Gem of the Sea (Mertalia SpaMano AU)

11

Lovi lay on his back in the middle of the room, stewing in his own anger, he didn't bother to look up when his brothers slipped through the doorway and sat on either side of him, Sunny peered down sadly "you oughtn't be angry with me brother, I told for your safety"

"Oh really? Is that why you followed me? Is that why you kept him from talking to me? Is that why you took away and ruined the one thing I looked forward to?!" His voice grew louder and louder "why couldn't you have left me be?! You have your stupid trinkets and primping, let me learn!" He shouted, flinging a cushion at him and getting up "get out of my room traitor"

Sunny clenched his jaw as Deli led him out, shaking his head, just as they were shutting the door Feli sighed "perhaps you should consider who's really a traitor"

Lovi wrapped his arms around himself and scowled. He almost screamed when a thin mermaid with big eyes and an angular face  knocked on his window "hello my prince" she chimed

"What do you want?" He grunted in response

She smiled "my prince, I know of your plight and wish only to help you" she leaned on his window, speaking in a sickeningly sweet voice "I am Cerce, and I-"

"You're a sea witch"

"Yes, I suppose I could be called that, but the stories about me are blown entirely out of proportion, I only ever try to help, so please, let me help you be with the human" she held his gaze untill he relented  and allowed her to lead him out and away from the castle "come, my sister's and I have watched you on your journeys and wish to help you bridge our kingdoms, the king has isolated is too long, our culture suffers for his arrogance" she kept only a little ahead of him as they entered the cave.

He looked around at the coloured bottles "so, cerce, what's the catch? And don't act high and mighty saying there isn't one, because there always is and I'm not that dumb"

She burst out laughing "oh my prince! I wouldn't dare to trick you! No, the only "catch" as you put it, is that after drinking the potion you will become human, so drink it on the surface, and as soon as you step in the ocean again, the effects will wash away and even your own magic will no longer turn you human again, so think carefully the choices you make" she warned, two more mermaids, with lithe figures and endowed chests emerged, swirling around him and cooing over his hair, his eyes, his scales, only dispersing when Cerce brought forward a pearly green bottle, smiling "go, take this to the surface and drink it, you will be human, my prince" 

he barely knew what he was doing, barely had time to consider before he was breaking the crest of a wave, being blinded by harsh afternoon sun. he scrambled up onto the flat rock outcrop, finding the outfit Anuk had left for him and slid across the slick stone and onto the sand, staring at the bottle rested in his palm and out to the waves beyond, and there was no doubt, only anger.