EPISODE FORTY FOUR
THEME: I won’t let you go!
BY THE BEACH
Knox waited for Eretia to show up again but she didn’t. Had she left for her world? He thought and panic filled him. “No.” He mumbled. She can’t leave just like that!
Knox saw her tail from afar as she was moving away farther into the sea. “Eretia!” He shouted into the wind with his hand at his mouth.
Knox ran closer to the bank. “She can’t leave me.” He tried to calm himself down but it wasn’t working because Eretia didn’t stop swimming farther into the sea. And he tried again. “Eretia! Please come back! Don’t leave me!”
Eretia thought that she had imagined Knox’s voice in her head. “Eretia, I love you!” He shouted again.
Eretia stopped swimming. She had heard it clearly with her keen hearing ability. Knox knelt down on the sand and cried. “Please come back.” He muttered.
He wants her back in his life and immediately she started back to the shore. He was calling for her! She could hear his heartbeat and almost nearing the shore then she raised her head above the water.
Knox’s face was buried in his palms. Eretia controlled the sand with her powers and directed it to him gently to gain his attention since she couldn’t talk to him. Mermaids and humans can’t relate except they are in same form.
Knox looked up and saw her. “Eretia..” He crawled closer into the water to meet her. “You came back.”
Eretia used her tail to splash water around them. Knox wiped his face and smiled at her as he examined her new look. “You have a very beautiful tail.” He complimented.
“And I wish I could be with you forever.” Eretia wanted to say it to him but she showed him more of her large golden tail. She was delighted that Knox liked her tail. And she reached out her hand to him for a handshake.
“No I won’t take that.” He declined.
Her forehead creased. “I once read it that a mermaid can erase a human memory with a handshake.” Knox said.
“Yes.. you are right.” Eretia said within but nodded her head in response.
“You can’t talk to me right?” He asked.
Eretia nodded with her hand still in the air waiting for him to take it. He drew back from the water. “I don’t want to forget you.” He added.
“Hey boss, this is a handshake to mark our friendship and love.” Eretia thought. She splashed water with her tail again with a smile on her face.
“Can I trust you?” He asked.
Eretia nodded. “The handshake won’t erase my memory right?” Knox eyed her suspiciously and she nodded her head again.
Knox studied her expression to be sure she wasn’t deceiving him. She looked sincere. “Okay.” He shook hands with her.
Her smile grew wider as her tail danced in excitement in the sea.
“Nice to meet you.. my beautiful mermaid girlfriend.” Knox grinned sheepishly. But soon he turned serious and said. “I want you back.”
Eretia pointed towards the bathrobe. Knox understood what she was trying to say saying. He stood up, moved backward and went to grab her robe and dress. She closed her gills, parting her tail and her skin normalized. She moved up and let her tail touch the sand.
Knox dropped the bathrobe and turned away before she became human.
“Thank you.” She said.
“Are you done?” He asked.
“Yes.” she answered.
Knox turned quickly and she stood fully dressed in front of him. He pulled her into his arms not minding the fact that she was wet with water dripping from her hair.
“Knox..”
“Wait not now.” Knox purred into her ears. He held her closely and she let him do it.
Several minutes clicked by and she said. “Don’t you want to know the whole story?”
“It doesn’t matter.” Knox replied.
“Aren’t you scared of me?” Eretia demanded.
Knox pulled away from her to look into her eyes. “I am not scared of you. I was only shocked to see a mermaid. I never believed they exist until today.” He paused and removed strands of wet hair from her face.
“And were you really planning to leave the other time?” He asked.
“I thought you didn’t like my appearance.” Eretia mumbled.
“I am sorry if my expression seems like I didn’t like your appearance.” Knox caress her cheeks.
“I was going to return to my kingdom because I was afraid that you wouldn’t want to be close to me.” Tears clouded her vision.
“You will return back to your kingdom and leave me out here?” He raised his eyebrows.
Eretia looked away from him. “Some day I’ll have to return to my world.” She said.
“No, I won’t let you go.” He embraced her tightly. “I am in love with you and I don’t care if you are a mermaid.”
“Listen Knox, I am glad that you don’t see me as a monster but I insist you know the whole story of how I became a human.” Eretia pulled out of the embrace.
Knox nodded his head in agreement. “Alright. You can tell me the whole story.” Knox placed a kiss on her forehead. He held her hand and they walked back into the house.
“Perhaps is Oliver aware that you are mermaid?” Knox questioned.
“No one knows except tou and Betty Lawson.” She replied.
“Betty Lawson?” He scrunched up his face.
“Yes but I already erased my traces from her memory. She doesn’t remember anything about me anymore.” Eretia replied.
“How did she find out?” Knox unlocked the door.
“I told her about it.” Eretia answered.
“But why? I thought you wanted to hide your identity completely.” Knox led her into the house.
“Betty suspected it the day I passed out at the agency.” Eretia responded.
“Wait a moment, I’ll be right back.” Knox said and raced off to his room. But he came back with a towel.
“Let me dry your hair.” He pulled her to the couch and sat behind her to dry her hair.”Now go ahead and tell me everything.” He added.
Eretia sighed. “Every thousand years in the Merworld, a special mermaid is born with powers that supersede other Merpowers.” She started off.
“You are the special mermaid.” Knox said.
“Yes.” Eretia answered.
“But is Neifion truly a water god? And did you get the bracelet because you are special mermaid?” He demanded.
“One of my brother gave the bracelet to me on my birthday.” Eretia answered and then she told him everything.
******
FLASHBACK
Every thousand years, a special mermaid is born, having superpowers that supersedes other merpowers. And in the Merworld, every mermaid and merman is born with an ability.
In Merivilla kingdom, it is a custom that every child born should be taken to the messengers of the sea. Wanwisa the goddess of the sea, Abijam the sea wizard and Serena the enchantress to check the powers of the child. They name each child according to it power and strength.
Wanwisa connects with the sea, Abijam tells the power of the child while Serena declares happiness during the child naming rite and also bless the child.
Oceanus is the titan of Merivilla sea. He is one of the most powerful sea titans in the underworld. He has ten sons and each was named according to their strength and power.
Alana is the wife of Oceanus and mother of ten sons. And she gave birth to a mermaid on the day of sea celebration and she was named Adella.
Adella is totally different from other mermaids. She was born with a golden tail and a very long golden hair and she possessed special powers. She was loved by all, she was loved for her kindness towards others. Adella has a beautiful voice, she can sing and she also loves music.
Oceanus realized that his daughter could sing songs he couldn’t understand and he figured it was part of her ability as a special mermaid. So he ordered Maeve, the goddess of music to help Adella develop her singing ability. And at eight, she could sing powerful songs of the sea which connects her with the sea and other natural elements.
The citizens of Merivilla always gather in the ceremonial hall just to hear Adella sing with her friends every twelve days. Virtually everyone loved the special mermaid who could connect with the sea through powerful spell songs.
And according to the prophecy told at her naming rite, she is the mermaid destined to save her people.