She quickly brushed her hair, grabbed a sweater and went out to the dock. As she sat at the end she thought about Lana; she wished she could talk to her and see what she thought Robbie was thinking, but she heard she’d been sick and couldn’t blame her since she’d been kidnapped and now Lizzy knew she was also pregnant. She prayed she’d be well soon so they’d all welcome her home again.
Lizzy picked up her head as she heard Robbie driving up, he didn’t look mad or happy, just expressionless. Here we go, Lizzy thought, but knew in the end she would side with the mer; her family, no matter what Robbie thought.
Robbie got off his jet ski and tied it to the post. He turned and gave a half smile and went and held her hands and stood her up. He took Lizzy in his arms and looked into her eyes.
She felt like she belonged there and hoped his smile and his embrace told her that; she giggled.
“You always did tell me you were part mermaid didn’t you?” He grinned.
“Yep,” was all she could say and then he tenderly bent his head down and kissed her. That was all she needed, she knew now no matter what, he really did care for her.
“So what super powers do you have?” He grinned once more.
“Well, like Jed, I can swim better and hold my breath longer than most humans, but I can also hear through a wall or two; Lana has it too. I guess the men get the strength and the women get great hearing, other than that, all the mer and even those mixed with the mer can hear each others thoughts,” she giggled again.
“I suppose I shouldn’t be talkin anywhere near you?” He chuckled.
“Nah, I try not to do it a lot, except with Jedediah when I want to know what he’s thinking of a girl.” She smiled.
“Is that why he’s never gotten too serious with anyone before?”
“Yeah, he’s worried they won’t like him or won’t keep our secret; we really try hard to keep it that way you know?”
“I can imagine.” He smiled and held her hand as they both sat down on the edge of the dock.
Lizzy took off her socks and shoes and they both put their feet into the water.
~~~
Cole waited five days before bringing Prince Makoa out of an induced Coma to see how he responded.
A few hours later Makoa opened his eyes, “Am I on Jedediah’s surfboard?” He asked Cole as he gripped the sides with his hands.
“Yep, I bet you never thought you’d be taking a ride on one,” Cole chuckled. “I needed to put you on something more stable and waterproof.”
“Where is Princess Rose?”
“She’s at Tullius, don’t you remember?”
“Tullius, I do not know; my mind is cluttered.”
“That’s the medication; it’ll wear off soon. The important thing is that you not stir around too much. Your stomach still looks like hamburger and I don’t want you getting wet or busting open those sutures!” Cole grinned.
“Yes, just as Prince Titus….I mean King Titus?”
“King Titan is dead and now Titus is King,” Cole said with compassion and respect.
“I do remember now. My father Ahanu?”
“He made them take you to the boat; Titus will speak to you about that a little later.”
“The Queen?”
“She is fine, but she didn’t let any of us know she was pregnant; she and Titus have been sleeping in the King’s house.”
“I did not know she was with child.”
“You know how Lana is; she tries to keep it quiet as long as she can.” Cole grinned.
“Yes, I do remember,” Makoa chuckled and then winced from the pain.
“Take it easy!”
“Yes Cole,” was all Makoa could say and then he closed his eyes and drifted off once more.
~~~
Although it had been slow, Prince Makoa was beginning to feel somewhat better.
“I’m telling you Makoa, you insult your Native American ancestors by not even trying it!” Jedediah laughed as he held a piece of turkey meat on a fork for Makoa to eat.”
“I do not wish to eat your food; bring me a lobster!” Makoa said firmly.
“Alright, I wasn’t gonna make you eat it; it’s just my mom has a lot of leftovers from Thanksgiving. She’ll just be disappointed if you don’t at least try it.”
“Jedediah, I will NOT eat it!”
“Sounds like our patient is a little crabby this morning,” said Cole as he surfaced in the cavern.
“Yeah, the usual morning feeding is getting a little tiresome; I think on both of us,” Jedediah chuckled.
“I’ll take over, you need to get home and supervise Robbie and Lizzie; he’s over again and plans to stay through dinner,” Cole said seriously and then began checking Makoa’s I. V. and changing one of the bags.
“You know I love you man or should I say merman?” Jedediah grinned to Makoa with a wink and then jumped into the water.
“I am difficult; I wish to be in the water and off this board!”
“I know, I know, you will in time, but not right now.”
“Why is it taking me longer to heal than King Titus did?”
“Because your injuries are much worse; the spear went completely through your shoulder and you also had a deep wound in your side. And I’d say he had a little help from Lana too.”
“Yes, I do remember the Queen sleeping beside him; I wish Princess Rose could be here and all of our people.”
