Princess of Mermaids

by A. G. Marshall

  “Is it a good likeness?”

  “No, I mean this statue is literally my father. Find King Francois.”

  The light from his ring shone at the statue. Serafina’s eyes widened.

  “You found him then. But how is this possible? Where was he?”

  “On the bottom of the ocean, I suspect. He washed up on shore and Lady Mer found him. A kraken tried to drag him back, but mermaids stopped it and then disappeared.”

  Serafina studied the statue for a moment. Gustave appreciated that she believed him without question.

  “What do you think of Lady Mer?” she asked.

  Gustave blushed, then realized she was asking from a strategic perspective. She wasn’t interested in their relationship.

  “What do you mean?”

  He couldn’t help sounding a little defensive. Serafina grinned.

  “It just seems a bit coincidental that a young lady would appear in the sea just as all this magic washes in. And that she would find a statue of your father. Are you sure she’s what she seems?”

  “I suspect she may be cursed. She won’t say anything about her past.”

  Serafina considered this.

  “Prince Stefan’s curse came with similar restrictions. Perhaps I can gather some useful information from her. I don’t have Carina’s skills for subterfuge, but I am rather good at getting what I want.”

  Gustave swallowed. He wouldn’t want to stand in Princess Serafina’s way when she set her mind to something. Her expression was quite fierce.

  She noticed his discomfort and winked at him.

  “Don’t worry, Your Majesty, I won’t hurt your lady. I should join the others before my absence becomes too obvious. My condolences on your father’s curse. If I find any useful information in my travels, I will send it your way.”

  She hesitated, and Gustave waited. He knew the look of a woman who had more to say and had learned the best strategy was to wait and listen.

  Finally, Serafina pulled an envelope from her jacket pocket.

  “Could you send this to Carina? I’m not technically allowed to correspond with her, but I think she’ll find this useful.”

  “It would be my pleasure.”

  He took the envelope, and Serafina gave him a crisp military bow.

  “Thank you, Your Majesty. Save me a dance tonight?”

  It sounded far less like a question than a command. Gustave nodded and tucked the envelope into his pocket while Serafina strode out of the room.

  He returned to staring at his father. He really should go back to his guests, but he couldn’t bring himself to do it just yet. Besides, it was almost time for the gala. Everyone except Serafina would be busy getting ready.

  He should get ready as well, but it wouldn’t take that long to dress in the reworked suit. He could spare a few more minutes.

  A flash of light caught his attention, and he turned. The golden mirror gleamed in the light of the setting sun.

  Gustave walked over to it and stared at his reflection. A memory tugged at the back of his mind. A song and a girl. She was out there somewhere. She was real.

  But thinking about her was driving him crazy. Maybe Grandmother was right. Maybe she didn’t want to be found. Maybe he had built a dream around her that could never come true.

  Gustave turned from the mirror and looked at King Francois again.

  He had been so certain that finding his father would fix everything. Just as it seemed that everything would fall into place if he could only find the woman from the beach.

  But maybe life wasn’t that simple. Maybe no one thing could ever solve all your problems.

  Maybe it wasn’t possible to know all the answers.

  Gustave thought of Lady Mer and smiled. She had caused more problems than she had solved, but somehow that just made him like her more.

  Dreams had done him no good. Perhaps he should give reality a chance.

  Gustave walked closer to his father. He felt a little silly talking to a statue, but maybe King Francois could hear him somehow. And there was a conversation Gustave desperately wanted to have.

  “I’ve met someone,” he whispered, looking around the room to make sure he was alone before he continued. “A girl. Well, a woman. She’s not at all what I expected to find. She surprises me constantly. It’s only been three days, but I-”

  He stopped, not sure if he should say the words out loud. Even if he was only speaking to a statue, voicing that thought would make it real.

  “I’m going to give this a chance,” he said instead. “I swore that I would wait until I found you and made things right, but I’m not sure that’s even possible now. I don’t know how to break your curse, and I’m not sure she’ll wait until I do. So I’m going to give this a chance.”

