Today was going to be the st full day Maribelle would spend in Coraltide as tomorrow she and Bryn would be setting out on a journey to return to the surface. She expined to Bryn that the King's Call was likely to have been heading towards a colony called Port Glorious, a most humble name. Most of the day had been spent preparing for the trip. She felt ready for it, her swimming technique having greatly improved. Soon she would be back with her family. So, why did it not feel like she was going home?

  Well maybe it was because she had not arrived there yet? Port Glorious was going to be her new home before the incident with Edward happened. Perhaps the pce would feel like home after a week of living there. She couldn't help but wonder what the port would be like, and how would it compare to Coraltide? She had doubts as to whether Port Glorious would come close to being as wondrous as Coraltide was.

  There was also the matter of how she would blend back in with the humans living there. She had gotten used to swimming with her tail so much that she worried it would be too difficult to relearn how to walk again. It would make for a very awkward situation if others watched her stumble around on her legs. Last thing she needed was for humans to doubt she was one of them.

  Maribelle stopped packing and shook her head. It was going to be fine, she had to do this. Her parents needed her, she had to make sure Steph was okay. Her small desire to stay was outweighed by her need to return. She had bigger problems to think about. Such as how she was going to expin her survival.

  The currents around Maribelle shifted as another merfolk swam into the room. “Oh, hello Joyce,” Maribelle said as she recognised the merfolk.

  “It's your st day isn't it?” Joyce asked, looking gloomier than usual.

  Maribelle sighed. “Yes it is. I think I'll miss this pce.”

  Joyce whispered something in Merrow and then said, “I thought it would be nice for you to do something especially nice before you go,” handing over a shell to Maribelle.

  Looking over the shell, Maribelle noticed writing on it, but since it was in Merrow she didn't understand what Joyce had given her. She stared at the mereel with questioning eyes.

  “It's a ticket to a py called ‘Love Within Tides’, and I got another for Bryn so you could spend a lovely night together,” Joyce expined.

  “It will be in Merrow won't it?” Maribelle asked as she raised a sceptical eyebrow

  “True, but don’t you worry. It's one of Bryn's favourites, and she will be more than happy to expin what's going on. Surely you'd want your st night here to be one to remember?” Joyce answered with growing enthusiasm.

  Maribelle stared at the shell in her hand. It was a very tempting prospect to witness merfolk theatre before she left. She would also provide a much needed distraction from the anxiety she was feeling about leaving Coraltide.

  “Thank you Joyce, this is a wonderful gift,” Maribelle said warmly, smiling with excitement.

  Joyce cpped her hands together. “Excellent, I'm certain you'll love it. I’ve already given Bryn her ticket.” She leaned in closer and quietened her voice. “If you could, please visit my room in a couple of hours.”

  “Why?”

  Joyce gave Maribelle a sly grin and a wink. “It's a secret,”

  Maribelle sighed, “it's always a secret with you.” She knew it was unlikely she would pry the secret away from Joyce.

  In response Joyce ughed mischievously. “You know me well. But please trust me, you will love this. See you soon Maribelle.” And with that Joyce turned and swam swiftly away, leaving Maribelle alone.

  What did Joyce have pnned? That question was going to sit around in her mind for a long while. All she could do for now was hope that Joyce had only good intentions, and that she was not falling into some dastardly scheme.

  ******

  At the appointed time, Maribelle knocked on the door to Joyce's room. She was still thinking about what the mereel was pnning. “Joyce? Are you in there?

  “Come on in, Maribelle,” Joyce called out excitedly.

  Maribelle pushed open the door and gasped at what she saw when she swam in. Joyce's room was cute. Pink walls, plenty of lighting, and plenty of decorations. On one of the shelves were a number of dolls made from cloth and sea shells and on another were a hoard of books. It was hard not to notice the wardrobe filled with a rge variety of outfits. Her eyes were drawn to a table that had a sheet dropped over it. On the table was also a rge box.

