Chapter 11

Aiden's mind was completely empty, wiped perfectly clean by the shock and astonishment. All he could do was stare at her. It was all beyond what he could comprehend or believe to be true. He had to have been dreaming but, pinching himself, he found that he was not. He was more awake than he had been in the past several days. There was no mistaking what he saw. Before him was a mermaid. Not just that, but the must devine beauty he had ever laid eyes upon. 

The brilliant light of the morning sun reflected shimmering diamonds against her dazzling gold hair. Her entire being seemed to be engulfed with a radiant golden light that made her appear like some mythical creature- which she was. Though it was bright and beautiful, it was not blindingly bright enough to make him want to look away. Instead it drew his eyes to her even more. He could not have looked away even if he wanted to. 

Beauty radiated from every aspect of her being. Rare, glittering jewels decorated her bare arms, shimmering in the light of the sun. A delicate shell necklace hung around her long, dainty neck. The only thing she wore for clothing- if it could even be considered clothing- was two large, shiny scallop shells that covered part of her chest. 

The mermaid gracefully floated closer, part of her golden tail slightly visible above the surface of the water. As she got closer, her golden eyes watched him with alluring curiosity. They glimmered and flickered with several different emotions he could not read. 

"I never thought they exist." He muttered under his breath, his gaze glancing from her to her tail. His remark did not go past the mermaid's keen hearing. 

"Of course we do, though only few are lucky enough to ever see us." She said. Her voice was smooth and as sweet as honey. It sent a chill down his spine and sparked a small fire of heat in his chest. 

"So there are more of you?"

"I am hardly the last of my kind." 

Her voice, her beauty, everything about her set him at ease. But a small part of him was still slightly skeptical and wary. He had been searching for her forever and had even seen her several times before, but she always escaped his grasp. Was this really her? Had he finally found her? Was this really the end of his search? He hoped with all of his heart that the answer was yes. 

"Is it really you? Are you really here?" He asked. 

Her eyes gleamed as she looked up at him, tilting her head slightly. "Yes, I am really here." He felt an immense wave of relief wash over him. It truly was her. After his tireless search he had finally found her- the golden maiden of his dreams. 

The mermaid was silent for several long seconds, appearing to be deep in thought as she stared at him with shiny eyes, gleaming with interchanging emotions. Once she had settled whatever she was thinking about, he could see a change in her eyes as she looked up at him. One single emotion settled in her eyes as she looked up at him in a slightly different light. He could not read the exact emotion that was displayed in her eyes. It seemed to be something along the line of remembrance, understanding, and clarity. 

"You are Prince Aiden, yes?" Her words surprised him. How did she know that? Only the people back in his home kingdom knew both his name and title. He had seen her before and she had visited him countless times in his dreams, but he never introduced himself. 

"Yes, I am." He said. Her eyes lit up, a slight smile rising to her face but it was barely visible on her lips. "How did you know that?" 

"I have been waiting for you a long time." She said. 

As she did not answer his question, he decided to ask a different one. "What is your name?" 

This question she did not dodge. Instead, she looked happy to answer. "Aurelia." Her name, like her voice, was music to his ears. He repeated it several times in his head, the word bringing a smile to his lips. 

Suddenly Gale ruined the moment by jumping on top of him, his large, heavy paws pushing down on Aiden so he could get a good look at the mermaid. A low growl rumbled in the back of his throat as he stared daggers at her. Aurelia was startled by the large dog's sudden movements and quickly backstroked a bit to gain some distance away from him. 

"Don't be afraid. This is Gale, he won't hurt you." Aiden tried to soothe her. It did not seem to work as she skeptically stared at the intimidating figure of fur that continued to growl at her. Seeing that she was not comfortable around the large dog, Aiden pushed him back and out of the way, commanding him to wait at the stern of the boat. 

Once Gale was out of sight, the mermaid relaxed, but it was cut short as something else seemed to trouble her. A strange glow emanated out of her necklace. She winced slightly as she glanced down at the water with a troubled look. Aiden noticed a little bit of steam fizzing up from the water that touched the shell on her necklace. Was it just the trick of the light or was the necklace somehow burning hot? 

Before he could think anything else about it, the necklace stopped glowing and the steam went away. Aurelia continued to direct her gaze at the rippling water of the ocean for several more seconds before she finally looked up at him with a different look in her eyes. A small smile played on her lips, dismissing whatever had just happened and trying to breeze over it. 

"Finally at long last you are here." She said, swimming closer to the boat. 

"I have been searching for you for a long time." Aiden said. 

Aurelia folded her arms over the side of the sailboat, resting her head on top of them as she looked up at him. He found himself kneeling down without realizing it, so he could be closer to her level. "And now you are here." She said, her voice light, drifting over him like a soft breeze. 

"You're even more beautiful in person." He said before realizing what he was saying. But he did not take it back. He was simply saying purely what was on his mind. The mermaid blushed. It was the first time he saw the golden maiden do that. 

"And you are even more charming in person." Smiles played on both of their lips as they gazed at each other longingly. Aurelia's eyes glanced down briefly at his lips. 

"This really isn't a dream?" Aiden said, asking again for confirmation. She was so beautiful and so perfect he could not imagine how this could have been real. 

"You're as awake as I am." She said, her voice getting lighter and softer. "Finally, we are together." The last part was barely above a whisper as she slowly leaned up to him. His heartbeat quickened, pounding an excited rhythm in his chest as he subconsciously began to lean down towards her. Inching closer to him, she hesitated slightly before closing the gap between them. As their lips met, sparks flew. 

Though his first kiss with the golden maid had felt so real, this one felt significantly more real than the last. His hand gently cupped her cheek. He could feel the warmth of her skin against his palm, it sparking another wave of heat in his chest. He melted into the softness of her lips and could taste a slight trace of salt water. But having spent so many days at sea, it did not bother him. 

The world around them swirled into non-existence. The passion they shared blinded him from everything else around him. He was so enthralled in the moment he could barely even feel the cold touch of seawater against his skin. His surroundings no longer mattered to him. Where even was he? He could not remember and could not give a care. 

The only thing on his mind, the only thing he cared about, was how sweet and passionate the kiss they were sharing was. He did not notice himself drifting down. He did not notice the face of the sea gradually getting closer, even as the water lapped against his arms. He did not notice the mermaid slowly receding back into the water, taking him with her. 

As soon as his body hit the harsh, cold water he broke the kiss, gasping for air. "Come with me, Prince Aiden." Aurelia said in a sweet, lulling voice. But it had a slight hint of an edge to it. 

Aiden tried to fight his way through the water back to his boat but the mermaid clung to him, dragging him down with a steely grip. She was significantly stronger than he would have thought, with a tail that drove through the water with the strength of a metal anchor plunging down into the depths of the sea. The frigid seawater slowly numbed his limbs, putting him at even more of a disadvantage. 

As his body grew more and more numb while she pulled him down, he could feel his head getting light, his vision getting blurred and hazy. He continued to fight but to no avail. He was going to drown.