Of Tail Fins and Seaweed Mist

Chapter 2

Andrew took her into town that day to buy her some clothes, and to take her to the doctor's. The doctor told him that he had done exactly the right thing, by not pestering her with questions and by healing her wound. The doctor looked at her, he was intrigued. He had never seen someone like this. There was something...so inhuman about her, like she had an aura of magic around her. He shrugged his head, thinking she must just be strange, that's all.

Andrew took her into the Olsen's Dress Store and the customers and Mr. Olsen stared. Besides the fact that they had never seen Andrew leave his hut, much less come to buy a dress, they were shocked when they saw this young woman. She was beautiful. They had never seen anything like her. They stared while Andrew bought her four dresses, a nightdress, and other things. It nearly drained his savings, but it was for a good cause. He took her back to his hut, and showed her with some confusion himself how to dress herself. Then, when she was clothed properly, and she had had a bath, he began to ask her things.

"What's your name?"

The girl just looked at the floor, silent. Andrew sighed, and got up to get ready to go out to sea for the day. He thought she couldn't speak English, he would have to teach her himself, he couldn't afford a private instructor.

"Adriana."

He stopped. He turned around.

"You can talk?"

"Yes."

He began to ask her more. Her family, where she was from, everything.

"I'm from...a faraway land. A very far land."

"Why aren't you there?'

"I...I wanted to...to... find another life. I wasn't happy," she said this as tears slid down her much healthier looking cheeks.

"I didn't mean to offend you! I'm so sorry. Why where you lying on the beach, why were you...naked?" Andrew stammered, sad that he had caused her grief.

"I'm sorry, Andrew, I can't answer this...Maybe one day...Someday..." She stopped, and wriggled her feet.

"Alright".

So, months past, and Adriana moved out on her own, after living with Andrew for two weeks. She went to stay in the second story of a house belonging to old Mrs. Ulles. Soon, after six moths of night schooling, she became the local teacher. Everyone loved her. Her students brought her flowers and apples, in the hopes of smile and kind words. Young men dressed up in their finest clothes to talk to her, bringing small gifts like roses and rings they had made. Yet even with all this, she would find time once a week to go down to the sea to find quiet and alone Andrew, whom still lived in his hut. They sometimes talked, and they sometimes just sat. Adriana was happy with everything.

Andrew, on the other hand, wasn't as happy. He loved Adriana with all his heart, and he couldn't stand just sitting and talking. Yet he didn't know what to do. He had seen young men take her gifts and kiss her, but he couldn't imagine doing that, he squirmed with shyness and nervousness. No, he would have to stay this way, wait, while some other man would whisk her away while he stayed here, alone with his boat.

Adriana wondered often why Andrew never attempted to hold her or court her, she could tell that he loved her, but she wondered why he didn't do anything. Her heart ached, she loved him too.

So, time went on, and Andrew soon turned 21, and Adriana, they guessed turned 18. Andrew watched her come out of the school, always meaning to talk to her, but then some other man would come, and he would walk home sad and grieved.

Another year passed, and then Adriana began to lose hope. She didn't want to stay here forever, she wanted to marry Andrew, but if not, she would leave. So she packed her bags, and then the whole town threw her a party, one which Andrew had not been invited, the villagers always forgot about the handsome, quiet young man who lived in the hut by the sea.

Andrew was sitting on a piece of driftwood at the time, weaving a ring for Adriana made out of stalks of sea grass and with a single, dark blue stone in the center that he had found in the mouth of a fish one day. He knew that he would never have the courage to give it to her, but just in case, he thought, he would hold on to it.

Then he heard music and laughing. He walked, and could see a celebration. Hum, what is it for? Then he saw it. A huge banner displaying,

"GOOD LUCK AND FAREWELL ADRIANA! WE WILL ALWAYS REMEMBER YOU!"

What? Adriana was leaving? But she couldn't! No! She was the one for him! Andrew jumped up, thrusting the ring into his pocket, running as fast as he could towards town. "

"No! She can't...huff...leave! I...wheeze...pant...love her."

He knew it. He couldn't let her go! She was his sea-maiden, he had rescued her, without him, she would have died, and now, without her, he would die.

He ran through the festivities, up to Adriana.

"Adriana, I know this is...sudden, but, before you leave, I just want to say..." Here goes, he though! "I..."

The town was silent. Say it, they thought!

"I love you."

They rejoiced, and Adriana leapt forwards to him.

"I have nothing to offer you, but I can tell you this. Every day and every night of my life, I will love you with everything I have, I will protect you and make sure you stay happy. I may not be rich, and I don't know if I can ever give you what some of these other men can give you. But I know this. I love you, and I want to spend every day and every night for the rest of my life trying to show you just how much I love you."

Adriana stepped into his arms; tears streaming down her face.

"I love you too, Andrew Finn". Andrew slipped the ring onto her finger, and with a deep breath...

He kissed her.

* * * * *

Hey, I hope you all liked it! I loved writing this; I started getting emotional myself! Ok, and something I really really really have to say here is this. Everything that you have read is mine. Nothing is from the little mermaid. Adriana is NOT Ariel of the Sea witch, ok? I really have to make this clear. Everything will come together soon, but not yet. So, just trust me hear, all right? Thanks, you guys are awesome! Luv all of ya!