Author's Note: And now for a little pick-me-up for those depressed by the last chapter. =)

Disclaimer: I do not own or make money off of Hellsing, Dracula, or Disney's The Little Mermaid. H.C. Andersen's The Little Mermaid is in the public domain, but I don't claim to have created it.


The only thing that kept Seras from falling back into despair (or hurling herself out a window) was the Count's promise that they would move back into the country.

For the last couple of days they had made arrangements to move, and now it was time to go.

Despite all her sorrows, Seras literally dashed into the carriage when it was time to move to the new country estate. The Count laughed as he stepped into the carriage behind her.

When she heard the coachman shout and flick the reigns, and felt the first rattle of the carriage moving, and felt the sway of the carriage turning out into the streets, Seras felt that the dismal view of the London smog, black carriages, and closed in buildings was the most glorious sight she had ever seen, and she was so glad to be leaving it behind.

Seras' life in London had been very trying. She had never been used to large city life, and the noise, the hurry, the crowds of horses, carts, and carriages that she had to make her way through whenever they went to travel during the daylight hours, made her feel anxious and harassed. Over time, she had realized she and her master were not moving back to the country, and then she had made herself easy and got used to it.

If only she could get used to the smog and the cough. Seras hated the big city air; the factory emissions, the thick wet London fog... She missed the beautiful castle by the sea, with its delicious salty sea air, the wind blowing in her face, and the open fields and forests all around. She missed the sweet-smelling wood that she and her master used to ride through, and the flowers in the castle garden and courtyard, and the smell of fresh grass out on her master's lawn.

Seras' curiosity of being in a human city was well satisfied, and now she found she could not stand it. To think she had once longed for her master to bring her into town! Their first excursion had been interesting when she was in the city for only an afternoon. But after being trapped in the city for almost two months, Seras found that the city had long worn out its charm, and she was ready to go back to the country.

She listened to her master telling her about their new home as they drove up to it, and she could scarcely wait to see it.

"Carfax was the estate I first bought when I moved to England from Transylvania," he told her as the crowded London streets became wider and less populated roads, and then thin dirt roads surrounded by wide green country fields. "I did not wish to dwell in that residence because of all the memories within, but you seemed to need a country home much more."

Seras was very grateful for it.

She looked eagerly out the window as their carriage drove through a little town with a single parish (she was learning that was a way to judge how big human cities were) as they drove up to a large estate, surrounded by some 20 acres, in the small village of Purfleet. From what the count told her, Purfleet was a secluded village some 10 miles from the edge of London's East End, on the northern side of the River Thames in Essex. It was close enough to London to be near Society, but far enough away from the hustle and bustle. Seras wished he had brought her sooner.

The estate, Carfax (Seras found that the British always named their big country estates, which she found odd), was surrounded by a high wall built of stone. It had been abandoned for some years and was in a state of decay. There were many trees within the wall, which made it seem gloomy in places, and there was a deep, dark-looking pond or small lake, evidently fed by some springs. The estate on the whole was located adjacent to an old church on one side and a lunatic asylum on the other.

Seras stared in awe as she slowly drew out of the carriage, scarcely paying any mind to her master as he ordered the coachmen to bring in her things, nor the lady servants who fussed over her.

Many of the servants complained that the estate looked too dark, too shaded, and too dreary, but Seras felt rather fascinated. It seemed rather pleasant and sheltering to her. After being trapped in the packed, crowded, smelly, smoggy nightmare that was London, the sight of fresher air, wide open acres, trees and water seemed like paradise to her. Because of the beautiful spring weather, the lovely green leaves just made the trees seem sheltering and inviting instead of shaded or gloomy. The pond or small lake (Seras just decided to call it a large pond) looked fresh and inviting.

Seras felt strangely fascinated by the pond, and continued to look at it even as the servants ushered her inside. The estate looked more like the inside of their London flat than their seaside castle, but it was as spacious as the castle had been, and Seras felt more at home already. Although the servants led her to her room and told her what was what as they put her things away, Seras spent every moment that she could walking between the rooms, just because she could.

