Gil was wakened by Eli's soft whispering.
"Gil, it's almost morning."
He opened his eyes to find her gazing at him. The night they had spent together flashed before his eyes and he smiled lovingly at her. "Is that so? What of it?"
They had fallen asleep on the floor, a blanket draped over them. Eli slipped out from under it and began searching for their clothes. "You'll have to leave soon, before the servants wake. If they find you missing, that could be a problem."
He yawned as he sat up, catching his clothes as she tossed them over to him. "I guess... We never got to fully discuss what we're gonna do, though."
"About the ceremony... I had some time to think before I woke you."
"And...?"
She pulled her nightgown over her head. "And... This is what I came up with. There's a lot that could still go wrong, but under the circumstances we don't have many options. It'll have to do."
As they dressed, she told him of her plan, and he listened intently. They worked out some of the finer details together, and as the sun began to peek into the room they felt both nervous and excited for the day ahead.
"It's settled, then," Eli concluded. "We're really doing this!"
"Yeah," Gil agreed. "We're getting out of here, together!"
They walked over to the bed and shared one last kiss before Gil returned to his hiding spot from the night before. "Love you," he whispered to Eli as he ducked under the frame.
She lifted the hanging sheets to see him wincing in pain. "You hit your head again, didn't you?" she teased with a smile.
"Can you blame me? With these legs I feel taller even when I'm crouching," he joked.
She giggled softly. "I'll see you soon, hopefully. Love you!" She let the sheets fall to the floor and within seconds she was opening the door. "Excuse me, I'm ready to return this to the library."
"You're still up, Princess?" the guard asked, bemused. "It's very nearly dawn!"
"Oh, yes... I had trouble sleeping. But this book was very good, so I just kept reading..." The door closed and it didn't take long for the pair of footsteps to fade.
Gil emerged from under the bed and was out the door in seconds.
He managed to sneak back to the servants' quarters undetected. As he quietly closed the door to his room behind him, he let out a great breath. Now came the worst part of the plan, in his opinion: waiting for the day to begin.
He couldn't go back to sleep, even after his head hit the pillow. His mind was all over the place, thinking about the night before and what was to come later in the day. There were many uncertainties surrounding their plan and the wedding ceremony, but one thing was certain: He loved Eli, and she loved him. The way they had made each other feel last night was special. He never imagined he would make love with someone as a human, let alone that it would feel so good. He knew it wasn't necessary in love, but he was glad he had shared such an intimate experience with Eli before they transformed. He had felt so close to her... He wished they had more time, to be able to experience it again.
But today was their last day as humans, and their time would be spent away from each other. At least, until the ceremony. And once they escaped, they had to be fast and make for the docks without a second thought. Eli could technically transform herself anytime after they were safe, but his human transformation would wear off at sunset, just as the ceremony would be starting. They would be cutting it extremely close, but the ceremony really was their best chance.
Still lost in thought, Gil jolted at the sound of knocking on his door. "Gil, breakfast is ready!"
"Okay, thanks!" he called, getting up. He changed into his work clothes and joined the servants at the table. Some were chatting excitedly, others with gloom in their voice. But the conversation all centered on one thing: the wedding.
"I can't believe we're losing the princess today!"
"I don't care much for the prince she's marrying. I served him yesterday."
"We all knew this day was coming!"
"I hope Princess Elizabeta fares well with all this..."
"The king was rather hasty this time, wasn't he?"
As he sat down, eyes slowly turned on him and the conversations became hushed whispers and giggles. He immediately glanced over himself, making sure he hadn't put any clothes on wrong. The uniform was alright, so what was everyone's deal?
Panic began to set in. Had someone seen him coming back from Eli's room? No, that was impossible... He hadn't seen a soul that morning or the night before. What on earth...?
The servant beside him adjusted his collar pointedly, giving him a sideways glance. "You, uh... You got a mark showing," he mumbled.
For a split second Gil was still confused, then it dawned on him what the guy meant. Oh... He quickly pulled his collar tighter around his neck, but the damage was already done. Servants were staring at him, including the head servant. She raised an eyebrow as their eyes met.
"For heaven's sake, you've only been here two days! I won't ask for details, but please make sure that's hidden when working! It's unprofessional," she scolded.
His face was burning as he meekly nodded. "Yes, sorry..." There was a part of him that was just begging to brag about the mark, but the embarrassment of being called out for it quickly overshadowed his pride. "It won't happen again."
"I don't care if it happens again, just don't let us see it!" Marya huffed. "And especially not the king!"
Gil spent the rest of breakfast with his head down, avoiding conversation as much as possible. He needed to keep his focus on the plan, not be distracted... He was soon going to have the head servant's attention again, for a different reason. He didn't need any trouble on top of that.
As if on cue, there was a knock on the door to the servants' quarters. Marya excused herself to answer it. Gil had a good idea as to what the interruption was about and his suspicions were confirmed minutes later, when he and a handful of servants were asked to stay behind as the others left to begin their tasks.
