Chapter 77 - Little Mermaid (Part 4)

When Vladstin returned to their meeting place at dusk, the sea was empty with no signs of Leron.

His heart pounded, and he ran around looking for him. He called out his name several times."Leron! You promised, where are you!? Leron!"

The wind only brought his voice along with them, and there was nothing else. 

Until someone came from behind him behind the large boulders, his footprints leaving a trail in the sand. 

"I'm here, Vladstin. I fulfilled my promise."

Vladstin turned around with wide eyes as he saw Leron walking towards him.

"Leron!"

The land prince hugged the sea one in pure joy when he found him. He then realized something and looked below. "You now have feet!"

"I know! Isn't it wonderful?" Leron swayed his legs from side to side, bending his knees to jump.

He still kept the same princely shirt, but now he also has pants as well that matched his top, reaching only above the below the knee.

"Do merpeople always have to capability to have legs?" Vladstin asked.

"No. Anyway, I'm really famished." Leron just smiled, waving off the question with no more explanations. "I really want to try human food. Is it true that you eat all kinds of meat other than that from birds?"

"We do. We call it pork when it's from pigs, beef when it's from cows, venison when it's from deers..... Wait, do you know what these animals are?"

Leron shook his head. "I have no idea. Tell me more about them."

"Of course, let's talk while heading to the temple."

They talked for hours and hours as they walked away from the beach, leaving behind two trails of footprints in the sand that gradually went closer together. Leron listened to all of it intently, like he was drinking in the knowledge and Vladstin's mellow voice itself, feeling very satisfied.

He almost forgot his anxiety to meet other humans than Vladstin.

"How should I introduce myself to them?" Leron asked when they reached the front steps of the temple.

Vladstin was amused that he would ask this. "Just say your name, and that you travel with me."

He frowned, scratching at his new legs."What if they immediately dislike me upon first sight? What if they realized there is something wrong or odd with me, and they start to be suspicious that I am not human after all—"

"Leron, calm down." Vladstin put his hands on his shoulder. "The people in the temple are kind people, yet they barely spoke with me. I felt even more alone here with a whole crowd of priests and priestesses compared to when I was only with you. They would likely not ask untoward questions and just give us food if we ask for it."

He offered his hand. "Trust me. It'll be alright."

Leron hesitated for a moment, and took his hand, and they both entered.

All his apprehension was for nothing, as Vladstin was correct. Despite the humans walking about in every corner, performing some sort of rituals and prayers, none paid attention to them. They can only hear chanting by flickering candlelights that made strange swirling shadows to a figure made of pure green glass.

That figure was not other than Triton himself.

His statue stood 12 feet tall in the middle of the round-shaped center of the temple, holding a trident in hand with his long, long tail. The statue represented him as a bearded old man and not the enchanting youth Leron had encountered earlier.

"This is the temple's patron god, the one they called Triton." Vladstin explained, not knowing Leron had already met this person himself.

"The culture of this island which they call Ogygia is really fascinating. They said that Triton is the god of both fishermen and the fishes, ensuring a balance between the two. He would grant fishermen more fish in exchange for something else, like a part of their land. And with that land, he would create a pond for the fishes to live and multiply to make up for their lost kin."

Vladstin marveled at the craftsmanship of the statue, since he had always been an appreciator of the arts and beautiful things. "I think he's a very good god to worship, don't you think? He fulfills people's wishes."

"I don't think so."

Vladstin blinked. "Pardon?"

"If he truly fulfills wishes, he should not ask for anything in return. What he does is make deals, not help people." Leron narrowed his eyes at the statue.

Then, his expression changed when he turned to Vladstin. "Where can we go find ourselves food? And maybe some drinks as well, I'm starting to experience thirst for the first time."

"You have never experienced thirst?" Vladstin's gold eyes widened. "Fascinating. Can you please tell me more about your life as a merman?"

"I'll tell you some tales as we eat." Leron said, and Vladstin led the way as they conversed again.

Conversations really comes easily between them. They never got bored of each other's company, nor do they felt like the other had overstepped their boundaries. It felt very comforting and just..... Right, somehow.

The priestesses with green pendants on their necks and thin, translucent yet not revealing clothing help them at the table and serve dishes to them without a word. Then they also left, and continued on with their personal duties.

"They really are too quiet. But I am still unsure whether it is right to tell you tales about merpeople in their presence." Leron whispered as he sat on the chair. "I only trust you, Vladstin."

"They're not going to eavesdrop on us. And besides, they made a vow never to leave this temple since they became ordained." Vladstin explained. "The word would not travel from here to anywhere."

"Still, I would just tell you about our kind some other time." Leron took the form and used it to point to the dishes in front of them. "How about you tell me more about humans? How do they turn food into something like this?"

