Page 132 of Sea's Secret

“I will see you later; I am not leaving, forever,” I said to her, although I was not sure, as I understood what I had to do to break Dominick’s curse, and I was dead set on doing it since everything was settled in Marren.

“See you soon, then,” she said, giving me a hug. One by one, I hugged my sisters and kissed my nieces and nephews on their heads.

“Meria, I am so proud of you.” I turned to see my mother.

“Thank you, Mother,” I said with tears in my eyes.

“Now, do what you must.” I looked to my father, who swam over to me. There was a softness in his eyes I had never before seen from the former Marren King.

“Meria–I am sorry I banished you. I have regretted it as well as banishing your mother since the day I did those things. I am hard-headed, and I was foolish. I did not follow my soul’s melody when it told me to listen. I clung to the past, when I should have seen the signs that the Ancients sent. Although they had not come, they sent you and your mother to show us the way. So many mer could have been saved if I would have listened to your mother and you. I am humbled today by my mistakes. I am ashamed to say we only rose today because I was forced to do so, as the Marren Lights are all but gone.”

“We all have things to learn. I learned on this journey. I learned more about who I am and what I want. I also learned to not be so silent. Silent obedience is not the way of the Creator,” I said.

“Your father has much to learn, and I shall teach him as best I can. First thing I will do is demand that he never say, ‘silently obey’ again,” my mother said.

“I am willing to acknowledge my faults, and I know I wronged you, Allia, and you, Meria.”

“Thank you, Father, but like I said, I found my voice. I never would have if I had never been banished. I do not regret what happened, but I hope that in the future you will listen, instead of silencing those around you.”

Without another word, I turned. My heart was racing. I had never been so bold before toward my father. The feeling, while invigorating, was also exhausting. I wanted to be on the ship in the captain's quarters, away from all those eyes.

The thought struck me that I had no desire to dive into the depths, back to the Marren palace. I wanted to go to the ship.

What does that say about me? What does that say about where I belong?

I belonged in the human world, or I wanted to belong there. I had believed as much when I took that star from the Mirror Sea to take away Dominick’s curse and give up my tail. But, at that moment, more than ever before, while I still loved the sea, I realized that I did not want my old life. I liked the life I had found. I wanted to have the future I saw with Dominick with children all around us. I wanted that dream to finally come true. My grandest dream had never been being a mermaid. It was to have my own life, my own love, my own family.

I looked around at my people, and I was happy, knowing that they would be alright. My mother would be a wonderful Queen again, guiding the mer into their new future. I would miss my sisters, my nieces and nephews, but that was my goodbye. A goodbye to the old Meria–the “silently obedient,” little mermaid.

I had finally said what I wanted to say and what needed to be said.

I waved goodbye, and with Dominick at my side, I swam back to the ship.

“I am so proud of you, Meria,” Dominick said as we swam.

“That was utterly terrifying,” I gasped with a small chuckle.

“And yet, you did it. You didn't apologize once, and you stood your ground.”

“I did, and even to Edmar.”

“I hate him. It truly took everything in me to not torture him. To think he kissed you–that you and him–” he paused.

“I am done with him. He knows that, now.”

“Yes. I truly am so very proud of you. You were wonderful,” he said as we reached the ship and took the rope Peter tossed out to us. Dominick was so handsome there in the water, his hair askew and his face dripping wet.

“Thank you for coming to support me,” I said, touching his hair to fix a section that was sticking up.

“It seems I am a loyal pirate. Where you go, I will go.”

“I like that.”

Peter pulled us from the water, slowly. As we both arrived on deck, soaked with sea water, we simply stood there, grinning and looking at each other.

“Are you guys going to kiss, or what? This tension is killing all of us.” I expected such words from Sands, but it was Peter who said them.

“What?” Dominick asked.

---