Unexpectedly Meeting You

Chapter 5

*William Fox*

“Do you want to go out of the hotel? I heard that there is a festival in this town.” I told Neola while folding her new clothes back in the closet. Why am I even doing these? I don’t know, my body just moves on its own.  It seems like I’m under a spell or something.

“What is a festival?” She asked through her mind.

“Well… it is a celebration in a local community… they celebrate for different reasons.”

“Then what is the reason of this town to celebrate?”

“I heard that they are doing this for the mermaids… for giving them prosperous harvest from the sea.”

No response, I looked at her, she’s smiling.

“Why are you smiling?”

“I want to go to that festival my knight.” She said excitedly.

“William… just call me William.” I told her.

“W-William.” She said and her eyes became pink. I think she’s blushing. I saw that color on the cave when she’s touching my legs.

“Ok we will go there.”

“Thank you.” She said.

I’ve been with Neola for like two days, but it seems like I’m already comfortable being around with her. I still don’t believe the stuff that she’s saying but the fact that she can talk to me through her mind is something. After a while of some arranging her stuff, we decided to go out and it’s almost sun down so her skin won’t spark that much and will cost too much attention, aside from her being so unbelievably beautiful.

“Wait.” I told her and gave her a scarf.

“What is this for?”

“To cover the crystal on your chest, people will notice it from you trust me you’re a head turner.”

“What is a head turner?” She asks while I wrap the scarf around her neck and cover the crystal.

“It’s a… human thing.” I said and grab her hand. “Let’s go.

We went out of the hotel and I decided that we will use the car.

“What is that?” She asks with her eyes wide open.

“Amm… a car?” I said and open the door for her.”

“What will I do?”

“You will go inside and sit here.” I gestured to the passenger’s seat.

She seems bewildered but did as I said. She made a little jump when she heard the accelerator and made some squeal when I pressed the gas. I chuckled. Is this really the first time that she saw a car?

We we’re silent until we arrive at the place where they held the mermaid festival. I have to grab her out from the car, she seemed to be in a pause mode. Until I snap her back.

“That was a mysterious kind of transportation.” She said. I chuckled as I can see a shock on her face.

“Pft… mysterious huh. Let’s go.” I told her. “Hold my hand so that you won’t get lost.” She did what I told her. There are many guys out there who are so envious right now. I feel proud by just doing this. Hahaha I laugh in my mind… ops speaking of mind.

“Can you read my mind?” I asked her, it will be so embarrassing if she knows what I’m thinking right now.

“No, I can only talk to you through my mind.” She said. I sighed. That was close. “Why do you ask?”

“Oh nothing..” I said.

We were walking with so many people. So many food stands, there are rides. Some people are wearing costumes of a mermaid and other creatures of the sea.

“William.” Neola said jerking my hand.

“What?”

“What is that?” she pointed a food stand that sells cotton candy.

I smirked. She is just like a kid. “You want one?”

She nodded excitedly. I bought one for her.

“What is this?” She ask while looking at the cotton candy studying it.

“It’s a cotton candy… you can eat it.” I said.

She looked at me like saying ‘really? I can?’ …. So I pinched some and ate it. She nodded and then ate it.

“Slow down.” I told her, when she was eating it like she was so hungry.

I showed her some other stuff; the Ferris wheel and Mary-go-round. She’s so funny when the Ferris wheel went up; she was screaming to death and stayed hugging my arms until the ride was over. Too bad people can’t hear her scream. When we were at the Mary-go-round, she was dizzy. I was laughing hard at her, and she didn’t take it as an insult and instead looked confused why I was laughing so hard.

Later that evening we rested at another food stand that sells waffles, and she seems to like it.

“This is a delicious food. It’s fitted for a king’s meal.” She said her eyes are green.

“So… there is no waffle in your kingdom?

“No. we don’t have these kinds of food back home.” She said.

So I asked her about some stuff about her, and she answered some of it. She told me that she has a sister and her name is Larissa. They seemed pretty close because she said some more stuff about her.

“so now can you tell me, why did you have to get away from your own kingdom? I asked.

Her eyes popped wide open. I thought that she didn’t want me to ask that question and that she was shocked, but no. She looked pass through me. Her eyes became yellow and then red then yellow again. I know something is wrong.

“There here.” She said with panic on her voice.

She grabbed my hands and we started running.

“Who’s here?” I asked her.

“The ones who wants me dead… the vipers.” She said.

“Why are they here?”

“They are good trackers. But I didn’t know that they will find me this fast.”