She was soon known as "the little ghost of Carfax," because she drifted listlessly from room to room without making a sound.

The truth was though that Seras only wandered from room to room when she could not go outside, although she went out every chance she possibly could. After being cooped up in that horrible little dark, dusty, musty little room in the tiny London flat for so long, she never wanted to be indoors when she could help it.

After spending so much time alone in the dark and the silence, she now felt that every rock, every tree, every bird, and every sound and smell seemed a wonder.

She loved spreading her arms to embrace the breeze. She loved the way it tickled her skin, and gently blew through her hair. Better still, she loved feeling of the wind running its gentle fingers through her hair and clothes as it blew through the trees and made music with the leaves. She loved walking around the grounds and feeling the soft ground and grass almost sinking beneath her shoes. On her second day out on the grounds, it occurred to her to remove her shoes, and then her hoes, and she loved the feel of the grass and dirt beneath her feet… between her toes.

The grounds were harder and sturdier than the sand on the beach, but also softer, wetter, and at times squishier and wetter than the wild hills that had been inland of the castle. It rained a great deal her, so the mud was softer and the grass was always wetter. After being trapped in a small dark room for so long, Seras adored the feel of the grass and the dirt against her skin. At first she only wiggled her toes, but soon she found herself feeling it with her fingers, then brushing her arms against it, then finally stretching out on the grass and rubbing her

Just smell the grass, the dirt, just like I dreamed they'd be, she thought.

After so long in bed, she had started to forget what the outside world was like, and sometimes wondered if her life in the seaside castle had been a dream.

The grass and mud left large green and brown streaks on her dress, which the servants later scolded her for, but Seras hardly cared. She was exulting in being dirty. It meant she was outside, and alive, and truly living.

Just feel that summer breeze, the way it's calling me...

She started to run the way the breeze blew, but stopped when she stepped into large puddle left over from the rain. It had been so long since she felt something so cold and wet that it gave her pause. The water was so cool and clear that she could see her feet and the tightly-woven basket of field grass, and she now saw that the grassy acres were filled with many such puddles like this (large and small) as well as the large pond. The water was ice-cold, and felt like a slap on her bare feet, and she could feel the cold spike up her leg. However, after spending so long in a room that was always warm and stale, she exulted in feeling the cold and wet. She grabbed a handful of water and splashed her face, then another and threw it over her head so it fell over her like rain.

And for the first time in... ever, I feel completely free...

She saw the endless blue sky and endless field before her, with the large dome of trees and many trunks underneath. After being trapped in a tiny little apartment where she couldn't go five steps without crashing into the wall, she felt the great space beckoning her to run through it, and the many trees beckoning her to weave through them. And the best part was? She could.

I could go running... she thought, and did. And racing, and chasing, and leaping, and bounding, heart pounding, pulse flying, and reeling and finally feeling...!

Like I'm going to die, Seras thought suddenly, gasping for breathe and clutching a stitch in her side.

She was so weak and tired that she came to a stumbling stop and flopped onto the ground. She didn't really need to, but she felt so suddenly tired and her muscles so suddenly taxed that it was easier to lay down, panting. Seras had gone without any exercise (or even walking) for so long that she got way more tired much more quickly than she had in the past; she barely took fifteen steps before she gasped like a drowning fish and flopped to the ground like one. Plus she was wearing a corset and all her layers, which made deep breathing that much more difficult, on top of being as out of shape as she was. This surprised Seras more than anything, since she had expected to be able to run and be just as athletic as she used to be.

Seeing their master's ward suddenly running and then heaving her chest and clutching and falling to the ground just as quickly, the servants rushed to her side, fussing and panicking.

But even lying on the ground exhausted and panting and sweating, with her heart pounding in her ears and her cheeks flushed from blood, she felt thrilled. The thrill of running and feeling and being, was better than any teas or sweets in the world.

