Elizaveta swam as fast as she could. It looked as if Gilbert was really excited and planning to make a good job of that. Elizaveta sighed. She really wished they didn't have to lure poor, unfortunate merfolk to Arthur, but they couldn't do otherwise. Because back in the day, both her and Gilbert had been stupid enough to get literally tangled in a deal with Arthur. They had been so foolish. How could have Elizaveta been so stupid... a pact with Arthur to get a merman to notice her and love her... of course it couldn't work. And she had been lucky that Arthur had just lost one of his minions, so he had been willing to exchange a life as seaweed into a sentence of eternal obedience. And then she met Gilbert. He had been lured in a deal about strength. Gilbert had wanted to be the strongest of them all, to show people who was boss, and now he was just the lackey of a psychotic warlock. But a positive thing, if Elizaveta or Gilbert could use such a big word, was meeting each other. They felt as if they were each other's godsend. To have someone to talk to, and not be alone for eternity. At least, having each other made their eternal damnation a bit more tolerable. Though none of them would ever say that out loud.

"Gilbert, damn you, slow down! You're getting ahead of yourself again!"

Gilbert grudgingly slowed his pace. "Well, we just have to get the princess and bring her back. Surely we're awesome enough to not need a plan for just that?"

Elizaveta sighed for the upteenth time. "You idiot, we can't force her! She has to come on her own free will. We have to think about what to say, or we can kiss goodbye to freedom, Gil. So please. A plan."

Gilbert got a dreamy smile, then shook his head and said "I'm sorry, you lost me at 'own free will'".

Elizaveta facepalmed.


Lovina was crying her eyes out over the damp remains of what used to be a picture. Nonno had found out. Nonno had gone berserk. She could never see Antonio again. Right when she had managed to talk to him...

"You poor, poor mermaid..."

Lovina started. She looked up, wiped off her tears and shakily asked "Who's there?"

At her question, two dark tailed merfolk came out of the shadow. One had eyes of blazing red, the other had beautiful, long, flowing chestnut hair. The one with the longer hair looked kind and sad. The other just looked really impatient.

The quiet one talked again.

"Do not worry, Princess. We've heard of your... ordeal with the King. He just doesn't understand, does he?"

Lovina didn't say a word and kept her eyes trained on the two.

The long haired one swam to her, circling her as she spoke.

"Oh, what a poor mermaid. With no one that could possibly help... eh, Gil?"

The other merman gave a low whistle. "Actually Lizavet, I think I know someone awesome who could help this poor, sad child in need!"

The blue tailed mermaid kept swimming really close to Lovina. Who was feeling on the verge of fainting. Someone that could help? Ah. Yeah. Sure.

"Oh, right! You're talking of Arthur, aren't you?"

Lovina's cool blood froze in her veins. "Arthur! The sea warlock!"

Gilbert ignored her scared expression. "Of course, sister! Who else can make something like this happen? Being with your prince charming forever, that's a big wish. But you can get it, I guess. Arthur's powers are crazy, you'll see, he'll help you!"

Lovina was still scared shitless. "... j-just go away, dammit! No one can help!" with that, she swam back on the bottom of her cavern and tried to ignore the two merfolk.

Elizaveta stopped swimming in circles around her. She went away as if it was no big deal.

"Oh well, we tried, eh? To think that turning human is one of Arthur's specialties..."

Gilbert gave a laugh, if a little hollow. "Well, what d'ya want, it's not like we can force her to come along... I just thought she was in love enough to risk something..."
Those words hit Lovina. She turned around just in time to see the two merfolk swimming away.

"... W-WAIT, DAMMIT!"

Gilbert and Elizaveta exchanged a triumphant grin.


Ludwig and Feli were still around and trying to avoid the irate Sea King when they saw Lovina swim past in the distance, following two merfolk.

Which Ludwig recognized. Gilbert and Elizaveta! The sea warlock's most trusted lackeys! He turned to Feli and without a word, they started following her from a distance.

Ludwig cursed in his mind. If that guy got involved, a huge shitstorm was bound to come their way. And Gilbert... it had been years, at least ten, since he had actually talked to him...


Arthur was mindlessly grooming his tentacles when he noticed that someone was looking at him from the entrance of his cove. The princess! She had come! His plan was practically halfway done! Revenge was at hand's reach, finally! He tried to contain his wild enthusiasm.

