Author's Notes: And now, Seras's first day on land!

Disclaimer: I do not own or make money off any adaptation of The Little Mermaid or Hellsing. I'm also going to ease up on borrowed text from this chapter onward, so if it seems slightly different, it's because I'm borrowing fewer passages from Hans Christian Andersen.


The sky had just started to turn dark when Seras had approached the Sea Witch's palace, and the sun had begun to set when she broke through the surface as a human. The darkening sky and emerging stars made Seras' eyes droop, but she could not fall asleep since her head kept dropping below water. She was tired, so tired… All she wanted to do was sleep forever.

"Whoa, you've got to stay awake, mein Schatzi," Schrödinger said, "Don't wanna drop your head below water und drown, do you?"

Seras nodded with difficulty.

Because Seras was so tired and unable to use her new limbs, she needed Schrödinger to swim for her. She tried to stay awake and help them float along, but she could barely keep her head up. The sun soon went down and the orange and rose tinted lights faded with it, until the sky turned black and silver from thousands of little stars and the brilliant moon. They swam long into the night, until they spotted the Count's castle glowing from the light of the moon and stars.

The sun had not yet risen when they approached the Count's castle. Despite his usual bravado, Schrödinger was getting tired from ferrying Seras around. He was still a little boy while she was a grown-up girl, and so it was all he could do to fight the current enough to heave her over into a small cove near the castle. As Seras was too exhausted from the earlier grief and pain, she was unable to help him. As she crawled up the fine white sand, the moon shined bright and clear.

As soon as her head was safely out of the water she swooned away, and collapsed as though she were dead.

When the sun rose over the sea, she woke from the brilliant rays shining over her eyes. Seras winced and tried to turn away, but felt heavy as an anchor. This alarmed her more than the unusual brightness, and so she slowly came to. The strength of gravity was not what she was used to, living in the sea. She tried to turn over but felt a flash of pain. She winced, slowly pushed herself over and brushed her hair out of her eyes… only to notice the beautiful long, white legs directly in front of her.

Seras slowly extended one leg, staring in amazement. She tried to wiggle a few toes. When it worked, she beamed openly.

"Well, well, look what the catfish dragged in!"

Seras looked up and saw Rip van Winkle flying toward her. Seras grinned up at her.

"Look at you, you silly fish! That little sea devil said you were human, but I didn't believe him!"

"She certainly slept in long enough!"

Seras looked out to see the little devil himself smirking at her. 'Schrodinger?'

"That's right, mein Schatzi," he grinned, "Who else would haf known to bring her here?"

"Look at you! You're just the sweetest little thing!" Rip Van squealed, "Ah, she makes such a lovely little human, doesn't she?!"

"I figured since you wanted to be human," Schrödinger answered Seras' questioning look, "You would want some help from the 'human expert.'"

Seras grinned, pure love and gratitude flooding her eyes. She wanted to lean over to hug and kiss him. His bottomless eyes told her he knew she did.

"Aw, just look how cute you are!" Rip Van squealed, lifting Seras' chin with one hand and stroking her arm with the other. "You have such lovely round eyes! Such a cute little nose, und such cute pouty little lips. Ooh... und such soft pale skin, und such large plump breasts! Truly, this is really amazing! There ist no way these humans cannot be enchanted by your exquisite beauty up here!"

Seras wry thought she always had these features, so why was Rip gushing now when she never did before? The only difference was now she had a pair of legs instead of a fish's tail. At the thought of legs, Seras grinned again and leaned down to look at them, and tried to move them. They were slow and clumsy since she never used them before, but she still tried just the same. She wiggled her toes, and beamed openly. She opened and closed the knees, then giggled like a child at the way they splashed in the water.

"Looks like someone's having a good time," Schrodinger grinned.

Seras splashed around for a while and then tried to stand very suddenly, only to fall back down into the water.

"Ah, be careful, kleinen Schatz!" Rip Van cried, steadying her arm. "You wait for help before you try to do something dangerous like that."

She helped Seras to her feet (though Seras would have wanted to do it herself) and half-propped her up so she would not fall. Seras indeed wobbled and collapsed against the siren, clutching her waist for support. Rip's feathers were soft and glossy. Seras slowly straightened up, smiled in thanks, and then tried to lean away, only to fall over from the weight of her own legs, and splash again into the water.