  55

  Fiora breathed deeply and stepped into the hallway. Her skirt rustled around her as she took tiny steps that sent pain coursing through her legs. The pain in her feet just kept getting worse, and the beautiful golden heels enhanced the torture.

  She exhaled slowly. She only needed to endure this for a few hours. Just long enough to convince Gustave that she was a proper lady worthy of his attention. Just long enough to win his love and recover her voice.

  Then she would run to the ocean and hope that she could find a mermaid who had the transformation song memorized.

  And that whoever had stolen the shell didn’t try to stop her.

  Fiora swallowed.

  She felt nervous, but perhaps not as much as the situation warranted. She had performed under pressure before, and she had been alone then. Now, thanks to her disguise, she was surrounded by friends. Collette, Elaine, and Lenora walked beside her, chatting and laughing as the group made their way to the ballroom. They were too distracted by the excitement of the moment to notice her discomfort.

  Thomas and Dowager Queen Bernadine followed behind them. Lady Annabelle walked behind the dowager queen, still sulking. Princess Serafina joined them in the hallway and fell into step beside the queen. She nodded to Fiora when their eyes met. The gesture wasn’t exactly friendly, but then again, nothing about the crown princess of Santelle was friendly.

  Fiora had never attended a formal event with friends before. Their presence was more comforting than she could have imagined. She looked down at her ring and smiled when she saw that the tiny streak of gray was even smaller now. Surely it would be gone by the end of the evening. The pain would disappear, and Gustave would love her.

  Well, he would love Lady Mer.

  That would have to be enough.

  Gustave and the other royal gentlemen met them at the top of the stairs that led to the ballroom. Gustave stared at Fiora in surprise, then blinked a few times and grinned at her. Her heart fluttered at his undisguised admiration.

  She knew she looked beautiful. The princesses and Montaigne’s castle staff had made sure of that. But Gustave’s expression removed any trace of doubt.

  No one had ever looked at her like that before.

  Fiora grinned back when she realized she was staring at him just as openly. The King of Montaigne looked even more handsome than usual. He wore a crown and a rather unique blue suit made of the same fabric as Fiora’s gown.

  How was that possible?

  She moved closer to get a better look at Gustave’s outfit. Yes, the fabric was the same as her gown, and the hems were decorated with the same embroidered pattern of waves and starfish.

  Both Gustave and Fiora turned to Dowager Queen Bernadine. She shrugged, but the twinkle in her eyes didn’t match her innocent expression.

  “This explains a lot,” Gustave signed.

  Fiora smiled and offered him the hyacinth boutonniere that Princess Lenora had helped her make. It matched the flowers nestled in her hair. Gustave bowed as he took it, and his fingers brushed over hers. He pinned it carefully to his suit while Fiora watched.

  A wave of sadness washed over her. Whatever happened tonight, she would have to leave him at the end of it. These wo
uld be their last few hours together.

  Gustave finished pinning the boutonniere and frowned when he saw her expression. He raised his hands to sign a question, and Fiora shook her head. She couldn’t explain, and she couldn’t answer questions. She was running out of time.

  He bowed and held out his hand. Fiora curtsied. Pain shot through her feet, and she grimaced.

  “You’re hurt.”

  “I’m fine.”

  “No, you’re not.”

  Fiora’s face flushed as everyone stared at them. She couldn’t afford for anything to go wrong. She needed this evening to be perfect so she could win Gustave’s love!

  She attempted another curtsy, and tears filled her eyes as pain washed over her. Fiora wiped the tears away and stared at the ceiling, hoping Gustave wouldn’t see.

  Blast it all!

  The King of Montaigne stepped away from her, and Fiora closed her eyes to hide her disappointment. She had been a complete fool to think she could keep his interest. Gustave had his choice of women to escort to the ball. Princesses and ladies and brilliant scholars. He didn’t even know her name, and she was so damaged she could barely stand. It was only to be expected that he would back away and choose someone else.

