The Little Mermaid

7 - Sea Mail

Disappointment gnawed at Varian as he steered "The Inspiration" towards the familiar cove. The moon, a luminous pearl in the inky canvas of the night sky, bathed the water in an ethereal glow. But the surface remained undisturbed, no shimmering form breaking the stillness.

Hours had passed since Varian had returned from his alchemy lesson with his father, King Frederic. His heart had pounded with anticipation all day, fueled by the memory of Lashanie's captivating smile and the thrill of their shared secret. Now, as he scanned the moonlit surface with a growing sense of unease, a single thought echoed in his mind – where was she?

He hadn't expected Lashanie to wait for him all night, but a simple signal, a splash, a flicker of light – anything to acknowledge their agreed-upon meeting place. But there was nothing. Just the gentle lapping of waves against the boat, a haunting melody that mirrored the rising tide of his fear.

Had something happened? Had her father discovered her absence, his warnings of the dangers lurking above the surface ringing true? Or was Lashanie simply being cautious, maintaining a lower profile to avoid suspicion?

Varian, despite his earlier confidence, couldn't deny the prick of worry that settled in his gut. The fear her people held towards humans was a powerful force, and Lashanie, venturing into the night to meet him, had taken a considerable risk.

He waited for another hour, the silence broken only by the occasional cry of a night bird. But as the first rays of dawn began to paint the eastern sky with streaks of pink and orange, a heavy sigh escaped his lips. He had to concede defeat.

"Perhaps tomorrow night," he muttered to himself, his voice echoing hollowly across the water. But even as he said it, a sliver of doubt lingered. With a heavy heart, Varian turned the boat towards the castle, his mind swirling with possibilities, both hopeful and worrying.

He knew he couldn't afford to be reckless. Lashanie's safety, and the fragile trust they'd built, was paramount. He would have to wait, bide his time, and hope that their connection, forged under the moonlight, was strong enough to weather this unexpected silence.

As the sun rose, casting a golden path across the water, a solitary figure emerged from the depths of the ocean in a different cove, far from where Varian had waited. Lashanie, her shoulders slumped and eyes filled with disappointment, swam towards the safety of her pod. The fear of her father's wrath had kept her from the meeting, a decision that left a bitter taste in her mouth. Yet, as she glanced back at the rising sun, a spark of determination flickered in her heart. This was not the end. She would find a way to continue their connection, a way to keep the bridge they were building from collapsing. Lashanie, the mermaid who dared to surface, knew that her story with Varian, the Stargazer prince, had only just begun.

The morning sun glinted off the harbor water, casting a dazzling sheen on the docked ships. Duty, as usual, found Varian patrolling the bustling docks, a bored sigh escaping his lips. He yearned for the thrill of his late-night encounter, the anticipation of Lashanie's arrival. But today, his princely duties were confined to ensuring the smooth flow of trade and resolving petty disputes between fishermen.

Just as Varian was about to dismiss the morning as another tedious task, a flash of movement caught his eye. A sleek dolphin, its body a shimmering silver against the blue water, breached the surface near the docks. An unexpected surge of curiosity coursed through him. Dolphins weren't uncommon in the harbor, but something about this one felt different.

It circled the docked ships with an almost playful intent, its dark eyes seeming to fix on Varian for a fleeting moment. A shiver ran down Varian's spine, a strange feeling that this wasn't a random encounter. Was it just his yearning for Lashanie that made him see connections where there were none?