Schrödinger laughed himself a fit to die.

"Oh, you poor thing! Here, let me help you!"

"Ah, this ist priceless!" Schrödinger grinned.

Rip again helped Seras up, and she picked some seaweed out of her hair.

"You should leave that on, Schatzi, so you will look more like a mermaid!"

Seras ignored him and tried again, this time with Rip's help. When she could take the slightest step without falling outright, Seras felt thrilled to have done such a good job!

"Oh, you haf done such a good job!" Rip exclaimed happily.

She hugged Seras so suddenly that when she let go, Seras fell again into the water.

This time, Schrödinger swam over to help her up.

"Enjoying being human yet, mein Schatzi?" he teased.

Seras snorted out some water she had gotten up her nose.

"Oh, you haf such a pretty figure!" Rip exclaimed when she again propped Seras up like a rag doll. "And the Count, he will be so pleased with you!"

Seras' smile faltered.

"Truly, you are the cutest little thing I haf ever seen. Once he sees you, he shall fall in love at first sight!"

It was a testament to how well Schrödinger knew her that he said, "I think unser Schatz ist worried about no longer having her hair or her slim figure - to say nothing of her clumsiness, stupidity, poor manners..." At Seras' glare, he continued, "that she might not seem suitable for the human."

"Oh, that's so silly!" Rip exclaimed, "You'll be quite at an advantage up here, for humans find large breasts und blue eyes quite attractive indeed, while you merfolk like slim bodies und long hair. It is quite foolish of you, since everyone knows glossy feathers are the prettiest of all, but that it cannot be helped! You will be in good company!"

Seras smiled and sighed with relief. She had none of the traits merpeople found beautiful, but if humans really liked her hair, eyes and figure, she wasn't completely at a disadvantage up here. She smiled dreamily and wondered what the count might think when he saw her?

"Oh, I cannot wait to see you discovered by the Count! You will be the belle of the ball!" the siren then looked at her and laughed, "But first, we must find you some clothes! Without your fins or hair, you are quite naked!"

Seras' eyes widened and she quickly tried to cover up.

Rip propped her against a rock like a chair and rushed over to a discarded lifeboat. "Now, if you want to blend in among humans, the first thing you need to do ist dress like one! They haf no sea shells or sea stars to decorate their bodies, as you do. Instead they haf long cloths draped across them to replace the hair und feathers they don't haf. It's quite strange, you know," the siren paused, "The women here grow their hair so long, yet they tie it up at the backs of their heads! Und then they cover themselves with cloths to replace the hair they won't drape over themselves! It's very inefficient if you ask me, but not everyone can be as wise as sirens…"

Seras smiled wryly, for sirens are not famous for their wisdom, but she listened politely as Rip van Winkle worked. She grabbed a few discarded sails from a wrecked little lifeboat and draped it over Seras' body. When it failed to stay up, she got some rope from the life boat and kept tying, cross-tying and retying until it finally stayed up.

Rip van Winkle fancied herself as something of a savant when it came to fashion, and so kept teasing and fluffing it in different places.

When she was finally done, Rip suddenly squealed: "Now you look so beautiful, kleine fischi!"*

In reality, Seras was haphazardously wrapped in a rumpled old sail that was cross-tied with rope, so that it bulged in odd places. But Seras had spent most of her time watching humans that worked near the sea. They were rough, coarse, and grizzled sailors and fisherman that often wore coarse fabrics. To Seras, this was the norm for humans. She thought she would fit right in.

"Just look at her, Schrödinger! She will be the prettiest fish up here!"

"Ja, I know. You've said it a million times."

Loud barking drew their attention, and they saw two large wolf hounds running toward them!

Rip van Winkle squawked like a startled bird and took flight.

Schrodinger exclaimed "Whoa!" and ducked right back under water.

Seras gasped and scrambled away from them. Since she was still clumsy on her legs, she could only crawl on top of a rock to try to stay out of reach. This did little good, they just kept jumping and barking around her, and she tried to lift her head out of reach. She'd seen them snatch and mangle many a helpless animal from the sea, and felt sure they would do the same to her!

She was proven wrong when a hound merely licked her cheek, as she had seen them do to their human masters, and she began to smile. Before she could change her mind, loud whistling drew their attention.