  “I knew you'd come Maribelle, I promise you won't be disappointed at all,” Joyce said with glee, gently nudging Maribelle towards the table.

  “I trust you Joyce, you made that promise before and kept it,” Maribelle replied. Her mind was afme trying to figure out what Joyce was going to do.

  “Indeed I did, but this time will be much bigger.” Joyce said, barely able to hide her excitement as she passed the box over to Maribelle. “Go on, you'll love it.”

  Carefully, Maribelle opened the box. She gasped. Inside was a dress, it looked beautiful. She pulled it out to get a better look. The dress shone with an emerald sheen, it cked sleeves and ended just before where her knees should have been..

  Maribelle turned to see Joyce's grin. “Joyce, this is beautiful. How much did it cost you?” She asked, worried about Joyce spending too much money.

  Joyce waved her hand dismissively. “Don't worry about it. There's more to this, you know.”

  Before Maribelle could inquire to what Joyce meant, the mereel dramatically threw the cloth aside revealing a beautifully crafted dressing table. Pearls sat around the mirror that had been polished to a crystal clear sheen.

  “So here's the pn Maribelle: first you get into that lovely dress, then I'll do your hair up really nice, then I'll do your makeup, and after that you will be perfect for tonight,” Joyce expined as she gestured to the table.

  “B-but why?” Maribelle asked, taken back by Joyce's generosity.

  “I did say it was to make your st night as memorable as possible. But also consider this: imagine Bryn, and how amazed she will be when she sees you at your most beautiful. Tell me, are you up for it?” Joyce asked, eyes sparkling with excitement.

  Maribelle could see all to clearly Bryn's smile upon seeing her. Her heart thrummed with excitement, her cheeks burned a little red at the thought. “All right, let's do it,” Maribelle answered. Joyce giggled with glee in response.

  Joyce gave Maribelle some space while she got changed into her new outfit. The material felt so soft and silky. And when she looked into the mirror, she saw how well it complimented her figure. If she looked good now, how much better would she look after Joyce was finished with her?

  When Joyce returned, she beamed with joy. “I knew that dress would suit you perfectly, the colour matches your tail perfectly,” she said as she covered up the mirror.

  “Why did you do that?” Maribelle asked.

  “So you can see yourself only after everything is complete. Isn't the mystery more exciting?” Joyce answered. “Now if you take a seat here, we will begin.”

  Taking the seat, Maribelle looked at the cloth covering the mirror. How bothersome, only after everything was complete could she see the final results. She was going to have to trust Joyce on this. Well, she had done so before, and it had worked out well.

  Joyce swam up behind Maribelle and said, “Oh this will be so much fun. Okay, first things first, I'm going to sort that hair out and make it so stylish.”

  As Joyce started her work, she pulled out many brushes and pins from her dressing table. She didn't talk, instead humming a number of unfamiliar tunes. One of them however, Maribelle recognised from her voyage.

  Maribelle rexed as Joyce continued to brush her hair. She also felt it being tied up in some way. Probably some merfolk fashion. Still she couldn't help but be fascinated by what it was going to look like in the end.

  Eventually Joyce returned her tools, but no long pins, to her dressing table. “You are going to love what I have done with your hair. Though If I may please request that you don't py with it tonight as I put so much effort into it.” Joyce ughed merrily as she gently ran a finger over Maribelle's hair.

  “Next up is the make up. I think we should start with your eyes.” Joyce spun Maribelle around so that they were facing each other.

  Joyce pulled up a small bck rod with tiny spines in it. “I'm going to need you to stay absolutely still, Maribelle. This is mascara and I'm going to apply it to your eyeshes. This will really bring out your beautiful eyes. Are you okay with this?”

  Maribelle gently nodded and waited for Joyce to begin. Joyce's face became a mask of focus as she gently brushed the mascara stick across Maribelle's eyeshes. After a few strokes over one eye, Joyce began working on the next. Maribelle had such faith in Joyce that she felt entirely calm during the process. When she was finished, Joyce returned the mascara stick to its case.