"By cooking." Vladstin said. "Wait, do you know how to use utensils? Those silver things in your hand, you have to—"

"We use utensils in the sea, Vladstin." Leron chuckled. "And I do know what cooking is. After the hunt for birds, we put the meat into hot coals until it becomes tender and warm. We eat above the surface, and we only do eat every time there is an oncoming storm. And we have to do it quickly, or the meal would get wet by rain."

"You only eat that frequently?" Vladstin now frowned and observed Leron's body. "We humans eat three times a day."

"If we're lucky and it is raining season, we can eat once a week. But either way, we may have different body composition than yours." Leron used the knife to cut a piece of strange meat he haven't yet tested.

And the fruits and vegetables! Oh, he only heard of them from hearsays. The plants on land are different from those at sea. He heard that humans have sweet 'fruits' of all shapes and sizes that can be either sweet or sour. They also had seasonings like salt and chilis and peppers to change the flavor of their dishes.

Since he was only used to bland, unseasoned bird's meat, it was a whole new world for him and he ate happily. He asked Vladstin more questions about this and that, having his fill of both facts and Ogygian cuisine.

"I'm so glad that I'm a human like you now." He sighed once he was stuffed to the brim, drinking the red wine that the priests had prepared for him.

Before, he was only surrounded by liquids and do not consume them. It took him a while to drink properly and not choke, gulping slowly and feeling his Adam's apple bob as he did.

"Leron... How did you turn into a human in the first place? And is it permanent?"

Leron put down his glass with a sad look. "Do you distrust me, Vladstin?"

"Of course not! You saved my life." Vladstin held his hand. "I was just curious, but if the question really bothered you, I will not ask anymore."

He took Leron's hand and kissed it. "I am also happy that you have become one of us, and can be with me on land."

Leron's face turned the color of his wine and he looked away. "A-Anyway, do tell me about your kingdom. How will you be able to go back?"

"I have asked the head priest to prepare a boat for us. It will be ready by dawn." Vladstin yawned and stretched his limbs. "For now, let us prepare for bed."

"Where shall we sleep?"

Vladstin pointed at a room far away from the chanting priests. "Over there. We could continue to share stories before we slumber, it is not good to sleep with a full stomach as it causes nightmares."

"We'll sleep in the same room?" Leron looked down to his hand that Vladstin still held, color spreading to his cheeks and neck now.

"They only have one room for guests. And one bed." Vladstin noticed his distress, and let go of the hand, feeling rather sheepish. "But if it makes you uncomfortable, then I can arrange for them to give me some sheets and I can sleep on the floor."

"No need! I will sleep with you! I want to sleep with you!"

Leron realized how wrong that sounded and covered his mouth in embarrassment. "I-I meant that I am fine with sleeping in the same bed as you, I didn't mean to sound so enthusiastic. Stupid, useless mouth...."

Vladstin chuckled and just took his hand away from his mouth. "Haha, it's not stupid. I actually found it endearing. That mouth of yours also brought me from the underworld back to here, so it's not useless either."

Leron felt a twinge of guilt whenever he brings up him saving his life and so stood up and feigned a yawn. "I am feeling tired now too..... Walking takes a lot of stamina than I thought, or perhaps I'm not used to it. I can feel my legs wobble a bit sometimes."

"I could carry you if you want to."

"Huh? No need, no need, I can—"

Vladstin has already lifted him up and swept him off his feet. "I wouldn't take any complaints. I told you I am bound to service you, remember? Carrying to bed is nothing, it's not that far anyway."

"But other people might see! What would they think!?"

"Well, whatever they think..... I don't really care. What you think is what matters to me."

Leron felt his heart both feel joy out of this, and a bit of pain. Vladstin really does feel all too familiar to him, like they had known each other way before that meeting on the ship...

The ship. The gusts of wind breaking the mast. Sangfroid.

These disjointed memories brought a different flavor of anguish to him.

Vladstin set him to bed, and began to tell stories about his life in his kingdom, starting from his childhood up until now. He rambled about his strict upbringing because of his mother's overprotectiveness, and how she always warned him of the dangers of the sea and traveling by ship.

Leron half-listened to it all, but his mind was still adrift from the thought of the loyal guard.

If he hadn't fooled Sangfroid, he wouldn't have died. He wouldn't have met Vladstin either but.....

Why does he have to lose one of them? Can't he keep them both? They are both honorable men, and much better than him, much more deserving of a long and happy life.

At the mention of childhood, he began to reminisce about his own childhood. And now, he can remember a shy, one-eyed child there.

"Look at the butterflies, Sangfroid!"

Butterflies?

In the sea?

That memory made him blink for a bit. There are sea butterflies after all, but it's still strange.....

Thump!

Leron' jolted in surprise as Vladstin laid on his lap!

Vladstin seems to not have done it on purpose, and had fallen asleep without warning from the exhaustion or the talking. Or maybe both.

Leron's heart fluttered and he gently adjusted his position to make Vladstin as comfortable as possible, becoming a little stiff. He looked down at his sleeping face and could not help feeling overwhelmed by just the perfection of it.....

And soon forgot all about Sangfroid so easily.