Chapter 13: Chapter 12

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Tristen

I floated over my subjects. They were sleeping peacefully behind the corals–away from the dark fays. Nixie cuddled with Moa, the pregnant mother. Nixie was the youngest captured. My eyes drifted to Jakob, the oldest mer captured. Bubbles seeped from his nose as he snored away on a makeshift bed made of plants–that other mers made for him. Elders were highly respected in my kingdoms. For they are the wisest.

And the strongest.

With age, mers can slowly gain abilities. Such as controlling the elements–Water in particular. But unlike the powerful elders of the seas...

I was no elder.

I called on my royal blood, attempting to create currents around me. I sighed in frustration. Still nothing. I tried using my elemental power to escape the first day I arrived here–seven months ago–but to no avail, I am still powerless. The glamour that is cast around the aquarium is the reason I–and the other mers–are powerless and weak. Thus, I was incapable to call on the power of the sea to shift to legs and to fight my way out. I clenched my jaw, hating how weak I felt for the first time in my life. I closed my eyes and reached out with what little power I had, feeling the ocean lapping on the shore and knowing that it was morning. My chest tightened in longing. The ocean was only a few miles from here.

So close and yet so far.

I pulled my weak elemental power back and I opened my eyes. I glimpsed to the top of the dome. The sun was rising for the new day.

I swished my fin gently to propel me the wall of coral, I carefully looked around the coral to scan beyond the glass. Workers milled around, preparing for the chaos of tourists and meals to feed us. I twisted my lips at the bag of kibbles that a young worker was dragging into the storage room through the secret door. I searched around for Meredith–knowing full well it was still too early for her to be here, but I still wanted to make sure.

I anxiously rubbed the back of my neck.

Unconsciously, I went to the top of the dome–where all my interactions with Meredith occurred. I tilted my face to the golden sun, basking in the warmth. I could almost fool myself that I was in the ocean, free. I opened my eyes and glared at the glamour once again. I could see it shimmering beyond the skylight, taunting me. The glamour glistened like a blown bubble would. Only the Sidhe–beings that are not human, like the mer and fay–can only see it.

Although there were rare humans that have the sight, the Clovers. The Clovers are powerfully gifted mortals who can see through any glamour, regardless whether the Sidhe wants to be hidden or not. I never met one, but often heard tales of such.

I concentrated and reached out to my glamour, attempting to disperse it. I exhaled in vexation. No such luck. My human glamour stayed cemented on my true skin. I was stuck with a seemingly human appearance. I suppose it's for the best. I wouldn't want Meredith to flinched away from me with panic in her eyes again.

I laid back and floated lazily on the water at the top of the dome. Memories of Meredith appeared. Her luminous, hazel eyes and her wild, curly hair. I felt the ghost of her hands on my tail. I groaned yearningly and my tail flickered in arousal.

Shame came next.

*  *  *

"You want to touch my legs?" Meredith's brow rose.

Crap. Is it the same here? Are legs the same as mer's tail? It can't be, I've seen surfer men slap each other on the knees while sitting afloat on the sea with their boards.

A bit more confident. I asked again, "May I?"

Meredith bit her lip. My eyes on their volition looked at those rosy lips. Stop it. Eyes up, I tell myself.

Meredith grinned. "Hmm... Okay. Only if I get to touch your tail."

My heart thumped and nearly laughed out loud in disbelief. "No." My tail tingled in retaliation at my answer.

No, I am a prince. Not some cave dweller.

She frowned. "Why not?" She shuffled closer, facing directly in front of me.

"Well... because–I..." I tripped over my words. I paused. I was not one to stutter or jumble my words. I was raised to speak clear and sure. I always had to maintain my composure. Why the hell am I so rattled?

Oh that's right, a woman wants to touch my tail.

Damn. She looks disappointed as well. I need to remedy this promptly. I shook my head. "It's different." With my short answer, maybe she will drop it without suspicion.

Meredith's eyes narrowed.

Shit, she's on to me. She's a determined one.

"I don't see how it's any different from you touching my legs." She countered.

I opened my mouth to say Oh, it's very different, but stopped. How do I explain what this means to her? Meredith would be horrified and disgusted if she knew the truth touching a mer's tail. I couldn't tell her. I don't want to embarrass her nor scare her off.

My tail pulsated once again. What's wrong with my tail? Did I injure it by accident? Half of me wants to protect her from me while the other half wants her to touch me.

Why do I want that?

Meredith squared her shoulders. She's bold. I smirked. I'll give her that. She stretched out her hands. "Is it a deal then?" Her fingers were long and elegant. There were calluses on her ring finger, from all that drawing. That little flaw made her hands instantly more beautiful. I shook my head. Focus. I need to shake her hand. A thought occurred to me. This will be the first time I touch a human. No, scratch that. This will be the first time I touch her.

I raised a hand and plastered a smile, hiding my guilt. "It's a deal." I curled my fingers around her delicate hand.

And it fucking hits me like a tidal wave in a typhoon.

Fire violently rushed up my arm, licking my skin devious promises and a sensation of falling overcame me.