  But when she opened her eyes, Gustave once again stood beside her. Fiora blinked at him through her tears. He looked different somehow. What had changed?

  He was holding something. His shoes.

  Fiora gasped and looked down at his feet. Gustave wasn’t wearing shoes. He wiggled his toes through the silk stockings and handed his shoes to a footman.

  “It seems a shame that our outfits should match in every other way, Lady Mer. Will you honor me by removing your shoes?”

  “You can’t attend your birthday gala without shoes!”

  “I most certainly can. As can you.”

  Then he simply waited with a calm expression on his face.

  “Gustave, it’s not the same. My skirt covers my feet, but everyone will see if you go barefoot.”

  “Why are you torturing yourself if your skirt covers your feet?”

  Because she needed to be a proper lady to be worthy of his love.

  Only, that didn’t seem to matter. Gustave’s expression was calm, but there was a stubborn glint in his eyes that made Fiora think he might take after his grandmother more than anyone realized.

  She shook her head in defeat and stepped out of her shoes. The cold marble floor soothed her skin and sent waves of relief up her legs. It didn’t remove the pain completely, but Fiora was no longer in agony.

  Gustave picked up her golden heels set them next to his shoes on a nearby bench.

  “They make a fine couple,” Gustave said.

  Then he turned red, as if realizing that his words could be taken to mean more than the shoes.

  “They do.”

  Fiora’s eyes twinkled with amusement as Gustave smiled and offered his arm. She held on a little too tightly and looked back to see what the others thought of Gustave’s lack of footwear. Princess Collette and Elaine didn’t seem to care. Princess Serafina simply raised an eyebrow. Dowager Queen Bernadine seemed rather pleased.

  Fiora suddenly felt suspicious again. Her gown had been hemmed slightly too short for the heels, which meant it was the perfect length now that she was barefoot. She gave the dowager queen a questioning look, but Bernadine shrugged as if she had no idea what Fiora wanted from her.

  Lady Annabelle and Marquis Corbeau looked completely scandalized, which made Fiora forget about Bernadine’s schemes and smile even wider.

  56

  Gustave bit back a smile at Marquis Corbeau’s scandalized expression. That alone would make removing his shoes worthwhile.

  But the relief in Lady Mer’s eyes when she stood barefoot made it doubly so. Why had she suddenly decided shoes were necessary? They obviously aggravated whatever condition caused her pain.

  Gustave wished he could offer more assistance and find a way to cure her permanently.

  Perhaps he could. There were other doctors in Montaigne who could offer opinions. He would do whatever was necessary to help her.

  She clung to his arm as they entered the ballroom and brilliant light washed over them. Gustave descended the stairs slowly to make sure she could keep up. He glanced over to make sure she was well. She smiled and took his breath away all over again.

  Gustave’s stockinged foot slid across a marble step, and he turned his attention back to walking. The last thing he needed was to fall down the stairs at his birthday gala because he was distracted by a pretty girl.

  She was beautiful.

  Gustave studied the room to help him resist the temptation to stare at Lady Mer. The ballroom was a dazzling display of white and gold. Marquis Corbeau had filled the room with white flowers arranged with intricate golden filigree ribbons. Hundreds of candles added a soft glow. It was luxurious without being gaudy.

  Much as Gustave hated to admit it, Marquis Corbeau had outdone himself.

  If the decorations were muted, then the guests provided the color. Their bright gowns and suits filled the dance floor like a field of wildflowers. They applauded when Gustave reached the bottom of the stairs, and the orchestra played a fanfare to announce his arrival.

  Collette and the rest of the royal guests followed behind him. Then four soldiers carried Dowager Queen Bernadine down the stairs in her wheelchair while Thomas walked beside her.

  When everyone was settled, Gustave turned to address his guests.