The women fussed and fretted over her as they brought her inside. She wasn't allowed outside for the rest of the day, and she wasn't allowed out into the grounds without an escort from then on, but Seras was happy and wouldn't have it any other way.

Of course, the servants only had to know that Seras intended to go out to make her take an escort, and she didn't feel she had to let them know. "The ghost of Carfax" could slip out without a sound when she so chose.

They scolded her the first several times she did it, but by about the twelfth escape attempt they just ordered that whomever found her outside had to watch her in case she did anything dangerous or naughty.

Seras knew better than to do it again. Now that she got to walk around, she found that she could test her limits more safely than when she had sprinted, and found that she could push her limits more safely than when she had broken into a dead run. She could feel the muscles slowly reform in her long unused legs, and felt the flush of her warm blood flowing through her cheeks and her limbs. She felt much stronger and warmer out here in the cold and the country more than she ever felt lounging in the city.

She also encountered Mr. Bernadotte out on the grounds, and it seemed to her that her heart skipped a beat and her already flushed cheeks felt a little warmer. She also felt embarrassed to meet his eye, and pretended to admire the sights... and to not notice his wide grin.

"Well, look who's finally out in the land of the living!" he grinned.

Why, oh why did her cheeks burn hotter than they already did?

"I am glad to see you enjoying the sights, ma cher, but have you been to the stables?"

Seras' head perked up and her eyes widened. Stables? What stables? No one ever mentioned stables!

He laughed; a hardy, good-natured laugh. "I could take you to it, if you want to see?

Yes! Seras practically bounded over to him, and Mr. Bernadotte laughed as he led her. She liked the way he laughed.

The stables were much smaller than the ones at the seaside castle, but they were still good. There was a row of six wooden stalls all next to each other, with the bottom half of the wooden stall doors closed and the top halves open so you could see the horses' heads if they stuck them out. Next to the row of stalls was a modest barn, with a tack room inside, and filled with hay for the horses to eat, fresh straw and shavings to replenish their stalls when the old stuff got dirty, and ia standing area for the shoe-er to shoe the horses. (Seras didn't like watching the shoe-er work, because he would use small curved knives to peel bits of their hooves back, and hammers to nail metal horseshoes right into their feet! Mr. Bernadotte had assured her long ago that the horses couldn't feel any of it, any more than she could feel anyone pinching her hair. Indeed, the horses themselves seemed perfectly indifferent to it. But it still looked painful to Seras, so she just didn't want to watch. Thankfully, there were no shoe-ers around.) The horses were being fed, so most of them were munching on hay left in small buckets on the side of their stalls, and the grooms that fed them were bringing hay to and from the barn.

"Sorry I brought you here right at feeding time," Mr. Bernadotte said, "I'd hoped to get here before, when they'd be most hungry and happy to see you," he raised his voice a little, "but these lazy good-for-nothing louts decided to actually be good at their job today, and feed the horses on a prompt schedule."

"Ah, come on, Captain!" one of the men grinned.

"Don't listen to him, little missy," another groom grinned, "We're prompt every day!"

Seras grinned. She recognized the grooms; all men who used to sail with their captain on the Wild Geese, and worked as grooms and laborers back at the castle. They weren't the only familiar sight though. The whole seen was pleasantly familiar. While the barn looked different, the sight of stalls and a barn and a tack room was familiar, and the smell of hay, shavings, straw, musky horses, manure, and other "barn smells" triggered her nostalgia.

"Ah well, cannot be helped," the captain said. He pulled out a carrot. "The horses might not be as excited to see you as when they are still hungry, but I'm sure they won't say no to a little treat."

He snapped the carrot in half, and immediately two eager heads emerged from the doors.

Seras gasped. One of the horses was a ginger with a familiar white stripe down her face.

Seras looked to Mr. Bernadotte for confirmation. When he smiled and nodded, she grinned and rushed to the horse.

