Merman Boyfriend: Ty 2 (rough draft)

I had seen ships many times in my life, but never had I been aboard one. It felt strange to be on the water and yet so far away from it still. Haytham had prepared enough medicine for my colony to cure them, as well as have extra should it still linger afterwards. Daddy also had supplies ready, in case there was a need for food or anything since the outbreak started.

“We have other merfolk within the carnival, but we don’t want to risk them getting ill, so Authaire and I will join you.” Haytham says.

“I’m not sure how my people will take to landwalkers amongst them. Most are quite afraid of them. Who knows what the disease has done to their way of thinking either.” My wife, Seira, had a strong distaste for landwalkers. Ever since her sister had run away with one and never returned, she had formed a very harsh opinion.

I wanted to get back home so badly. I had no idea what had happened since I had been away. Time was a blur, I couldn’t quite put my days together. I know, though, I had left in a hurry. I wanted to get gone and back as fast as possible so my family didn’t have to suffer any more. What if I failed them? What if there was nothing left to go home to? I would be lost forever, there would be no reason to go back. I wouldn’t ever want to be in the ocean again.

“Will you miss your legs?”

Echo’s voice brings me out of my dark thoughts. She looks at me from her seat, wearing her bright orange life vest which looks too big for her skinny frame. I smile at her and shake my head. 

“I don’t quite know how you get around on them.” I stretch my legs out. More scales had grown since last I looked, the spell was wearing off. “They make no sense. Especially the feet. How is someone supposed to balance on those?”

Echo leans forward slightly. “What’s it like to have a tail?”

“Well,” I sigh. “When I compare between the two, knowing now what legs are like, I would have to say it’s much better.” I wink at her. “To me, the tail feels weightless, it’s just a natural continuation of me. I’m not in separate pieces, it’s a unified whole working together.”

Echo tilts her head to the side. “Do you get tired?”

“Of course, everyone does. But that’s why I have a large nest for me and my family. It’s where we go to rest and be safe.”

Echo’s smile grows a bit. “Could I see it?”

“I’m afraid not,” Daddy says. “Where we’re going isn’t very safe for you. We have to swim very far down, and I don’t want you getting hurt.”

Echo begins to pout. I recognize that same look from my daughter. “It’s okay. I get it.” She says that, but it still bothers her all the same.

“Maybe one day,” I say to placate. “Who knows what the future holds?”

Echo’s expression is a mix of happy and sad. She nods at me then gets up to look over the railing as the ship takes off.

My legs were beginning to ache, the further out at sea we got, the more they cramped and made me limp when I had to walk. I suppose it was the spell wearing off, but it could have also been my need for the sea as well. 

I was starting to recognize the sky, as the stars came out, I could remember them from my view back home. They filled the sky as it grew blacker, and the moon was full and bright. 

“I think we’re close,” I say to Daddy. “Let’s stop here.”

Authaire stops the boat while Haytham drops anchor. The world is quiet here, nothing but the sound of the waters lapping up onto the boat. Ruby is sitting with Echo, gently stroking her hair while Echo lays sleepily in her arms. Something seems the matter.

“Is she alright?” I ask.

“Echo gets a little sick during full moons,” Ruby says. “She still hasn’t shifted yet, so the full moon affects her.”

I furrow my brow. “Shifted?”

Ruby nods, gently brushing Echo’s hair away from her face. “Echo is a werewolf. She’s a fish out of water too.”

There is a heavy splash from the water and a stone is tossed up on board. Another stone crashed through a window and I hear a scream in the water. I run to the rails with Haytham and Daddy close behind.

“Get Echo inside!” Daddy gently says back to Ruby.

I see something yellow in the waters. A moment later, it's like a bolt of lightning. It flashes up above the water and I’m struck across the head by a rather sharp shell. 

“Get out of here!” It screams. “Leave now! Get out!”

I look through the pain in my temple and I see my wife. Seira is brandishing another large stone and the look in her eyes is terrifying. She looks so angry, so hateful. But I am so happy to see her, so relieved. I want to jump off the edge of the boat, but Haytham holds me back.

“Monsters!” Seira screams. “Animals!” She throws the rock and it very nearly hits me again.

“Seira, it’s me!” I call out to her. “It’s Tybrus! I’ve brought help! Please tell me, is Nixie okay? Have you had the baby?”

