“Please don't be so harsh on yourself,” Bryn pleaded. “You've improved so much in just a few days.”

  “Are you sure about that?” Maribelle moaned as she plucked a piece of kelp that had stubbornly clung to her hair.

  “Of course,” Bryn said, beaming with pride. “When you started training, you were always getting entangled in the kelp. Now you're much better at weaving through them.”

  Maribelle sighed. Maybe Bryn had a point. Memories fshed through her mind of her getting caught in the kelp as she tried to swim around them. Her thrashing tail only made matters worse, and it was only when Bryn came to her aid was she able to escape the trap.

  For the st week Maribelle and Bryn had been going to the kelp fields a short distance from Coraltide for swimming lessons. Although Maribelle had gotten much better at swimming on her own in the calm waters of Coraltide, both Bryn and Joyce expined that the tides outside the city would be much more difficult to navigate. Therefore, before Maribelle could return to the surface, it was vital that she prepare herself physically for the journey.

  The training was certainly difficult. Swimming in a straight line was simple enough, but it was the art of weaving around the kelp and not through it that was eluding her. It was a whole new experience. On the surface, walking was straightforward and simple, she just had to put one foot in front of the other. In comparison, swimming with her tail and angling her body to turn was much more complex.

  “Are you sure this training is necessary? I can swim forwards perfectly fine, right? And in the open sea that is all we will be doing,” Maribelle asked, her shoulders slouched down. She needed to go home, especially before she started getting anymore… ideas.

  Bryn reached out with a sympathetic open hand. “I'm so sorry, Maribelle. Swimming in the open is not that simple. The currents can be very strong, and if you're not careful you could end up getting swept away. Not only that, but the wildlife can be dangerous. We merfolk are not the preferred prey of sharks, however, they would not hesitate to strike if they saw one of us floundering around.” Her eyes glistened for a moment. “I truly am sorry, but I can't risk your precious life like that.”

  Maribelle sighed and then took Bryn’s hand with her own. “Thank you for reminding me. Yes, you're right, I'm not keen on being shark food, nor do I wish to be swept away to some unknown depths.” she smiled to let Bryn know she meant what she said.

  Bryn smiled warmly. “Do you want to keep practising?”

  “If I am going to return home then I have to keep going. At least I still have the energy for it,” Maribelle said, her tail swishing through the water.

  Maribelle spun through the water and kicked strongly with her tail. Swimmingly swiftly through the water had become a familiar sensation over the st week after a great deal of practice. A part of her couldn't help but be amazed at how fast she could be when she wanted to be. It was much quicker than running for sure. She wondered if she could swim faster than a galloping horse. As the kelp forest approached, she reminded herself of techniques she would need to avoid colliding with kelp.

  Hopefully this time she would make more progress than the st time.

  She swam into the mass of kelp, taking care to avoid the rgest clusters. Turning her body, she weaved around the kelp, then with a kick with her tail, she gave herself a burst of speed. Evading the kelp had steadily become instinctual. Perhaps Bryn was right, she was getting better at this. By now she would have collided with a kelp strand.

  Kelp slid across her tail as she swam past a cluster, sending shivers up her spine. The shocking sensation disrupted the rhythm she had established, almost sending her spiralling out of control. She quickly managed to recover, her heart racing as she narrowly avoided colliding with a kelp cluster. Another appeared before her and she twisted her body and kicked mightily to avoid it. Her body brushed by the kelp, but her momentum was too strong and she collided, eyes wide with shock, into another.

  Her vision became a green blur as she barrelled through the kelp, tearing the long strand apart and getting entangled in it. She reminded herself to stay calm and not panic, thrashing about would only make matters worse. With slow, steady movements, she untangled herself. It had become a frequent occurrence, so she had plenty of experience. Tearing off the st piece of kelp that held her back, Maribelle sighed. She had not gone as far as she hoped.

  She swam back to Bryn, who had been waiting outside the kelp field while trying her best to not let the setback weigh on her too much. As she swam closer to Bryn, she could see the mershark smiling so sweetly as usual. For some reason the sight always brought a smile onto Maribelle's lips.

  “That was good, I can really see the improvement you're making,” Bryn said, her hands pressed together. “That sharp turn was very well done.”

  “Did you see the part where I still crashed into the kelp?” Maribelle pointed out while pouting slightly.

  Bryn's eyes gnced aside for a second. “That is true, but that was just bad fortune. Otherwise I would say you performed that manoeuvre very gracefully.”