It was the ginger filly, Ms. Ginger Snaps, only she wasn't a filly anymore, but a mare grown up! Granted, Ginger had been old enough to have full-grown men ride on her back when Seras had first met her, but she had also been a bit smaller and thinner than the other horses; stringy and flighty. Now she was taller, broader, with more complete muscles.

A rush of nostalgia flooded Seras as she pet the ginger mare, only to feel saddened when she remembered her Old Grey, and the fact that he was dead and she would never see him again.

The ginger was also still head-shy, since she jerked her head up and made small displeased sounds when Seras tried to pet her face. But, Ginger also kept bringing her head back to Seras and making small pleased sounds even though she had a full bucket to eat, so there was that. Seras smiled a bittersweetly as she petted the ginger.

Pip then handed Seras the carrot, and the ginger still ate it eagerly, which made Seras smile.

"We ought to get you riding again soon," Pip said. "The Ginger might work, since she obviously remembers you, but she's still a bit spirited. She might not make the best lady's horse, unless you want a bit of a challenged. Hot Trot obviously will not work, but perhaps..."

A sort of wistful melancholy flooded Seras. Part of her would love to ride, and another part felt thrilled to ride through these acres, and even curious to ride along the dirt country rode through Purfleet. Another part of her didn't want to since she had only ever ridden with her Old Grey, and she didn't really want to ride a strange horse. Another part felt a bit scared since, the last time she had ridden, they had fallen down, the Old Grey had died and she had broken her leg.

The Captain must have noticed the unhappy look on her face, because his cheerful explanations of how they could get it done eventually died in his throat.

As it turned out, she didn't get back to riding right away. Her master did not feel that any of the current horses in his stable were good enough to make Seras' lady horse, but neither was he in a hurry to buy her her own.

If Seras had expected her master to move into the country estate with her, she was mistaken. Her master lived with her part of the time, but he also spent a great deal of time living in that horrible little London flat. Sometimes he stayed there for days at a time, or even over a week. He didn't want to miss a Second of the season, especially since he was still courting the church girl. Gossip about how their courtship was going sometimes leaked through the city and trickled down to the servants in the estate, and unfortunately for Seras, it was all good news.

They were the mostly highly anticipated marriage in the town, the gossip went. The Count was still very much in love with her and pursued her relentlessly, yet also gallantly. Lady Integra, for her part, acted very coy and coquettish by turns; she often smirked and sauntered away and gazed alluring at the count from above her fan, which she always had on-hand now that the heat of summer was upon them. Yet she could also turn cool, aloof, and somewhat haughty as quickly, or even while she flirted. She also had a brilliant mind, a quick wit, and a silver tongue, all of which she used to shiv the Count when he deserved it, jab at him when she felt playful, and duel him in a battle of words at all other times.

And the Count loved it. He had always been a brilliant, charismatic, and forceful man. He had always been a gifted linguist and conversationalist in every language he spoke, in his native tongue and his acquired English, and easily subdued everyone he ever verbally sparred with. While he enjoyed a great battle of wits and words, he often became too competitive and aggressive, and sometimes gave way to his temper, and became too blunt

And he found a gifted sparring partner in Lady Integra. While she was still a very young lady who had just entered society after a very sheltered upbringing, she had adapted to London society very quickly. She had also been given the best education her family's money could buy, since her grandfather was one of the most brilliant men of his age, and believed education important, even for women. While she had also received education typical for young ladies, such as ettiquette, spelling, and religious devotion (being a Catholic), she was also schooled significantly in various subjects of science, philosophy, and history. While her family did not go out of their way to teach her about business or politics, she quickly picked up on such subjects too, and could more-or-less hold her own when she walked in on a conversation between two gentlemen.

Most young ladies of her time were expected to be... well, more like Seras (except for the muteness). Sweet, submissive, and generally nice without being too opinionated. Integra's unconventional education, quick wit, and at times bold personality went against the norm, but she had just enough of a sweet ladylike disposition (for she was a young lady leaving a lifetime of sheltered schooling) and enough charisma to pull off her education and intelligence that she could get away with it.