  “Wonderful, you’re doing great, Maribelle,” Joyce chippred, beaming as she brought force a brush. “Now I'm just going to add a little colour to your cheeks. It will make you look much prettier. Shall I proceed?”

  “Go ahead,” Maribelle said.

  With permission granted, Joyce began gently putting the brush to Maribelle's cheeks. Maribelle barely felt anything during the whole process, though maybe it did tickle a little sometimes.

  “There we go, and I must say that you're looking lovelier by the moment,” Joyce said with a warm smile. “Next up is the lipstick.” She held up a strange tube with something that was deeply red.

  “Wait, what is that?” Maribelle asked while staring at the deep red stick on her face.

  “Oh this?” Joyce held up the lipstick. “It's just a little something that adds a lot of colour to your lips. Would you like some?”

  Well she had already agreed to a lot, so what harm could a little bit more. “Yeah, let's give it a try then,” she replied.

  Joyce leaned in as she applied the lipstick to Maribelle's lips. She had to admit that the sensation was strange. She could feel the lipstick clinging to her.

  “Almost done Maribelle, oh you are going to love it when we're done,” Joyce said, clearly having the time of her life.

  “What's next?” Maribelle asked, curious as to what else there was to the whole process.

  “Let's see, how about we do your nails next?” Joyce suggested as she browsed through a selection of small jars. She gasped with delight as she found whatever she was looking for. “Aha! This is just the colour you need.” Her tail slithered through the water as she approached Maribelle.

  “So this is nail polish, and just like lipstick, it'll give your nails some real nice colour. I think it is safe to say that I found the perfect colour for you,” Joyce excimed, presenting the nail polish with exaggerated fir.

  “Which is?” Maribelle queried.

  “Purple of course.” Joyce ughed out loud. “As I always say: the nails should match the scales. Could you please hold your hand out.”

  Maribelle presented her hand, Joyce took into her own and began applying the nail polish to her nails. Joyce was incredibly delicate with her work, and not a bit of the polish ended up on her fingers.

  “Are you excited for tonight?” Joyce asked, her hands steady as she applied the nail polish.

  Maribelle paused. “I think so. This is all new to me so I don't know what to expect,” she expined, remembering to stay still while Joyce worked.

  “I suppose everything has been new for you tely,” Joyce said with a grin. “But that does not make it a bad thing. I think it's healthy to be brave and explore.”

  Soon her first hand was done, and while Joyce got to work on the other, Maribelle investigated her nails. Yes, purple really was the best colour for her. Nails matching the scales indeed.

  “Alright, your nails are finally done. Thank you for your patience because we are nearly done, Maribelle,” Joyce said as she started to look through some small boxes. Occasionally she would hold something in her hand and look at Maribelle. Usually she would shake her head and return the item, but sometimes she'd smile and keep a hold of it.

  “All you need now is a bit of gold to compliment everything,” Joyce expined as she swam behind Maribelle and started putting something around her neck.

  Maribelle felt a shiver as she felt Joyce's soft fingers touch her neck. This was unlike Edwards cruel grass, this was delicate, gentle and respectful.

  When the neckce was on, Joyce then csped some gold bracelets on her forearms. They were very pretty, she could see the detail in the fish scales, and the small gems that served as their eyes.

  “And finally at long st, we are finished,” Joyce announced with pride. “Prepare yourself, Maribelle. You may get a little shock.

  Maribelle faced the covered up mirror with Joyce holding on to the cloth. Joyce was clearly unable to contain her excitement. Maribelle nodded to Joyce, confirming she was ready. Which a great flourish, Joyce flung the cloth away, revealing Maribelle's reflection.

  Maribelle stared in mute shock at what she saw. It was her, but she had never seen herself so beautiful. Her darkened eyeshes really brought out her eyes, and her lips were such a deep red. Her hair was tied up into an elegant bun behind her head, the pins holding it all together. A gold chain sat close to her chest, just above where her dress revealed a little cleavage. She put a hand over her mouth, purple nails drawing her attention. She really did look gorgeous.

