Mysterious Fathoms Below
Chapter 2: Saying Goodbye
Snow surfaced from the waters below and heard him surface behind her. She turned to him and slipped her arms around his neck, as he pulled her flush against him, their tails entwining beneath the water. They enjoyed their new life in the sea, for it was freedom like neither of them had ever known. But they also relished the warmth of the sun upon them when they did surface. He kissed her passionately and she was surprised the water around them wasn't boiling with the amount of heat they were emitting. As her eyes fluttered open, she gazed into his incredible blue eyes that she loved to get lost in. This had been their life for six months now and the first time they crossed back into their Enchanted Forest waters. They weren't far from Longbourne today and they had come with a purpose.
Since becoming merpeople, they had acquired quite a bit of treasure from sunken vessels. Since then, they had managed to get it to his mother with Red's help periodically over the last few months. And now that the farm was not in financial danger, his mother was able to accompany Red to see them. There was a fairly secluded cove where they usually met Red and their friend was bringing Ruth with her today. His mother did not know about their situation and he knew it would be quite a surprise. But he knew she would be happy that he found true love. He was a bit sad that their visits would have to continue to be few and far between, but had never been happier than he was now in this new life with Snow. That would make his mother happy as well. He didn't see them yet, so he took the opportunity to kiss her again and she mewled, as he held her tightly against him.
"Don't start something you can't finish right now, handsome," she purred, as their lips parted and she pressed her forehead against hers.
"Mmm...this is just a preview for later. We are near that little alcove we found on our first night together. I thought we could go there tonight to sleep," he replied. She bit her bottom lip.
"To sleep or...to sleep," she leered. He smirked and kissed her.
"What do you think, beautiful?" he purred back, as their lips met again, until they heard someone clearing their throat. Their lips parted and Snow flushed, as her best friend eyed them coyly.
"It's good to see you, Red," Snow said, as she noticed the woman behind her, looking at them in awe.
"Mother…" David said, as a smile spread across his face.
"You're…" Ruth uttered, as their tails poked above the water. He nodded.
"It's a long story," he said, as Snow fished their pendants out of her satchel and they put them on. There was a puff of pink magic, as their legs returned and they stood up in the shallow waters. Snow's white seashells remained covering her chest and her midriff was visible through a sheer iridescent material. Her white tail was now replaced by a shimmering white skirt that was frayed on the ends and had slits up the sides.
Charming's torso was now covered by a crimson tunic that had a deep v in the collar, leaving much of his chest still exposed and his tail was replaced with black pants.
"My son…" Ruth said in awe, as he hugged her.
"I've missed you, Mother," he replied, as they pulled apart and the woman looked at the raven haired beauty beside her son.
"Is this...Snow?" Ruth asked. He smiled and put his arm around her waist.
"It is. Snow...this is my mother, Ruth," he introduced. Snow shook her hands.
"It's so wonderful to meet you," she said and was then surprised when Ruth pulled her into a fierce hug. Her surprise melted and she hugged the woman back.
"How did this happen?" Ruth asked.
"The Queen cursed me to be a mermaid and instead of killing me, she stole my voice and banished me to the sea to live the rest of my life alone," Snow explained.
"Then on the day I was supposed to marry Abigail, I was trying to escape George's soldiers. I jumped into the sea from a cliff and was knocked out. Snow saved me from drowning and pulled me to shore," he continued fondly.
"I thought we could never be together and I was miserable. Then I found him and saved him. I confessed that George had forced me to lie to him about not loving him. But because I had no voice and was a mermaid now, I thought we still couldn't be together," Snow added. Charming smiled.
"And I told her that I'd do anything to be with her. I'd either get someone to change her back or make me like her," he said.
"And they made you like her?" Ruth asked, as they sat down in the sand.
"The Blue Fairy didn't hear our call and instead sent a pink one named Nova. She told us that true love's kiss would break my curse, give me my voice and legs back. But she said that if I became human again that we would still be in terrible danger from George and Regina," Snow explained.
"She gave us another choice. She said she could grant us the wish to be free together. By reversing the magic of true love's kiss, she made me like Snow and we have been free to leave this realm as we please," Charming said. Ruth had tears in her eyes at their story. It was so obvious they were not only deeply in love, but happy and free. It was all she had ever wanted for her boy.
