Chapter four





Erik

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I blinked my eyes. The heat of the sun shone down on my face, and my lips were cracked from dehydration. Coughing, I pushed myself upright, slicked back my hair, and looked around to see where I was. Then stared, as it everything came back to me.

I was off shore at least three miles, and the sea glittered all around me. I was on a rock, of some sort. It had completely morphed since my last time in conscience, when the ship had sank........

" Oh good, you're alive. It would of been a pity if you had died. Especially all that time I spent lugging you in. I didn't realize that humans were so heavy," a melodious voice drawled.

My head shot to the right, and a girl leaned on the rock out of the water.

I have died, this is some delusional stage before death, I thought to myself. Smiling at the idea, I began laughing hysterically and laid back down. God was playing tricks with me, merely to be cruel. First, he placed land within my sight, then he sent this girl. I had to wait until I passed, until I was off into the next world.

The girl leaned over to look at me, and raised her eyebrow.

" You thought I was the sea witch. Who are you?," she asked inquisitively.

Still laughing at the absurdity of my death, I turned to look at her.

I stared at her for a moment as she waited for my answer. Her long, thick hair was a brilliant maroon, and her skin resembled the finest porcelain. Her fine features were set off by her eyes, which glittered and swirled a deep purple. She was absolutely beautiful, and I concluded immediately that she was an angel.

I cleared my throat to answer her...perhaps then she would take me into the next world.

" I'm Erik Rayner, fisherman and mortal. End this and let us continue on the journey to Heaven," I said drowsily.

My head raged with what I would of thought was fever if I wasn't dead. The girl peered at me once more, with her large purple eyes. Then something dawned on her.

" Oh, you believe your dead, and you're going to your human religion place, that man you call God," she said, pleased with her conclusion.

I lifted my eyebrow at her. What sort of angel spoke that sort of blasphemy? She laughed at my expression, and continued talking.

" Well, I don't know of this 'God' you speak of. My people turn into sea foam at the end of their lives, we have no immortal land to go to. We have our holy mother ocean, who breathed life into us long ago. But I don't know why I'm telling you about religion at all; neither of us are dead or in danger of being, for that matter," the angel told me, smiling.

Her brilliant smile illuminated her face, and I could see no flaws or tiny imperfections. I stared at her, aware that this seemed to be the only thing I was capable of doing.

" Where am I then?," I demanded.

My faith in religion disappeared as millions of questions raced in my mind. The girl shrugged her shoulders, and I realized that her long hair was the only thing covering her breasts. I quickly looked away, but the girl seemed to take no heed of my glance.

" Where are you? I have absolutely no idea. Your maps are different from ours. The point is that humans need land to live, so I dragged you as far as I could. How do you survive without a tail?"

" And I'm sure you, being the little swimmer here, must have fins?," I said sarcastically. I felt no need to be polite to an apparition. Her purple eyes danced.

" As a matter of fact....."

With one swift motion, she slid out of the water, revealing a long, purple, scaly tail.

I blinked, then collapsed flat on my back. It was impossible. You are dead Eric, you are dead. They don't exist. You're feverish, tired, dehydrated. She doesn't exist.

The girl was inches from my face a moment later, clearly worried.

" Oh good, I was afraid I killed you."

I closed my eyes, and thoughts raced through my head. This is a feverish dream that you cannot escape. Nothing more. When I opened my eyes, she was watching me with an innocent curiosity.

" What are you?," I demanded, then smiled. I was demanding a feverish allusion to give me answers. The girl, to my annoyance, rolled her eyes.

" I should of let you drown. Of all the floundering humans, I pick you. He asks, 'what are you,'" she said, more to herself then me.

I glared at her. Upon seeing my face, she let out a laugh that sounded like the ocean and waterfalls and birds and magic at the same time. My anger faded at the sound. It was the most beautiful thing I had heard in my life, and if the tales were true, I knew why sailors would sail into rocks for a girl like the one in front of me.

" Pearl. Call me Pearl. You would call me, as humans put it, ' a mermaid. You are Erik, is that how you say it?" she asked, smiling. She continued when I shook my head. " Tell me about your people."

I raised an eyebrow. She arched one back, higher then mine. Finally I grinned and spoke. I might as well humor my dream.