"Are we getting wedding jobs?!" one of the servants asked excitedly.
Marya nodded. "Yes, all of you have been handpicked by Princess Elizabeta to help with the ceremony, both in preparing for it and during the ceremony. I expect each and every one of you to do your utmost to please her and the prince, and above all, the king. Any dissatisfaction voiced by them will be handled swiftly and without complaint. Any failure to comply with their demands-"
"Yes, yes, we know the drill! Just tell us who's doing what already!" another servant eagerly interrupted.
After giving the servant a stern warning look, Marya continued. "Very well. Listen up!" As she went down the list, Gil tried his best to remain indifferent, as though he had no idea what he'd be doing. As his name was called, he bit his tongue to keep from smiling. "Gil! You will be the ring keeper! You will be working with the ceremony coordinator to rehearse your role. When he is satisfied with your performace, you will help set up the decorations." As she continued down the list, Gil zoned out, remembering Eli's idea.
If he was the ring keeper, that would allow him to get close to her during the ceremony without causing a disturbance. Once he was in front of her and the prince, that was when they would run down the empty aisle and for the church door. It was the easiest way he could get to her.
"That is all. A word, Gil and Ro?"
Gil snapped to attention. "Yes?"
The other servants left, chattering as they quickly filed out the door. He and Ro waited for the head servant to speak. She sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose. "Gil... I have no idea how a trainee got selected for such an important task, but for the love of God, please do everything you're told to do and follow orders exactly. Today is an important event for not just us, but the royalty as well. If even one thing doesn't go according to plan, it falls on me to serve out any punishments the king deems fit. Do you understand?"
He understood. She was saying as much as she hated to, she would be unable to disobey the king if he ordered a servant punished, no matter how severe the punishment was. He nodded.
"Ro. You're helping with decorations. Please help Gil if he needs it. You'll be in the same vicinity, so if anything comes up-"
Ro waved a hand. "Aw, Marya, the boy can handle it. All he has to do is hand over the rings! A child could do that!"
Marya sighed. "A child can get into a lot of trouble if left unsupervised," she snarkily replied, casting a pointed glance at Gil. "Grown men, too."
Ro patted Gil's back and ushered him toward the door. "I'll keep an eye on him, don't you worry! Come on, Gil, let's get down to the church before she blows steam out her nose."
They hurried out into the hall, ignoring the head servant muttering behind them. Gil gave a small laugh once they were clear. "Thanks for having my back. Didn't mean to get you involved..."
Ro chuckled heartily. "Ha! Don't worry about her, Gil. She's just in a tizzy over a rookie getting such an important task. That, and she's probably off her rocker from seeing that mark of yours." He nudged Gil with his elbow. "Did you and the princess have fun last night?"
Gil abruptly stopped, his body unable to move from the shock of what he'd just heard. He was frozen, eyes wide with confusion. He could feel his heart pounding as he forced himself to look at Ro. The old man was grinning ear to ear, a knowing twinkle in his eyes. "H-How... did you know...?" The words felt thick on Gil's tongue as he spoke, and he struggled to maintain his focus. How the hell did the old man know about him and Eli meeting last night? Did he see him leave? Return? Did he see him in the hall? Did he-
"I came back from my break yesterday and overheard you two talking in the stable. Forgive an old man for being nosy, but I couldn't help but eavesdrop." Ro's grin only grew wider as Gil's expression turned from confusion to horror. "So what you told me, about you two... It wasn't the truth, now was it? There's more to it. How much more, I wonder?"
"I... Uh... Y-You're not going to tell anyone... are you?" Gil weakly asked, suddenly terrified. Someone knew... All Ro had to do was tattle... Maybe no one would believe him, but there was that chance that someone would believe him...
"Nah, I like you, Gil. You're a good lad. Over the years I've gotten quite the talent for sorting people, and you're one of the good ones." He gestured onward with his chin. "It's a long walk into town. Now, why don't you tell me the real story about you and the princess? I take it you're not going to simply let her be wed to someone else."
Gil hesitated before replying. "Well... No, I'm not. Eli and I are gonna escape together. But our story... You're not going to believe it."
The old man smirked. "You won't know unless you tell me it. I've been alive for 78 years, young man. I'm sure there's plenty of things in the world I wouldn't believe if I heard about them, so what's one more?"
As Gil rehearsed his role over and over again with the ceremony coordinator, he still couldn't get over how Ro had simply... accepted his story. He'd told the old man everything, beginning to where he and Eli were now, and the old man hadn't batted an eye. It baffled him. Crazy old man... The fact that merfolk existed didn't seem to faze him. But Gil felt like he really could trust him not to say anything to anyone, so that was one less concern. It did make him wonder what all the old man had seen in his life, though...
"No, you're speeding up again! Maintain the same pace the whole way to the altar!" the coordinator instructed, bringing Gil back to his current task. "Try again!"
