EIGHT
It was strange for Meirion to wake in that room again. Everything was familiar, the deep aqua sheets, the ceiling painted with fanciful murals, the blue light wavering on the walls, and the subtle noise of the ocean roaring outside, but the woman in his arms was not the same one he’d last lain with here, more than a hundred years ago, and he found that he was glad.
Even if he could have gone back and saved Isabel’s life, he would not have, because, as horrible as it was, that event had been the proverbial stone in the pond that led him inextricably to this one. He turned to embrace Seren fully, burying his face in her raven hair, breathing her in. She sighed, a sound of pleasure and comfort, and he brushed her hair away to kiss the side of her neck. This time, she made a sound of protest over interrupted sleep, and he chuckled, ready to renew his attack before a chirping sound got his attention.
Above his head, a message spell in the form of a folded paper bird awaited his attention. At a gesture, the bird flittered down to his finger, and he dispelled the magic and smoothed the paper out onto his knee. His eyes went wide when he read the short message.
“Meirion?” Seren said, her voice heavy with sleep. He set the message aside and turned to her, taking in all of her beloved form.
“It’s nothing,” he said, hating himself for the lie, but believing it to be necessary. “Go back to sleep.” He bent over and pressed a kiss to her temple, a thread of magic wrapped in his words and his lips. “I’m sorry. I love you,” he whispered.
**************************
Someone was calling her name, shaking her by the shoulder, but waking up felt like trying to swim through cold honey. Everything was slow and difficult. Finally, she opened her eyes, blinking the crust from her eyelashes, and saw the face of Lord Aidan peering down at her. He sat back once he was sure she was fully awake. “You were under the influence of a strong sleep spell. I don't suppose you know where Meirion has gone?”
“Gone? He isn't here?” she said, sitting bolt upright and looking around. But she knew what she would find, because her head was pounding and her chest was tight. Meirion was not only gone from the room, he was farther away than he’d ever been. “Does anyone know where he is?” she asked, her heart beginning to race.
“Perhaps it has something to do with this,” Lady Rowan said from her other side, handing Seren a slightly crumpled piece of paper. “This was on the bed beside you.” She read the message, which purported to be from Neria, with growing alarm. It claimed that Niall had contacted her with a time and place to meet.
“This must be where he is,” Seren said, pursing her lips. “But I can't believe he'd just run off on his own.”
“He wasn't completely on his own.” Dilys’ voice came from across the room, causing all three of them to look up. “I saw the Prince leave early this morning with several of the guards.”
Seren sighed. “Thank you, Dilys. At least we know he’s got some backup. Although, he's going to hear it about putting me to sleep.” Her head was killing her. She couldn't imagine that Meirion was in any sort of shape to be throwing himself into danger.
“I think he put you to sleep because he suspected this ‘meeting’ was a trap, and he didn't want to put you in further danger,” Rowan said. “Not to say that I agree with him, but it does sound terribly familiar.” She glanced pointedly at her husband, and Lord Aidan actually blushed. Seren shook her head to distract herself from that adorableness.
“If the meeting is a trap, shouldn't we go after him? When did you even get here? What time is it?”
“It's just after noon now,” Lady Rowan answered. “We arrived this morning, and Neria sent a message to the Palace. It was Dilys who told us that Meirion was gone and you could not be woken.”
“I love the Prince like my own son,” the Head Chambermaid said, shaking her head. “But he really can be a foolish boy. It wasn’t right for him to leave you behind.”
“I do think we ought to follow him,” Aidan said. “Even if Meirion manages to evade whatever trap Niall is setting, he’ll have a difficult time catching my brother without more help. Niall has displayed powerful new abilities, and he may have more we have not yet seen.”
Seren wanted to go after him right away, but of course, there were preparations to make, and she needed to eat and dress, so it was more than an hour later before she and her parents, as well and Rhosyn and Oisin, stood in front of another portal. They were all wearing enchanted leather armor of a sort that was apparently popular in the fabled city of Serenalis.
At any other time, Seren would have wanted to examine the enchantments on the garments, which were both beautiful and functional. Modern wizards in the mortal world certainly didn’t go around wearing magical armor, but as enchantment was Seren’s speciality, she already had ideas of more useful applications. Some of the others were carrying weapons, Rhosyn had a rapier at her hip and Oisin held a staff, but Seren hoped there wouldn’t be much fighting. Dueling wasn’t exactly encouraged in the mortal world, and it had been years since she’d cast an offensive spell, but she would fight, if it was needed to save Meirion’s life.
Lady Rowan took one arm and Rhosyn the other. “Are we prepared to go through the gate?” Lord Aidan asked in his cool voice, and everyone answered in the affirmative. Seren took a deep breath and they went through the portal.
