More Than Belongings
Arianna waited until it was dark outside before hobbling back to the beach. By the time she reached the ocean’s edge, she had nearly given up for the pain in her ankle. Its throbbing was so great that she wondered if she had undone all of the healing that had taken place in the last four weeks.
Still, she thought as she watched the dark waves, she couldn’t give up now. She was too close. So in the cover of the night, she hid her ankle bandage in the crevice of a boulder before shuffling into the water.
Her fear was as cold as the water that splashed her ankles. What if she couldn’t change back? Her initial encounter with the bathtub had shaken her confidence in her ability to return to her mermaid form. She had also touched the ocean that morning when pulling Lucy to safety, and nothing had happened. But, she had convinced herself, the tub had held fresh water, not from the ocean. And she had only briefly touched the ocean. This time, she would be immersed.
Her ankle burned as the saltwater touched it, but along with the burn was the sensation of healing. Walking became easier as she moved further out into the gentle waves. When she was deep enough, she let herself float, keeping only her face above the surface as she let the ocean cradle her.
She couldn’t tell how long she lay like that, fear and longing battling within her. Long enough that for the first time since the Great Drowning, she spoke to the Maker. If you give me this one thing, I’ll never ask for another again. Let me have my aunt back so that we can join my family, and I promise to never wish for a voice again. I’ll be content. Just let me find my aunt.
There was no audible answer, only the lapping of the waves. She waited so long that she began to shiver without her scales to protect her from the ocean’s cold. But just when she was about to give up and swim back to the beach, she felt the now familiar prickling in her legs.
In one swift motion she was below the water, splitting the currents as she dove down in a burst of speed. How wonderful it felt to breathe below once again! And though the descent made her a bit dizzy, she ignored it, not stopping until her tower’s cliff face was in sight.
She did slow, however, when she realized that there was no algae lantern bobbing from the tower’s roof. Her hands threatened to tremble, but Arianna just clenched her fists and moved on. Renata would never light the lantern only for herself. She was too smart to waste resources like that.
The panic threatened to return, however, when Arianna found the door ajar. Slipping in, she fumbled about in the dark for an algae lamp, which she found covered by some overturned furniture. With enough light to see, she discovered that none of the windows had been closed. None of the furniture had been put to rights. Her sponge bed was still a mess from her fight with the frill shark, as was the little room in the front of the house.
Not forgetting her prayer, Arianna took a deep breath before opening the door to the last room. Perhaps her aunt had been sick or hurt and had been unable to clean the front area without her. With a sudden confidence that this must be the case, Arianna burst into her aunt’s chamber, forgetting even to knock.
Her lapse of manners went unnoticed, because that room was empty as well. Arianna tried to swallow the lump in her throat but she couldn’t quell the rebellious sobs that threatened to rack her body. Renata hadn’t been here in a long time.
She had been right all along. The Maker did want her lonely.
Arianna had the desire to lie down on her aunt’s bed and weep and never move again, but the groan of some unknown creature in the distance pulled her to her senses. The Maker might want her lonely, but she was determined to find love, even if it was in the arms of the two little girls who had wanted her when no one else did. And he was going to have to pry them from her cold, dead hands.
Determined, Arianna set to packing a little bundle to take back to the palace with her. More moans and grunts sounded from outside the tower, closer this time. She gathered what was left of her waxy leaf pile, her writing slate, her pressing knife, and the conch necklace Renata had given her for her third birthday. Then she bolted up toward the surface before any more creatures could discover her.
Her change took place more quickly this time. She had only waited for a few moments at the edges of the waves before she felt her toes and knees scrape the sand once again. Once her aunt’s necklace was securely around her neck and she had put her bandage back on, she hobbled up toward the palace.
The seawater must have done something for her, for her ankle hurt just a little less as she used the crutch to climb the slate steps up to the palace doors. She had made it halfway to her room when a sweet, haunting melody beckoned to her from farther down the hall.
The source of the sound was not at the end of the hall as she’d first thought, nor was it at the end of the next hall. Arianna limped along, the halls twisting and turning until she found herself at the great dining hall once more. And outside the glass on the terrace were Prince Michael, Claire, and Lucy.
The girls were curled up against him on the low stone wall where he sat, a short distance from the rocks that had once been Arianna’s perch. Prince Michael was singing again.
By this time, her ankle was quite sore from all the walking, so Arianna moved to the far corner of the dining hall and snuck out through a second door there. Once out on the terrace, she sat in a corner that was hidden from the moonlight, and listened.
After a few moments, however, the song stopped.
“The girls sometimes have nightmares.”
Arianna jumped, and only then realized she’d nearly fallen asleep. Rubbing her eyes, she tried to look calm and collected. Her traitorous heart thumped wildly, though. For the first time since arriving, the prince sounded neither distant nor angry. And when he wasn’t distant or angry, he actually had a nice voice. It was smooth, like winding through the waves on the back of a dolphin.
“My mother says I’m coddling them,” he continued, running a hand affectionately over Lucy’s wild curls. “Not that that bothers me. They deserve to be coddled sometimes, after what happened.”
