Mermaid Secrets and Lies

“So…to make sure I’ve got it right; your plan is just to go at night and hope we’re not seen by the squid – hoping at the same time that it doesn’t actually exist anymore, or has handily forgotten all about us,” the Prince scoffed.

“Yep – I guess that does sum it up.” Felicity folded her arms in defiance as she held his stare. “Why complicate it? Feel free to come up with a better plan if you want. Although I don’t hold out much hope as it appears even your father can’t!” Sophie gasped audibly at her sister’s cutting remark and warily looked over to Prince William for his reaction. It seemed like the water temperature had just risen by several degrees! But William, thankfully, chose to ignore Felicity’s attempt to rile him.

“OK, say we were to go along with your so-called ‘plan’,” William answered, ice in his tone. “How do you propose we defend ourselves should something go wrong?” Or are you just totally depending on our speed?” He questioned, knowing the girls were painfully aware that they didn’t have the speed a true merperson had.

“Look – I don’t know, I don’t have all the answers! Perhaps you could stop being so negative, and help me fill in the gaps in my plan? We have got The Book to help us, remember – I’m not totally stupid!” The prickles had been replaced by her throat restricting, and she knew tears would be next. She hadn’t expected William to be hostile. Perhaps his apparent affable nature was just a facade and was slipping now the novelty of having humans as friends was wearing off.

“Can we just calm down a bit?” Sophie cut in, pushing herself between the Prince and Felicity.

“Fine! You’re obviously not prepared to even try so I’ll go on my own!” Felicity stormed out of the house, slamming the front door behind her.

Sophie turned to William. “You’re not honestly going to let her go on her own are you?” He didn’t answer. “You do know she means it, don’t you? She’s on her way already!”

“Let her go if she’s stupid enough to ignore my fathers’ warnings. She’ll get one look at it and be so terrified she’ll be straight back here empty handed before you know it – if she’s lucky enough to get away that is!” he sulked.

“Please…” Sophie begged, clasping her hands together in front of her face. “I know she can be headstrong, but she’s my sister and I love her...” The Prince didn’t look like he was ready to back down, so she tried again, “Well, if not for her, would you do it for me? Just to get her to come back I mean – not to go on to get the shells.”

William exhaled loudly as he realised that he’d never be able to live with himself if something terrible happened to Felicity. “Oh alright then,” he relented. He grabbed their torches and stuffed them into a rucksack that had been hanging on the back of a driftwood chair.

Sophie noted that he hadn’t bothered to ask if he could use her bag, but she wasn’t going to even entertain the notion of suggesting that he should have!

“Come on, we don’t want her getting too far ahead,” he called back over his shoulder as he sped back towards the front door, through which they’d all entered so happily only moments earlier.

  Felicity Meets Her Match!

Felicity felt utterly let down and humiliated by the way William had spoken to her. I’ll show him I have more guts than any of them! But some of what he’d said had worried her. She knew her plan wasn’t really any more than an idea, and her knowledge of this creature was negligible. If she could somehow find out more then she might stand a chance against it, should she run into trouble. Just the thought of it made her shudder!

As she considered her options, a memory came to mind of her holding a book in the safe house where they’d sheltered during the storm; the one with the scary beast on its cover. She’d thought at the time it looked so detailed it could have been a photo; it must have been about the giant squid! It could tell her everything she needed to know! Bolstered with renewed confidence in her strategy, she set off to the safe house.