“Thank you for this, I will do as you ask,” said Prince Titus, with a bow of his head.
“I hope your father will allow you to come back, I have enjoyed getting to know you,” said Princess Tarra.
“Thank you for not only saving me, but also allowing me to meet you and know the truth about who I am.” Lana smiled to all three of them.
“May the great Arius guide and protect you.” King Titan smiled once more and then he and Princess Tarra swam away.
“Who is Arius?” Lana asked the Prince.
“He is the God of the air and creator of all living things on the land and under the sea, have you never heard of him?” asked the Prince surprised.
“I think we just call Him God”
“Are you ready to go home?” Prince Titus asked somewhat sadly.
“Yeah, I guess I’d like to talk to my dad about all of this,” she said and then they both jumped down into the water.
Lana didn’t feel so ill this time when she swam so deep. Prince Titus was keeping a slower pace than his dolphin had. It wasn’t long and the dolphin Tempest also swam with them and Lana had to smile as she remembered that King Titan told the Prince that he knew that Tempest brought her to him.
Lana surfaced only once and she saw that the sun was setting, she was somewhat sad that she was nearly home. It had been such a frightening and wonderful day all in one. How she could imagine a life of freedom such as the mer have. Then again, it must also be hard for them to stay out of sight and she knew how humans can treat people that are different. She was suddenly concerned for Prince Titus as they neared her dock.
He sensed her fear and smiled. He sent his thoughts to her and told her that he could take care of himself and that he would miss her. He told her that he would never be too far away if she ever needed him.
She let her thoughts tell him that she was glad she got to know him and hoped they would be friends and be allowed to see each other in the future. He smiled once more and stopped at the bottom of the dock. This was a hard goodbye for Lana; she had loved the water so much. She saw her father standing above on the dock. She looked once more to Prince Titus and smiled and then leapt forward and up onto the dock.
“So, they found you at last,” said her father somewhat sadly.
“No, it’s more like I found them and I’m glad I did, but I’ll speak no more about it this day,” Lana said as she passed her father and headed into the house. She still hadn’t forgiven him and wanted him to know what it felt like.
Lana showered and headed off to bed for the night. When she entered her room, she saw her shorts and tennis shoes. She realized that Miss Perry had brought them and did talk with her father. I can only guess what that must have been like.
~~~~~
Chapter 4
THE GUARDIANS
The next morning, Lana woke early to the smell of breakfast downstairs. It wasn’t like her father to make her breakfast on a school day. She felt sorry for the way she had treated him last night. She hoped he wasn’t too mad. She quickly dressed and headed down the stairs to the kitchen.
“Good morning, thought you could use a good breakfast to start your day.” Her father smiled slightly.
“Thanks Dad sorry about last night. I had a lot of emotions going through me.”
“Yeah, I guess you had a right to be upset with me. You have to know Lana, everything I’ve done has been to protect you and them,” said her father a little cautious with his words.
“Dad, if you only knew what it’s been like for me living here. I missed out on knowing who I really was and where I came from,” she said trying not to get angry again.
“I know it’s been hard. It’s been hard for me too. There’s so much I wanted to tell you and just couldn’t find the right words. I’m trying to get the courage, please just give me a chance. I’d like to start this afternoon after school, if you’ll let me,” said her father sincerely.
“Yeah, that would be really cool Dad.” Lana smiled as she sat down and began to scarf down her breakfast. She really was hungry after last night.
“I’m just glad you’re home safe,” her father said as he went and kissed the top of her head.
“The one, no the two things I’m glad I didn’t have to deal with, were the tail and those ears. I would have definitely ended up as someone’s lab experiment,” Lana said with a giggle.
Her father laughed out loud and then became solemn and said, “Yeah you’re right about that, but seriously kid, I’d have never let that happen.”
“Thanks Dad, I can’t wait for our talk later,” Lana said as she downed her glass of juice and quickly put her dishes in the sink. She grabbed her book bag and smiled once more at her father.
“I’ll be here,” he said smiling back while he sipped his coffee and watched her head out the door.
Lana couldn’t keep her mind on her schoolwork. All she thought about were the mer. She was so glad when the lunch bell finally rang.
Lana grabbed her lunch tray and sat down at a nearby table and saw Elaine coming with her tray. “Hey Lana, have you thought any more about the prom?” Elaine asked as she sat next to her.
“No not really.”
“Well, I’ll try not to ask you every day, maybe just every other day,” laughed Elaine.
“Okay, when is the thing?” Lana asked reluctantly.
“In two weeks!” Elaine squealed.
“Let me see if I can put a dress together by then, if I can, then I’ll go.” Lana gave a half grin.
“Great! I know you can, we’ll have so much fun!” Elaine jumped up clapping her hands and Lana had to laugh at her.
It was hard for Lana not to speak with Miss Perry during class and she knew she wouldn’t have much time after. She waited for the last bell to ring and went quickly to her. “Hey Miss Perry!”
