Page 37 of The Noble's Merman

“Not really. We only had the idea… two days ago? And I was to tell you as soon as I got a job. Which is now,” said Kent.

“You seriously made this decision on a whim, then?” Katherine let down her hands into her lap. “Are you sure you’re ready for a change as big as that? What about Father?”

His sister certainly had plenty of questions for him, and Mo could feel Kent tense under his hand. He squeezed his shoulder gently, for reassurance. “I’ve thought about all that,” said Kent. “But I know what I’m getting into. I’m doing it for myself. And Kathy, you should know better than anyone how Father pressures me. How he keeps trying to set me up with Miss Jaggard, all his expectations of me… I’ve simply had enough. I finally found someone whom I enjoy my time with, someone I wish to stay with. Mo, right here. I’ve already told you. And since Mo can’t become human himself, we felt that the best way for us to truly be together was to go out to sea.”

Kent lifted his hand to rest on Mo’s lap, petting his scales. The contact sent a pleasant shiver down his spine.

Katherine nodded, a look of realization painting her face. “All right. I understand that. I want you to be happy with someone of your choosing, of course. But going on a ship? Where to? For how long? Wouldn’t that be dangerous?”

“We’re off to Fall River, Massachusetts. The Sterling Mer is a merchant vessel, and the trip will be to there and back; it could take about three months. So I won’t be gone forever, I’ll return here.”

“But what of the dangers? Deadly storms, whirlpools, or pirates even, for that matter?”

“I will keep Kent safe,” Mo said sternly. Kent darted his gaze to him. “As a merman, I know the water. I can help navigate their ship away from dangerous areas. And I know how to identify pirate ships, so I can steer them away. You have nothing to worry about, Kathy. I promise no harm will ever come to Kent.”

Katherine looked at him as well. She let out a sigh, placed her hand on her bosom, and gave him a tender, genuine smile. “I believe you. Oh, Kent, you really reeled in a good one, here.”

“Reeled in…?” Mo asked.

“Get it? Reeled in? Because he’s a fish!” Katherine couldn’t help but laugh.

Kent joined in on the laughter, and Mo never felt more confused, not understanding the joke. “I don’t get it…”

“When humans catch fish,” Kent explained, “we use something called a fishing rod. There’s a line connected to it, and when you catch a fish at the end of the line, you ‘reel in’ the line via a spool on the rod. That pulls the fish in.” He made a pantomime motion with his hands, one appearing to hold something and the other making a circular motion.

“Oh! I know that,” cheered Mo. “I’ve seen those things plenty of times; I just hadn’t known the correct words humans used for them.”

“That’s adorable,” Katherine laughed, holding her hand in front of her mouth. “Also, I have no doubt you’ll do your best to protect Kent. But what about giant sea serpents? How could you protect him against that? Are they even real? I’ve heard terrible stories.”

Mo raised his brows. “Sea serpents? No, none that I would consider giant, or anything of a threat at all. Giant squids are very real, however.”

“Giant squids?” the siblings said in unison.

“I’ve never known them to attack ships, though!” Mo chuckled. “Merfolk hunt them sometimes. They’re very delicious, but can be expensive due to their rarity.”

“That’s amazing!” exclaimed Kent.

“Good to know.” Katherine continued to laugh. “Kent, you’ll be in good hands.”

“Thank you, I know I will be.” He smiled sweetly at Mo. “I just thought of something. But it shouldn’t be a problem, with what you told me of sailors and merfolk…”

“What do you mean?” asked Mo.

“I never mentioned you to the boatswain. He doesn’t know that I plan to bring a merman along. What if it’s all in vain, and they don’t accept you? Have I made a mistake?”

“You really didn’t? Isn’t that something important for your whole plan to work?” commented Katherine.

Mo smiled at both of them, then directed his gaze to Kent, continuing to reassure him. “You’ll be fine. The boat is called The Sterling ‘Mer’, remember? I highly doubt any man who sails on a ship with that name would have issue with merfolk. Besides, I personally have never encountered a ship that was hostile toward me.” Of the kind sailors he’d spoken to, it wasn’t many, but they were all English, and enough for him to believe Kent and him shouldn’t encounter any trouble, either.

“Yes, you’re right.” Kent nodded. “I’m to meet the full crew tomorrow evening, and I’ll ask then. I suppose I can still back out, if they don’t agree. But like you said, everything should be fine.”

“I wouldn’t tell Father then, until after your meeting,” said Katherine. “Just in case. I don’t wish for him to make a big fuss if you end up not going, making matters worse.”

“Good call,” said Kent.

The sun dipped lower, casting the sky in magnificent shades of pinks and oranges, reflected on the calm waves of the sea. Katherine asked more questions of Mo, of merfolk life and what his home was like, spitting her words out quickly. It felt quite nice to converse with another human in this way, together with his beloved Kent, laughing and having fun. He felt more at home talking with them on land than he ever had with other merfolk in the water. Even if he didn’t always understand things, Kent was so considerate, so nice, he always did his best to explain what he and his sister meant. Learning more about humans was always Mo’s favorite thing, his special area of interest, and nothing was better than hearing the sweet voice of Kent telling him all about it.

A true fish out of water, Mo was. But perhaps his heart wasn’t meant to stay in the water after all.

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