Lost in the Deep Blue Sea
12.

Mr. Pan looked out upon the water and shook his head in disapproval. “So I’m supposed to be your baby food or something?”

“That’s what I was told. I don’t want to eat you. We have to figure out a plan. I’ve come to realize I’ve fallen in love with you and I need to make sure that I don’t lose everything I have now.”

Mr. Pan sat next to me. “Okay. We need a plan. We need something secure and strong. What is it that mermaids like or need?”

I tried to think but nothing came to mind. “I’m not sure. I don’t know what the mermaids like. They just like to control me and be mermaids.”

“Think. You need to think.”

I chewed on my lip as I tried to really think about what they would like that wasn’t harmful to others. “They like swimming and pretty things. They like to do each other’s hair. They like to gossip and talk about boys in some ways.”

“Okay. So, we need to use what they like to bribe them to accept this new law. We need to make sure that they know they will have more with this. If they force you to eat me, we need to threaten to kick them out of the sea for betraying the queen. They need to know they will have nothing. If they like pretty things, maybe we can tell them if this new law is in place, they will be able to replace love and they can get pretty jewelry made for them by their boyfriends.

“With boys, there’s more drama and gossip. If they allow this law, it allows more gossip to be talked about. It lets them talk about boys as well. They also like to do each other’s hair but I’m not sure how to include that into this blackmail. I just want you to be able to succeed. What about romance and love? Tell them they can have it all.”

“Mr. Pan, I know that I’m weak and not the best at being a queen but I just want to thank you for helping. These sound like amazing ideas. I know that I don’t say thank you enough but it’s true,” I said.

He smiled and looked at me. “Call me Peter. If we’re dating and in love, call me by my first name.”

“In love? You mean...” I looked at the water, unable to speak. He loved me, too?

“Yes. We might as well accept it. We both keep risking our own lives and our positions in our kingdoms to be together.” He kissed my cheek and smiled.

My cheeks heated up and turned a bright red color. I smiled back and put my head against his shoulder. “Okay, Peter.”

“That’s much better.”

“We still need to figure this out somehow. Our days are continuing to shorten the more we just stand here and watch them destroy us. I can’t do that. I can’t stand here and watch it all fall apart anymore. Change has to happen now. We have to save our worlds.” I looked at him.

“We will. I promise we will. We are still both the ones who rule our kingdoms. I’m the only one who has magic in my own kingdom. Nobody can defeat me here. You may not be as strong but we will make sure you are. We have to try. The mermaids won’t be able to control you forever.” He put an arm around my waist.

I gripped my fingers around the cuffs of the sleeves on my white sweater. I wore this because he made it for me. I wanted to show Mr- Peter how I could appreciate all he’d done for me. He meant everything.

“Until then, where can we continue to hide to be together? They know we meet up here. I need your help.”

“We will have to hide at my tree.” He put his arms under me and stood up while holding me against his chest. The beach transformed into the fort inside the tree we spent time in, and I was amazed at how his magic worked. He could transport us places. Nobody could ever catch us now.

He set me on the bed and looked around.

I smiled a bit. “We have a fighting chance. The mermaids can’t walk on land without growing legs first. The lost boys are our only threat on land until then and they have no magic. Once both of them become threats, you can just take us wherever using your magic. It’s a good escape. It’s a good defense, don’t you think?”

Peter looked at me and smiled. “Of course it is. I wouldn’t think otherwise.”

“Peter, I was taught how to birth babies using the fish method and... I know you don’t know much but how different is the human method? I mean, how does the human method work exactly? You still...” I gestured to his bottom half.

His cheeks turned red and he cleared his throat. “It’s not that important right now. We’re both kids. Humans do something different to have babies and that is not something we will be doing for a bit.”

“You don’t want kids?”

“Raina, I’m never going to grow here. We can’t have kids if we stay here. I’m sorry but it’s true. If we try to have kids, the baby would stay in the first day of conception phase until we left this island.”

“I do leave. I swim around all the time. The baby would easily be able to grow because I live in the sea which is not apart of this island. I could visit you every day and stuff, then swim out and allow the baby to grow while I’m away. We could do this. We could have kids someday. It can work.”

