Modern Fairy Tales Ch. 05

Ariana tried to say something, but no sound came out save her breath. She couldn't say a word.

"Wonderful!" the Sea Witch exclaimed. "You have paid your price, Princess, and now I will keep my end of the bargain." She took a vial of foul-looking, smoky stuff from a shelf and held it out to Ariana. "Swim to the surface, then drink this. Your tail will split in two and become those 'legs' of which humans are so proud. You must leave the water within moments of your transformation, or you will drown, for you may be able to swim as a mermaid but you will not have the skill as a human. There will be pain, Princess, make no mistake about that. With each step you take on those legs of yours, it will feel as though you are being stabbed in the soles of your feet. And there may come a time after you find your man when you will feel a sharper pain and will bleed. You have seven days to win his love or you will die, and will turn to sea foam as do all merfolk. Any questions?" She waited a moment, but of course Ariana said nothing. The witch laughed. "Of course, if you had questions you could not tell me. One more thing I will give you."

She took a strip of skin- Ariana tried not to think about what that skin might have come from- and on it wrote with a quill and ink. Handing this to Ariana along with the vial, she said, "You cannot tell your love your name, but you are being brave and deserve to be known by your true name. That is what that skin says. Ariana. Study it and perhaps you will learn to write the human language so that in time, if there is time, you might communicate with him."

Ariana bowed her head to show her thanks to the witch and left the cave. The sharks did not hinder her; they were there only to prevent people from entering, not from leaving. Ariana swam rapidly toward the surface, hoping she would not encounter any other merfolk. But her passage was unnoticed, and she arrived at the surface within minutes.

The Sea Witch had told her she would need to leave the water immediately after taking the potion, so Ariana swam as close to land as she could without being seen before she uncorked the vial. A foul smell emanated from it, and she almost lost her nerve. But this was her one chance to find her love, her one chance to escape the life her father had planned for her. Ariana took a deep breath, then swallowed the contents of the vial.

The effects were immediate. Her tail was torn in two; the pain was excruciating, though mercifully it didn't last. Looking down through the water, Ariana saw her beautiful green-blue tail change into two legs the color of the flesh on her upper body. Between her legs was a patch of hair the color of that on her head. A strange place for it; Ariana was not quite certain of its purpose. And her mind was unable to focus enough to figure it out; although the pain had abated, she could not get used to the feeling of legs rather than tail.

Her time was running out, as well. The Sea Witch had told her she would drown if she did not get out of the water. Ariana tried to swim to the land, but could not coordinate her legs to get her there. With her arms alone, she dragged herself through the water, hoping she would be found before she sank below the waves. She couldn't drown before she found her love.

A shout came from above. "Someone's in the water!"

"What the hell?" another voice said. "It's the week for near-drownings, I guess."

A splash beside her, and Ariana felt strong arms gripping her, pulling her from the sea. She turned to see the face of her rescuer and almost fainted when she recognized the young man she had saved. Clearly the Sea Witch had kept her word that she would enable Ariana to find him.

He pulled her to the edge of the water, and his friend assisted him in bringing her onto dry land. For the first time, Ariana felt something dry and solid beneath her. She almost laughed with joy at the feeling, but stopped herself. She would have been unable to laugh anyway, without a voice.

"She's naked," the man's friend said.

"Yeah, well, sometimes people try to drown themselves without clothes," the young man retorted. "Close your mouth and get your mind out of the gutter. She looks like she's in shock." Lowering his voice to a gentle tone, he said to Ariana, "Are you hurt? Where did you come from?"

Ariana shook her head in response to his first question, but of course could not answer the second. Even had she been able to speak, she wouldn't have known what to say. Surely she couldn't tell him the truth of where she was from.

"Can you talk?" the man asked.

Again Ariana shook her head. Remembering the strip of skin she still clutched in her hand, she held it out to him. "Ariana," he read. "That's your name?"

Ariana smiled and nodded. She loved the way her name sounded in his mouth, as though his lips and tongue were caressing it. "My name is Finn," he said. "Are you from around here? Do you live nearby?" Ariana shook her head. "Do you have friends near here?" Finn asked.

Another head shake. "Good grief," Finn's friend said. "Apparently she just appeared out of thin air. What are you going to do with her, Finn?"

