Chapter 3

The rocking of the boat on the ocean was surprisingly comforting; being able to swim in the ocean meant I never had to worry about riding on a boat so this was a completely new experience for me. It was so calming that I didn't want to get up and join the world of the living just yet, at least that was until I realized that the person who had kicked me all night long was no longer asleep next to me.

I held the blanket I used during the night to my chest as I quickly sat up to try and locate Emmett but he was nowhere to be found. Instead of seeing his dimpled smile I was greeted with a now spotless room and a pile of clothes that were clearly too small for him to wear.

I wasn't sure where he got these clothes from or if I even really wanted to know but I was overjoyed to be able to be covered by something more appropriate than a sheet. The jean shorts were a little too big and the t-shirt fit too snug for my liking but they would do, for now.

The pain in my foot returned tenfold when I started climbing the stairs which I quickly gave up and just crawled up the stairs. I stopped two stairs short of reaching the deck when a shadow suddenly covered me, slowly my gazed lifted from the floor, which was currently eye level, up to see the outline of Emmett standing in front of the blazing sun.

"You're really determined to not be stuck in my room," he laughed as he extended his hand to me, which I refused to take. I yelped as he groaned and tossed me over his shoulder like I weighed absolutely nothing. "Put me down." I could hear him sigh before roughly dropped me on the same chair I was on yesterday but this time it was moved to a shaded part of the deck and there was already of bowl of fruit waiting on the table next to me.

"You don't like to have people do things for you, do you?" I took the bottle of water that he was handing me and took a long sip before answering, "I'm not used to needing help. I was always the one to help others never the one receiving help." He sat in the chair on the other side of the table as we both began to eat; he ate bacon and eggs while I got a cut up banana, shredded coconut, and chunks of pineapple.

The silence while we ate was maddening it was almost like I was back at home eating dinner with my father again. "Thank you for the clothes and the food." He smirked as he tossed the last bit of bacon into his mouth and smiled. "No problem, I wasn't sure if they would fit you but I figured it was worth a try. You're welcome to any or the clothes that are in pink duffle bag on the bench seat down stairs." I smiled a thank you and finished my own food as he went to work on things I would never be able to understand nor be able to do.

Around mid day I fully understood why Emmett had moved my chair into the shade; the day's sun was brutal on deck. I was burning up just from sitting all day out of the sun; I couldn't imagine being out in the sun running around the ship like Emmett was.

We were actually sailing today and it was fascinating to watch Emmett run around doing the work that I could only assume should be done by two or three men. Eventually he got too hot and took his shirt off and I couldn't help but watch his muscles move; every time he would look over at me I would blush and look away pretending to stare at something other than him.

We listened to music that I had never heard before and I was shocked by how many of the lyrics Emmett seemed to be able to sing. At home we had a few songs that we would all sing together when celebrating a birthday or wedding but music was never really a source of entertainment like it obviously is on land.

"How's the foot?"

I jumped when he sat down next to my foot and pulled it onto his lap. "Well it doesn't hurt right….NOW." I hissed as he pulled the old bandage off making me regret my previous statement. "Rephrase, didn't hurt." The bandage was now stained red and yellow from the wound and I felt woozy knowing that everything on that came out of me. Emmett inspected it before he grabbed a pillow from behind my back and placed my foot on it. "It looks better than it did yesterday but I think you should let it get some air before we bandage it up." His eyes drifted to the ocean behind me as he talked, "I was gonna jump in the ocean to cool off real quick before I start to make something for us to eat. Is that ok?"

I looked over my shoulder at the beautiful blue sea desperately wanting to jump in and swim faster than this ship could sail, however I know that my tail fin will be in no condition to be used just by looking at my foot. I feel like a child who longs to have a toy but knows that mom and dad can't afford it. I want to tell him no, that he can't go in the ocean and leave me alone but I can tell he needs to be in the water almost as much as I want to be there.

"Go, before I change my mind and jump in with you."

He looked at me as if he knew I was serious making sure it really was ok with me if he left and I just rolled my eyes at his drama. I blushed as red as the sky at sunset when Emmett caught me looking at his butt as his shorts got tighter when he climbed over the railing. Water splashed me from him jumping in the water and I shrieked at how cold the water was compared to my skin.

