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The armies of the water kingdoms took care of the remaining dark creatures. They destroyed most of them. Now that the siren queen, their master, was killed, those few dark creatures that remained, scattered in the ocean again.
The ocean kingdoms celebrated the defeat of the siren queen. Brutus embraced both Victor and Ariana. They asked his permission to go tell the mortal world of their victory. The sea king gave them his blessing to do so.
When Ariana went to the surface with Victor, she expected to find only Richard and Sarah. She was surprised to see Isabelle with them. There was another stranger with them. She had not met him before.
“Joshua!” Victor cried.
Joshua came forward and embraced Victor. Ariana saw his arm was wrapped fully in bandages.
“I thought I killed you,” Victor said, looking crestfallen at Joshua’s injury. “How is your arm?”
“It will heal. What news do you have?” Joshua asked, anxiously.
“What is happening in the oceans?” Richard asked. “We saw a blinding lightning. It got quiet after that. The dark creatures didn’t attack again either.”
“The siren queen is dead. We are safe now,” Victor said, smiling.
The mortals all sighed in relief. All of them were smiling now that their worlds were out of danger.
“How are you, Ariana?” Isabelle asked.
“I am better, thanks to all of you,” Ariana said.
“What happens now?” Sarah asked.
“I think it is time for celebration,” Richard said. “I could think of one wedding at least.”
Richard looked towards Joshua and Isabelle. Isabelle blushed and Joshua looked happier.
“There will also be a coronation for Ariana. She will ascend as queen of the seven seas,” Victor said.
“And there will be one for Victor too,” Ariana said.
“Invitations are in order then?” Richard said, smiling.
“Yes, we will send you our invitations,” Victor promised.
“How will you be sending your message? Your last message traumatized poor Richard. The albatross pecked at him until he paid attention to it,” Sarah said smiling. “The bird shocked him even more when it started speaking.”
“I am glad to know I was the source of Richard’s nightmare. I will try to use a less aggressive spell and a less aggressive bird,” Victor said, smiling. “I might send a sparrow this time.”
“All birds have sharp beaks,” Richard said nervously. “As long as I know what bird to look out for.”
Everyone laughed.
Isabelle had always been headstrong and determined and her parents knew that of their two daughters, she was most likely to follow her heart. The King and Queen of Rivershelm were happy that Isabelle had found love and happiness again. She and Joshua got married. At their wedding ceremony, both Victor and Ariana attended.
Isabelle blessed the moment she ran into Victor, when her fortune had turned for the good.
Richard, Sarah, Isabelle and Joshua attended the coronation in the floating kingdom. Victor had enchanted them to move and breathe underwater. They looked in awe at the crystal palace. They were intimidated at the sight of the sea king on his throne.
The sea king, Brutus, asked the mortals to stand before him. They stood nervously in front of the throne.
“This is the first time we have invited mortals to our realm,” Brutus said, his voice booming. “You have saved both our worlds, for that I am grateful.”
The mortals all bowed before him.
“For your help, I will grant you this blessing. Wherever your ships sail in the oceans, you will find gentle waters. They will never come across a storm. I will grant your ships safe passage as long as they sail,” Brutus said.
The mortals thanked him for his gift. They waited for the coronation to begin.
They had come for both of their friends, Ariana and Victor.
As she wore her father’s ring, Ariana took his place on the throne. She was the new ruler of the seven seas. They made her crown of pearls, diamonds, and starlight. Brutus placed her crown on her head and the entire kingdom cheered her name. They all bowed, Victor, Sarah, Richard, Isabelle and Joshua included, to their new underwater queen.
Similarly, Victor took over his mother’s magic, and took on her responsibilities in the ocean. The first thing that Victor did when he reached his castle was to remove all the stone statues from his mother’s garden. As soon as he removed them, they turned to sea glass. Victor spread them in every corner of the ocean.
Victor then tossed her crown of dark pearls back to where it belonged, the dead realm.
He hoped never to see the dark thing ever again.
