Authors: Sheri L. Swift
“No not any longe
r. My intended was killed over four winters
ago and I have not allowed myself to choose another,” she said sadly.
“I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to make you sad,” apologized Lana, feeling awkward about it.
“It is alright, I choose rather to remember the good he brought to my life and the lives of others. He was one of Titus’ guards and he was one of the d
ark ones. His name was Kitchi, which means brave
. It was because of his bravery that he, Titus and a few others
,
went to help a ship that was sinking. There was a terrible storm and we mer had migrated to Tullius, which is our city in the South Pacific. The ship’s crew would have all
died if it were not for Kitchi
. As the ship was breaking apart on the reefs, he entered the ship and began to throw the men to Titus and the others. Just as he got the last man out, the rest
of the ship along with Kitchi
, was crushed against the reefs. All of the men were taken safely to a nearby island,” said Princess Tarra as tears rolled down her cheeks.
“Princess Tarra, I’m so sorry. He did a wonderful thing,” said Lana trying to encourage her.
“Yes he did. I will never forget him as long as I live
.
”
S
he
wiped her eyes
.
“Maybe in time, you’ll let yourself love again,” said Lana sympathetically.
“Perhaps
.
”
S
he smiled slightly.
“Prince Titus’ friend Makoa
seems like a nice guy
.
”
“
Princess
Lana, he is much too young for me
,
”
Tarra
laughed
.
“How old is he? He looks to be Titus’ age.”
“He is not yet thirty-two winters. Remember, our mermen do not age in the same way that humans do. He will not be ready for a union until he is fifty winters
. Mermaids usually marry when they are forty winters or as their hair turns completely white
.
I am now forty-five winters
.
”
Tarra
smiled
.
“Oh yeah, I forgot about that, well I’m sure there are plenty of others to choose from,” said Lana with a sigh.
“Yes, but I cannot help
but compare them all to Kitchi
. Enough of this, tell me what you think of our city,” said Tarra changing the subject.
“I love it. I couldn’t believe that there were so many houses and how beautiful
…
”
The rest of the night, the two girls talked and laughed the time away. They each combed their hair with the whale bone combs that Princess Tarra had brought.
They had also been carved by her brother Prince Tarrock.
Lana did feel like it was her first slumber party. She knew that Tarra would make a wonderful siste
r if ever she and Titus were to
marry.
~~~~~
Lana woke to the sound of someone stoking the fire. She opened up her eyes and saw that it was not Tarra, but Titus adding a piece of driftwood. He turned to her and smiled and said, “Hello Princess, it is not yet morning. I did not wish to wake you; I just wanted to make sure that you were warm enough.”
“Where is Princess Tarra?” Lana asked sleepily.
“She is sleeping in the pool on the other side of the cavern.”
“What pool?”
“There is a shallow pool, no more than two feet deep. I am certain that it is where you and your mother slept when you lived here once before
.
”
“Oh, I’m not sure I remember it,” said Lana as she yawned.
“You must sleep Princess, I know you are tired,” he said softly.
“Okay, will you be here when I get up?” Lana asked half closing her eyes.
“Yes, I will be here when you wake,” said Titus with a smile. Then Lana allowed herself to fall asleep once more with the comfort that he was near.
When Lana did wake again, the Prince was true to his word.
She looked to the water
’
s edge just past her feet
and saw him there. He was asleep with his head lying on his folded arms on the ledge of the cavern floor. The rest of him was i
n the water. Lana smiled and
h
ad a wicked thought;
I should
splash him
.
Then she heard Tarra in her mind, “Do it! He would do it to you!” Tarra smiled at Lana from beside the fire. Just as Lana was smiling back at Tarra and getting up her nerve, a huge wall of water came crashing down on Lana and she was drenched. She looked up to see Titus with a wide grin on his face.
“So, you were going to splash me were you?” Titus
chuckled
.
“That’s no fair, you read our thoughts,” laughed Lana.
“Yes, and it is a good thing that I did
.
”
H
e
grinned with one raised brow
.
“Makoa, Uly
and I are going to gather some lobsters. Do you two want to come?” Princess Tarra asked.
“Only if Princess Lana wishes to,” answered Titus.
“Sure, sounds fun. I love boiled lobster!”
“Yes, I remember that was one of your father’s favorites as well,” answered Titus, but Lana read both he and Tarra’s thoughts that they preferred theirs raw. They laughed to hear her thoughts that it repulsed her. “You will not have to eat yours raw
.
”
Titus grinned.
“Thank you, I prefer mine boiled
alive!” Lana laughed;
how inhumane my
choice must seem to them.
The five of them, along with Tempest, set out to gather the lobsters. Uly could hardly contain his enthusiasm that he was able to join Titus and Lana. He never left Lana’s side and constantly told her of his latest feats. It was clear that he had a young boy’s crush on her. Lana let him ramble on and Titus could tell that she had such patience with him. He liked that about her. “The last lobster that I caught was the biggest anyone had ever seen!” Uly bragg
ed
to Lana.