"Our only regret is that we can't all be together. But if we chose to come back here, Regina would never rest until she hurt us and everyone we love," Snow said sadly.
"No...you must leave this land and for good. I sense that is why you have risked this much to see me, isn't it?" Ruth asked. David nodded with a smile.
"Yes...we have to leave the Enchanted Forest permanently," David said, as she nodded to him.
"Because Snow is pregnant," he announced. Red and Ruth both gasped, as they exchanged hugs.
"Will you raise her in Atlantica?" Red asked curiously. They exchanged another glance.
"No...you see for us, everything still works the human way. So we need to find a place to raise her as a human," Snow explained, blushing a bit. Red smirked in amusement.
"So that's why you two are always looking for secluded beaches and alcoves," she teased, enjoying their embarrassment.
"I'm so happy for you both," Ruth said with tears in her eyes.
"Thank you Mother...we only wish we didn't have to leave all of you behind," he apologized. But she shook her head.
"You two must escape to a new life where you can be safe, especially with a child on the way. As long as you are safe and happy, that will be enough for me," Ruth said tearfully. Charming hugged her fiercely and she pulled Snow into the hug too.
"The dwarves and I will take care of her," Red promised and they looked at her questioningly.
"Oh yes, with all the treasure you gave me, we have expanded the farm and built two new houses. Widow Lucas and Red have joined me there," Ruth said.
"As have the dwarves. It's much safer since we're all still wanted by the Queen," Red added. They smiled.
"We're glad you have each other. That makes us feel a lot better," Snow said.
"Do not feel guilty for making this choice. You both deserve this," Ruth assured.
"We only hope that with us gone that Regina will find peace and maybe she will stop hurting people," Snow said with hope in her voice.
"We can hope. Now, let's eat. I'm starved," Red added, as she held up the picnic basket.
"You must tell me about all the worlds you have seen so far," Ruth requested.
"Well, we've spent some time in Atlantica with my friend Ariel. It's a really beautiful place," Snow gushed.
"Yeah...and we saw a couple other Enchanted Forests that were very similar to this one," David added.
"Oh and Neverland, but we didn't stay there long. Ariel warned that Peter Pan was very dangerous," Snow continued.
"Where will you go now to raise the baby?" Ruth asked curiously.
"We were told about a land without magic. It's a very far journey from here, but when we get there, our pendants will make our human forms permanent again," David replied.
"Nova told us it's a strange land, but we've gathered a lot of gold to trade and we think it will be enough to give us a start," Snow added. Ruth squeezed their hands and smiled.
"I'm so happy for you...oh, I almost forgot," she said, as she took the necklace off she was wearing.
"This way my mother's and it was enchanted by a gypsy. It will tell us what your first born will be. May I?" Ruth asked. Snow looked at him and they nodded, watching as the pendant began to sway before her belly. Ruth smiled.
"Do you want to know?" she asked.
"It's a girl...isn't it?" Snow asked in return. Ruth chuckled.
"It is...I guess mother's intuition knows best," she replied.
"A girl…" David uttered in awe, as he put a hand on her stomach.
"I know you wanted a boy…" Snow started to say. He smiled at her.
"No...I want a healthy baby and I will love our little girl so much. She's going to have me wrapped around her pinky, just like her mother," he replied. Snow giggled, as he kissed her tenderly. Just then, Red's head perked up, like she was hearing something in the distance.
"You two need to go...it's the Queen!" she cried. Snow gasped.
"She knows we're here," she cried.
"Mother...you need to hide until she leaves," David urged.
"I'll be fine...you both must go now," Ruth pleaded, as they trudged back into the water and removed their pendants. In a puff of magical smoke, they were merpeople again, as the thundering hooves of running horses could be heard getting closer. Red concealed herself and Ruth in the brush, as the Queen emerged from her carriage and examined the deserted beach.
"Find them!" she ordered to her men, as she saw the splash in the distance and smirked.
"You're not going to escape me this time…" she hissed, as she stormed back to her carriage.
Snow and Charming surfaced miles away from shore and looked around. They swam to a familiar rock and waited. Soon, a bird landed on the rock and chirped its message, before flying away. Snow sighed in relief.
"Red and your mother are safe. Regina returned to her palace," she said.
"I don't think she'll stop searching for us though," he replied. She nodded.
"I know...we have to leave the Enchanted Forest. Perhaps forever," she said, a bit sadly.
