He had wanted me, I knew it. But then she came. She came and ruined everything. A month ago, my hopes had been so high. A month ago, I had come into this world, sure that I could do the task assigned to me. So many things can change in a month. I had been so close. I wandered out of my cabin, onto the main deck of the boat. My feet made no sound as I glided over to the rail, didn't even leave the blood coated footprints as usual. I stared up at the inky black sky, the few stars twinkling and glowing like fireflies mocking me. I brought my gaze down to the sea. Waves lapped at the sides of the ship temptingly.

The sea whispered to me, its voice soft, husky, caressingly into my ear. Come to us, It whispered, come and join us. We love you. We can make you happy. Why stay when all your troubles can be gone…lost in our depths…? It was horribly convincing…why stay here? He doesn't love me…nothing keeps me here…go…my troubles will be relieved…lost in the sea…I shook my head to clear it.

I glided over to the prince's cabin, much larger than mine, hung with silk…the door was shut tight, but I pushed it open noiselessly, and slipped towards the bed. I gazed down on them, happy and embracing, in their wedding night bed. A dagger appeared in my hand. It was a simple thing, adorned with a green wrapped hilt of some unknown substance, with some engravings in an unknown ancient mysterious language on the blade. The deal was clear: the man falls in love with me, I stay a human the rest of my life. I don't gain his affections; I turn back into a mermaid…either by killing him, or becoming her slave as so many before me have. To serve her was to become the most black being…the deeds she does is enough to make anyone hate themselves into oblivion… but so many had taken that path before me, so many had sacrificed their sanity, everything for the man they were after….

I had been so close, but then she came…and ruined everything. I stared at the dagger. It would be so easy. Plunge it into his vulnerable chest before me, and I would be free. So easy…one simple movement…and the bride would wake, her golden head high and full of misery, her spattering of freckles standing out more then usual on her pale face. No one would suspect me, the mute beauty dark eyes full of real sorrow, long dark brown curls hanging around my face covering it. No one would suspect me, the prince's friend, who they found lying, shivering on the beach. Not even when I disappeared forever.

I held the knife, poised over him. I tried to make my hand go down in the swift movement that would his life…my arm refused to move, refused to obey…or maybe it was obeying in a different way…did I want to kill him? Do I really want to do this? I knew the answer, and withdrew my hand. If I could cry, I would burst into tears. If I hadn't given up my voice with my other life, I would cry out.

If I hadn't had to save him, none of this would have happened.

I slipped out of their room, and walked to the prow of the ship. The knife still in my hand…it glinted maliciously in the moonlight. At any moment, I could bring it towards myself…I could end this pain.

The sea whispered to me… come to us, come to us…end this pain.

I smiled gently, softly…I will not be in servitude to that terrible woman… there was one option yet open to me, one option that no one has taken thus far. I toke a deep breath, savoring my last moments…and I opened myself, my heart, my soul to the sea.

Will I be remembered? Would he wake up one day and think…I wonder what happened to her, where she went…?

Dawn brakes, a man and his new wife walk out of their cabin and to the front of the ship. The woman holds onto her husband's arm and looks out onto the horizon, then down into the inviting sea. Foam laps the edges of the vessel, so calm, so lovely. She smiles down upon it, and looks up at her new husband. "The sea is so beautiful," she says softly, "the foam seems to be whispering…whispering a mournful song…"

He chucks her gently under her chin, smiling lovingly on her fair face. "Now you know that's nonsense, darling. The sea doesn't talk."

She leans closer to him. "I know," she says, so softly I can barely hear it. "I know…It was only a fancy…only a thought." They turn around and leave, back to the cabin, and I am taken away by the sea.

The other foam seems to whisper its acceptance towards me, loving words, accepting me into their world, as others never had. They sigh my name as one, the last time I will hear it.

My last thought breezes though my mind, almost in my last moments. He never loved me. He never has, and he never will. His wife remembered, but not him. He doesn't remember me, he never will, he loves her….

I understand this; I make it apart of me. My last thoughts are swept out of my mind, and I collapse into my brothers and sisters…and I forgot.