Gil grit his teeth. He was losing his patience with practicing a stupid slow walk over and over again. He had to hold a fancy pillow up the whole time too. There wasn't even anything on the pillow... "Shouldn't I be practicing with the rings?" he asked, bored.
The coordinator scoffed. "You think they would just let us practice with them? I don't know what rings they'll be using, but regardless they'll be from the treasury. Worth a fortune!"
"They're pieces of metal and rocks."
"...That may be, but they're still valuable treasures. We won't get to see the rings until the treasurer brings us them." The coordinator was waved over by someone Gil didn't recognize. "Excuse me a moment. Keep practicing."
Minutes later the coordinator came back, looking pissed. "They better not make any more changes! The ceremony's already going to be a short one! With the rate this is going it'll be over in five minutes!"
Gil stopped mid-walk and turned to him. "What do you mean?"
"A wedding is supposed to be a spectacle! It is a special day, filled with time honored traditions! The king is insisting on cutting the time for all of them! He just wants the ceremony to be as fast and short as possible!" The coordinator crossed his arms as he focused on Gil. "But it does make your job easier, at least. All you have to do now is come out from that side door-" he pointed to the right side of the altar, "-take a few steps and you're there! Short and fast, as the king commands," he finished, clearly unhappy.
This was excellent news for Gil. "Sounds great!"
"Also, a note came from Princess Elizabeta. Before the ceremony, you're to pick the rings for her and the prince." The coordinator furrowed his brows, perplexed. "I really don't know what to make of that. By all rights it should be the treasurer retrieving the rings... I might have to confirm it with the king first."
"I wouldn't do that!" Gil rushed. Eli hadn't told him of this part of the plan, but if she'd made a last minute change there had to be a reason for it. "Er... Should we really question the orders of the princess? On her wedding day? Wouldn't that anger the king?"
The coordinator grimaced. "Yeah, I suppose you're right... He's already in a foul mood, from what I've heard. ...Maybe he even told the princess to think of ways to shorten the ceremony. I don't know..." He shrugged. "That means you'll have to be let in to the treasury, I suppose. We'll practice some more... Not that you have much to practice now... I'm sure Gresh will be told shortly. He should be expecting you when it's time."
Seeing as his practice was now very simple and to the point, Gil nodded and they returned to rehearsing. It only took a few minutes for him to have his short steps perfected, and so he was allowed to go help the other servants decorate.
"Gil, my boy! Give me a hand, won't you?" Ro called from the front of the church, seeing him walking his way. He was carrying buckets of water. Gil hurried over and took them from his hands. "Ah, you needn't take both, lad!"
Gil grinned. "Well, I kind of owe you for keeping my secret. Consider this thanks."
"If you insist." Ro directed him outside. "We'll go out back to dump them." They walked around the side of the church, and as the old man led the way Gil got the feeling he wanted to discuss something. He ended up being right. As he dumped the first bucket of water into the grass, Ro spoke up. "I've seen your kind before. I couldn't say so before... You wrapped up your story just as we arrived. And you know servants don't have much time for chitchat when there's work to be done..."
Gil turned to him, stunned. He'd been wondering what Ro had to say, but the old man confessing he'd seen merfolk before... Well, he definitely hadn't expected it to be that. "You've seen us?"
Ro nodded. He gazed past Gil, lost in his memories. "It was a long time ago. Back when I was young and reckless. I worked as a ship hand, sailing and traveling, hungry for adventure. One night I got much too drunk and found myself falling overboard. The rest of the crew was drinking and singing, playing games... Nobody noticed." He laughed. "I don't know if you've ever been drunk, but sometimes your mind abandons you. It did that night. I was so intoxicated that the shock of falling off the ship made me forget how to swim. So I sank. And I probably would have drowned if it wasn't for the young merman that saved me." He closed his eyes. "Even drunk, his beauty and grace was enough to stick with me all these years. He helped me to the surface, shouted for help, and was gone before I could even process what had happened."
"You were very lucky that night," Gil said, dumping the other bucket. "We're forbidden from having contact with humans."
"And yet you dared meet Priness Elizabeta," Ro pointed out. "It seems there might be a few others that have fallen to curiosity over the years, hm?"
Gil thought about it. How many merfolk had ignored the rule over the years? Or like his friend, gone searching for a way into the humans' world? "...What happened next?" he asked. "Did the crew believe you?"
"Of course they didn't! Thought I was drunk off my ass and spouting nonsense! But I knew. And that night and that merman has stayed my secret ever since. I never thought I'd be able to speak about it with anyone. But then here you are, a merman pretending to be human! Ha!" Ro grinned warmly. "It might seem rather silly, but when you told me what you were I knew I just needed to share that story with you. Us old people like to share stories of our youth, after all."
Gil smiled. "You're alright, Ro. One of the nicest humans I've met my whole three days of being human!"
"Well... Just keep ol' Ro in mind when you return to the waters, won't you? And take care of the princess for all us servants who care about her. I know she'll be in good hands with you."
Gil gave him a reassuring nod. "I will. I promise!"
