Lila stood and turned to the couple, and Arnold grabbed Lila and hugged her tight. He kissed her on the cheek; Lila saw a tear fall down his cheek. "My happiest dreams are coming true. Thank you for staying by my side. I know you are a wonderful and devoted friend, and I want to keep you near always. This is her," he said gesturing to Helga, "she saved my life and I love her more than any other thing that has ever been on this earth." Lila kissed his hand and felt her heart begin to break.
The castle sent out the news, and all the church bells rang in the town for most of the evening while the trumpeters went about the kingdom heralding so all would know. There was a small feast that night, with the wedding to happen in just two days time as most of the preparations had already been made. Lila spent most of her time down by the water, crying with her friends at the docks. They listened to the gossip of the fishermen and left to see how they could help.
When the wedding came, the procession went all through the streets so all could see the groom and the bride, with the ceremony happening up high on the deck of the ship where the people could see the couple. Lila rode in the carriage with the bride's attendants. She cried when they took hands and exchanged vows, but so did many others, for the ceremony was very lovely and the priest spoke of how Helga had saved the life of Arnold and cared for him. After the ceremony was over, the couple kissed and waved goodbye to the people and the ship set out for home so Arnold and Helga could be crowned in his kingdom.
All Lila could think of was how tonight was her last, and that death would greet her in the morning. There was much joy and dancing late through the night, with perfumed oil burning in lamps, and great fireworks set off throughout the night from one of the ships in their convoy. The couple retired to their room for the evening to consummate their union, and the rest stayed up drinking and dancing, for the sea was calm and the sailing smooth. Lila danced more elegantly that night than she ever had before, and thought of how she had seen a scene much like this her first night to the surface. However, tonight would also end in sorrow for Lila would turn to foam and never get to see the sunrise again. Each step cut her feet like knives, but she did not care for she had a much larger cut working through her heart.
When her feet could take no more, Lila sat in a velvet couch that was set out for the evening and looked out onto the water. She saw one of her friends and went below deck to get closer. Two of her friends were there; one with her hair shorn, the other with her eyes all silvered. The same way Lila had given up her voice- and now her life- for the prince, her friends had given up the best of themselves for her. A way for her to turn back to a mermaid and not into foam. She had to kill the prince. They produced a knife and gave it to Lila. It looked like nothing more than a large misshapen oyster upon first glance, but was actually quite sharp with a mother of pearl blade edge and the handle end was inlaid with pearls. Lila took the knife from her friends and went up on deck. The sky was beginning to lighten, as morning was approaching.
She walked into the room where the couple lay sleeping in each other's arms. She knew this was the last night she would ever see her prince. He would never know what she gave up to be with him. The pain she endured, not just every day, but when she turned into a human too. She would never sing again, nor dance after this morning. She would never see the stars, and could never obtain her soul and live forever among them. She had no soul, and now that the prince was married she could never win one either. She could not even marry another in the time she had left.
She watched them sleep, their faces so close, Arnold leaned closer a moment and kissed his bride. "Helga," he whispered, and snuggled in closer to her. Lila looked on the bedside table near Helga and saw a locket. She opened it and there was a small painting of Arnold in it. She put the locket back. Lila looked at the prince and his bride, and at the knife in her hand. He could never have been hers anyway. Even if he had married her, he had loved Helga, and would not have given Lila any of his soul to help her. She stabbed the knife down into the bedside table near the locket and walked out onto the deck.
She found a spot without prying eyes and waited for the warm rays to reach around the sea and touch her face, then she dove off the ship and the only sound was of her empty dress falling into the water.
Thank you guys so much for reading!