LEGEND OF THE MER (17 page)

“Yes, and I love you also Lana
.
”
Titus smiled brightly and kissed her.

“Can I ask you a question?” Lana ran her fingers along his lips.

“Yes, you may ask me anything
.
”
H
e smiled and kissed her fingers.

“What is wrong?” Lana asked staring into his eyes.

“What are you asking?”
Titus still guard
ed
his thoughts.

“Titus, something is wrong and you’re not telling me,” she said growing frustrated.

“It is not that there is something wrong, but something strange is occurring.  I have tried to keep it from you.  It has nothing to do with you and I.  It is something I must be concerned with as head of the guard,” he said staring seriously back into her eyes.

“Oh, I see.  Can you tell me?”

“I cannot tell you much, it is just that some of the mer are beginning to keep to themselves and stay in their homes.  That is unusual for our people.  King Titan is concerned that it may mean more than it appears,” he said cautiously, not sure he should have revealed that much to her.

“Gosh Titus, I hope it doesn’t mean any trouble.  Your people have seemed to get along so well.”

“Yes, they always have before.  Enough
of this talk; i
t may mean nothing,” he said as he kissed her once more and Lana put her head against his chest and heard the comforting beat of his heart.  Titus ran his fingers through her hair.   Lana could tell that his thoughts were still guarded and she worried for him.  “Do not worry, I can take care of myself and you,” he said kissing the top of her head.

“I know you can and I always feel so safe in your arms,” she said as she hugged him even closer.