Victor’s new crown was made of silver and lightning. Brutus crowned Victor to be the dark emperor of the dark lands. The entire kingdom erupted in cheers at his crowning.
The celebration lasted for hours. The mortal and underwater kingdoms had survived. They did it by working together to defeat the Kraken and the siren queen.
Most of the mortal world remained unaware of the underwater realm. For those mortals who knew, they took part in the victory and the celebration.
—————
Victor visited the bookseller for the last time. The bookseller greeted him warmly, surprised to see Victor walk in through the doors of his bookshop.
“My friend! You have returned! I thought it was about time that I saw you again,” the bookseller said with a smile.
“Yes, I am glad to see you too, though I had feared I might not see you again,” Victor said.
“Not see me again? I hope all is well. Were you caught in a dangerous adventure on your travels?” the bookseller asked with concern.
“The most dangerous kind. I escaped with my life,” Victor said.
“I am glad that you are alive and well, my friend. You know I live my adventures through stories in books. You cannot just tell me about a dangerous adventure without giving more details,” the bookseller said, laughing.
“I have something better. This is for you,” Victor said as he handed the bookseller a gift.
It was a book.
The bookseller was surprised as he looked at Victor’s book cover. The title read ‘Mermaid Lores’. The book cover gleamed like it was made from mother-of-pearl.
“Where did you find this book? I have never come across one before. I thought I had seen all the books on mermaids,” the bookseller said with surprise.
“You won’t find it anywhere else as this is the only copy in the world,” Victor replied.
“The only copy? You are giving me a priceless gift!” the bookseller exclaimed.
“I wouldn’t have given it to anyone else,” Victor replied.
“Can I read it now? I am afraid I don’t have the patience to wait,” the bookseller asked.
“I was hoping you would say that,” Victor replied.
The bookseller closed the bookshop and took Victor in the back room, where he had a cozy reading nook.
Stacks of books surrounded the area. Books that the bookseller was going through. The bookseller made tea for them both, and he sat to read through the pages of the book Victor had given him.
“It says that it is written by Victor, the sea witch’s son?” the bookseller asked.
“Yes, that is me,” Victor said.
“You wrote it?” the bookseller asked, surprised. “Are you telling me you are a mermaid?”
“Yes. This is a book about our lores, both ancient and newer ones,” Victor replied.
“That is amazing! Let me wrap my head around the idea. I am not sure if you are jesting with me or not,” the bookseller said.
“You can read the book in its entirety before deciding,” Victor said, calmly.
The bookseller started reading the book, starting with the ancient lores. The book talked about magic and magical rings, the siren queen and the kraken.
“I have never heard of such a ring. Are you saying this ring could give mermaids the ability to appear human?” the bookseller asked.
“Yes, it is the source of my power. That is how I can visit you,” Victor replied, truthfully.
“And there is such a thing as the siren queen and the Kraken?” the bookseller asked.
“They were.. You will find more answers as you read through the book,” Victor said.
“Yes, of course. Forgive me, this is just too astounding,” the bookseller said.
“There is no need to apologize. I am sure you will have more questions, and I will be happy to answer them... but I think it would be better if you do not ask about the conclusion before reaching the end of the story,” Victor said.
“I understand. Thank you for being patient, Victor. I will reserve my questions until I reach the end,” the bookseller said.
Victor grabbed a book himself while he waited for the bookseller to complete his book. Victor saw the bookseller reading intently. His cup of tea remained untouched on the table.
Finally, the bookseller turned the last page of Victor’s book, and he was deep in thought.
“What are your thoughts? Though I have many magical abilities, I cannot read minds,” Victor said.
The bookseller smiled. “I know some of your abilities now, including your human appearance. Can you show me another? Forgive me if you think I am being skeptical. I am not doubting you, Victor, I am curious to see magic for myself,” the bookseller said eagerly.
The bookseller grabbed his cup of tea but put it down again, disappointed that it had gone cold.
