Part II

She searches and

searches above the

surface, but she

fails to find

him.

She dives under

the water, flitting

back and forth,

looking for him

She turns and

gasps.

His body is

sinking into

the depths.

She bolts over

to him,

quickly bringing him

up for air.

She swims and

swims, tail growing

weary from the

work.

Finally, she reaches

the shore, dragging

her human along.

She goes only

as far as

the tide ends.

She lays him

down and looks

him over.

His beautiful face

is pale, his

chest still.

She strokes his

face gently, caressing

his cheek.

The seventh feels

a pull in her

heart; an ache

to be with

him for all

time.

Bells begin to

ring out

from a church.

Girls run out.

She spots the

humans and quickly

flees into the tide.

She watches a girl

with fiery sun

hair and grass

green eyes approach

him warily.

She observes, hiding

behind a

large, grey rock.

The girl bends

over and scrutinizes

him.

She runs off into

the church to

fetch someone.

The seventh takes

one last glance

at her beloved

and returns to

the world

below.

 

Her sisters gather

around her to

ask what she

had seen, but

the seventh remains

silent, refusing to

speak.

Over the next

few days,

the seventh simply

just stays in

her garden,

staring at her stature

for hours, dreamily

thinking of her

love.

One day, she

finally breaks down

and tells her

sisters what she

has seen.

They are awed

for the sisters

had never heard

such a tale

before, for

no mermaid

in her right

mind would ever

fall in love

with a human.

One thing was

good, though, because

her sisters knew

where her beloved

lived, and told

her where to find him.

And she sets

off in search

of him.

 

Her prince’s castle

stands high and

mighty, towering

over the water.

The seventh finds

her love’s room

and resides under

the balcony, watching

with such desire

and longing.

She thinks he

is so handsome,

but he seems

so sad, as

if his heart

is broken.

She aches to

mend it for

him.

Soon, she departs,

wishing every day

to be with

him, to hold him.

As soon as

she was home,

she tells her

sisters of her

longing.

They tell her

of a sea witch

who was evil

but might be

able to find

a solution to

her dilemma.

The seventh soon

sets off in

search for her.