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Description
Melasende was well aware that no human child could survive being born under the icy water’s surface. Slowly, she crawled up onto the land, stopping for yet another contraction. She found as dry a spot as she was ever likely to find on this late winter’s night, a tiny mound sheltered from wind and rain by the willow.

She unwrapped the blanket, relieved to find that it was not as wet as she feared, and wrapped herself within to prepare for what was to come. She had not long to wait. The contractions came, closer and closer together. Powerful muscles pulled her tail backwards, straightening the birth canal. Maintaining silence became a desperate challenge. Finally, she could push and the child was born. Using one corner of the blanket, she wiped the shivering human clean. “A young male, a boy,” she thought.

He needed two things, milk and warmth. The former she provided but the latter was more doubtful. She knew what had to be done and without delay. She wrapped the infant carefully and crawled with him, overland to the human house. While there, she placed her son to the lee of a bush, in full sight of the back door. She bounded across the yard into the lake, but halted a few yards off shore. The baby began to cry. It was probably enough for them to hear, but she had to be certain. Melasende screamed, loud enough to split the night. The scream broke into a wail that contained all that she had endured over the last two years. A light came on in the house.

She swam further away, but turned again when she heard a door open. A man now stood on the balcony. The child could be plainly heard now as though his wails were meant to match his mother’s. The back door opened and after perhaps a moment of hesitation, the human woman emerged and picked up the child.

Melasende pushed herself as far above the water as she could and shouted, “HIS NAME IS HADRIANOS!” A powerful beam of light switched on and turned toward her, but the mermaid had already disappeared.

* * *

Melasende was started from her reverie when the cabin door opened. “Well, Doctor," she said. "What did the crew decide?”

“Nothing you would be pleased to hear I'm afraid.”

Her mind raced. It appeared that once more she would have to rely upon herself and herself alone. Speaking of which, she noted that none of the crew were with him. “But," she thought. "Does he not sound dismayed with his bad news? Perhaps I shouldn’t kill him yet.”

“I’m sorry it turned out this way.”

“Not so sorry as I, I imagine.”

“Indeed, which is why I’ve decided to exercise my veto on this decision.” He took a key from his pocket and began working on the padlock that held the chain binding her tail.

“Won’t they be angry with your vetoing them?”

“They’re not yet aware that I have this power. Our charter is unwritten, you see.”

“I do see that I need to learn more about human government.” She began unwrapping her tail. “So, you’re actually letting me go?”

“We don’t have much time so, to put it briefly, yes.” He lifted her out of the tub. “How’s your tail? Can you swim with it?”

“It’s a bit tingly, but I can.”

“Good, I’m afraid I’ll have to just toss you over the side. Not much of a good bye." He shrugged. "As I said, we haven’t much time.”

“Fine with me, but seriously, won’t they hurt you?”

“I suppose they’ll be disappointed in me, but I’ve saved a few of them over the years from getting crippled up or dying.”

“Sure.”

He brought her to the railing. The surface of the harbor was about thirty feet below.

“Well, this is it,” he said.

“I don’t imagine we’ll see each other again.”

“No, I suppose not.”

"Any regrets?"

"No."

“Then how about a kiss?”

His eyes widened. “What? Well, I…”

Melasende wrapped her arms around him while aggressively seeking his lips. Then, she twisted her tail about his legs, until he lost balance. Together, they plunged into the murky water. He struggled briefly as she pulled him down, until he lost consciousness.

She pulled his limp body along as she swam for the open sea. “He’ll certainly be surprised when he awakens and finds himself a merman. Of course, if he didn’t already love me and I him, he would have simply drowned. It was a risk and not very fair, but l need a partner to help me search for my son, our son. I’ve wasted too many years already.

Description
Melasende was well aware that no human child could survive being born under the icy water’s surface. Slowly, she crawled up onto the land, stopping for yet another contraction. She found as dry a spot as she was ever likely to find on this late winter’s night, a tiny mound sheltered from wind and rain by the willow.

She unwrapped the blanket, relieved to find that it was not as wet as she feared, and wrapped herself within to prepare for what was to come. She had not long to wait. The contractions came, closer and closer together. Powerful muscles pulled her tail backwards, straightening the birth canal. Maintaining silence became a desperate challenge. Finally, she could push and the child was born. Using one corner of the blanket, she wiped the shivering human clean. “A young male, a boy,” she thought.

He needed two things, milk and warmth. The former she provided but the latter was more doubtful. She knew what had to be done and without delay. She wrapped the infant carefully and crawled with him, overland to the human house. While there, she placed her son to the lee of a bush, in full sight of the back door. She bounded across the yard into the lake, but halted a few yards off shore. The baby began to cry. It was probably enough for them to hear, but she had to be certain. Melasende screamed, loud enough to split the night. The scream broke into a wail that contained all that she had endured over the last two years. A light came on in the house.

She swam further away, but turned again when she heard a door open. A man now stood on the balcony. The child could be plainly heard now as though his wails were meant to match his mother’s. The back door opened and after perhaps a moment of hesitation, the human woman emerged and picked up the child.

Melasende pushed herself as far above the water as she could and shouted, “HIS NAME IS HADRIANOS!” A powerful beam of light switched on and turned toward her, but the mermaid had already disappeared.

* * *

Melasende was started from her reverie when the cabin door opened. “Well, Doctor," she said. "What did the crew decide?”

“Nothing you would be pleased to hear I'm afraid.”

Her mind raced. It appeared that once more she would have to rely upon herself and herself alone. Speaking of which, she noted that none of the crew were with him. “But," she thought. "Does he not sound dismayed with his bad news? Perhaps I shouldn’t kill him yet.”

“I’m sorry it turned out this way.”

“Not so sorry as I, I imagine.”

“Indeed, which is why I’ve decided to exercise my veto on this decision.” He took a key from his pocket and began working on the padlock that held the chain binding her tail.

“Won’t they be angry with your vetoing them?”

“They’re not yet aware that I have this power. Our charter is unwritten, you see.”

“I do see that I need to learn more about human government.” She began unwrapping her tail. “So, you’re actually letting me go?”

“We don’t have much time so, to put it briefly, yes.” He lifted her out of the tub. “How’s your tail? Can you swim with it?”

“It’s a bit tingly, but I can.”

“Good, I’m afraid I’ll have to just toss you over the side. Not much of a good bye." He shrugged. "As I said, we haven’t much time.”

“Fine with me, but seriously, won’t they hurt you?”

“I suppose they’ll be disappointed in me, but I’ve saved a few of them over the years from getting crippled up or dying.”

“Sure.”

He brought her to the railing. The surface of the harbor was about thirty feet below.

“Well, this is it,” he said.

“I don’t imagine we’ll see each other again.”

“No, I suppose not.”

"Any regrets?"

"No."

“Then how about a kiss?”

His eyes widened. “What? Well, I…”

Melasende wrapped her arms around him while aggressively seeking his lips. Then, she twisted her tail about his legs, until he lost balance. Together, they plunged into the murky water. He struggled briefly as she pulled him down, until he lost consciousness.

She pulled his limp body along as she swam for the open sea. “He’ll certainly be surprised when he awakens and finds himself a merman. Of course, if he didn’t already love me and I him, he would have simply drowned. It was a risk and not very fair, but l need a partner to help me search for my son, our son. I’ve wasted too many years already.