“I see; sounds like history is repeating itself.”
“Yeah exactly Dad; you and Micah have a lot in common. He likes to travel by boat too. We will most likely get a bigger boat when we head back to Safe Harbor for a visit this summer.”
“Yeah, I’d say we do have a lot in common. Are you happy kid?”
“Yeah Dad, you were right; it’s a good life. Are you and Rose married?”
“Yeah, and we have some news of our own. You have a little brother, his name is Jedediah. He’s nearly a year old. He’s the future lighthouse keeper,” chuckled Cole.
“Oh Dad, that’s wonderful news. I’m so happy for you and Rose,” Lana said as her tears began to flow again.
“It’s alright kid; we’ll all be together before you know it.”
“I know Dad; I just miss you so much.”
“I miss you too. Tell that husband of yours that he better take care of you and my granddaughter.”
“I will Dad, tell Rose I said congratulations on both accounts and that I miss her too.”
“I will kid. So I’ll see you in the summer, on the day we agreed?”
“You can count on it Dad. Tell Rose I said Merry Christmas,” said Lana knowing that they were nearing the end of their conversation.
“I will and you tell all of the family out there that I said Merry Christmas too and that I can’t wait to see them. And kid, please stay safe.”
“I will Dad, I guess I better go.”
“Yeah, I’m sure your husband is a little anxious. It’s been so good to hear your voice.”
“Yeah he is, and it’s been good to hear yours too. Love you, bye Dad.”
“Love you kid, bye.”
Lana hung up the phone and began to cry into the pillow that was on the bed.
Micah knew that it was hard for her to say goodbye, “You did good Princess Lana; I know it was not easy for you to pretend to be Tarra.”
“No, but it was worth it.” Lana smiled and she picked up her bag and towel and they headed out the door. Lana went past the desk and on outside to the boat as Micah turned in the key card.
“Is everything alright?” Joel asked with concern.
“Yes, she just misses her family. I think it is best that I take her home.”
“Okay Micah, you let me know if you ever want to come back.”
“I will Joel, thank you again,” said Micah as he went out the door.
~~~
Once Micah had driven the boat halfway home, Lana took off her wrap, shoes, wig, hat and glasses and put them all into the bag. She couldn’t stand to be apart from Titus another moment, “Do you mind Micah if I swim the rest of the way with Titus?”
“Of course not Princess Lana,” he said compassionately.
Then Lana dove into the water and to Titus’ waiting arms. He felt the sorrow she was feeling and could not wait to give her comfort. He hugged and kissed her and told her how much he loved her and how brave she had been to make the call.
Lana told him about her little brother Jedediah.
Titus was happy to hear that there would be a future guardian for the mer. He swung her around on his back and they continued to follow Micah’s boat with Makoa.
When they reached the grotto, Lana went in and told Tarra all that she had talked about with her father. Lana couldn’t help but pick up little Talei and kiss the top of her head. “You are precious little one,” she said and then gave her back to her mother.
Lana and Titus swam to the city with Makoa. Titus allowed Lana to go to their home and he went and got little Rose from his parents and brought her back.
Lana giggled as she saw how excited Rose was to see her. Rose quickly swam into her arms and began to play with Lana’s emerald necklace that she had just put back on, like Rose had many times before.
Lana did miss her father, but she knew she would see him in time. I’m thankful for the family that Titus and I have made together, she thought and then Lana kissed the top of little Rose’s head and told her of all that her grandpa Cole had said.
Later that evening, Titus asked Lana, “Are you sorry that you cannot celebrate Christmas like the humans?”
“I miss my dad, but being here with you and Rose is like having Christmas every day. Now that I’ve had a child of my own, I think I can understand the true meaning of Christmas even more,” she said as she nestled in his arms and Titus was thankful for the wife he was blessed with.
~~~~~
Chapter 18
SIRENE & TRISTAN
It had been nearly a week since Lana had spoken with her father. She was enjoying a swim in the coral reef gardens with little Rose and Princess Cassandra. Rose had insisted that Tempest come along and she held on to his dorsal fin as he slowly glided along next to Lana.
“She does seem rather taken with him.” Smiled Princess Cassandra.
“They are inseparable,” laughed Lana as she watched Rose getting frustrated at Tempest for not going as fast as she thought he should. That was one word she knew well.
“Where is Titus?” Cassandra asked.
“He is meeting with King Titan in the Hall.”
Just then, they heard shouts from the guards at the entrance of the city and Lana looked to see Sirene swimming quickly towards the Hall. “Mother, would you please watch Rose, I must go,” said Lana as she took Rose from Tempest and handed her to Cassandra.
“Yes Dear, please do be careful,” said Cassandra with concern as she watched Lana swim towards the Hall.
