* AUTHORS NOTE!!!: I've revised Mermaid a lot! Plots still the same, so are the characters, but now I've made it a bit more belieavable and correct some spelling errors. You'll probably need to reread it( if you've read it before) to understand everything. All the names are authentic Danish now( with exception of Catherine and merfolk), and Erik & Catherine's relationship is more believable. I hope to be finished with this story soon, and thank you everyone for reviewing!!!



Chapter one

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Erik

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The year I met Lady Catherine, I was seventeen and she was fourteen. I had just caught a glimpse of her strolling along in the village that her father reigned over like a small king. Our eyes had met, and strangely enough, I was certain that I had felt that supposed connection that seals true love forever. I knew she had felt it too when her eyes quickly were cast downward and I had blushed. She had moved on with her maids, and I had stood there gaping, wishing like mad that I was of noble blood.

I worked with my father; we were fishermen. Then again, almost everyone in our village was a fisherman. 'The King's Luck', we called our boat. The year my father died was hard on all of us-- my mother had to raise a family of five children on the brink of poverty. It was my younger brother Kahis and I that kept the family alive. We went fishing every day except for Sunday. On Sunday, that was when I sometimes went into town. But mostly, to go visit Catherine.

Yes, Catherine.....sometimes I wonder if it was the idea of our star crossed romance that started it in the first place. Even so, it didn't matter after a year. We were in truly in love, and everyone in the village knew about it but our families.

" You and her ladyship are a story I wouldn't spoil for all the world, Erik. You shouldn't worry so, my boy. You wait and see, you'll earn a way for yourself and have your happily ever after. Until then, no one will breathe a word to the people who would have their say. Especially to his lordship," Clady the midwife had cackled to me one afternoon.

Everything, I suppose somehow started on that Sunday when I told Catherine about the Prince's ship. Upon chance, on my last voyage to Copenhagen, I had been contracted to sail the prince's ship on a voyage to Sweden. Possibly--I couldn't let myself hope too much-it would open up opportunities for me. She was now at the age of seventeen, and myself at twenty one.

" Oh Erik! It's always, fish, fish, fish! Can't we talk about something else for a change?," Catherine exclaimed the moment I causally brought up ships.

That was Catherine's way of teasing me---- she knew perfectly well that all the entire town ever talked about was whether or not any herring would be caught, or those " blasted dolphins!".

By anyone's standards she was beautiful. Her sparkling green eyes were set against dark blonde hair and her tiny, supple form nearly glided along the ground. Her English accent made her unforgettable.

" Aye, then what do you want to talk about, Catherine?" I asked her with good humor. Catherine, Danish on her mother's side, had come over to Denmark when her father's ties with the king, her mother's cousin, had strengthened.

" What about..." she twirled a blonde ringlet.

" Midsummer's. You are taking me, aren't you?"

" Who else would I take?" I asked, smiling at the slight frown that came on her tiny, perfect little face.

It was yet another joke we had. Even if Catherine was permitted to go to the town's celebrations, she'd be accompanied by several male servants and a female chaperone.

" I don't know what goes on in your head, but for all I know you might get the urge to ask Annika and then where would I be?," she drawled lightly, letting her accent shine.

" You worry too much Cat. Look at the sunset. It'll be a good fishing day tomorrow when I set off with the Prince." Her eyes perked up.

" You're going sailing with the Prince and you didn't tell me? Erik!" she exclaimed, then laughed. Within moments, the words spilled out of my mouth and she knew the entire story. When I look back on times like that, I marvel at their perfection. How could we of been jilted by destiny so many times?

" It'll change things, Catherine! If it works out, I can stop being errand boy to your father! You're seventeen years old, how much longer is it before some powerful court lord sweeps you off your feet? This one trip could change everything! The ship will be beautiful, the weather will be beautiful," I told her with confidence.

Her brow furrowed for a moment. " It'll change things, and I pray for the better. But as for the weather, I don't know, Erik. I heard that a fine storm was coming this way."

" I don't care at this point. I have to go tomorrow, Little Cat. The Prince is setting sail early. I'll be back before you know it." Catherine glanced out at the vast sky.