  Maribelle blushed at the compliment. “Do you really mean it?” she asked with a measure of hope.

  Bryn's smile widened. “Of course, you are learning much faster than most others.”

  Maribelle nodded. It was curious to be reminded that her situation was not unique. She wondered for a moment how they’d reacted to their new forms. Did they panic like she had or did they react with joy. Perhaps if she could meet one of them they could help with processing everything.

  “By the way, something I noticed while watching you is that you hardly use your side fins when swimming fast,” Bryn said, immediately catching Maribelle's attention.

  “What do you mean?” Maribelle asked, unsure how her side fins would help. Goodness, it was strange being reminded she had side fins. She wasn't meant to have side fins in the first pce.

  “Well, they may not do much, but sometimes you only need a little nudge. And that's what your side fins can do. Rather than relying on your tail, why not try using your side fins instead?” Bryn expined, her side fins pushing her closer to Maribelle.

  Maribelle considered Bryn's advice. Maybe that could work? Well if Bryn suggested it then there must be some value in it. “Allright, I'll give that a try. Thank you Bryn.”

  Turning around, Maribelle sent herself rushing towards the kelp field once more. This time she would do better. She was determined to put Bryn's advice to good use.

  Again and again, Maribelle narrowly dodged the kelp clusters. Her side fins exerted themselves more than before, helping to guide her through the field. She felt the rush of adrenaline as she narrowly passed by a cluster, when previously she would have collided with it. It was working, she was making more progress then she had done before. Her smile dropped when she saw a wall of kelp before her. There was no time to turn back on herself. Instead she angled her body up, pushing herself to rise above the kelp field. Her tail gnced at the tip of the kelp as she rose higher and higher. Her momentum made her giddy with joy. It was such a rush to feel so unbound by gravity.

  Looking down her joy greatly increased as she saw clearly how far she had swam. It was much further than any other attempt she had made. Surely Bryn would be very impressed. She started to swim back to where she started, the tips of the kelp occasionally clipping her tail as she swam over them.

  As she got closer, it was impossible not to notice how ecstatic Bryn was. Both Maribelle and Bryn swam towards each other, and when they met, they embraced each other tightly. ughing merrily as they twirled through the sea together.

  “Well done, Maribelle. That was amazing,” Bryn said joyfully.

  “I know, something just clicked in me. It's all making sense,” Maribelle said, grinning with glee.

  They continued their embrace as their drifting slowed to a halt. Maribelle rested her chin on Bryn's shoulder. Something about the hug truly resonated within Maribelle. It felt rexing, soothing, and she could feel her soul being warmed by it. She wanted more; it was impossible to deny it.

  After a long and deeply satisfying embrace, Bryn began to pull away. Maribelle yearned for more, but decided against ruining the moment.

  “I think it's time we return home,” Bryn said, eyes sparkling. “How about I cook you something special to celebrate your amazing progress.”

  “That does sound quite nice, yes, I would like that very much,” Maribelle said, tail swishing enthusiastically.

  While they swam back to Coraltide, hand in hand, Maribelle and Bryn passed by the local coral reef. One of Maribelle’s favourite parts of training was passing the reef before and after training. They were so beautiful. Nothing on the surface could compare to the natural wonders that were the coral reefs. So many colours, and the structures were so cute.

  As she swam over the coral reef, Maribelle watched all the little fish swimming around. Bryn had told her many of the species names, but there were so many of them it was a struggle to remember. Her favourite fish were the purple ones as their colour reminded her of her tail.

  She gnced across the coral. “Oh,” she muttered in shock as what she once thought was just a piece of coral started to move. As it crawled across the reef, Maribelle tried to remember which species it was. Cuttlefish, that was it.

  “Are you okay?” Bryn asked, worry marking her face.

  “It's nothing, I was merely startled by a cuttlefish,” Maribelle replied, squeezed Bryn's hand softly.

  Bryn ughed softly. It was music to Maribelle's ears. “They are very good at hiding, I've been surprised by them more than once.”

  Maribelle ughed back, and then returned to taking in the sights. The coral reef was absolutely gorgeous, and she knew very few things on the surface could even come close in comparison. Shoals of fish scattered around her as she swam through them. The memory of this sight would never leave her, not even after decades or living on the surface. She realised that if her… meeting with Edward never happened, then she would never have had the chance to witness something so wondrous.