  Tears floating away from her, Maribelle turned to Joyce, who was smiling with so much joy.

  “Your welcome, Maribelle,” Joyce teased gently.

  “But why?” Maribelle asked in hushed tones. She turned back to her reflection and was mesmerised by what she saw.

  “Because firstly, you're a good friend, Maribelle. Secondly, I'll admit I do enjoy helping someone bring out their beauty. And stly, I want to see Bryn's reaction when she sees you,” Joyce expined, putting her hands on Maribelle's shoulders.

  “Thank you Joyce. I really mean it,” Maribelle whispered.

  “Well I've already told you that you're welcome,” Joyce ughed. “Anyway, we have some time before you need to go. How about I expin a few things so you know what to expect?”

  Maribelle sat at the dinner table, eagerly awaiting Bryn. Joyce waited alongside her, and together they shared some sushi together. It was hard to find conversation when all her thoughts were focused on Bryn. How would she dress? Or what hairstyle would she have? Would she be using make up as well?

  Those thoughts were interrupted when someone entered the room. Maribelle looked up to see who it was.

  Both Maribelle and Bryn stared at each other. Both were shocked at what they saw.

  “Maribelle… you look-” Bryn tried to say as she failed to form the words.

  “Absolutely gorgeous?” Joyce finished with the widest grin ever. She was enjoying this, but thankfully for her, Maribelle was far too distracted to notice.

  Maribelle left her seat and drifted closer to Bryn. “You look- you look beautiful,” she said with reverent tones.

  It was true, Bryn was one of the most attractive people she had had the good fortune to have met. Her bck hair was tied up in a cute bun simir to Maribelle's. She had applied some scarlet eyeliner to her eyes which made her red eyes stand out even more. Her lips were coated in bck lipstick that matched her grey skin so well. Bryn wore a wonderful deep blue sleeveless dress that clung to her figure. Maribelle's heart skipped a little when she noticed the bit of Bryn's dark grey cleavage that was visible. Bryn also wore a pin gold neckce and a number of rings on her elegant hands. It was easy to imagine that Bryn had been directly blessed by some unknown goddess of beauty of the deep sea.

  Oh Bryn was truly beautiful in every meaning of the word.

  “I think you two should get going now,” Joyce said encouragingly as she nudged Bryn and Maribelle towards the door. “You'll be te if you keep staring at each other.”

  “Right, of course,” Bryn muttered, her cheeks turning a darker shade of grey while Maribelle was too embarrassed to respond.

  Joyce finished guiding the two very distracted merfolk out of the house and said, “now swim carefully, I don't want my hard work drifting away, you hear. Oh, and have a lovely evening.” And then promptly shut and locked the door behind them.

  *****

  Maribelle took her seat at the theatre, and gazed around. She was astounded at how much decoration there was. The design of the theatre was an art form. Lamps held in stone merfolks hand bathed the room in light, highlighting the aquatic life carved into the walls. The seating was split into sections that were rge enough for any merfolk to comfortably rest in.

  Maribelle and Bryn had a private box to themself nestled high above the stage. Apparently these were very exclusive seats, and Maribelle couldn't help but wonder how Joyce had gotten the tickets.

  In the box to her left, a mereel and a hippocampus sat together, their tails intertwined. The hippocampus whispered something to the mereel, and then she kissed her right on the lips. Maribelle's cheeks turned bright red as she turned away from such a dispy of affection. Why did seeing a woman kiss another woman make her heart flutter so much?

  “Are you okay?” Bryn asked.

  Maribelle should her head. “It's fine, just a little nervous about the py.”

  “Don't worry. I've seen this py before so I can tell you what's going on. I promise you won’t get lost,” Bryn said, taking Maribelle's hand in her own.

  The lights in the room dimmed, and the chattering quietened to a hush. Love Within Tides was about to start.

