1 — Under the Moon
∾ 𝔼𝕡𝕚𝕤𝕠𝕕𝕖 𝟙: 𝕌𝕟𝕕𝕖𝕣 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕄𝕠𝕠𝕟 ∾
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𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐌𝐎𝐎𝐍 𝐒𝐇𝐎𝐍𝐄 like a pearl against the dark background of the night sky, it's beauty mesmerizing. The moonlight painted the ocean silver and the tiny beads of water sparkled. Silence surrounded the cold air - only the sounds of flowing water could be heard in the night.
But tonight wasn't any ordinary night - it was the full moon. The night when souls would be united with the blessing of Selene, the moon Goddess.
Esmeray sat on the rock floating on the ocean bed as her eyes adored the moon. She had always found comfort while gazing at the moon, it seemed to free her of her worries every time she looked at it.
Blue color shone on her tail, mixed with a hue of forest green. Scales that decorated her tail saved her from the sharp irregularities on the rock surface. It was a wonder how creatures with such a soft heart had hard skin. Her fins were curved and designed to help them swim faster than any animal in the sea. The sirens, who were similar sea creatures but depended upon the blood of aquatic animals to provide them with nutrition, had two fins instead of one which enabled them to swim faster than the mermaids.
Esmeray shivered at the mere thought of those blood-sucking creatures. Behind their beauty hid a dangerous monster and unfortunately for her, Esmeray had encountered one in her life. Their sharp teeth could bite through thick flesh and it is believed that some sirens feed on the hearts of mermaids to grow stronger. Even though the mermaids and sirens lived in harmony, the sirens were vicious greedy creatures. Recent rumors have claimed that the siren Queen was planning to overthrow the King of Merfolk but there were no such actions to prove these claims.
But then, a sound interrupted her from her thoughts. A melodious voice of a merman greeted her ears and she looked around to search for the bearer. Something in that voice made her heart flutter with excitement and somehow, she knew that there was a reason she was hearing it.
Her mate was calling out for her.
She wanted to dive into the ocean and follow the voice, but something inside of her told her that she should wait for her mate to find her. The merman loved a chase. When a merman turns of age, Goddess Selene spins out a path for them to follow in order to get to their destined mate. That path is only visible to the merman.
Every merman loves a good chase.
So she sat there on the rock, her heart beating furiously in her chest and a smile on her enchanting face. She ran her hand through her blonde hair, which was thankfully dried up, and her ocean blue eyes searched for the signs of her mate.
Esmeray was blessed with good genes since her father was a royal descendant. She had his eyes and his blonde silky hair. Her mother being an inhabitant of the tropical seas had passed on her curvy body and sun-kissed skin. Her soft plump lips and round breasts attracted many unmated males that she had to be under the protection of her brothers all the time.
And that was tiring, considering she had 28 siblings. Not to forget, there were more on the way since her mother was heavily pregnant. She had 20 over-protective brothers. Even her sisters were always on guard. Every child in the family was beautiful in their own ways and being one of the esteemed family in the kingdom, many eyes were on them.
The voice neared her and her heartbeat grew with anticipation.
But suddenly, it stopped.
Esmeray's smile turned into a frown when she realized that no sound was calling for her and she wondered if her mate was lost. Or maybe, that voice didn't belong to her mate.
She had thought that now she was of age, she would be able to find her mate. Finally, she would experience the love of a merman.
She looked down to the ocean, her eyes glistening with tears. In a matter of seconds, her heart was broken as the silence once again surrounded her. It was time for her to leave and swim back to her home in the ocean. Her father had warned her of not staying late at night.
"Isn't the moon beautiful tonight?" she hears a deep masculine voice.
She squeaks and finds a handsome face looking at her from the water. One look at the bearer's eyes and she knew that she was smitten.
His eyes were the most enchanting ones she had ever had the honor to see - they were a perfect blend of light gray and black. They almost looked silver against the moonlight. The stranger had a sharp, beautifully sculpted jawline that made her want to trace her hand across them. Even though only his upper half was visible, she could imagine how perfect his tail might be.
His hair was cut neatly, unlike some mermen who liked to keep their hair long. Their black color was highlighted in the end by silver. Esmeray resisted the urge to run her hands through them.
She knew that the merman in front of her was her mate.
But what stopped her from jumping into his arms was the fact that he was no ordinary merman.
"It certainly is, my prince," she replies, breaking the silence. She could feel his stare on her face as it made down to her body and tail.
She felt conscious of herself at that time.
"But I am sure that it is not the most beautiful thing that I see tonight." the prince replies, not emerging from the water. He looked at her as she stared at the moon. The prince knew that his lovely mate was scared to look into the eyes of a royal. It troubled him but he was keen on making her comfortable around him.
"Why is that, your highness?" she asked, confused.
"For you, my dear mate, are more beautiful than the moon itself." the prince replied.
This caught her attention in a second as her eyes snapped to meet the gray ones that stared at her and a blush appeared on her face.
"You flatter me, your highness," she replies.
"I only speak the truth, love," the prince says.
She watched as the prince rose from the water to close the distance between them. The mate bond playing its work. The world disappeared for them as they stared into each other's eyes with a passion beyond the seas.
"And call me Triton, my love." the merman says.
"Y-yes, your- I mean Triton," Esmeray replied.
Triton offered his hand to her, which she took without any hesitation. Even though they have known each other for a few moments, she trusted him for an eternity.
She followed him back to the water, their faces very close and their eyes staring at each other. Under the water, Triton held her by the waist and pulled her closer. Esmeray's hand circled around his neck as she forgot that the man standing in front of her was the future king of the seas. For tonight, he was only her mate.
"What is your name, love?" Triton asks.
"Esmeray," she replies.
His hand slowly traces her jawline and then tugs a strand of hair behind her ear. The gesture makes her blush, yet she didn't stop looking at him.
"Can I kiss you, Esme?" Triton asks.
The mermaid doesn't say anything, just nods her head in agreement. She wanted to taste her lips more than anything right now.
Her heart beats wildly as Triton leans in, his thumb tracing her lips. But when his lips meet hers, she loses every inch of her control.
His kisses are soft and treat her like a precious pearl of the ocean. They stop breathing as they get lost in the taste of each other's lips.
His lips are salty, just the way she liked it. But she wanted more of it.
She deepens the kiss as she feels that Triton needs her request before taking another step, and when she does, she is awarded a bite on her lower lip that makes her open her mouth as Triton's tongue sweeps in. Their tails entangle with each other as they kiss each other hungrily.
And under the moon, the two souls were joined into one.
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A/N : Please take a note:
1. The book will be updated thrice a week but the frequency shall increase eventually.
2. This is a fantasy book so expect unrealistic creatures existing.
3. This will not be a typical love story - there are going to be a lot of heartbreaks.
4. The author doesn't necessarily abide by the common conceptions about the merfolk and the werewolf world.