Seras' eyes widened in apprehension, for she was sure it would be the Count! Her face dropped when the man who rounded the corner was not the Count, but the strange one-eyed human instead. He was dressed in his usual dull green attire, with his long red-brown hair draped in a braid around his neck. The Captain of the crew that used to sail the Wild Geese.

The hounds ran over to him, jumping and barking excitedly.

"Quiet, mutts!" he shouted when they reached him. "What's gotten into you, mongrels?"

When he spotted Seras, he looked as if he had been struck by lightning. "Oh…"

The hounds then ran back to her, barking as they did when they found a prize for their master.

"Oh, I see," he said.

Seras felt her breath hitch. She had watched him from a distance many mornings and evenings, but she never saw him looking at her. Looking at her... Seras gasped. He was looking at her! A human was looking right at her! And she didn't feel pain at all! He approached her, still staring as though mesmerized, and she felt just… nervous. He seemed so much taller and broader here than from the sea. She felt so small, crouched on the rock, and he seemed so huge to be looking down on her. She fidgeted and propped up her legs, preparing to stand or run if need be.

"Are you all right, ma cher?" he asked amid the dogs' barking. "Ta gueule!" He snapped at them, and then stooped down to pet them roughly while he smiled at her. "I'm sorry if these knuckle-heads scared you. They're harmless, really."

Seras smiled wryly. She had seen them hunting many helpless animals from the shore; seen them catch and mangle them with large pointed teeth, and so knew they weren't harmless at all. Maybe this human didn't consider animals when he said this?

"Well, harmless to pretty girls, that is," he grinned.

Seras chuckled silently and nodded in agreement.

The human stopped petting them and then stared at her in recognition.

"Have I seen you somewhere before?"

She shook her head.

"Nah, you seem very familiar to me… I'm sure we've met!"

Seras frowned and shook her head even more emphatically.

"No… I think I'd remember a pair of breasts like yours," he smirked.

Seras instinctively went to pull her long hair over her breasts, then settled for pulling her sail dress up when she realized it wasn't there.

"Wait... I think we have met!" the human exclaimed.

Seras again shook her head. What was with him? Why did he insist on trying to remember?

"No... I think I've seen you around. I think you're the one, the one I've seen around the grounds! Who are you? What are you doing here? What's your name?"

'Seras Victoria' she went to answer, then her spirits fell when she remembered she didn't have a voice.

"What's wrong?"

She patted her neck.

"You have a sore throat?"

She shook her head.

"You can't speak?"

She nodded sadly.

"Wait, you can or you can't?"

'Can't!' she thought as she shook her head emphatically.

"Oh," he said, "well, that's too bad for you."

'You don't know the half of it,' she sighed.

"Well, I guess we will have to get you back to the castle. Get you some paper to write with. Come on..."

He went to help her down, but when his hand wrapped around her arm she instinctively pulled away and nearly fell off the rock.

"Whoa! Whoa! Careful!" he said, catching her.

Again, feeling arms wrap around her triggered an instinctive "flee or fight" reaction. The only time one got embraced in the ocean was to get tangled up in the tendrils of something hungry like squids, octopuses, and polyps. Besides which, Seras had recently gotten tangled up in the Sea Witch's garden. She struggled to get out of the tendrils trying to snare and eat her now.

"Careful! Easy!" he said as he kept her from falling again.

Eventually Seras realized there was nothing to be afraid of, and stopped struggling. She was panting from the effort though, and her eyes were wild with fear. When she finally looked up, she realized she was clutching the shirt and shoulders of the strange one-eyed human, and he was holding her tight. She realized she was so much smaller than him too. He always seemed so small or average sized from a distance, especially compared to the enormously tall and seemingly larger than life Count. But now, up close, Seras realized this human was over a full head taller and wider than her, made of pure muscle that she could feel under her finger tips, had long hair wrapped in a braid, and smelled very strongly of dust, musk, and spices.

Seras' faced felt very warm when she realized this, and she instinctively look down.

On doing so, she again realized to her chagrin that this was the first human she ever touched with her bare hands.

"... Shit, you must have really been through something," he said, not unkindly.

Seras closed her eyes, bit her lip, and nodded with shame.

"Look, hey. Don't worry about it. I'll help you. Come on... Come on, I've got ya..."

He led her toward the castle, and helped her as she stumbled along on clumsy legs.

She looked back uncertainly. Schrödinger and Rip van Winkle both nodded in encouragement. Schrödinger smirked. Rip Van cheered.

