I thank Brightfire15 for helping me

When Bryce returned to the castle in a rather somber mood, Mari suspected that something had happened. Earlier, Morgan had seen their father storm away from the castle in a great rage and reported this to her elder sister. Her father's mood swings were usually a sign of trouble and Mari feared that Meredith was somehow involved.

"Father?" said Mari, as she followed him into his room. "Is something wrong? What's happened?"

Bryce hesitated and then sighed. "There's been an incident with Meredith."

Mari's blood ran cold. "Is she all right?"

"She's fine. But I fear you were right about my losing her love," said Bryce. He looked regretful and ashamed. "Mari, I fear I've done something terrible."

Mari became angry and apprehensive. "What did you do?" she demanded.

Bryce told Mari of how he'd learned that not only had Meredith been secretly collecting treasures from the sea, but had also rescued a merprince and fallen in love with him. He told Mari of his anger over Meredith's anger, how he'd destroyed Meredith's treasures and how it had resulted in Meredith declaring her hatred of the king.

The more Mari listened, the angrier she became on her sister's behalf and when Bryce finished his tale, Mari slapped her father's cheek.

"How could you?" growled Mari. "How could you do that to her? You know how much Meredith loves the sea! How could you destroy one of the few things that loves and makes her happy?"

"I was angry…" was Bryce's feeble excuse, as he clutched his stinging cheek. "She said your mother would be disgusted with me."

"She was right! Mother wouldn't just be disgusted with you, she'd be ashamed of you and she'd never speak to you again!" said Mari, furiously. "And how DARE you tell Meredith that Mother would've been ashamed of her? You know Mother wouldn't have cared who Meredith loved as long as it made her happy! Morally, Meredith did nothing wrong and she should not have been bullied for doing what was right!"

"Mari…"

"NO!" interrupted Mari. She'd put up with her father's controlling ways for far too long and she would deal with it no more. "I'm sorry, but I'm putting my foot down. I warned you this would happen. You didn't listen and now you must pay the price. Pray that you might earn God's forgiveness, for you won't have mine and I doubt you'll ever gain Meredith's. When Meredith returns, I will make arrangements for her and the rest of my sisters to reside elsewhere until the time comes for me to claim the throne. I will see to it that Meredith will be free to be who she is and follow her heart without you to bully her."

Mari cast one last furious look at her father before storming away.

XXXXXXXXXX

A few miles away from Skyle's castle, he was playing his flute to the same melody of the song he'd heard Meredith sing. When he stopped, Caron curiously asked, "What are you thinking about, Skyle?" Skyle answered, "That voice… I can't get it out of my head. I've looked everywhere, Caron, where could she be?"

Not far, Meredith was lying on the sand, tired, and woke up and saw Cardiff as a dolphin. "Cardiff? Is that you?" she asked in a raspy voice.

"Meredith?" asked Cardiff.

Meredith nodded and then felt a wave of guilt and remorse and she swept Cardiff into a tight embrace.

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry," she cried. "Please, forgive me. I'm so, so sorry."

How could she have even considered leaving Cardiff in such a manner after he'd been a loyal, loving friend for so many years? Meredith didn't deserve him as a friend.

But Cardiff was neither angry nor judging. He nuzzled Meredith affectionately and then licked her cheek when they pulled apart.

"It's okay," he assured her. "It's okay. I forgive you." He tilted his head in confusion. "Why is your voice raspy?"

Meredith touched her throat. "This must be one of the witch's prices. I can't let Skyle hear me like this."

It's not all bad," said Cardiff. "I'll just tell him that you lost your voice."

Meredith smiled. "Thanks Cardiff." She lifted up and gasped; she saw to her surprise, a turquoise mermaid's fin! With a smile, she wagged her new tail when she heard a familiar voice.

"Well, look what the catfish dragged in!"

Dal swam down, landing next to Meredith's fin, saying, "Look at ya, look at ya! There's something different! Don't tell me! It's your hairdo, right? You've been brushing your hair, right?!"

Meredith smiled and shook her head. "Nope."

