Read Online The Little Mermaid (Faerie Tale Collection) by Jenni James - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Jenni James
Tags: Fantasy
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yet—never awake again.
Curse this foul, evil land! Curse a people so caught up in their own importance and design to own everything good in this world that they could not be kind enough to allow others the right to live and visit and enjoy it too.
What good was it, taking a trip to a place where you would always be hunted? He laid her gently upon the ground, her vibrant red hair floating gently around her, looking like a bright halo. Her features were paler than he had seen before, and he feared it had little to do with the shadows under the shade of the large foliage. But still, with her pretty nose and sweeping eyelashes, with beautiful pink lips, the whiteness did not detract a fraction from her beauty. She was stunningly unique, even for a human woman—he had yet to see one who was her equal.
What did Drake want with them? Why treat them no better than animals or slaves? Keel shuddered at the images these thoughts had produced. He did not want to know what was in Drake’s mind. He only needed to understand one thing—the best way to leave this horrid land and get his Pearl to safety so that she might heal and live.
It was still early afternoon and several hours until dusk, but it could not be helped—leaving her hidden here was his only option to obtain food and saltwater for her. Shortly, he would return, and hopefully, by nightfall, they could leave this place forever.
He leaned down and kissed her sweet mouth, his heart lurching when she did not return the gesture. This was not good. She had been asleep too long. He had to save her now.
KEEL RAN DOWN THE forest hill, hiding within the greenery along the way. He did not see too many people, as his particular route only took him past the road once or twice. However, he did keep to darkened alleys once he approached the village. His instincts took him directly to the water. He knew he was close when he saw the gulls overhead and could feel the thud within his chest, almost as if the waves themselves were beating against him, beckoning him home.
Wedging himself between a stone wall and a window leading to a house, he peeked out onto the glistening surf and sighed when he saw the waves and sparkling sand. The sky was a stunning blue, and the water chanted the sweet melody of peace and serenity.
This was home.
There were a few people on the sand walking and speaking to one another, but no one quite brave enough to actually play within the water itself. He shook his head. Of course the humans would think them odd. It had never fully occurred to him that they might be afraid of his domain until this moment.
Goodness, humans were a deuced peculiar species. His only hope was that one day, they would finally become brave enough and actually try to come out into the waves and experience the water as it was meant to be—lived in and enjoyed. Of course, with their layers of clothing, it might be a bit frightening, seeing hard it was for Pearl even to stand with the gentle waves hitting her.
Glancing once more out to the sea, he leaped over the wall, intending to climb down to the sand below and collect as much water and seaweed as he could carry, but he screeched to a halt.
Directly underneath him at the bottom of the hill stood a soldier. When he looked along the base of the beach, where the sand met the village, he saw many soldiers lining the area. The prince was clearly not going to accept that the merfolk were not his property, was he?
Keel glanced around and found a hat sitting upon a wall a few feet away. He snatched it up and placed it on his head, then walked casually down the hill, as if he sauntered past royal soldiers every day of his life.
All seemed well enough until he began to approach the shoreline. What should he do now? He had no way of collecting the precious water he needed for Pearl—not a pail or a bucket or even a small pouch to carry it in. And if he simply went to the shore to touch the water, the soldiers might become very suspicious.
Curse this foul, evil land! Curse a people so caught up in their own importance and design to own everything good in this world that they could not be kind enough to allow others the right to live and visit and enjoy it too.
What good was it, taking a trip to a place where you would always be hunted? He laid her gently upon the ground, her vibrant red hair floating gently around her, looking like a bright halo. Her features were paler than he had seen before, and he feared it had little to do with the shadows under the shade of the large foliage. But still, with her pretty nose and sweeping eyelashes, with beautiful pink lips, the whiteness did not detract a fraction from her beauty. She was stunningly unique, even for a human woman—he had yet to see one who was her equal.
What did Drake want with them? Why treat them no better than animals or slaves? Keel shuddered at the images these thoughts had produced. He did not want to know what was in Drake’s mind. He only needed to understand one thing—the best way to leave this horrid land and get his Pearl to safety so that she might heal and live.
It was still early afternoon and several hours until dusk, but it could not be helped—leaving her hidden here was his only option to obtain food and saltwater for her. Shortly, he would return, and hopefully, by nightfall, they could leave this place forever.
He leaned down and kissed her sweet mouth, his heart lurching when she did not return the gesture. This was not good. She had been asleep too long. He had to save her now.
KEEL RAN DOWN THE forest hill, hiding within the greenery along the way. He did not see too many people, as his particular route only took him past the road once or twice. However, he did keep to darkened alleys once he approached the village. His instincts took him directly to the water. He knew he was close when he saw the gulls overhead and could feel the thud within his chest, almost as if the waves themselves were beating against him, beckoning him home.
Wedging himself between a stone wall and a window leading to a house, he peeked out onto the glistening surf and sighed when he saw the waves and sparkling sand. The sky was a stunning blue, and the water chanted the sweet melody of peace and serenity.
This was home.
There were a few people on the sand walking and speaking to one another, but no one quite brave enough to actually play within the water itself. He shook his head. Of course the humans would think them odd. It had never fully occurred to him that they might be afraid of his domain until this moment.
Goodness, humans were a deuced peculiar species. His only hope was that one day, they would finally become brave enough and actually try to come out into the waves and experience the water as it was meant to be—lived in and enjoyed. Of course, with their layers of clothing, it might be a bit frightening, seeing hard it was for Pearl even to stand with the gentle waves hitting her.
Glancing once more out to the sea, he leaped over the wall, intending to climb down to the sand below and collect as much water and seaweed as he could carry, but he screeched to a halt.
Directly underneath him at the bottom of the hill stood a soldier. When he looked along the base of the beach, where the sand met the village, he saw many soldiers lining the area. The prince was clearly not going to accept that the merfolk were not his property, was he?
Keel glanced around and found a hat sitting upon a wall a few feet away. He snatched it up and placed it on his head, then walked casually down the hill, as if he sauntered past royal soldiers every day of his life.
All seemed well enough until he began to approach the shoreline. What should he do now? He had no way of collecting the precious water he needed for Pearl—not a pail or a bucket or even a small pouch to carry it in. And if he simply went to the shore to touch the water, the soldiers might become very suspicious.
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