The Mermaid and the Prince

Ariana ran because her life depended on it. She cursed the day she fell in love with a prince. Branches whipped around her, dead brittle leaves crunched beneath her bare feet as thorns from plants she couldn’t name pulled her long, raven colored hair. Her breathes came faster and faster until her chest began to burn. She could smell the ocean from where she was and that’s the direction she ran.

Ariana was tired and wanted to stop but she could hear the men still running after her, shouting for her to give herself up. The legs and feet were new territory but she kept running; beyond soreness and exhaustion. Her life depended on it. 

Damn! was there no end to this chase?! The giant trees made the forest seem darker on this cold autumn day, making it harder to find a way out.

“Stop, girl!” She heard them yell.

Tears burned her eyes, blurring her vision. Ariana couldn’t believe she let herself fall in love with a prince! What a stupid cliche! she was one of the many that had fallen. and who wouldn’t? Edward was tall, dark, handsome; he had heartbreaker written all over him. Not only did he break her heart, he also betrayed her by spilling her secret. She fell in love with Prince Edward at first sight, the way her grandmother fell in love with a human mere centuries ago. Ariana lips trembled at the memory of last night, when he took her body and innocence, only to ruin it by disappearing and sending the guards to take her away. How dare he?! Ariana wanted to crumbled in a ball from the humiliation. Edward was probably laughing at her with one of his castle wenches over a pint knowing that she would die any minute. She wiped her tears quickly and looked up in time to see a clearing. She could hear the water crashing against the rocks. 

Home.

The clearing revealed a cliff and she took a deep breath, began to run faster. before she could make her jump, she was pulled back by a strong, large hand. The hold on her was so tight, there was no way for her to escape. With her head bowed, she feel to the ground in exhausted defeat only to be pulled back up. “Ariana!” Edwards voice pierced through the shouting of the guards that were still not in eye sight. 

She realized it was Edward. Her emotions were like a rollercoaster going from joy to sadness to utter hatred. “I demand you to let go of me!” She yelled, struggling against his hold.

“Demand?! I am prince of this land.”

“And I am princess of the sea.”

The guards footsteps began to sound closer. Ariana opened her mouth to give this arrogant son of a bitch a piece of her mind.

He clamped the other hand over her mouth.“We need to hide you,” he whispered harshly, his gaze scanning the trees right behind her.

Ariana froze. “Mmmmhmm mmmm mmhmm mi?”

Edwards hand fell to his side. “What?” 

“You didn’t send them after me?” 

“No, why would I do such a thing? I…I love you.”

“Then why are you guards running after me?” The forest grew eerily still. Just then, an arrow flew between them. “Edward, there’s only one way out of this. Do you trust me?”

“Yes!” 

Another arrow pierced throw the air. Ariana grabbed Edwards hand. “Jump!”

They jumped off the clearing, splashing into the ocean below. In an instant her tail appeared. She looked around for Edward. Her heart sank as she saw him struggling against the strong waves. She swam to him. “Edward!” 

“They jumped!” She could hear the men above. 

With Edward in hand, Ariana swam underneath the cliff, hidden from the guards sight. “Edward? Are you alright?” She whispered. 

Edwards eyes were wide as he witnessed her tail turn to bare legs. “You really weren’t lying.”

“No, I wasn’t,’” she spat out as her anger returned with vengeance.

He ran a hand through his soaking hair. “I just…”

“Didn’t believe me? Why would you send the guards after me?”

“I didn’t,” he scoffed.

“Then who?”

“My brother.”

“But why?” Ariana felt her lips tremble again.

“Because he overheard us last…” he took in Arianas defeated posture. “…night.” He reached out and lightly caressed her face. 

“He saw…everything?” She asked. She was mortified knowing that someone could be so evil and witness something so intimate. Edward just wanted to hold her and protect her always. Her long, dark hair was a wild sea soaked mess and she still managed to look beautiful.

“I don’t know how much he heard or saw but…he wants you dead so he can get his reward.”

“Reward? But he’s a prince, he is in need of nothing.”

“Rewards, titles…that’s what humans put value in, which often breeds greed.”

“Humans are ridiculous! My people put value in family, love…that rarely breeds anything but a bigger family.”

“We can’t go back.” Edward pointed out.

“Then where will we go?”

“I’ll go with you.”

Ariana stood up, shaking her head as she paced. “No.”

Edward jumped up. “Why not?” Following her as she paced.

“Because you can’t survive in the water. There’s no way to turn you.”

His eyebrows came down heavy as he tried to think. “How do you turn back and forth?”

“It’s the ability I was born with.” She reached for his hand, taking it in hers. “We can’t run forever.”

“What do you suggest we do?”

“We go back and fight!”

“What?”

“Fight, Edward! If you are gone, your brother will take over your kingdom and his greed will destroy it. Fight for your kingdom! We will fight for your people who need you!” As Arianas voice grew loud, she was thankful that the sound of the crashing waves drowned out her voice.

Edward already knew he loved Ariana. But this moment solidified how deeply. He pulled her close, his lips ravaging hers the same way his body did last night. He pulled her a close as their bodies would allow. Her soft curves crushing against his hard body. He would give anything to have this creature again. His tongue licked her lips, urging them open. Her soft moan letting him know that she wanted him too. “Edward?” she whispered against his lips. 

He gave one final chaste kiss before resting his head against hers. “Yes?”

“I love you.” She confessed.

Edward heard those words last night in the heat of passion; he didn’t think she meant it. He chalked her words up to the naivety of loving the person who took your virginity. Ariana waited for his reply. He threw the words out when the guards where after them. Would he say them now.

“I love you, too.” he kissed her with every fiber of his being. He held her close, “Let’s go fight, princess.”