"The first thing is to get some clothes on her and get her warm." Finn took off his shirt, revealing a broad, muscular chest. He handed the shirt to Ariana. "Put that on. Garrett, go to the truck and get my spare swim trunks. Those will work as shorts for her. When we get back to my place, I'll call my sister and see if she has any clothes she can lend Ariana."

"Your place?" Garrett asked. "You're taking a strange girl to your place? You're nuts! She could be a psycho or something."

Finn looked into Ariana's eyes. "I don't think so. I think she's just lost, and I want to help her. Ariana, put the shirt on."

Ariana looked at the garment, clueless. She had seen how the shirt looked on Finn, and how he had removed it, but she didn't know how to put it on. After a moment, Finn took it from her. "Hold up your arms," he said. Ariana obeyed.

"Okay, either she has a head injury or she's really stupid," Garrett said.

"Shut up." Finn eased the shirt over Ariana's head, then manipulated her arms through the sleeves. He was taller than she, and the shirt hung nearly to midthigh on her. "That's better," Finn said. "Garrett, thought I asked you to get those swim trunks."

"I wanted one last look at her body. She's hot, even if there is something wrong with her."

Finn smacked him. "You want to walk home? Stop saying shit like that. Come on, Ariana. You understand what's happening, right? You're going to come back to my place until we figure out where you belong."

Ariana nodded. As far as she was concerned, Finn's place was where she belonged, but she couldn't tell him that. Perhaps she would figure out how to write enough to tell him her feelings, someday. Someday before her seven days were over.

"All right, then let's go," Finn said. "And don't pay any attention to Garrett. He just doesn't know any better."

"I know better than to bring someone you just fished out of the harbor to my house," Garrett said.

"That's because you still live with your mommy and daddy."

Finn led Ariana to a large piece of metal. As she walked, just as the Sea Witch had said, a stabbing sensation covered the soles of her feet. It hurt, but Ariana kept her mind on Finn and barely noticed the pain.

Round rubber objects were at the bottom of the metal object, and it had glass through which Ariana could see inside it. She rested the palm of her hand against it, feeling the warmth that the metal had soaked up from the sun. "It's not much, but it's mine," Finn said. He opened one of the doors. "Get in."

"Where am I supposed to sit?" Garrett demanded.

"You're a pain in the ass," Finn said. "Ariana's small; she can sit in the middle."

Ariana climbed into the vehicle and slid to the middle of the seat. The seat was hot beneath her thighs, painfully so. "Sorry about the seat," Finn said. He fished a piece of cloth from behind the seat and gave it to her. "Sit on this towel. That will make it better."

Ariana lifted her buttocks from the seat and placed the towel beneath her, then sat back down. The towel covered the unpleasant heat, though she could still feel warmth through it. The men got into the vehicle on either side of her. "Fasten your seat belt, Ariana," Finn said.

Ariana had no idea what he was talking about. She watched as he and Garrett brought strips of fabric and metal across their chests and abdomens and fastened them beside Ariana. "Seat belt," Garrett repeated, enunciating each word. "Good lord, Finn, I don't think she get anything."

"It's like she's never seen a car or truck before." Finn reached between himself and Ariana and pulled out a similar strip of fabric and metal. "This one doesn't go across your chest," he said. He brought it over Ariana's abdomen and fastened it between Ariana and Garrett. As he did so, his hand brushed Ariana's belly, making her shiver.

Finn inserted a small piece of metal into a slot in front of him and turned it. The engine was much louder than that of any boat Ariana had ever heard, and she jumped. But she did recognize the sound. "Are you scared or something?" Garrett asked her.

Ariana shook her head. The noise had startled her, but she knew that with Finn beside her, she was safe from anything. And after the initial sound of starting up, the engine was a pleasant, relaxing noise.

Finn moved a lever and pressed a pedal on the floor. The engine sounded louder, and then the vehicle began to move, Finn's hands on the wheel in front of him steering it onto a street where many other vehicles moved. Ariana was thankful for what she had learned of the surface world; although these objects were unfamiliar to her, she realized now what they were, and was fascinated. Just as boats moved through water, these vehicles moved on land, rolling along on the round rubber beneath them.

Ariana watched intently through the glass as they passed other vehicles and buildings. She was so occupied with trying to see everything at the same time that she barely noticed Garrett's thigh pressing against hers. Then he placed his hand on her leg, and she started. "A little jumpy, huh?" he said softly. "What do you expect when you walk around naked."

