"What did you do to him?!"

"Calm yourself, Miss Elizabeta! We only tranquilized him."

"You fucking SHOT him with a SLEEP SEDATIVE! From your boat, even, you cowards!"

Gil tried to force his eyes open, upon hearing what sounded like Eli screaming. It took a few tries, but as he finally opened them he felt his hands being bound behind his back. He tried to move only to find his body seemed to weigh far too heavy for him to even lift a finger. Through his blurring vision he could make out a group of men holding Eli back as she struggled to run to him.

"We had no choice, Miss! This is the first we've seen such a creature with our own eyes. Who knows what it's capable of?"

"What matters isn't how we took it down. What matters is you're safe now!"

"I WAS safe with him!" Eli broke an arm free and swung to punch the closest man. The group ducked from the attempt and regained their hold on her. "LET HIM GO!" she screeched, kicking out with her legs.

Gil felt his mind fighting sleep as he tried to process what was happening. They'd been found. They were being captured. He tried to open his mouth to speak but the words remained stuck in his throat. He was so tired... So, so tired...


Gil awoke with a gasp, and immediately was met with dozens of staring, curious, and fearful eyes. He made to move but realized he was still bound, and worse, encased in a glass structure filled with sea water up to his chest. It was cramped, and when he tried to stretch his tail the men's eyes grew wider.

"I can't believe we caught ourselves a mermaid!" one exclaimed.

"Or is it merman?" another asked.

"Who cares? Either way, the king will be very pleased! He'll reward us quite handsomely, don't you think?"

Gil scowled at them and grit his teeth. "Where's Eli?" he growled.

Several of the men fell back at his words.

"I-I-It speaks!"

"I suppose it would... Being half man, you know?"

"I thought they could only sing!"

"Where's Eli?!" Gil demanded again, placing his face closer to the glass. It was as threatening as he could get given his situation.

"I'll go get the captain," a sailor offered before hurrying off.

"Just calm down, buddy, everything's okay," another said, trying and failing to soothe Gil.

"Easy for you to say, you're not the one trapped in a glass box!" he angrily shot back. "You're lucky my hands are tied or I'd be busting that up real fast!"

"That's enough, everybody! Stop tormenting the poor creature." The sailors made way for a new person. Gil assumed the man was their captain, given their respect for him. The man looked very tired as he waved his crew away. "Go about your business. I want to speak with him myself."

"Aye, Captain!"

"Aye, Captain!"

As the crew dispersed, the captain brought a crate closer to the tank so he could sit level with Gil. "...I never imagined in all my years on this earth that your kind were real. Frankly, I'm baffled just looking at you."

Gil didn't have time for niceties. "Where's Eli? What have you done with her? Is she okay?"

The captain nodded. "Miss Eli is fine. Once the crew captured you, she cooperated and came back to the ship quietly. She wanted to make sure they didn't hurt you. She was real concerned for your wellbeing, and I made sure to respect that." He gestured to Gil's head. "I'm genuinely sorry about your crown and baubels, though. I hope you understand, having lost our last ship to the storm won't look too good to the king when we return. Everything we collected on our journey went down with it. I'm just looking out for my men. The king... Well, he doesn't smile upon failures."

"I don't care about that stuff. As long as Eli's safe, you can keep them." Gil curtly glanced away. The captain seemed like a good man, but he couldn't trust him. He was human, after all. "...How'd you find us so fast?"

"Well, as you can see, I was fortunate enough to come across this ship. As the king's lead naval personnel I can commandeer any ship in his kingdom. So I did just that. Think of it as borrowing the ship and crew from the current captain, with them still on board. As a matter of fact, I believe the captain's below deck drinking away his disbelief as we speak. ...Anyway, if my crew and I were still in those rowboats, it would've been days, perhaps a week until we found you."

Shit luck. That's what it amounted to. Gil looked back to the captain. "...Can I see her?"

The man sighed. "You may. But don't be alarmed when you see that she's got her hands tied as well. She's deadset on freeing you. Personally... I wish I could endulge her and let you go. But everyone here has already seen you. And if the king catches wind of multiple accounts of us catching a merman and we come back without you, there's going to be questions." With a heavy sigh, the captain stood. "I'll fetch the young miss. She's eager to see you as well."

