The Twice-Drowned Prince by L.M. Morrison

Author:L.M. Morrison
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: mermaid, fantasy, the little mermaid, romance, fairy tale, retelling, young adult, Christian themes, merman, feminist, sign language, prince, clean romance, teen & young adult, mermaids, pre-teen
Publisher: L.M. Morrison
Published: 2020-12-04T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 20

MERMAID

“Have you ridden a dolphin before?” he asks before he’s fully entered my library, returning after a day with Alamer, well after sunset, moonlight filling the cavern enough to highlight the glossiness of his smile, chest, and sparkling eyes.

You still smell.

“Alamer taught you how to ride a dolphin?”

It certainly doesn’t sound like something she would do.

“No, no, Ondine! I saw her today! Now, now, don’t anger yourself. Alamer served as chaperone. My honor was in no way damaged, dear teacher,” he says in what I think is his teasing voice, but I don’t know what he’s joking about. “And she has not forsaken all the sea to return to shore with me. I didn’t even mention how much better our humor is. I can’t ensnare her any more than I could starlight.”

“Alamer let you ride dolphins with Ondine?” I repeat the information in signs to see if he can confirm anything in this starry-eyed state of his.

I mean, you’re literally gazing at the stars above us.

“Please don’t be a ‘damp towel,’” he teases because I forgot the phrase wet blanket recently, backstroking so he can continue to gaze at the skylight and imagine his Ondine. He bathes in memories while I drown in them. “It was magnificent! Like Tiding, but much slower of course, and I could see everything around us. Such a magnificent creature, the porpoise. I have observed them from a distance many a time, admired their leaps and dances, but to swim alongside one! To leap with him! Ondine showed me how to do it myself, leap and spin with my own tail alone. It took quite a bit of time, of course. I thoroughly embarrassed myself before her—”

I splash loudly, so he shuts his mouth.

“Alamer let this happen?” I sign again.

He still doesn’t look at me, perhaps sensing my intensity.

Ocean take you all!

“They have delightful laughs! Ondine can imitate them quite well, and I didn’t know such a thing was possible for the Mer, though I suppose it is a little like singing. We saw so many! Far far more than I had ever guessed would travel in one family group. They’re quite clever, playful, and strangely kind-looking. The feel of their skin was fascinating. Who knew something could be so elegant and silly at once? Oh, and the whale! The sheer size of it! I have never thought to fear one before, but to see its full size beneath the water, I was awestruck in a way I cannot describe—”

Oh, but you shall surely endeavor to, shan’t you, Your Highness?

“The whale moved quite differently from the dolphins, but her grace astounded. Her skin was not at all smooth. Indeed, she had barnacles upon her chin and belly... A living ship, almost, yet no ship could rival her. I hesitated to touch her at all, and before I knew what had happened, we were on her back and breaching the surface!”

Why would she do this? Why would either of them?

I should speak to her. Confront her.

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