Beauty and the Merman

Chapter 2

    I couldn't understand why he looked so forlorn. "Why are you apologizing, Dad? I'm just happy you made it back home. I was so worried about you."
    If anything, Dad looked even more ashamed as he took a deep breath, as if preparing himself for my disappointment. "You may not be so forgiving when you find out what I have done. I am so sorry, I promise I will tell you, but please give me a night of peace tonight. Tomorrow, I'll tell you ... tomorrow." And with that, he fell asleep.
    I wanted to know now, but out of love for my father, I let him sleep. I put a blanket over him and went back to my room. I was relieved that at least Dad was home and safe. Whatever he was afraid of telling me, would pale in comparison to his safety. I would be strong for him.
    The next morning, I was up at dawn. When I peek into the living room, I see that Dad is still asleep. I didn't want to wake him so I begin preparing breakfast. I'm making French toast and hot chocolate when Dad comes in, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. He doesn't look like himself, but he looks infinitely better than last night.
    "Good morning, Dad. Would you like some breakfast?"
    "Yes, please. Is that hot chocolate I see?"
    "With cinnamon, just the way you like it." I didn't know anyone else who drank hot chocolate with whipped cream and cinnamon, but that's always how we drank it. I serve both of our plates and sit down expectantly. He couldn't possibly make me wait any longer.
    Dad looks up at me and sighs with resignation. "You won't think of anything else until I tell you what happened, will you?"
    I just look at him with raised eyebrows. He knew I was waiting. Dad grabs his hot chocolate and raises it to his lips before he lowers it once again. "I don't know where to even begin, Marina. I probably should have listened to you. I shouldn't have gone out yesterday in the storm. But I'm stubborn and I thought I could beat the ocean, but I couldn't. The fish weren't even biting, I could have gone home at any time, but the worst happened when I decided to put down down more net.
    "I could barely stay afloat in the ocean as I stood up, trying to balance. I threw down the net and expected nothing like the rest of the day had gone, but I still hoped. The waves were crashing against the boat and I couldn't hear anything over the screaming wind. All of a sudden, whatever I had caught began to pull the boat down. Excited, I grabbed the net and began pulling it up. I never would have expected what came up.
    "I pulled with all my might and when the net finally broke the surface ... you'd never believe what I caught." He paused to gauge my reaction, to see if I was believing his story. I was, Dad has never lied to me before. "I had caught a mermaid. Well, a merman ... I guess. He was a beautiful creature but I had never caught one in my net before. He was staring at me like it was my fault. I guess it was, since he had gotten caught in my net.
    "Just as I was looking for my knife to release him, because I had never meant to trap him, another mermaid--merman, burst out of the ocean like a cannonball right next to me.
    "He was riding a geyser of water that just stayed flowing from the surface of the sea, keeping him so that I was forced to look up at him. I fell back from fright and raised my head to see his face.
    "He was glaring at me with pure fury. 'How dare you catch my brother in a net as if he were some fish to be caught. Who do you think you are?"
    "His voice thundered louder than the storm. 'I am a humble fisherman and I did not mean to capture your brother in my net. This has never happened before. I was just about to release him'
    "'Silence!' he replied. 'Your sin is unforgivable. As payment for his humiliation and endangerment, I will take you to the mercourt for charges against you. The penalty is certain to be death.'
    "He spoke with such authority. His words were not to be questioned. I became desperate and began to beg for my life. 'Please don't take me away. I care for my daughter. She is all I have in the world. Without me, she has no one. I will give you anything you want. Just name it.' I am ashamed at my cowardice."
    Dad dropped his head into his hands. I wondered if he would have the strength to continue.
    "No Dad, you're not a coward." I had started to comfort him, but he cut me off before I could continue.
"I am, for he responded 'I want your daughter. Instead of taking you, I want to take her in your place.' And at that, I lost any composure I had left and began to weep. My tears blended with the rain. 'Please do not take my daughter. She is my life. Isn't there anything else you would like?'
    "'No. It is either you or your daughter. I suggest you give me your daughter, for if I take you, the penalty is certain death. However, if you give me your daughter, I promise she will be safe with me.'
    "This is why I am a coward. I agreed to send you in my place and he gave us a week together. I don't know what I was thinking. I am the worst father for sending his daughter instead of himself to this monster. He has no compassion, he showed no mercy. I should never have agreed to let you go." His eyes were full of sorrow.
    "No Dad, you made the right decision. You said that if you went, their law would not be in your favor. you would have died. But you also said that he promised me safety if I went instead. If I go, we will both be safe and I will be happy knowing that you are alive and well also."
    I can't ever remember seeing Dad cry, not even when we lost Mom, but right then, he sobbed.