  Furthermore, if the events of that night never happened, then she would have never had the chance to experience life as a mermaid. It had been a great shock when she woke up and discovered her new tail. Now however, she felt like she had adjusted very well to being a mermaid. A twinge of regret hit her, it couldn't st. And of course, if Maribelle had not been so cruelly thrown into the sea, she would not have met Bryn. It was certainly a stroke of luck to have been saved by the mershark, even if she had used unusual methods. Still, she had to admit that it was better to be a mermaid then be dead. It would seem even the most cruel of events had a silver lining.

  Maribelle cast her mind back to the past week. A lot had happened, but Bryn had been so kind and patient in helping her adapt to life in Coraltide. Spending time with Bryn had made a difficult time much more bearable, enjoyable even. And if she was being honest with herself, Bryn was quite good looking. The way her red eyes sparked when she was happy, how dark grey lips curled when she smiled. Maribelle had never seen anyone with grey skin, but strangely, she couldn't imagine Bryn any other way. The warmth of her hands, the way her tail swished through the water, her soft voice. When it came to Bryn, Maribelle could easily find things she liked about her. Yes, she had been very fortunate to have met Bryn. It weighed on her heart knowing they would have to part, but as, they belonged to different worlds.

  Eventually they returned to the pce that for now she was calling home. Bryn's home was certainly a comfortable pce to stay, and even if she did have other options, she would have declined them. Her heart wavered for a moment when she thought about having to say goodbye to it.

  As she swam through the front door, she suddenly stopped when she heard two merfolk conversing. They were speaking in Merrow, the merfolk nguage. She recognised Joyce's voice but the other was unfamiliar. Bryn seemed calm so there must be nothing to worry about.

  She carefully swam to the door leading to the dining room, and gently opened it. Swimming into the room, she noticed Joyce sitting at the table, her tail wrapped around a stool. She was merrily chatting to a caecilia, a merfolk that was half octopus, with blond hair and deep red tentacles. Both of them were reading from a book. After all she had seen, Maribelle was hardly surprised to discover that the Merfolk had printing presses. They could have developed the technology well before humans did.

  Joyce, upon noticing Maribelle, shut her book and merrily waved to her. “Welcome back, Maribelle,” she said cheerfully.

  The caecilia gasped with shock. “So your Maribelle? Joyce has been telling me all about you,” she said, emerging from her chair and swimming up to Maribelle. Once she was close, the caecilia hugged Maribelle. “You are as lovely as Joyce says you are.”

  Maribelle blushed back. “Oh, thank you,” she muttered in surprise. She had been complimented by men before and she never cared for it. However, being complimented by another woman was a whole other experience. For some reason it made her heart beat a little faster.

  Bryn then entered the room and smiled upon seeing her guest. “Emily, it's so good to see you again. Reading a new book?” she asked, embracing the caecilia.

  “That's right,” Emily responded with a sly smile. “A Renewed Heart is going to be a sapphic cssic for the ages.”

  “True that,” Joyce chimed in before turning to Maribelle. “Do you read at all, Maribelle?”

  “A little, my sibling taught me how to read,” Maribelle expined.

  “Sibling?” Joyce asked, her eyebrow raised.

  “Yeah, Steph is their name. Technically they are my brother, but they've never been comfortable being called that so I just call them my sibling,” Maribelle responded

  “Oh,” whispered Joyce.

  “The priest noticed their piety and offered to teach them how to read the holy texts. After that they taught me how to read as well,” Maribelle said.

  “How kind of them. Perhaps we can teach you how to read Merrow, then you can join our little club, right Joyce?” Emily suggested. Joyce didn't reply, instead she stared off into the distance.

  “Joyce, are you okay?” Maribelle asked, reaching out a little.

  Joyce blinked a few times before remembering where she was. “Sorry about that, something just came to mind,” Joyce expined, hoping to ease any worries Maribelle had. “By the way, how did training go?”

  Bryn brightened up with such joy that she was blinding. “You should have seen her, Joyce. Maribelle did so well today. Soon she will be fully fit to leave the city.”

  “Oh, that's good,” Joyce said glumly.

  Emily looked sadly at her closed book. “Never mind,” she whispered.

  “I was going to cook something especially nice to celebrate. Since you're here Emily, would you like to join us?”

  Emily pondered the question for a second before answering, “of course, I am sure my wife will understand.”

  “Want me to help?” Joyce asked, trying to hide her frown. She then added something in Merrow.

  “Okay, you make a good point,” Bryn replied. Once Joyce and Bryn left, Maribelle took a seat at the table opposite Emily.

  “So it looks like you're settling in very well,” Emily stated as she put her book into her bag with her tentacles.

