Chapter 99

"Would you ever consider going back?" Cleo asked.

"No," Talei's response was immediate. There was a beat before she spoke again. "I don't know."

"You don't seem sure," Emma commented.

"I…" Talei began. "I love being a mermaid. I love the freedom I have in the water. I love being free of responsibilities. I love being free of judgement, but…" she trailed off, sighing.

"You're lonely," Anna said. Talei looked at her. She sighed again.

"Not that Vatu isn't great company, I…I guess I miss people,"

Vatu made a grunt of indignation. "You know I love you, Vatu," Talei reassured her. There was another grunt and squeak and the Dakuwaqa seemed to smile.

"Don't get me wrong, my life isn't boring to say the least" Talei continued. "The Sawa-i-lau caves are a magnet for sea creatures just like Vatu. Vatu says that the magic draws them here. Unfortunately, they are not as good tempered as she is; to keep living here, at certain times of year we have to fight them off. Only magic and the moon's light can open this hidden cave, and others within the caves. Most creatures turn away once Vatu uses her abilities on them; they acknowledge the Dakuwaqa is a powerful creature. But here comes a point where using magic, fighting creatures, and hiding away loses its appeal," Talei said.

"Why hide away in the caverns?" Rikki asked. "Why not swim to another one of the Fijian islands? Why not swim to another country to live there?"

"I…" Talei looked shocked. "I hadn't really thought about that…" she paused, collecting her thoughts. "When I was discovered, I thought about going to another island in Fiji. I realised that to be normal in any community here, water is a major part of everyday activities, I would have to be incredibly careful…and I wasn't sure if I could do it; keep it secret. I could see everyone finding out and then telling others. I didn't know if I could risk it," She said. "As for the living in another country? I hadn't really considered that, but I don't know the first thing about living in another culture. I feel like with more access to media, it could be an even bigger risk." She sighed. "I just wanted to be normal. Now…I feel like I should have stuck it out…maybe the wariness and awe would have passed and I could have gone back to my life before all of this happened to me…I sometimes wish that I hadn't used my powers at all…then I would never have been caught…but then other times I am grateful; I would never have met Vatu otherwise."

"I don't know what I would do if we were exposed," Cleo commented. "We actually live on an island together, just us mermaids, our husbands and our kids. We, like you I'm sure, became very good at hiding our secret."

"Yeah," Emma agreed. "We actually live on the island which most of us changed on."

"You all changed too?" Talei asked.

"Not all of us – Jessie was born as a mermaid – her mother was changed," Anna said. "Emma, Cleo and Rikki all changed at the same time, and Bella, and my husband Ben, and I changed at different times." She continued. "Our children all inherited our mermaid DNA."

"Your husband is a merman?" Talei asked with her eyes wide.

"He is," Anna smiled.

"And your children are mers as well?"

"They are," Anna tried to hold back her grin at Talei's bewildered expression.

"Our kids that were old enough to swim to Fiji, and the exception of baby Fi, are actually in the previous cavern," Bella informed the mermaid. Talei looked dumbfounded. "In fact, they're probably wondering what is taking us so long."

OoOoO

Arieta was becoming anxious. The mermaids were going to investigate the tunnel to what presumably was another cavern. Either the tunnel was really long, or something had gone wrong. They were going to let her know whether she would be able to swim through or not. It had been about fifteen minutes. Now, Arieta could hold her breath underwater a long time; she had practically lived in the ocean growing up. If the tunnel took fifteen minutes though? She could hold her breath for around five minutes easily. She had once managed eight minutes but came up spluttering for air and feeling sick. She decided she would stick to five.

"Jennifer? Jake?" Arieta called out to them, gesturing for them to come closer. The mer kids were enjoying an altered version of the game Marco Polo.

The eldest two mers swam over.

"Would you be able to carefully swim through the tunnel and find your mothers? I'm starting to get worried," Arieta said.

"You want us to find where they are?" Jacob asked. Arieta nodded.

"And let us know whether we can swim through into the other cavern," Arieta added.

"Why don't we just use mindspeak?" Jennifer asked

"Mindspeak?" Arieta asked.

"You know, when we communicate to each other via our minds," Jennifer said.

Arieta shook her head looking blank. Jennifer rolled her eyes, but acquiesced. She seemed to zone out for a second.

OoOoO

'Mum, can you hear me?' Cleo felt her daughter's voice press into her mind.

'Yes, Jen, what is it?'

'Arieta is starting to get worried. I can tell. She also wants to know whether we can swim through to meet you?'

'Oh, just a second honey,' Cleo responded. "Jen just asked me whether they can swim through. Apparently Arieta is starting to get anxious."

"Can our kids come through?" Emma asked Talei. The woman nodded. She sat down on the steps.

'You can come through,' Cleo told Jennifer. "The swim is short, so Arieta can make it too,'

"Arieta and the kids will be here any second," Cleo announced.

