I pulled the land faerie on to the highest point of the sand bar. The tide was still high enough that the waves splashed at us as I breathed much needed air into his lungs. It hadn't been too long since he went cold, so he started coughing, water streaming out of his mouth. After the coughing was done, I turned him over to his side, the waves still splashing at his legs. He moaned a little but didn't open his eyes. It was then I finally took note of his beauty. He had golden brown hair, smooth skin, and dark eyebrows.
"Hey...are you alright?" I asked as I shook one of his shoulders. I was in a hurry to leave the sand bar. If I let my scales dry out, my tail would turn into legs and it took awhile for the legs to turn back into my tail even when wet. I preferred swimming with my tail.
The land faerie moaned again.
"Was that a yes?"
When he didn't respond to my question, I poked at one of his smooth cheeks. He started mumbling incoherently. Very cute. I had to stop myself from "awing."
"Are you OK?" I asked again.
He slowly blinked open his eyes. They were a dark green-the color of what I thought the deepest part of the a forest would be. He coughed again before looking up at me.
"You saved me..." He finally spoke weakly.
"I did."
"Why?" Tears started forming in his pretty green eyes.
"I saw someone push you off the ship."
He didn't say anything to that and then closed his eyes once more, tears streaming. He was straight-up sniveling.
"There. There." I said patting his shoulder. I didn't know what to do in these situations. So awkward. "I'm sorry for your loss."
"She's right. It was my fault our father died..." He sobbed. He hid his gorgeous tear-streaked face in his forearm.
I was anxious to leave the sand bar but my sympathy and curiosity got the better of me.
"Who pushed you off the ship?"
"My sister."
"Your sister is not a nice person."
"She's in mourning...she skipped grief...and went directly into anger..."
He uncovered his face and started wiping away at his tears. Thinking about his sister's grief had somehow calmed him down. The land faerie started hoisting his head up from the sand.
Oh stink. My scales were drying out. Oh well.
The land faerie's eyes widened as he pushed his torso off the sand. He was staring between my legs because I was now severely underdressed by land faerie standards. I was only wearing a pair of scallop shells on my chest.
"Why...why aren't you wearing a skirt...or some pants?" He stammered. He was obviously very innocent. I positioned myself so he'd see less of my cooch.
"Didn't you notice before? I'm a mermaid."
"No..."
Pretty but not very observant, this one.
"Well, I should be going now..."
I was not interested in himbos. As I turned, I saw a row boat approach the sand bar. A sailor and a female land faerie was on board. She was dressed in similar manner as the crowned faerie, but she had rust colored hair.
"Great..." I murmured under my breath. I wasn't looking forward to being outnumbered by land faeries, even if I did look like one of them at the moment.
The male land faerie called out to the row boat.
"Hestia!"
I felt a twinge of jealousy. I could've just slapped myself.
The row boat hit the sand bar, now at full-size due to the low tide. Hestia jumped out of the row boat and skipped toward us. Up close she looked like a newborn gazelle, long-limbed and awkward, but still attractive.
"Julia could have killed you!"
"I'm OK...just wet."
Hestia then turned to me.
"Thank you, so much kind mermaid!"
"Oh it was nothing!"
"No it wasn't! Now you're all dried out!" Hestia's violet eyes widened with concern.
"I can manage."
"May I know the name of the sea maiden who rescued the youngest grandson of The King of the Old Forest?"
Whoa. That was some title. I just saved one of the princes of the East Forest of Spring Court.
"My name is Nermine."
"Thank you, Nermine!" She paused briefly before continuing. "As one of the king's emissaries, I must offer you a reward for saving the prince. What do you fancy?"
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