When Lana arrived in the Hall, Makoa and another guard was holding Sirene and keeping her from getting any closer to King Titan or Titus.
King Titan rose from his throne with his staff in hand and looked sternly at Sirene and said, “Let her come before me, I will hear what she has come to say.”
Then Makoa and the other guard released her and she swam and laid herself at King Titan’s tailfin.
Lana saw the glance that Titus gave Makoa and he quickly left. She knew that Titus must be worried that there might be others with her.
Sirene kept her head bowed low and said, “Mighty King Titan, I have returned to my people from where I wish I had never left. I am most sorry for the pain I have caused to Prince Titus and Princess Lana. Darious had captured my parents and said that he would surely kill them if I did not bring the Princess to him. Even after I had, I tried to go and find Prince Titus to tell him, but Damon came and forced me and my parents to leave with him and his guard. For over three winters, my parents and I have been held in the dungeons below the city of Tiselius. I would still be there now if it were not for one of their guardsman, a Prince, who helped me and my family to escape. My parents were trying to warn you,” she began to sob.
“Warn me of what child?” King Titan asked compassionately.
“The secret that Damon has withheld from you is that King Tiberius no longer lives. He died four winters ago. His son Thaddaeus now reigns in his place. He was the one that named Darious as head of the guard and made him and Damon Princes. Now Damon is the head of his guard. King Thaddaeus has been preparing to make war on you for some time. Some of his guards are already in the deep of the South Pacific awaiting further orders to siege the city of Tullius. It cost my parents their lives; they were caught halfway coming to the city. I and my friend barely escaped,” she said sobbing once more.
There were shouts heard again as Makoa and another guardsman brought in a young merman.
Lana could tell that he was one of the others. He did have the white hair, but it was tied in the one long braid. He wore the golden circle upon his head. Instead of his eyes being silver, they were a deep blue, even the white of his eyes were light blue. Lana remembered that Titus had told her before that their eyes were different because of their environment.
King Titan and Prince Titus gave a look of disdain as he was brought before them.
Sirene shouted, “Please do not hurt him, he is my friend! His name is Prince Tristan; he is one of King Tiberius’ many grands
ons. He is the one that helped me and my family.”
“I am sorry Sirene, but we must hold Prince Tristan until I can speak with him further,” said King Titan as he waved to Makoa and the other guardsman. They turned and swam him to the jail.
“Please King Titan, I promised him that he would find a life of peace among the mer of Tullius. He hates the ways of King Thaddaeus and Damon and never knew that there was another way to live; like the sacred ways of our people,” said Sirene as she clung to King Titan’s tailfin.
“Get up my child, if what you say is true, then we shall know of it and he shall be set free,” said the King as he lifted her up by her hand.
Lana could take no more and she went before the King and beside Sirene. “I could tell that she was sorry when she brought me into the cavern,” said Lana in her defense.
Titus glared at Lana and let his thoughts tell her to be careful.
“It is alright Prince Titus; I do not blame you for not trusting me. I am so sorry for how Darious treated both of you. I really was trying to save my parents. Prince Tristan will confirm all that I have said to you,” Sirene said sadly as she bowed her head once more.
“Princess Lana, will you take Sirene to her former home, for I know she must be tired,” said King Titan lovingly.
Lana looked to Titus and let her thoughts tell him; it’s alright, I want to do it. Then she spoke to the King, “Yes my King, I will.”
Sirene smiled at Lana and then she led the way back to her home.
King Titan looked to Prince Titus while gritting his teeth, “So, it has finally come to this. Now I know why Damon was so guarded with his thoughts when I asked about Tiberius.”
“We must call all of the guard back and I must send word to Micah,” said Titus.
“Yes, do it quickly. I will speak with this Prince Tristan and see if anything further may be gained,” said the King as he swam towards the jail.
Lana could feel the deep sorrow that Sirene was having for the loss of her parents. How sad that they’ve been imprisoned all this time and no one ever knew.
“Thank you for your kind thoughts for me and my family,” said Sirene with a slight smile.
“I’m just so sorry Sirene, we never knew. We thought that you and your family wanted to join with the others.”
“That is what Damon wanted you to think. There were other families that held out for a while and then came around to Damon’s way. They are enslaved to him now in other ways,” said Sirene sickened by the thought of it.
“I’m so glad you had a friend like Prince Tristan to help you.” Lana smiled.
“Yes, he is a true friend and has lost everything to help me. Damon will surely kill him if he ever gets the chance.”
“I’m sure that King Titan will see the good in him and he’ll be free to join you soon,” Lana said as she read her thoughts that he was more than just a friend.