  Maribelle watched with keen interest as the lighting became focused on the stage and the curtains began to rise. She witnessed all sorts of merfolk swim onto a stage den with props. She couldn't understand what was being said but she was amazed at how gracefully they swam. Bryn whispered gently into her ear, expining in great detail what was happening.

  Apparently the sea mia was an aspiring sea witch who's heart yearned for a love most pure, and yet she despaired for she had not found it. She worried that the love she craved would always elude her.

  The merfolk swift swam off the stage with new ones taking her pce. Apparently they were humans from the surface who were rich and famous traders. They were currently transporting the artwork of one of the greatest painters of the age to a very wealthy client. However, the attention was on the youngest daughter, pyed by a mermaid, who cared little for money and prestige.

  As the voyage continued, the ship suffered damage during a vicious storm and needed to stop for repairs. While everyone took shelter on a quiet isnd, the merchant daughter would wander the shores, which was where she met the aspiring sea witch.

  Maribelle watched with awe as the sea mia and the mermaid danced around each other as their retionship blossomed into an adoring romance. The meaning of their words escaped her, but the passion of the merfolk while they spoke was unmistakable. Their performance bordered on being mistaken for genuine reality.

  Maribelle gnced away from the stage to look at Bryn. Even in reduced light, her beauty still stood out. Bryn noticed Maribelle looking at her and smiled back. Realising that she was getting distracted, Maribelle turned her gaze back onto the stage.

  Eventually the curtains fell upon the stage as the intermission started. How infuriating. Maribelle had been so engrossed in the py that she had forgotten there would be a break in the middle of it. And to make matters worse, they chose such a dramatic moment for it to happen. Just when the aspiring sea witch and the merchant's daughter were considering how they truly felt for each other, the merchant's daughter was told that the ship's repairs were proceeding faster than expected. What was she going to do now that she knew her time with the sea witch was limited? Maribelle needed to know.

  Maribelle felt her hand being squeezed. She turned to Bryn who was smiling warmly at her.

  “How are you finding the py?” Bryn asked.

  “It's thrilling, exciting. This is amazing Bryn, I've never seen anything like this,” Maribelle said with great enthusiasm. “Thank you for expining what was happening. I'd be so lost without you.”

  Bryn ughed softly. “You're welcome. You reminded me of when I saw my first py. I reacted in a very simir way.”

  “I have to know, does this py have a happy ending? Are they going to be okay?” Maribelle asked with growing concern. She gnced back to the stage. Something about the story has truly captured her emotions.

  Bryn put a finger to her dark, full lips. “I can't say that. I'd be spoiling the end,” she expined.

  Maribelle sighed. Of course, knowing how the story will end would ruin the tension

  “Would you like anything to eat? If you're hungry now's the time you get something,” Bryn asked.

  Maribelle shook her head. She was too intensely focused on the py to care about food.

  In response Bryn hesitantly reached out a hand, but pulled it back. Maribelle was confused about what had happened, but came to no conclusions. Instead she returned her attention to the stage, eagerly awaiting the second half to begin.

  The moment the lights dimmed again, Maribelle gushed with excitement, her tail swishing through the water.

  The first scene once the py resumed was the merchant's daughter menting her predicament. She had found someone she could share her heart with, but as, her family would soon be leaving. With no solution in sight, she resigned herself to being forced to say farewell with the merfolk she had fallen in love with.

  Maribelle found herself sympathising with the daughters' plight. To be forced to leave someone she loved, never to see them again. But what choice did she have? The human and the merfolk lived in different worlds.

  Next Bryn expined how the daughter and the aspiring sea witch tried to find a solution to their problem. But nothing they could find would resolve the situation, at least resolve it cleanly

  Tragically in the end they realised there was nothing they could do. Tears welled from Maribelle's eyes. It was too cruel to force these two merfolk who adored each other to leave each other. It just wasn't fair. Why couldn't they just be together?

  That night the aspiring sea witch poured her heart out to her mentor, a wise cecaelia. Despite the mentor's wise words, nothing could soothe the sea witch's heart. Maribelle's heart sank as much as the sea witch’s did.

