A Mermaid's Kiss

Chapter 6

Something was inturrupting my dream. I stirred, opening my eyes to the scariest sight I had ever seen. A huge grotesque animal was hovering right in front of my face.

I screamed, jumping off the rock I was resting on. After I setlled down enough to get a good look at it, I realized that it was only an angler fish. Though it looked viscious, it was only violent when attacked.

"Hey there little fish. What are you doing here?" I cooed. I had always loved the creatures of the sea.

You must come with me Princess.

I gasped. The fish had spoken to me in my mind. I knew of fish that could communicate with some merfold, but never angler fish.

"Where do you want me to go?"

You need to come with me if you want your deepest desire to be fulfilled.

"My deepest desire? How could you possibly know what I desire?"

You wish to be human to be with the one you love. Am I correct?

I gasped as the image of me, with legs, danced with my human. How could this fish have known that?

I know because I am a seer fish. I see the wishes and desires of the merfolk in need.

"And you think you can help me?"

Yes.

"Well, I must repay you. What can I do?"

What I'll need, Princess, is your memory.

"M-my memory? Why?"

Because, Princess I feed off of memories. Without them, I shall die. I won't need much, just a few.

"How can I give them to you?"

Simply touch me.

So I did as I was told.

A flash of white blinded me and I crumpled to the ground.

I gasped for breath, and water came into my lungs. I couldn't breathe. I kicked my new legs, heading for the surface.

After a few agonizingly long seconds, I broke the surface of the water. I gulped in the fresh air. I forced my legs to propell me to the beach, where I collapsed on the sand.

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When I awoke, I was groggy. I sat up, rubbing my eyes and taking in my surroundings.

How did I get on the beach?

I stood up and was shakey on my legs. I didn't know who I was, or where I was for that matter.

"Hello?" I called out in a hoarse voice. "Is anyone here?"

A man came running down the beach, leaning heavily on a crutch. "Miss, miss are you alright?"

I cowered away from him. "Who are you? Where am I? Please don't hurt me!"

He walked towards me slowly, putting his hands out. "I won't hurt you. I am Prince William and you are in the country of Ropersburg. Now, my dear, who are you?"

I paused. I actually didn't know who I was. "I-I don't know."

"You don't know?"

I shook my head. "No, I don't. I don't know who I am or how I got here."

The man, William came and grasped my hand. "Well, why don't you come with me and I'll take you back to the palace, and we can clean you right up."

I allowed him to lead me to his palace and let  his attendents clean me up. I was in a daze the entire time.

When I finally realzied what was going on, some lady was doing my hair. I glanced down at my body and saw I was clothed in a dress of the deepest midnight blue. It was formfitting, and at the hips, it flared out and just brushed the ground. The neckline was modest, reaching just above the curve of my breasts, and the sleeves tapered down to my middle fingers.

"Excuse me, miss. But why are you making me so fancy?"

The young woman -she was scarcely twenty- blushed and said "Because his majestys has asked for you to join him for dinner. He wants to get to know you, and for you to meet his parents."

I nodded slowly in understanding. I rose and made my way to the dining room. I remembered where it was from walking past it earlier.

As I entered, I saw William standing and talking to a man and woman by the window. I gave a delicate, feminine cough to get thier attention.

Their talking immediently cut off and they all looked at me.

"Hello," I said.

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{William's POV}

After I dropped off the strange and beautiful woman, I went to my room to change for dinner and think about her. I had the oddest feeling that I had seen her before, but that was ridiculous. I know that I had never met anyone as beautiful and gentle as her.

I changed my clothes into something slightly more formal. As I took off my pants, I winced as I brushed against my cut. It had been deep, and the doctor wondered how I survived.

I knew, but I didn't tell anyone. There was a girl, a girl who swam me to shore, and ensured I survived. A girl of the most utter beauty, and the most melodious voice. I couldn't get her out of my head.

Another reason why I had to keep her a secret was because she was a mermaid. I remembered her sitting on the beach, stroking my hair, and seeing her tail flip back and forth.

When I touched it, she had gasped and jumped into the water.

I hadn't had the strength to tell her to stay.

When the mystery girl showed up on my beach, I had thought it was my mermaid. But it wasn't, because the mystery girl had no idea who she was.

I just had to hope that the mermaid would visit me again.

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"Mother, father, hello," I said as I entered the dining room. My mother and father, the king and queen, were seated at the table, heads bent together talking.

"Hello dear, how are you?" my mother asked me.

I bent down to give her a kiss on the cheek and shake my fathers hand. My mother, Illiana, was a proud, kind woman who didn't care for the politics. My father, Gerard, was a strong, sturdy man who ruled our country with an open heart.

"I'm fine mother." I turned to my father. "Father, may I ask you something?"

He nodded. "Of course. What is it?"

"I found a girl washed up on the beach today. She hasn't the slightest idea who she is, or why she was there. I want her to stay with us until she can remember who she is and can rejoin her family."

My father clasped his hands under his chin and thought about my request. He looked at me and smiled. "Of course my boy. She can stay as long as she likes. Now, why don't you go fetch her."

As he said that, a delicate, feminine cough sounded from the door. We looked up and saw the mystery girl standing there.

My mouth dropped open. She was beautiful.

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A long one today! I hope you like it!!!

<3 Ellie