My lungs failed me.

My heart ached.

My tail faintly shimmered.

Wait.

It was shimmering.

I nearly yanked my hand out of her's. But instead, drained from the havoc that was wrecking me, I weakly pulled back.

My tail returned to normal.

Holy Thalassa.

My gut dropped at the true meaning.

No.

No.

It can't be. I'm seeing things. It's been days since I slept.

Yes, that's it.

And it also been awhile since I had a proper meal. Plus, it wasn't the glow. I've seen the glow from shi'amares who were a little too PDA in my kingdom. My tail could've just caught sunlight at the right angle for it to shimmered like that. Uncertain, I looked up to her. Her hazel eyes watched me, unnerved and unshaken. She didn't feel it? Meredith shook herself and smiled calmly. "Alright, I'm ready."

She didn't feel it.

And she didn't see it.

Meredith didn't see my tail. She was next to my hip, facing me–away from the tail.

Or maybe I just imagined it all and there was nothing for her to see. Meredith seemed unfazed, thus it must be the latter. I imagined it. I just need to sleep. It's all in my head. After Meredith leaves, I decided that I'll take that much needed nap. My people can't have a sleep deprived prince to protect them.

Meredith shifted back, extending her longs legs towards me. Her skin shimmered gold and it looked so satiny.

My chest constricted.

I really need some sleep.

I straightened myself up. I held my breath as I brought my left hand down on her shin. Sun rays shot up my arm and I nearly jerked my arm back. My tail flickered.

I clenched my jaw at my tail and continued my exploration. I ran my hand over scars that littered her legs. Hmm, I'll have to ask about those later. My hand, with a mind of their own, trailed down to her ankle, relishing in her softness and absorbing the flames she ignited up my hand. Goosebumps appeared on her legs, following the trail of my hand

Interesting.

I ran my hand the other way. So soft. Goosebumps went that way as well. I returned back to her ankle. Inferno continued to blaze up my arm, but I couldn't stop. As if I was under a spell, my hand continued gliding down her leg. My hand stopped at a contraption of material called shoe, concealing her foot from my curious sight. I touched the shoe and raised my gaze for permission.

She nodded quietly.

I tugged them off.

A foot with five toes greeted me. I stopped.

Her nails were blue.

Intrigued, I ran my fingers over her toenails. "Your nails are blue." I looked at my blue tail. The shade were almost the same. For some strange reason, I felt pleased.

Meredith waved her hand, flustered. "What a coincidence. I just chose this color to paint it."

"Chose it?" I frowned, disappointed for some unknown reason. "You weren't born with it?"

She explained about human's nail polishes and I tell her about my mer's nails. We talked about tattoos. Her eyes lit up when I answer her never ending questions, satisfying her curious mind. I would never tire from all her questions. I enjoy making her hazel eyes light up in golden hues as if she had a miniature sun in her, glowing out from her eyes.

I enjoyed her company immensely. I was surprised I haven't bore her nor have I ever felt bored of her. I like talking about interesting stuff but many other mer would rather talk of small minded things and I lose interest in a conversation with them quickly. Plus my princely duties never leaves me any free time for me to have small, idle talk.

"Wow. I would have never guessed you guys used ink."

I gestured to her nails. "I wouldn't have guessed humans painted their toenails as well."

I raised my hand to touch her legs without a thought, but I paused. Just because I have permission the first time doesn't mean I have permission indefinitely. I look up to her.

She nodded with a smile.

I trailed my fingers from her ankle down her feet. Those warm sun rays shoots up my arm. What does that mean? Damn, she was so warm and soft.

She began giggling and she jerked her foot back.

I smirked. "Really?" Deviously, I leaned forward to tickle that soft padding of her under foot.

She laughed as she jerked her legs back. "Hey!"

I smiled at her infectious laughter.

"Looks like I found your weakness."

She inserted her feet back in her shoes and went on her knees to sit on her ankles. Meredith eagerly shuffled on her knees, closer to my tail. "My turn." She batted her eyes with those impossible long lashes of her's.

My tail flickered in anticipation.

Shit.

I shifted nervously, trying to relax and slow my damn heart, who decided it was a good time to try to escape from my chest. Why was I reacting? I was not some quivering virgin who has never been touched. I've had merwomen keep me company before.

"Okay..." I pursed my lips. Maybe I should inform her. I opened my mouth to tell her, but for some reason words refused to line up on my lips.

Breathe, Tristen.

Meredith scrunched her brows. "Will it hurt or something?"

I nearly laughed at her question, but immediately cast my eyes down in shame. "Nothing of that sort." I shifted, trying to release the tension from my tail.

"So what's wrong?" She asked in concern. "I won't if you don't want me too."

Oh, I want you too.

I mentally slapped myself. Get a grip!

"It's just..." I begun but faltered. Maybe I should tell. I don't want to seem like I'm taking advantage of her... but I did touch her legs. I gave her my word and we even shook on it. It would be not be very princely of me to back out on my word.

With resolve, I scooted back, dragging my tail out of the water and splayed out before her. "Never mind." I feigned a smile. "It's only fair since you let me touch your legs." I said to her.

