Seashells and Sorrow

Prompt: What comes after a happily ever after? Is it a happy ending or is it a lie? It's time for revealing the truth.

This is a The Little Mermaid story.

      It has been seven years since I married the love of my life, Prince Eric. It has been seven years since I last saw my sisters. Seven years since I fell into the trap of The Sea Witch, Ursula.  

      The love story our town has seen of Eric and myself has only brought me more heartache. If only I could tell my younger self to not seek the love of a human. Everyone sees me as a pretty face that stands by the side of the adored prince, as I do nothing but smile and wave. I wake up every morning in the arms of someone I am forced to love and while I play with the black locks of hair that I have learned to despise my mind wishes it was someone else. When I walk the castle halls, tears flow down my porcelain face every time I walk out of the treacherous room I share. If only I could run back to my home, for I am in a forever existent prison that swallows me hole. 

      When I first had met Eric, I fell in love with his pure heart, determination, and looks. I felt as if even without my voice, he could sense what I wanted to say. The first few years of our marriage was nothing but a dream. A love that enfolded us within each other, dances that whisked us away from the reality, and restless nights encased with passion and lust. If only now that heart was still pure.  Ever since our fourth anniversary, he had granted more towards force and abuse. He would never hurt me physically, he believed it was best to hurt me emotionally. Criticizing me constantly, using tactics such as intimidation and manipulation. At first, I always thought it was his way of showing his love. Of course, I could not say anything but, if I did have my voice, if I said anything, he would drown me in more of his hurtful personality.

      Eric had forbidden me to visit the ocean behind the castle, I couldn't place my foot in the sand. I wasn't able to stand out on the balcony and take in the beautiful horizon. He forbid me to see my family again. At first, I had broken down and longed the sight of my home. Now, I can go on with my day even if I was missing the sound of the waves crashing against the rocks. I miss my home, my friends, my sisters, my father. I cannot even fathom the ways that I had hurt my family. I had chosen a human instead of my own blood and that will forever haunt me. I had chosen to give up my life in the sea, my voice, my happiness for a human who is nothing more than a handsome face.

      "Do not fret, my love. You will remain with me forever. Until forever ends." Eric would tell me over and over again. This was truly the sentence that would root my fear. Living the rest of my life with a man of such horror and living in a castle with no contact to the outside world. I suppose  I could run away, although where would I go? There is no place for me other than this ratchet prison. I could end my life, end the constant suffering of torture. But I couldn't, and I wouldn't for her.

      I met her when I had been at my lowest, during the death of my father. What had hurt me most was that I could not go to his funeral, Eric had made sure of it. Since I was human, I couldn't go anyway. One day, I will see my father's grave and pay my respects, I owe that to him. I had defied Eric that day, running to the ocean just to take in the smell of the soft ocean breeze, the sunset, the sand, the waves. I looked out into the water to see a tail, a majestic aqua and golden tail, like nothing I have ever seen before. She had washed up on the shores, I ran to her aid. Who I saw laying in front of me was the most breathtaking woman I have ever come across. Her hair was a beautiful brown, eyes were just the perfect shade of green. Ever since then, we meet every early Sunday morning, while Eric is out on business. Early on in our meetings I had felt something for her that I have never felt with Eric.

      She made me feel like I was the only woman in the world, something Eric never made me feel. Even though I could not speak, she did not care. We would spend our time with her talking to me about her time in the water, we would kiss each other passionately. I was in love with her, Eathelyn, the world's most beautiful name. It hurt me that she would never hear my voice, but she would always tell me that she knew it would sound beautiful. I knew what Eric and I once had is nothing compared to what Eathelyn and I have. 

      "One day, you and I will be together and sleep in each other's arms. That time will come and Eric will be nothing but ancient history." I knew that as long as I had her, my beautiful Eathelyn, I would be able to free myself from Eric and this castle. Eathelyn would be my one and only and we would live with one another even if she was a mermaid and I was now human. Killing Eric is what I had to do to be with Eathelyn. It still pains me deeply that she is not here anymore, Eric killed her when he found out about my affair with a mermaid.

      "You will remain with me forever. Until forever ends." Eric's voice stays echoing in my head. It had been one year since I killed him. I did it for Eathelyn. I realized that no matter that I am free from Eric and he stays rotting in a grave, he will always be with me, taunting me. No matter how much I loved Eathelyn, he truly will never leave my heart. He will remain with me forever. Until forever ends.