"Sorry!"

I stood and leaned on the railing so that I could look out and see him playing in the water. He kept staring at me like he was waiting for me to do a trick or something. "What are you looking at?' He slowly raised his hand from under the water and pointed at my legs."Your legs." There were little spots from where the water hand splashed me and those spots were now the same metallic teal color of my tail instead of the color of my skin. I never knew that this could happen. I was always completely in the water or completely out of it, but I guess it makes sense. Clearly that wasn't enough water to give me a tail but just enough to cause my skin to start to change.

I wiped the wet spots away and just as quickly as they appeared the color faded. The splashing from Emmett climbing out of ocean drew my attention away from the weirdness of my legs over to the ladder that he was climbing up. I guess I would never be able to get myself out of the ocean and onto this ship since you need the ability to climb which you can't with a tail.

"Done already?"

He shook his wet head as he rubbed his towel through what little hair he actually had and then down the rest of his body. I had to bite my bottom lip to keep from moaning; I had no clue what was wrong with me, no other male has ever had this type of effect on me, especially not James who I am supposed to marry. "Yeah, I just needed to cool off after working on the deck all day, besides we haven't eaten in a while I figured you might be hungry." Just as the words left his mouth my stomach decided to growl.

Emmett tried to get me to sit back down while he went to find something for us to eat but I was tired of sitting down. "Will you just go; I swear I'm fine standing." He groaned and threw his hands up in the air and for a moment I thought he was gonna throw me over his shoulder again but he instead just walked away leaving me standing at the railing looking out at the ocean.

As I stared at the beautiful and calm water I couldn't help but think of my family. I'm sure my dad has driven himself crazy not knowing where I am. If I had to guess he was probably pulling his hair out trying to think of where I ran off to while having everybody search the seven seas for me. I guess that's what happens when the only heir of the sea king goes missing. Last time I didn't come home before dinner Daddy wouldn't let anyone eat or sleep until I had been found, I just hoped that he wasn't driving them all ragged.

I could just picture them all looking for me in all of my normal hiding places and the panic when I was still unfound. No one ever wanted to let my dad down especially when my safety was on the line. I imagine James is the head of the search party playing the part of the worried fiancé. I'm sure he is really playing this up and making it seem as though he really cares for me when we actually hate each other.

We have been forced together since we were born, literally. We were born on the same day. My mother passed away during child birth leaving just me and my dad while James's father died half way through his mother's pregnancy; he was trying to protect her from a shark. Due to the lack of mates my father and James's mother were drawn to each other.

One thing you need to know about us merpeople is that once you take a mate that is the only one you will ever have, we aren't careless with our hearts like most humans. So, Daddy and Elsa were never romantically involved but they did become close friends raising children alone. Dad would play sports with James while Elsa taught me how to cook she never replaced my mother but she was the closest thing to a mother I ever had.

Naturally they assumed that James and I should get married and unlike all the other merpeople in the seven seas I didn't get to pick my mate, at least not as freely. If I liked a guy my dad would always find a reason that we shouldn't be together or that he wouldn't be right as the next King. It was our eighteenth birthday when Daddy and Elsa told us that they decided we would get married when we turned twenty-two and that by the time we are twenty-five Daddy would step aside and let us have the kingdom. Honestly I didn't benefit from this at all but James was to gain everything since the King is the ruler not the queen.

I was so distracted by my thoughts that I didn't even notice that Emmett had returned with two plates of food and was calling my name. "Bella, are you ok?" I jerked my head over to look at him, "What?" "I asked if you were ok, you seemed kind of out of it." I carefully made my way over to my chair and sat down pulling my legs up so that the uninjured one was crossed under the injured in front of me and took the plate Emmett was handing me. "I'm ok, I was just thinking about what my friends and family were probably up to right now."

"You're homesick."

I shrugged my shoulders trying to get over it, but the more I tried the more I missed being home. It's not the actual people I missed but the freedom that the ocean provides; I missed the feel of the salt water on my skin and the rush I get from zigzagging between rocks and caves. There's nothing that can compare to being free without having to worry about anything or one but yourself.