Soon, her wit and smarts made her desirable even for other gentlemen, and no less than three openly lusted after her. But, Integra paid them no mind. Oh, she was polite, friendly, and engaging enough when they talked to her, but she never paid them any special attention the way she paid the Count, and she did not display her wit half so well as anyone else as when she spoke with him. They said that as time was going on, she was warming up to him more and more.

Seras was obliged to come out to town to be with her master sometimes, and she hated every moment of it.

She overheard some nobles at the reception of some opera (SO BORING! Seras thought; she HATED opera!) tell each other that they enjoyed coming to events they knew Lady Integra and Count Dracula were to attend, because their verbal sparing was always so delightfully engaging. Another gruff old man with food stains on his bowtie said that the two used so many Biblical, literary, and theatrical references in a single conversation that it was enough to confuse even the most dedicated Shakespearean scholar. The lady at his arm replied that they were Benedict and Beatrix come to life. (Seras didn't know who those people were, but she felt they could drown in a tub as well!)

There was only one great obstacle in their indirect courtship, and it was her family.

Abraham Van Helsing had still not forgiven the count for what he had done to his friends, and still did not trust his intentions with his granddaughter. He and Seras often sat apart from the others, commiserating over their mutual dislike of their courtship. His son Arthur had more or less come around to the Count, although when pressed by his father he admitted (a little hesitantly) that he did not fully trust the Count with his daughter...

However, when Lady Integra had first entered London society, her father and grandfather had made the huge mistake of giving her a large share of her inheritance, which she invested in stocks and bonds to make more money, all in her name, so the threat of cutting her off or disowning her did not work to keep her away from the Count... Although she was not prepared to throw away her relationship with her family for a man she was not entirely sure wanted only her, nor if she wanted only him.

However, she defended him quite well to her grandfather, or at least as to why he deserved to at least be given a fair chance, and for her to be trusted to make her own decision.

The Count too went to impressive lengths to win over van Helsing's approval. He pulled out his best manners and most gallant disposition around the old scientist, who did not seem to be softening, but also did not seem to have quite so hard or cold or cruel an edge when the Count was around.

"I don't think the old goat is like to change his mind about this one," his son Arthur confided into Seras one tea, and the thought gave her hope.

So while being back in the country brought great joy for Seras, the memory of her Old Grey's death and the courtship of Lady Integra and Count Dracula brought her down, though thankfully not enough to bring her to despair. The state of their relationship hinged on the girl's good sense, and duty and devotion to her family, as well as her grandfather's approval on the matter. For now, the girl seemed too sensible and duty-bound to bind herself to a foreign gentleman her family did not approve of, and her grandfather was not likely to approve.

It gave Seras some hope, although it was a weak and wistful hope.

She was no longer quite as wildly happy as when she was first taken to Carfax, but neither was she sad; it all balanced out to a rather neutral and wistful mood.

She still enjoyed her stay at the estate, although now that she had been there a while the charm had started to wear off, and she found that it was indeed a bit shaded and melancholic. She would have much prefered their seasick castle, with the beautiful ocean view, the pleasant seabreeze, and the sweet-smelling wood nearby. Still, a small and dreary country home was better than no country home, and Seras still liked it on the whole.

She still enjoyed walking the grounds. In fact, the whole grounds beckoned to Seras. When she didn't have to accompany her master into town, which she still hated, she explored the acres within the high stone walls. She walked under the trees, and felt strangely sheltered under them. She loved looking up from beneath them, hearing the way the wind blew through the leaves like wind-chimes, and saw sunlight peeping through the leaves like stars in the day. Seras had to admit she had always wanted to explore the woods near her master's sea-side castle the way she explored these.

