The grip on her wrist, while strong, felt gentle and warm. Excitement and happiness radiated off Aria as she watched the land slowly edge closer. Kaelen on the other hand radiated fear, anger and sadness. He had given in to her, allowed her to finally show him what he was doing to her. All Kaelen had wanted was her love. From the moment he saw her until now, all he wanted was her. A sad smile formed on his lips as he remembered the first time he saw her.

~

Kaelen had just finished hunting when he breached the surface. The large fish gone and his teeth covered in blood. His head breached the surface of the ocean, something he rarely did but there was something today which called to him. A pull which he dutifully followed. Sepiia had told him once, long ago, that one day a call would bring him to the surface where he would find his destiny. She was his oldest and closest friend, even before she became the priestess and in turn gave up on every finding her own life partner.

The sun felt warm on his skin as he allowed the light to reflect of his tanned skin. His navy blue tail splashing lazily on the surface as for a moment he allowed himself a moment of piece, a moment to simply enjoy being alive and feeling like a young guppy once again.

But then he felt it again. That strange sensation, the pull which called to him. His eyes trailed all over the surface but there was nothing there. Just the pale blue water.

When the strange feeling didn't leave Kaelen slowly headed in the direction of the closest land. He had never gone to the land, it was an unspoken rule, a forbidden place. But he just had to see what it was that called to him. And so he swam, slowly at first but with each stroke and each flick of his tail the pull got stronger. Faster and faster, he swam until the water grew shallow. Until he could feel the waves cresting above him and finally see the land on which humans lived. He peaked the top of his head out of the water, his eyes barely above as he observed the area.

The shallow water was strangely warm, something he didn't know possible. All he knew was the cold of his home. But that was just fine to him. It was the perfect temperature for his people. This strange warmth felt almost suffocating. But his thoughts were quickly dismissed when his eyes noticed a small petite female. From the distance it was hard to make out any of her features other than her long brown hair. She was walking along with four other figures. Who humans who he supposed were adults and two little humans. It was strange to observe. He had never seen humans. Alive that was. He had seen a few over the years, those who had fallen over board and drowned. It was strange that they were unable to breath like he could in the water while he had no problem breathing their air.

Kaelen shook his head in disappointment when he watched the family enter a large looking building. The call pulling him towards the same building, but he was unable to reach. Sadness flickered in his eyes as he wondered what it was, he was supposed to do.

Oh, goddess Alaria, please give me a sign so I know what to do.

But all had remained silent. Their beloved goddess had gone as still as the ocean, but the pull remained.

Kaelen remained in the shallow area for the rest of the day. He watched humans play in his ocean. He hid behind some rocks as to not alert anyone of his presence. He knew humans had forgotten long ago about his kind, he was nothing more than a fairy tale and that was exactly how it was meant to stay.

He stayed there all night, never closing his eyes as he waited for something. He didn't know what what he knew that if he stayed long enough, he would eventually find out what it was he was waiting for. The humans had left the beach, and all entered the same of similar looking buildings. The chill of the night gave him comfort. But it wasn't long before the sun rose once more and the rays warmed his skin. His long hair flowed around him as he sat up straighter against the rock. He observed all the people around him, and it interlude him how human males appeared to have short hair. The mer, both female and male alike, tended to leave their hair long. It wasn't a matter of preference so much as it was just too much effort to cut it.

Suddenly the call returned full force, as if mentally slamming into him and trying to pull him onto the land. His eyes shot out towards the building, the same one where he had spotted the family before. And sure enough, there they were. They were walking.

