Fiora pressed her lips together to keep from smiling. That was more ironic than Gustave knew, but she couldn’t tell him why. He misinterpreted her expression for disapproval.
“I just want to thank her. I-”
The singing, which Fiora had not realized had stopped, suddenly began again. They looked towards the sound, then to each other. Gustave blinked.
“I love her,” he said.
Fiora stepped back.
“What do you mean?”
“She saved my life, and I love her.”
Fiora swallowed. Surely that wasn’t true. No one fell in love that easily. Especially not with her.
“Your Majesty is still half-asleep.”
“No, it’s true,” Gustave insisted.
Fiora glanced down at her pearl ring. The gem was as dull as ever. If Gustave actually loved her, it would glisten with magic again.
She shook her head. It would do no good arguing with him. She had her own problems to worry about.
“I should go.”
“Where? What are you doing up so late?”
He was more awake now. Aware enough to be suspicious.
Fiora bit her lip. She could say she wanted fresh air and a stroll in the garden, but what normal guest sneaked out of their room for a midnight walk along the beach?
King Gustave was probably too polite to question the statement, but Fiora couldn’t afford to raise suspicions. Besides, he might insist on accompanying her on her walk. What would happen if he saw Zoe?
“I couldn’t sleep. I wanted to borrow a book from the library, but I lost my way.”
“Allow me to escort you.”
Gustave offered his arm. Fiora said a silent apology to Zoe as she took it. She hated to leave her cousin waiting by the shore, but what else could she do?
“These hallways do all look the same. Especially at night. The best way to keep track of where you are is to watch the artwork. Each wing of the castle contains different collections. We’re still in the bedroom wing, which contains family portraits. That one is my grandmother at her coronation.”
The painting showed a woman in her thirties. Bernadine looked fierce in spite of the artist’s efforts to portray her as a serene figure. Fiora smiled.
“And her wedding portrait,” Gustave said, leading Fiora to a painting further down the hall. “Familiarize yourself with these, and it will be easier to find your way back to your room.”
Fiora nodded, nearly laughing at how dissimilar Bernadine and her husband looked in the wedding portrait. The king was a round, jolly sort of man, while Bernadine was all angles and intensity.
Perhaps opposites really did attract.
She studied the portraits as they walked, doing her best to memorize them so she could find her way back down the hallway again. She would need to sneak out later if she couldn’t find a way to escape King Gustave and meet Zoe.
As Gustave had said, this wing contained family portraits. Fiora wondered if everyone was actually as happy as they looked in the paintings. If so, the royal family of Montaigne must be one of the most contented in Myora. The royal family of Kell never looked or acted this happy. Her stepmother’s face was always pinched as she expressed disapproval about anything unlucky enough to cross her path. Her father yelled at everyone. Even Elspeth on occasion, and she was his pride and joy.
Gustave paused in front of a painting of a man with an enormous wavy beard. His eyes were kind and somehow familiar. Fiora blinked as she realized they were the same as Gustave’s.
“Your father?”
Gustave nodded.
“Lady Mer, meet King Francois of Montaigne. I know he would enjoy your company if he were here to welcome you.”
Tears sparkled in Gustave’s eyes. Fiora couldn’t imagine missing anyone that much. Let alone her father. She curtsied to the painting.
“It will be my honor to meet you someday, Your Majesty.”
She signed to the painting, and Gustave smiled at her. Then he raised his hand to his mouth and whispered, “Find King Francois,” to his ring.
A red light shone out the window towards the sea. Gustave pulled a compass from his pocket and checked the direction.
“He still hasn’t moved, which means he must still be underwater. I think the mermaids must be holding him prisoner under the sea.”
Fiora blinked. If the mermaids had any human prisoners, she knew nothing about it. It seemed unlikely, but she couldn’t tell Gustave that without explaining why she knew it.
And she was not willing to do that.
“They were singing when I was there,” he said. “Mermaids were singing underwater, and then a kraken attacked. I need to go back there to investigate. There has to be a way.”
He studied Fiora for a moment, as if deciding how much to trust her.
“A mermaid named Kathelin gave me this shell,” he whispered, pulling a small shell from his pocket and handing it to Fiora. “I thought perhaps it was magic. A way to contact them. But it doesn’t seem to do anything.”
Fiora took the shell and turned it over in her hand to study it. It was carved with a song. A transformation enchantment. Perhaps Kathelin had given this to Gustave, expecting that he would be able to read it, transform himself, and come speak with her.
Although, it didn’t exactly seem a practical plan, since the enchantment would turn Gustave into a frog.
Fiora thought back to the vision she had seen in the golden ball. Perhaps this was the enchantment that had been used to transform the talking frog she had seen in the vision. Interesting, but it didn’t help at all with her problem.
She handed the shell back to Gustave and shrugged.
“The carvings are pretty,” she signed.
Gustave nodded. He looked so disappointed, that Fiora couldn’t resist adding, “I grew up by the sea. A sailor once told me that mermaids carve enchanted songs onto shells. Perhaps it is a spell?”
Gustave’s eyes brightened.
“You think it’s an enchantment I need to perform?”
“Perhaps.”
