The Little Mermaid's Name is Luna

6: The Pond

"So, are you sixteen?" Charles asked, smiling.

Luna shook her head, smiling in return. They'd just been dropped off in the middle of the forest, and they were walking on a path littered with rocks and branches. The prince had begun to ask her age to pass the time, but of course, it was limited to "yes" and "no" questions.

"Fifteen?" he guessed.

Luna nodded happily.

"Fifteen!" Charles said triumphantly. "You are fifteen years old. Ah. Not really old enough to marry, are you?"

Luna breath caught. He did not know that whether they married or not decided Luna's fate. If she married him, they would live happily ever after, as they did in all the children's tales. They would raise a family, and she would live out the rest of her natural life and then die to be in that bright place. However, if they didn't, she would die and cease to exist at all. She didn't want to think about what might happen then.

"You are still beautiful, though. Still very lovely. You, my flower, are one of the loveliest maidens I have ever known." Charles let his gaze drift as they walked. "However, if I may confide in you, there is a maiden that will be my wife if I ever find her again. She is the woman that saved my life. You resemble her, and if I never find her again, you will be the love of my life, forever and ever."

Luna leaned against him, twining her hand through his. You have no idea, she thought. She was the maiden who had saved him, and asked him to live. She was the one who had given up her whole life to be with him. She was the one who would be his wife. And he was the one who would save her.

They walked in silence a moment, listening to crackling leaves under their feet and the songs of the flying fish her grandmother had told her about. She finally allowed what the prince had said sink in, and she realized that he loved her.

Told you, she thought. She remembered that the woman in her dream had asked if she had made the right decision, and she knew she had.

Finally, sparkling water could be seen through the trees, and Luna felt an urge to be in it. She wanted it to caress her skin and fill her ears, wanted her lungs to breathe in its thickness. Her heart ached for home, but she forced herself to keep her eyes ahead.

Luna and Charles walked onto the soft, sandy beach. Over to Luna's right was a gazebo, set up with a picnic table, a table cloth, and covered silver platters. In front of them was a gray rowboat, floating idly by the beach. The prince took Luna's hand and guided her into the boat. Luna took a seat in the back, caressing the water with her hands. It felt cool and familiar. Charles rolled up his pants and pushed the boat into the water, and then climbed in. He sat in front of her, so close their knees were pressed together. He grabbed the oars and pushed them out into the middle of the pond. Once they were out, he took her hands in his own and, for a long moment, just stared at her.

"Lovely are you," he said. "You would make a perfect wife. You are quiet and demure; you have good manners, and you are beautiful. And it is time that I get married."

Luna held her breath. She waited.

He said nothing.

Are you asking me to be your wife? she thought. I will say yes if you are. You would save my life by asking me that.

The prince leaned toward her. "I love you," he said, tucking a strand of black hair behind her ear. "I shall love you forever, because you resemble the girl who saved my life."

Luna thought: But I am the one who saved you.

He leaned toward her and touched her lips with his. Her first kiss, Luna noted. She was having her first kiss with the prince. It only lasted a second or two, but it meant more to her than all the flowers of the ocean. He drew back, and she felt her spirits lift.

Ask me, she thought. Ask me, please.

The prince caressed her cheek. "Milady... will you-?"

Luna gasped and jumped. Terror gripped her. What was that? She looked down into the water, shaking, her eyes searching for the dark shape that had gone under their boat. Slowly her breathing began to steady. Maybe it had been her imagination. There wasn't really a shark or an eel or a mermaid here. Maybe she and the prince were alone. 

The bad thing was that the moment had been broken.

She cursed her mind. The mood had been right. He'd nearly asked her to marry her. And then she'd seen a dark shape that wasn't real and it had scared her out of her wits. She lowered her head into her hands.

"Milady! Are you all right? Whatever frightened you?" Charles asked, touching her arms. Luna shook her head. Charles pulled her close. Stupid stupid stupid, she thought, sighing into the prince's chest. She tried to enjoy his embrace, tried to forget her anger at herself.

She finally drew back. The prince's hands cupped her face, then dropped. She took a deep breath. "Maybe we should go back," the prince suggested.

Luna shook her head. She wanted to stay. She wanted to be with him. Get to know him. She thought of how much easier it would be if she could talk. Unfortunately, she had given that up for him, and hopefully he would be willing to give it all up for her.

Still, she got the sneaking feeling that he didn't love her as much as she loved him.

She released her breath and took his hand, snuggling close. The prince held her, rubbing her back. In her mind, she begged him to ask her what he'd been going to ask her.

Milady, will you marry me?

Luna leaned back and smiled, letting Charles know she was all right. He nodded and smiled back, but then began looking around anxiously, shifting in his seat. Luna frowned at him.

"I forgot to tell you," he said. "We're going to visit another kingdom tomorrow. I was wondering if you would accompany me?"

Luna nodded at first, anxious to be with him, before realizing tomorrow was her last day. A trip could upset any possible wedding they could have, and that meant-

I'm going to die.