“Certainly,” Victor replied. He waved his hand over the cup, and the bookseller watched in surprise steam coming from the tea which had gone cold.
“This is remarkable, and so useful,” the bookseller said, laughing.
“Yes, though it can be a burden,” Victor said sadly.
“I am sorry about your mother, Victor,” the bookseller said.
“Thank you,” Victor said simply. “I didn’t understand my mother when she was alive. I know now that she loved me with all her heart.”
“Yes, she did. I wanted to ask you about the girl you were with the first time you came into this bookshop. Was that Ariana, the sea king’s daughter? Was she the mermaid I saw that night?”
“Yes, that was her,” Victor replied.
“The second time you came into the shop, you were in great danger. You had turned mortal and were on the brink of death. I wished you would have told me,” the bookseller said.
“I didn’t want to burden anyone. I thought I would be dead before long,” Victor said.
“And the book I gave you about ships and sailing was the one you got the idea about defeating the Kraken?” the bookseller asked.
“Yes, I am grateful you gave me that book,” Victor said. “So, what are your final thoughts? Do you believe the story?”
“I believe it, but I don’t think that anyone else will!” the bookseller exclaimed. “I can’t believe I am part of your grand adventure... that I am part of mermaid lore!”
“Yes, no longer can you claim you live through books, as you are now part of one,” Victor said. “I don’t care about anyone else believing. I wanted to let you know how you helped me in my greatest hour of need. Thank you for your kindness.”
The bookseller was too moved to say anything.
“I think the universe has been too kind to me. Ever since I saw a mermaid as a lad, I have spent my life obsessing. No one else believed me, but I kept believing. This is vindication of the best kind,” the bookseller said with tears in his eyes. “Thank you, Victor, for sharing with me your life, your pain and your journey.”
Victor bowed his head in response.
“I am afraid this is the last time we can meet, my friend. My responsibilities have increased in the ocean. I cannot risk your life meeting you,” Victor replied sadly.
“I sensed that somehow.. you were sharing your story before you came to say goodbye. There is one last question I have to ask you, Victor... please don’t go without telling me,” the bookseller pleaded.
Victor was surprised at his request.
“What do you want to know?” he asked.
“Did the sea witch’s son and the sea king’s daughter get together?” the bookseller asked.
“You saved that question until the end, didn’t you?” Victor said, smiling. “Yes, they are together, at long last. Their story has a happy ending.”
———-
Ariana thought her life was meant only for heartbreak. It was unlikely that her heart would ever heal again.
But her heart would heal, and the sea king lived for one more year.
It was more than Ariana had hoped for.
On Brutus’s death bed, Victor finally gave him Helena’s message.
“After I fought the siren queen, for a few moments, I saw a glimpse of the otherworld. I saw my mother and father there, and I also saw Queen Helena. The queen told me she has forgiven you. She told me she is waiting for you in the otherworld,” Victor said sadly.
Ariana looked at Victor quietly. Her eyes were full of tears.
Brutus smiled. “I know. I will meet her soon.”
Brutus looked at Ariana and Victor one last time before taking his final breath. Ariana wept as she held her father’s hand. Her father looked so peaceful.
Victor bowed to his king one last time. The sea king left for his final journey to the otherworld.
He left for Helena, the love of his immortal life.
All the kingdoms send their tributes to Brutus at his funeral. The ocean had lost a great protector. The world had lost a great king.
One week after Brutus’s funeral, none of the Royal court members could locate Ariana. The servants said Queen Ariana locked herself up in her bedroom all day, but Victor knew where she was.
Victor took the familiar path as he swam through the forest of kelp. Queen Ariana was seen going in the dark lands, his patrol guard had informed him earlier.
Sure enough, as soon as the forest of kelp ended and Victor came to the jellystar field, he saw Ariana sitting there staring wistfully. She was looking at the jellystars as they floated around her and spun up and down.
