A gentle light filtered through the bedroom curtains. When the light reached Maribelle's eyes, she mumbled to herself as she was woken from her dream. Slowly, her senses returned to the world of the living.

  Maribelle yawned nguidly as she stretched her arms, releasing whatever it was that she had been clinging to in her sleep. There was a moment of surprise when Maribelle realised that it was Bryn who she had been embracing. Ever since she had returned to Coraltide a few days ago, she and Bryn had started to share a room. Which meant sharing a bed.

  It was lovely. At the end of the day, there was nothing more perfect than slipping into bed with Bryn, and then holding her close as she fell asleep. Yes, it was truly perfect.

  Maribelle leaned over Bryn's shoulder, and gazed lovingly at Bryn’s face. After giving one gentle kiss to Bryn’s cheek, Maribelle returned to her original resting pce and wrapped her arms around Bryn. As she did so, she felt Bryn begin to stir.

  ‘Oh no,’ Maribelle thought to herself as she considered that her kiss may have woken up Bryn.

  “Good morning?” Bryn asked, sounding like she was half asleep.

  “I'm sorry, I may have woken you up when I kissed you” Maribelle confessed.

  Bryn gave a dreamy sigh as she shuffled around the bed, turning her body towards Maribelle. “Well, that's hardly fair. How was I supposed to enjoy that?” she asked, looking directly at Maribelle.

  “How about I give you a kiss you can enjoy?” Maribelle suggested as she held a hand to Bryn's face, and began to lean forwards.

  “I like that idea,” Bryn replied before kissing Maribelle on her lips.

  It felt wonderful. It always felt like the highest form of bliss whenever Maribelle kissed Bryn.

  Maribelle felt Bryn's arms hold her close before the mershark rolled her onto her back. With their chests pressed together, Maribelle could feel both her heart and Bryn's beating together.

  With their lips so close, neither of them could resist their desires. Their lips met again while their hands caressed each other's bodies. Wrapped in passion, Maribelle ughed softly.

  “Is everything alright?” Bryn asked, her smile teasing Maribelle.

  “I'm more than ‘alright,’ Bryn. I've never been better,” Maribelle said. “I just had a funny thought. That's all,”

  “And what is it that's going through your mind?” Bryn asked with a curious look in her eyes.

  “I just couldn't help but think about how… unexpected this all is. A year ago, the idea that I'd be sailing across the sea never crossed my mind. Now look at me, I'm a mermaid that's fallen deeply in love with a woman.” Maribelle ughed again. “If I tried to warn my past self about what was going to happen to her, well, I doubt she would believe it.”

  “It's always difficult to predict the future. Life itself is unpredictable. The question is, are you happy?” Bryn said, her tail coiling around Maribelle's

  “Very happy,” Maribelle replied before kissing Bryn on her lips. “I feel like I am home. And I feel more true to myself than I ever did on the surface.”

  “That makes me happy to hear. It's a beautiful thing to witness someone discover their true self, and you, Maribelle Fairtides, my lovely sea flower, are very beautiful,” Bryn said as she pulled Maribelle close for a long kiss.

  Maribelle sighed blissfully as her lips parted from Bryn's. She caressed Bryn's soft cheek and gazed into her lover's red eyes. “When I was sinking into the sea, and you saved my life, what was going through your mind when you saw me?”

  Bryn's eyes gnced away for a moment before returning to Maribelle. “To tell the truth, when I saw you fall into the sea, the only thing I was thinking about was saving your life. It was all that mattered to me,” Bryn answered before kissing Maribelle's cheek.

  Maribelle smiled at the warm, soft sensation of Bryn's lips pressing against her cheek.

  “Once your life was safe, and I saw you resting peacefully, I must admit you were certainly pretty,” Bryn said, continuing her story.

  “Was it love at first sight?” Maribelle asked teasingly.

  Bryn ughed softly before kissing Maribelle's forehead. “I knew nothing about you. I didn't know what your interests were, what dreams you held, I didn't even know your name. My love for you came much ter. I must admit that at the time, I was more worried about how you would respond when you woke up in your new form.”

  “Oh,” Maribelle whispered as she remembered when she woke up as a mermaid the first time.

  “When we returned home, I never left your side out of fear you would wake up alone,” Bryn added as she gently caressed Maribelle’s body.

  “Thank you, Bryn. For everything. It was a difficult period, but I learned a lot about myself. And I'm much happier now,” Maribelle said before kissing Bryn’s lips. She loved the salty taste.

  Lips parting with a sigh, Bryn y down beside Maribelle. They held each other close as their tails intertwined with each other.

  With her lover's face so close, Maribelle could only think about how fortunate she was. Love: something that had eluded her for so long, and now she held it in her arms. It was a precious thing, something that Maribelle was determined to nurture and protect.

