"Don't stay out too long, Maxon," mother scolds me as I head to the palace doors leading to the beach. "Remember, you have dinner with the Elite tonight."
I sigh at the thought of it. God, the Elite. I'd rather dine alone. Not that they're unpleasant - no, they're all very lovely girls - but the idea of having to choose one of them as a wife when she's just out there, waiting? It disgusts me.
"I know, mother. I'm just going for a swim. I need some time alone," I reply, gesturing subtly towards the Woman's Room, where I can still hear the chatter of the six remaining girls as they gossip. Some may think a house full of attractive women is wonderful, while I'd say it's quite overwhelming.
"Of course," she smiles, giving a quick kiss on my forehead. "Just be back before sundown."
I nod and hurry towards the doors. The guards open them for me with a curt bow and then I'm on the sand. I strip off my shoes and leave them on the deck, relishing in the feel of the tiny granules between my toes. I start jogging lightly, heading left towards where I know my secret cave resides. Our secret cave.
I hear her voice, faint but beautiful, drifting in the wind, and I smile at the sound of it. She has such a lovely voice - no wonder they're called sirens. Her sweet melody enchants me and I find myself submerged in the water before I know it, diving under the salty water and heading towards the caves. Her voice grows louder, even underwater, and it helps guide me in the right direction. Once I'm in the caves, it's so dark I can barely see. The water looks black though I know it's clear. I push my hand against the wall for guidance, kicking my feet blindly ahead. "America?" I call, knowing she's here. I can still hear her voice - though now she's simply humming quietly.
"Maxon?" she replies, her voice echoing amongst the cave walls. I'm about to ask her where she is when I feel her arms encircle me from behind. I jump at the surprise but quickly relax against her grip. I turn around to face her and press my lips softly against hers, placing my hands carefully on her waist. "Can you see?"
"Not at all," I laugh and kiss her again. The cave is so dark - I can only see the glint of her eyes and the shimmer of her pale skin.
"Here, come," she says, pulling me along. Mermaids, I've learned, have very good eyesight. Though I can't see I thing, I trust that she'll ensure I don't run flat into a wall of rocks. She leads me down a stretch of the cavern I have yet to discover. She must have been exploring while waiting for me.
"Look, Maxon," she beams as she drags me along, down the tunnel, till we finally reach a small circle of light. I look up and find a large break in the rocks, where sunlight pours through, illuminating the cavern in gorgeous, pale light. I wish I had my camera with me. The view is absolutely breathtaking.
"America . . . . wow," I muster, unable to form a cohesive thought. Most of our meetings have been in the dark, as leaving the caves would mean risking her exposure. To be able to see her - truly, fully see her - is more than I could have hoped.
And she's so beautiful.
She's sitting on a rock, leaning against the wall, watching me with a sly smile on her face. Her strawberry hair is pooled over her left shoulder, a mass of curls and seaweed, pulled back by a jeweled comb. Her bare chest has an iridescent shine to it, as if her skin emits an unearthly glow. The white skin of her waist merges seamlessly into wondrous blue scales, the same color as her piercing eyes. I can only see a glimpse of her tail, as the rest is submerged in water. But from what I've seen so far, she's the most beautiful creature I've ever set my eyes upon.
"America, I-" I stutter, shaking my head. She laughs, a melodious sound that makes me dizzy, and swims over to me.
"You what?" she teases, stroking my cheek with her smooth hand. "Maxon, what are you thinking?" she adds.
"I'm thinking about how lovely you are," I whisper, placing my hands on her shoulders. She blushes and looks away, embarrassed by the compliment. She's told me many times how the other mermaids are much prettier than her - more exotic, more refined, etc. But after seeing her completely, in this light, the thought of such a thing is impossible. America is the epitome of beauty. I can't picture anything more sublime than her. "Don't look away, my dear. Look here. Look into my eyes," I say, tilting her head ever so slightly towards me. "You're so, so beautiful, Ames. Don't ever forget that."
She smiles and holds me closely, wrapping her arms around me. I do the same, but find myself sinking deeper into the water, laughing as I struggle to support her without drowning myself. She helps keep me stay afloat, but she doesn't laugh. I narrow my eyes at her, confused. She always finds my incompetence with swimming amusing. "Ames?"
She looks away and I realize there are tears in her eyes. I reach my hand to her face but she inches away from it, wincing. "Ames? What's wrong, my dear? Is it something I said?" I inquire, now worried. Could I have upset her? Oh, god, her tears are making me ache. I'm terrible - absolutely terrible - at dealing with crying girls, let alone crying mermaids.
"No, no, it's not you," she whispers, shaking her head. I've never seen her so distressed. She looks suddenly less intimidating - not so much the mysterious, mythical creature I've come to know but a vulnerable, scared new girl I've just met. But scared of what?