In voices that only she could hear because mermaids have better senses than humans, Schrödinger called, "We shall be watching und helping from the shadows, mein Schatzi."

Enthused by their encouragement, Seras grinned more broadly and put more pep in her step. Well, as much as she could.

"Oh, they will make such lovely babies together!" Rip cried.

"That's not the Count, kummkompf," Schrödinger said.

"I know, but it's still true!"

And that made Seras blush, frown, and go rigid.

"Something wrong?" the one-eyed human asked.

'No!' she wanted to say, but tried to walk ahead instead.

The hounds barked happily and ran ahead as they walked. Occasionally the hounds looked back to urge them to move faster, or to run in circles around them. Seras flinched whenever they got too close.

"Yeah, these mutts are always barking their heads off," Pip said, "Between you and me, I think the count of this region could have gotten better hunting hounds. Oh, they're healthy enough, and run fast to catch any creature, but they're dumb as rocks. Always chasing after creatures that aren't there, and getting so lazy they often stop at the river to get a drink."

Seras smiled wryly. She knew the imaginary creatures they chased after, and the real reason they often went to the river was to bark at her. She didn't even know how or why they knew she was there, but she often wished they'd stopped. No matter how far away she was, they often caught her scent and came charging over. They barked and ran after her the same way they did to other animals, which scared her greatly. Also, they always brought their human masters close behind, which often nearly got her caught...

Or did get her caught, Seras thought sadly. The Sea King said that she had been seen... that humans talked of seeing a mermaid in the river...

She looked nervously up at him. Perhaps he was the one...?

"Oh sure, they look big and black and beautiful," he continued, "but if you ask me, it's better to have a beast with intelligence and personality than the right look."

Seras snorted. This, from the same man that said only a great beauty would charm him when the Count said that only a woman of character would do.

"What was that about?" Pip asked as they neared the castle steps.

Seras gave a wry smile as though to say, 'Wouldn't you like to know?'

They didn't get very far before the hounds barked excitedly and dashed up ahead to greet their master, for who should now standing at the door than Count? He looked so gloriously handsome, with his long wavy black hair a flow, his impeccable dark suit as finely decked as ever, his black cravat neatly knotted and fluffy in appearance. He looked so tall and regal standing there at the doorway, his gloriously pale skin blending well with the marble balcony and his black hair and clothes blending well with the shadows.

As soon as she saw him, Seras' breath hitched and she stopped in her tracks.

Pip tried to nudge her forward, then looked back at her in confusion when she wouldn't budge. Her eyes were transfixed on the Count. As he descended the stairs, she pulled her hand away from Pip's and began self-consciously trying to fix her hair, only to remember she didn't have any and fix up her dress instead, trying to look her best. Pip sighed. Of course. They all reacted like that when the Count arrived.

The Count's eyes widened on seeing her, and then his face melted into a pleased smile.

"My, my... What have we here?" he purred.

Seras nearly melted on hearing that enchanting baritone. She lowered her eyes and felt her face grow warm.

"I don't know, I just found her on the beach like that," Pip answered.

"Hmmm..." but the Count did not seem to hear him. His eyes were focused only on Seras.

Her heart fluttered at the attention, and she felt her face grow very warm as she modestly averted her eyes.

"I guess she could have been involved in some ship wreck," Pip continued, "She looks a mess, her hair's been ripped off, and she's wrapped in sails."

"Indeed?" the Count said, and approached her. "Then perhaps we should do something to remedy that."

He offered his arm to her, and Seras nearly swooned as she accepted it.

She still had trouble walking the stairs though, and blushed with shame.

"That's the matter?" the Count demanded.

Seras blushed even harder and looked down.

"I think she got hurt real bad out at sea," the Captain said behind them, "She has trouble walking."

The Count then murmured in her ear. "Indeed? You poor thing."

Then, without warning, he scooped her up and carried her up the stairs like she was a bride. Seras' eyes widened on the sudden contact, and then she hunkered up again to protect herself. She slowly opened her eyes, then blushed deeply when she realized she was being carried in his arms. She went rigid as a stone all the way up the steps.

You can imagine how shocked the entire castle staff felt on seeing their lord and master carrying a strange little girl wrapped in a sail.

One of the maids approached him. "Master?!"

