Bride of the Sea: A Little Mermaid Retelling (Otherworld Book 3)
Page 31
“Máthair!”
Her daughter hated the nickname which had stuck early on in her childhood. Manus claimed their daughter hadn’t yet turned into a pearl but would someday become an incredible beauty.
Saoirse tugged on the tangled strands. “Fine, Orlaith. What is it you have?”
“Athair told me to give it to you.” She handed a small, golden figure over. “He said you used to have a gold prince when you were little and that you might want this one instead.”
She turned the figure over and grinned. It was a small golden pirate with his sword at the ready. It wasn’t a prince, not even close, but it was exactly the kind of man she wanted to dream about each night.
“It’s lovely, don’t you think?”
Orlaith tucked herself underneath Saoirse’s arm. “I think it looks like Athair.”
“Do you? Why’s that?”
“Because he looks fierce and strong.”
“That he does.” Saoirse held the figure up towards the sun. “Did you know your father fought off a guardian for me?”
“He did?”
“Of course! It was a long time ago, but he wasn’t even afraid.”
“Not even a little?”
“Well, you must ask him about that. But I remember he didn’t even tremble.”
She brushed a hand over her daughter’s head and sighed in happiness. Her life finally came together. All the pieces she’d missed filled the spaces of her heart.
Waves splashed against the edge of a boat, thunking on worn wood. A secret smile spread across her lips and she looked down the shore to watch her husband navigate his boat towards them. He pulled the oars with strong arms, sun dancing off his caramel skin.
Manus reached them, jumping into the sea spray. “There’s my two favorite girls. Are you ready to go?”
“Back to sea?” Saoirse asked. She nudged her daughter’s back. “Go get your father.”
“Are we actually going?”
“Looks like.”
Orlaith stood, shucked her white linen dress, and sprinted through the water. Manus caught her with a bright smile, laughing even as her legs tangled together and merged into one dark green tail. “Hello, my little clam! Did you give your mother our gift?”
“I did! She thought it looked like you, too.”
“Did she?” Manus met her eyes, heat reflecting in his. “I thought he was too handsome to look like me.”
“You’re handsome, Athair!”
“Am I?” He pressed a hand to his chest, hiking their daughter higher in his arms with the other. “Your mother never tells me anymore.”
“Máthair!”
Saoirse burst into laughter. “Don’t let your father convince you otherwise. He knows I think he’s plenty handsome.”
“Go get the boat for me, would you little one?”
“Okay!”
Orlaith wiggled from his arms and dove into the water. She was a better swimmer than Saoirse was at that age. She’d taken to her tail like a second skin and had no trouble switching between forms.
Saoirse was so proud of her. She was everything and more.
“Hello, wife.” Manus’s voice deepened, a husky whisper that sent shivers down her spine. “Are you finished with your work?”
“For now.”
He knelt, waves kissing his thighs as he pulled her forward. “I have missed you.”
Saoirse sighed as he cupped the back of her neck, pulled her forward, and pressed his lips to hers. He took his time, tasting her as one might a fine wine. His hands stroked the column of her throat while he plundered her mouth until she moaned.
Only then he did pull back, stroking her full lower lip with his thumb.
“I saw you yesterday,” she said with a chuckle. “But I don’t mind the welcome.”
“How was your adventure with your daughter? She refused to tell me anything, only said that your adventures were for merrows to know.”
Saoirse chuckled and rolled her eyes. “We found plenty of treasures.”
“And?”
She loved it that he wanted more for them. It wasn’t about money anymore. Their adventures were to enrich their daughter’s life and give the entire family stories to tell at night.
“And we met an octopus who loved her. She still has tiny sucker marks on her shoulders, but he was gentle enough.”
“She won’t be disappointed coming back to the ship with me?”
“Manus, I think she loves being on the ship with you almost as much as she loves the water with me.”
Her words seemed to ease her husband’s worry. Manus constantly worried that both his wife and his daughter would leave him. The ocean was too tempting, he would say, how could a mere mortal man attract two equally amazing women?
Every time, Saoirse would tell him they loved him too much to leave. And it was true. No matter how far they traveled, she always wanted him by her side.
