seems the rumors are true. She has very minimal use of her lower half.
I observe as she props herself up against a rock, staring out at the waves. She lowers her head into her hands, and I notice the slight quake of her shoulders. When a hoarse sob escapes her, I realize that she is crying.
Her sadness tears at my heart. “Are you all right?” I ask from my hiding place.
She stills and wipes at her face. “Who’s there?”
“I mean you no harm, Princess,” I offer quickly to soothe her fears.
She turns her head, searching for me. “Your voice,” she says. “I know it. Who are you?”
Does she remember me? Before I can ask, she speaks again.
“You’re the one who saved me, aren’t you?”
“Yes.”
“What is your name?”
I hesitate for a moment, uncertain if I should identify myself. Instead, I ask her a question. “Why do you cry?”
She wipes at her face again, brushing away tears. “Because I cannot use my legs. My back was injured when I fell from the dragon’s back and crashed into the sea.” Her voice catches. “The Healers do not know if I will ever be able to walk again.”
Sadness plagues me. A human without the use of their legs is like a Mer unable to use their tail to swim. “I am sorry, Princess. Truly.”
She sniffs and wipes again at her tears. “I’ve searched for you.”
“You have?”
She nods. “I do not recall much, but I do remember that if you had not rescued me, I would have drowned. I wanted to thank you for rescuing me.”
“You are welcome, Princess.”
“Halla,” she says. “You can call me Halla.”
“Halla,” I repeat her name aloud.
“Are you one of the Mer?”
I hesitate before answering, “Yes.”
“Can I see you?”
I still. “Are you certain you wish this?”
She nods.
“You are not afraid?” I ask, just to be sure.
“Why would I be? You rescued me.” She pauses. “If you will not come out, can you at least give me your name so I might thank you properly for saving my life?”
“My name is Errik.”
“Errik,” she repeats, and I love how my name sounds on her tongue… more than I know I should. “Thank you, Errik. I am forever in your debt.”
“You owe me nothing, Halla. I am glad I was able to rescue you.”
She lowers her gaze to the sand. “Will you at least tell me if your eyes are blue like I remember? I see them almost every night in my dreams, you know.”
My heart stutters in my chest. “You dream of me?”
A huff of air leaves her parted lips as she smiles. “Yes.”
I draw in a deep, steeling breath and emerge from my hiding place. As I do, the thought occurs to me that she may not like what she sees. After all, I am very different from her kind. I may not spend much time around humans, but I’ve heard enough from my kin to know that they do not easily accept those who are different.
Some even find us monstrous to behold.
As soon as she turns to face me, I’m struck by her beauty. She is more stunning than I remember. Her eyes are as blue as the ocean. Her red hair falls over her shoulders in long, silken waves. My gaze travels down her form to the sensuous curve of her breasts and the gentle flare of her hips. For all the strength I witnessed in her the day she slew the dragon, I’m surprised by how slight and delicate she appears. The women of my kind possess heavily muscled forms.
Worry fills me when I notice her mouth drifting open and a strange red coloring flaring across the bridge of her nose and cheeks, accentuating the many spots across her otherwise pale skin.
My heart sinks, for I fear she finds me hideous to behold.
“Your eyes,” she breathes, her voice full of wonder. “They are glowing. Just as I remembered.” Her expression changes and she tips her head to the side. “Why did you leave?”
Her question confuses me. “Leave?”
“My brother said when they found me, you were already gone.”
“Forgive me. Hiding is a habit, I’m afraid. Humans have not always been friendly to my kind, so we are taught from infancy never to be caught on land.”
“Oh.” She lowers her gaze, and her small brow furrows. “Why are you here, then? Why did you follow me?”
“I…” I try to think of an excuse to skirt the truth but can invent none, so I decide to be honest. “I have worried for you ever since that day. I wanted to make sure you were all right.”
“Aside from my legs, I am fine.” Her blue eyes brighten with tears. She sniffs and brushes the drops from her cheeks with her hands. “Really, I shouldn’t be crying. It’s not as if there is no hope. My brother has sent for a Fae Healer who has agreed to try and help me. They are known for their healing prowess.” She pauses and looks down at her feet, slowly curling her toes. “And I have some movement and feeling, which is better than none.”
Happiness blooms in my chest. “This is good.”
“Yes,” she agrees. “It gives me hope.”