"Oh, look, what have we here! The Princess! It is such a honour..."

Lovina swallowed thickly. She swam a bit further in the cave.

"I... it's not like I want to be here or shit! I just want to talk..."

Arthur interrupted her promptly.

"I hear you fell for a landwalker... a human. A beautiful one at that, my compliments. You like brunettes, uh?"

Then Arthur's eyes changed, taking on a more practical look. "But. He's a human, and you're not." And then, he theatrically brought a hand to his forehead. "Oh, if only your worlds weren't so far apart! If you weren't a creature of the sea, and he of the air! If you could stay all day in the sun, just you and him... to be a part of his world... oh, wouldn't it be wonderful?"

Lovina trembled. The guy sure understood what was going through her mind.

"But why would you help me, dammit? You're the sea warlock! You're an outcast! I'm the granddaughter of Neptune!"

Arthur didn't let her words get to him. He simply crawled nearer to her and ravelled his tentacles loosely on her tail.

"But, my poor, sweet child! I feel for you!"

Arthur's tentacles wrapped around Lovina's tail in a more possessive way as he whispered in her ear.

"Always in the cold, always reprimended by that cruel, cruel granddad of yours, never a day warm... just when you go to the surface, and bask in the sun you are truly happy! And now there's another beautiful reason for you to go up there! My sweet, little mermaid! One must really have an heart of stone to not be moved by your tale! And here I am, moved and ready to give you human legs!"

In the background, Elizaveta and Gilbert winced and closed their eyes. Those words, those manipulating turns of phrase... they had heard them so many times...

But it was the first time for Lovina. "... Are you for real, dammit?"

Arthur's smile changed a bit. It became colder, but wider.

"Of course I am, sweetheart! Hear my deal out, will you. I'll give you a potion that will give you human legs for a week. You heard me? A whole week. Now, if in this time, you can make your landwalker fall for you, you'll be a human forever. He'll need to give you a true, loving kiss before the sun sets on the seventh day. Not any kiss, but something that will make you understand the depth of his... feelings." Arthur tried not to give a mocking scoff. Feelings. As if landwalkers had them anyway...

Lovina got her hopes up. A week! A whole week! She just needed ten minutes to tell him that she was the girl that saved him, and he would immediately fall in love, and kiss her, and they could...

"BUT, If that doesn't happen, then you'll turn back into a mermaid. From that moment on, I will own you."

Lovina's resolve dampened a bit. Oh. There was the catch. Still, seven days! That was one wonderful, long time to be with Antonio... and he had kissed her hand already, he had to be... well, if not in love, at least a bit interested... it could work...

Arthur's mouth stretched in a triumphant grin. The girl was set in her tracks. She would accept the deal. It was time to talk about payment now.

"But, but, but. You know, you always have to give and take. So, I want something from you as payment for my time. You can't get something without paying, you know?"

Lovina's hopes crumbled. What could she give the warlock? "But I have not..."

A tentacle gagged her for a moment.

"Oh, do not fret, sweetheart. What I want is something that you will never miss, something purely symbolic. Just... your voice."

Lovina's blood froze yet again. Her voice! ?

"A-are you crazy! How will I make him understand who I am if I can't speak! Are you daft?"

Arthur swam really close to Lovina's face. "But you'd still have your looks. Your pretty face, your flowing hair, your beautiful figure! And if that guy doesn't realize you love him, even if you can't speak, then he doesn't love you truly."

Lovina swallowed again. Oh God, oh God, oh God, this was gonna be hard.

Arthur smiled. He got her! Her really was on a roll...

"Well darling, I'm afraid I don't have all day. You have to decide now. Sign this scroll, and you'll be human... just think, all day in the sun. Warm. With your beloved by your side... forever."

Lovina felt a rush of determination. Even without speaking, she would make Antonio realize!

She took a deep, deep breath.

And signed.


Ludwig and Feli had managed to get in the cave finally, but they had been stopped by the minions.

"Look here, Lizavet! I think we got us two other preys!" Gilbert said happily as he restrained Ludwig.

Elizaveta, who was minding Feli, shrugged. "Oh well, two more couldn't hurt, I'd say..."

