"I have wonderful news, Daughter," Azazel began after she had bowed before him.

Meg did not speak, but she felt a surge of hope. Maybe he was through being angry with her and her training to rule would begin again.

"I have arranged for your marriage."

It took all of Meg's control not to react. She could tell by the malicious gleam in Azazel's eyes, and the smirk on Tom's mouth, that that was wanted. Instead, she merely raised an eyebrow. "Really? To who?"

Azazel's forehead wrinkled in frustration. "King Crowley. You remember him? The King of the Coral Sea."

The Coral Sea was a minor body of water off the coast of Australia. So not only was he marrying her off and denying her the right to rule, he was marrying her to someone far beneath her station.

Meg nodded. "Very well, Father."

Azazel's frustration at her lack of reaction was plain now, and he waved his hand dismissively. "Crowley will be here in a week. You're dismissed."

Meg kept her head high and left the throne room at a dignified pace.

Once she was in her room, she broke down.

"How dare he?" she raged, throwing things and smashing her precious artifacts in her rage. "Crowley? Crowley! He's nothing!"

"He's a King," Ruby offered from the corner where she was staying out of the path of destruction.

"A king of a minor sea. I'm the Princess of the entire Pacific Ocean!"

"You could always refuse."

That cooled Meg's rage. "And you know what would happen. I'd be sent to the Trench. I got out of there once. I'm not going back."

The Trench was the Mariana Trench. It was the location of Azazel's prison. Or, more accurately, it was where he sent those merfolk who severely displeased him to be tortured. Meg had been sent there a long time ago during her more rebellious stage. Alistair, the merman in charge, had overseen her torture personally.

Meg had quickly learned her lesson, and never truly pushed past the limits of Azazel's patience again.

At least, that was what she had thought.

Seeing Meg's rage cool, Ruby swam over. "Then what are you going to do?"

Meg sank, defeated, onto her bed. "What I have to do."

Ruby crossed her arms and Meg could see that she was conflicted about something. "There...might be another choice..."

"What? If it involves murdering—"

"No!" Ruby quickly said. "I meant, you could always go see the Sea Witch."

"The Sea Witch. She's a myth, right?"

Ruby shook her head. "No. She's real. I could take you there. Only...her prices are quite high. Higher than you might be willing to pay."

Meg got up and swam to the door. "No price is too high. Let's go."

Ruby led Meg into a part of the ocean she had never ventured into before. It was deep, dark, and had sea life that she had never encountered. She felt unnerved but steeled herself.

The Sea Witch's cave came into view and Ruby stopped. "I think that you have to be the one to go first."

Meg nodded and approached the cave entrance. "Hello?"

"Come in, Princess." a pleasant-sounding voice called.

Meg looked at Ruby, confused. "Did you tell her we were coming?"

Ruby shook her head, fear in her eyes. Meg shrugged and entered the cave.

She had expected something dingy and creepy. Instead, the cave was decorated with comfort in mind. The walls were lined with small bottles and items that Meg knew had to do with magic. She eyed them with interest.

"So, what brings you to my home?" the pleasant-sounding voice asked.

Meg turned and saw a beautiful mermaid coming into the room from a side hall. The mermaid had long red hair and her fin was emerald green.

"Are you the Sea Witch?"

The mermaid rolled her eyes. "I prefer to be called Rowena, but yes."

"I prefer to be called Meg."

"Well now that we have that out of the way, why have you come?"

"I need your help. Az—the King is forcing me to marry."

"And you don't want to?"

"Not to the one chosen for me."

"I see. Why come to me? Why not take refuge someplace else? I happen to know the Atlantic Ocean is quite beautiful."

"We both know that my father is stronger than any of the other rulers. They might call themselves Kings and Queens, but Azazel is the true ruler of all."

"This means that there is no place in the water that is safe for you. Hmm...quite the predicament, little mermaid."

Meg bristled. "I'm not little. Now can you help me or not?"

Rowena's eyebrows rose and she chuckled. "Well, you do have some spirit in you, don't you. Good. You'll need it. Of course, I can help you. I'm the best there is. Question is, are you prepared for this?"

"For what, exactly?"

"Why, to become human, of course! I thought that was obvious."

Meg was stunned. Human? Give up being a mermaid? She couldn't imagine it. A mermaid was who she was. Yes, she was fascinated by humanity. But to actually become one of them...

What choice did she have?

"If it means I don't have to marry Crowley, then yes, I'm prepared."

Rowena's eyes widened and she began laughing. "Crowley? Oh, this is perfect. I'm definitely going to help you now, and wave my usual fee."