They headed back around the church and soon Gil was tasked with helping a couple servants clean the pews. As he scrubbed, his conversation with Ro got him thinking about the relationship between humans and merfolk. He knew the reasons contact was forbidden, and had seen it firsthand after being captured himself. But for as many ignorant and ill-meaning humans he'd encountered, there were more kind and good humans. Would it ever be possible for humans and merfolk to coexist? It would be risky, and both sides had much to learn from each other, but... What if he could make that happen? If he wasn't exiled upon returning to his kingdom and he someday became king, what if he could make that a reality?
"Is there a Gil Beilschmidt present?" a voice called into the church from the door he would be exiting out from later.
"That's me," Gil answered, standing. "What is it?"
The older woman waved him over. "It's time for your fitting. Follow me."
Gil's task was taken over by another servant and he followed the woman, not entirely sure what she meant by 'fitting'. Shortly after he discovered she and a team of servants needed to make adjustments for his ceremony outfit. He changed behind a screen and into the new clothes they gave him, then stood awkwardly as they went over his body with what looked like flat rope with lines on them.
"Alright, dear! You can change back. Go wait in the other room until we call you again."
He did as he was told, and as he sat down he noticed there was a young woman in the room with him. She was working on sewing a long green sash onto an elegant white dress, hanging it in regular intervals from the waist. "Is that the princess's dress?" Gil asked her.
She nodded, not looking up from her work. "It was supposed to be plain, but the princess wanted some of her favorite color on the dress. She gave us the design before heading back."
"She was here?" Gil's heart ached at the thought that he had missed her.
"Just for the fitting. Her father's keeping her at the palace otherwise."
Gil let her continue working, but eyed the sash with growing confusion. First Eli gave him a pass into the treasury, and now she was making changes to a dress she would only wear for a few minutes. Maybe she did just want some green on the dress, but he doubted it. Eli was smart, quick-witted... Her plan for them was already good, so why the last minute additions? He wished he could talk with her to ask, but he knew he wouldn't get the chance. He would just have to trust her and try to figure it out on his own.
When he finally made it back to cleaning, his scrambled thoughts made the time pass much faster. Before he knew it it was time for the servants to start taking their lunch breaks. When it was his turn, he grabbed a sandwich and headed outside, ready for some fresh air. The church was stuffy and the smell of floor polish wasn't exactly something he wanted while he ate. He wandered behind the church again, as it had been clear of people when he and Ro had been there earlier. It was empty as he had hoped, and he leaned against the church to eat.
"How are preparations going?"
Nevermind.
Gil looked to see who was approaching and nearly choked on his food. It was the prince Eli was supposed to be marrying. "Oh. Ah... Just fine, I guess," he replied after a quick swallow.
"Good, good... It's a shame there wasn't more time to prepare, but even I can't persuade the king to postpone it." For whatever reason the prince sidled up to Gil's side and leaned against the church with him. "But no matter. I'm sure everyone is just excited to see Elizabeta finally be married off. From what the king's told me, she's been a growing thorn at his side for years now. She's so... feisty."
Gil didn't know if he was supposed to say anything or not. But he didn't like the way the prince was talking. It was headed in a direction he didn't know if he could ignore. "She's... one of a kind. Definitely."
The prince grinned before running a hand through his hair. "It's perfectly fine, I adore a challenge! The harder the challenge, the more pleasure it brings me to conquer it!" He sauntered off, leaving Gil to question why exactly the prince had stopped to talk with him. But as he headed back to work, he overheard the prince having the same conversation with another of the servants. So he just wanted to brag... Gil narrowed his eyes as he passed and mentally issued him several 'fuck you's.
Hours of uneventful cleaning and decorating passed before it was suddenly time to meet with the treasurer. He'd been given directions by the wedding coordinator, so he followed those once he was back in the palace. He was to select the rings then bring them to the church, where he would change into his ring keeper uniform. At that point the ceremony would be underway and it would be time for him to approach the altar. He was reminded over and over again by the coordinator that they were on a strict schedule and Gil couldn't afford to waste time.
"Get the rings and come straight back here, you understand? If we're lucky you'll have a couple minutes to spare before it's time for you."
That was what he was told, anyway. So he hurried through the halls at a brisk pace until he came to the right place. There was a man waiting for him, and he recognized him as the one that had examined the black pearl for the king when he had first arrived at the palace. So that was Gresh, he assumed.
"Are you the ring keeper?" he asked Gil, sounding uneasy. "Wait- Aren't you the one who found that black pearl?"
"Yeah, that's me, to both questions." Gil stopped in front of him. "I was told you'll let me in to select the rings?"
"Yes... Haven't the faintest clue why the princess didn't just have me select them. I'm honestly offended," the man said with clear disdain. "Have you even seen a diamond before? An emerald? A sapphire?"
"This might surprise you, but yes." Gil frowned at him. "You gonna let me in or what? I don't have a lot of time."
