Beauty and the Merman

Chapter 8

For a couple of weeks, we continued in our routine. He would be waiting outside my room every morning. Did he ever sleep? We would read in the library, then I would help him prepare dinner and we would eat before I went to sleep. It was comfortable for a while, and I couldn't say I was unhappy. But I couldn't stay inside forever. Sorelen noticed I was agitated one of the days. In a worried tone, he questioned me. "Marina, what's wrong?"
"Me? What's wrong? Why would anything be wrong?"
"You don't seem yourself today."
"Oh, I guess I'm just tired of staying inside everyday. This place is beautiful and wonderful. But have you ever heard of cabin fever?"
"Of course we could go outside."
He took me to the front door and when I swam outside, I was again struck with the beauty of this place. As much as I had begun to enjoy my company with Sorelen, he was a bit of a constant presence everyday. I felt bad, but I needed space. "Sorelen? I don't mean to sound rude, but can I enjoy a little time by myself today? I'll just swim around."
"Of course. I'll be right inside if you need me." And he left. It sounded cruel how I sent him off, but the day seemed so nice and the water so clear. Sometimes, I would swim around the castle and sometimes just float around. Just when I was beginning to relax a little, a shadow passed by the corner of my vision. I looked but saw nothing. I settled down again but the shadow passed by me again. I looked again and thought of all the things that swim in the ocean. But this time, I saw what was causing the shadow. A shark!
I still couldn't swim fast, but I began swimming as hard as I could. If I didn't do something quick, I was going to be a shark snack. So I yelled "SORELEN! HELP ME! SHARK!" Right when the shark was going to bite my toes off for an appetizer, Sorelen came swooping in and stared at the shark. That big fish actually stopped and looked at Sorelen.
In a calm voice, Sorelen told the shark "Leave now. Do not come back." And if sharks could look ashamed, this one did. He looked like a scolded puppy after peeing on the rug. The shark swam away fast.
After the shark was a speck, the situation got to me and I began shaking like a leaf in a storm.  This was the kind of thing that made me terrified to go into the ocean. Sorelen came over to me and hugged me. He didn't need to say anything. We just stood there hugging. He couldn't even see I was crying because you can't see tears in the ocean. They just wash away. But I could tell he knew. He began rubbing my back like the day in the cave when he was comforting me then.
I finally felt like I needed to explain. "I know I seem like a stupid girl afraid of everything. I've just always been so afraid of everything in the ocean. I'm sorry."
"It's okay. We all have something we're afraid of." In that moment, I wondered how Sorelen could know just the right thing to say. My parents never acknowledged my fear of all things ocean-related. They always thought I that I shouldn't be afraid. But Sorelen didn't discard my fear. He accepted me as I was.