"No? Well, lemme see… New jewels…? …No jewels…"

Then Meredith began lightly moving her tail, up and down as he said, "I gotta admit I can't put my flipper on it right now but if I just lay here long enough I oughta-"

"SHE'S GOT FINS, YOU IDIOT!" Adwat screamed, surprising Dal. "She traded her mother's necklace to the witch and got fins, GEEZ!"

"I knew that…" Dal said smarmily.

"Yeah, Meredith turned into a mermaid!" Cardiff explained as Meredith tried to swim up but was having trouble with it. "She's gonna make the merprince fall in love with her and then he's gonna kiss her!"

"And she's only has three months!" Adwat concluded as Meredith fell to the ocean floor. "Just look at her, fins! On MERMAID fins!"

Adwat then gasped, "My nerves have shot, this is a catastrophe! What is the king gonna say?! I'll tell you what her father would say. He'd say he's gonna kill me, that's what her father would say!"

Adwat began go back to the castle, saying, "I'm going to march myself home right now-"

But Meredith grabbed him by the shoulders, shaking her head, saying "No!" making him say, "And don't you say 'no' to me young lady! Perhaps there's still time; we could get that witch to give you back your necklace, you could go home with all the normal forest animals and just be-"

But Meredith's sad face began to melt his heart and Adwat suddenly remembered that Meredith had almost succeeded in taking her own life because of heartbreak. He couldn't risk that happening again, especially not because of him. She deserved happiness and she deserved to chance to love and be loved like anyone else.

"Just be miserable for the rest of your life…" he finished, before sighing. "All right, all right. I'll try to help you find that merprince…"

With rejoice, Meredith gave Adwat a kiss, saying "Thank you!" as he said, "Boy… What an old softie I'm turning out to be…"

"Now Meredith, I'm telling ya, if ya wanna be mermaid the first thing ya gotta do is swim like one!" Dal said as he swam up. "Now follow my lead…"

Not far, Skyle and Caron were swimming around, when Caron sniffed something. Excitedly, she said, "Skyle, follow me!", and swam off, getting Skyle to follow as he shouted, "Caron!"

Back at where they were, Dal was teaching Meredith to swim, "Looking good, kid!"

Meredith twisted and turned in the water. They then heard Caron Chirping as she approached. Cardiff, frightened, swam behind a rock as Dal swam off and Adwat hid in the seaweed. Caron excitedly chased Meredith, who tried to avoid her by sitting on a tall rock. She then gave her a nuzzle as Skyle showed up.

"Caron!"

Caron went over to him and showed him to Meredith, surprising him. As Skyle approached, Meredith pulled back her hair to make herself look more presentable as Skyle asked, "You ok, miss? I'm sorry if Caron scared ya, she's harmless really."

But then Skyle noticed Meredith's smiling face.

"You… seem very familiar to me," Skyle said. "Have we met?"

Meredith nodded, making Skyle excited.

"I knew it; you're the one! The one I've been looking for, what's your name?"

Meredith swam to get Cardiff. She whispered something to him. "She says her name is Meredith," Cardiff said.

"Meredith, it's beautiful."

Meredith blushed and smiled. But then Skyle said, "But why won't you talk?"

Meredith swam up to him and whispered, "I lost my voice."

"Oh, I see. So, where are you from?"

Meredith whispered to Cardiff. "Ah… we're from really far away."

Skyle noticed the necklace Aster gave her. "That necklace, that must mean you're a princess."

Meredith nodded excitedly. She tried to whisper to him who she was, but suddenly her lips closed shut. Meredith blew out her lips in frustration. But then Meredith tried to communicate with her hands as Skyle said, "What is it? …You're hurt? No… You need help."

But then Meredith fell from the rock she was sitting on, and Skyle caught her, saying, "Whoa, whoa! Careful! You must've really been through something. Don't worry, I'll help you. Come on."

She whispered, "Can my friends come?" Skyle looked back and saw Cardiff, Dal, and Adwat. He smiled. "Sure, the more the merrier."

Skyle led Meredith, Cardiff, Dal and Adwat to his castle as Meredith looked back to see Dal give her a wink and Cardiff gave her an encouraging smile.

As they headed to the palace, Caron swam next to Cardiff. "Sorry if I scared you before. I was just excited to see your friend."

"That's okay. The truth is, I'm shy around pretty girls," said Cardiff, blushing.