Daddy and Haytham throw me down on the deck as she starts churling more shells and stones our way. 

“You know her?” Haytham asks.

“That’s my wife!” I exclaim. “I need to go speak with her, if she could just see me-” I try to rise but Haytham holds me down.

He gives me a harsh glare to end my struggling. “The spell has two more hours left on it. You can’t go out there, you don’t know how to swim with your legs. And if she has no memory of you, she could drown you without a second thought.”

“But she needs me!” I say, near tears. “Let me go! I have to try!” I break free from his grip and leap from the boat. I hit the water, then the boat as Seira slams up against me. I barely manage to catch my breath before she hits me again.

I scramble to the surface, seeing her far from me. “Seira! It’s me! You have to remember me, please!”

“Evil landwalkers!” Seira screams. “I hope you die!”

I had loved Seira at first sight. She had been this angry, bitter, rough and tumble sort. She lashes out at the world, especially me, since I represented the world she was trying to fight back against. Her sister had run away with a landwalker, so she felt she had something to prove, something she needed to fight. She built up a small gang that did an alright job of that, so much so I had to go and talk to her. 

She was vicious to me, but kind to her gang, which was more family to her than anything. I realized most were young, injured and outcasts of other colonies. I agreed to give them a place to live and find them jobs if they were willing and wanting the protection of a colony. Seira was uncertain, so she followed me around to make sure I wasn’t just feeding them a bunch of false promises.

I’m not sure when it was I earned her trust, because it seemed like one day, she wasn’t following me, but beside me. The first time she kissed me I could have knocked the moon from the sky. And when she presented a pearl to me, asking me to be her mate, I had never been so happy. To me, Seira had always been, and will always be, the most beautiful jewel in the sea. Even now when she’s hurling stones and shells at me.

I remember the night when she gave me the pearl, how beautiful and confident she was. The pearl fit into her palm, she must have been searching for such a thing for hours, maybe even days or weeks. She was so proud, so sure, I couldn’t say no.

“You didn’t need to give me a pearl. In fact, I was certain you would tell me we were mates rather than ask.” I took hold of her wrist and pulled her close.

“Of course I was going to ask!” She scoffed. “I may be mean but I am not barbaric.” She looked at me with those beautiful black eyes. “So what are you going to say? Tell me already so I can go about my night.”

I kissed her, pulling her into my chest. She pressed the pearl against me, melting into the kiss so her whole body relaxed.

“Of course I say yes. It was always going to be yes.” I slip my hands around her waist. “You’re my pearl. That’s all I needed.”

“Goof,” she chided me before taking another kiss. “Take me to your nest. I can’t wait a moment longer.”

“I’m surprised you have,” I teased.

“I wanted to make sure.” Her long arms looped around my neck. “I had to be. I didn’t want to mistake it.” Her expression then was so unlike her. It was soft and vulnerable, and oh so precious. “I needed to know I loved you.”

“Do you?” I whispered.

“More than anything, Ty.” Her hand slipped up the back of my neck. “Do you love me?”

I pressed my forehead to hers. “More than anything. I have from the moment I laid eyes on you.”

The kiss she gave me next took my breath away. The water stilled and I could barely control my natural urges. We rushed to my nest where we spent the night tangled up in one another. We made Nixie that very night, and from that moment on, Seira and I were never apart. I still loved her more than anything, and I would die for her and my family. Even if that meant I drowned here and now in the waters of my home.

The day Nixie was born, I had been out taking care of some of the elderly in the colony. I heard word that Seira had gone into labor and I rushed as fast as I could home to the nest. Only thing was that Seira wasn’t there. It turns out, Seira had gone into labor while out hunting. I had told her to let someone else do it, or at least let me when I was done for the day, but she was so stubborn, she couldn’t bear it.

I found her in a cave, holding baby Nixie in her arms. Nixie was so tiny, we were both terrified we could lose her. Her tail was malformed as well, so we were on constant high alert with her. But Nixie proved to have her mother’s wild will and rarely let us forget it. Despite her troubles swimming, she was eager for everything else. Her appetite was voracious and her inquisitive nature led her into all sorts of trouble. She was the most important thing in the world to me, my pride and joy.

“Is Nixie okay?” I try again. I can’t tell what is salt water and what are tears anymore. “And our new baby? Are they okay? Have they been born? Seira!”

