A Mermaid's Kiss

Chapter 19

"I have a proposition for you," I said as I approached Gabriel.

"Well, you know I don't want to marry you, but if you want to have some fun-"

I held my hand up to stop him before he continued. "Not like that. You don't want to marry me, and I don't want to marry you. So I have a way for the both of us to get out of this sham wedding and find happiness."

"I'm listening," he said.

My mother had let me out of the jail cell three days ago. Now I was kept on strict lock down, with either a guard or Gabriel constantly by my side.

"I had escaped before, you know that. But I did it in the dark of night, swimming over the wall. I think that this time, we need to do it in the middle of the day."

He snorted. "And how do you propose we do that? Swim out the front gates?"

"Exactly." I nodded.

"Are you crazy? The guards would stop us in a second if they saw us swimming away to freedom. You do realize that when I said that I was joking, right?"

"Yes, I realize that you were joking. But I'm not. After the wedding, the bride and groom always go to places that are special to them, ALONE."

"I know that, I've seen enough weddings to realize what happens. But we would never be allowed anywhere without guards; you're a princess, remember?"

I sighed impatiently. "Yes, I realize that. But my mother and the guards would never be so foolish as to disregard the ancient customs just to 'protect' me."

"True..." Gabriel was starting to come around, I just needed him to be fully on board.

"Gabriel, please. Isn't there anything you ever wanted so bad, that you would do anything, ANYTHING to get it."

He got a wistful look in his eyes. "There is something I wanted, or rather, someONE."

"Who was she?"

"A girl, the most beautiful girl in the entire ocean. She was perfect, and WE were perfect together. We were going to get married. But I was poor, my parents were cooks, and she was a noblewoman. Her parents didn't approve of the match. So we  were going to get married in secret, run away together. But somehow her parents found out before we could, and had her married off to some stogy old man whom her parents approved of."

He looked so forlorn, my heart broke for him. "Gabriel," I said, touching his hand. "I'm so sorry, I had no idea."

He laughed humorlessly. "And the worst part is that almost right after she gave birth to their first child, the man died, yet she's still stuck there."

"Well, if we pull off this escape, I promise that I'll help you find your love. So, are we going to do this?"

He smiled. "Let's do this."

~/~

It was the day of the wedding. I was sitting in my room for the last time. This was the room that I had grown up in, and now I was leaving it.

"What are you thinking about?" My mother said as she swam in the room.

"Just that I'll never see this room again. It's kind of sad."

She sat down next to me on the bed. "Well, when you're queen, you can have free reign of the palace." She looked wistfully at me. "Where did my precious little mermaid go?"

"I'm still here mother, just, different. I grew up,"

"I know you did. I suppose I'm no different from any other mother, wanting their daughter to stay little, looking up at you with stars in their eyes." She paused. "Of course, you never lost those stars, just redirected them."

"What do you mean?"

"When you were younger, you thought I made the waves swell in the ocean. Then, you discovered the wonder of humans, and found a new hero." She shook herself. "But enough sadness. This is a happy day, and I came in here to give you something." She pulled a small pouch from behind her back. "These were your fathers. I know that they are technically for a merman, but I thought that you would want them."

Inside the pouch were three bangles, one to symbolize health, one for strength, and one for love. "Mother, they're beautiful, thank you."

She smiled. "I'm glad you like them. He would have loved to be here."

I gave her a hug, knowing that it would be our last.

The music started. "Well, I guess it's time for us to get you down to your wedding." My mother gently pulled me off the bed, and pushed me out the door.

~/~

I was frozen at the end of the alter. Gabriel was right, this was crazy. There was no way I was going to pull an escape off a second time. I looked around the room, terrified. Then my eyes met Gabriels.

He gave me a reassuring smile and lightly gestured for me to swim forward.

When I reached him, he grasped my hand and whispered in my ear. "It's going to work, I promise."

 I took a deep breath. He was right, this was going to work.

~/~

After the ceremony, Gabriel and I were escorted to the city gates. We turned to my mother.

"This is a very special day, the wedding day of my daughter, Princess Adrienne, and Gabriel. I am honored that you all would come and help us escort them to their first moments as a married couple." She turned to us. "You will have two hours to show each other your favorite places. After that, you will return here to be led to your new home. Enjoy yourselves."

Then she and everyone else swam away, back to their lives.

I turned to Gabriel. "Are you ready for this?"

He smiled. "Always."

~/~

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<3 Ellie