Beauty and the Merman

Chapter 5

I could feel the water rushing into my lungs. I would never escape this. I was going to die. If I thought holding my breathe burned my lungs, having water rush into them hurt even more. Just when I thought I was going to fill up with water and sink to the bottom of the ocean, I began to "breathe" water. It was crazy, but I was fine. I could see Sorelen gazing at me with a worried expression in his eyes, making sure I was okay. I looked down and he was touching my arms. He looked in my eyes. "Are you okay now? With me, you will be fine. You can breathe water and talk." I could talk? I guess I could try... "I guess I'm okay now." Wow! I just spoke underwater.
With that, he turned around and said "Let's go then. We have a long way to go."
"But I can't swim."
He turned around and looked at me. "Right. Just hold my hand and I will take you there."
I grabbed his hand again and he began to drag me to wherever he was taking me. While I was traveling underwater, I had some time to think. But the more I thought, the more my thoughts wandered to Dad and how much I already missed him. I would never come back from this. So I had to stop thinking about Dad. I wasn't going to see him again and the less I thought about him, the better.
We must have traveled about an hour before we reached a grand castle. Sorelen finally spoke, "This is my home. It's not much, but I hope you will be happy here."
I gaped at the magnificent structure. It was huge. If it was on land, it would block the sun at all times of the day. But instead, it was set deep underwater. The green seaweed surrounding it swayed back and forth beautifully contrasting the blue walls that shimmered with the ever moving water. The sunbeams from way above, cast kaleidoscopic colors across the castle. "It's beautiful." Sorelen seemed genuinely appreciative of the compliment. "Thank you."
We began to move towards it again and it only got bigger as we got closer. Sorelen took a breath before he began to speak again. "See the wall surrounding the building?"
I looked and saw a small and simple five foot high wall surrounding the cast. "Yes."
"That wall marks the boundary. I said you were safe underwater with me. But if you get too far away from me, you will drown. However, within the boundaries of my home, you will be safe with or without me. Stay within the walls, and you may explore whatever you like."
"So I'm pretty much stuck here. This is a prison. I can't leave here without drowning."
"I hope you won't think of this as a prison. I will stay here with you. We will give each other companionship."
"Just us?"
"Well, no. Sometimes my brother, Gilden, will visit. But usually, it will be 'just us,'"
I couldn't respond to that. Sorelen did act differently than Dad described. He did not seem to be the monster he portrayed. But, I still could not forgive him for forcing us into this. Dad and I will miss him everyday. I may be forced to live with Sorelen now, but I will not forgive him for what he did. His actions are inexcusable and he is a beast.