“It’s so good to see you here today Lana, you had me so worried.” Miss Perry raised her brows.
“I don’t have a lot of time to talk right now, but I wanted to thank you for bringing my stuff back and I’m sure it wasn’t easy telling my dad.”
“You’re welcome and no it wasn’t easy telling your dad. He was really upset, but I think he already suspected what you had done. You know he can see everything from that lighthouse of his,” said Miss Perry with a half grin.
“Yeah, he can, but you know I think things are gonna work out. He’s actually gonna talk to me today. In fact, he’s waiting for me right now,” Lana said excitedly.
“Then you go on home, we can talk another time,” Miss Perry said while gently patting Lana on her shoulder.
As Lana walked back down the sandy footpath that led to her home, she looked out along the beach and saw the sandpipers running in and out of the edge of the water with their thin long legs. It made her remember what Princess Tarra had said about Lana being special because she could go on land and in the ocean. How strange everything’s becoming, she thought. She always hated her differences and now she finds that they may give her a purpose.
Lana’s father was good to his word. She saw him sitting once more at the kitchen table when she came in the back door. He smiled when he saw her come in. “Hi Dad, I’m so glad you’re here,” said Lana as she threw down her book bag on the nearby wooden bench.
“I wouldn’t miss it. I made some of your favorite cookies this morning,” said her father as he held out a plate of chocolate chip cookies.
“Dad, didn’t you go to work today?” Lana asked surprised.
“No, I asked Marty to fill in for me. This isn’t an easy thing for me to do. In fact, I’ve pretty much been sick at my stomach about it,” laughed her father nervously.
“Oh Dad, I’m sorry, but I’m so glad you’re willing to talk.”
“Yeah, but like I said before, I’m not sure how much I can talk about today. I’m gonna try, but I want you to do something for me,” said her father quite seriously.
“Okay Dad, anything,” Lana said sincerely.
“I want
you to promise me that you won’t put one foot in the ocean until after graduation. I need you to give me time Lana. There’s so much I want to tell you and I need the time to do it. I’m just afraid that you might get mad at me and take off with them forever,” he said as his eyes began to fill with tears.
“Okay Dad, it won’t be easy, but I promise not to put one foot in the ocean until after graduation.” Lana smiled as she went and hugged him and kissed his cheek.
“Okay, okay, give me some room.” Her father smiled as he wiped his eyes. Lana sat down across the table from him and he began to speak, “You’ve heard the tale of Captain Jedediah Prentis.”
“Yeah, who hasn’t? Anyone living on the island has heard it from kindergarten through high school.”
“Well, what you didn’t hear is that when Captain Jedediah and his men first came to the island, he was looking for treasure. He had heard about a legend of the treasure and the mer. He and his men spent near a month with the Indians and found neither. Captain Jedediah then did something very peculiar. He released his crew and sold his ship. He then returned to the island and the people that he had come to care for. He must have loved their way of life and found solace there. He soon earned the trust of the Indian Chief and was allowed to meet and eventually marry his daughter, who was what the mer call, a merwalker. She was half human and half mer,” her father said cautiously, not sure of everything that Lana knew.
“Wow, I didn’t know that. I mean, they said that you were a descendant of the merwalkers. I just didn’t know how far back it went.”
“Well, at least you’re over the shock of it,” he laughed.
“Yeah, I didn’t have much choice once my gills opened up. You should have seen me trying to keep them covered with my hair all day,” she giggled.
“I can imagine. I didn’t realize that you had them, though it doesn’t surprise me. Nothing surprises me about you kid.” He smiled lovingly. “Let me get back to my story, well you know things weren’t always fair in those days, the Indians didn’t legally own their island. Though the mer have no need of it, or even the concept of it, they have plenty of treasure. They gave Captain Jedediah enough for him to buy the island to keep them and the Indians safe.”
“That’s an amazing story; no I never heard that before. You have to know Dad, I did pass out before my gills opened and it was Prince Titus who took me to the cavern,” said Lana afraid of what he might say next.
“I see, well I guess you were that determined. I’m glad he was there to help. I was just hoping that you two wouldn’t meet for a while.” Her father gave a wide grin.
“Yeah, it was pretty awkward being told that I was engaged to him,” Lana laughed.
“It doesn’t have to be like that Lana. In fact, I hoped you would be happy here just being a normal kid. I knew one day you might leave the island, but I was hoping it would be for college or a job on the mainland.”
“Dad, look at me, I’m anything but normal. I haven’t been happy here and I would never be happy on the mainland. I’m not saying that I’m gonna marry the guy, I just don’t know where I belong?” said Lana hoping he’d understand.