Sure enough, headlights began to emerge from the water. Jennifer and Jacob were through first, Jenny holding Fi's little hand as she kicked enthusiastically. Jennifer released Fi and gave her a little push and the hybrid mer-with-legs swam towards her mother. Rikki picked her up, cooing her encouragement. Her children had definitely made her soft. The other mer children surfaced next and began looking around in awe. Finally, Arieta reached the surface and she took a gasping breath.

"Wow, this cavern is amazing," Arieta said. She looked at the mermaids. "Why didn't you come back and let us know that it was all okay?" she asked, interrogatively.

Arieta had not noticed the woman further up the impressive steps. The one who had silent tears streaming down her face. Nor had she noticed the impressive looking Vatu who was standing next to and anxiously looking at her mistress.

"Well, as soon as we arrive we were attacked by Vatu up there," Rikki responded, pointing. "Forgive us if we weren't fast enough."

Arieta's gaze followed where Rikki was pointing. Of course, she gasped when she saw Vatu, but when her eyes laid on the woman beside the creature, her breath caught in her throat and a slightly strangled noise was released. Puzzled at the lack of response to being attacked, the mermaids regarded what she was looking at.

Arieta's eyes misted up.

"I…Nana Levu?" Arieta managed quietly. The children had realised that something monumental was going on, so they were quiet, despite their fearful and excited noticing of Vatu.

A fresh wave of tears escaped Talei's eyes. She started to descend the stairs slowly.

"Ari?" Talei uttered in disbelief. Arieta swam slowly forward, almost subconsciously.

"After all this time…" Arieta uttered, half to herself. "Is it truly you, my nana levu?" she asked.

"It's me, my luvequ yalewa," Talei replied. She stopped before the water's edge, unsure of what to do.

"I've missed you," Arieta exclaimed, moving forward quickly and wrapping her arms around her aunt. Talei closed her eyes, enjoying the feeling of Arieta hugging her, until she realised what she had just allowed. Arieta released her when she felt Nana Levu tense. Talei dived into the water, soaking her body that was already wet from the hug, and changing into her mermaid form. Her niece realised what had happened, and had the grace to feel embarrassed. She sat down on the bottom step, her feet dangling in the water.

"I'm sorry," Arieta apologised awkwardly. "I'm just…Nana levu, you're alive…and you've been hiding here under our noses the whole time…"

A/N: 'q' in Fijian orthography is pronounced 'ng' : luvequ yalewa (sister's daughter – also word for daughter in Fijian) so luvengu yalewa, and dakuwaqa is dakuwanga.

A/N #2: Hey everyone! I hope you're well and have enjoyed this chapter :D I enjoyed writing it. Please tell me what you think, it helps me to know what you like to read, helping me to develop my story for the future.

Next chapter will the number 100 for this story. I never imagined I would get anywhere near that far. A while back I said I might not continue this story far past number 100, but I've decided that I still have some stories I want to tell in this storyline/universe/time period, so I'm going to continue until I truly and organically feel that this story has nothing more to offer. Now, this could mean the story will go for a few more months, or knowing me, it could go for quite a while into next year at least. We'll see. And I'll definitely let you know. Even if this story does finish soon, I will still be writing A Prince a Curse and One Solution: a Girl (my acronym for it is PCOS), Time will Tell (TWT), Thinking about a Fiery Mermaid (TAFM) and potentially a third story in this series, focused primarily on the kids (probably at highschool age). Let me know what you think of this idea, and my ideas about the continuation of this story.

This story has become such an integral part of my life, and so I don't know how I feel when I end it, if I end it; it's just become something that I do. If you still want it, I'll still create it. If it is unanimous that you want me to focus on my other stories, then I'll wrap this up quickly and focus on those. I am aware that they have been quite neglected this year; I have been busy with university, and balancing four stories is incredibly difficult (finding the time). Fortunately, it is now the Summer holidays! WOOHOOO! I have four months until I start my 3rd year of university: however, I will be working, so I won't have all day everyday to work on these (especially if I'm tired) but I'll have so much more time, so should...and I say should be able to update more frequently, if you want it :D Again PLEASE TELL ME WHAT YOU THINK OF MY THINKING. You guys really help and inspire me.

Anyway, onto other news, I have finished university for the year; I handed my last assignment in on Friday - it was due on my birthday, Thursday the 29th, but I got an extension by a day because I had a family funeral to go to...on my birthday. Which actually turned out fine, it was a lovely funeral (my uncle was an eccentric and fun person, so the funeral was accordingly) and I got to see the family :) I am now TWENTY! 20. I am no longer a teen. Freaky. But cool :D

Thanks so much to you all for reading my stories, sticking with me, you mean a lot to me :) Thank you for actually reading to the end of this freakishly long authors note (I apologise. It's probably because I haven't really talked to anyone today, lol :P )

Thanks so much to everyone reviews, for you kind words and dedication. I love you so much:

CrazyHayniac, The Writer Es, zikki 3, YaleAceBella12, WannabeeAussie, Starlightdreamer12, HybridsRose

Thank you.