Ariana slapped his hand. The movement caught Finn's attention, and he glanced over. "You want to get your ass out of my truck, Garrett?" he snapped.

"What are you talking about?"

"Keep your hands off her, or I'll drop you off right here. Without stopping."

"Why? You want her for yourself?"

"I don't think she's like that. She's too innocent. Just leave her alone. You have plenty of women to choose from; you don't need her."

"Whatever." Garrett shifted himself away from Ariana.

Ariana studied Finn gratefully. Garrett wanted the same from her that Havian had attempted to take, and Finn had stopped him. Ariana began now to understand what the Sea Witch had meant, that her body would attract men's attention, that she had means other than her voice to earn Finn's love. Finn clearly cared for her already; he had treated her with so much kindness without even knowing who she was. Ariana sent a silent thanks to the Sea Witch for her assistance in finding Finn, a task that might have been impossible otherwise.

After several minutes, Finn stopped the vehicle in front of a large brick structure. "This is my apartment building," he said. "You can come in. Garrett, go home."

"Yeah, whatever," Garrett snarled. "Thanks for nothing."

"Asshole," Finn muttered.

Garrett got out of the vehicle and slammed his door so hard the vehicle shook. Ariana shuddered. "Don't worry," Finn told her. "He'll get over it. He just thinks any female is fair game to drag into bed."

Ariana looked at him curiously, not quite understanding what he meant. Finn smiled. "You don't have to worry about me. I'm not trying to get anything from you; I just want to help you. Garrett doesn't grasp the concept of helping someone without expecting something in return. Come on, let's get you inside and find something else you can wear. You look very nice in my T-shirt, but it isn't exactly acceptable to wear in public."

They got out, and Finn led Ariana into the building. Several doors lined the hallway. Did Finn live in this entire structure? It was as large as her father's palace! But he unlocked one door and pushed it open to reveal a small room containing a pair of stuffed chairs and a small kitchen. "It isn't much, but it's big enough for one," Finn said. They went inside, and he closed the door and pointed to another door beside one chair. "That's the bedroom. You can sleep in there while you're here; I'll sleep in my recliner."

Ariana shook her head. It wasn't fair for him to give up his own comfort for her. But then she realized it was another indication of how much he cared for her. Perhaps seven days would be enough to gain his love and make her transformation permanent.

"Yes, I will," Finn said. "Don't worry; I don't mind it. I fall asleep in the recliner sometimes when I'm watching TV. I can manage to sleep there for a few days, till we find out where you're supposed to be."

Ariana smiled thankfully at him. But in her heart, she wanted him to sleep beside her, not in another room. The touches she had experienced from Havian and Garrett filled her with revulsion, but from Finn, she would not only tolerate but would enjoy such caresses. Even if he laid no finger on her, feeling the warmth of his body beside her would be wonderful.

Finn opened the bedroom door. The room was so small the bed took up nearly the entire space. "Sorry it's so small," Finn said. "You can take a nap if you want. I'm going to call my sister and see if she can bring over some clothes for you to borrow. You're about her size."

Ariana nodded her thanks and lay down on the bed. The T-shirt she wore rode up, revealing the tops of her thighs and what lay between them. Finn gulped and said. "You can get under the sheet if you want. Sleep well."

He backed out of the room and closed the door. Ariana slipped under the sheet. Why had Finn seemed so flustered? He hadn't reacted that way when he'd seen her nude at the shore, but it seemed the sight of the place between Ariana's legs upset him.

Ariana touched the hair down there. It was soft and curly. She slid her fingers lower and encountered a hard nub. Touching it made her shiver; she hadn't felt anything that pleasurable before. Experimentally, she pushed on it harder and caught her breath. What an amazing sensation!

What else was down there? Ariana was reluctant to stop touching the nub, but was curious. She felt a small opening right behind the nub; when she touched it, she felt the need to urinate. How did humans do that? She got off the bed and opened the door. Finn was sitting on one of the chairs, talking into a small device. "I don't know where she's from," he said. "She doesn't talk." He noticed Ariana in the doorway. "Ariana, do you need something?"

Ariana nodded, but was unable to think of a way to explain what she needed. "If you're thirsty, there's some bottled water in the fridge," Finn said. "And that door right there is the bathroom. You might need to go; sorry I didn't think of it."

