"How are you?" He asked after a minute of silence, a bit hesistant.
"How dare you!" I shrieked and punched his face. I burst out.
I punched him multiple times. I felt like I was a child again. The twelve year old Sasha he broke his promise with. The little girl he left crying.
He irked and held my hand to stop me. As he put down my arms, I realized, he's wearing a crown...
A beautiful crown with different stones in it. Shining and big. Just enough for him to have that aura you will be afraid of. If only he's not the cocky and childish mermaid I spent my childhood with, I'll be shivering from fear now.
Just like the old times, I fell silent after the realization hit me. He held my hand and nodded. As if confirming what I'm thinking.
"I am the King of creatures down there. You don't expect me to elope with you and live in the land, right?"
"The sea will be in chaos. The land will be wrecked. The world will be a mess if I chose you rather than my purpose."
Something felt dead in me all of a sudden. As if the truth just got slapped in me. He's the King of the sea. He has a purpose...
While I miss him all these years, married and bear a child, he was battling as the King of the sea. While I remain stubborn for leaving me, he went through harships and different struggles.
In the end, we're still different. No matter how he make me understand the real meaning of the difference, it won't change the fact that we grew with difference and will never be perfect for each other. While he's using his tools for his very own purpose, I was investing my whole life asking why he left without enlightening me.
"In the end, we're still different. Your lessons don't make sense at all." I said out of regret.
"In the end, we're not together."
"But do you regret it?" He asked.
I didn't answer.
"Because I don't. I don't regret meeting you. That was the happiest moment of my life."
Tears just keep on flowing on my cheeks. I can't even answer him.
"Your smiles are my escape during my hard times down there. I never regret meeting you because you are the reason why I'm still here. During the battles for my life, you were my strong weapon. Your laugh, your voice and your face. The memories I treasured more than the sea..."
"MOM!"
"MOMMY!"
And slowly, he started fading. I cried more. He's leaving me again!
"No..." I pleaded.
"MOMMY!!!"
"I am Atlas, King of the Sea. And you are my beautiful tail, Sashaine..."
And just like that, he's gone again.
"Mommy! Ohmygod!"
I felt them carrying me towards my wheelchair. I couldn't even talk. I just cried and cried as I remember what my daughter told me.
"In the sea, where the mermaid lives, their King always say that if ever you are to be killed, make sure, the damage will be on your body. Never on the tail."
"The mermaid revolve around their tails. The most important thing for mermaids are their tails. Without their tails, they are nothing. So my classmate basically said that if he's a mermaid, I will the most important thing to him so it's fine. I love his humour."
"Their love for their tails are infinite, mom. It's beautiful."
"Mermaida, what's the name of that King?" I asked while I stare at the grim ocean.
"What?! Mommy, not now. We need to dry you-"
"Just answer me!" I pleaded.
"What King?! Who?!"
"The mermaid you told me. The tail..."
"King Atlas. The most strong and admired King of the Sea. The King who didn't marry any mermaid to be his Queen because he was said to fell inlove and faithful with only one woman. And she's a human."
"The King who don't have any scratch on his beautiful tail because he was said to dedicate his tail, the most important thing to mermaids, to the only woman he loves. And he refused to hurt that tail in any way because he believes, he'll hurt the woman he loves."
"But mom, it's just a tale... Can we go home now?"
No, it's not just a tale, sweetie. I cried.
It's our story...