He watched them all day, or morse specifically he watched the young girl all day. He had no problem following their movements as they seemed to climb a cliff overlooking the ocean. The girl trailed far behind the rest. It was amusing as he watched them. Having been so enameled by her he had almost forgotten to pay attention to his surroundings. He was rather close to other humans and he couldn't risk being seen. So, he was startled when a little girl squealed a little too loudly just on the other side of the rock he hid behind. Shocked he quickly dove under, hiding himself. The little girl had been playing with her own father Kaelen noted, but it was far to dangerous for him to stay. So, ignoring the pull of the girl he headed out deeper into the ocean. Once far enough from the humans he allowed his head to peak out from the surface once more just to catch one last glimpse of the girl. She was staring out to the ocean, right in his direction. He doubted she could see him but he couldn't risk it and so he left, but not before evidentially splashing his tail on the surface a little too loudly.

His heart raced as he traveled back home. All his thoughts were on the girl, her flowing brown hair in the wind as she stared longingly out to the ocean, right at him. A strange fluttering in his chest told him enough. She was to be his detained mate. He needed her no matter what. There was just one small problem. She was a human, and she couldn't breath underwater.

Before Kaelen realised where he had headed, he had already called out to Sepiia who was silently praying in her own cave. Her eyes lit up at his entrance and he knew that he was making the right choice in asking her.

He told her all that had happened since he heard the call. Sepiia nodded along with him as she thought deeply.

"That's quite the conundrum indeed," she spoke in her soft priestess-like voice. "I understand the need to answer the call but do question yourself if that is what you truly want. If you take her into our world, it will not be easy. But—" his heart pounded as he waited for her to continue. "There is a cave, one with air. Take her there and she'll be able to breath just fine." And so Sepiia showed him the cave which would become Aria's home fore the next nine months.

That next morning Kaelen returned to the surface. He didn't know how he was going to take her but he knew he had to have her. Luck was on his side though when he observed the family entering the beach. It was a hot day, just like the day prior, and yet there appeared to be less people on the beach. He did suppose it was still early but still it had to be his goddess which allowed him this luck.

The young guppies played in the sand and water alike, even the father figure seemed to join in. But the girl he wanted stayed far on the beach. She was glad in something red. Something which covered her breast and between her legs. It was strange. He had seen many humans wear such garments on the beach over the course of the last three days but his people had no such items. The females left their breasts uncovered and their had tails, not legs. So what ever there was to hide he couldn't understand. It was intreding though to see them arrive with another layer on which was always quickly pulled off as they would lay on a mat or swim. Humans were strange creatures.

Eventually she entered the water much to his child-like delight. Finally, she was wishing reach. The call had become deafening and the pull so strong he hadn't realised that he had drifted close enough for his tail to brush against her pale legs. Amusement flashed in his eyes as the appendages flailed around him as she swam further away from him, brushing up sand in the process. A low chuckle escaped his lips as he swam small circles around her. Humans were so unperceptive to their surroundings while in his domain.

But when he noticed her heading back in the direction of the shore, anger burned in his chest. She was going to leave him! He couldn't have that, he needed her. She was to be his! And without thinking, his tail wrapped around her flailing legs and a clawed hand wrapped around her wrist and he pulled her beneath the surface. She was his.

Kaelen had ignored all he struggles as he made his way to his home and the cave Sepiia had shown him. He swam fast happiness radiating off him as he held his price in his arms. He had for a moment forgotten she was human, that humans couldn't breath as he could. And so, unwilling to lose her, he pressed his lips to her own. She wouldn't open her mouth to allow him to breath air into her and so he forced his lips harder on her, forcing them open. He could feel her blunt nails clawing at him, but no damage was done. When kaelen was sure shed have enough oxygen they continued. He dragged her deeper and deeper into his home, occasionally stopping to provide more life sustenance. Eventually her struggles slowed which worried him. It didn't take much longer to reach the cave. Breaching the surface, he held her weak body up as to prevent her from dipping back below the surface. Her eyes were half lidded. He spoke softly, "stay here, I'm sorry." And when her eyes closed, he continued, "sleep beautiful human." Her body appeared to shiver, and Kaelen had enough sense to pull her out of the water. Humans weren't used to being in the water so much. But that would change in time. She would learn to be like him and stay at his side.

That next morning Kaelen discovered just how different the humans were from his people.