The word "bathroom" was unfamiliar to Ariana, but she decided to check it out. Inside were a low porcelain seat, with a large hole in it, a stall enclosed by a curtain, and a taller porcelain item. This last looked somewhat familiar to Ariana; she had seen things like it in the piles of cast-off surface items she had found on the bottom of the sea. She turned one of the knobs and water gushed out. This must be how humans cleaned themselves.

The seat was a mystery to her. Ariana sat on it and relaxed. To her astonishment, water gushed from her! The relief for her bladder was immediate. This was how humans urinated? How strange!

Ariana stood and turned on the water again. She ran her hands through it, enjoying the moisture on her skin, then left the room. "Ariana, next time you go to the bathroom, please close the door," Finn said. "And you need to flush the toilet, please."

Ariana looked at him, confused. The toilet? Which item was that, and what did "flush" mean? "You have no idea what I'm talking about, do you?" Finn said. "Here, let me show you."

He led her back into the bathroom and pointed at the seat. "This is the toilet," he said. He pushed a metal lever, and with a loud noise, the water inside the toilet was sucked down. "And that's flushing. Do that every time you use the toilet, okay?"

Ariana nodded. "Where do you come from?" Finn said. "Where is it that doesn't have cars and toilets?"

He seemed to be talking to himself more than to her, so Ariana didn't worry about answering. She touched his shoulder in thanks and went back to the bedroom.

With the door closed, she lay on the bed again and resumed her exploration. Beyond the first hole between her legs was another, larger hole. Ariana slipped a finger inside. The feeling was wonderful. She moved her finger in and out, longing for something, though she didn't know what. After a few moments, she returned to the nub, rubbing and pressing it until suddenly it felt as though every atom of her body was coming apart.

Frightened, Ariana lay still until the feeling subsided. She wasn't sure what had happened, but although it scared her, it had also been the most incredible thing she'd ever felt. Was this what a man might make a woman feel? What would it be like if Finn's fingers instead of her own touched her there?

Ariana turned onto her side and closed her eyes. Within moments, she was asleep.

She woke to the sound of voices in the other room. Cautiously she opened the door and saw two women sitting in the second chair in the room. Finn noticed Ariana and smiled. "Ariana, come meet my sister Jackie and her friend Petra," he said. "Jackie, this is Ariana, the mystery girl."

Jackie looked at Ariana suspiciously. "She's very pretty. Hello, Ariana. I'd like to know more about you. My brother's a little too trusting sometimes."

"Oh, Jackie, stop it." Petra smiled. "Hello, Ariana. Finn's been telling us about you. It's nice to meet you." She wriggled out of the chair and picked up a pile of fabric from the floor. "We brought you some clothes," she said. "I hope they'll fit. Finn's right, you can't walk around in that T-shirt."

"You guys astound me," Jackie said. "How could she not have clothes? How come she can't tell us anything? Ariana, you can write, can't you? You could write down stuff, if my brother hadn't been too clueless to think of it."

"I'm not clueless," Finn protested. He got up and took a thin stick and pad of paper from the top of a tall thing in the kitchen, and brought them to Ariana. "Here. You can write, right?"

Ariana studied the stick. She'd never seen anything like it, and had no idea what it might have to do with writing. After a moment, Finn pulled part of it off and ran the other part over the paper. It left a mark behind. "This is writing," he said. He wrote the same letters the Sea Witch had scribed on the piece of skin. "And this is your name. Can you write anything about where you're from?"

Ariana shook her head, but took the stick and clumsily copied the letters Finn had formed. "Good job," he said. He turned to his sister and her friend. "Guess writing is out. Petra, why don't you help her with those clothes? She had trouble with the T-shirt when I gave it to her to put on."

"This is ridiculous!" Jackie said. "No one is that ignorant!"

Petra took Ariana's hand and pulled her into the bedroom. She shut the door. "They'll argue for a while, but we don't have to listen to it," she said. "Now, let's see what you should try on first."

Ignoring the raised voices in the other room, Ariana and Petra passed the next while looking at the clothes. Petra patiently helped Ariana try things on, in the process teaching her how to put them on and take them off herself. When they finally emerged from the bedroom, Ariana was dressed in a pine green tank top and denim shorts. Finn's eyes widened when he saw her. "You look very pretty, Ariana," he said.