Caron giggled. "Well, I think it's adorable. I think you're adorable."

"So are you," blurted out Cardiff.

His blush deepened when he realized he'd said that aloud and he tried to cover his face with his fins as Caron's giggles increased.

"Don't be so embarrassed. I think you're swell," said Caron. "Want to come play kick-the-clam with me and my friends after dinner? Afterwards, we're going exploring in Neptune's cave."

Cardiff's face lit up. "I'd love to!"

No one said a word on how the two of them were swimming rather closer to each other now or how they kept glancing at one another out of the corner of their eyes.

Later, Meredith was in a bedroom, much to her delight and curiosity as the maid, Coralia, was brushing her hair and said, "Washed up near the shore? Oh you poor thing. We'll help you feel better in no time!"

Adwat peeked through the door, but hid as Coralia swim towards the door, "The maids will get you dressed."

Soon Adwat and Coralia were swimming through the halls as some more maids were working around the castle.

"Well you must've at least heard of this new girl!"

"No, we haven't!"

"But I mean really, this mermaid shows up near the shore and says she can't sing. It's not my idea of a princess. If Skyle's looking for a girl I know a few highly available young ladies."

Soon they went into the kitchen. There were vegetarian meals everywhere. 'I these guess merfolk aren't cannibals' thought Adwat with relief.

In the dining room, Olwydd said, "Oh, Skyle, mermaids don't just go rescuing merfolk on land and disappear without a trace!"

"I'm telling ya, Olwydd, she was real! And something in my heart tells me that the mermaid I found is the one!" Skyle said. Then to himself, "And when she sings, I'm gonna marry her…"

Then at the door, Coralia led Meredith in, saying, "Come on, dearrie, don't be shy."

Meredith slowly swam in, wearing a beautiful dress of blue. The skirt was layered and ruffled with a beautiful tied bow at the waist, the sleeves were delicate lace in a lovely diamond pattern with ruffles at the cuffs and shoulders. Skyle was awestruck as Olwydd walked up, saying, "Oh, Skyle. Isn't she a vision of beauty?"

"You look wonderful!" Skyle said, making Meredith smile timidly.

"Come, come, dear," Olwydd said, taking Meredith's hand. "You must be famished!"

Skyle helped Meredith with her seat as Olwydd said, "There now, there we go. Uh. It's - It's not often that we have such a lovely dinner guest, eh Skyle?"

Skyle and Olwydd took their seats "Oh, uh, Coralia, my dear, what's for dinner?"

"Oh, you're gonna love it!" Coralia said. "Chef Louis is making his specialties. For the appetizer, you'll enjoy seaweed salad with coral flacks. For the entrée, there'll be musselsprout soup with sea-potatoes and sand dollars to dip in it. And for desert, a moon berry soufflé with seanuts."

At the sound of a bell coming from the kitchen, Coralia excused herself, saying, "I'll good get dinner."

When Coralia entered the kitchen she bumped into Adwat, who was attempting to escape the kitchen unseen.

"Oh, goodness me!" she exclaimed.

"Oh, I do beg your pardon, miss," said Adwat. He seemed smitten by Coralia, for he gave her a respectful bow and kissed her hand. "Allow me to introduce myself. I'm Adwat, the guardian of your guest and I seem to have lost my way. Could you direct me to her bedchambers so that I might await her return?"

Coralia blushed from Adwat's gentlemanly behavior and curtsied to him. "I certainly can. Forgive me for being so bold, but I have tomorrow off from work. Would you care to join me on a stroll in the garden?"

"I would love to."

"Then it's a date."

While Coralia was busy in the kitchen, Olwydd said, "Perhaps, Skyle, you could take this fine young lady on a tour of the kingdom."

But he noticed Skyle looking at Meredith with a dreamy look as Coralia came back with Adwat, and placed the succulent dishes in front of everyone.

"I'm sorry, Olwydd, what were you saying?" Skyle asked.

"You can't spend all your time in the castle, you need to get out!" Olwydd said as he lifted the dome-shaped cover of his dish.

"Well, it sounds like a good idea," Skyle said, then he looked at Meredith, "Well, what do you think? Would you like a tour of my kingdom tomorrow?"

Meredith nodded with a smile, making Olwydd say, "Wonderful! Now, let's eat."