"Why?" Meg asked, suspicious.

"To anger Crowley, of course. I'll do anything to make his life miserable. Marrying you is his pathetically obvious attempt to get closer to the crown. Oh, this will enrage him. I love it!"

"Why?" Meg asked again.

"Because I'm his mother and I loathe him," Rowena answered cheerfully and began taking ingredients off the shelves.

"And I thought my family was screwed up," Meg muttered, watching Rowena and fighting rising anxiety.

Rowena gathered a bunch of items into a bowl and mashed them together. As she did this, she directed Ruby to outline a symbol on the floor in rocks. When the ingredients were sufficiently mixed, she smeared the paste on Meg's fin.

"What's the price?" Meg asked.

"Pardon?" Rowena asked, distracted.

"The price. I know all magic comes with a price."

"Good to know you're not completely clueless," Rowena replied. She set down the empty bowl and looked at Meg. "It used to be you'd lose your voice, but times have changed. It's no longer preferred for a woman to just sit and look pretty. You need your voice."

Meg felt relieved at this. She wanted to ask what the price was now, but it looked as though Rowena was almost done. She was almost out of time.

"So, you do the spell and I become human forever?"

"Oh, no, my dear. No, no, no. It's never that easy. You'll become human, but only for one month. During that time you must find true love. If you have not received true love's kiss by the end of the month you'll die."

"True love? That is so sappy."

"I know, but this is old magic. Old magic always invokes the base emotions. Anger. Lust. Grief. Love. I can change surface things, like the voice price, but never the core. Now, are you ready?"

Meg nodded and looked down at her fin. "Yes."

Rowena became to speak in a language that Meg didn't know. The words caused a reaction deep inside her. She felt power gathering and then focusing on her lower half. Suddenly it felt as though she was being pierced by a thousand blades. Her fin began to glow, and she let out a scream as it split right down the middle. The pain was excruciating, worse than any torture she had ever endured. It wouldn't stop. It grew and grew until it was all she knew.

Then her fin was gone, replaced by two legs. She felt the heat and glow move up her body, and suddenly she could no longer breathe. She was choking. She was dying.

"Grab her!" Rowena yelled and she felt Ruby's arms go around her waist. "Take her to the surface!"

Ruby pulled her and she let the mermaid. There was no way she could help. Ruby's speed increased and Meg knew Ruby was using her power to assist her. Just when her vision began to dim, and she felt light-headed, they broke the surface.

Meg gasped and took in deep lungfuls of air. "Thank you."

"Of course." Ruby looked around. They were surrounded by water a far as the eye could see on all sides. "Where do you want to go?"

She had no idea because she knew nothing about the geography of the human world. "Take me..." She trailed off, unsure. Finally, she told Ruby to take her to the beach where she had left Castiel.

Meg grew cold as Ruby swam. Apparently she was no longer able to tolerate the temperature of the oceans. She was shivering violently by the time Ruby deposited her on the sand.

"Thank you," Meg said and then realized this was goodbye. No matter the outcome, Meg would never see her servant—no, her friend—again. "If anybody asks, you were not involved in this."

"I know," Ruby said with a small smile. "Good luck, Meg."

Ruby pulled herself back into the water and Meg watched her disappear under the waves. Pushing herself up, she tried to make her new legs work. They twitched and moved a little, but otherwise, they laid in the sand, useless.

This was not how she had thought things would turn out.

All magic has a price.

"Meg?" a voice called behind her. It was a familiar voice, and she turned to see Castiel standing a few feet away. "Is...it's really you?"

"Castiel? How did you know I'd be here?"

"I didn't." He walked towards her. "I've been coming here every evening hoping. What happened?"

She looked down at her legs. "I'm human now."

He took off the long coat he was wearing and draped it over her shoulders. She stopped shivering and pulled it all the way on, grateful for the warmth. Kneeling, he put his arm around her and helped her to stand up. Her legs wouldn't support her and she collapsed against him.

"I'm sorry."

"It's all right. You're obviously new to this. I'll help you."

He helped her over to a large rock nearby and she sat on it. "I'm not used to being helpless."

"I don't think you are," he said. "You saved my life. I've never forgotten that even though it's been ten years. I owe you, so whatever you need, please, let me know."

Meg gave him a sarcastic smile. "A place to live? Income? A way to get around? Don't get me wrong, your arms are comfortable, but a girl needs independence."

Castiel smiled. "All of that is easy."

She raised her eyebrows and chuckled. "Okay then. Let's go."