Gil could only stay put as he waited for the captain to return with Eli. As long as she wasn't hurt... He was relieved. But that relief quickly twisted into unease as his mind ran wild with new thoughts. He didn't want to, but he could imagine what was to become of him now that he was captured. He would likely be put on display for other humans to see... Or perhaps kept as a personal pet to the king. That might not be so bad, if he got to see Eli often. Maybe he could live with that. Oh, right, Eli was to be married off... Either way then, they were sure to be separated...

"Gil!"

His heart quickened at the oh-so-sweet sight of her."Eli!" She was cleaned up and in borrowed sailor clothes, but she was still his beloved Eli, safe and sound. "I'm so glad you're okay!"

The captain held onto her arm as she made to get closer. "Here's fine, Miss Eli."

"Please let me closer! I beg you!"

"Begging is unbefitting someone of your stature. Please have some dignity," the captain replied with a sad smile. "What would your father think if he heard you speak such a way?"

"My father's not here and he can go to hell," Eli snarled.

The captain's eyes widened. "Miss Eli, what has gotten into you? You've been feral since-"

"Since you captured Gil! Shot him with tranquilizers! Binded him! Put him in that stupid tank! And stole his treasures! It's no wonder they hide from us!"

"Eli, it's okay! Just... Just talk with me?" Gil could fully understand her anger, but in their situation it wasn't going to gain them any favors. They couldn't do anything about it, but... The least they could do was talk.

Eli's eyes softened as she looked to him. "Oh, Gil... I'm so sorry! You don't deserve any of this!" Her face began to scrunch up as she fought back tears. "This is all my fault! They were looking for me and I was stupid enough to think I could run from them!"

"Don't apologize, it's not your fault!" Gil wriggled closer to the glass. "And you weren't stupid!"

"I was! I should've just had you take me back to them that night!" Tears began to run down her cheeks. "I should've let you go back to where you belong! Now you're just another one of Father's assets! I have no idea what he'll do to you!"

Gil swallowed past that very fear and tried to give a reassuring smile. "Hey, hey, it'll be alright! Like I said, I wanted to help you! That was my choice, to stay by your side, and I don't regret it! No matter what happens, I don't regret staying with you, Eli!"

The captain took a handkerchief from his pocket and wiped Eli's tears for her. "Now, Miss Eli, don't make yourself sick over sobbing..."

"I can't help it! I did this to him!" she cried. "He saved me when the ship wrecked, and this is his thanks?! Humans really are the worst! We can all just rot!"

Gil closed his eyes. Eli was wracked with guilt, she could only lash out. He could feel her pain, and wanted nothing more than to hold her hand again. But since there was no way for them to touch each other physically, perhaps he could comfort her another way, with his own message...

"Eli, my dear, please don't cry

What's done is done.

I don't have it in me to lie

so I'll admit I'm scared too.

Whatever happens to me

you must live on, you hear?

Some things aren't meant to be

and still life goes on.

You taught me there are good humans,

you just happen to be the best.

Don't blame yourself for their sins

you are much too good for that.

If I must leave you,

please allow me to say

Live life, be you, your true you

and that will be thanks enough.

And if we happen to meet again

know that I'm willing to stay by your side

However long it may take for that day to come

there's hope we can once again escape into the tide."

He was suddenly aware of the silence surrounding him. He had sang for himself many times, but never for someone else. He knew his voice wasn't as melodic as the other mermen's, but he hoped he was able to reach Eli somehow, through his words. She had wanted to hear him sing... It was the least he could do to comfort her now.

He hesitantly opened his eyes. The crew had stopped their tasks to listen, and the captain looked absolutely dumbfounded. But Eli... She was no longer crying, and the expression on her face stunned Gil. It was startling to see it on her face, but it was the expression he'd become all too familiar with since meeting Eli.

She was in love. The way she gazed at him... He had gazed at her the exact same way. The lovestricken smile... The blush in her cheeks...

She loved him.

"I thought mermaids were supposed to have angelic voices?" a crewmate asked.