Ariana was queen now, the crown on her head showing her status as the new ruler of the seven seas. Victor felt a surge of power and magic in the ocean as he swam closer to her. She didn’t have the trident with her, but it didn’t matter. Even without the trident by her side, Ariana was now the most powerful creature under the water.
But to Victor, Ariana looked as vulnerable as she did on her mother’s funeral, six years ago.
The day when he had fallen in love with her.
“Victor! I didn’t see you coming,” Ariana said, surprised.
“The dark lands belong to me now. You should ask my permission to be here, even if you are the queen,” Victor said in a bored voice.
Victor thought Ariana would be offended by what he said. He had meant to provoke her, but Ariana only smiled. It was a ghost of a smile, far different from her smiles of the past. That was all Ariana seemed to manage nowadays.
“You were the one who first brought me here, Victor,” she said, reminiscing.
“Yes, but I didn’t think that you were fond of jellystars then,” Victor said.
“Things are different now,” Ariana replied. “I see them differently now.”
Victor swam and sat next to her. Ariana stayed where she was, but was silent. Victor whistled a soft tune and just like before, the jellystars answered. They glowed all around, casting a luminous light around them. Victor watched the same wonder appear on Ariana’s face as the first time she saw the jellystars glowing. Ariana glowed with them like starlight.
"You learned how to talk to them," Victor said, looking at the jellystars. It was a statement rather than a question.
Ariana nodded.
They sat together in silence again.
“When I first brought you here, I was hopelessly in love with you. I couldn’t say the words,” Victor admitted.
Ariana looked at Victor with a sad expression.
“Yes, things are different now,” Ariana said. “Both of us have changed.”
“Some things have changed. Others remain as they always have been,” Victor replied.
Ariana didn’t know what to make of Victor’s words. She noticed that his expression had softened from before. Perhaps now she could talk to him about what was on her mind?
Ariana built up her courage.
“Thank you, Victor, for helping me with father,” she said. “Thank you for everything you have done for the kingdom. No reward would be enough to repay your debt, but if there is anything I could give you, you only need to say it and it is yours.”
Victor looked at Ariana with surprise and laughed.
“You want to repay me? You speak of debts and rewards, like it was not my king and kingdom I was also protecting,” Victor said.
“I didn’t mean to offend you. Please forgive me,” Ariana said, blushing.
Victor looked at Ariana closely. “Why do you speak to me so, Ariana?” Victor asked. “When I imagined you as queen, this was not the image that I expected.”
“What did you expect?” Ariana asked.
“Someone who was my equal. Not someone who felt indebted to me,” Victor replied.
Ariana stayed silent. Words failed her. Victor looked at her again. He seemed to weigh what he wanted to say next.
“I was jealous of Ivan. I would have burned the world down in my rage,” Victor said.
Ariana wasn’t expecting Victor to say that. She was startled by his honesty. He never told her how he felt before.
“But I never would have wanted him dead... not when he made you happy,” Victor said.
“I know,” Ariana said. “I know you wouldn’t harm him or anyone else like that.”
It was time that she started being honest with Victor too, Ariana thought.
Especially when he was baring his soul to her.
“I didn’t know Ivan well, but I wanted so much to believe him,” Ariana said. "That I could live a life in my mother’s world. I wanted to believe in that."
Victor was listening to her carefully.
“But I realized both worlds were flawed, and that I couldn’t use one to escape the other,” Ariana said, finally.
Victor was not surprised at her words.
“I understand now. The pull towards the mortal world. Being a mortal changed how I feel about the human world,” Victor said.
“How do you feel about them now?” Ariana asked.
“That humans can be our allies. That they could be my friends,” Victor said.
“The mortal world will be glad to have an ally in you, Victor. No one would want the dark emperor of the dark lands as their enemy,” Ariana said.
Victor gave a wicked grin. “Oh, I still mean to terrorize everyone else.”
She hadn’t seen Victor grin like that in ages. Ariana smiled.
“I missed your smile, Ariana,” Victor said.