"Is it about the Selection?" I say, realizing that must be it. She knows I'm going to have to choose a wife soon. She must know what that means. "Look, I'm trying to stall for as long as I can, until you can find a way to cha-"
"I am engaged, Maxon," she blurts out. I look at her, pale with shock, and struggle to comprehend what she just said.
"But I . . . what?" I manage, completely taken off guard. This is not at all what I was expecting.
"I am to be mated to a guard of my kingdom," she murmurs. The word - mated - makes me gag. Just hearing her say that, the thought of some other man with her, kissing her, touching her -
It's too much to think about. I feel as if I am drowning, albeit that I am safely about water. "His name is Aspen. He's been appointed to the royal guard and has chosen to secure a mate in celebration. He picked me," she whispers. Her beautiful voice has now become haunted, fearful.
"America," I breathe, placing a hand gently on her cheek, catching the tears that fall from her face.
"He wants to wed by the end of the season," she sobs, weaker than I've ever seen her. This is not the America I know. No, this is someone stripped to the core of her freedom of choice. "I knew it would happen someday, but I just never thought . . . so soon . . . and with you . . . Oh, Maxon, I'm so sorry."
She wraps her arms around me, her chest pressed against mine, and I pull her close to me. I kiss the top of her head, murmur softly to her, stroke her back gently. "This . . . this doesn't mean anything, okay? We're going to fix this. We're going to find a way to make you human and then I'll call off the Selection. We'll be married. We'll have our own happily ever after. More than that, even," I encourage, though I'm not so sure my statements are true. We've been looking for a solution for months. Now we only have weeks to find one? Impossible. But I have to hope. I have to try.
"Mer? Listen to me," I add, pulling away so that she has to look at me. Her tear-streaked face gleams in the sunlight and her eyes are wide with hope. "I love you. I always will, no matter what happens. This is just another bump in the road."
"The what?" she asks?
"A, uh, net in an ocean?" She gives me a quizzical look and I can't help but laugh, which sparks a small smile in her. "An obstacle. The point is: we can get past it. So don't give up hope, my dear." I kiss her nose quickly, emitting a light giggle from her. "It will all work out."
She nods and I inwardly sigh from relief. I didn't think she'd recover so quickly. But I never should have doubted her - America is a powerful woman. She would never let such an obstacle wreck her completely. She surprises me and pulls me close, kissing me more passionately than before. I'm caught off guard and dip underwater, but she doesn't try to rescue me. Instead, she follows me under, tangling her hands in my hair, twining her tail around me and securing me in place. I let my hands wander her body, her soft, ivory skin and her sleek scales. I explore her body as she explores mine. Our mouths move in sync, our bodies sway with the current. My hands travel down the length of her naked chest and I hear her sigh into my lips. She moves her mouth from mine and I have to remind myself to close my mouth so as not to drown. Her lips travel the length of my neck, her kisses dissolving me. Her lips reach a particularly soft spot and I gasp, letting a rush of salt water flood my mouth. I hold up a finger, bobbing to the surface to replenish my air supply. She stays underwater, her hands holding tight to my waist.
I duck back under and decide it's my turn. I kiss her forehead, her cheek, her neck, her breasts, her stomach, her waist, all the way down to the tip of her tail. She laughs at this, and I realize that might not have been the right thing to do. I raise an eyebrow up at her and she just nods, encouraging me.
We remain like this for a long time: kissing underwater, discovering different parts of each other, making the other one laugh with our lame attempts at romance. Finally, when I feel like my lungs can't take it anymore, we surface. I lay out on a rock, catching my breath, while America strokes my hand, still submerged in the water. "That was fun," she smirks.
"Yeah, for you," I retort. "I think I almost drowned a few times." She laughs and I join her, tilting my head so I can look into her glimmering eyes. She seems so happy, it's strange to think that she was crying just moments ago.
I look up at the hole in the cave and realize the light is fading. It's nearly sundown. Mother will be looking for me. "I should go," I say, sitting up and easing myself back into the frigid water.
"No, stay," she pleads, pressing her hands against my chest. "Please, Maxon."
"I can't," I admit. "I have to be at dinner in an hour." Her face drops at this, but she nods. She knows how strict my father can be - if I were late to this dinner, I would surely be punished.
"Come back tomorrow?" she asks as we slowly make our way out of the light and back into the darkness. She guides me along, swimming right beside me, our shoulders touching.
"Of course, my dear," I smile, though it will be a struggle. I'm supposed to spend the day with Celeste. I'll find time to slip away. "I love you, America," I say when we reach the mouth of the cave. "This will all work out."
"I love you, too," she smiles. "More than anything."
I give her a last, strained kiss before swimming away into the vanishing sunlight. She remains at the cave, watching me to make sure I get to the shore. When I'm standing safely on the stand, I look back just to watch her fins arc above the water and she dives deep into the sea, heading back to her home.
So I planned on making this a one-shot, but I may continue it, depending on reviews. Let me know what you think! I'm lightweight obsessed with mermaids so I wanted to try this out.