" I hope so, Erik. I hope so."

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Pearl

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I live far beneath the North Sea. In a world called the Kingdom of the Sea. A bit unoriginal, I know. You would think that my ancestors would of come up with something a little more exciting, but they didn't, and that is that. As humans put it, I am a mermaid. As we put it, the actual people, we are the people of the fish. The majority of us live in Norkindas, which is how the Kingdom of the Sea is usually referred to. I remained perfectly still behind the gigantic growing aquatic plant.

" Pearl! Come out! Daddy's losing his patience, and he wants you to meet the Prince of the Baltic!" called my older sister Conchita angrily. Her blonde hair swirled around as she peered into where I was hiding. I froze. She moved closer to look behind the masses of sea weed that hid me.

" Conchita! Darlycon is here!," her attendant cried out.

" He is?"

My older sister swam away with at the name of her latest beau. She had been disgruntled about having to search for me in the first place.

I let out a sigh of relief, two bubbles escaping my lips and rising high to the surface above. I glanced around, then let go of the sea weed. No one in sight. I emerged and began swimming away from Norkindas. I checked the current. It was a little fast, which meant I was late. Quickening my pace, I finally reached the North Sea Kelp Forest. I didn't actually go in there. No one did. The Sea Witch and her sea monsters lived in it, and many that went in the forest never returned. My mother....I pushed the thought from my mind. It's mere appearance was frightening. Even I, the reckless 'rebellious' princess, never had ventured in, and never wanted to.

All the same, no one ever bothered to check for me there, so that's why Merla and I met there. My father didn't approve of our friendship. My father is King Oceanius the first of the North Sea, which makes me his youngest daughter and princess. Merla's father was a coral carver. But friendship is timeless and doesn't care about status. It only became one more thing I defied my father about.

I halted when I saw Merla swimming back and forth impatiently.

" There you are! Pearl, do you know how many currents I've been waiting for you?" she exclaimed, spotting me.

" Too many, I know. I'm surprised you didn't leave."

" Unlike some people, I wait more then one current for someone to arrive!" she told me, rolling her eyes. I flashed her a grin, and she smiled back, and continued talking.

" Let's be on our way. The wrecks down here. Are you positive that no one followed you?"

" Absolutely. Conchita almost stopped me, but Darlycon came, and she swam off faster then a barracuda." We dived further away from the Kelp Forest and swam towards the brighter end of the sea. " There's supposively a new wreck here. At least that's what I overheard my father saying." Merla told me as we reached the toward the rumored site of the wreck.

" I'm sure its here somewhere! We just have to keep looking!" After of plenty of tides of searching, we gave up.

" Maybe we can hunt again tomorrow?" Merla asked me hopefully.

" Of course! We have to find it before Father's men find it and destroy it all. If they even find it," I said passionately as I peered into the waters below. Whenever my father found a ship, he destroyed it. Every single piece. After all, humans were feared creatures. They killed our brother and sister fish, and ate them-- if they found one of us, they would keep us for entertainment, or worse, torture us. But hardly a mermaid could survive the nets, so the few of us that were found, were usually dumped back over, washed pale by the ocean. Every mer person in their right mind feared humans. Even I had at one time-I had shuddered at the mere thought of two legs. I changed when I was ten years old,. That was the year I was kidnaped. It wasn't a fearful kidnaping...I remember the mermen being polite and courteous, giving me toys to amuse myself with often. I have kind memories of them, and I always shudder when someone causally mentions their execution.

But that's not part of the true story. The kidnappers had held me for ransom originally, but once my father was on to him, they panicked and abandoned me in an old, long sunken ship. With my arms and tail tied, I wasn't discovered until three days later. But in that time, my fascination with the human world had begun. A whole new world was open for me. A trinket as simple as a comb fascinated me, but the best was when I found paintings. I would gaze at them for hours, and never grow tired. Merla had the same love for humans as I did. I had known her for five long years, even though we had nothing in common except a love for humans, down to our appearances. Merla had black eyes and tail with yellow hair; I had purple eyes and a purple tail and maroon hair." Pearl, have you been listening to a word I've been saying?" asked Merla. I snapped back to focus.