Soon, they all started eating. Meredith looked curiously at the strange salad placed it in her mouth. It was delicious!

That night, Meredith was in a room, looking down from the balcony as she watched Skyle play with Caron in the sea garden. Skyle noticed he was being watched and waved, surprising Meredith, who waved back before disappearing into her room as Skyle smiled. Adwat was lending on the wall, "I guess today wasn't so bad. That Coralia seems kind of charming."

Meredith lied down on the big comfy seabed as Adwat went on.

"Now we must plan to get that merman to kiss you; tomorrow when he takes you for that ride you must look your best!"

Adwat gave visual demonstrations as he said, "You gotta…bat your eyes like this! You gotta pucker your wipspth… wike dis!"

Then Adwat noticed Meredith was asleep, looking like an angel. With a smile, he went over, saying, "You are hopeless, child, you know that? Completely hopeless…"

XXXXXX

That night in Freyagard, Mari ran into the courtyard to meet Vaughn, who'd just met up with the Captain of the Guards. When a number of hours had gone by with no sign of Meredith's return, Mari had become worried and ordered search parties to locate her youngest sister.

"Has she been found?" asked Mari, before Vaughn could speak.

Vaughn sadly shook his head. "I'm sorry, Your Majesty, but no. We've been searching everywhere but there's been no sign of your sister, Cardiff or Adwat."

Tears came to Mari's eyes and she felt her worry increase. Meredith had a tendency to be away for long hours, especially after a quarrel with the king, but she'd never been gone so long. Mari was beginning to fear the worst. She blamed herself. She knew Meredith would've been more devastated than ever after what occurred between Meredith and their father. Why hadn't Mari gone after her?

"Well, keep looking! Leave no stone unturned, no land unexplored. Let no one in this kingdom sleep until she's safe at home!" ordered Mari.

Vaughn sighed and bowed. "Yes, Your Highness. Shall I inform the king of the news?"

"No, I'll do it and then join the searches myself," said Mari, firmly.

Without another word, Mari went to throne room where Bryce and her sisters were gathered, waiting for news and comforting each other during the crisis.

Mari's sisters were also worried sick for their youngest sister's well-being and were blaming themselves for her disappearance, feeling that if they'd been better, more attentive and caring siblings then Meredith would be home safe and sound. They planned to make amends when Meredith returned and they had unanimous consented to Mari's plans to leave the castle and live elsewhere until it was time for Mari to take the throne. They loved their father deeply but the price of his love was too great a cost to pay anymore.

Astoundingly, the princesses' worry was nothing in comparison to the king's. Bryce's shame in driving away his daughter had left him a complete and utter wreck. He couldn't stop thinking about how cruel and harsh he'd been to Meredith both in the past and in the present, the look of anger and devastation on her face after he'd destroyed her treasures, and how much it hurt to know that he was responsible for the current situation. He wished more than anything that he'd been more accepting of Meredith's uniqueness and cherished her like the treasure she was.

When Mari made her presence known, her family immediately flocked to her and began asking questions.

"What news is there of Meredith?" asked Mared.

"Has she been found?" asked Morgan.

"Is she all right?" asked Morwen.

"Is she hurt?" asked Meinwen.

"Can we see her?" asked Maban.

"What's happened to Meredith? Do the guards know?" asked Bryce.

Mari sadly shook her head, causing their faces to fall and tears to come to their eyes. "There's been no luck yet. But we mustn't give up hope. The guards are going to keep looking and I'm going to join them. Would anyone like to come with me?"

Two of Mari's sisters volunteered to go while the other three were to stay home. Tomorrow the three eldest would come home to rest and the other three would take their places in the search along with their father.

After the three eldest princesses departed, the princesses who remained went to retrieve bottles of laudanum from the Court Physician so that they might sleep and be well-rested for tomorrow's search.

Alone with nothing but his thoughts and emotions, Bryce fell to his knees and gazed at the portrait of his beloved late wife.

"Forgive me, my love. Forgive me," he cried. Tears slid down his cheeks as he bowed his head and prayed. "Please, Father who art in heaven, please return my little princess to me, safe and sound. I'm so, so sorry. Please, let her come home!"

What had he done? What had he done?