“Titus told Micah to tell Prince Terrance to stay put and not bring the pod to Torbist before spring, so I guess you guys will winter here.”
“I was afraid of such; I feel it is my fault that my King is separated from his people.”
“Makoa, how can it be your fault when this whole thing started with King Titan being murdered and Lana getting kidnapped?”
“But now we are here and my King and Queen are not well guarded.”
“I’m sure they have plenty guarding them, I’m just not so sure about all of us on Safe Harbor? Time will tell?”
“Yes, time, time!”
“Makoa I think you need to sleep now.”
“I am hungry!”
“Sorry, Jed shouldn’t have tried to feed you solid foods just yet; you’re getting yours intravenously with TPN for now, until I can make the final suture and be sure your stomach can hold it. I’ll have a talk with him and his mom; I know she meant well,” Cole chuckled.
~~~
“Glad we got back before our next meet; especially now I know we got a real chance of winning State!” Robbie smiled and then continued to finish up leftovers with the Prentis family.
Cole frowned and said, “Not so fast Robbie; we can’t draw attention to us or the mer.”
Jedediah and the rest of the family didn’t say a word.
Robbie felt awkward and said, “I guess I can understand it. I’m sorry if I offended any of you.”
“You didn’t Robbie, its just we really want all of this kept a secret and now you know why Jedediah never took advantage of his gifts,” Rose said as she got up from the table and began clearing plates to make room for dessert; she made a lemon meringue pie because the family was now tired of pumpkin.
Cole looked to Robbie seriously and said, “With every meet Jedediah wins it’s a chance he could get us all in a lot of hot water; people don’t usually treat others well that are different.”
“I want some pie!” Willy yelled.
“Alright Son, here you go,” said Rose as she brought his piece first and then Robbie.
“Thank you Mrs. Prentis; you always make the best lemon pie.” Robbie smiled to her and then to Lizzy.
“Lizzy knows how to make it too, she even helped me.”
“Mom, peeling lemons and making pie dough doesn’t exactly count.” Lizzy grinned.
“It counts to me, the crust is the best part,” Robbie said as he smiled to Lizzy.
“Catch you later Rob,” Jedediah said and he took his pie upstairs. He couldn’t handle his friend looking so mushy at his sister.
~~~
Titus swam to the cavern to check on Prince Makoa.
“Hello my King,” said Makoa as he saw Titus surface.
“Hello my friend, how are you feeling today?”
“Much better, I think the most I have now is a sickness of the heart; may I speak plainly?”
“Of course,” Titus said, but already sensed his thoughts.
“When our people come, may I have permission to ask Princess Rose to join in Union with me?”
“You already know the answer Makoa; I wish it with all my heart as does her mother also.” Titus grinned.
“Thank you my King, now I ask a favor of you.” Makoa smiled.
“Do you wish for me to bring you the necklace?”
“Yes, the one with the oval sapphire, much like the Queen’s necklace, only I want her to think of me when she looks upon it,” he chuckled.
“She will always think of what a noble and courageous merman she has for a mate,” Titus said seriously.
“Thank you my King.”
“I wanted to wait until you felt better to give you your father’s words.”
“You may speak them.”
“Ahanu told the guards that he was proud of the merman and the Prince you had become. He also said that if he could have; he was ready to hunt with you until the end of his days.”
Makoa couldn’t help but tear up, “I could sense that he truly would have.”
“He helped to save your life and I am grateful to have my brother; my future son, still among us. Rose has asked after you each day through Micah and Cole.” Titus smiled.
Makoa gave a wide grin, “You may tell her that I am healing and that I cannot wait to see her.”
~~~~~
Chapter 19
PRINCE TITAN
The Holidays came and went on the little Island of Safe Harbor as well as the city of Torbist with the few remaining mer. Lana missed her children terribly and her heart ached for them. However, she knew it wouldn’t be long and her new baby mer would be arriving.
Wow, how did that even happen after all of these years? She thought as she rubbed her belly and smiled because of the miracle of life.
Titus came in after he had spoken with his guardsmen and checked on Prince Makoa once more. He could not help but to hear Lana’s thoughts and he smiled.
“How?” Lana grinned.
“It is as my mother said it would be; remember you are more mer than human,” Titus continued to smile.
“Titus you’ve talked to your mom about this and not let me in on it?”
“She said that when one or more of our children are nearing their time to leave our home, we would conceive a child once more.” He went and held her in his arms and kissed her cheek.
“Gosh, I wish you’d told me; I didn’t have a clue,” she said a little upset.
“I did not wish to concern you if it might not be possible because of your human ancestry as well. Are you unhappy about the child?”