Was he even speaking to her anymore? Or himself?
He answered her question by looking straight at her. “You went back for more than belongings, didn’t you?”
Keeping her eyes on the ground, she nodded, once again fighting the tears that threatened to come.
“I see.”
There was a long pause, and Arianna’s ankle began to ache again, despite the fact that she was sitting. But just as she was about to stand and gesture that she needed to get to her room, he spoke again.
“I am sorry for your loss.” The statement wasn’t exactly spoken with familiarity or a great deal of warmth, but it at least seemed sincere.
Without answering him, Arianna turned and began to limp to her room, but he stopped her once more.
“Does this mean you’ll be staying with us?”
A single tear fought its way down her face.
Yes. Yes, it did.
17
Angry Princess
Michael was straightening another setting of silverware when his brother walked in.
“I’m rather convinced the angle of the silverware will be the least of the pirate lord’s worries tonight.” Lucas nudged him. Then he looked around. “I don’t think we’ve eaten like this since before Grandfather died.”
“We haven’t, and I’ve made sure of that.” Michael stood back and surveyed the room as well.
Lucas whistled. “Must have cost a few coins.”
“More than we should be spending, but I need to make a point, and it won’t do to have our lords or Bras know just how dire our finances are. Now, hand me that vase.”
Lucas smirked as he gave Michael the vase. “You know it would be much simpler just to buy my men weapons.”
“We can’t afford to buy weapons. But we can scrounge up the money for one fine supper. Fine enough, I hope, to keep our enemies from realizing that we cannot afford to buy new weapons.” He nodded at the cu
tlass at Lucas’s side. “I’ll most likely be needing those flashy skills of yours tonight as well. I get the feeling this meeting will not end diplomatically.”
“So you’re planning to insult him to his face?” Lucas let out a hearty laugh. “That’s bold.” He punched his brother in the arm. “I like it!” He paused and ran a hand through his sand-colored hair. “But why now?”
“I’ve found something in Grandfather’s papers.” Michael held up the parchment and tossed it to his brother in disgust.
As Lucas unrolled and read it, his face lost all its merriment. “This is low, even for Grandfather.”
“Just another gift he left behind for us to enjoy.” Michael took the parchment back and stuffed it in his coat. “Anyhow, I need to make it very clear to both our lords and Bras that we will no longer be honoring such a contract.” Lucas quirked an eyebrow, but Michael shot him a dark look. “Not a word. Please just make sure this gets done. I need to speak with Russo.”
Lucas gave him a long look before finally shrugging and nodding, then he called a servant to fetch several of his sailors from the shipyard. Satisfied, Michael turned and headed toward his study. When a glance inside the room showed his steward wasn’t there, he decided to look for him in the stables.
It was warm outside, as spring had been short. He had just paused to roll up his sleeves when he heard giggles coming from the hill beside the stables. Arianna and his nieces crested the hill. The girls were laughing and chasing one another, but the mermaid walked behind a little more slowly. The smile on her face was gentle as she watched the girls, and guilt niggled at him.
If he was completely honest with himself, a battle raged within his heart every time he saw her. He knew he should be grateful and gracious to the girl. She had not only saved his life, but his precious niece’s life as well. The war, as he had often reminded his mother, was no more her fault than it had been his. But every time he looked into her eyes, he remembered the hellish day that he had survived only to learn that he had lost his father, sister, and brother-in-law, and Claire and Lucy had lost both their parents. Their absence no longer felt like a blade in his stomach, but the hole in his heart was just as big.
Still, when he’d run into Arianna the day before, the way she had looked down, as though he’d physically slapped her, had opened his eyes to the reality of the way he’d been treating her. Not well, to say the least. Of course, he’d had his suspicions when she’d first showed up alone. But eight weeks with her had convinced him she was really at the Sun Palace because she had nowhere else to turn. The merpeople had left and for some reason, left her behind as well. Was it because she had legs? Was the merman ambassador so heartless as to leave his daughter behind because she was different?
“Uncle Michael!”
Michael laughed as Lucy leapt into his arms and Claire grabbed his waist. “One day you’re going to knock me over and kill me. Then what will you do?”
“Easy. I’ll be king.” Claire stuck her hands on her hips.
“Kings have to eat all their greens.”
“Ew.” Claire held her nose. “Never mind. You can be king.”
Arianna stood a few yards away, her hands behind her back and her face tilted down to the ground. Michael swallowed and prayed that she might find his tone more civil than she had in the past.
“I hope you’re well,” he said, trying to catch her eye.
She nodded once and refused to meet his gaze.
He deserved that. He tried again. “I don’t suppose you’ve heard of our guests tonight?”
She raised her head enough to make eye contact.
“I’ve asked Bithiah to find you a . . . newer dress in honor of the night,” he said. Actually, that wasn’t completely true. He had argued with his mother for an hour until she had conceded, quite loudly, to give the girl one of her castoffs that was about ten years out of fashion. Bithiah was merely taking the gown in.
This earned him a polite smile that disappeared as quickly as it came.