Seira screams and lunges, diving through the water, she rams me back into the side of the boat. She pulls me underwater, keeping me there. I’m not strong enough to fight back, nor would I want to. But I can see she’s still pregnant, she’s not had the baby yet.

Someone from above jumps into the water and they manage to get Seira off me. I’m pulled back to the surface by Haytham. Meanwhile, Daddy has Seira away from me. She bites and claws at him, screaming and hissing. 

“She’s still pregnant! Be careful with her!”

“Her nesting instinct has taken over, she won’t stop.” Haytham helps me get back on board. “It’s okay, you don’t need to worry.”

“Yes, I do!” I insist. “That’s my wife and child out there! I can’t wait two hours. This is unbearable as it is! My family, my colony needs me. I don’t even know where my daughter is!”

“Don’t worry, Authaire is going to calm her down, he has that ability with women.” Haytham looks up as Daddy comes up the ladder with Seira on his shoulder. She’s sleeping and twitching as he lays her down on the deck. I quickly pull her into my arms and hold her close. Her scales look pale, the vivid yellow is dull, and the blue spot on her back is barely visible at all.

“She’ll go into labor once we administer the cure,” Haytham says softly to me. “Your baby will be born, perhaps a bit early. But this isn’t my first merchild. I’ve birthed at least ten.”

“Please, you have to help her.” I kiss her forehead and lay her in my lap. She twitches and snarls in her sleep. Haytham gives her an injection just below her gills. She hisses and flops then falls into my lap like a stone. 

“It should start working in an hour,” Haytham says. “But by the time she goes into labor, the spell on you will be wearing off.”

I shake my head. “I’m not leaving her, I’m staying right here.”

“That’s why we’ll have to move into the water. The baby needs to be born underwater.” Haytham takes a deep breath. “Something new everyday.”

Once water starts to pour from Seira’s ears she begins to stir. She slowly opens her eyes and looks up into my face. “What is that?” She reaches up, slapping her entire palm over my face. “I know that shape.”

I kiss her palm. “It’s me, Seira,” I whisper. “I came back.”

Seira rubs her eyes. “I can’t hear you. What’d you say?”

I lean down so she can see me better. Her eyes go wide and she cups her hands around my face. “Tybrus? Is that you?”

“It’s me, my love!” I whisper happily to her.

“Ty, it’s time,” Haytham whispers.

I nod and kiss Seira softly. “You’re about to have the baby, we need to get you back into the water.” I pick her up, and she wraps her long arms around my neck.

“I’m scared,” she whimpers. “I don’t know what’s happening.”

“It’s okay, I’ve got you.” I slowly ease down the ladder then slip into the water. “Where’s Nixie?”

Seira is trembling and her sharp claws dig into my shoulder. “I can’t remember. I don’t-” She lets out a painful scream.

“It’s alright, it’s alright.” Haytham joins us in the water. “It’s normal. Just try and breathe through it, Seira.”

“Who is this? Where are we?” Seira sobs pitifully. “I want to go home, Ty.”

“I know, I do too, but our baby. Think of the baby. Think of Nixie too.”

Seira screams again, thrashing her tail and arching her back. Haytham slowly eases himself under water. As he does, I feel a sharp pain shooting through my body. It goes down my spine and through my legs. I scream, Seira screams. I fall under the water, tasting blood on my tongue. As my tail mends back together, I am in agony, but I hold gently onto Seira.

I then take a breath, and everything is clear. Seira reaches down into the bloody water, taking from it a small, perfect shape. It’s wrapped up into a tight, round ball, but it slowly uncoils. The tail is covered in slime, while the small pale body is almost translucent. The baby clings to Seira’s hands and starts nibbling on them.

“It’s another girl,” Seira whispers.

I take the baby into my hand, where she fits perfectly. She grabs onto my thumb, sucking on it. I see stripes on her, and already there’s a big red spot on her tail. I kiss her softly and welcome her into the world.

Seira and I then take Haytham and Daddy to the colony. All around us there are merfolk who are wandering around, frail and lost as they try to collect their thoughts. Seira takes us to the nursery where the children have been kept. Right away I find my Nixie, but she’s so weak, she can barely open her eyes. 