We hid in some haystack and rested for a while. She’s in panic; I can hear her heart beating. I don’t know what to do.

“How can they track you?” I ask.

“Aside from the smell, they can track anything with their crystals.” She said. She’s referring to the dark crystals buried in their chests just like her, but different in colors.

“Are they werewolves?”  This is just great then, some creatures that I’ve just read in some books will now come to life.

“What’s that?”

“Oh … so they are not werewolves.”

“No they’re not… they are Vipers.” She said.

“They are Vampires?” I exclaimed.

“No! Vipers, they are vipers, so stop being so noisy, they will hear us.”

“Okay.” I said, putting my hands in the air.

She’s looking at someone, so I followed her gaze. I saw three guys wearing some long black garments. They are saying stuff.

“Nasaan na siya?” the stout one said. (Where is she?)

“natakasan po tayo, kamahalan.” Another one said. (she escaped, your majesty.)

“Kailangan natin siyang mahanap sa lalong madaling panahon!” The stout one yelled at the other. (We need to find her immediately!)

“masusunod kamahalan.” Both of the other guys said and disappeared. (Yes, your majesty.”

I saw Neola gasp, covering her mouth. The stout one looked around and inhaled deeply. His eyes are like a wicked monster, looking around for some prey. When he didn’t found anything, he disappeared into the thin air like the others.

Neola inhaled an exhaled deeply. “We need to get out of here, now.” She said.

“Okay… fine, but we have to back and grab our stuff.”

She nodded. We ran back to the car, and I was like driving beyond the speed limit, good thing this town has no speed limits. We arrived at the hotel, quickly packed our things and pay the bills in the hotel, ran back to the car and drove back to the city.

“Now can you explain to me what happened back there?” I demanded her some explanations. We were running from someone I don’t know, and they were saying stuff that I don’t understand. We are now down the road, driving along the seaside.

“I’m a princess.” She started.

“I already know that, who are those people?”

“They are the vipers, they rule the other kingdom. The big one is King Amasis. There are two kingdoms reigning in the biggest ocean in the world which is the pacific…”

“Wait… what? What does the ocean have to do with this?”

She looked at me. “I’m a mermaid.”

We almost had a car accident when I pushed the breaks in that instant.

“Ouch.” I heard her mutter.

“You’re a what?”

“I’m a mermaid.”

“Pft… a mermaid? You think I will buy that bull? You know what, this is insane. Where do you live I will take you home this instant. I’m done playing with you.”

“Playing? Do you think I’m just playing?” she said and tears are starting to fill her eyes. “They are going to kill me, and so are you.”

“What? Why me? I didn’t do anything.”

“You are my protector, if they want me dead, they have to kill you too because we are now connected.” She said, what does she mean?

Before I could ask her that, the three men that are called Vipers appeared right before our eyes. I heard Neola scream.

“Oh soot.” I said and started the car again. I went backwards, before I knew it, they released this some kind of an energy ball.

“Mamamatay ka na Tia Neola.” (You will die now Prinsesa Neola) The stout one said and shoot that energy ball in our direction. I cover Neola with my body, I don’t know why but something inside me is telling me that I have to protect her. I saw her eyes it’s all white. I was afraid but all I could think of is to protect her, I closed my eyes, waiting for death… but it didn’t come.  I opened my eyes. Some shield is protecting us.

“Masyado siyang malakas.” (He’s too strong.) The other said.

“Mukhang nakita na niya ang kanyang tapagtanggol. (it looks like she found her protector.) The lean and tall man said.

“Ahhhh!! umatras muna tayo sa ngayon, hindi ko akalain na makikita niya agad ang kanyang tagapagtangol!” (Ahhh!! Let’s retreat, I didn’t expect that she will find her protector immediately.) the man names Amasis said and they disappeared.

I exhaled. I can’ believe this is actually happening to me now. What was that? This is crazy. So they really want her dead? And me too? I looked at Neola he eyes are still white.

“Neola, wake up! Neola?” I shook her.

She made a sound.. like she was regaining her breath. Her eyes slowly showed some color. Red, yellow, orange… and then stayed at yellow.

“Where are they?” she said while grabbing my shoulders, she looked so afraid.

I hugged her. “It’s okay… it’s okay… you don’t have to be afraid, they’re gone.” I said stroking her hair, trying to calm her down.

After a while we break free from our embrace. Her eyes are now violet.

I continued driving; there is no other place that I can think of except the city. She’s now sleeping.  She needs it, cause she had so much explaining to do.