“No, actually I’m really looking forward to holding a little one again. Has it really been so long since our other children were born?” She nestled into his shoulder.
“Yes, I cannot believe it also. It is as King Titan told me it would be; how quickly the winters pass.” He kissed the top of her head.
~~~
Jedediah rowed the little boat out to Gull Island once more so he could speak with Prince Makoa. He wasn’t glad he’d been injured, but he sure was glad to have someone to talk to that understood him and it didn’t hurt to see Seturus now and then either.
Prince Makoa was feeling better and Cole had taken him off of the surfboard with a promise not to submerge his whole body. He saw Jedediah surface in the cavern and he smiled.
“Hey, I can finally have my big board back and just in time!” Jedediah grinned as he hopped up on the ledge of the cavern floor next to the pool.
“Yes, I am glad to be rid of such a hard thing and my back aches.” He rubbed his back with his hands as he sat upright on the ledge of the shallow pool and rested his tailfin in the water.
“No doubt; it’s good to see you up and around. So how are you really?”
“Much better, your father says that in a few days more I shall be able to return to Torbist with my King and Queen.”
“I bet they’ll be glad to have you home again. How’s Lana doing? I’ve only been able to see her a few times.”
“King Titus said that she is resting and it is nearing her time.”
“I still can’t get used to him being the King and Lana now being Queen.”
“They will rule our people well, for they have love enough to share with everyone.”
“Yeah, I guess they are pretty special at that. Well, let’s get this party started.” Jedediah brought a plastic bag and opened it up and placed a deck of cards on the floor next to Makoa.
“You don’t know how good it is to have regained some strength; I will be a much better opponent.”
“Yep, I bet you will,” Jedediah chuckled.
~~~
Breaker’s Point was jam packed again on the night the Island Chieftains won Regional. Although the meet was out of town, they were all anxiously awaiting their team’s arrival. They weren’t disappointed.
Jedediah, Lizzy, and Robbie with some more of their teammates, came into the restaurant with smiles.
The crowd erupted in cheers! With high-fives, fist-bumps and pats on the back as they all tried to find tables to sit at.
Jedediah once more gave an exaggerated bow and said, “Thank you, thank you my fellow Americans.”
Lizzy punched him in the shoulder.
“Ouch.”
“You’re being ridiculous, besides I’m not so sure mom and dad was happy with you for winning Regional.”
“Yeah, but they’ll get over it just like last time,” Jedediah said and then took the offered table as someone moved to another to give it to the champs.
“All I know is I’ve never seen you swim so fast Jed! There were probably some scouts out watching and I don’t think Noah Martin expected it either,” Robbie chuckled.
“Definitely not,” Jedediah said and then he and Robbie fist bumped.
Lizzy just rolled her eyes at the two of them.
“Hey Lizzy!” said Ellie with a wave from across the room where she was seated with a blonde haired boy from their school.
“Hey Ellie!” Lizzy smiled back to her with a wave. “Sorry Jed, I didn’t see that coming,” said Lizzy in her mind to him.
“It’s okay Liz, I really don’t have time right now for any girl,” Jedediah said out loud to her and Robbie.
“Yeah, I guess you don’t at that.” Robbie grinned and gave Jedediah a pat on his back.
“What are you talking about?” Lizzy sensed something was up with the two of them.
Jedediah just gave Robbie the look of death.
“Hey, I didn’t say anything,” Robbie chuckled.
“What is it Jed, I’ve been sensing there’s something you and dad are keeping secret?” Lizzy asked with both her arms crossed.
“Lizzy, it’s really nothing. I happened to meet a mermaid from Tiselius; how could I not when I had to hold her and then lower her into the haul tank,” Jedediah spoke in his mind to her.
“A mermaid, does mom know?” she said once more in her mind.
“No Lizzy, there’s nothing more to tell, so don’t make a big deal out of it,” Jedediah spoke the words out loud to her and also so Robbie could hear.
“Okay, Okay, chill,” she said out loud, and couldn’t help from saying one more thing to him in her mind, “But it is very interesting,” she giggled with a smile.
Jed ordered their drinks and Robbie ordered the pizza.
~~~
Cole and Rose drove home with Willy after the meet and they barely spoke a word. They both knew Jedediah went against their wishes, but they also couldn’t blame him. He loved to swim and he was so gifted; wasn’t it right for him to want to do bette
r?
When they got home, Willy was fast asleep. Cole carried him up to his and Jedediah’s room and laid him down on his bed. He didn’t even bother changing his clothes; he just removed his socks and shoes and covered him with his blankets.
Legend of the Mer II THE NEW GUARDIAN Page 17