Forever Tide: My True Identity

Chapter Six

“I am ready! You mean that finally I can get my fins?”

“Yes Princess, we as your teachers all feel you are ready to begin your journey to Atlantis, and to receive the gift of your tail. Remember it is a tail not fins.”

“Sorry Lady Ann I forgot in my excitement. I was beginning to wonder if I would ever be good enough.”

“Princess you have always been good enough. We just wanted you to be perfect, we wanted there to be no room for doubt. You are the rightful heir to the throne, and now no one will be able to stand in your way. You are going to be the perfect Queen.”

“Thank You, you guys have made me worthy of such a title. When do we leave?”

“In three days’ time my lady. We will be receiving a special escort from your father. Once they arrive we will depart.”

“Thank you Professor.”

I could not believe it in the last three months I had grown in ways I could have only imagined. I begrudgingly came to respect Professor Torla, no longer is he a slave driver he has become my friend, and a valuable source of knowledge. Aslean, my best friend and cousin, managed to tame my spirit, and when needed I can now be the perfect princess. I remember when to curtsy, with whom to speak too, and whom not too. I even learned proper grammar.

My only issue with all of this is that for the last three months I have not been able to enter the water without a guard, and have not got a chance to communicate with Trix again. I have to admit that I was confused, and scared for a few days knowing that he truly was a Selkie and that his mission was to destroy me. I could tell that he fought that nature, and that he was doing his best to protect me, but to hear what everyone had been telling me come from him, was unnerving.

Sixteen, I was going to be turning sixteen in the sea. My birthday had come and gone for Mama and Papa, but that was the birthday that they picked for me. I was actually born about a month later then they had thought. That was the day that I would get the rest of my mere abilities, and of course what I am most excited for; my tail.

Swimming beside other mere, dolphins, and fish felt awkward without a tail, I felt out of place, incomplete. To be whole, and to be Queen I needed to be completely mere, not half and half. Right now I was neither, by next week though I would be complete.

Mama and Papa had been great and full of support since I first found out, but I knew that this news was going to be hard on Mama. I was her baby, and she was not going to let her baby go without shedding some tears. Papa I am sure would approach my leaving with his usual calm demeanor, a lingering hug, and well wishes, all I would have to know that he was going to miss me.

Aslean and I had discussed in great detail how to include my human parents in my life under the sea, and how I would assure they were safe with me gone. No solution was good enough to me; I will get regular visits, and Marco has agreed to stay behind, and watch over them along with Tomas. Tomas will be our messenger. It was decided early on that Marco was not an appropriate guard for me, as we did not seem to establish a friendship. Sanshea has reluctantly agreed to be my guard for the time being. While we have not always seen eye to eye, and by no means are friends we have a healthy respect for each other.

Now to tell Mama and Papa.

“Mama, I have something to tell you.”

“Your leaving aren’t you? I knew that this was coming soon you have been doing so well with your training.”

“Yes Mama, I leave in three days’ time. They are sending me an escort; I assure you that I will be safe.”

“I know you will be safe baby but you are still my little girl, and I don’t want you to go.”

“I know, I love you Mama, remember that. I will always love you, and one day you will have grandbabies. They may be mermaids but they will be your grandbabies.”

“Grandbabies, you plan on giving me grandbabies!”

“Of course I want to give you grandbabies. Mama you would be an outstanding Nana, and I want you to have that opportunity.”

“Then I had better let you go! I want those babies, before I am too old to enjoy them you hear me?”

“I hear you, where is Papa I need to tell him as well.”

Hugging my Mama felt good, and right. I could hardly believe that all it would take for her to send me out the door was the talk of grandbabies. I never really thought about having children, for some reason in my mind that just seemed like the right thing to say. Now though I think it would be nice, I would like to fall head over tail in love, and have babies. A stunning, strong mere baby, that makes me smile just to think about them.

Papa was on the boat just like Mama had said, and I took the opportunity to watch him while he worked. I loved the way he polished her like she was a prize jewel, not a rusted out, decrypted fishing boat. With his love she still had a good long life at sea. I could faintly hear the tune that he was whistling; how I loved to listen to him whistle. In the mornings when we would go out I loved resting my head against wheel well, and listen to Papa as he steered the ship. Softly I began to hum the tune, it was his lullaby to me. A song that forever would remain etched in my heart.

“Permission to come aboard Papa?”

“Permission granted darling. Now what is so important that my Emi needed Permission to come aboard this vessel?”

“I got the news Papa. I am ready to go, Aslean, and the Professor they all agree that I am now fit to enter mere society.”

“Oh Emi that is great, I know that you have wanted this.”

“I have Papa I have.”

“When are they whisking you away from here?”

“We leave in three days.”

“Can I have those three days, just you, me, and your Mama?”

“Let me ask Rictor.”

‘Rictor? Papa has a question, can he have these next three days with me. Him and Mama, we need the time as a family.’

‘Are you willing to take Gwen with you, and Sanshea if you go out to sea?’

‘Yes, Gwen is with me everywhere you should know this by now.’

‘I know, you guys just don’t talk.’

‘We talk Rictor, just only with the mind link. I don’t like my thoughts to be public.’

‘Alright, be safe princess.’

“He said yes Papa, are we going to sea, or staying here?”

“I was thinking we would go to our island Emi. Our last time together as a family, I want this to be something we all will remember.”

“Okay, Sanshea will be accompanying us then. You know how they are, they want me to be safe at all times.”

“I know go tell your mother, I will get the boat ready.”