“You are and it is where you belong
.
”
H
e kissed the top of her head once more.

~~~~~

Chapter 11

DARIOUS

The next morning, Lana was surprised to find that Titus wasn’t in the cavern as he had been every morning since she arrived.  Tarra told her that the guardsmen were called to go on a hunt, which was not unusual a few times a year.  Tarra took the stock pot and filled it up with water from the rain barrel along the wall of the cavern.  She had told Lana that her father had also engineered it during the y
ears that he lived there
.  Tarra had learned to make a seafood stew that Lana enjoyed.  Lana tried to get Tarra to let her make it herself, but Tarra refused.  She said that Lana was only her guest for a few days more and that she enjoyed learning to make new things for humans.  She at least let Lana get more driftwood from the stack along the wall and add it to the fire.

“I can see how much your and Titus’ hearts are aching at the thought of your returning to your father,” said Tarra sympathetically.

“Yeah, I’m hoping that my dad
will understand how much I love your brother and that I want to join in union with him
.
”
Lana
smiled
.

“I think that your father will understand more than you think.  After all, he did fall in love and join in union with your mother
.
”
Tarra
smiled
.

“Yeah, I keep forgetting about that
.
”
  L
ana beamed.

“Some of the mermaids are going out to gather shells today; would you like to join us?”

“Yeah, I’
d love that.  It’
ll keep my mind from missing Titus,” Lana sighed.

“Yes, it will be good for you,” laughed Tarra.

Lana, Tarra, Filene and Fianna mostly swam together.  While they did, they shared their thoughts about Lana and Titus.  They were all hoping that there might soon be a union between them.  Lana
heard
about
how
a beautiful
the
ceremony was.  It only made her miss Titus all the more.

As they gathered shells, Lana couldn’t help but read the thoughts of a mermaid some distance behind her.  When Lana turned to see who it was, she saw that it was Sirene and she was once again thinking of Titus.  Lana decided to try and be
friend
s with
her.  She let the others know that she needed to talk with Sirene alone and they allowed her to swim to her.  “Hello Sirene, I’ve been meaning to speak with you,” said Lana kindly.

“Yes Princess Lana, I am sure
that
you have,” said Sirene coldly.

“I don’t want to be your enemy.  In fact, I’m really sorry if I embarrassed you a few weeks ago.  I didn’t mean to
.
”

“It is
alright
, they all know how I feel.  I have never hidden that fact,” said Sirene, again coldly.

“I can see wha
t you see in Prince Titus.  He’
s a wonderful merman.  I know that you and I have never met before.  You must have thought that Prince Titus and I might not join in union.  I wanted to tell you that we do plan to join as soon as my father gives us his permission,” said La
na, hoping it wouldn’
t hurt her too badly.

“I see; then you have decided.  I must go,” said Sirene so strangely, and then she quickly swam away.

“Is everything alright?” Tarra asked with concern as she swam to Lana.

“I’m not sure,” answered Lana confused by it all.

“Do not let her bother you, she has always been different,” said Tarra as the sisters swam up to join them.

“She is a distant cousin of ours, but we have never been able to get close to her,” said Filene.

“We have tried several times, but she will not allow anyone to befriend her,” said Fianna.

When the mermaids were bringing back the shells that they had gat
hered, Lana saw Sirene
waiting near the entrance of Torbist.  Lana could sense that her thoughts were sad and thought she might have had a change of heart.  “Tarra, I can’t help it.  I’m gonna try one more time to talk with Sirene.  Do you mind?” Lana asked.

“No, go ahead; I will meet you at the cavern later.  I will visit awhile with Filene and Fianna.”

“
Okay
, see you later
.
”
Lana
waved
and
then
she swam to Sirene.

“Hello Princess Lana.  I was waiting to apologize and was wondering if we might go somewhere more private,
like your cavern?” Sirene asked in a friendly tone.

“Of course, I’
d like that,” said Lana as she led the way around to the cavern.

When Lana and Sirene reached the entrance of the cavern, there were two guards posted as usual, only Makoa wasn’t one of them
like
he
’
d always been before.  These guards had their dark hair all pulled back into one long braid down their back and Lana had never seen them do that before.  Neither one of them looked in her direction as she
swam
passed and entered into the cavern.  Lana began to have a cold chill r
un down her spine. 
Something’
s wrong
; she couldn’t help but wonder what it was? 

As Lana and Sirene surfaced, Lana jumped up on the rock ledge of the cavern floor and she noticed that Sirene wasn’t coming any closer.  She had a strange look on her face, “I am truly sorry Princess Lana, I had no...”

“Silence!”  Lana heard a man’s voice shout from across the cavern and Sirene quickly dove into the water and swam away. 

The hairs on the back of Lana’s neck began to stand on end as she realized who it must be coming towards her in the water.  He was one of the dark ones, only his eyes were different.  They seemed as black as night and cold as ice.  They reminded her of a shark’s eyes when feeding.  He had a scar running down the side of his face and his arms and torso were also covered with several scars.  She could feel the evil of his presence and she knew
;
this must be
Darious
.

“So, you have heard of me?  I am impressed, only it is Prince Darious
.
”
H
e smirked
.

As he got closer,
Lana saw a golden circle around his head and that his hair was also pulled back in the one braid.
 
“Yeah, I heard of you, only I heard that you were no Prince,” said Lana smugly.

“Well, well,
you are brave for one so weak
,” Darious said as he slowly came even closer to the ledge where Lana was sitting.

Then Lana heard a sound like moaning coming from behind her where the seaweed bed was.  Lana saw that it was Makoa and he seemed to be unconscious.
 
“What have you done to him?” Lana cried as she quickly went and tried to revive him.

“Nothing compared to the other guard.  He was, shall we say, not one of th
e family.  If this one is smart
he will join with us and leave Titan,” he hissed out the words.

“What do you want?” Lana shouted.

“Do you not know Princess, I want you!” he laughed a hideous laugh out loud.

Then Lana felt an even deeper sense of an evil presence as another came from the shadows of the cavern in the water.  He was much younger and smaller, almost sickly.  He had the same dark, cold eyes.  He also had the gold crown and hair pulled back into one braid.  Lana had never experienced such a look of evil in all of her life.  His thoughts were the worst she could have ever imagined of what he wanted to do to her. 

“Brother, you said that when I came to Torbist that I could have any pick of the maidens.  I choose her!” shouted the younger.

“No Damon!  I told you that you could have any pick of the mermaids, I am keeping the merwalker for myself!” Darious yelled.

“I will challenge you for her!” Damon shouted as he boldly swam to him, nearly crashing into his chest.

“Do not be a fool!” Darious screamed and he struck his brother across the face and Lana thought that for
one brief moment,
Damon was going to kill Darious.

“Go back and wait for me with the others.  Do it!” Darious screamed once more and Damon turned and
stared at Lana
.

Lana
nearly vomited as she once more heard his thoughts with a promise that he would have her one day.  Then he smiled a wicked smile to his brother and
then
dove below.

“You must forgive my little brother; he has not yet found himself a suitable mate.  You however, are the very image of your mother, except for the tail of course.  That also can have an advantage towards our human enemies,” he let out a sinister laugh and Lana backed even further into the cavern.  Darious only hopped up on the ledge rest
ing on the joint above his tail
fin and began hopping from his hands and tail towards her. 

Lana remembered the knife that her father had given her and took it out and firmly held it with both hands and pointed it towards him. 

“Do you really think that you can stop me with that toy of yours?  Do you not see how many others have tried before
.
”
H
e sneered as he came even closer.

“Darious Stop!” Prince Titus yelled as he quickly surfaced in the cavern.

“Well,
if it is not Prince Titus coming to save his beloved,” Darious hissed out the words again.

“This is between you and I leave her alone!” Titus shouted.

Darious turned back to face Lana and flung himself forward against her and grabbed the knife from her hands.  Titus leapt out of the water and tried to catch him, but it was too late. Darious turned back to Titus and plunged the knife into his side before Titus even realized that he had it.  Titus had a look of shock and then regret as he looked to Lana.