Prince Eric was in a bit of a dilemma. In fact, he seemed to be drowning. He was knocked off his ship trying to save his dog and here he is, flailing in sea water like seaweed. He choked and shook violently as water entered his lungs. His head was thudding and his lungs felt like they were being squashed and ripped apart. He swung his hands and tried to swim to the surface of the water. But just as he was about to reach the surface, darkness clouded his mind and he faded away into unconsciousness.
But he could faintly remember the vision of two strange but beautiful, stormy grey eyes and shimmering, silver hair.
* * *
The silver-haired mermaid was just swimming around, looking for something to do when he saw a. . . . a human? Oh dolphins and seaweeds, he thought. Another idiot who decided to mess with the seas. The mermaid swam closer and saw the human was choking. This was sort of common so the mermaid just decided to swim past the human.
But as he swam near the human, he realised how beautiful the human was. The man was wearing white, blue and gold clothing. He looked like one the royal kings and queens. But the man seemed too young so he decided it was a Prince. The Prince had coal-black hair and light-blue eyes which seemed to be in pain.
It would be a waste to let such a beauty die, the mermaid thought. The mermaid took the Prince in his arms and swam to the surface. He chanted a spell on the Prince so the man would stay alive but unconscious. He started swimming towards land as fast as his silver tail could swim.
When he reached land, he dragged himself and the Prince to shore. The silver light of the moon cast a glow on the Prince’s pale skin. The mermaid dragged a gentle hand along the male’s jaw to his neck. He smirked at the sleeping man and whispered a poem in his ears.
Remember my voice,
I will return soon,
Come to the ocean,
Music of the night,
Light of the moon,
Let the stars guide you to me,
Let us meet again,
Oh beautiful Prince,
For your heart and soul,
They belong to me.
The mermaid turned back one last time, gazing at the Prince with amusement and vanished into the cerulean waves.
* * *
Eric woke up gasping, with his black hair sticking to his pale skin. Again. It was that same voice. The same eyes and hair. The Prince breathed heavily, trying to control his breathing. He swung his legs out of the bed and dragged himself to the door of the castle. Ever since the day he was found on the shores of the beaches, he woke up every night, dreaming of steel eyes and silver hair, the same enchanting voice singing to him, asking him to come to the sea.
The Prince had resisted for so long. He didn’t think he could anymore. His feet carried him to the door of his castle and he collapsed out into the midnight. The cold air brushed his face in a soothing manner. Eric looked up to see the moon shining brightly, the wind chanting in his ears, the stars making a path for him. He followed the glimmering trail of white dust, to the crystal, sapphire sea.
“Where are you?” he asked, searching for the voice. “Come to me, please. I wish to see you.”
He heard the sound of waves running along the sand. But the wind stopped singing and no one replied.
“Are you not real?” the Prince whispered into the silence, filled with dismay. “You promised to come for me. Now I have come to you. But where are you? Is this all just a dream?”
The Prince walked closer to the ocean until the water touched his toes. He knelt down, not minding the cold wetness and silent tears dripped down his cheeks.
“I am real, my Prince,” a soft, silky voice said.
The Prince gasped and looked up to see a beautiful mermaid. The mermaid’s silver hair fell over his face, his skin a lovely cedar brown. Steel eyes gazed at him fondly with a small smile adorning his lips.
“So it is you who sung to me every night,” the Prince mumbled in amazement. The mermaid’s smile grew wider and he nodded. The Prince slowly approached the strange creature, curious but afraid.
The mermaid laughed lightly. “Do not fear me Prince. I wouldn’t dare harm a charm like you.” The Prince’s cheeks turned a rosy pink and he knelt down in front of the mermaid.
“May I touch you?” the Prince asked warily. In reply, the mermaid took his hand with his and placed it on his silver tail. The mythical being let out a pleased sigh when the Prince caressed his tail with his thumb, rubbing tiny circles on his hips.
“What is your name?” the mermaid asked, touching the Prince’s cheek. The Prince melted into his touch and replied, “Eric. Prince Eric Christopher Teneris of the Azure Kingdom.”
“What a lovely name,” the mermaid replied, resting his other hand on the Prince’s shoulder.
“What is yours?” Eric questioned.
“Farin,” the mermaid replied, “Prince Farin Asendion of the Ocean Kingdom of Lapis.”
“You’re a Prince too?” Eric asked.
“Yes,” Farin said.
“You’re gorgeous,” Eric blurted out. Farin let out a small laugh and held Eric by his waist, bringing them closer together.
“Eric, can I call you Eric?” he asked. The Prince nodded, feeling breathless by how close they were.
“Then, I will call you Farin,” the Prince said, his other hand going around the mermaid’s shoulders.
“Say it again,” the mermaid mumbled, running his fingers through the Prince’s soft black hair. “No one’s said my name in centuries.”
“Farin,” the Prince breathed out. They were so close, their lips almost touched. “Farin.”
“Yes?”
“Kiss me.”
Farin gripped the Prince’s hair tighter in his hand and bought their faces closer. Eric leaned forward and joined their lips, a flaming fire awakening in their bodies. Farin tasted like seawater and something good. The Prince stroked the mermaid’s tail. The two Princes embraced each other, happily dancing under the moonlight, cushioned by the soft sands and gentle touches of the waves.
“Tell me more about yourself,” Farin said, the sun breaking through the horizon. Eric smiled at him from where he lay next to the mermaid Prince.
“I’ve always loved the Ocean,” Eric began. “I do not have a brother or sister. I’ve always loved the peace and quiet of the night. I do not have any friends. Actually, I do. My friend is a dog, his name is Max. I. . . I am not special. I’m quite boring honestly.”
“No, you’re not,” Farin assured Eric, taking the Prince's face in his hand. “You’re one of the most interesting people I’ve ever seen. And we both have common things. I am a single child and I love the night’s silent tranquillity just as you do. I don’t have any friends either and my only companion is my dolphin, Jalaquin.”
“Oh,” the Prince brightened, his blue eyes glittering happily. “Well, I love painting and reading books! Do you?”
“What. . . . is a book?” Farin questioned with a raised eyebrow. “And what is a p-penting?” The words sounded odd and alien in his mouth.
“Oh! Right! You're a mermaid!” Eric exclaimed in realisation. “Also, it’s painting.”
“Well, what are these strange books and painting you speak of?”
The Prince grinned and got up, dusting off the sand from his clothes. The sun was rising and he had to leave, or his parents would worry.
“I’ll show you the next night we meet,” Eric promised.
“You’re willing to meet me again?” the mermaid Prince asked, pleasantly startled.
“Do you not want us to see each other?” Eric asked, sounding disappointed.
“No, no!” Farin flailed his hands wildly, almost toppling over face-first into the sand. “I didn’t mean it that way! I was just surprised, that's all! I would love to meet you-”
Eric cut him off with a short, sweet kiss on the lips.
“Tomorrow night,” he murmured in the mermaid’s ear, then he straightened and picked up Farin in his arms, walking deeper into the waves until the water came up to his thighs.
“Tomorrow night,” Farin answered as he was gently let down into the water.
As the mermaid turned to swim away, the Prince called out to him, “Farin, thank you for saving me.”
The mermaid paused at where he was and turned back around, “If you’re really thankful, you better come to the ocean every night.”
“I will wait for you, Farin,” the Prince whispered to himself, watching the mermaid swim away and disappear into the great, turquoise waves.
235Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXSErG3S3d3