During their many months' stay by the sea, she had resided only within the castle, occasionally walking beside her master out into the courtyard, the vast grounds, and open beach. She never got a chance to go into the woods, and when she did it was only to ride a horse beside her master. Since her master liked to hunt and canter relentlessly through the woods from beginning to end, she never got a chance to just walk and explore, or enjoy the shelter of the trees. She could never investigate the sights, smells, or touches. She could never just walk along the among the trees at her own pace, seeing and exploring all there was to see and hear and smell and touch.

Here in Carfax, Seras felt she could walk along the trees and enjoy the sights and sounds.

Of course, the servants still did not trust her to be out there by herself for too long. "Miss Victoria!" they called in their prim, haughty voices, "You come inside this instant!" "You'll catch your death of cold!" "You'll trip on a root and break your ankle!" "You'll fall into the lake and drown, and then where will you be?"

In the lake, Seras thought playfully, and stuck out her tongue. She actually felt fascinated by the lake and wanted to go into it, but she didn't have the nerve just yet.

Mrs. Hart, a particularly old and plump maid, was scandalized at that.

Usually Seras ignored them, or came over slowly and in a roundabout way. Sometimes a petulant or playful mood seized her, and she would retreat further into the trees, or even laugh and duck behind the trunks.

Sometimes they came out to fetch her. "Miss Victoria!" Mrs. Hart exclaimed as she wheezed on after her, "You must come inside this instant! Your master will be home any minute now, and you must be prepared to receive him!"

I can receive him very well from out here, Seras thought, for she could see him much more quickly when she was already outside and the carriage pulled into the front out, than she would have if he had to step out of the carriage, walk into the estate, and then find her in there.

Out loud, Seras only grinned at Mrs. Hart and wove further behind more trunks the closer she got to her, smiling playfully the more flustered she got.

Mrs. Hart and the other servants were not in as good shape as Seras, for they wore such tight bodices and spent so much time indoors that they were soon huffing and puffing trying to keep up with her. Of course it was all in good fun to Seras, who eventually relented when the younger servants were ready to cry with desperation. She had no such pity for Mrs. Hart though, whom she always playfully evaded until the woman was red-faced and short of breath, and stalked back to the house huffing and puffing, "Your master will here of this!"

The servants surprised her one day when they sent Captain Bernadotte out to fetch her. "You're the only one she'll listen to!" Mrs. Hart complained.

Mr. Bernadotte strolled good-naturedly over to her. "So, the servants tell me they have trouble catching you. You want to do this the easy way, or the hard way?"

Seras grinned and ducked behind a trunk. Soon he had the good humor to play along, and grinned as he came after her.

Seras let him get closer than the other servants, pretending to let him catch up to her, only to saunter behind a new tree trunk at the last minute. He seemed to enjoy the chase too, for he followed her around the trunks with a grin on his face. They played like that for a while; Seras letting him get close, then weaving through the trees just out of his reach, and Mr. Bernadotte laughing and chasing after her.

Soon she found that he did not tire as quickly or easily as the other servants, and was a faster runner besides. He got closer than she intended, and Seras laughed a silent laugh and broke into a dead run, and Mr. Bernadotte laughed and chased after her. They wove through the trunks of the trees just as the birds wove through the leaves in the canopies, laughing and hiding and seeking each other.

Happy but breathless, Seras smiled a mischievous smile at him and kept her hand on the bark as she slowly walked to the other side of the tree. She listened for his approach, intending to break away once she heard him get close. Hearing rustling on one side she kept her eyes on it, then felt surprised to feel a tap on her shoulder and turned around to find Mr. Bernadotte glaring at her, and she would have squealed with surprise and delight if she had a voice, and tried to flee as he playfully caught her, and they both laughed in each other's arms.

He still smelled of spices, tobacco, dust, musk, and other earthly smells that Seras loved, and that seemed perfect for this country setting.

She went back inside without another fuss, but the servants glared as they saw how familiarly the two laughed and smiled at each other.

"Most improper," one said.

"What lack of propriety," said another.