" Every word."

" So tomorrow at the Kelp Forest again, this same time."

" I'll be here. Oh no, wait--- I can't!"

" Why not?"

" Father's throwing this birthday ball. I have to be there. He's trying to set me up with that awful Prince of the Baltic." I told her, wishing I didn't have to go.

My 16th birthday. I was of courting age. Most mermaids longed for that moment in their life....and I suppose I would of too if not for the visiting Baltic delegation.

Merla said nothing, but her eyes lit up. Merla, like every other girl in the North Sea, thought Prince Kalius was handsome, and would die to be given the chance to marry him. Angry, I thrashed my tail against a small fish as we went our separate ways. She bubbled angrily at me, and I apologized. With a sigh, I quickened my speed to get back to Norkindas.

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Catherine

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I was worried about Erik. The skies were dark, and even I, who didn't give a bloody dash about fishing, was worried. Though the skies cleared up when it was time to set sail, I still had an uneasy feeling. He was taking a smaller boat to Copenhagen before the larger journey to the Swedish port city, but I worried none the less. Every time I brought up the subject, Erik teased me, telling me that I couldn't tell a herring from a shark.

" As soon as I get to Copenhagen, It's only to Göteborg, Little Cat. I'll bring you back something so enormously expensive, even you will be ashamed to wear it."

" Erik, you make me sound so greedy!" I exclaimed, blushing in spite of myself.

" Now, you know that all I ask is for you to return safely home. This prince fellow better make sure your ship doesn't sink." I whispered, smiling. He grinned back the grin that had first made me fall in love with him.

" I intend to do just that. The Prince isn't cheap when it comes to travel----I'll be riding one of the best ships in all of the land."

James clucked his tongue, and the horses pulled the carriage forward slightly. I glared at my coachman's obviously signal to leave, but then I could hardly blame him. Even with my father away, he felt that he was directly disobeying him by allowing me to see him. I sighed, and took Erik's hand as he helped me into the coach.

The warm summer air floated through the coach. Only right now, it wasn't warm. It seemed, cold in a way. Stalling my thoughts for a moment, I looked at the ship. It was smaller then the one my family had came on. I closed my eyes and remembered the prince's ship for a moment. I had seen it once, when my father had taken my to Copenhagen. It had been humongous, and so grand. It had been gigantic with huge masts and elegant, white, billowing sails the size of a house. The ship itself had to of been the size of several whales, and looked as if it could hold a thousand men Carved on the front of the boat had been a smiling mermaid, holding out pearls in one hand and gold coins in the other. " Lady of the Sea", it had been christened. I had a sense of foreboding though. I had never liked the ship, despite it's ornate beauty. Especially the smiling mermaid, who laughed as if she alone knew the secrets of the sea.

" Dear god, Erik. This ship, it's nothing like the prince's. What if...." I whispered, breathless.

" I'll be back before you know it, Catherine. Just you wait and see."

I nodded, and was suddenly very upset that he was going.

" Erik, I really don't think you should be getting on that boat. I have a bad feeling about it." Shaking his head, he laughed.

" The crew is capable, and so is the ship, Catherine, I don't see why-,"

" Not this one," I interrupted. " The Prince's ship. Lady of the Sea".

Erik just laughed at that. " Like I said, you worry too much Cat." He kissed me, then walked up on the platform with the other sailors. I waved my handkerchief at him, even when most of the other well wishers were gone.

" Milady, don't you think you should get out of the rain? Ye Father won't want to know that your well wishing him off in the dead rain, not to mention he wouldn't want you to be here at all;"

" Oh hush up James." I told him, and continued waving. I stood in the pouring rain, unaware of the puddles that I was standing in. Erik waved back to me.

" I love you Catherine! Take care of yourself!" he shouted to me from the edge of the boat.

" I love you too! Take care of yourself as well!" I shouted back, waving like mad until both he and the glorious ship were out of sight. Even then, I couldn't tell if the wetness was from the rain or from my tears.