“Really, imagine that
.
”
Lana smiled.
“Uly, race you to lobster grotto!” Makoa said enticing him.
“Alright, let us do it!” Uly shouted and then took off like a flash. Tempest couldn’t help but follow after them.
“I love my nephew, but he can be a bit annoying,” laughed Tarra.
“Yes, I would have to agree
.
”
Titus
smiled
.
“I don’t mind him. I never had a younger brother or sister,” s
ai
d Lana.
“He is not as young as you think. Uly is twenty winters,” Titus said with a half grin.
“Well
in human years, he seems to be more like the age of ten,” said Lana a little surprised by his age.
“Yes, I suppose he is that,” said Tarra.
It wasn’t long and they reached the grotto where the lobsters were in abundance. Uly and Makoa had already started filling the large net bags that each had brought. Tarra also began filling hers and Lana helped Titus to fill his. He did not want to weigh her down with the heavy load. “Be sure to pick them up from their backs so that they cannot pinch you with their claws,” instructed Titus to Lana.
“Ugh, too late, this one got me,” Lana said as she pulled the lobster loose from her hand.
“Are you alright?” Titus asked with concern.
“Yeah, he’s especially on the menu for tonight,” Lana laughed as she put him in Titus’ bag.
Uly and Makoa tied their bags and set them on the sandy bottom of the ocean floor and began to tear open lobsters and started eating them. It made Lana a little ill to see it and all of the others laughed at her. Then Titus and Tarra began doing the same. Titus handed Tempest some of the meat and he even ate it. “I didn’t realize how strong your hands are,” said Lana as she picked up another lobster and tried to crush its shell like the others had done and couldn’t do it.
“Would you like to try one raw?” Titus asked with a raised brow and a grin.
“Sure, why not. I guess my mother must have eaten it that way,” said Lana bravely.
Titus took the lobster from her hand and tore it open and handed her the meat. She took a bite and was surprised that it really wasn’t as bad as she thou
ght it would be.
It still has the
sweet taste I love; only I do
prefer it ho
t
and without the taste of salt water in my mouth
.
“It is alright if you do not like it that way
.
”
S
miled Titus encouragingly.
“You know, I could eat it like that if I had to, but I prefer mine cooked,” she laughed.
“I feel the same, about it being cooked. Your father had me try it that way once
.
”
Titus
grinned
.
“Cooked, h
ow awful!” Uly yelled.
“Yes, that sounds terrible,” said Makoa wrinkling his nose.
“I am sure that Princess Lana finds our ways strange too,” said Tarra.
“Yeah, no one where I come from just rips right into a lobster and starts eating it
.
”
“Titus, if you like, I will take the lobsters back to the cavern for you with Uly and Princess Tarra,” said Makoa, knowing that he wished to be alone with Lana.
“Hey, no fair, I want to be with Lana too,” said Uly.
“You have to help me get these back to the city,” said Makoa.
“Are you sure Makoa? That would be nice for us to take our time,” said Prince Titus with a grin.
“Yes, I am sure. If it becomes too heavy, Uly will help me
.
”
Makoa
smiled
to Lana and Lana couldn’t help but let out a small giggle.
Makoa and Tarra encouraged the reluctant Uly along. Titus took Lana’s hand and they entered the grotto even further. They surfaced into a small cavern much like the one at
Gull
Island
. Tempest stayed below and enjoyed playing with the lobsters. “I can’t believe how many lobsters are here,” said Lana still looking towards the bottom.
“Yes, that is why we call it lobster grotto. There are plenty to be had
.
”
“This is a beautiful cavern,” said Lana as she looked around at the shimmering green light. It was small, but the underwater entrance was large and let in the sun’s rays which filtered onto the cavern walls.
“Yes it is, but it is not the only thing that is beautiful,” said Titus as he took Lana into his arms and held her close. He looked
loving
ly into her eyes and smiled that brilliant smile of his that made Lana’s heart melt and then he gently kissed her. “I am sorry. I have wanted to do that since I first saw you sleeping in the cavern this morning,” he said as he brushed her hair back from her face.
“You couldn’t have gotten much sleep
.
”
S
he
grinn
ed.
“No, remember, someone was going to splash me,” he chuckled.
“Seriously Titus, how much sleep did you get?”
“Who needs sleep when I can dream with you while I am awake,” he said kissing the palm of her hand.
“You’re crazy,” she laughed.
“If you mean, am I a fool? Yes, I will be a fool for you
.
”
H
e smiled.
“Thank you Titus,” said Lana as she looked deep into his eyes.
“Thank me for what? For going against your father’s wishes and keeping you here with me unchaperoned?”
He smiled a wide grin.
“No
thank you for believing in me. For believing in what we could be one day, and for bringing me here,” said Lana as she put he
r hands on the back of his neck
and for the first time,
she
allowed herself to pull him to
wards her and she
kiss
ed him tenderly
.