"It seems we have a little foundling on our hands," he said, "Make sure she's taken care of."

"Of course, sir!" the housekeeper exclaimed, "I'll take care of her as though she were my own child!"

The Count looked at her.

"You're right, sir," she agreed, "I'll take care of her as though she were your own child."

Satisfied, the Count lowered Seras to her feet. She clutched his arms, not wanting to let go.

"Go with Carlotta, my little foundling," he murmured huskily in her ear. "I shall see you later tonight, over dinner."

Reluctantly, Seras let go of his arms and put her weight on her own legs. Seras had never been sorrier to step on the ground with her legs. Because she was so starstruck and unused to standing, she collapsed outright.

By the time the maids disrobed Seras to help her into the bath tub, she looked like she had been in a shipwreck. Her skin and hair was sticky with dried salt, and her body was covered with bruises from her many falls after gaining legs. The hot water from the bath helped somewhat, but what really made Seras feel better was the bath bubbles that never dissolved! She had never seen anything like it before in her life. Water was only foamy when it moved, but this was stationary! Seras timidly batted at the bubbles when she thought she wasn't allowed, then eagerly splashed around when Carlotta encouraged her to enjoy herself.

"The poor dear has been through so much," she said to another maid as Seras splashed water onto the bath tiles.

Seras was having the time of her life. It was like sea foam that never fell away! She could stack it like little hills, sink her head below it and have hills of bubbles taller than her eyes, and even stack it on her hair. She would have laughed out loud if she had a voice. As it was, she grinned widely and scooped up a handful of bubbles. She slurped them up, but they tasted awful! She gagged and spat them out, then perked up when she saw them floating up.

Bubbles flew up here just like in the sea?

Seras scooped up another handful and tried to throw it, but they fell back down.

She frowned.

"Ugh, hold still!" one of the maids exclaimed.

Seras didn't realize they had been trying to scrub the sea salt off of her.

"Oh Gretchen, leave her. She's having such a marvelous time!" said Carlotta.

"It must have been ages since she enjoyed a luxury like this!" piped another.

"Especially after what she's been through!" exclaimed another.

Seras cocked her head at this.

"Hm? What has she been through?"

"Heavens! Haven't you heard? She was involved with a ship wreck..."

Realizing the conversation was no longer really about her, Seras went back to playing with her bubbles. She felt as marvelously giddy as one. Seras then thought to blow on them, and the little ones took flight. She laughed silently and did it again and again. She then noticed a large bubble floating before her face, and her eyes widened with excitement.

She then blew on it experimentally, and it popped.

Seras giggled again, grabbed another handful and blew them into the air.

The head maid then poured some water over her head to rinse away the crown of bubbles she had placed on her head.

"Washed up on a ship wreck! Oh, the poor thing..." she said commiseration, "We'll have you feeling better in no time!"

"But she needs to be ready for dinner!" Gretchen said.

"Oh, hush. There's plenty of time for that. Why don't you go get her clothes ready? Surely there must be something in this old castle that fit'll fit her."

"With a chest that large and limbs so thin, I'll have to find clothes that could fit five different women..."

Seras looked up sadly.

When Carlotta noticed her staring, she said, "Oh, don't pay her any mind, sweetie. She's just not used to seeing pretty young girls in this castle. The count does keep to himself, you know. But don't you worry! We'll find something to fit you and have you all cleaned and dressed up in no time!"

Seras smiled and went back to enjoying her bubbles. She never got tired of them!

Carlotta then grabbed her sail dress, "I'll just..." her smile dropped into a grimaced, "I'll just get this washed for you!" and took it away.

After the excitement of the bubbles ran its course, Seras let them scrub her more properly, and smiled with amusement at the many theories about where she came from and what happened to her. Soon they helped her out of the tub and dried her off as they brought clothes to wear. One of the maids took a bit of rope and started pressing it against her arms, shoulders, etc. Seras felt a little unnerved and leaned away.

"Hold still, dear, this is to take your measurements, so we know what's most like to fit."

Seras had no idea what measurements were, or how they would help make what fit, but she figured these women knew what they were doing.

The women then began wrapping her with clothes, just like Rip Van Winkle said they would. They had to retry a few clothes, but they eventually found the right kinds and wrapped her with layers and layers, each one more cumbersome than the last.

"I'm so sorry, dearie," one of the maids said, "I'm sure it's not to the style you're used to, but the count has no lady in this castle, so all we could find for you are servant's clothes!"