“Girls,” he looked down, “I need to speak with Miss Arianna alone for a moment. How about you get us some strawberries from the garden?” As soon as the girls were gone, he turned back to Arianna and took a step toward her. She stiffened, but stood her ground.
“Our main guest tonight will be a bit . . . different than those I would usually host at the palace. He is of some importance, but there will most likely be . . . tension. At best.”
For the first time, curiosity flicked across her face.
Encouraged, he briefly considered telling her who their guest really was. Given that her brother had been murdered by pirates, however, he decided it might be best to leave that little detail out. The last few months had been terrifying enough. Surely, he decided, it would be best to keep her in the dark.
Also, it was difficult to talk to a person who couldn’t talk back.
“So, I’ll see you at supper?” he finally finished. Why did he feel like an awkward youth again? She was just a girl. It wasn’t as though he’d never talked to one before.
She bit her cheek for a moment before looking pointedly in the direction the girls had gone and then giving him a questioning look.
“Oh, the girls are eating in their room tonight. But you’re part of the household now, and it wouldn’t be fair to keep you away, too. Bithiah will see that the girls are fed and put to bed on time. She told me specifically that she would like for you to enjoy yourself tonight.” He paused. “Tonight will be no ball, but this supper will be the closest to one we’ve had in a long time.” Complete with political intrigue and animosity.
At this, Arianna finally cracked a tentative smile. And when her sea-blue eyes lingered on his, it wasn’t at all difficult to smile back.
After that, he turned to go, not remembering at all why he had come outside to begin with. A glance at the sun, however, told him that it was high time he returned to the dining hall.
“Russo says the northern lords have arrived,” Drina said as she wafted into the dining hall. She stopped to pick a piece of fuzz from Michael’s shoulder. “I still don’t understand why you insist on greeting them yourself. That is what a herald is for.”
“And I would use a herald if we had the funds to keep one. But tradition says that without a herald—”
“Spare me the lecture, son. I’ve heard it before. It’s your marriage to tradition that I don’t understand.” She sighed.
Before Michael could respond, three lords entered the dining hall, accompanied by their wives and a few children. Michael didn’t miss the curious glances they cast around the large room. He pretended not to notice the missing tapestries, vases, paintings, or the shortage of servants as he gave his guests a wide smile and extended his left fist. The first lord placed his own right fist beneath it before bowing.
“What an honor it is to be greeted by the prince himself,” Lord Fierro said upon straightening up.
“As we have not hosted a feast in a long while, I thought it only appropriate to make my welcome personally.”
“Very chivalrous indeed,” said Lady Fierro as she fanned herself. “It is refreshing to see the old ways dawn every now and then.”
As the couple was escorted to the refreshment table by old Rolf, Michael gave his mother a big grin.
The guests continued to trickle in as the late afternoon became evening, and Michael found himself cautiously optimistic about the night. Although his focus was thwarted somewhat when Arianna walked in.
For once, she wasn’t wearing that awful brown sack. Instead, she wore a simple turquoise gown with long sleeves and a little flare at her feet. Once again, his mother had found the least desirable dress in her entire wardrobe. But at least this color made her eyes sparkle.
“Arianna,” he said with a small bow. You look lovely tonight was on his lips when he remembered where he was and whom he was with. “I hope you enjoy this evening, even if it isn’t a ball,” he said instead with a smile. Then he bowed forward once more, whispering
into her ear as he did, “Remember, there will be some tension tonight. Don’t let it alarm you.”
She paused, her eyes wide.
How easy it was to get lost in their blue depths. Not just for their beauty, but for all that remained unspoken within them. If only he had the time to read what was there. Her expression wasn’t quizzical, nor was it flustered. Rather, she tilted her head to the side and studied him as a scholar might study a specimen of nature.
A cough from his brother brought his attention back to the present, and he nearly elbowed Lucas, who was trying unsuccessfully not to look very smug. There was also a line of four people behind the girl, so Michael let her move on.
His brother was far less ashamed of his obvious flirting with the mermaid, but there was little Michael could do about that. Lucas flirted with everyone. Once, when they were young, Michael had caught him practicing in the mirror with himself.
After the second-to-last guest arrived, Michael quietly instructed his servants to have everyone seated and served.
“We’re still missing our guest of honor,” Lucas whispered.
“I would like to prepare them for the unpleasantness they’re about to witness,” Michael whispered back. “Bras shouldn’t be here for another hour.”
Soon everyone was seated and the food was nearly served. Before thanking the Maker, however, Michael stood and walked toward the door, where his guests could see him well. Let them see that I mean to act with justice, he prayed silently. And please don’t let this night end in bloodshed.
“My friends,” he began. “I have called you all here tonight to celebrate what makes us strong. Our unity in the Maker and his gift of the Sun Crown. Though the crown isn’t worn by a reigning king right now, it is still the cornerstone of our kingdom, a symbol and sign that reminds us we were gifted with the strength and responsibility to—”
“What is this?”
Everyone turned to see one more guest stride through the hall doors. As soon as he heard the voice, Michael wanted very badly to curse.
Silent Mermaid: A Retelling of The Little Mermaid (The Classical Kingdoms Collection Book 5) Page 11