"I suppose I have no choice..." The treasurer selected a key from his belt and unhooked it. "I really don't like this, I'll have you know! Letting a servant into the treasury, pah! They could have at least left me with a guard..."
That's right, all the guards were being assigned to the church for the ceremony. So if that was the case, and Eli wanted Gil to go in the treasury... What was in there that she wanted him to take?
He received his answer upon entering. The room was filled with all sorts of fancy things, which only made the simpler things stand out more. Among them were his belongings the crew had taken from him when he was captured. His crown, his wrist cuffs, his pearl necklace with the shark's tooth... They sat in a pile close to the door, having been the newest additions to the king's collection. So Eli wanted him to have his stuff back... The thought made him smile.
"The rings are over here," Gresh informed him, walking over to a corner of the room. As he followed behind, Gil peered around at all the valuables. How was he supposed to take his stuff back without the treasurer raising a fuss?
The treasurer gestured to the case of rings. "Would you like me to tell you about each one? We have quite a rare collection from all over the world!"
"No thanks. I'll just choose what I like best." Gil really didn't have time for a lecture on each piece. Not when his mind was racing to figure out something else.
"Well then! ...Go ahead, have a look." Gresh stood off to the side, keenly observing Gil as he bent forward to see what was in the glass case.
Almost immediately two rings caught his eye. A silver ring with red, white, and green diamonds on the band... And a gold ring with black and white diamonds. Those two. Eli loved red tulips and the color green, and the gold band and black gems matched his tail perfectly. No other rings would do. "I want those two," he said, pointing to each. "It's gotta be those two."
"...Are you sure? Wouldn't you prefer this nice-"
"Those two." Gil narrowed his eyes at the man. "I get to choose, remember?"
"...The nerve," the treasurer grumbled, reaching for his keys again. "Wait just one second."
As Gil stepped aside to let him unlock the case, he noticed something in a pile at his feet. It was a gold object, flat on one side and curved on the other with a handle. It looked just like the frying pan Eli had used to knock someone out the night she had freed him. Hmmm...
"Here, take the-! What're you-?!"
BWONK.
As the treasurer crumpled to the floor, Gil froze, pan still in hand and ready for another swing. One was all it took, apparently, as the treasurer stayed down. He quickly tossed the pan back into the pile and reached into the unlocked case for the rings. Eli's... His. He gripped them tightly in his palm as he darted back over to his stolen things. He found a velvet embroidered knapsack and shoved his treasures into it. He cast one last look into the treasury and at the unconscious form of Gresh. "Sorry, but not sorry. You were a jerk anyway," Gil half-apologized before closing the heavy door behind him.
As he hurried into the church from the back entrance, he was anxious that someone might ask about the knapsack. But the servants were much too busy to pay attention to him as he slipped into the changing room. As he took his shirt off, he glanced at the rings on the desk. They were perfect, just right for Eli and him. He couldn't wait to give Eli hers...
With that thought, a last minute change of his own began to form, and he burst out laughing. Whatever anxieties he had melted away as he imagined it. Oh, this was going to be a ceremony to be remembered, alright!
He emerged from the changing room to find the hall empty. That meant the ceremony was happening. He walked confidently to the door leading out to the altar. The wedding coordinator was beside it, looking through a small crack to see how it was going. Hearing Gil's footsteps he turned, relieved. "Good, you're right on time! Grab the pillow and-" His eyes nearly bulged from his head and his mouth gaped open. "What the hell are you wearing?!"
Gil wore his shoes and pants, but that was it for the expected uniform. He needed shoes to help him run with Eli, and pants, well... The shoes would look rather ridiculous if he wasn't wearing pants, wouldn't they? He was shirtless, one less thing to contend with once he transformed. He proudly wore his gold wrist cuffs and pearl necklace, and his crown was once more firmly back where it belonged. He also wore the pouch with Eli's pearl in it around his neck, and in his hand were their rings.
"I look awesome, right?" he gloated with a smirk, opening the door and walking past the sputtering coordinator.
The room was already silent as he walked the short distance to the altar, but the quiet rapidly became deafening and he felt the people in the church collectively staring at him as he locked eyes with Eli. He beamed at her, and she laughed. He could only admire her for a split second, but she was stunning. Her hair was pinned up, with loose curls framing her face. She wore her flower clip, as she had since the day they'd met. Though he had already seen the dress earlier, it looked even more elegant with her wearing it. The green sash she had ordered sewn onto it was striking, bringing out the matching color of her eyes even behind the veil covering her face. He knew it wasn't the true Eli, but even so she shined before him.
"Wh-What is the meaning of this?!" the king roared, glued to his seat in pure anger. He was sitting in a stand-in throne behind the man officiating the wedding. The man with the book quickly darted away, sensing danger. "You DARE come out here looking like THAT?!"
Gil approached Eli, completely ignoring the baffled prince at her side. "I dare, yeah. I also dare to take my treasures back. And I dare to propose to your daughter." He took Eli's hand in his. It was shaking, and he squeezed it gently. "Marry me, Eli?" She grinned with him as he slipped her ring onto the finger she wiggled.