And mostly saying it to myself to ease this guilt I was feeling.

Meredith smiled so brightly that I was startled by her beauty. Not her appearance, but the way her eyes crinkled from her smile and she almost jumped in giddiness. She was beautiful.

Then she looked to my tail.

Sparks zinged down my tail. I clenched my jaw. Her gaze traveled down my tail, setting it ablaze. My scales flickered in excitement–goosebumps.

Did she like what she sees?

She lifted her hand. I stared mesmerized as she moved it closer to my tail and unconsciously, I flexed my tail.

I stilled.

She touched my tail.

Tingled went up my spine. My–oh shit. My unwanted appendage was trying to merge from my fold.

I curled my hand around the concrete rim of the opening to the water.

Shit. Shit. Shit.

Meredith ran her hand the other way...

Towards my fold.

And I nearly groaned like a prepubescent boy.

I gripped the rim of the water opening in a death grip. I thought about my mother and her swimming in her garden, caring for plants. The inferno that Meredith was igniting lessen. I could breath a bit easier. I was able to relax my fold that was barricading the unwelcome visitor. But Meredith, at that moment, just had to go and touched my fin on my side.

I nearly fell over into the water.

My fin jerked and Meredith pulled back her hand in startle. "Are you ok?" She asked.

Oh, just dandy. Especially since I'm a sadistic bastard for refusing to speak the truth. I guess this is what I deserved. I cleared my throat, relief that my voice came out normal. "Yes."

I gripped tighter on the rim. I steadied my breathing.

Think about mother. Think about mother. Think about mother. I mentally chanted.

Meredith looked to me for permission to continue her exploration.

I want to say no, but my body nodded my head for me yes.

She touched my fin on my side once again.

She was going to kill me.

Fire licked my fold–or rather the appendage behind my fold.

"This helps cut through the water?"

I cleared my throat through my inner turmoil. "Yes, it does."

She trailed her fingers down my tail to my fins at the bottom of my tail.

Holy fu–

"How fast can you swim?"

Shit. She asked a question. Uh... what was it? Oh, how fast can I swim.

I answered slowly, hoping she didn't hear a hitch in my voice as she continued to trace little circles on my fin with her finger. "On average, mers can swim about hundred miles per hour." She stopped making those maddening circles but her hand still rested on my fin. Finally, I can somewhat think now.

She breathed. "Wow." She was impressed.

I chuckled, then I straightened myself up, puffing my chest out a bit. "But I can swim faster."

She rolled her eyes and I grinned. She focused back on my tail.

I nearly sigh in exhaustion and braced myself. Here we go. I was tossed back into the turmoil again.

I paused. She was...

Tickling my fin?

Meredith frowned. "No tickle spot?"

I raise a brow, enjoying her playful side. "As if I'll tell you."

Meredith slowly grinned mischievously as she slowly scooted closer to me.

Stunned by her, I only able to watch her dumbfounded as she tapped her chin wickedly. "Hmm... I have my ways." My tail flicker in anticipation. Oh, I can play along.

"Really? How so?" I taunted, eager to see what she would do. I can't recall a time anyone has ever fascinated me like the woman before me.

"Oh, say something unexpected happened." She glanced to the skylight as if thinking, setting those hazel eyes on fire. "Like this!" Meredith rushed over me, her hands tickling my stomach. I laughed as she tickled me and attempted to hide my tickle spot from her by wrapping my arms around my stomach. I lost my balance without my arms supporting me and a weight pushed me down.

A soft, warm body pressed me down, igniting a blaze in me that left me breathless.

In all the right places did her curves fit my body.

I looked up.

A pair of wide eyes met mine. Long, dark lashes framed her almond eyes. Emerald laced with topaz were laced in her irises. Her unruly hair cascading down on us, cocooning us in a little world. My fingers itched to run it through her mass of curls. Those curls were going to be the death of me. I've been fascinated with her hair since day one and everyday was a battle to not touch it. I found myself reaching for it and barely stopping myself. I was filled with envy when Nixie was able to touch her hair. I don't think I have been jealous of a six year old girl before. Her plush, pink lips parted in surprise and my eyes dart to it. I bit my lip unconsciously. Just before I did something reckless–like her head to kiss her–she pulled up and away from me.

I frowned and sat up, yearning for the blaze she set afire in me.

"Now we know each other's ultimate weakness." Meredith plastered a smile that was a little too force.

* * *

I shook my head of the flashback. Now I was convinced. She felt something. I've seen it in her eyes. I wanted to test the theory but remembering the panic in her eyes, I dropped it. I can be patient. I turned my head to the rim with my handprints on the concrete, from where I was gripping it. I had lost my mer strength when I was put in this glass prison, without my strength–I shouldn't have been able to crush that concrete...

I smiled as I ran my fingers over the dent I left, showcasing my mer strength–and hopeful for the first time.

Great things come to those who wait.

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The model is Toni Mahfud. I don't take credit of photography. Designed by me (Added filter with photoshop and typography with Illustrator)

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