He reached out a hand to push back the strand of hair that had fallen on her face. His touch was gentle.
Ariana’s heart started beating fast. She dared not imagine Victor forgiving her, let alone speak to her so warmly.
“You are not angry with me, Victor? Do not be gentle with me, because I don’t deserve it,” Ariana said, her words shaking.
“I was never angry with you, Ariana. I was only angry with myself,” Victor replied.
“But why? I was the one at fault... I broke your heart, and did not see your love,” Ariana said.
“What I felt before was only a figment... you showed me what love truly is,” Victor said. “I said that things are different now and they are. When I first brought you here, I was hopelessly in love with you, and couldn’t say the words. I don’t think I could ever express them in words but know this, Ariana, I feel deeper for you than I ever did before.”
Ariana was trembling. Victor looked at her shaking hands and took it into his own.
“I thought you were indifferent to me for the longest time,” Ariana confessed. “Especially at the tournament.”
“I didn’t make my feelings open or easy to understand,” Victor said. “Why do you think Naiiad lost as he did?”
Ariana looked surprised.
“Not only that... after he proposed to you, I also gave him a horn down there,” Victor said, smirking. “It made things very difficult for him. He couldn’t take anyone to bed for a month. No wonder he got so cranky. Any longer and he would have hacked the horn himself out of frustration.”
Victor laughed wickedly. His laugh sent electricity down Ariana’s body.
She hadn’t heard him laugh like that in a long time.
“That was you? You did all that to Naiiad?” Ariana said. "I didn’t think you cared about what happened."
“Oh, I cared. I cared long before we kissed,” Victor said. “My feelings only became stronger after that.”
Ariana blushed. “That kiss was because of the love spell..”
“The first kiss was, but I had already broken the spell before the second one,” Victor said, his eyes twinkling.
“But that spell you said?” Ariana asked, surprised.
“That I made up. I said it to stop you from being embarrassed,” Victor said. “I saw the look in your eyes. You were the one who wasn’t sure if you were still under the spell.”
“So, you knew.. but you didn’t tell me?” Ariana asked, blushing.
“I was waiting for you to figure it out,” Victor said. "I was waiting for you to understand how you felt about me, Ariana."
Ariana sighed sadly. Victor had always been patient with her. She wasn’t sure she deserved it.
“How could I when I was determined not to see you or your love... I wanted any reason to hate you, Victor,” Ariana said.
“I love you, Ariana,” Victor said. “I always will, if you accept my love. And I always will, even if you don't.”
Ariana trembled at Victor’s words. She couldn’t believe what he just said to her.
That after all he went through, Victor still loved her.
“Just say one word... Just say no and I will never bother you again,” Victor said.
“What if I said yes?” Ariana asked. “Will you stay with me?”
Victor stopped breathing.
“If I say yes, Victor, what will you do?” Ariana asked again.
“I am not sure. I never thought that far,” Victor said. He still seemed like he was in a daze.
Ariana was crying. Her heart felt so full.
“My answer is yes, Victor,” Ariana said.
“Say that again, Ariana..” Victor said, not believing his ears.
“My heart is yours, and yours alone, Victor, as long as I live,” Ariana cried.
She took Victor’s hand and kissed it.
Victor leaned closer and kissed Ariana slowly. She felt every part of her body tremble.
“I lost us so much time, Victor. Time we could have been together,” Ariana said.
Victor was smiling. He finally heard the words his heart had been yearning for.
Victor took her in his arms and held her close to his chest. She could hear his heart beating and it was the most beautiful sound.
“We have an eternity to spend it together, my love,” Victor replied.
Ariana smiled, knowing there was no one else but Victor she would want to spend her immortal life with.
————
For she was starlight,
He was lightning.
For she was his love,
He was her everything.
————
THE END
Thank you for reading The Stone Mermaid!
You might also enjoy my other fantasy books:
Sleeping Beauty no more https://Books2read.com/SBNM
or
Queen of Frost and Ice https://Books2read.com/QoFI