The Call Of Thalassa

“She loves the serene brutality of the ocean,

loves the electric power she felt

with each breath of wet, briny air.”

-Holly Black

The waves came in as a deep aquamarine and turned golden as they churned the sand on the shore. The bright rays of the sun threw their last light on the calm surface of the sea, making it look like a crystal mirror. The vast blue sky had already begun to change its color, a shade of light pink appearing slowly on the horizon. Soon enough, the sun would disappear for the day and the majestic moon would take its place in the infinite sky.

Aileen always had a particular love for sunrises and sunsets. Their beauty was always unbelievable and their meaning encouraging and ever so hopeful; a day comes to an end but a new one arises, giving you the chance for a brand new beginning. No matter how tired and exhausted you are, the sun will always rise from the east and set to the west giving you new opportunities to change your life each and every day.

She always felt so relaxed during the sunset and so energized during the sunrises, taking in all the colorful changes that splashed into the sky’s blue canvas. However, now she loved the sunsets even more than the sunrises and she had a very good reason for this change.

The strong arms that were wrapped gently around her petite form and the even breaths that were blown in the back of her neck reminded her that the majestic man who was embracing her was not a fiction of her wild imagination.

The scaly sensation that his tail created on her legs every time they brushed together was proof enough that mermaids were part of her reality now -not just urban myths and legends written in a library’s book. She had found her very own merman and she didn’t care how mad this whole situation seemed to everyone else.

Therefore, sunsets had become her favorite time during the day. Not because of their magical beauty and the relaxation they offered to her, but because she was spending them with the person that she had found herself getting even more attracted to with every passing meeting they had. Her merprince had kept her company for all the previous afternoons, holding her in his embrace in the cold shallow waters of the familiar beach as they watched the sun setting on the horizon.

“Have...”

The nickname fell effortlessly from her luscious lips, filling his ears with the joyful sound of her sweet voice. A purr like sound started from his chest, making her let out a small laugh at his antics. A true smile graced her facial features as her merman seemed to appreciate the moniker she had given to him a few days earlier.

He couldn’t help his happiness - it was proof to him that his soulmate had started to warm up to him, unlike the scared and reluctant behavior she had when they had first met.

Havelock let a smile brightened his face as he hugged his mate closer to his body. Smelling her sweet-flavored scent, he let his face get buried in her fiery locks. The sun was about to set on the horizon, painting the sky with splashes of orange and pink. The amazing sight would make anyone stop and stare, but he’d rather enjoy the precious moments he had with his beloved rather than watch the sunset.

Sitting in the shallow waters with his mate in his arms, Havelock couldn’t help but feel content and grateful. Things had turned out much better than he could ever imagine. Aileen had started to trust him enough that she finally felt comfortable and safe around him, making his heart fill with delight and his mind creating thoughts of a future together.

They had been meeting in their familiar beach all the previous afternoons, getting to know each other better. They had grown closer than ever before. He couldn’t help but smile as he thought of them acting like normal mates do.

“The sun has almost disappeared,” she let a sigh escape her, “I have to go back.”

His arms tightened around her, not wanting to let go of her just yet. Every time she had to return home, his heart clenched with worry for her. He wasn’t able to follow her in her small village and watch over her. He had to let her out of his sight and wait for the next afternoon to come so he could meet her again.

“A few more minutes”, he groaned, hugging her body closer to his.

Aileen turned around and let him bury his face in her neck, not wanting to leave him distraught. She caressed his long dark locks with her fingers, surprised at the silkiness of his wet strands. In the past days, she had realized how important mates were for the merpeople and how protective and possessive of them could a mer become.

The fear she had felt for the ethereal beast in front of her had disappeared with his gentle caresses and the clear explanations he had provided her with, making all the doubts she had for him fly out of the window. Every day that passed she felt even closer to him and more comfortable than the day before; her attraction of him growing larger and larger.

Her merman had explained to her everything she needed to know, making her feel like she could trust him with her life and that she had nothing to fear from him. He had clarified to her his position as the prince of the infamous Atlantis and that he was the heir to its throne after his father’s descent from it.

He had shared with her hilarious stories from his childhood with his sister Thekla and his best friend, Osmond, who turned out to be her other half. He had informed her about his kind’s beliefs and way of life; the importance of mates in their lives and the deadly beasts that were well hidden beneath their beautiful façade. She had nothing to fear though as she had never felt safer than when she wants in his arms.

“Nana is going to be worried”, she murmured, not wanting to upset the old lady that had helped her so much.

Her merman sighed, his blue orbs gazing deeply into her emerald gems.

“Can’t Aide and Petra cover you like yesterday?“, he asked, wishing for time to drag slower so he could enjoy the moment.

Aileen smiled as he remembered her friends’ names. He had taken in every single information she had given to him about Seaworth’s everyday life, nana’s bossy character and kind behavior, as well as the joyful incidents with her friends that she had decided to share with him.