  “So when did thoughts of love cross your mind?” Maribelle asked since the topic was on her mind.

  “I suppose the seed was pnted when you chose to return to the sea. When you started to bloom as a sea flower,” Bryn replied with a gentle smile.

  “I'm not sure when it started for me, but I know for sure when you left on your coven business. I realised that I needed you in my life,” Maribelle said to Bryn, unable to take her eyes from Bryn.

  “We could spend all day saying such sweet heartfelt words, but there's much for us to do,” Bryn said with a soft sigh.

  “Agreed. Plenty of shopping to be done, for example.” Maribelle agreed with Bryn's words. As nice as it was to be sharing this intimate moment with Bryn, there was much that needed to be done.

  “There are some books I need to study,” Bryn said, her eyes gncing to the side. “I'm sorry, but could you handle the shopping?”

  “Of course. I would be happy to help,” Maribelle replied.

  A blissful moment of peace hung over the pair, who were reluctant to end it.

  “I love you very much,” Maribelle decred.

  “I love you too, Maribelle Fairtides,” Bryn said.

  *****

  Maribelle swam through the waters of Coraltide with a spring in her kicks. Shopping had gone quite well, she had even got some excellent cuts of tuna that she bought at a discounted price. There was also some fresh fruit on sale, which she gdly bought. She was already savouring the delicious meals she could cook for herself and Bryn.

  Her Merrow had come so far since she started learning. There was still progress to be made, but today she was able to hold a conversation without tripping up over herself and fumbling over her words. Not once did she slip up and switch to Engarish. The whole experience gave her a strong boost to her confidence that she belonged in Coraltide.

  Maribelle swam down the streets of her home, watching the other merfolk living their daily lives. To her side was a small shoal of merfolk, who seemed to be on some shopping trip together. At a café, a pair of sea mia were sharing a tasty looking desert together. Coraltide had a serenity to it that the surface did not. Maribelle felt at peace here, and she knew in her heart that this was where she could truly live.

  Further down the streets, Maribelle found herself passing a familiar shop. She turned around gracefully, and drifted to a halt in front of a shop selling pearls. She smiled as she set her eyes on a beautiful set of orange, red and yellow pearls. Once, when Joyce offered to buy Maribelle some pride pearls, she declined, saying that she had nothing to take pride in. Now, however, she did. She was in love with a woman, and she wanted everyone to know that. Why would she want to hide her love for Bryn.

  Maribelle was just about to enter the shop to buy the pearls she desired when she remembered that she had spent most of the money she had been given on food. She needed to find a way to earn her own money; it wasn't fair to rely solely on Bryn’s kindness. What craft she wanted to pursue was something she had yet to figure out.

  Before she moved on, she promised to herself that one day she would acquire her own set of pride pearls.

  On her way back home, Maribelle decided to take a detour through the garden that Bryn had shown her. She liked having such a vibrant pce close to her home. Gardening may not be something she wanted to dedicate herself to, at least not right now, but she truly did admire the flora of the deep sea.

  So many beautiful flowers sat in their beds; no wonder Bryn compared her to one. Watching them sway in the sea, she had to admit she preferred the flowers of the sea to the flowers that grew on the surface.

  Just before Maribelle was about to swim on, she caught sight of something that she didn't expect to. With a kick of her tail, she swam over the flower beds and arrived at a tiny hill covered in seagrass.

  “Joyce? What are you doing here?” Maribelle asked. She was sure today was one where Joyce would be teaching her students.

  “The kids are on their lunch break, and therefore so am I,” Joyce answered before tucking back into her bowl of sea rice and fish. “Don't worry, they are under supervision.”

  “Fair enough. May I join you for a while?” Maribelle asked, hoping to spend some time with a good friend.

  “Of course, Maribelle. Your company will make this break all the sweeter,” Joyce replied with her usual eagerness.

  With pension granted, Maribelle sat down beside Joyce, curled her tail up, and pced her basket full of food down.

  “Busy day?” Maribelle quired,

  “Nothing I can't handle. Children are far more willing to listen if they enjoy what they are learning,” Joyce answered.

  Maribelle nodded. “What is it that you are teaching today?” she asked, curious to what merfolk children are required to learn.

  “This morning they were learning maths. This afternoon, I will be telling them about the world they live in.” Joyce looked upwards. “Specifically about the surface.”

  “Oh.”

  Joyce sighed to herself before saying, “it's not all bad up there, but there are lessons that need to be taught. About how not to treat each other. Like, take this garden we rest in right now as an example. On the surface, there are lovely pces like this, but they exist exclusively to the noble who owns it. Imagine all that beauty locked away, all because some stuck up noble wants to hoard it for himself. However, everyone can partake in the natural beauty of this garden. Isn't this much fairer?”