Feli was crying. "Ve, please, let us go! We just need to get Lovina, we'll go away soon, I promise!"

Gilbert laughed. "I'm afraid not, missy. You see, your sister will set us free!"

Ludwig growled. Gilbert didn't even recognize him! It was true that he had been a kid when his brother disappeared, but it still really hurt him. He snarled "You are the worst! You know what she's agreed to, and you let her! You're a coward! You've always been!"

Elizaveta's eyes darkened. "What do we care about another stupid mermaid? No one stepped in to save me when I came here! Why should we have pity on her?"

Gilbert instead looked like Ludwig's words had an impact on him.

"Uhm... Lizavet... we could... let them go? Just this once?"

Elizaveta scoffed. "No, Gil. You want to be free or not?"

Gilbert winced. Oh yeah. Freedom. He had already a lot of things planned out for freedom...

"... yes, but... they could help her get to the surface... she'll turn human here, she'll die... that's completely unawesome..."

Suddenly Elizaveta realized something. If the princess died there before getting to the surface, the contract would be void. Which would mean that Arthur would have nothing in his hands to blackmail the King with. And that meant that both her and Gilbert could kiss freedom goodbye. Arthur should have thought about it, but he always got pretty hot-headed when a deal went his way, and it had been decades since he had turned someone human... he would just get carried away and forget that humans can't breath underwater!

"... alright. We're letting you go for this once. And you are never to come back!"

As soon as the two released Ludwig and Feli, they swam as fast as they could to a now human, helpless Lovina, barely managing to get her to the surface before she drowned.


Lovina thought that she was going to die for sure this time. Arthur had changed her into a human alright, but she was still underwater! That stupid big-browed squid bastard! Without her tail, she would never reach the surface before drowning!

Just when she thought that it was the end, she felt two arms circle her under her armpits, and then someone was swimming her very fast towards the air. She opened her eyes and looked.

Ludwig and Feli! They were swimming her to the surface!

What were they doing there! ? Were they actually helping! ?

And then they broke the surface. Lovina took a long, much needed breath, enjoying the feeling of finally being able to draw one. As Ludwig and Feli helped her getting on the dock, Lovina looked at her waist. And all her worries disappeared. She couldn't believe it. Legs! She had legs! She could walk now! She could stay with Antonio forever! She had to find him, now, and then he'd see her, and understand, and they would be...

"SCREWED! THAT'S WHAT WE ARE!"

Lovina turned sharply to Ludwig. Who looked ready to spontaneously combust.

"Your Majesty, do you realize what you did! You sold your voice to have... legs! Human legs! Oh, the King is going to throw a fit! He's going to kill you, and me! LEGS! All for a barbarian, a landwalker... For all that's holy, HOW COULD YOU BE SO STUPID!"

Lovina just listened to his rant. She knew she had done the right thing, but now she felt really guilty thinking of nonno.

And Feli was crying, which didn't help Lovina coping with guilt. "Ve, your beautiful, red, shiny tail! All those scales! Your fins! Ve, Lovi, this is a tragedy! A catastrophe! And you can't even speak! Your beautiful voice! Oh Lord! How could you even think about it, ve!"

Lovina felt really sad now. But when Ludwig started to dive, she frantically jumped on him from the dock, wrapping her arms and legs around him for all she was worth, succesfully hindering him from diving.

Ludwig didn't take it too well. He cried out in exasperation "Your Majesty, get away! We have to tell your grandfather! He can go to the warlock, tell him to undo the deal, and then you will be able to come back and live under the sea like you're supposed to, and you'll be..."

But Feli saw how desperate Lovi's face was getting. She cut in. "... miserable for the rest of your life, ve."

Ludwig threw his arms up in resignation, making Lovina nearly fall off him. "You too, now, Fe- your Majesty? Can't you see in how much trouble we are right now! At least don't encourage her!"

Feli shook her head and said matter-of-factly "We're here now, we have to help Lovi. She's in love, ve."

Ludwig scoffed very loudly and kneaded his eyes with the heels of his hands. What the hell. He just wanted to find out that it was all a nightmare. He was not going to be moved. He was going to call his Majesty and have him know everything, and... and...

And Feli and Lovina were looking pleadingly at him with seal-pup eyes.

Damn.

He bowed his head in defeat.

"... fine."