Seras was ecstatic to hear the count had no lady, although she already knew from months of watching them from the sea, and so gladly wore the "servants' clothes" with pride. In fact, she had been a servant in the Sea King's palace, and so felt they suited her perfectly. Because human clothes were the height of style in Seras' eyes, she imagined them more beautiful than the many shells, pearls, and jewels on the sea floor. Oh, how stunning the Count must find her when she saw her!

While they dressed her, Seras could hear a few women talking off to the side.

"Where on earth does she come from?" one asked the other.

"I don't know! But she's so lovely and her manners are too good for her to be a commoner like us!"

Seras beamed at this. Down in the ocean, she was considered so clumsy and uncouth compared to the ethereal beauty and grace of better-born mermaids. While Seras loved the land more than she could say (even if she hadn't lost her voice) she could not help noticing how... much more rigid and awkward things were over water than under. She was also getting used to being stuck on the floor like an anchor, unable to kick off the ground and float like when she was underwater. She knew logically things were like that on land, but it was different feeling it... At any rate, she supposed that since everything was so much more graceful and elegant down on the sea floor, even the awkwardest mermaid like her would seem graceful compared to humans. At least, she was very flattered to be thought of as royal!

"Her manners are too good for her to be a commoner? Clearly, you didn't see her in the bath?"

"Really? What was she doing in there?"

"She was splashing around like a child that had never bathed before in her life."

Seras gulped.

"Oh, but she's such a sweet and well-mannered little girl, I'm sure a little laps like that is nothing!"

Seras smiled.

"Laps like that?! Look at her! She's covered in rags!"

"Why, that's hardly her fault!"

"Come now, be serious! She shows up in rags without speaking. That's not my idea of a noble girl."

"No, she must come from a noble family, but which one?!"

She turned to Seras for an answer. Seras shrugged.

The old woman then gasped. "Oh! They must have been on a voyage somewhere where they were kidnapped by pirates!" And then she buried her face into a handkerchief to weep.

"Oh Maudy, we don't know that."

"All the worse!" Maudy sobbed.

Seras smiled in amusement.

"So that settles it! It must be pirates!" Maudy cried, "That explains everything. They must have boarded the ship, stolen all of her possessions, and hacked off her long beautiful golden hair as a prize for their collection." A terrible thought then occurred to her. "The brutes must have tried to have their way with her, but then she threw herself off the ship and just barely escaped with her life! After being buffeted about for days, with nothing but a bit of driftwood to keep her afloat, she finally made it to shore! Poor dear, no wonder she's mute!"

Maudy then threw herself upon Seras and sobbed with abandon.

After a few awkward moments, Seras patted her back to comfort her. 'There, there.'

"Oh, you must be so traumatized! I would be mute too if something like that happened to me!"

To the discerning eye, Seras did not look the least bit upset. If anything, she looked a bit amused and interested in the wild stories they told about her. If anything, she looked excitedly to learn more.

"Now, girls," Carlotta said, "We need to get her dressed and read for dinner. The Count has made her his honored guest!"

Seras beamed on hearing this.

Out in the dining hall, the Count was looking out the window as the sun set, admiring the deep reds, oranges and golds as it went down. Behind him, the captain read some documents to him.

"We've managed to gain a foothold in the trade roots to Amsterdam, but the Earl of Bath will not agree to the terms of the contract."

"Then double the offer," the Count said simply.

The Count's butler, Walter C. Dornez, then stepped forward.

"With all due respect, sir, it's looking doubtful he will ever agree to the terms of the offer."

"Then offer him more money," the Count said simply. "Every man has his price, we need only to find it."

"With all do respect, sir, this is his daughter we're talking about."

"With all do disregard, I do not care," the Count said. "I know she's out there. I will find her... and I will marry her."

Walter and Captain Bernadotte exchanged nervous glances.

"What news of our little foundling?" the Count asked.

"Ah, she is in the care of Miss Carlotta. I've just spoken with one of the staff. It seems she has been bathed, dressed, and will be with us shortly."

"Good..."

"They haven't happened to find out anything else about her?" Captain Bernadotte asked.

"I'm afraid not," Walter said. "Though the maids are quite beside themselves trying to figure it out."

"She hasn't said anything?" the Count asked.