*************************
He hadn’t known it would hurt so much, the separation. The moment Meirion passed through the gate, finding himself in a lightly wooded meadow just outside the borders of a foreign Court, there was a sharp, stabbing pain in his head and chest simultaneously. He fell to one knee, gasping. “My Prince, are you all right?” asked one of the guards he’d brought with him.
“I’m fine,” he replied, pushing himself back to his feet. His head, especially, still hurt, but there was nothing for it now. He was committed to catching Niall before he could do any more damage, and at least he could be comforted by the fact that the sleep spell he’d placed on Seren was strong enough to keep her from experiencing the pain from the strain on their bond. She was going to be furious with him. He shook his head to clear it.
“You split up in groups of two, and see if he has any allies lying in wait. Detain them if you can, but I want no heroics. Just alerting me to their presence will be enough.”
“Yes, my Lord,” said the first guard, and they all moved off. Meirion picked up his spear from where it had fallen. It felt strange in his hands. It had been many years since he had done battle of any kind, and many more since he had fought with a physical weapon, but the spear was the traditional weapon of his Court, and he trained with it in his youth.
It had the advantage of being useful both within water and without, and with its head of crystal, also served as a magical focus. This particular spear was ancient, having been wielded by Lady Aine’s father as a young man, and it had a powerful enchantment of its own. Meirion could feel it humming under his fingers as he made his way forward, every sense alert.
“I knew you would come, Prince Meirion,” said Niall’s voice, magically magnified so that it seemed to boom out from all directions. Meirion was neither particularly impressed nor frightened.
“Your trap was all too obvious,” he replied evenly, adding a layer to his personal shields.
“I suppose that’s why you walked right into it,” Niall sneered, behind Meirion now but not too close. He pretended unconcern. From the little he knew of Niall, Meirion suspected that his temper was his biggest weakness, and the thing he liked least was being ignored.
“I believe it only counts as a trap if you consider the person responsible to be a credible threat,” he replied, his tone bland, though in reality, his ears were pricked for the smallest sound. There was a quiet scuffing just behind him, and, out of instinct, he ducked low, and saw a dagger pass just over his head. His spear swung around and knocked his assailant off his feet with a grunt. “In the back, Niall? I heard you were an honorable man, but clearly that is untrue.” Meirion readied a stunning spell, but Niall had already dodged away, flinging a fireball at his head as he fled. The battle began in earnest.
******************
They could hear the sounds of fighting the moment they came through the portal. To Seren, it sounded more like armies clashing rather than two men and their guards. She sprinted forward, heedless of Lord Aidan’s cry of alarm, and she could already feel the pain in her head and chest releasing. Meirion was here.
It took her a moment to see him through the lights and smoke, but there he was, a spear in his hand, calling down lightning from the sky, not in armor, but a long blue coat fluttered behind him like a cape in the wind. It would have been both dramatic and quite dashing, had he not then topped over like a felled tree.
“Meirion!” She dashed toward him, falling to her knees at his side and casting a shield over the both of them. She could have wept, seeing his face, and not only from the relief of being together again. He was cut and bruised, and blood seeped from his nose, but when she touched his cheek, his eyes opened a crack.
“Seren, what are you doing here?” he asked in a bleary voice, trying to sit up. She pushed him back to the ground and started casting a healing spell.
“Saving your idiot self,” she said, scowling at him. “I love you, but right now I could slap you. How could you do that to me?” A hand fell on her shoulder, lending her power, and she recognized Aidan’s cool magic without even looking up. In truth, she didn’t really need the help, as Meirion’s injuries were minor. He was mostly suffering from overuse of his magic. But she appreciated the gesture anyway.
“I’m sorry,” he mumbled. “I didn’t want you to get hurt again.”
“By nearly getting killed yourself? That’s a grand idea,” she said, her tone acid, but this time when he tried to sit up, she let him, wrapping her arms around his back as he rested his head on her shoulder. “I was afraid for you,” she murmured. There was shouting behind her.
“It seems they’ve cornered Niall,” Aidan remarked, sounding surprisingly unconcerned, considering the situation. “Perhaps we should aid them.”
“Can you stand?” Seren asked Meirion. Now that the healing spell had done its work, she suspected exhaustion was his main issue.
“I’m fine,” he said, but he didn’t seem terribly inclined to move, so she disentangled herself from him and stood, offering her hand. His legs shook as he pulled himself up, and he leaned heavily on her shoulder, but they were walking, toward the sound of voices with Lord Aidan in their wake. Niall was sprawled in a clearing several yards away, alive, judging by the rapier aimed at his throat and the magical bindings shining all around him.
He laughed bitterly when he saw them approach. “ I couldn’t even kill one of you.”
“Your plans never take into account that people might have loved ones who will protect them,” Aidan said, his tone even frostier than usual.