Both Lovina and Feli hugged him. Though Lovina held a disgusted face for as long as it took.


Antonio walked to the beach in a foul mood. Why had the girl not showed up yesterday night? She had told him she would! Antonio couldn't let go of a distinct feeling of having missed your great, one, only chance. He sighed and let himself fall back on the sand. He would never see the girl again. He would never know what she looked like, or where she lived, or if she liked tomatoes...

Just then, he sat up straight again and looked at the dock. Where a naked girl was sitting.

He did a double take. A naked girl!

He had to look into that. The weather was hot, true, but it was just too strange. Maybe she was in trouble? He got up and ran towards the dock.

"Hey, miss! Are you okay?"


Lovina's heart skipped two or twenty beats. She turned around and saw Antonio coming towards her.

Oh God.

Oh God.

Oh holy merciful God.

Antonio had finally reached her, but he was looking to the side and taking off his shirt. Honestly, Lovina never understood why humans covered their bodies with clothing anyway...

But Antonio was giving her his shirt, and looking away. She looked puzzled for a moment, then took the shirt. Just to get out of the impasse.

"Ok! Now that you're dressed, miss, can I tell you that you look... familiar...?"

Lovina turned around, her chest filled with hope. Yes! He had recognized her! She nodded vigorously.

Antonio smiled widely and took her hands. "I knew you would come! Finally I see you! What's your name?"

Lovina looked really excited as she said "...!"

Antonio looked a bit taken aback. Why didn't she speak?

"Uhm... is there a problem, miss?"

Lovina bowed her head in defeat and gestured to her throat.

Antonio's eyes widened in surprise. "You... you can't speak?"

Lovina kept her head bowed down as she shook it no.

Antonio felt a tad bit disappointed. "Oh... then you can't be her... I'm sorry..."

Lovina's head shot up. Dammit! He had to understand! If he didn't, then there would be no more hope for her! She gestured very wildly to make him understand what she had been through, but since she wasn't really good at balance yet, she fell. Antonio managed to catch her before she fell in the water. He gave a sigh, but then smiled. "Well, you look like you've been through a sea of trouble. How about you just rest for a while? If you don't mind, I can take you to my house..."

Lovina blushed really hard and turned her face from Antonio to allow herself a mute celebratory "YES!". Wow. This was one stroke of luck!

"...!"

Antonio cocked his head to the side, not understanding why she was blushing and looking away. Then smiled and said "Ok then! Come this way, girl."


Feli and Ludwig were watching from the rock as Lovina met her Prince Charming. It seemed to have gone pretty well, since they were walking away hand in hand. Or better, the landwalker had tried to take her hand, and Lovina had fussed and blushed for all she was worth before taking it.

Ludwig shook his head. If the landwalker didn't take Lovina in, then he would have been free to go back to the King and inform him. But nooo, he had to be kind and take her in! With the face of someone walking to the gallows, Ludwig flatly said "This settles it, then. We're in for it."

Feli shrugged. "Ve, if we can't go back to grandpa until he falls for her, then we might as well help her out..."

Ludwig shook his head. "Sure. I'll just stay here with you for a week, then come back as if nothing happened and say 'your Majesty, Princess Lovina fell for a landwalker and now they live happily ever after on land while I did nothing to stop her, in fact I actually helped! Oh, and your other Princess stayed there and helped her out too, and no, of course we're not together! Nothing happened!' He will disembowel me with his trident! And he'll be right!"

Feli looked suddenly sad. "Ve, Ludwig? You don't want to spend a week with me, far from the court? Where we can stay together? Not even for a week?"

Ludwig grunted and looked at the sea. "... it's because I really want to that I'm so conflicted, Feli."

Feli smiled sadly. She entwined their tails and hugged him. "Ve, It's gonna be okay! You'll see! Everything will work out."

Ludwig looked down at his secret lover. "... I really, really hope you're right."


And That, kids, was the third chapter. Which was pretty long. The story is done already, but I keep adding new bits and pieces every day. And I even came up with an epilogue, which was not planned. Oh well. Since I'm reworking it so much, I can't say how long this is gonna be. Though I don't think it will exceed ten chapters anyway.

Ludwig is so goddamn funny to write when he's frustrated XD

Oh well, hope you enjoyed it.