"She... can't say anything, sir," Walter said. "She is a mute."

The Count chuckled. "A mute, you say? Well, that figures. She certainly is a far more interesting girl than she appears."

"Indeed, the staff say she is quite an enigma," Walter said. "She moves with grace and delicacy, yet is clumsy on her feet."

"They'd be clumsy on their feet too if they were in a ship wreck," Captain Bernadotte grimaced.

He was still recovering from that.

"And yet, we haven't had any storms for the last few weeks at least," Walter said, "And there has been no news of a missing vessel."

"No, it goes much deeper than that," the Count said.

"Sir?"

"Have either of you any eyes? There is a newness about her," the Count explained. "Everything is for the first time. Captain, you found her on the beach. In all the time you escorted her, were you able to notice how she moves? How she walks? How she tilts her head? All for the first time, the first time anyone has done these. If I learned she had been born this very morning, I would only be surprised that she was so old."

"Hmm... now what's that about?" Walter asked.

Before he could answer, someone laughed from the doorway. The men turned their heads to Carlotta pulling forward a girl covered in shadows.

"Come on, honey!" she laughed, "Don't be shy!"

Hesitantly, the young girl stepped forward. She emerged from the shadows like a star from the clouds, and smiled just as brightly. She felt self-conscious, and so was even more careful with her movements. While she wavered slightly, as she was new to walking, otherwise she moved quite elegantly, as all children of the sea do. In spite of her attire, the men found themselves mute. She held herself so gracefully that she made coarse fabrics seem the only fitting dress for a princess; and besides, she felt there was no finer attire in the world.

"My dear young lady," Walter said, stepping forward. "It is a pleasure to meet you at last. I am Walter C. Dornez, the butler of this estate. If you ever find yourself in need of assistance, you may always come to me."

Seras nodded graciously.

"And this is our head... I guess you could say the Count's Valet and Stable Master. Monsieur Pippen de Bernadotte, former captain of the Wild Geese merchant ship, now general taskmaster of whatever our lord sees fit. I trust you've already met."

"Indeed," Pip grinned.

Seras nodded, but didn't smile.

"And this is the lord and master of this estate, and under whose protection you now find yourself. May I introduce Count Vladislav Dracula of Transylvania."

Seras approached him with a smile that could light up the night sky if the heavens went out.

"It is a pleasure to meet you, young lady," the Count murmured, and kissed her hand.

Seras nodded graciously, and her cheeks burned a deep red.

"And now, I do believe it is time to seat ourselves for dinner," Walter said.

"Indeed. Captain Bernadotte, you may go," the Count said.

"Much obliged, sir," he replied.

"Come, you must be famished. Let me help you, my dear," Walter said, leading Seras to the table.

They had just reached the table when Captain Bernadotte held out the chair for Seras almost as though an impulse seized him. Seras looked up with surprised gratitude.

"I must say, sire, it's not often we have such a lovely dinner guest in this stuffy old castle."

Nor a strange one. No sooner did Seras spot the fork did she grin and start running it through her hair... only to remember she didn't have long hair anymore... only to realize the men were staring at her with absolute puzzlement and surprise. Even the Count stared. Seras quickly snapped it back on the table, lowered her head, and bit her lower lip as she felt her face burn.

The men continued talking about something, she was too mortified and self-conscious to hear what. After a spell she looked up, and saw Walter take out a small saxophone that Schrodinger and Harkonnen talked about. Her face must have lit up, because Walter did a double-take when he saw her looking and smiled kindly.

"Oh, do you like it?" he asked, offering it to her. "It is rather nice..."

Thinking it to be an instrument like Harkonnen said, she blew into it... only to get soot all over Walter's face.

The Count laughed himself a fit to die.

"You're... uh... not supposed to blow into it," Pip said.

'Too late now,' Seras thought, and buried her face into her hands.

Suddenly, being swallowed by the dark depths didn't seem so bad.

"My," a young serving girl said as she placed something before Seras. "I don't think I've seen the Count so happy in ages!"

Seras smiled on hearing this. She was still embarrassed, but seeing the mirth on his face that she had caused made her heart swell with joy.

"Hmph, very amusing," Walter said, as he wiped the worst of the soot away with his handkerchief. He then smiled, showing that no real harm had been done, and turned to the housekeeper. "Now, Carlotta, my dear, would you mind informing our guest what we shall have for dinner?"