" Well, first of all, I live in a fishing village...................."

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Pearl

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Erik. The first human I had ever seen. I instantly loved everything about him-his light brown hair, his bright blue eyes, his deep voice, his muscular body and handsome chiseled features. I had never seen anything like him before, even in mermen. He was exciting and interesting and mysterious.

All of my questions I had ever had about humans were answered, and I answered his.

" I don't understand something, though. How do you see down there? It's so dark." Erik peered down at the dark waters.

" Merfolk's eyes aren't like yours. I can see in the dark, I can see in blinding light. Our eyes can adjust. Tell me again what it feels like to have two tails."

" Legs."

" Legs or tails, it makes no difference. Tell me."

Erik opened his mouth to tell me, but then he stopped and looked out at something.

" What's that?," he asked.

I scanned the horizon, searching for what he was looking at. And then I saw it . I should of seen it sooner. Most humans would mistake it for a dolphin; Erik was smarter then that. He knew it wasn't the fin of an innocent Dolphin fin. Dolphin fins looked nothing like Great White fins. I stared at it in horror for a moment. Erik sensed something was wrong.

" Pearl, are you-."

He didn't get a chance to finish. I turned around, and put my mouth on his. It wasn't a passionate kiss, like they sing of in tales. It was only for a moment, and it was only to bestow a mermaid's gift to him. I poured magic into the kiss, and felt it transferring it from myself to him when I broke away.

" You will be able to breathe underwater and swim as fast as I can for twenty currents. Swim, toward land! I can keep it busy"

He stared at me as if I were insane. I pushed Eric into the water, and flung myself in as well. Only instead of swimming toward the land, or swimming down, I picked up a broken shell that had found it's way on the rock. The shark had disappeared underwater, and I knew he would be going for Eric. Shark never bothered with the merfolk unless they were the only prey around. Clenching my teeth, I dragged the point of the shell down my arm. Dark red blood oozed out. I splashed at the surface, swimming as close as I dared to the shark. It turned sharply as it smelled the blood. It was debating whether to go after Eric or me. I splashed, swimming closer to the shark. I smiled. I would be able to swim away fast enough. Suddenly, I sensed something behind my back. I turned to see a great white, jaws open, rushing at me. I dived, and it missed me by a hairs length. But wait, the shark hadn't been on that side..... to my horror, I realized there were two. Circling me. I was trapped.

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Catherine

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Erik would be home today. I was so excited, I could barely contain myself. I did my hair up and wore my nicest gown, and waited in the parlor, sewing. I hated sewing, but it was necessary. Not just to pass the time. To shove that awful feeling I had in my head away. After all the days, the feeling was nearly gone. I heard a knock on the door.

" I'll get it!," I practically screamed, leaping up to get it before one of the servants did.

Racing to the door, I flung it open with a huge smile, ready to fling myself in Eric's arms; both of my parents were on a trip to Copenhagen. Instead, there was a grim faced man.

" My Father isn't available right now, sir," I told him, starting to close the door already from disappointment.

" Are you the Lady Catherine?"

I looked up, surprised.

" My new dresses aren't supposed to come in until next month. Has Anna hired help?"

The man shook his head, and for the first time I noticed the royal symbol embroidered on his coat.

" Milady, there has been an accident."

As soon as he said the words, I knew what had happened. My face paled, my eyes stared at him.

" Not Erik. Erik is coming home to me."

The man hesitated, looking at me with the unmistakable expression of pity. Even before he said it, tears welled up in my eyes.

" The royal ship, Lady of the Sea sank. All perished. You have my and the King's deepest apologies to have to bring you this news."

He said a few more things about how Erik had died honorably, and how he would begin his new life in God's Kingdom, and how I could still talk to Erik through prayer. But I didn't cry.

" Thank you, Sir," I said quietly.

He kissed my hand, gave me another look of pity, and left. I went up to the balcony, watching the Seagulls fly past. The Ocean was beautiful. I remembered the Grand Ship sailing away, and I remembered Erik shouting to me from the edge of the boat. What had he said? Then I remembered. Take care of yourself! I love you, Catherine! That was when I sat down, and let the tears stream down my cheeks.