Marina

Part Nine

Marina woke up to a different ceiling and an unfamiliar face.

At first, she thought she was dreaming. But when the woman at her bedside dabbed a damp towel at her temple, she felt its moisture. This let Marina know that something had happened.

The last thing Marina remembered was feeling terribly tired and sleepy while watching the sunset with Caspian. She'd tried to hide it from him, but she succumbed in the end. Now she wondered what had transpired since.

"Who are you?" Her voice came out scratchier than usual. "Where's Caspian?"

The red-haired woman paused her ministrations and smiled. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Miss Marina. My name's Orelia, and this is my infirmary."

"You're a healer?" Marina couldn't stop her wavering tone even if she tried. If Orelia managed to heal her, then she must have discovered what she really was.

"Of sorts. Most people refer to me as the village apothecary," Orelia replied. She set aside the towel she'd been holding, then stood up to shake out her crumpled skirt. "Caspian brought you here when he realized you weren't feeling well. Should I tell him you're awake?"

"Yes, please."

Marina scanned the room as soon as Orelia closed the door behind her. The infirmary's sickroom was bigger than her bedroom at the cottage, but it didn't have the same ambience. It didn't have her husband's colorful quilts and nick-knacks, and it didn't smell of pine and the sea.

Even her clothes were different now. Her white peasant blouse and fawn-colored skirt had been replaced by a pale lemon nightdress decorated to the hem with ruffles. She preferred the plain white variety that she'd bought after marrying Caspian.

Marina knew that she had to face him sooner or later. He deserved to know the full story now that Orelia had probably told him part of it. Plus, she would feel safer in this strange new place if he were with her.

The door opened, and Caspian walked in like she hoped he would. His eyes lit up as soon as he saw her. "Thank goodness you're awake."

"Caspian..." Marina couldn't believe the tender expression on his face. She had fully expected him to not even look her straight in the eye after technically lying to him.

He continued to contradict her assumption by rushing to her side and sitting as close as possible without disturbing her. "How do you feel? Do you need anything? I'm not sure what mermaids do to get better, but I'll try my best to work it out."

"You know." She expected him to, of course, but she hadn't counted on him bringing the subject up so soon. Then again, Caspian had a habit of being blunt.

Her husband nodded. He reached for her hand and held it tight. "Orelia told me after examining you."

She gulped. Marina would have liked to tell him herself, but maybe this was for the best. It might have taken her years before she could even suggest the idea that she wasn't human.

The only con to this was that she now had to explain her actions. "You don't mind that I'm... I was a mermaid?"

"Marina, you can be any otherworldly creature in this world so long as you're alive and unhurt." Caspian started stroking the back of her hand with his thumb. "The truth is, I'm relieved that you're not actually a mistreated runaway who's being followed around by someone dangerous."

Marina's jaw dropped. No wonder he hadn't pushed her to talk about her past or forced her to go anywhere on her own. She didn't realize until then that he could perceive her situation that way.

Her husband had been protecting her from reliving some past experience that never even happened. He'd been keeping her away from a danger that wasn't even real. If she didn't already know his true character, this revelation would have won her over.