"Are you okay with that?" he asked. She nodded.
"It's the only way to protect the people we love and our daughter. Without me around, perhaps Regina will find something other than vengeance to occupy her time. I'm just sad that you we might never see Red or your mother again," she replied.
"Me too...but I love you and our baby. We can have a good life...just not here," he said. She nodded.
"Let's find that life, Charming...let's find a place to raise our baby," she said tearfully. He smiled and kissed her tenderly, before they joined hands and dove into the fathoms below. The waters connected all realms with no barriers and soon, Snow and Charming left Enchanted Forest waters and only mere days later, they emerged on the shores of the Land Without Magic where their new life would begin...
Months Later
David smiled that morning, as he heard their baby coo in the bassinet beside their bed. The first few months in this land had been strange and a completely new journey for them. But together, they had faced it head on and met a kind woman that had helped them along. Mildred owned the diner in the town of Mystic Cove, a small Harbor town in Maine. They had traded the vast amount of gold they had collected from sunken ships in their travels and bought a farm on the outskirts of town. It was a wonderful, peaceful life and though they wondered about the family and friends they had been forced to leave behind, they had never been happier.
"Good morning, princess," he cooed, as he lifted their daughter from her bassinet. Emma fussed, but quieted, as he cuddled her. Snow smiled sleepily up at them, watching him cradle their precious baby. She sat up and he handed Emma off to her so she could nurse. After the baby was fed, he changed her and allowed Snow to clean up first, before they switched. Soon, they were in the kitchen eating breakfast, while Emma sat in her highchair. It was a simple, but wonderful life they had together now. After they ate, Snow bundled Emma up and he saw them off to town. Snow was taking Emma to see Mildred and then picking up groceries, while he tended to their farm. As he opened the barn that morning though, he was startled to find someone in it. The boy looked frightened and David put his hands up.
"It's okay...I'm not going to hurt you," David promised. He sniffed and came out of the hay where he had huddled to keep warm.
"I'm sorry...it was really cold last night," the boy said.
"It's okay...but I have to ask where your parents are," David replied. Tears filled the boy's eyes and he broke down crying.
"My Dad...a woman took him and I think he's dead!" the boy cried, as David put an arm around him. That was all it took for him to take the boy in the house. He got him warm and fed him, before sitting down at the table with him.
"What's your name?" David asked. The boy looked up.
"Owen," he replied.
"It's nice to meet you Owen. My name is David and I'd really like if you'd tell me what happened," he said. Owen nodded and opened his mouth, but then jumped, as he heard the door open. But David put his hand up.
"It's okay...it's just my wife," he assured, as he went to help her with the groceries and gave her a quick version of what had happened.
"Owen...this is my wife Mary and our daughter Emma," he introduced.
"Hello," he said and his sadness made Snow sad.
"Hello Owen...it's very nice to meet you," she said, as she sat down with Emma in her lap.
"You're safe here, Owen and you can tell us what happened," David assured. Owen sniffed.
"You won't believe me. I told the police and they didn't believe me. But I know what I saw!" the boy cried. David put a soothing hand on his shoulder.
"Owen...I promise we'll believe you. We're not exactly like other people and we've seen things too that a lot of people wouldn't believe," David assured. Owen looked at him for a few beats, as if trying to judge whether he was telling the truth or not. He must have decided that he was, for he relaxed slightly.
"There was this town...and it appeared out of thin air. My Dad and I went there. We met a woman and she was nice at first," Owen explained. Snow swallowed thickly at the haunted look in the boy's eyes.
"Then we tried to leave and she turned mean. She tried to make us stay, but when my Dad said no, she got angry and she had a heart in a box," Owen explained. Snow felt faint at that and exchanged a glance with her husband.
"What happened then?" David asked.
"Dad told me to run and she squeezed the heart so it made the Sheriff do what she wanted. They took my Dad and I ran to find help. But when I went back to find the town with the Police, it was gone..." he replied.
"Like magic," Snow uttered. Owen looked at her in surprise.
"You believe me?" he asked them in disbelief.
"We do..." David replied.
"Owen..." Snow said, as she swallowed again.
"What was the woman's name?" she asked. Owen looked up at her.
"She said it was Regina," he answered and she felt David's hand on her shoulder. She reached and put her hand atop his and squeezed it. They had no idea what it meant or how Regina was even here. But they intended to find out...