"Oh, she's going to love it!" she said excitedly. "The chef is making his specialty! Stuffed crab!"

'Why is that?' Seras thought. Crabs are already stuffed with their little bodies inside their shells. What could they stuff it with? Unless they took out the little crab bodies and replaced it with something else... But then crabs tasted good, so what in the sea could taste better? And why put them in crab shells? Wouldn't it be more efficient to skip the shells and just present it as it is?

Seras thought on these things, though she had no voice to ask, until they brought the food out.

Unfortunately, she did not realize how hungry she was until the food was placed in front of her. She had hoped to impress the Count with her grace and manners, but was so ravenous she completely forgot herself and scooped out handfuls of the crab to stuff into her mouth and devour, one after the other. It wasn't still the last mouthful that she chanced to look up and see the men staring at her more dumbfounded than ever. "Mortified" doesn't even begin to cover how she felt. She swallowed and then sank into her seat, hoping the very chair would swallow her.

"My, you are famished," the Count said.

Seras couldn't look at him. She clutched her skirts tightly under the table.

"Bring another plate," he ordered.

"Of course."

Despite her mortification, Seras smiled in gratitude.

After her third plate, Walter offered her a drink. Seras watched in fascination as he poured the liquid into glass. Seras had spent most of her life under the sea, and the few times she happened to come on land she was in the middle of the ocean, or in the stream near the castle. She was not quite used to a world without water, and so she stared in fascination as the liquid poured down. The arch it made in the air, or the sound it made as it hit the glass. Once again, Seras didn't realize how thirsty she was until she took the first sip, then downed the whole glass in an instant. She knew she should have been embarrassed, but couldn't be by that point. She held out the glass asking for more, and Walter again obliged her. Not until she was mostly done with the second glass did Seras feel her thirst sated.

Since she had never been thirsty before, she did not recognize what it felt like until it was sated. She felt like the dry, sandy, shriveled feeling in her chest was saturated with water (like waves on the sand), felt plumper inside, and felt more springy and alive.

Walter refilled her glass each time it started to go down and she drank more daintily from it all meal. Although, quenching her thirst also made her hungrier, and she again held out her plate asking for more.

"She certainly has a healthy appetite," the Count said.

"Indeed. God only knows the last time she ate."

Seras didn't know either, come to think of it. She had been so lovesick over the Count that she often forgot to eat, and the few times she remembered she sometimes figured she would do it later.

After the meal, Walter and the Count bid her good night, and Housekeeper Carlotta helped her to her room. They then striped the layers they had worked so hard to put on her (which Seras did not understand), and gave her a different cloth that they said she was to sleep in. Many layers of clothes to wear to dinner, then replace them with a different draping cloth just to sleep in? Rip Van Winkle said humans wore different clothes for different occasions, but nothing could have prepared Seras for this!

It was even more puzzling when the maids showed Seras her "bed," which looked like a large, flat rock with thick cloths draped on it. Now Seras really thought it strange. Why drape herself with cloths to go to sleep in when there were thicker, larger ones on the bed to curl under anyway?

Seras briefly thought back to the sea princesses' royal bedchambers, and the ways they slept there. Most of the sea princesses slept in large clams or nests of kept to keep from floating around while they slept. Most common merpeople found safe places under the sea floor, usually burrowing under sand, in small grottos, under rocks, etc. They never had to wear anything special for it, they just needed to get snug and then let themselves drift off.

The servants then asked Seras about relieving herself before bed, which she didn't fully understand until she realized what the pressure in her lower tummy was, and just how differently merpeople and humans relieved themselves. It was really a good thing the servants were there and Carlotta could read her facial expressions well, or they would not have been able to guide her to the right course of action before she seriously embarrassed herself.

By the time they bid her good night (and let her know that if she needed anything, she need only ring the little bell beside her bed), Seras felt clean, fed, quenched, relieved, and content. She might have felt happy if she had enough energy. It had been such a long day that now she could barely reflect, barely stay awake.

She lowered herself gingerly on the "bed," because she thought it was a rock. Under the sea it wouldn't be a problem, but up here where everything was so heavy...

When she felt it sink under her, and realized how soft it was, Seras flung herself on it. She didn't even drape the bed-cloths on herself. Her head barely touched the pillow when she fell into the deepest and pleasantest slumber she had known in years.