“But then you will age and I never will. You will grow old and die.” His face held a lot of pain from the thought of losing me. I never thought about it but it was true. I did age when I lived in the sea.

“Then we have an option. After the baby is born, I will stay here. I can swim in smaller bodies of water. I will strictly stay near this island so that we don’t age.” It was the only option. He could never leave this island. I was willing to sacrifice my love for the sea to be with him.

“I couldn’t ask you to do that.”

I coughed a little. “You’re not asking. I’m offering.”

He asked, “What does that mean for the sea? If you can’t spend the majority of your time in the sea, are you really a queen?”

I started to think about it. What if I gave my position to someone else? I could change the law and give it to someone who would be able to rule the sea while I stayed on this island. I knew exactly who I wanted to give my royalty to.

“I can do it, Peter. I can give up my position to Cora. She can be the next queen. Things will change but who cares? The queen will no longer be the girl who has more fish than human. The mermaids don’t like those queens anyway. I will be the odd mermaid who lives on Neverland where I belong. I will be able to feel loved and at home here. I will do anything to make this work.”

“Are you sure you can do this? I don’t want you to have to give up everything you know. The sea is your home.”

I smiled a bit. “Of course it is. Humans move away from home, too, and so can I. I’ll do it for us.”

“You’ll do it for us?”

“I just said that. I want us to have a happy ending. I haven’t worked this hard to give up on us. I came this far. I have worked so hard on trying to change the law. I’ve gotten myself into huge trouble over this. I can’t let all of that be for nothing. I have to go all the way and I will. I will give up everything for you. It sounds cheesy but it’s true.” I smiled more.

Peter nodded. “Okay.” He sat down next to me. “We will make sure this follows through. You can live here and I’ll make sure you are safe and happy. The lost boys will have to accept you whether they like it or not.”

“Good. You are the king. They have to listen to you.”

“That is true.” Peter smiled.

We both sat in silence, wondering where this could go next. I looked at the ceiling of this room and sighed.

“What’s wrong?”

“I just wish they could accept us already. We have to hide out in here because they are so against it. We can say we did a good job with our kingdoms but we have not. Our people are against love. That is a failed leadership.”

Peter pulled my face towards him, looking into my eyes. “No. The people before us ruined them. The queens before you were the ones who supported these laws and kept it going. They taught it to the next generation. It is not your fault that your people have been taught to be as cold as they are. My lost boys were raised by abusive parents or homes. They were not loved and therefore, they hate love. They were ruined by those who raised them. I am just realizing now that it’s my job to restore their humanity. I didn’t realize how far I had to go. I simply missed a spot is all.”

“You’re sure?”

“I’m positive.” He placed a short kiss on my forehead.

I looked around the room and then down at my tail. It was taking forever to dry and I didn’t know how long it would be until my legs grew back. “My magic is useless on land. I’m from the sea. My magic can only manipulate and control water, that of which I am from.”

“That’s understandable. I can make sure we have water nearby. I know that you come from water and I will make sure water doesn’t go away. Anything else I should know?” He chuckled. “Besides that you love me and will live here forever and you have magic only with water. You also apparently eat men now.”

“I’ll let you know if anything else comes up. I know that the mermaids seem to lie to me a lot. I guess they can’t trust me enough to tell me the truth. It’s quite unfortunate.” I frowned.

“I understand. I just can’t believe you’re willing to give up the sea for me. When we met, you said you would never even walk on land. Now you’re willing to live on it.” Peter looked at me.

“Do you not believe in the love that could be?” I asked him.

“I do. I just guess...”

“Love changes people. People can change their mind and I’ve changed mine. Love has made me realize what is really important. I believe in the love that could be and I will trust that we can make this work. Love is worth fighting for. Love is worth changing for.” I patted his leg.

He nodded and looked at the ground. “I guess you’re right. I can’t deny that. Thanks for teaching me about love despite love being a human thing. I guess you knew more about it can I did.”

I shrugged and looked at my tail, watching my legs grow in. “I’m just learning about love as I go. I’m learning along the way. It will work for me and you and we will win. I want you to know that I refuse to give up. I may be weak but you are going to see a new Raina. Queen Raina has to improve and grow for the kingdom to succeed.”