"Welcome home, my name's kaelen, what's your name?" All she had done was stare at him blankly. Didn't she understand the common tongue? Eventually she spoke but the words flowing from her mouth were strange and dull sounding. Nothing like the mer language which there musical like undertones. She would have to learn his language. Alathai. No doubt about it.

Kaelen had been patient when teaching. He repeated his name several time until finally she seemed to understand. And then she said her own name. Alaria. His blue eyes had widened as the call finally quieted in his heart. The goddess Alaria had been sent to him. The mer goddess had become a human.

Feeding time was something which was surprisingly difficult. She had rejected all his offerings until eventually he simply forced her to eat. He would not allow the goddess herself to starve. A goddess she might be but in the body of a human she was more vulnerable than she could think.

In the meantime, kaelen had spent enough time in the archives with sepiia that he was practically living there. He was trying to figure out a way to help the goddess and turn her back into a mermaid. It was the least he could do for her. And then they could finally live together for the rest of their lives. It was difficult but eventually they had found the ritual needed. Sepiia would spend some time to learn the ritual while Kaelen could return to his beloved.

Alaria learned the language quickly but there was often some anger or resignation whenever he would call her goddess Alaria. Sometimes he would drop the title only for her to hiss between that her name was Alaria. She was always so angry about it and he couldn't understand why. Her name was Alaria, that's right. So why was she so mad?

~

It had taken Kaelen all this time to realise what Aria's true feelings were. She was not the goddess incarnated into a human being. She was just a young girl called Aria. A girl he had caused great suffering. But right now while she was happy, he himself was suffering. He truly loved her and wanted her at his side. He didn't want to let her go back to the surface and risk never seeing her again. But he knew that keeping her with him now would be the same as killing her. She didn't belong here with him. And in his blindness he had harmed his oldest friend, Sepiia. She had helped him through so much and he replayed her by hurting her. It was a miracle he hadn't accidentally killed her. But he knew he would have to do much to rectify their bond.

Alaria – no, Aria – was a beautiful and strong girl. He knew she would – in time – find her feet. She would get to reunite with her family and get to be exactly who she was meant to be. Even if it hurt his heart to admit it, she was never to stay with him in his world. The call in his heart quieted at the realisation. This was it. She was to leave him and he would be all alone once more. By nightfall, she would be gone. His goddess, his obsession, his Alaria— returning to the world where she belonged, leaving him to the silence of the sea.

Nearing the oceans surface and the land on which Aria called home, Kaelen stopped short. This was it. He would loose her now forever. The sadness in his eyes was undeniable. He pulled her slowly to him, and Aria allowed it. His eyes were wide as slowly he took the breathing devise from her lips. She held her breath right as he took it from her. Inching closer his lips pressed on hers gently. He savoured their shared kiss once last time. He engrained the softness of her lips in his mind, the gentle curves of her body which had in time slowly become more jagged, and finally when he let her go, he took in her beautiful brown hair and eyes. The red bikini which she still wore was becoming nothing more than an old looking discoloured rag. But she held on to it tightly. Like she had all this time. He had gotten pale, he suddenly noted. She needed sun. She needed the surface to survive. Just like she had been trying to tell him for months.

He let her arms go and swam back a little giving her room to swim up to the surface and back to shore. He could see the doubt and fear in her eyes now. A fear no doubt reasonable as she assumed he would just grab her and take her back to the cave. Perhaps force to ritual on her once more. But he would not. She was well and truly free to do as she pleased. He would no longer force her. And so with a small nod from him, she did exactly that. She swam away from him back to the surface. Her strokes were soft and rather weak. But she swam steadily. He watched long enough so see her break the surface and slowly crawl out onto the beach. Yes crawl. She had tried to stand but it appeared her legs gave out under her in exhaustion. And so, she crawled onto the beach.

"Lanka Selor," he whispered. This was it. He would never see her again. With tears in his eyes, he turned away from his beloved and swam back to Neridia.

Translation: "Lanka Selor" = stay safe