Manus pressed his forehead to hers. “Will you follow us in the water?”
“I'd like to stretch my tail for a while.”
“Jump a few times for her. She likes knowing where you are.”
“I’ll let you know if there’s any trouble up ahead.”
“Trouble? In faerie waters? That’s unlikely.” He gave her a jaunty wink and splashed through the water towards their daughter. “Orlaith, did you catch that boat yet?”
Saoirse grinned at her adorable family. Manus tackled their daughter and wrestled her onto the small boat. She complained the entire time, saying she wanted to stay in the water for just a little while longer. But they both knew she wanted to get back to the ship.
Orlaith loved being aboard the Freedom. She raced across the deck, climbed the masts like a monkey, and teased the sailors mercilessly. They all adored her.
As her husband and child rowed away, Saoirse slipped under the waves. They had come to terms with the fact that she would always need to be in the water. It didn’t matter that their bond was stronger than ever. She had to be in the water every day.
Manus didn’t mind, and Saoirse took it as a sign they were growing together.
Schools of fish swirled as they streaked by her, their scaly bodies brushing against hers. A pod of dolphins chattered next to her, leaping from the waves and laughing as they splashed back down.
The deeper they traveled, the less she saw. Humpback whales eyed her on her travels, their song following her for miles.
She felt so good in the ocean. Strong, powerful, and incredibly free.
They sailed towards a faerie isle, one where supposedly the strongest women trained. Manus wanted to trade goods in return for a weapon that would grant them riches untold. He said a faerie had requested it, and she felt certain Declan was the one making the deals.
It didn’t matter in the end. She was with the three loves of her life.
Her husband, her daughter, and the sea.
When the sun set on the horizon, Saoirse slowed her pace. The ship would travel slowly now that the stars were their guide. They would set their course for the rest of the evening and let the others rest.
She grasped the handholds Manus had installed on the side of the ship when they were last in Uí Néill. He wanted her to have something to hold onto, something to climb.
Hand over hand, she pulled herself up. Music started up, laughter spilling over the edges in a great wave of happiness and movement. She braced her arms on the railing and laid her head on her forearms.
Manus and Orlaith twirled across the deck. One of the sailors fiddled in the corner and a few of the sailors tapped their feet. Orlaith wore boy’s clothing: billowy pants and a white linen shirt falling off her shoulders.
“Saoirse!” A sailor shouted. “I’ll get your dress, lass.”
They all knew her name and knew to be careful with it. Manus had filled his crew with trustworthy men and put the fear of god in them. He’d kill them if they ever disrespected her.
The sailor respectfully handed her the dress, turning his ba
ck to give her some privacy. She tossed it over her head, switching hands on the railing and shaking her legs to free them of mucus.
Manus handed off their daughter to one of the crew who whirled her into a wild jig. She shrieked with laughter and her feet raced across the floor.
Heat blossomed in Saoirse’s belly as her husband stalked towards her. He was big, and real, and so powerful he made her shiver.
“Wife,” he growled. His hands reached over the railing, surrounded her waist, and lifted her high over the edge.
She tucked herself into his arms with a peaceful sigh. “Husband.”
He swayed back and forth, dancing her gracefully across the deck. “You know I love you more than all the stars in the sky?”
“And I love you more than all the fish in the sea.”
Afterword
I hope you enjoyed Bride of the Sea as much as I have! This was a journey to write, and an unusual style compared to my other books.
I wanted to challenge myself with this one and create a story that I wouldn’t usually write. And I am so incredibly pleased with this story that follows these two characters I love so much.
If you enjoyed this story, please leave a review! They help authors out so much.
<3 Emma
Acknowledgments
For all the people who haven’t dared to write a book. I hope you bring your world to life and that someday I get to read it.
About the Author
Emma Hamm is a small town girl on a blueberry field in Maine. She writes stories that remind her of home, of fairytales, and of myths and legends that make her mind wander.
She can be found by the fireplace with a cup of tea and her two Maine Coon cats dipping their paws into the water without her knowing.
To stay in touch
www.emmahamm.com
authoremmahamm@gmail.com