Haytham gets to work right away on treating them. He administers the cure then watches over the children for the next hour. I keep Nixie in my arms while Seira and the new baby rest against me. By dawn, Haytham has administered the cure to almost all of the colony, but he has to return to the surface to rest.

“Who are these landwalkers?” Seira asks me. “Where did you find them?”

“I didn’t,” I murmur. “They found me. They saved my life, I almost died up there.” I take both daughters in my arms. The baby nibbles on my arm, while Nixie is still asleep. Haytham said he would return after he got some sleep and would check up on the progress of everyone, but especially the youngest.

I kiss the top of Seira’s head. “I know you hate them, Seira, but without them, none of this would be happening. We all would die.”

“I know,” she whispers. She touches the top of Nixie’s head. “Which was the one that saved you?”

I think for a moment then smile. “Her name is Echo, and she reminds me of our Nixie.”

Seira rests her cheek upon my arm. “I missed this great big arm,” she sighs. “I didn’t even know I did.” She closes her eyes and nods. “Then, let’s name our baby after her.”

“You would do that?” I gasp excitedly. 

“I would be honored.”

Later in the day, as Seira and Nixie rest in our nest, I take my new baby up to the surface to introduce her to her namesake. Echo leans over the side of the boat, eyes wide with wonder as I present to her little baby Echo.

“She’s so small,” Echo says with tears in her eyes. “So cute.”

“Seira said, since you saved me, she thought it would be the best way to honor you.” I smile up at her. “Thank you, Echo. Without you, none of this would have been possible.”

“Will I ever see you again?” Echo sniffles.

“I hope so,” I smile up at her. “This will not be goodbye.”

Once Haytham is done with his checkups, the boat leaves to head back to shore. For a while, the colony is sleepy and healing. Things are quiet, but in a good way this time. As Nixie grows stronger, baby Echo grows as well. I take care of my girls, making sure they eat well and get strong again. 

“Daddy,” Nixie murmurs one night as she lays on my chest. “What was land like?”

“Very strange,” I say to her. “They have these things called croissants that look like fat, beached seals, and they eat them with an oil called chocolate drizzled all over them.”

Nixie’s eyes grow wide. “Did you eat them?”

“I tried them, but they do not compare to lobster.” I rub my fingers down her neck. “They also have these itty bitty tridents called forks and they use them to spear their food.”

“Not their hands?” Nixie gasps.

I chuckle and shake my head. “Nope! They don’t! They think these little tools are better.” I then lean in close to her. “I grew legs too!”

Nixie’s expression is too sweet to take. She looks bewildered and wild for a moment. “How did you grow legs? What were they like?”

“They were the strangest thing of all!” I reply. “I still don’t quite know how they really worked.”

“Could we go back one day?” Nixie asks. “Maybe I could grow legs too.”

“Don’t get your hopes up,” Seira sighs. “You have exactly what you need to get around in this world.”

“What about the landwalkers?” Nixie asks quietly.

“The ones I met were the best of people,” I say softly. 

Nixie snuggles up close to me. I know she’s getting ready to butter me up, because she has always done this ever since she was little. She curls into the book between my neck and shoulder, laying her tail down my arm while he head rests onto my chest.

“Could we go on land someday?” She asks sweetly. “I would like to meet the girl who saved you.”

I smile. “I think the two of you could become best friends, so I would like you to meet her too.”

I took my family to the beach. Some months had passed, and I received some sort of ‘knowing’ from Ruby. I’m not sure what it was, but it was this feeling deep inside me. It took Seira some convincing, but she did want to thank the people who saved us in person.

There was a party on the beach, it was Echo’s birthday. She cried when she saw me, and I cried when I saw her.

“This is my daughter, Nixie,” I introduce the two. “She’s been so excited to meet you.”

“I like your tail!” Echo says excitedly.

“I like your legs!” Nixie chimes back with the same exuberance. The two are instantly inseparable. They play on the beach together, making sand castles and drawing pictures. Nixie takes Echo swimming into the waters. They both fall asleep on the beach together holding hands.

“We’ll have to do this more often,” Daddy says to me.

“I’d like that,” Seira replies ahead of me. “Does your carnival take merfolk?”

“All the time.”

Seira looks at me. “I wanted to show her the world, remember?”

I kiss Seira lovingly. “Let’s see that the colony heals properly. Once we’re ready, we’ll see the world.”