While Seras spent most of her time exploring the trees, the pond was what really held her fascination. She was surprised that she was so taken by a large body of water, for the little mermaid who had spent most of her life hating the sea and dreaming of life on land never thought she would ever want to go into the water again. She had to admit, she was starting to miss the world under the water. When they lived beside the sea, she had no desire to go in because she knew all too well what horrors and injustices resided in there. She avoided it for fear of all the darkness and monsters she knew resided within; particularly sharks that some humans said they could see from land. She also knew that many mermaids could come out and see her any moment, and she did not wish to speak to anybody from her past. She also avoided the river for the same reason, since it led into the ocean.

But this little lake wasn't like anything she'd seen. She was a little surprised to see a little body of water so far inland. It fascinated her greatly.

She also wondered, was it really like a big puddle? How deep did it go? Could she walk across it and never get more than her skirt wet, or was it deep enough that she could submerge and swim under water? If so, how deep did the bottom go? Was it just a few dozen feet? Did it lead to the center of the earth? Did it become a giant underwater cave that let out into the ocean? Was it completely empty, or were there fish and water creatures in there? What sDid it have sentient beings in it like merfolk or kelpies? Did it have some sort of underwater society? What strange or wonderful creatures lived there?

To her surprise, Seras found herself fascinated and drawn to the water instead of repulsed. She wanted to go swimming and find out what was in there.

If truth be told, Seras also missed feeling weightless in the water. She never thought she would feel that way again after she was no longer sick with fever, but there it is.

So, one calm and beautiful summer day, when the sun shined brilliantly, and the sky was a lovely cornflower blew which reflected on the lake, making it more beautiful and inviting than ever, Seras gave into her curiosity and approached the lake. She removed her many cumbersome layers of clothes until she was able to discard her restrictive corset (which was fine for sitting, standing and walking, but not good for running, stretching, or... swimming, she imagined), until she was down to nothing but her chemise, petticoat, drawers and stockings.

She thought better of the stockings when she stepped into the water and found that not only was the fabric thick and uncomfortable when wet, but she felt squishy mud beneath it and wanted to feel it with her bare feet.

Seras stepped cautiously out into the lake, and grinned as a thrill seized her. The water was ice-cold, and sent a ripple of what humans called "goose-flesh" (tiny white bumps) all over her body. The cold made her feel more breathless and alive. The mud was also very soft and squishy, and her whole foot sank with each step, and she liked to wriggle it between her toes.

She found that the water got deeper as she got out farther (and she grew colder) until she suddenly couldn't fee the bottom, and splashed and floundered. For a wild moment Seras realized she didn't know how to swim with a human body! Then she thought, "Wait, I knew how to swim as a mermaid," and tried to immitate the motions. She didn't know how to swim with her legs, but she used her arms to push at the water until she was right-side up, and brought her legs together, pretended it was a mermaid tail, and kicked at the water the way she did was one. She was still a very clumsy and awkward swimmer, but at least now she wasn't drowning.

Seras laughed at her triumph and swam further out into the water, splashing and twirling and ducking under water in her joy.

She was rudely interrupted from her fun when she was suddenly grabbed under water (she released the breath she was holding under water into a silent scream that came out only as a giant glob of bubbles) and was roughly pulled back above the surface. She writhed and splashed her assailant, only to realize it was Mr. Bernadotte.

"Seras! Seras! Are you all right?! Are you hurt?" she heard him shout as he clutched her shoulders. "Are you drowned? Can you breathe?"

Seras splashed him in the face and wrenched herself away from him. Of course I'm fine, Seras face said, why wouldn't I be?

What surprised her was seeing Mr. Bernadotte in the water. That was a place she never expected to see him. She then realized with a blush that he was soaking wet and in the water, just like her, and he wasn't wearing his big coat, but rather just a white coarse shirt with part of his chest exposed.

He also looked both terrified and confused at her. "So... you're now drowning?"