“Men should be ashamed to have to rely on their wives for protection,” Niall spat, though it was hard to take him seriously in his current position.
“And that is why you’ve never been married,” Rowan remarked with a chilly smile. Seren was surprised by the vehemence in her tone, but then, she remembered. Rowan and Niall had history, and whatever one might expect, the stories indicated that Rowan was much more hot-tempered than her husband.
“You may as well kill me. There’s nothing left for me here,” Niall said, and for the first time, his voice was not haughty, but despairing.
“I think not,” Aidan said, glancing to Meirion, who nodded. “You’re going to answer our questions, truthfully and completely. But first, we have other things to see to.”
********************************
They went back to the Court of Waves and its underwater Palace. Niall was sent off to the dungeons, but Seren let her family handle that. She supported Meirion as they walked back to their room and helped him into bed. Rest was the only things that would heal him now. “I’m sorry, Seren, I shouldn’t have…” his face split in a wide yawn.
“We can talk about it later,” she said, bending down to kiss his forehead. “Just sleep.” He closed his eyes, and less than a minute later, his chest rose and fell with slow, even breaths. She watched him for several minutes, her mind awhirl with emotions, and then she went to speak to her parents.
Late the next morning, she stood, or rather, floated next to Meirion in front of a large statue carved from coral. It depicted Lady Aine, arms outstretched, with a spear in her hand and a crown on her head. She cut a rather imposing figure. Is it true to life? she asked him, squeezing his hand.
His answer was suffused with faint amusement and a hint of bitterness. I don’t remember her ever having such a kindly expression, but you might say my memory is biased. Even if she was not the best parent, she was an excellent ruler. She kept the Court stable and prosperous for nearly a thousand years, and she was the one who pushed hardest for more open relations with the mortal world. In the end, that may have saved the Aos Si from extinction. Even when I hated her, I admired and respected her abilities.
She could sense, from his words, how unsure he was about himself, how inadequate he felt in the face of his mother’s legacy. All Seren could do was support him as best as she was able. If he would let her, that is. So, what happens now?
Later this afternoon, we’re going to meet with your parents to discuss it. He turned to her, a gentle spice on his face. But right now, I’d like to take you somewhere. I still haven’t apologized to you properly.
She arched an eyebrow. So, where are we going?
You’ll have to wait and see, he said, his grin turning mischievous. But it’s a bit of a swim. Are you sure you’re up to it?
You’re the one who spent the last day in bed, she scoffed. Let’s go. With a mental chuckle, he led her off into the blue.
At first, they raced playfully, Seren eager to test the limits of the merrow form. She was amazed by how quickly she could propel herself with just a few strokes of her tail, and with her arms held tightly to her sides, momentum carried her a surprising distance. And of course, with the aid of her arms she could spin and twirl as gracefully as a ballerina. Meirion danced around her, watching her with smoldering eyes, and that only made her want to tease. She let her fingers slide over his skin as she swam by. He caught after her hand, pulling her to his side. You are impossibly lovely, he said, and she could feel his desire around the edges of his words.
Flattery will get you nowhere, mister, she said, though she rotated to swim beneath him, running her hands over his chest. I haven’t forgiven you for putting a sleep spell on me.
It was inexcusable. But twice now, you’ve risked yourself to save me. I didn’t think I could bear to watch it again, he said, slipping his arms around her waist. What if this had been the time I wasn’t able to save you?
I know you were trying to protect me, she said, pressing a kiss to the side of his jaw. But I’m your wife. If we’re going to make this work, we have to be partners. This is the twenty-first century, and I’m not a damsel in distress.
There was a burst of bubbles through his nose as he laughed, but his arms tightened around her, holding her so close that his tail tangled with hers. I know. You are brave, intelligent, and capable, and much more than I deserve. I promise to do better in the future, and I give you permission to hit me if I don’t. Will you forgive me?
I will. I love you, she said, this time kissing his lips. One of his hands slipped upward to cradle her head, and his tongue danced between her lips, flicking against the roof of her mouth. She shuddered, her hands moving to his shoulders as they sank deeper in the water.
My love, he said, even his mental voice gone rough with passion. Let’s get where we’re going before I attempt something truly inadvisable. Seren was curious to know exactly what he might do and why it was inadvisable, but he kissed her again and rolled her to face away from him, tucking her against his chest with his palms pressed flat over her stomach. We can swim together like this.
She placed her hands over his, and after a few false starts, they moved their tails together, swimming toward the sunlight. Seren was aware of every place their bodies touched, every beat of his heart, every flick of his tail. They had already made love, yet this felt like the most intimate moment they had shared. Perhaps it was because she knew she was seeing Meirion’s truest self.
