Page 105 of The Noble's Merman

“Then the first thing we’ll do once home is cook you a belated lunch.” Kent laughed, then looked down to the ground by Mo’s hips. “What did you bring with you from your old home?”

“Various coins from the human realm, that’s all.” Mo shrugged, grabbing his breeches and slipping his feet through the holes.

“The human realm?”

“Yes, merfolk use it as their own currency, too. Small, easy to carry around. I believe it’s what we’ve always used over the generations.”

Kent dug his hand inside the carry-bag. With the coin purse from it now in his grasp, he opened it, then pulled out a coin— “What the devil, Mo?! Do you realize what this is?”

Mo blinked. “A coin?”

“It’s a guinea! You don’t know how much this is worth, do you?” He dug more into the coin purse. “There’s several in here! Why, at least a few dozen from what I can see!” He pulled out a different coin. “Are these French livres?” He gasped. “I believe so. There’s even more in here. Mo, you don’t realize how rich you actually are just from this little bit I have in my hand!”

Mo couldn’t help but chuckle at how excited Kent was. “I suppose I don’t need to ask for money from you for quite some time.”

“How much do your squid tentacles cost then, in Portica?”

“One of those gold coins.”

Kent’s jaw dropped. “One whole guinea for simply a bite to eat. I’m speechless!”

They both continued to laugh, talking about what they would do with the money, such as keeping it in a safe and how Mo would be wise not to spend it unless he needed to. Mo had no idea it was worth so much, and was delighted that it had great use for him, keeping him financially secure in the human realm. After finishing getting his clothing on and his skin dried off, Mo stood up, carry-bag and necklaces in hand, Kent keeping him steady, and he walked through the woods with his beloved back to their shared home.

EPILOGUE

Afew days later, Kent sat in his desk chair of his study while Mo took the armchair and sat by his side. His desk was decorated with the glow of the sea crystal Mo preciously gifted him back around when they’d first met, sitting tidy in a small wicker basket along with the seaweed-woven lily flower and every other gifted seashell, and now joining it was the other crystal from Mo’s necklace.

One thing Kent did to ‘teach Mo how to be a human’ was teaching him how to read and write, and currently Kent was going over more basics. Mo had already memorized the alphabet now, and was recognizing small words, along with their own names spelt out. He was a fast learner, and Kent was thrilled each time Mo progressed further. Mo told him it was because he thought him a wonderful teacher, but Kent said otherwise, no, Mo was just simply brilliant. He knew Mo would be reading fluently in no time.

Katherine’s wedding to Sir Randolf was coming up in a few months, and while Mo was working on his letters, Kent was doing his sister a favor sorting through her mail. He also had quite a bit of his own he needed to read, seeing as it piled up from his absence out at sea. To others, it would seem like a lot of tedious work, but Kent didn’t mind. He was devising a plan and sending letters to various citizens of Stubbington to announce he would be setting up his own physician’s practice here at Fareham House. Wanting to settle down, preparing for his eventual inheritance as the Earl himself, he figured it was the best course of action with his drive. He never wanted to give that up, doing good for others. Mo was also excited, and told him he loved him ever so, that Kent was the sweetest creature with a kind heart, helping those in need.

Mo told Kent he saw him as an inspiration, someone he wanted to emulate. It made Kent’s cheeks warm—oh, you always speak so highly of me—but Mo insisted. “As a siren, I vow to do better,” he’d said. “Throughout the whole time I’ve known you, you’ve helped me grow into the best man I can be, whether you’ve realized it or not. Who saved who, exactly?”

It was so sweet, and Kent blushed even now thinking about it, sorting through his letters with his beloved Mo sitting to his left.

Some days ago, Kent played his harpsichord for Mo, singing along with the melody. Whilst he thought he was somewhat rusty, not having played in some time, Mo was just about amazed. He never failed to tell Kent how beautiful his music was. Kent’s heart swelled at every compliment, his body feeling warm when Mo sat next to him on the bench. He also let Mo dabble around on the harpsichord himself, curious, creating a song of his own as he pressed on the keys.

Also in recent days, Katherine showed Mo the wonders of painting. She was a hobbyist and only painted for herself, never for commission, but such a thing didn’t matter to Mo. Kent had watched over their study sessions and took joy in the awe in Mo’s eyes, heart warming as Mo’s brush mixed the paint. One of his test paintings was on the floor leaning against the wall of his study now. Kent peered over his desk to see it, and butterflies fluttered in his chest, looking at the azure blue canvas and the adorable little painted fish.

“Oh Mo,” Kent mused, caught in his thoughts and putting one of the letters back in its envelope. “I sometimes think of how queer it is that I fell in love with a fish. You silly fish-man, you.”

Mo’s face cracked in a huge, endearing grin, laughing a hearty chuckle. “I’m not quite a fish anymore with human legs, mind you. But I suppose that no matter what, I’m still a merman by blood.”

Kent smirked. “Therefore, still like a fish.”

“Yes, still like a fish.”

Kent grabbed another letter, this one of a request for a chef to cater for Katherine’s wedding party. “You know, throughout my life and up until recently, I’d always thought I would get married, too. But now, of course, that will never happen. How I wish it wasn’t forbidden for two men to get married, Mo, for I would marry you in a heartbeat.”

Mo gave him a smile, putting his hand on Kent’s knee. “It’s the sentiment that counts. Whether it’s allowed by society or not, our love is still true.”

“Absolutely.” He put his own hand on top of Mo’s. “However…” —he swallowed— “I still haven’t told Father about the nature of our relationship. He knows how I don’t wish to be married, but I believe he suspects it’s merely because there aren’t any ladies I enjoy. Which is partially true, but he doesn’t know how I feel about you… It won’t just be him that believes that either, no, everyone who doesn’t know the truth will think along those lines.”

Mo squeezed his knee gently. “I do remember how we’ve talked about how humans view people like us. ‘Sodomites’, as you called it. How we have to hide ourselves.”

“Yes, you know.” Kent nodded, his mouth forming a flat line. “It also means that… we can’t ever have children of our own. Which, I’m fine with, I don’t mind being childless, but my father will be saddened that there won’t be an heir after me. With him or I not having any brothers, the earldom will dissolve, once it’s my time.”

“Oh Kent, please don’t talk about such things.” Mo leant closer in his seat and gave Kent a soft kiss on his cheek. “I don’t want to think about you leaving this world, even if it’s not to happen for a long, long time. What matters is that we’re happy as we are now.”

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