"So, exactly what were you doing in the ocean when you stabbed me, I know you said you were free diving, but for what?"

He finished chewing his food and pointed at my untouched plate so I started picking at it still not sure what exactly I like of this food. "I was looking for sunken ships. If you find one and can identify it they can be worth millions of dollars. I've never personally found one but you always hear stories about how someone found the biggest haul out in the middle of the ocean but died before they could get it pulled up." I set my utensil down and folded my arms on the table.

"So you're a treasure hunter." He nodded his head, "Well I can assure you that there wasn't a sunken ship anywhere near where you were looking. In fact most of the sunken ships in this area would be closer to the islands." I leaned back in the chair and pulled my long black hair over my shoulder and ran my fingers through it trying to untangle it. I desperately needed to brush it but I didn't want to impose on Emmett again by asking for one.

"I don't mean to be rude, but if you haven't even found a ship yet then how do you survive?"

He sighed as he pushed his almost empty plate to the side. "I actually don't work. When I was seventeen my parents died in a car crash and left everything, including their successful law firm to me. Since I was too young to run the law firm and I had no interest in being a lawyer I just let the remaining partners run the business. As long as I show up to the board meeting every few months I get my cut from the business. Between that and the life insurance policies and the trust I was left I have more than enough money so that I don't have to work unless I want to."

Emmett was staring adamantly at his fisted hands on the table so I reached out and clasped them in one of my own, "I'm sorry, about your parents." He moved his hands so that both of his were now wrapped around my one, "Thanks." He took a deep breath before he looked at me and chuckled. I was so confused and I didn't know what to do, "What's so funny?" He continued to laugh, "I just told you that whole story and you probably don't even know what a lawyer, law firm or a trust even is. Hell do you even know what a car is?"

I quickly pulled my hand back from his and crossed my arms over my chest like a child. "I'm not stupid. My kind isn't stupid! I can tell you more about humans than you could ever even fathom to know about merpeople." We sat there in silence for a long period of time and I thought it was never going to end but I was too upset to care.

It was so quiet that I almost jumped out of my skin when Emmett spoke, "I'm sorry, I never meant to offend you." I looked at him and gave nothing more than a slight nod to let him know I had heard him.

"So, how do you know about humans?"

I smiled as I remembered hearing that tales of humans, "Well there used to be merpeople who would talk to humans all the time but over the years it got more dangerous so most of them stopped. Those who did wrote their tales down so that we would never forget what we've learned. There have always been a brave few who would wonder ashore and learn as much as they could before coming back and sharing the stories. My father of course forbids this so we had to keep it a secret but I always attended when someone would return. Every once in a while we would have a nomad come through who would know things about multiple cultures and teach us. One tried to teach us how to speak French but it was hard to keep up with it without my dad knowing."

I yawned when I finished telling him my story, when I looked at Emmett his eyebrows were almost up into his hair line. "What?" "That was a huge yawn; I've never seen someone yawn for that long before." I blushed and ran my hand through my hair pushing it out of my face. "Yeah, that's because of my lungs. Merpeople have bigger lungs than humans so that we don't have to breathe as often underwater." He leaned back in his chair and tucked his hands behind his head, "That's cool, I wish I had that." I leaned forward with my elbow on the table and my chin in my hand. "It only works because our body temperate is lower than yours which slows our heart down and then we use up less oxygen."

"How long can you stay under water without breathing?"

"Well I've never actually timed it but longer than dolphin but less than a whale. What about you, you said you free-dive, what's the longest time for you?"

He got this wonderful glow in his eyes when he spoke about anything related to the water and I wasn't disappointed this time, "Well my personal record is 14 minutes and 22 seconds, in motion, but the world record is like 20 minutes, while being still. I've never really tried to stay still in the water so I don't really know what my standing time would be." He tried to fight it but eventually Emmett yawned, showing that I wasn't the only tired one. Standing he said, "Maybe we should get some sleep; it's been a long day." I took one last look up at the almost full moon before grasping Emmett's extended hand and heading to bed.