  “I suppose so but-” Maribelle said, hesitating. How could she put her feelings into words?

  “But, it's all so bloody weird. This time st month you were a human, and now you're a mermaid. It's quite a lot to take in,” Emily said, eyes filled with sympathy.

  “Yeah, exactly,” Maribelle agreed. “It really is a lot to process. One night I was almost murdered by some bastard just for saying ‘no’ to him, and then I wake up and realise I've transformed into something I thought was a myth,” Maribelle said, smming her hands onto the table as her heart welled with emotion.

  Emily reached out pcing her hands on Maribelle's. “I understand, it's a terrible thing to have happened to you. I've been through it myself as well,” she said softly.

  Maribelle's eyes widened as she realised what Emily meant. Suddenly she remembered Torya talking about how she met her wife. “Wait a moment, are you married to Torya?” she gasped. The chances of it being true were incredibly slim as the city had many cecaelia, but she was still driven to ask.

  Emily put a hand to her mouth as she ughed. “I see my beloved told you about me. Well she told me about you. She called you a ‘poor dy struggling to realise what she was’. I think she'll be impressed at how well you've adapted since then. But to answer your question, yes Maribelle, I am also a human who ended up becoming a merfolk.”

  Maribelle's mind was a flurry of activity. Before her was someone who had also walked on the nd, stood beneath the sun, and somehow ended up within the sea. So many questions were brought to the forefront, but one took priority over all overs.

  “Why did you stay?” she asked, getting straight to the point. She needed to know why someone would choose to stay a part of the sea.

  “That's a fine, reasonable question. Well to answer your question: I just preferred life down here, and I found someone I truly loved. Life down here is truly wondrous, and I can’t imagine myself ever returning to my old life,” Emily answered dreamily, smiling as she spoke.

  “But surely there are things on the surface you miss?” Maribelle said while gesturing upwards.

  Emily pondered the question for a moment. “Yes, perhaps there are some things I miss. Cats for example.” She deeply sighed. “I really do miss those adorable creatures.”

  “But what about your family?” Maribelle asked as her hands fidgeted.

  Emily sadly shook her head. “I don’t have any that matter,” was all she said on the matter.

  Maribelle leaned back and took a deep breath. “How did you end up here?” she asked softly, wary of the memories it may drag back up.

  Emily winced, probably at a painful memory. She gripped the table tightly, holding on for dear life.

  After a few deep breaths she calmed down enough to answer. “Normally I would refuse to talk about this with anyone. However, I know what you've been through. I want you to know you're not alone. Once upon a time, I was on a voyage like you with my husband.”

  “You were married to a man?” Maribelle asked, unable to hide her confusion.

  Emily ughed sadly. “Yes I was. Unfortunately, I did not have the freedom to choose who I married, and I had not truly realised I yearned for a woman's love. He does not matter, not anymore.”

  “Was he the one to, well, you know.” Maribelle swallowed the lump in her throat. “Throw you overboard.”

  “Yes, he was.” A tear floated away from Emily's eye. “Neither of us will forget the awful sensation of plummeting into the sea. You see, during our voyage, my husband decided he had enough of me and started flirting with another woman that we were travelling with. It wasn't her fault, she knew nothing, and was forced into the same struggle we are all forced into. I listened to him repeat the exact same words he once said to me. He promised to love me always, keep me happy and safe.” Her fierce gre betrayed her anger. “All of it was lies. Of course, I confronted him about it, I also warned the woman about what sort of man she had been talking to. He was very apologetic about his failings and promised to make it up to me.

  “That's when it happened wasn't it?” Maribelle asked, dreading the answer.

  Emily nodded grimly. “He asked me to come up to the deck at night. I thought he intended to use the stars to aid in his apology.” She paused for a moment. “I suppose I also miss the stars, maybe I'll ask Torya if she wants to go stargazing one night.” She shook her head, and sighed. “I'm sorry I got distracted. Anyway when I met him on the deck, I demanded an apology. Instead of taking responsibility, he decided it was easier to get rid of me. That bastard he-” her voice wavered as her words became lodged in her throat.

  “I am so sorry. That should never have happened to you,” Maribelle shouted, anger creeping into her voice.

  Emily nodded. “The memory of drowning still haunts me. The pain, the desperation, slowly running out of air. But in the end I didn't die. Instead I woke up in an unfamiliar pce.”

  “With an unfamiliar body,” Maribelle added quietly as she stroked her tail with her hand.