  “I thank you all for taking the time to attend my birthday gala. The past year has been difficult for Montaigne. My father-”

  He stopped and looked to Collette. He was tempted to explain everything and hope someone in the crowd had answers.

  Collette’s lips twitched into a frown, and Gustave nodded. There were friends here, but also potential enemies. Best to keep King Francois’s condition a secret for the time being.

  “My father would be proud to see that Montaigne thrives. He would be proud that we have come through the kraken attacks and still have cause to celebrate. He would be proud to see friends and allies gathered together.”

  Gustave nodded to the group of foreign royalty standing behind him. Prince Leonardo, Princess Lenora, Prince Edric, Princess Serafina, and Prince Massimo nodded back. Well, Massimo bounced more than he nodded, but the sentiment was there. Edric’s crown slipped over his forehead. Lady Annabelle reached up to straighten it.

  Lady Mer snorted at the gesture, and Lady Annabelle gave her a nasty smile. Elaine looked amused by the whole thing.

  Gustave would be so glad when this evening was over. He had been worried that Lady Annabelle might try to stay after the gala and keep pursuing him, but she seemed to have transferred her attention to Edric. She stayed close to the Eldrian prince, watching him with a gleam in her eyes that said anyone who wanted to dance with him would have to go through her first.

  Good luck to both of them.

  Gustave shook himself out of his musings and realized he had not finished his speech.

  “And of course, Father would be proud of our family and the loyal council members who continually serve Montaigne. I would like to give a special thanks to Marquis Corbeau for arranging this evening’s festivities.”

  Marquis Corbeau bowed as everyone applauded enthusiastically. His face glowed with triumph. Gustave shared an amused look with Lady Mer.

  “Are you ready to dance?” he whispered.

  She nodded and followed him to the center of the dance floor. Was she nervous? Or was there another reason for the tension in her eyes?

  Whatever it was, he would find the cause and fix it. Gustave put his hand on Lady Mer’s waist and pulled her close. As soon as this gala was over, he would take all the time he needed to win her heart.

  57

  The scent of flowers mixed with the fresh sea air that blew through the ballroom. Open doors led to balconies with views of the ocean. Fiora could just see the glint of moonlight on the water. Barel
y hear the waves.

  Then the orchestra began to play, and Gustave’s hand was on her waist, and they were floating across the dance floor.

  Fiora rested her hand gently on his shoulder, determined not to show how much her feet still hurt. Being barefoot made standing tolerable, but dancing was another matter entirely.

  But she would do whatever it took. This was her last chance.

  It felt like the ballroom floor was made of knives, but Fiora ignored the pain and kept smiling. The crowd whispered around them, doubtless wondering why the king was not wearing shoes.

  “Are you well?” Gustave whispered.

  She nodded, suddenly wishing very much that she had her voice and could tell him everything.

  Because this man deserved the truth. It was the one thing of value that she could offer him, and it seemed far too little after all that he had done for her.

  Gustave led her across the floor, spinning her until she felt like she was back in the ocean floating weightless in the waves. Fiora knew she should feel nervous, but she didn’t. The crowd didn’t matter. Not when Gustave looked at her like that. Not when he smiled.

  Not when he slipped in his socks, and for once, she was the one helping him to keep his balance. He laughed out loud, finding the slip more amusing than embarrassing. Fiora grinned and laughed silently with him.

  As soon as the dance ended and she had free use of her hands, Fiora would ask if they could slip away so she could tell him the truth. It would be difficult. Where to even start?

  But she knew he would wait patiently until she found the right words.

  She would take him to one of those moonlit balconies overlooking the sea, and she would tell him everything.

  And she would pray that the light in his eyes didn’t dim when he learned her true name. When he learned that she had to leave him.

  She didn’t want to leave him.

  The music began to slow, signaling the end of the dance. Fiora swallowed a lump in her throat. This wouldn’t be easy.