As the water got shallower, rays of sunlight pierced through in sparkling shafts, illuminating a magical landscape. Coral grew in bursts of orange and vivid purple, and fish of rainbow colors swam underneath and all around them, unafraid. They swam through tunnels and hidden grottos where sea anemones and fronds of vibrant seaweed swayed in the gentle current.
This is beautiful, Meirion, she said. Is this where you wanted to bring me?
Part of it, he answered, kissing her just behind her ear. We’re nearly there. The water grew even shallower, and the sea of coral gave way to wave-rippled sand, interspersed with the occasional patch of sea grass or starfish.
Meirion rolled under her, and she saw and felt the rush of water as a wave moved over them. Magic tingled over her skin as he dismissed the transformation spell, and the wave pushed them further up on shore. Her head broke the surface just in time for her lungs to crave oxygen, and then she was sitting in Meirion’s lap with the waves crashing all around them. They were on a deserted beach, the sand nearly as white as snow, and Seren recognized it. This beach, these waves, she had seen them every time she’d tried to divine her future. Now it all made sense.
“I made this place as a private escape, when I was younger,” Meirion said, looking down at her with his cerulean eyes. “I’ve never brought anyone here, not even Isabel.”
Seren turned to face him, wrapping her legs around his waist. His pupils were blown wide, making his eyes seem dark. “Thank you for sharing it with me,” she said, sliding her arms up around his neck and kissing him slowly on the mouth.
She felt his sharp gasp of breath against her lips, and then he stood, holding her by the hips. She laughed as he carried her away from the beach with unerring purpose, all the while peppering her face with kisses, and they came under the shade of a grove of palms.
He sank to his knees and laid her down in the soft grass, kissing her deeply as he unwrapped the still damp cloth from her breasts. His mouth moved to her ear. “You don’t know how wild you drive me,” he whispered, before taking the lobe between his teeth.
“Oh!” she murmured, feeling a burst of sensation that shot right between her legs. He kissed her neck, sucking at the curve of shoulder until she moaned, and meanwhile his fingers stroked her breasts and stomach with feathery touches that only made her arch upward for more. His mouth was startlingly warm as it moved to her breast, and her nails dragged over his back and up into his hair. The braids were convenient for swimming, but unsatisfying to bury her fingers in.
At her unspoken wish, there was a pulse of magic, and the beads and crystals fell to the ground and his hair fell loose around his shoulders. She didn’t question it, but slipped her hands into his wavy brown hair, running it through her fingers as she had always wanted to. He kissed her stomach, and pulled the wrap away from her waist. She shivered, and then his mouth was between her legs.
“Meirion,” she breathed his name in a low moan as his tongue moved to circle the sensitive bundle of nerves there. Already, she felt the pleasure humming within her, tense and ready, and she longed to feel his length inside her again. “Please.”
“Now who’s impatient?” he murmured against her thigh. “This time, I want to love you thoroughly.” It was difficult to argue with that, especially once his tongue went to work again. It was all she could do to hold on with her hands in his hair, her hips rocking in time to an unseen rhythm.
The orgasm built slowly, like a flower blooming in her lowest belly, and when it finally broke over her, it seemed to continue forever, flooding her brain with infinite pulses of ecstasy. And when she was shivering and spent, he knelt over her, kissing her thoroughly with his wet mouth, and slid inside her as if they had been made to fit together. She felt swollen and oversensitive, in a good way; she could feel every inch of him, and even his achingly slow movement sparked fire along her nerves.
She reached up to run her nails over his shoulders and felt his muscles shiver under his touch. He kissed her again and again, until her lips were bruised, and it still wasn’t enough. She wrapped her legs around his hips, drawing him deeper. “Seren,” he groaned, and she could hear the waves crashing louder and faster, as if responding to his desire.
She clutched at him as he thrust into her, feeling the peak nearing as every muscle tensed, and then, with one swift stroke, she felt him spasm inside her as he called her name. That was all it took to send her spinning into the sky. Her back arched into him and she clung to his neck as if she might fly away, her vision blurring with the intensity of her release.
When it faded, Meirion’s forehead, damp with sweat, rested on her cheek and his panting breath stirred her hair. She stroked his head and back, her body limp and warm with contentment.
After a moment, he moved to lie beside her and she curled against his chest. “This may surprise you, but this was not what I intended when I brought you here,” he said into her hair.
Seren laughed. “What did you intend then? Not that I’m complaining.”
“I just wanted to show you this place. There’s a cottage here. I thought we might spend some time in it, after things settle down.”
“Do you think things will ever really be calm?” She couldn’t see any scenario where he wouldn’t be crowned as Lord, and she couldn’t imagine that would give either of them a lot of free time.
He chuckled. “Even if they aren’t, I’ll always make time for you, Seren.” She turned and kissed him, her heart filled with love.