"Oh, Gil... It's beautiful," she whispered, tearing up. He offered her his ring and she copied his actions. "Of course I will! Will you marry me, Gil?"
"You know it!" he beamed.
"I don't understand but... You may kiss the bride?" the man with the book spoke up, confused but duty bound.
Gil removed Eli's veil and tossed it aside. Their lips met, and for a moment they were lost in their own special moment, just the two of them.
"GUARDS! GUARDS!" The king finally seemed to come to his senses and bolted up from his throne. "I WANT THIS MAN'S HEAD, YOU HEAR ME?!"
"Time to go!" Gil grabbed Eli's hand as her father thundered towards them. She made a noise and spit flew from her mouth into the king's face.
"GO TO HELL!" she yelled over her shoulder at him. As the crowded church began to liven up with excited chatter and confused townspeople, Eli and Gil raced down the aisle. She hiked her dress up and Gil felt something hit him in the back. A men's dress shoe clattered to the floor.
"She's mine! I demand you return her at once!" the prince's deep voice shouted over the growing noise. "You scoundrel!"
"Oh, fuck off!" Gil called over his shoulder. If he had the time he would gladly punch the prince in his stupid face, but a hurled insult would have to do.
Guards were quickly surrounding the church and closing in on him and Eli. "Shit!" Eli cursed, kicking off her heels. One flung to the side and hit a guard in the stomach. "What do we do, Gil?! They're gonna close the doors any second!"
"I know, I know! I'm thinking!" Gil swept her into his arms and darted through a row of pews abandoned by terrified attendees. He heard a window smashing and to his shock saw Ro outside it, throwing more rocks to create a bigger opening. The stained glass shattered to the floor. "You crazy old man!" Gil laughed, racing to beat the guards to their new escape path.
"Is that Ro?!" Eli gasped. "What is he doing?!"
"It is! And he's helping us get out of here!" They reached the window and Gil lowered Eli out of it and outside. "That was a bold move, Ro! Better get out of here before they catch you!" he urged, looking to their savior.
Ro gave them a mischievous grin. "I'm not too bothered, lad. I'm old. Whatever happens happens!"
Eli hugged him tightly as Gil climbed out behind her. "Thank you so much, Ro! We'll never forget you!"
"That's all an old man could ask for," he replied as Gil joined the hug. "My, get going, you two! Or will I get in trouble for nothing? Go, go!"
"Thanks for everything, Ro!" Gil waved as he and Eli set off running again.
The man waved them off, smiling as they departed. "Be free, my dears. Live happily ever after!"
As they ran, Gil suddenly felt an intense pain through his whole body. Shit, was he transforming already?! They couldn't even see the docks from where they were! He ignored the pain, continuing to run beside Eli.
"I can't believe he helped us like that! Why would he risk helping us escape?!" Eli asked as they ran. "If anyone saw him do that, he'll be in serious trouble!"
"We sorta became friends. And he knew about us," Gil explained. "I told him the truth. Oh, and he's seen a merman before, so that's cool!"
"Wait, what?!"
"I'll tell you later!" Another throb went through Gil's body, and he stumbled. He recovered and kept running. Just keep running... Just keep running... Get through town! Get through town to the docks!
"Well, that was quite an entrance!" Eli laughed, grinning at him. "I expected you to collect your treasures, but I definitely wasn't expecting you to wear them into the ceremony! And shirtless, no less!" She giggled. "Did you see my father?! He had a vein popping out on his head! He didn't know what-"
Her voice became muffled as Gil's ears began to ring. Another painful throb coursed through his body and his legs buckled under him. He fell to the ground, and Eli crouched over him in worry.
"Gil?! Gil! Is it happening?!"
He nodded, a burning sensation crawling over the skin of his legs. He scrambled to take his pants and shoes off, and gave a hoarse chuckle as he collapsed into the dirt road, suddenly weak. "Heh... Guess it's a good thing I skipped the underwear," he mumbled. "Clothes... were burning me..."
Eli wrapped an arm around him, trying to comfort him. "Gil! Is there anything I can do?" Eli asked, eyes wide as she looked from him back to the church. A crowd was spilling out from the building, their voices beginning to carry over the distance. "Shit! We have to go!"
"C-Can't!" Gil felt his body compulse and his legs snapped together on their own. He couldn't part them as his flesh began to meld together. Panic began to set in. "I-I'm sorry, Eli! I couldn't stop it! Just leave me and run!"
"What?!"
"You heard me! Just... save yourself!"
Suddenly he was being lifted, and he cried out as Eli adjusted his body weight in her arms. Without missing a beat she resumed running. "You're an idiot if you think I'd just leave you, Gil! After everything we've been through these past few days, together and apart! We're finally together again!" Her feet pounded on the road and she had a determined look in her eyes as she glanced at him. "Just let me carry you! I'll make sure we make it! No way in hell we're being separated ever again! Ever!"