In answer, she used her long graceful arms to breast-stroke herself a little farther from him and kept her whole face but her eyes under water, watching him. She almost felt as graceful and mysterious as a mermaid again.

Mr. Bernadotte looked both relieved and exasperated, and then angry. He exclaimed something French, and then in English, "Don't you scare me like that! Merde, Seras, I thought you were drowning!"

She lifted her head long enough to smile apologetically, then ducked her head under water, so the tops of her eyes rested on the line of the surface.

He sighed deeply, and swam closer to her. "Mon deu, Seras. They said you needed a chaperon out here, but I said they were daft. 'She's fine,' I said. 'She's a big girl, she can take care of herself.' 'She likes to flirt with danger,' they said, but now I think you've proven them right."

Seras crinkled her nose and furrowed her eyebrows, but otherwise didn't emerge from the water.

He sighed again, and came closer to her. "Mon deu, Seras, don't you think you're getting a little old for these games?"

She spit water in his face. When he wiped it off and saw her grin, laughed and splashed her back. She laughed silently and splashed him back, and soon a splashing contest formed between them. Since Mr. Bernadotte's was winning, as his hands were bigger and his arms longer, Seras turned and ducked underwater where his splashes couldn't reach her. Pip growled playfully and swam after her, and caught her by the waist as she tried to retreat. She let out another glob of laugh bubbles and squirmed in his arms. He quickly brought her back to the surface so she wouldn't suffocate, but she recovered quickly and the laughing and splashing commenced, as well as "swim-away" and "swim-and-seek."

Soon even those in the castle could hear splashing and laughing from the lake.

A wall of servants awaited them when they returned to the estate; flushed, laughing, and dripping wet. Mr. Bernadotte's sopping auburn braid clung to his skin, and he wore only his off-white seaman's shirt, brown-green trousers and socks. He had a large bundle of clothes wrapped under one arm and held Seras' hand with his other. Seras wore only her thin white chemise and petticoat, which made it seem as though she wore only a thin white dress. The white fabric had turned almost see-through and clung to her skin while wet, making it a scandalous sight indeed. Even more scandalous, her cheeks were flushed and her eyes sparkled and her face positively beamed as she held Mr. Bernadotte's hand (this was, perhaps, the happiest they seen her since before her Old Grey died), and she held his boots as they walked.

They were giggling and laughing together, seeming to notice nothing but each other's company. He walked boldly up the stone steps to the estate with large bold, and she smiled demurely as she let him help up the steps, though they were both encumbered; him by his bundle of clothes, and her his boots.

They didn't notice the wall of hard eyes and stone-disapproval until they were right in front of the servants. Even then, they were not sufficiently cowed.

"Oh!" Mr. Bernadotte grinned, "Sorry for our unruly appearance. Miss Victoria decided to go for a swim in the lake, and I thought she was drowning. Turns out, she was just fine," he smiled fondly at her.

The servants were not moved. "How very convenient."

The cold hard voice sobered him some, and only then did he realize his place and imposition. "No... it's not like that at all. I truly thought she was drowning. I only went in to rescue her, and I have." He held up her bundle of clothes as though it were proof.

"I see," said the eldest and harshest.

This sobered them both considerably, and just like that, they were aware of how wet and foolish and unacceptably improper they were.

"Mr. Bernadotte, you may go," Mrs. Hart said in her coldest, sternest voice. "Miss Victoria, come inside at once. Kayley, relieve Mr. Bernadotte of her thinks."

A beautiful young maid stepped forward to take the bundle that was Seras' discarded clothes, although Pip had to untangle his large brown-green coat. Seras awkwardly held up his boots, and tried to offer them back to Mr. Bernadotte, but another maid stepped forward and yanked them out of her hands. Only then did she realize what trouble they were in.


If you got an alert saying that I posted this chapter but then it disappeared, I'm sorry about that. I thought there was more that I wanted to add to this chapter, but it turned out to be too long and will get its own chapter next time. For now, enjoy this one.