He looked so hopeful that Fiora regretted saying anything. Even if he did manage to turn himself into a frog or contact Kathelin, it wouldn’t help him find his father. Queen Gallerus had not trusted humans since Fiora’s mother died. She certainly wouldn’t help one human search for another.
“The singing stopped,” Gustave said.
Fiora listened, but heard only the familiar sounds of land at night. A combination of crickets, night birds, and wind rustling through the trees. This mixed with the sounds of the ocean. Waves and seagulls.
“It is late,” she signed. “I can do without a book if you would rather go back to bed.”
Gustave shook his head.
“I don’t think I could fall asleep now. I might open a few more birthday gifts and write thank you notes. I only have a few royal duties right now. I shouldn’t shirk my responsibilities.”
So much for ditching King Gustave. But if Fiora remembered correctly, the library was not far from the garden door. Maybe she could sneak away once he was distracted by the presents.
She took his arm, and they continued walking through the hallway. Fiora watched the portraits, noting each time King Francois appeared in them. The king’s face made her feel she knew him. Was it because he reminded her of Gustave, or had she met him in person at some state event? It was certainly possible that he had attended a Princess Test she had competed in.
They rounded a corner, and Fiora froze. Gustave kept walking. His arm slipped from her fingers, but she didn’t notice. She was too busy staring at the portrait on the wall.
It was him.
She walked towards the painting as if in a trance, wondering if it was simply a trick of the moonlight.
But no, it was him.
It was a painting of her statue. The boy above the grotto.
He wore the same clothes, although they looked different in color than in stone. He had the same friendly expression. The same eyes that
had always invited her to talk while he listened.
The only difference was that the boy in the painting held a scepter in his hand. So that was what had broken off the statue.
How? How was he here?
Fiora ran her fingertips along the golden frame, searching the boy’s face for answers. Then she looked down at the nameplate and gasped.
Gustave.
The statue in her mermaid garden was King Gustave.
But that was impossible.
She looked from the painting to the real Gustave, who was watching her with confusion.
“Yes, that’s me,” he said, laughing awkwardly as Fiora looked from the painting back to him again. “Grandmother commissioned that from an artist in Eldria to celebrate my father officially naming me his heir. There was a statue as well, but it fell overboard in a storm and was never recovered.”
Fiora nodded slowly, too stunned to say anything.
King Gustave was her statue. The boy she had looked for all those years.
Well, the man now. Humans changed when statues didn’t.
Perhaps it wasn’t so surprising. The mermaid’s summer home was close to Montaigne. Royalty were more likely to be carved into statues than common folk.
“Is something wrong, Lady Mer?”
Fiora tried to regain her composure. A normal person would not react so strongly to a simple portrait. She tore her eyes away from the painting and focused on King Gustave, trying to make out a resemblance to the statue that had been her only friend in childhood. Now that she knew it was him, she did see a resemblance in the eyes. Or maybe that was wishful thinking. She stared so hard that Gustave flushed with embarrassment.
“Shall we continue to the library? There are other paintings of me we can look at along the way. And some of Collette.”
He offered his arm. Fiora nodded slowly and took it. She held onto him a little too tightly as they walked, reluctant to let him go now that she had found him.
30
By the time they reached the library, Lady Mer had regained her composure. Gustave resisted the urge to stare at her and forced himself to act as if everything was normal.
Why had his childhood portrait fascinated her so much? She hadn’t found any of the other portraits as interesting.
Just that one painting of him as a boy.
It had caught her interest even before she knew it was him. It was all very strange. Another mystery.
Lady Mer let go of his arm and walked, not to the shelves of books, but to the window. She stared at the moonlit ocean, searching for something Gustave could only guess at.
He had nothing but guesses where Lady Mer was concerned. Half-formed questions with no answers.
Gustave surveyed the library, half expecting to find the woman from the beach there. Surely that had been her voice echoing through the halls. And it hadn’t been a dream. Lady Mer had heard it as well.
But he saw no one. The singing made no more sense than Lady Mer’s fascination with his portrait. How would the woman from the beach get into the castle? Why would she sing in the middle of the night?
Maybe she lived here. Maybe she was a servant in the castle, and that was why she was afraid to show her face. Perhaps she had been taking a break from her duties that day and didn’t want the royal family to know.
It made as much sense as anything else he could think of.
But why would she sing to summon him and then run away? Why was she so afraid of everyone but Gustave?
Gustave turned from the window to face the mountain of presents piled against the wall. If he opened enough of these tonight, maybe he would have time tomorrow to strategize with Captain Whist about forming another expedition to search for his father. He picked a small package from the pile and carried it over to the scribe’s desk. Motion in the corner of the room reflected in the mirror and caught his eye.
He turned to see what the mirror was reflecting, but there was nothing there. Lady Mer sat on the windowsill staring at the ocean. The rest of the library was empty except for moonlight and shadows.
Gustave rubbed his eyes. All those blows to the head had not done him any favors. It was not like him to be jumpy and imagine things.
He read the label on the box he had selected. This was a gift from the royal family of Fletcher. Hopefully something more typical than the rest of the gifts he had received so far.