“Lana you belong anywhere you want to be. Let’s see, the rest of the story is that before Captain Jedediah died, he made his heirs swear to guard the secret of the mer. He had come to be their protector. Every male heir since has sworn to keep the secret of the mer and to guard them with their life. I am the last Prentis to know the secret, although I think Miss Perry knows more than she’d ever admit. Her mother was a Prentis and I’m certain that her own father must have told her the secret. She was his only child, just as Miss Perry was hers. Some have told their daughters in such cases, even though they weren’t supposed to. You know how Miss Perry is about mermaid day and all.” Her father grinned.
“Yeah, I do,” laughed Lana.
“Lana, there’s something more you need to know. The mer live much longer than humans and even those mixed with the mer live a longer lifespan. My own father lived to be one hundred and fifty-nine years old, but no one ever knew his true age. That’s another secret that we have to guard. You see Lana; you will most likely live hundreds of years. King Titan is the oldest of his kind and has lived nearly two thousand years.”
“Wow, I never realized I would get that old! King Titan doesn’t even look that old!” Lana was amazed.
“Lana, you’ve seen King Titan?” asked her father surprised by it.
“Yeah, I met him in the cavern. He was worried that you might get mad at them and he pretty much made me go home.”
“I’m grateful to him. You must know what an honor it was for you to meet him. He doesn’t usually show himself. That’s why he’s lived so long. Okay, now I’ll tell you how I met your mother. It was in the fall, we had a terrible hurricane that year and it nearly destroyed everything on the island. A lot of the debris was as far out as Gull Island. After my dad and I cleaned up as best we could here, I was sent to Gull Island. The mer don’t always stay there. Some seasons they migrate to warmer climate and I hoped they’d already done so. They hadn’t and some of them were injured. This storm was like no other, it came with very little warning. The mer aren’t usually caught in a storm, but this time they were. Your mother was one of them that got crushed against the rocks and reefs. She needed more care than they could give. You know we keep antibiotics in the lighthouse for when we come across injured animals. The more serious ones we send to the mainland shelter for care. As you can imagine, there was no sending your mother anywhere. They asked me to care for her in the cavern. I was a young man of twenty-three and had never really been that close to the mer before. She was so beautiful, like nothing I’d ever seen. Needless to say, I enjoyed caring for her very much and came almost every day for the next two weeks. By then you could say that I was hopelessly in love with her. I discovered that when I was near the mer, I could read their thoughts and I knew that she had come to care for me too. I know this all sounds so crazy, but that’s really how it happened.” Her father smiled brightly.
“No Dad, I think it sounds so romantic. A few days ago, I might have thought a lot of things strange, but not anymore.” Beamed Lana with a sigh.
“It wasn’t long and King Titan realized what had happened. How could he not, when you can’t even have a private thought. He knew that I’d be the future guardian after my father and he also knew that I was a descendant of the merwalkers. He agreed to our union and it was the most beautiful wedding. We had to hold it in the cavern, because even though I can swim deeper and hold my breath longer than most humans, I’m no mer. My father was there too and your mother’s parents,” he said as his voice began to change and tears began to fill his eyes again.
“It’s okay Dad, I’m sure it was so special,” said Lana compassionately.
“Yeah it was. Kid, I’m afraid that’s all I’m good for today. I want to tell you everything, but just not today, okay?”
“Sure Dad. Thanks so much for today. You’ve made me so happy to know our history.” Lana went and hugged him once more and he headed out the door.
What a beautiful story her father had told her. It was so good to hear how much her parents loved each other. She never knew if they had ever been happy; how sad it was that it didn’t last that long. Lana felt so contented and she was filled with love for her father. She could tell that it wasn’t an easy thing for him to talk about, but she was so glad he did.
Lana wondered what her life might have been like if her mother had lived. Now she knew that what King Titan had told her was true; her mother really was a mermaid and a Princess. Lana found it hard to believe that she was a Princess too.
The hardest thing for Lana to accept was the agreement that her parents and King Titan had made with Prince Titus. Lana didn’t like such a decision being made for her. He seemed to be nice; she knew not to judge him because of his differences. She herself knew what that was like. It was just that Prince Titus seemed so big and strong and that did frighten her a li
ttle.
~~~~~
Chapter 5
THE PROM
Lana went upstairs to her father’s office and got on his computer. She looked up her favorite sites for buying fabric. She knew it was crazy, but she would try and go to the prom after all. She found one fabric in particular that she felt was just right. It was made of blue and green sequence and Lana thought it would make the perfect dress for a half mer. She paid to have it shipped overnight. Her father didn’t mind her splurging; he was glad when she told him that she decided to go to the prom. She knew that this was part of his normal kid plan for her life and she would try and enjoy these last few weeks of her senior year.
During the next week and a half, Lana was able to work on her dress and she even made matching elbow length fingerless gloves. The only time she had ever gone without gloves was when she was in the water and then quickly put them back on after she got out. She still didn’t like people staring at her and she wanted the prom to be a good memory.
LEGEND OF THE MER Page 4