"Eli..." Gil felt a tear roll down his cheek. He couldn't bring himself to speak. Emotions were choking down any words he could think of to say. How could he ever express how much he loved her? In that moment it seemed impossible...
His scales began to grow back with his tail, and as his gills and back fins sprouted from his flesh he hissed in pain. It was so much more painful than the first time he'd transformed...
Eli ran on, unfazed.
"You asked me to dream the impossible, right? Well, right now, we're making that dream a reality, so don't you dare give that dream up!" she scolded him, almost in tears herself. "It's the happiest dream I've ever had in my life, Gil! You're my happiest dream! You're an impossible being, and if you're real then our dream sure as hell can be, too!"
The pain faded, signalling the transformation complete, and Gil breathed out in relief. "...I'm sorry, Eli. I got scared. I thought we'd almost be at the docks when I started turning back..."
"Well, we're almost there now!" She grinned. "I can't look now, how's that crowd behind us?"
Gil turned his head to look. "Uh... Getting closer. You humans sure do run fast."
"Great." She picked up her pace, and within minutes they were at their destination.
"Toss me in!" As soon as the words left his mouth Eli did exactly that. The water greeted Gil like an old friend, familiar and welcoming, and sorely missed. He popped his head out of the waves to see Eli pulling her hair out of its bun. Her sunlit locks cascaded down her back and shoulders in wild waves and curls. "You'll probably hate me for saying this, Eli, but you're absolutely gorgeous right now," he teased with a flirty smile. "It'll be a shame to see you take that dress off."
She gave him a cute smirk. "Oh, really?" She motioned him over to the pier, and he pulled himself up. She sat down with her back to him. "Could you help me undo the lacing?"
"My pleasure!" As he untied the strings, she began ripping the green sash around her waist. "Oh yeah, I was wondering about why you added that. What's it for?"
"To cover myself," she answered, a little embarrassed. "Only you can see me undressed. And I wasn't sure what mermaids used for that, so... I came up with this."
"You really thought of everything, didn't you?" Gil replied, impressed.
"I tried to... I'm going into the life of a mermaid almost blind," she explained. "You told me some things, but I'm sure there's a lot more that I'll have to learn or have you teach me." As Gil helped her pull her dress from her shoulders, she turned to him and gave his forehead a quick kiss. "I know I'll be fine, though. I have you."
She stood and slipped out of her dress, then her undergarments. He removed the pouch from around his neck and offered it to her. "We'll wait until the transformation's done to put your sash on. My clothes were burning my skin before... I don't want you to feel that."
She nodded and took the pouch before passing the torn sash to him. "I'll trust you with that." Her voice quivered, and her hands were visibly shaking as she opened the pouch and the white pearl rolled into her palm. "I just swallow it, right?"
"Yep. Should only take a few seconds to start the transformation," Gil confirmed. He wished he could hold her as she transformed, give her some comfort as she had done for him...
She popped the pearl into her mouth, swallowed, and moments later he saw her wincing in pain. "Gah!"
"Eli! Just..." He didn't know what to tell her. All he could do was distract her. "Have you ever wondered what it's like to play with a dolphin? We can do that! They'll let you pet them, and they'll dance around you and we can race them! And we'll tour the kingdom, so you can meet everyone and every creature!"
"W-Will they... accept me...?" Eli asked, knees falling onto the pier. She caught herself with her hands and closed her eyes. "I'll still be... a former human. No hiding that... when I don't know anything..."
"I don't know for sure..." Gil paused, wondering that himself. "We'll have to speak with my old man first. See what he's told them, if he's told them... I don't think he'll exile me for breaking the rules, but he might have to. And if he does exile me, well... I already told you before, remember? I wanted this! I want to be with you, Eli! For the rest of my life! And the ocean's big, big enough for us to find a place of our own to call home! We don't even have to settle somewhere if you don't want to. We can swim and explore as far and wide as we wish to!"
The rest of Eli's body fell to the pier's wooden surface and her legs snapped together. As her skin began to meld over them, she reached her hand for him. His hand found hers and their fingers intertwined. She gave him a wobbly smile. "I hope... you don't get exiled. But if you do... I guess you'll be free too, right?"
He grinned. "Yeah... Either way, as long as I'm with you, it's a win."
Voices reached them, and Gil looked to see the crowd had caught up with them. There were townspeople, servants, guards... And at the front of the pack being pulled on a cart by two servants was the king. The prince was nowhere to be seen.
Eli's tail and back fins were finished forming, and knowing the transformation was almost complete Gil hurried to tie the sash around her chest. He carefully pulled the fabric between two of her back fins and tied it off at her side. "Thanks, Gil," Eli whispered, trying to sit up.
"THERE THEY ARE, GUARDS! BRING MY DAUGHTER TO ME! JUST KI-" The king's words were cut short as he saw what was happening. The fact that his daughter now had a fish tail growing from her torso silenced him from sheer bewilderment. The curious onlookers behind him behaved similarly, their voices dying into a confused hush.
But only for a moment.