Gustave tore the paper and pulled aside velvet fabric to reveal a small golden arrow pin. He turned it over in his hands, admiring the way it gleamed in the moonlight. Now this was a normal birthday gift. He could wear it pinned to his cloak the next time he visited Fletcher or entertained their diplomats. They would see that he appreciated their gift, and he would be reminded that their arrows were the best in Myora. Both nations would benefit.
Gustave expected a note from King Richard or his heir, Princess Marian, but instead found one from the king’s younger brother, Prince John.
“I admire Your Majesty’s dedication to excellence and trust you will do the same when you see excellence exhibited in the government of Fletcher in the future. Many happy wishes on your birthday. May you have a long and prosperous reign.”
Gustave shrugged. The message was a little strange, but perhaps King Richard and Princess Marian were busy running their country and had delegated the gift giving to Prince John. He could understand that.
He dipped the quill into the inkwell and wrote, “I thank you for the beautiful pin and kind birthday wishes. I look forward to our countries’ continued relationship.”
Gustave signed his name, set the note aside so the ink could dry, and eyed the mountain of gifts. Which to open next?
He turned back to Lady Mer, who was still staring at the ocean. She had pulled her feet onto the windowsill and wrapped her arms around her legs as if she were trying to make herself as small as possible. Her dark hair hung loose over her shoulders like a cloak, and her enormous blue eyes glittered with moonlight and unshed tears.
Perhaps he could do something to cheer her.
“Would you like to choose the next gift to be opened, Lady Mer?”
She jumped in surprise, as if she had forgotten he was there. She cast one more look at the ocean, then nodded and walked towards the pile of gifts. Lady Mer looked from the presents to Gustave, making a show of choosing just the right one. Finally, she settled on a bright red package wrapped in silver ribbon. She picked it up and turned to the desk.
A low rumble shook the castle. An earthquake? As the shaking grew worse, Lady Mer dropped the box and put her arms out to steady herself. She stumbled backwards and crashed into the mountain of gifts. The pile wavered precariously, and another deep rumble echoed through the room. It almost sounded like laughter. Gustave saw a shadow move out of the corner of his eye. A violent jolt rocked the castle as he turned to search the room. Something crashed behind him.
Gustave whirled around just in time to see Lady Mer’s terrified expression as the mountain of gifts fell over and buried her. She didn’t scream. Of course she didn’t. She made no sound as she disappeared beneath the boxes.
“Lady Mer!”
Gustave ran forward, dodging books that flew from the shelves as the earthquake continued. A good number of them landed on the avalanche of presents, further trapping Lady Mer. Gustave hoped that none of the presents were heavy. If anyone had sent gems or statues or coins, they could seriously injure Lady Mer. The pile of books wouldn’t help matters.
“Lady Mer, I’m coming. Stay calm.”
Not taking his own advice, Gustave’s heart pounded as he frantically tried to uncover her. He grabbed boxes and tossed them across the room, not caring that he was abusing royal gifts. Something glass shattered when a bright purple box crashed into the scribe’s desk. Probably some kind of priceless vase, but Gustave didn’t stop.
If only Lady Mer could speak! If only she could call out so he would know where to dig.
This incident removed any suspicions Gustave had that Lady Mer could speak
and was choosing not to. If she had a voice, surely she would call out for help now.
Unless she was dead.
Gustave shoved the thought from his mind. She was alive. She had to be!
He doubled his pace, throwing priceless books and gifts across the room with abandon. He shouted when he uncovered a hand in the debris. He grabbed it, and it grabbed back. Gustave let out a sigh of relief. She was alive.
“Just a moment more, and I’ll have you out.”
Lady Mer squeezed his hand before letting go so he could continue to dig. Gustave dug down until he freed her arm. She began grabbing boxes and throwing them aside as soon as she was able to move. Together, they worked until he found Lady Mer’s face. She smiled with relief when she saw him. She had a scratch across her forehead and a bruise on her cheek, but looked like she hadn’t been seriously injured.
Before he quite knew what he was doing, Gustave leaned forward and kissed her. Lady Mer wrapped her free arm around his shoulders, pulled him closer, and kissed him back.
The ground rumbled again. A book flew off a shelf and hit Gustave on the shoulder, bringing him back to his senses. He pulled away and stared at Lady Mer in horror. What had he done? Taken advantage of her helpless state and kissed her while she was trapped? No matter how happy he was to see her, such behavior was unthinkable.
“Please forgive me! I should not have- That is- I meant-”
Lady Mer’s eyes flashed with annoyance, and Gustave felt his face go red. She couldn’t answer him through sign language with one arm trapped. He would have to free the rest of her before she could give him the scolding he deserved.
He continued to dig her out, avoiding eye contact and being careful not to touch her as he removed the boxes. What had possessed him to kiss her?
Finally Lady Mer was uncovered enough for Gustave to pull her out. He wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her free. Gifts and books tumbled down around her, and Gustave held her steady until she found her balance. They looked into each other’s eyes, both searching and neither finding answers.
“Are you injured?” Gustave asked.
He let go of Lady Mer and pulled a chair over for her to sit in. She collapsed into it.
Princess of Mermaids Page 18