He was more than worried to find out that his mate wasn’t protected by her family and that she was living all by herself -his mind immediately created the worst-case scenarios that could happen. What if she was in need of help? If she got herself harmed? If something happened to her and nobody was around? At least, nana Alexandra kept an eye out for her and her friends kept her company and had her back.

“I can’t ask them to cover me for something they don’t know”, she gave him a saddened smile, “They already began to ask questions that I cannot answer.”

Havelock caressed her blushing cheeks with his webbed fingers, feeling the need to comfort her.

“You could always tell them the truth”, he said.

She shook negatively her head, a few flaming strands falling into her face.

“They aren’t ready to hear the whole truth yet –they believe mermaids belong in the myths and legends. I mean...I didn’t believe it even when I saw your tail”, she let a laugh escape her, “Imagine what their reaction will be like. They’ll probably believe that I turned completely mad.”

Havelock furrowed his eyebrows at her words.

“Why would they believe you’re mad?“, he asked confused, “Aren’t they your friends? Friends are supposed to trust each other and be there for you through thick and thin.”

She graced him with a glorious smile that made his heart miss a beat and his facial features to soften at her sight.

“Things have changed these last few weeks and I am not quite sure why”, she shrugged her shoulders dismissingly.

His blue eyes seemed to glow even more as the sky was decorated in the darkness of the night with splashes of sparkling stars.

“What do you mean?“, he asked curiously, his tail splashing slightly in the water.

“I just feel like they are a bit distant –perhaps, I am just feeling guilty for not telling them the whole truth. But I feel like something is different -like something has changed.”

She took a breath before continuing.

“Honestly, Aide is her usual self –she was always the one that I could speak more easily to. She has been scolding me nonstop to tell her what is going on and had been angry when I said that I couldn’t tell her right now, but...other than that she was fine.”

She bit her lower lip in thought, relaxing as her merman caressed her hair lovingly.

Havelock hummed in answer, not disturbing her thoughts.

“Petra...“, she let a sigh escape her, “I don’t know what’s going on with her. She seems a bit...off.”

“Perhaps she’s going through a rough time”, he hugged her petite form encouragingly, “She might be feeling hurt that you aren’t opening up to her. Don’t be quick to reach conclusions, meum Arcanum.”

She gazed into his magnetizing orbs, getting herself lost in them.

“Perhaps you’re right”, she whispered after a few moments of silence.

He touched his forehead to hers, after leaving a soft kiss on top of it.

“Just give her some time”, he smiled down at her, “Things always get better with the passing of time.”

She wrapped her arms around his broad shoulders, letting her head fall in the crook of his neck. His arms circled around the back of her waist, cradling her petite form in his larger one and feeling intense sparks wherever her body touched his. The water had turned colder around them, creating goosebumps to appear on her skin but she did not care.

“Thank you”, she whispered against his neck, making him shiver as her breath fanned against his sensitive skin.

Caressing her flaming locks with his webbed fingers, he held onto her for a while longer.

“Anything for you, meum Arcanum”, he whispered beside her ear, his lips barely touching her earlobe.

After a few moments, she pulled away from him -although, she would rather stay in his comfortable embrace for a while longer. The sun had long ago set on the horizon being replaced by the silver moon and the glittering stars in the clear sky. It was her time to return home and leave her merman behind, for where she lived he could not follow her.

Furrowing her eyebrows a thought passed quickly through her mind but she did not bicker on it for long; how would any kind of relationship work out between the two of them, if he couldn’t follow her on land and she couldn’t follow him in the water?

But these were thoughts that would trouble her mind later when she was in the solicitude of her home. She would try to find a logical explanation and would come up empty-handed like always, knowing that logic had flown out of the window long ago. But for now, she would let herself get lost in his glowing blue eyes for a few moments longer before she made her way up the stone staircase.

He caught her small palm with his larger one, watching the difference between them. His skin was an ashy gray color due to spending most of his life underwater, while hers was pale and decorated with fragile blue veins. Her skin was soft and warm, while his was rough and cold from the water’s temperature. His fingers were connected between one another with a thin layer of blue web and his fingers were slightly longer than normal. They were so different from one another’s and yet they fit perfectly together.

“Promise you’ll take care of you for me”, he kissed the back of her palm gently, “okay, my love?”

Blushing furiously at his words, she could only nod.

“I promise”, she said, not wanting him to worry for her.

And then something unexpected happened. Before she could understand what exactly she was doing, she leaned forward and touched his cheek with her soft lips, leaving a small kiss against his skin. The merman was left to look at her in complete astonishment, his orbs widening in pleasant surprise.

Her cheeks burned a deep scarlet shade as the purr-like sound from before sounded louder against his chest and his face brightened with a truthful smile. Not wanting to embarrass herself even further, she quickly got out of the shallow waters and run through the rocky beach. Before he could utter another word to her, she had already begun to climb the staircase that would lead her to her village.

He was left to look at her climbing form with a smile on his face.

Splashing his tail happily in the shallow waters and still feeling her burning lips against his cheek.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

End of chapter 19!!

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Until next time!!