"WHAT THE HELL IS THIS?!" the king thundered in alarm, stepping down from his cart. "WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO HER?!"
Eli turned to scowl fiercely at him as he approached. Her hatred for her father was more powerful a force than the pain in her lower body. "He freed me, you wretch!" Gil could see the skin on her neck opening to create gills, and he lightly tugged at her hand. If she had gills, they could escape into the water now. And escaping was very much something they needed to do at that moment.
"Eli, let's go!"
She pulled herself to the edge of the pier and Gil reached his hands out to help her. Just as he grabbed hold of her, his eyes widened as he saw the king pin one of her tail fins under his boot. "Ahhh!" she screeched, her newly transformed tail still sensitive. "G-Gil!"
"Let go of her!" he growled, filled with a burning rage as his eyes met the king's. "Why do you have to treat her like this?!"
"You... You're that boy with the black pearl." The king ground his boot into Eli's tail fin, and her nails dug into Gil's arms. "I should have known better than to let you into my palace. I should have taken the pearl and tossed you back out the gates. There was something about you I couldn't stand, and it wasn't just your hair or strange eyes. It was your attitude." He bared his teeth at Gil. "You were polite, but your eyes hated me. I could see it. But everyone hates me, so I ignored it. What was one more person?"
Gil couldn't help but give a dry laugh. "You're really gonna play the victim here? Of course everyone fucking hates you, you asshole!"
Finished with her transformation, Eli was clearly back to herself as she rolled her eyes. "Screw his damn monologuing, we don't have time for this!" She gave a hard pull on her lower body and yanked her tail out from under her father's boot, causing him to lose his balance for a moment. Free from her father, Eli fell over the pier and into Gil's arms. Together they fell under the surface, and as they oriented themselves Gil placed his hands on Eli's cheeks.
"How do you feel? Did he cause any damage? Can you breathe okay?"
Her eyes were big with wonder as she attempted breathing. "Y-Yes! I... I can breathe! Under water!" She laughed. "Oh, Gil! I'm a mermaid! Look at my tail!"
Her tail was a brilliant mix of green and white, with red speckled throughout. He was equally surprised at just how well her new tail matched her. "Woah! It matches your ring!"
"It does, it does! Oh my gosh... This is really magic, isn't it?!" She gave a small twirl, giddy with joy.
"It really is, Eli!" Gil pulled her close and kissed her, and they were once again lost in the moment, overcome with happiness.
The sound of her father yelling above them finally broke them out of their reverie. "Come on, we better get out of here before they try to harpoon us or something," Gil said with a playful grin, taking her hand.
"Wait. I want to try something first." She pulled him with her to the surface. The king was still shouting, and when he saw them resurface he was practically frothing at the mouth.
"ELIZABETA! YOU BI-"
"Father, you bastard, shall I drown you?
There is no love between you and I
But that is nothing new
I feel nothing for you, and I'm sure you feel the same.
You said everyone hated you
They do, they despise your very being
I think a revolution is long overdue
to bring justice to everything you've done.
To the king, I wish you a life of pain as you have done to me
To the townspeople and servants and all he's wronged
for the sake of more power and money,
I wish for you to take back what is yours.
And for myself, I wish to be forgotten
None of you humans will ever remember me
And as I leave you all to build your own zen
Know that for me and Gil this is happily ever after."
Gil and Eli looked over the silent crowd. The siren's call was cast. Within seconds the townspeople, servants, and even the guards were descending on the king. He shouted out in anger and fear, and as the guards closed in on him Eli turned her back on the scene.
"Now we can go. He'll get his just desserts from the people, not me." She dived under the water, and Gil followed after her.
"Seeing you enchant them all like that... Honestly it was kind of scary. In an awesome way," he added, as she shot him a worried look. "To use your siren's call like that is kinda taboo, so... this'll be our little secret, okay? Your father totally deserved it."
"...He's not my father anymore."
Gil understood. "...How does it feel? To be swimming with a tail?" he asked with a grin as he caught up to her.
She grinned back. "It's weird. I thought I would struggle to get used to it, but... It feels almost natural. Like I was born to be a mermaid!" She closed the distance between them and wrapped her tail around his playfully. "So... What do we do now?"
Gil smiled. Eli was a mermaid. They were together. Just her, him, and the open sea. After everything that had happened over the course of just a few days, it really did feel like they were living a fairy tale. "Whatever you want to do, Eli. You're free! We're free! What do you want to do?"
She thought a moment, then grinned that brilliant smile of hers that Gil loved so much. "I think... I want to spend the rest of my life with you. How's that for a start?"
Gil laughed and took her hands in his. Their fingers laced together and their rings gleamed in the sunlit water. They leaned in to each other. "Fine by me!" Their lips met, and this time there wasn't anything to stop them from kissing as long as they wanted.
And so, as the story goes, they lived happily ever after. But unlike most stories, Gil knew theirs would never have an ending. Only countless beginnings...
The best stories never ended at the ending, anyway.