  Maribelle struggled to stay calm, the emotions that the py had wrought were starting to overwhelm her. It was the st night before the ship set sail. The merchant's daughter spoke to the sea. She told the waters pping the ship her deepest, most sincere wish. A voice spoke to her, telling her of a sacred ritual that would make her dream true. All she had to do was trust that the sea would keep her safe.

  The day the ship set sail, Maribelle held her breath. The py had mesmerised her, immersed her in a world that was not her own. Tears floated away as the aspiring sea witch could only watch as the woman she truly loved left.

  As the sea witch cried, suddenly the daughter returned to the stage. Maribelle recoiled in shock as she realised that she must have chosen to jump into the sea rather than leave the merfolk she loved. Thinking quickly, the sea witch carried the merchant's daughter away to the safest pce she knew: her mentor's home.

  Once there, the sea witch's mentor greeted them both as if she had already foreseen their arrival. She then proceeded to offer the merchant's daughter a choice. If she desired, there was a ritual that would make her one of the merfolk. No longer would the merchant's daughter fear being apart from her love for the sea would become her home. Maribelle felt a chill in her heart. She was familiar with this ritual for she had been changed by it.

  Maribelle watched in mute shock as the merchant's daughter accepted the offer without hesitation. Her wealth, her family, the life she knew. She threw it all away to be with the sea witch. Something deep within her heart stirred.

  The py ended with the newly transformed mermaid and the sea witch embracing each other for a deep kiss. Maribelle's silence ended with a gasp. This was not acting. This was genuine, true and pure love.

  As the curtains began to defend, the whole cast appeared on the stage and almost the entire audience erupted into a thunderous roar. Meanwhile, Maribelle stared silently as she returned to reality. The py had resonated deeply with her. Did Joyce choose this py for a reason? Was there an ulterior motivation to Joyce's actions?

  She turned to Bryn, who was crying her eyes out. “I'm sorry,” she whispered. “It's just such a beautiful ending.”

  It was. Both the merfolk had their happily ever after and no one could take it away from them. Maribelle knew it was just a story, one that may have been fabricated for the stage. And yet it also felt real. The py had drawn her into its world, entranced her with its narrative and came close to breaking her heart.

  As the cheers died down Bryn asked, “did you enjoy yourself?”

  Of course she did. How could anyone witness something like this and be unmoved by it? “Yes I did. Thank you for coming with me.”

  Bryn smiled softly. “It's always nice to share the experience with someone. Come on, we should go before the crowds try to get out.”

  *****

  Maribelle floated in front of the mirror inside her room, carefully wiping the makeup off her face. The jewellery and dress had been returned to Joyce, who had been very eager to hear how the evening had gone. Now Maribelle wore a simple nightgown as she prepared herself for some much needed rest. Wiping away the st remains of the makeup, and removing the pins that kept her hair together. Maribelle was astounded at how much of a difference Joyce's work had made as she watched her hair floated around her.

  Lazily drifting to her bed, Maribelle tucked herself into her bed. The memory of her waking up to discover that she had transformed into a mermaid was still vivid. At least it was her st night here. Tomorrow she will be returning home.

  She was going to leave Coraltide, Joyce and Bryn behind.

  A tear floated away and then another, quickly followed by a stream of tears. Maribelle didn't understand it. She should be happy it was going to be over soon. In just a few days time, she would be a human again, and be reunited with her family. So why was she crying? Maribelle rolled over, sobbing into her pillow to avoid alerting Bryn or Joyce. If they found out about this then yes, they would comfort her as they always did. However they would also ask difficult questions, ones she really did not want to answer.

  Maybe it was sad that she was going to have to say goodbye to this wonderful city, and the kind friends she had made. But it was something she had to do. Her parents needed her. She couldn't just forget about them when they needed her to support them. They needed to know she was still alive. Yes, she was doing the right thing.

  So why did it hurt so much?