"I was scared he was trying to enchant us so I just covered my ears!" another one remarked. "Guess I needn't have worried!"

As the crew went back to their tasks, the captain gave a tug on Eli's arm. "Get some rest, Miss Eli. We'll be back home tomorrow." He looked unsettled, probably still in shock. "I'll make sure nothing happens to him."

Eli stood her ground. "That was beautiful, Gil! I loved it! ...Thank you." Her eyes lingered on his, and he smiled. They couldn't embrace, but her expression in that moment was all he needed. "Your voice is lovely... I hope I hear it in my dreams as I sleep," she added over her shoulder as the captain led her away.

Gil smirked. "Oh, I'll make sure of it!" Without further ado, he burst into song once more, causing groans to rise up from the crew. And after that song was over, he sang another, and another, and another, right up until the sun began to set.


"Gil!"

Eli's faint whisper roused him from sleep. He was still in the tank, and for a moment he wondered if maybe he had dreamed of her voice. But then he heard the lid moving from above him, and he looked to see Eli sliding it off, as quietly as she could.

"Eli? How did you get free?" he whispered back, trying to move himself closer to where she was.

"Said I had to go to the bathroom. They untied me and I knocked out my guard with a frying pan on the way," she grinned impishly.

"What's a frying pan?"

"This thing at my feet," she replied. Gil peered down to see what looked like a flat bowl with a handle. "But honestly... I think the captain is letting me free you, now that I've made it this far. There's no one around. If that's true, I feel kind of bad for the man I hit."

Hearing this, Gil's eyes widened. "What? He's letting us escape?"

"Yes... We're getting out of here, Gil. Just sit tight a moment while I set this down." The fresh air felt amazing without the lid, and Gil poked his head out of the tank. As Eli had said, not a soul was on deck.

"Why would he do that?"

"He's a good man. He's just following orders from my father. But when it counts... He can do the right thing in spite of that," she answered. She reached into the pocket of her trousers and pulled out a tiny metal instrument. A blade flipped out from it. "I'm going to untie you, so stay still."

"I trust you." Gil did as he was told and within seconds his hands were free. He stretched his wrists and Eli grinned. "Feels better already, doesn't it?"

"You bet." He made to grab hold of the rim of the tank to push himself out, but Eli swiftly lifted him out with seemingly no effort. "Woah, you really aren't a dainty thing!" he exclaimed. It felt odd to be in someone's arms, but since it was Eli carrying him he certainly didn't mind.

She softly giggled. "I work out. Nobody expects that from a princess." She carried him to sit on the ship railing. She bore her eyes into his, smiling with joy. "I want you to know, Gil, you gave me courage today. With your song. That must have been hard for you... I could tell last night you were shy about your voice." She brushed aside his hair from his face. "Thank you so much for that. I've had time to think, and I know what I must do now."

The way she was looking so intently at him, the way her hand settled on his cheek... Gil could barely keep his thoughts straight. His cheeks grew hot with each blink of her eyes. They were so close now... Her legs were brushing against his tail, her other hand on his chest. He could feel every movement, every breath...

"...And what is that?" he whispered, daring to ask.

"Kiss you." She placed her lips on his, and Gil was lost in euphoria. She did love him... She loved him! She could love a creature like him! His thoughts became incoherent as he kissed back, and they enjoyed the moment, together and alone.

Their lips parted, and Gil placed his hand on her back, drawing her closer. "I love you, Eli!" Another kiss. "From the moment I met you!" Another kiss. "From the moment I heard you sing!"

"Oh, Gil...!" She placed both her hands on his chest, tracing a scar with her finger. A tear rolled down her face, onto her chin, down to his tail. "I love you so much..." She kissed him, her lips lingering longer this time. When she pulled back, Gil saw for a split second the pain she had shown earlier, but this time mixed with determination.

"Eli-?"

"I really do love you, Gil! ...So be free!" She pushed him with all her might.

As Gil fell over the railing, he cried out for her, arm outstretched. "ELI!" He caught one final glance at her before he hit the water. The look she wore pierced him like the sharpest of blades.

It was a heart-wrenching look that said 'Take me with you'.