  “Yes I did.” Emily ughed softly. “I must confess it took me quite a while to realise I had changed so drastically. I could feel my new limbs moving around, but couldn't make any sense of it. And yes, before you ask I did scream when I saw my alterations.”

  Maribelle stifled her ugh with a hand. “It's such a shock to realise you have changed so much.”

  “It really is, but if you get used to it and realise that actually, it's not so bad at all.”

  “Was it Bryn who transformed you?” Maribelle asked, not wanting to sound rude.

  “Yes it was her, and she also showed me around Coraltide. Well until I met Torya, at least. When we met for the first time we talked for hours and hours. Something just clicked with us. Eventually she offered to let me stay at her home, and she helped me acclimatise to my new body,” Emily said, her features brightening up.

  “Did you originally pn on returning to the surface?” Maribelle asked, needing to know how simir their experiences were.

  “Of course, I initially thought that I had to eventually leave and return back to my normal life. However, I ended up having such a lovely time with Torya I just ended up deying my departure. And after a few months of living with Torya, we realised that we held a lot of affection for each other and started dating. Once that started I realised that I didn't want to return.” Emily gestured to everything around her. “Why would I? Coraltide is wonderful, I love my wife and she loves me, and to be honest I prefer being a cecaelia,” Emily said with great passion, truly meaning every word she said.

  Maribelle blinked in surprise. A part of her was shocked that someone could discard her old life so easily. And yet another part resonated with what Emily said. Unfortunately for her, she could not discard her old life as easily.

  “I'm happy for you,” Maribelle said, trying to sound as cheerful as possible while her mind was in conflict with itself.

  “Thank you. I know what happened to us was horrible, and not everyone else was as fortunate as us because we were given a special chance to truly find ourselves,” Emily said as she ran a hand through her long hair.

  Maribelle struggled to find a response to Emily's words.

  “I don't care to find out what happened to my ex husband. But, a part of me would love to rub it in his face that not only did I survive his attempted murder, I also found someone who truly loved me.” Emily said as she leaned closer with a sultry smile on her lips. “And maybe I'll let him in on a few secrets. The things Torya taught me, it's fascinating what my tentacles can do to a woman. For example-”

  “I'm sorry I really do not need details,” Maribelle blurted out as her face turned a deep shade of red.

  Emily blushed with embarrassment as she leaned back into her seat. “I'm sorry, I got a little carried away.”

  “I really am happy for you, but that's something I really don't want to know about.”

  Silence hung around the room. Emily was too embarrassed to speak, and Maribelle had a lot on her mind. Speaking to someone who had very simir experiences to her own definitely helped in processing the st week. She better understood some of her feelings, and felt just a little more comfortable. Even if it did make other matters more complicated.

  “Thank you, Emily, for sharing your story,” Maribelle said quietly. “It means a lot to me, speaking to someone else who went through the same ordeal as myself.

  Emily looked at her with a confused look.

  “Is something wrong?” Maribelle asked.

  Emily was about to respond when Joyce entered the dining room. “Sorry to interrupt your talk, but Bryn has almost finished dinner. You'll love it,” she announced cheerfully.

  Emily spoke to Joyce in Merrow. Maribelle did not understand what was being said but judging from Emily's face, it was like she was questioning Joyce. Eventually Joyce sadly shook her head and swam back.

  “Is everything okay?” Maribelle asked.

  Emily blinked a few times before turning back to Maribelle. “Oh yes, everything is fine. We were just pnning what book to read next. You're welcome to join us.”

  “Thank you again, but I must decline. I cant stay forever,” Maribelle said, eyes cast down at the table.

  Emily's smile dropped at Maribelle's words. The dining room became quiet again, both merfolk having little more to say to each other.

  Thankfully for both of them, Bryn and Joyce swam into the room carrying bowls with food in them.

  “Hello, Maribelle,” Bryn said, passing a bowl to Maribelle. “This is lobster, cooked with herbs and spices. Don't worry, it's not too hot.

  Maribelle smiled back and looked at her meal. The lobster looked delicious. Back at Elgarpool she had seen lobsters being sold for far more than she could ever afford. And yet Bryn had served her some for free. She had been eating well since she woke up in Coraltide.

  She pnted a fork into a chunk of lobster and brought it to her mouth, biting into it. Oh goodness, the lobster was as delicious as it looked. It was going to be difficult adjusting to surface food again.

  As Maribelle sat, surrounded by friends, eating a wonderful meal, she knew in her heart that she was going to miss all of it. It was a shame she had to return to the surface, but her family needed her.

  She was doing the right thing, wasn't she?