  “It is.” Maribelle agreed with Joyce's argument.

  “I want my students to learn the skills they need to achieve the life they want, but I also want them to be good, moral people. This is a good pce, but there's always that chance some shit person will be willing to upend it for their own selfish desires. If someone ever tries to convince others to take the wrong path, I want my students to be the first to denounce it,” Joyce said, her usual merry disposition repced with a fierce determination. “This is a home I want to protect.”

  Hearing Joyce's words, Maribelle felt something in her heart awaken. “I want to protect this pce as well,” she decred with the resolve to see her words through. “This is my home and I want to keep it safe. “

  Joyce stared at Maribelle in silence for a few moments before ughing to herself. “I did not mean for things to get serious. Let's lighten things up a little: how are things with Bryn.”

  Maribelle ughed back. Yes, perhaps she had been a little dramatic. “It's wonderful. I truly love Bryn, and she means everything to me. Part of me struggles to believe that she feels just the same way.”

  “I'm happy for you, I truly am,” Joyce said warmly.

  “Thank you. I'm grateful for your help.” Maribelle paused for a brief moment. “Were you ever interested in Bryn? Before I came along, it was just you two in the house.”

  “Interested? Oh, I see what you mean. I adore Bryn, but as a friend. When it comes to love… Well, I'm looking for someone who understands me, who has been through a simir experience to myself,” Joyce said as she smiled with hope. “She is out there somewhere.”

  “And she will be a very fortunate woman,” Maribelle said. “You're a very kind friend.”

  “Thank you. That means a lot,” Joyce said before gncing around the park. “I should be heading back to school before the kids finish their break. This was a nice conversation. I'll see you ter.”

  And with that, Joyce pushed herself away and slithered through the water. Maribelle on the other hand chose to rest a while longer. It was peaceful here, so why not make the most of it?

  She ran a hand over her tail. There were still moments where her transformation still amazed her. Bryn's magic had remade her into something beautiful.

  After a reflective break, Maribelle decided that she had rested long enough and began to swim back home with her basket full of food.

  “Bryn, I'm home,” Maribelle announced as she entered her home.

  “Welcome home,” Bryn responded.

  Maribelle smiled as she recognised where Bryn’s voice originated from. She was waiting in the dining room.

  “You'll be pleased to know that we will be having some tuna for the next couple of nights,” Maribelle told Bryn as she passed through the dining room on the way to the kitchen.

  “Oh, that sounds delicious. I can teach you some excellent recipes for cooking tuna if you'd like?” Bryn replied, her voice still managing to reach Maribelle.

  Learning merfolk cuisine? “Of course. I'd love that,” Maribelle answered merrily while storing the tuna away.

  Returning to the dining room, Maribelle swam up besides Bryn and kissed her lover on the cheek. Bryn lowered the book she was reading and turned to Maribelle with a caring look in her eyes.

  “You're looking lovely today,” Bryn said before kissing Maribelle on her lips.

  This was Maribelle’s life now. To love and be loved. This was far better than anything the surface could offer.

  “As do you. So what are you reading today?” Maribelle asked, gesturing to the book in Bryn's

  “One of the coven’s tomes. There's something I need to find out,” Bryn expined, her eyes gncing away for a moment.

  “I see. Would you like me to give you some privacy?” Maribelle asked.

  “No, I would much prefer your company. It may even inspire me,” Bryn said before chuckling to herself.

  Maribelle swam around the table and took her seat. Her tail coiled around her chair as she watched Bryn study her book. Bryn was so beautiful; the way her lips silently moved as she read, and her eyes were so focused. It would not have surprised Maribelle if Bryn had been so engrossed in her studying that she failed to notice her entering their home.

  Maribelle's attention was drawn to one of the other books that rested on the table. Out of curiosity, she picked up a book. It was bound in some form of hide, probably from a whale. The title was written in gold, but Maribelle could not understand what the words meant.

  Opening the book, she flipped through a few pages. Nothing in them made any sense. True, she could understand some of the words, but she could not understand what they were trying to expin to her. There were plenty of diagrams containing what she assumed to be arcane symbols and wondered what they were for. She smiled as she imagined one particur sigil represented the spell that transformed her into a mermaid.

  Was the magic of the merfolk simir to magic on the surface? On the surface only the nobility could wield magic, while in the sea it seemed the use of magic was avaible to anyone who wished to learn.

  As her mind dwelt on the topic of magic, a thought came to mind. What if she learned magic? What if she became a sea witch like Bryn? She was still trying to find her purpose. Perhaps the arcane arts were her own.

  “Bryn, may I request something from you?”