The first thing Philip noticed when he began to wake up, was that he was not dead. He also wasn't in the water anymore, so that meant he was somewhere on land. More importantly, though. Who had brought him here?
He blinked open his eyes to see the sun filtering down through a canopy of trees above him. He could smell something cooking nearby. Painfully, he rolled to his side to see a merry fire crackling, some fish strips dangling tantalizingly over the flames as they cooked.
The missionary pulled himself up, groaning as he began to feel every single bruise that he had gotten during his cliffside trip.
What a stupid idea that had been... Plunging himself off a cliff to try and find a mermaid who's alliegances to him weren't even clear.
If that was so, then who had brought him here, to the beach? If it wasn't Sirena, then perhaps he wasn't alone after all...
A rustling sound from the trees to his right captured Philip's attention. At last, he would find out what angel had plucked him from a certain watery grave.
The ferns parted, and Sirena stepped into his vision, looking more radiant than ever. Philip smiled.
"I knew you would come back to me" He said, wincing as he did so.
"Only a fool throws himself off a cliff" She replied, eyes flashing with annoyance.
"Only a fool in love" Phillip uttered, watching as Sirena froze and looked at him.
"It is forbidden" she whispered, setting down the pouch of water that she had been carrying. From Phillip's spot across from her, he could see the small glowing tears dripping down her porcelain cheeks.
"Then why did you save me?" Phillip asked bluntly.
"I-" Syrena started, then stopped, face devoid of emotion. Phillip pulled himself to his knees and crawled over to the Mermaid, hesitantly putting an arm around her. To his relief, she didn't shy away.
"You know that I will devote myself to you fully, no matter if you felt the same way or not" Phillip took his chances and placed a kiss on Syrena's temple before crawling back to his spot on the other side of the fire.
When Syrena said nothing else, Phillip sighed and rolled to face away from the fire, looking out at the ocean and allowing himself to drift off to sleep.
Phillip came back to consciousness a couple hours later, judging by how the sun had moved across the sky. The fish strips were done and had been left to cool on a flat rock near the fire.
Phillip set upon the fish, relieved that Syrena had left him with provisions before she went back to the sea.
Of course she had left him, his attempt at romantic actions earlier in the day were probably inexcusable...
Phillip ate the fish moodily, tossing the bones back in the fire.
"Stupid wanker, codsfish, of course the lady doth protest your actions-" This went on for a few minutes, the clergy uttering words that god would probably have smote him for saying.
"Codswallop, God left you on this island to rot, i'm sure he wouldn't mind you swearing about it"
"Do you always talk to yourself?"
Phillip broke off his string of swear words ubruptly, looking up to see Sirena standing on the beach, framed by the blue ocean.
"Yes and no" He replied, turning his head to the side with a smile.
"I have thought on your words earlier, and I-" Syrena stopped, her head whipping to her right, watching down the beach as if listening. The mermaid stood stock-still.
"Syrena?" Philip asked after a moment. Syrena looked at him, an expression of deep fear on her pale face.
"It is no longer safe here, we must go!" With that, Syrena pulled Phillip to his feet and dragged him deeper into the trees, not stopping until it was near dark.
Finally, Phillip's legs could go on no more and he collapsed against a tree. Syrena stopped just ahead, wrapping her arms around herself.
"Syrena... What has happened?" Phillip gasped between breaths. Syrena looked at him with wide green eyes, then turned away, shoulders shaking.
"My sisters, they... They were going to murder us as soon as the moon came up" Syrena's voice broke.
Phillip pulled himself to his feet and came to Syrena, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder. She turned into her chest, wetting the tattered reamins of his shirt with her pearly tears.
"We will stay here tonight, then we will take to the cliffs" Phillip murmured in the mermaid's ear.
"It doesn't matter where we go, they will find us" Syrena said glumly.
"We have to try" Phillip replied. Syrena broke away from him, pacing around the clearing.
"I cannot stay up here long, Phillip! I need to be in the water! Did you forget that I belong to the sea?" Syrena fumed.
"I know you belong to the sea, my love. That is why I try all the harder to steal you away" Syrena looked at him for a moment.
"I will have to go back sooner or later... You know this" She replied softly, coming forwards and touching his cheek.
"I beg of you, don't go" Phillip pleaded.
"I will stay here tonight" Syrena murmured, a faraway look entering her eyes.
That night, Phillip and Syrena lay back to back for warmth.
On the breeze, the light notes of mermaid song floated up from the sea. Phillip could feel Syrena's shoulders shaking as she cried from lonliness. Her tears stabbed a knife of guilt through his heart.
Syrena didn't belong here, and it was not his place to steal her away from her home.
He had to let her go.