The Mermaid and the Werewolf: Adella’s Tale

Lost at Sea

Adella was so hurt, so angry that she swam and swam without regard to distance, to landmarks or direction. She had never really gone out of their cove when out fishing. She had never felt so betrayed by anyone before. How was she supposed to forgive him? Why would he want to hurt someone that he loved? How could she trust that Baron would have enough control over Sortas? Would he kill her next time he got the chance?

She felt so helpless over that fence, he could do whatever he wanted to her and he did. She had tried with all her might to stand back up but he had all the leverage. She wrinkled her brow remembering and promising herself that she would never be in that position again. Hatred for Sortas began burning deep inside her. Not even Baron’s sweet, gentle demeanor could save Sortas after that.

Now that she thought about it that was how it always was. Sortas was possessive and almost violent with her and Baron was always so gentle so aware of how she was feeling. Baron made love to her like she was the best thing that ever happened to him. Like she was so delicate he could break her. She was going to miss that.

Adella finally stopped and realized that she was surrounded by water, only water. No landmarks to speak of, no ocean floor to see. This was a very dangerous place for a mermaid. She went to the surface to look at the sky. Baron had shown her how to find her way reading the stars. Her heart broke a little thinking of him. She saw the full moon and the North Star indicating which way north was. She quietly slid back under the surface being sure not to make a splash, she didn’t want to be obvious that she was there.

She decided to follow the moon into the horizon and see where it would take her. She stealthily sailed through the water and she was close enough to the surface that she could see the sun begin to rise behind her. So she went deeper, too easily seen with the light from the sun shining into the water. Her tail unfailing as she swam on and on, wondering if perhaps she was close to her clan or maybe going further away. She only could move forward.

She heard a sweet chirp swim up next to her and a herd of dolphins surrounded her, they were signing to each other and to her. She smiled at them and reached out and touched ones fin that was swimming close to her. He chirped to her as if asking her to follow him. Then he jumped out of the water and dove back in beside her. It was magical to Adella, as the dolphins swam in sync with each other. Her friend jumped again and again and finally Adella couldn’t help it and she flew out of the water and then dove back in. It was exhilarating for her. All the different colors of the blue ocean so beautifully highlight by the bright sun above.

Eventually, they passed over a cliff below them. Adella saw an air pod in the side of the cliff. She slowed and stopped to take a better look. She looked back at her friends and the didn’t stop for her. Her blonde hair floating all around her she wasn’t sure if she wanted to go to the air pod. It only been a days at most that she has been back. Did she want to be known by her people again? Did she really never want to see Baron again? She saw a dark figure swim away from the single air pod attached to the side of the cliff.

‘No.’ She answered her own thoughts ‘Baron could never have her again. No matter how much it hurts to say that.’ She felt her chest painfully squeeze at the thought over never seeing him again. She furrowed her brow and went to investigate this air pod.

It wasn’t like the kind she remembered from home, large and spacious. It was very simple with no furniture to speak of. She pulled herself into the air pod and a wretched smell in fumed her nostrils. She held her hand up to her nose to try and lessen the stink. ‘What is this place?’ She thought to herself.

She pulled her legs into crisscross sitting on the floor. As she scooted back to see the place a little more clearly she saw the pile of rotting clams and other half eaten fish. No wonder it smelled. She figured this was nothing and this merperson must have been exiled for some reason. Just as she was about to exit the air pod and dark figured came through the portal, carrying a clam to eat.

The first second he didn’t see her, but he wasn’t really looking either. Nobody ever visited him. Then he sensed she was there. He turned around half way through the portal, his huge black eyes looking her dead in the eyes.

She was shocked at what this creature looked like. Huge black eyes with no white parts, his black hair was just stubble on his head. His nose was flat and his lips so thin you could only speculate that he had them. His skin as a bluish grey.

No words came to her as he looked at her. Her long white blond hair a mess hiding her body. He finished pulling himself into the pod and his black fin faded to legs that were small for his body. They didn’t look strong enough to even hold him up. “You must be lost.” His voice sounded frail, almost a whisper.

Adella could only shrug her shoulders in response and look down at her nail. She noted how calloused they were from all the work that her Baron had done together. She could feel her heart break when she thought of his face.

“Well, I made sure that only lost mermaids can find this place.” He slapped the bottom of the air pod. “I wasn’t really expecting company.” He tried to smile but it was more like an evil tooth filled grin. “That means you are for sure lost.” He leaned a bit closer and winked at her.

They looked at each other in silence for a long time. He was patient if he was nothing else.

“I am not sure how I got here.” Adella finally said.

“It’s not the ‘how’, it’s the ‘why’.” He said back.

“Why?” She was confused a bit.

“Mermaids don’t swim to the middle of the ocean without a reason. Are you running from something?” He cracked open his clam and offered her some of it.

Adella didn’t take her eyes of his and took the offering. “More or less.” She suddenly realized how hungry she was. “Who are you?”

“Oh, you wouldn’t believe me even if I told you.” He sucked the clam down. “So where did you come from little fishy.” He tossed the clam shell aside.

“Long story short…” He stopped her holding up his hand. “We have time, tell me the details.”

Adella told him about the squid, the whale and getting tossed out of the ocean. She told him about the Abby and all that she learned there. She recalled some of the important lessons she learned and talked about her friend Catherine. She told him about the soldiers that came to get her for some Emperor. She told him about meeting her mate and how they travelled together. She even talked about finding out she was a mermaid. Then she stopped.

“Fishy, you have to tell me everything. I am the only one that can show you the way.”

She recalled learning that her mate was a wolf-man and he had two personalities. She talked about the difference between the two personalities and how different she felt about each one. With tears rolling down her cheeks she recalled her last day with him. How he had hurt her so badly. She was all out crying saying how she wasn’t sure she could face him again.

This stranger across from her patiently waited for her to get it all out. He could sense how conflicted she is. He watched her face, even crying she was beautiful. Her big teal eyes trying so hard to control the feelings inside her soul. Finally it was his turn to speak.

He wanted to reach out and hug her, hold her but he knew he shouldn’t. She was untouchable, just as much as he was back in his day. “Fishy, I am going to tell you a story. It’s a long drawn out story so I will do my very best to keep it as short as possible.” He paused. “I am Caspain.”