Page 137 of Sea's Secret

“You are a fool.” I turned around to see a brown cloaked figure amidst smoke appear in my room.

“Excuse me?”

“I am Ancient Teddy, the most powerful Ancient in all the lands, and I said ‘you are a fool.’”

“No, I heard you–just why are you here, insulting me?”

“Listen, I get it, you are having a hard time saying out loud what is in here–” He tapped on his chest. “I get that, but I am telling you, you have wasted enough time. Tell that mermaid that you love her, or I will drag her in here and force you to tell her in front of me, or I will tell her for you. She is not going anywhere; she will not get tired of you; she will not leave you.”

“Why?”

“Why, what? I said so many things. What is the question?”

“Why am I blessed with her?” I asked, sinking down onto the bed.

“Ah, I see, you do not feel worthy?”

“I am unsure of all the reasons for my hesitation. I know that I am too selfish to give her up even though I am unworthy–”

“You have been through much in your life. Everyone who said they loved you or was supposed to love you, failed you–or so you were led to believe. I know about how your father struck you–and how you believed that you killed him, how you thought your mother did not love you and sent you away with your father’s brother–who never was your father’s brother. I know Veeto took advantage of you, and I know you did what you had to do to survive.”

“And still, why can I not tell her?”

“It is not all that complicated. Your past has made opening up and trusting people difficult. But you opened up to Sands, and nothing bad came from it; also, you did it with Peter and your mother. Even Meria, she has never left you.”

“Yes,” I whispered.

“Have courage, be brave, Prince. You were The Cruel Hand were you not? I believe he was fearless?”

“He is dead, but no, he held every fear.”

“Well, being brave doesn't mean we have no fears, Prince–it means that even though we fear, we do the difficult things anyway. That is bravery and courage.”

“I know you are right. Meria deserves to hear my feelings for her.”

“Yes, so you will tell her?"

“I will tell her,” I said with determination.

“Good–because it is exhausting waiting, and I am getting impatient. I have a life, you know–although I am an Ancient, I do things.”

“Sure–”

“Now, if I were you and had someone to do those things with? If I had a love like yours? I would shout it from the mountain tops of Haleston and write it in stone and gold.”

“I promise, I will tell her.”

“Good,” then with a grunt of irritation and a puff of gray smoke, the Ancient was gone, and I was left alone, feeling more like an utter fool than I ever had in my entire life.

I had been ready for a very long time in many ways, and she was there with me, and I was holding her. It did take me a while to discover that my feelings were really love and not infatuation.

Having a lack of love in my life made it difficult to recognize it for what it was. But, I loved Meria with everything in me. I knew I did.

I still wondered which star she had chosen, and I hoped that someday she would share that with me. What was a desire she had that was even greater than her goal when she set out on her journey?

“Meria–” I whispered as I hovered over her mouth, her beautiful, perfect lips, which I had the privilege of kissing every single day. Truly, I was a blessed man, blessed by the Ancients. I would go through everything I had gone through during my life, over and over again, just to have her there with me in my arms and in my life.

“Yes–” she whispered back, her warm breath on my lips. She always smelled like the freshness of the sea–and the waves. I tangled my hands in her messy hair.

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