“I know how foolish I was before with my feelings for Prince Titus. Now I have learned the real meaning of love and sacrifice. Prince Tristan and I hope to have King Titan join us in union.” Sirene smiled.
“I’m sure that he must love you to make such a sacrifice, and I’m also sure that King Titan will be more than happy to perform the ceremony,” said Lana as she hugged Sirene.
Titus was glad that when he got to his home, Tempest was there alone. He knew that his mother must have made him stay when she took Rose to her own home. He had not been looking forward to having to pry the dolphin from his little daughter. He needed Tempest for an errand.
Titus took a small red flag and waved it in front of Tempest, “See this boy; I need you to take it to Tarra. Can you do it?”
Tempest clicked as he shook his head up and down. Titus placed the stick of the flag across the dolphin’s bottom teeth and Tempest closed his mouth and held it tightly.
“Tempest, take it to Tarra, go boy!” Titus said as he gave him a shove and Tempest took off out the doorway as quick as he could. Titus knew that Micah would know the signal. Then he went to rejoin King Titan at the jail with Prince Tristan.
When Titus arrived, he could see that the Prince Tristan was tired and somewhat scared. He was speaking to the King.
“That is when I knew that I must help them to escape, not only to help to warn your people, but I also knew what Damon had planned for Sirene. He only delayed these past few winters to get her parents to join with him. Now he no longer cared when it was announced that King Thaddaeus was going to lay siege to Tullius.” Prince Tristan bowed his head.
“You love her, do you not?” King Titan asked with such compassion.
“Yes, I cannot deny it. I even came to love her parents as my own. I had never learned the sacred ways until I saw the way they treated others; even the guards. They were so kind and their thoughts were so filled with love. I was reprimanded once for feeling pity towards them. I had to keep a tight rein on my thoughts when I was near the others. It was becoming even more difficult as I helped to plan their escape. We nearly made it, I still cannot believe that her parents made me leave and take Sirene, while they held off the guard that had tracked us. They bought our freedom with their very lives,” he said as he began to sob.
“There now my nephew, they gave all they had to protect their daughter and to warn their people. It was good of you to help them.”
“I would rather serve you King Titan, without my crown, than to serve King Thaddaeus with it,” said Prince Tristan with conviction as he dropped to the mid joint of his tail and removed his golden crown and placed it between the bars of the jail and laid it at King Titan’s tailfin.
“I gladly accept your service Tristan; you may help us a great deal.”
“I shall do all that is within my power to help you and your people.”
“Prince Titus, will you see to it that Tristan has a place to call home and rest,” said King Titan knowing it would not be easy for Titus.
“As you wish my King.” Titus bowed.
Makoa opened up the jail with a glance to Titus to be careful.
Titus looked to Tristan and said, “This way.” He led him to one of the many homes that were empty. He chose one that was in the furthest part of the city where it would not be easy for him, should he choose to try and escape.
“I know that it must be hard for you to trust me,” said Tristan.
“Yes, it is,” said Titus sternly.
“I am not sure that I would have trusted you in my city either,” said Tristan with a grin.
“We have long been enemies; trust is not easily gained.”
“I am sorry if my people have hurt you, it was not always like that when Tiberius was King. Only when he began to age, did his son take charge and begin to change our Kingdom. We have always had those we could not control, but the citizens of the city tried to live with some sort of order. However, there was never any love between us. Only the strongest among us were given privileges, the others had no say,” said Tristan deep in thought.
“That is a sad way to live,” said Titus, glad that it was not so for his people.
“Yes, that is why I could not believe that there was such a place where all the mer live in peace with one another and that all are as one family,” said Tristan still surprised by it.
“Yes, that is our way, you will come to know it too,” said Titus as he began to understand that Tristan was truly grateful to be among the mer of Tullius.
~~~
Later that night, after Titus had his turn on patrol, he joined Lana at home with their daughter. Lana was unable to sleep until she saw that he was safe, “I’m so glad you’re home, I’ve worried so much that the others might attack,” she said kissing him.
“I have tripled the guard around the city, everyone is ready should an attack come. We will meet with Tristan tomorrow and hopefully gain more knowledge of what we will face,” said Titus as he held Lana.
“Is it true that he’s no longer a Prince?”
“He is not from the royal line of King Titan
and in our Kingdom he is not,” Titus said sadly.
“He made such a sacrifice to be here.”
“Yes, but he will gain a much better life.” Smiled Titus as he brushed his fingers beneath Lana’s chin and kissed her once more.
“Yeah, that he will. Did you send word to Micah and Tarra?”
“Yes, Tempest took the red flag. Tarra is staying with my parents and Micah has taken Talei to Kaloki Island to be with his parents. He is preparing the men for what they might have to face themselves.”
LEGEND OF THE MER Page 19
