the little mermaid | jellal fernandes [discontinued]

Chapter 12- Awake

Jellal didn't feel heavy in my arms.

The water was my friend for the first time this morning, not foe like hours ago. They held him up, gently swaying us to the shore.

The sand burned against my scales, but I didn't mind. I was leaning over Jellal, two fingers on the steadily beating pulse on his wrist, like the constant drops of hope that filled me. His black pants were torn by to his knees, and I had ripped off pieces of abandoned clothing over ankle and forehead.

His blood had stained the fabric red, but the bleeding stopped.

It was just morning.

The sky was a murky mix of green and blue, the rocks a beautiful shade between orange and bronze when the sunlight casted against them.

And, thank Poseidon, the shore was one I recognized, not too far from his home.

"Is he dead?"

An idle voice came, the pitter-patter of claws in the sand next.

"Don't make it sound like you're happy about it," I try to snap back, but it was impossible to keep my focus on Kelton when I had this breathtaking man in my arms.

He breathed regularly; heavily, like there was something large weighing down on his lungs. Which I'm sure there was, considering the amount of seawater he probably swallowed.

Gently, as if his skin was made from porcelain, I pushed his head so he faced me, eyes closed.

The words slipped out of my mouth without notice.

"One morning, one morning, one morning in May

I spied a young couple all on the highway

And one was a lady so bright and so fair

And the other was a soldier, a brave volunteer.

Good morning, good morning, good morning to thee,

Now where are you going my pretty lady?

I'm going to travel to the banks of the sea

To see the waters gliding, hear the nightingales sing..."

"Are you sure he's not dead?"

"Stop being so annoying," I hiss. "humans are not used to talking crabs. Especially if they are a loud ass."

He snorts, offended. He muttered something under his breath about me being a singing hypocrite, and that princesses shouldn't swear.

"...Pretty soldier, pretty soldier, will you marry me?

Oh no, pretty lady that never can be..."

I could see the faint fluttering of his lashes, and a sliver of murky brown appeared.

"...I've a wife back in London and children twice three..."

Jellal's eyelids opened bit by bit.

"...two wives in the army is-"

"YOUR HIGHNESS!"

I was in the water in less than a second.

I was hurried; unable to make a proper dive, sand shooting in my eyes.

I move behind a rock, and peek out the water.

The green-haired man was on the boat last night was running towards his unconscious prince, a bit clumsily, as if he never really needs to run. Which I'm sure is the case, considering he's probably a royal advisor or a servant of some kind.

The man- Freed?- knelt down beside his half-awake body.

Another man runs after him; quicker, with a stronger build.

However, his eyes weren't on Jellal.

They were on the water.

The pink-haired man had seen me.

*

I didn't have time to contemplate what I was going to do about it.

Jellal was now more conscious, and Freed helped him up with a relieved smile on his face. "Oh thank god we found you, I set the whole guard and servants on alert, and you ended up being so close to us!"

The Prince didn't pay attention his friend's words.

He stumbled up, running a hand through wet, bright blue locks.

"A girl..." he whispered, in complete awe, scanning the ocean.

My heart felt like it was about to burst out of my chest.

"Rescued me..." he continued, noticing the bandages. "she was singing... Freed, she had the most beautiful voice..."

Oh my god. He heard me sing.

Freed didn't take him seriously, only watching him in amusement. "Jellal, I think the seawater affected your brain. Maybe they caused hallucinations of some sort? Or you ate some hallucinogenic fish by accident?"

I try to hold back my snort. He doesn't believe his own prince, even if they are mere ramblings. And... you can only find hallucinogenic fish in the deep sea bottoms.

Natsu still didn't respond, wide eyes set on the sea.

Jellal shook his head, and his companion threw his arm around his shoulders for support. The Prince leaned on him, full trust in the man, but there seemed to be something else on his mind,

"No, but..." Jellal hesitated, Natsu watching him anxiously. "that voice... I know that voice."

The first thing that came to mind was my confusion.

Then happiness.

He forgot about me, but he didn't do it deliberately, because if he did, he wouldn't be acting like this. My Jellal remembers me, even if it's just faintly, and it brought ounces of joy to my hammering heart.

He didn't block me from his memories.

Something... or someone else did.

I watch Freed hobble with Jellal leaning on him, the latter much heavier and rippling with trained muscles. I laugh at the trouble Freed has with keeping the bluenette upright; face going pink.

Natsu stays behind; and I recall his amazement with mermaids. He's silent, as if expecting me to pop back out of the waves and say 'hello'. I don't.

He shakes his head, whispering a 'get yourself together Natsu', and walking away, sand sticking to the bottom of his feet.

And, for the first time since years ago, I felt truly happy.

The song, 'The Nightingale,' is the american variant of an english sea ballad, written in 1675 by W. Olney of London. Here is the link where I found it:

i didn't want to use part of your world... lol i dont know if i like this one either XD

also, my wattpad on my computer doesn't work, so i have to use my kindle to publish stories(dont ask what happened to my phone) which is a pain in the ass, but im trying to fix it as soon as possible!