I'll Be Your Wings

Learning to Swim

The southern Isles? Ariel?

The words echoed over and over in my head. I had heard those names before.

I must have had a thoughtful look about me, because Eric laughed, jabbing his foot into my hip. I winced in pain, still partially numb from my dunk in the seawater.

"You'll sleep here tonight," He said, turning and starting for the door belowdecks. "and don't get any ideas." He added, turning back with a solemn look on his face. I gulped. With that, he was gone.

It was dusk, and the sky was painted magnificent colors. A pelican flew directly overhead, before diving into the waves. A beautiful scene, I thought, if only Maleficent and I could enjoy it together at home.

I missed home. It hadn't been long, and I had already begun to miss Thistlewit, the annoying arse she was. I missed the towering knobs and the crystal water and the magic in the air. I missed our friends.

Now, we were alone.

I leaned my head back against the mast as the sky became more and more purple, and the light finally plunged beneath the waves.

As soon as the sun had left the sky, there came a thunk on the side of the ship. I froze.

Thunk. There it was again. I was afraid now, of whatever was there in the water.

I waited a few more minutes, frantically trying to convince myself that it was nothing, it was nothing. Perhaps a fish! Nothing to be afraid of.

Thunk. The loudest one yet vibrated the deck I was trapped to.

Swish. Swish. Rubbing against the wood, getting louder. It seemed as if something was slithering up the side of the ship.

I was still frozen in fear, unable to move, unwilling to shout. Then, a mass peeked it's head over the side of the ship, dark and invisible against the sky. I did not dare breathe.

It pushed itself up with its arms, silently. For an instant, its form looked very human, dark against the stars.
The instant was gone as it slithered over the rail. It's top half was human-the bottom half carried no legs, but a tail of some sort.

It hit the deck with a quiet thump, then raised its head, scanning the area. It's eyes locked on me, and I realized that it's eyes were not human at all, but glowed faintly.

It slowly and silently started to slither towards me, using its tail like a snake and walking on its palms.

"Diaval," It said, in the voice of a young man. "I am here to rescue you." Still frozen in fear, I gawked at him. He was a mermaid, an actual, living mermaid.

"Maleficent- I-I won't leave without her. She is belowdecks." He was silent, staring at me.

"As you wish" he said, after a moment. He turned, swiftly, and slither-walked back to the side of the ship, preparing to hoist himself back over.

"Wait!" I whispered. He turned back. "Where are you going? Don't leave!"

He chuckled, softly. "Don't worry, bird. I'm going in through the window." He threw himself off the side, and glided quietly into the water. After a moment, I heard another thunk and slither noise, coming up my deck. This rescuer was thinner, more petite. My rescuer slithered more nimbly across the deck.

"I am Eden." She said, softly and hurriedly. "Be still." I complied, in awe. Eden slithered her way behind me, and I heard my ropes being cut. I was relieved, but there was no way I could relax without knowing Maleficent was safe.

My bonds fell away, and Eden gave me a handful of what smelled and felt like seaweed.

"You must eat this." She said. "Quickly."

Against my will, I shoved the slimy plant into my mouth, chewing and swallowing as quickly as I could. Eden nodded.

"Follow me, and listen closely." Eden said. "I will be waiting for you right under the waves. That seaweed you just ate, it allows you to breathe underwater for a few hours. Now, I am going to quickly dive off the ship. I need you to wait about ten seconds, then follow behind me as loudly as possible. Shout, stomp, anything to wake these crewmen up. When you hear them on the stairs, dive off after me. Do you understand?" I nodded. "Good." She smiled at me, though the tension in the air was immense. "Everything will be alright. Are you ready?"

"I am."

She nodded, then shot off the ship like an arrow. I counted to ten, slowly, then rose to my feet. I was beaten, I was exhausted, I was broken. But I had the lungs of a bird. I yelled, and stomped, and jumped on the deck, surely waking everyone within a ten-mile radius of our vessel. I heard surprised voices belowdecks, and sleepy feet sprinting up the stairs. The door to my deck flew open, and I flung myself off the ship and into the waves.

It was pitch-black below the waves for a moment, but immediately everything was illuminated like the morning. It was strange, like the sun had just risen on their world, and just set on ours...

I looked to the west, where, nearly ten minutes ago, the sun of the land had just sunk below the waves. Sure enough, the sun did sink below the waves, and the sky under the sea was painted with faint red and pink streaks from the sunrise. I stared in awe at the scene.

Suddenly there was a splash behind me, and I turned in the water to see Maleficent, bruised and cut but very awake. Her eyes were squinted, trying to adjust to the sunlight under the sea.

She finally saw me, and began to swim frantically towards me. I swam to her, and we embraced under the waves.

I realized, now, that I had been holding my breath this entire time. I prayed quickly that Eden had not tricked me, and took a cautious breath of the water. I could breathe.

Maleficent realized, too, that she should be breathing, and I nodded, telling her silently that it was alright.

Eden and the other merman approached us, and I could now see them clearly. Eden was beautiful. Her grey eyes were kind and bright, and her golden skin had a tinge of evanescence. Her hair was bright turquoise, and her tail was long, silver and muscular.

"I am August, and this is my sister Eden." Said the merman next to her. His warm sun-soaked human half was muscular and powerful-looking, and his eyes were grey, dark, and thoughtful. His hair was short and black, and his tail was silver, much like Eden's. They definitely looked like they were related.

"Our friend Bodhi, a pelican, saw you in distress, Diaval." Bodhi. Bodhi! We were friends as children. We were lucky that he was flying overhead when we were in distress.

"Thank you again for saving us." Maleficent said.

"It was our pleasure." Said August. "Eric killed the king's daughter, Ariel. He must be stopped."

"He was taking us to a place called Enoch." Said Maleficent. "I overheard him in his cabin."

The siblings looked at each other briefly.

"I'm glad we saved you, then." Said August. "Now, come along, I'm sure you need a safe place to stay for a while. Come and meet our family." Eden grabbed my hand and August took Maleficent's, and we swam off into the morning.