My Little Mermaid

“You are going to tell me. Now,” Matt commanded. He needed to know. He worried for his charge, Nicolas Harold. This was something he couldn't be left in the dark about, for it could potentially cause problems for Solatium.

Juliette winced at his tone, not liking it. It reminded her of her parents. She didn't want him to become like them. She might not making out again. “I need to know,” he said softly. He noticed how scared she was. She looked like a fleeing octopus. If she could change colors, she would be white as snow. Instead she just looked slightly pale.

“You won't like it though,” she mumbled. Nicolas warned her not to say she was human before, especially to Matt. He didn't explain why, but he made her promise not to tell him. “I made a promise,” slipped out before she could stop herself. Matthew looked at her, scrutinizing her sitting form. She had swam about, but she stayed in Nicolas' room since she had no where else to go. She wasn't allowed out in Solatium and didn't want to brave the turbulent waters outside.

Matt shook his head. He didn't want to pressure her into telling him, but this was something he needed to know for the safety of his home, of his charge, of Solatium. “Please, Juliette.” She looked up at him, seeing the desperation and the determination. She knew he just wanted to protect his people, his world. She knew this, but she didn't want to break a promise with Nicolas. She promised him and it was the first time for her to even promise anyone anything. She wasn't going to break it now.

“I can't. I promised, Mister English.” He sighed at his surname. She used it all the time when talking with him. It was to show she was being polite to someone that was of higher rank, status than herself. “I promised that I wouldn't tell you.”

“Nicolas made you promise, didn't he?” Tilting her head slightly, Juliette slowly nodded. “But...why?” Matthew slowly thought about different possibilities. Ones that would make Nicolas not think her a threat. There were some, but one—outlandish one—fit every possibility. She was changed into a mermaid and dumped. Before she was changed, she was human. That's the only way Nicolas would even have known her. He went to watch the humans many a time. It cost him hours of work and learning just to visit the vile creatures. He didn't like humans. Not since...

“You're human.” Juliette gasped. She didn't expect him to figure it out. And she thought she wasn't that obvious about it. “I should amend my statement. You were human.”

“How....?”

Matthew sighed, turning away from her. He couldn't look at her, suddenly reminded of what happened awhile ago. He just didn't want to be around her now. Everything was different now. And now he needed to tell the Primary. He had to. This was a security risk. She could, potentially harm Solatium and everyone within it.

“It was simple really. It is the only reason that Nicolas protects you,” he stopped there, even though he wanted to add on “from me.” But what good would it do to scare the already frightened and skittish girl? He didn't know. Matt so wanted to shout at her. Tell her it was her fault. But it wasn't. She wasn't there. He wanted to throw her out, but that would make him her executioner.

Juliette swallowed hard. She could sense the anger he had. She could even see his muscles coiled and ready to be used. He did not want her here. She could tell that much. His silence was even worse than if he actually shouted at her. The girl was use to shouting and yelling, but silence was different. It meant something different. It meant he was deciding on what to do and how he was going to talk to her now. She didn't want to know what decision he would come to.

She slowly started, “Does that mean...?” Juliette didn't want to be on his bad side. He was a warrior. Her, she was a thin, weak girl. She would be broken in half if he did anything to her. “what will you do?” Blame it on her morbid curiosity, but she had to know what he would do with her. To her.

Matt turned to her, finally looking into her eyes. She lowered them quickly. Juliette knew she was at the bottom of the ranking ladder. Matt then realized how broken she was. She wasn't the one that caused him this grief. This hurt. She was just as much a victim as him, if not more so. He knew then he couldn't do anything to her. If he did, she wouldn't survive.

“Nothing. Let this play out like Nicolas planned.” Juliette stared at the back of Matthew as he slowly swam away. His tail lazily flapping. She stood there, shocked. Nothing within her expected him to say that. “Juliette,” Matt said softly, looking solemnly over his shoulder at the shocked girl. Her eyes wide and her mouth open. “Don't do anything stupid.”

Nodding, accepting that warning, she ducked her head and wrung her hands together, nervous. She didn't know what to do. Now that Matt had at least accepted her presence here, she only had to worry about the others in Solatium.

The blond haired girl shook her head before following down the same path as Matt. She didn't know what else to do. She paused at the doorway, not knowing if she should leave. What would Nicolas do if she did leave? That ran through her mind as she went back to the window, not wanting to upset her savior.

The ethereal glow didn't hurt her eyes as she looked out at the dark abyss before her. It was night. That much she knew. The ocean did get brighter when the sun was out. It showed the fish and mammals in the water around the city. Now it held the enigma of the ocean within the inky blackness outside.

Then she saw it. A large body slither by. It was huge, at least three times as wide as her. She didn't know how long it was for the darkness concealed it. Leaving it to her imagination, which was never a good thing. She quickly backed away from the window and swam quickly to the bed, hiding beneath the covers like a child. If I can't see it, it can't see me. She knew that wasn't true, but it calmed her. It was childish to believe that, but it worked. Juliette repeated it many more times out loud and then in her mind. Her heart beat slowly returned to its normal pace.

Ba-bump. Ba-bump. Ba-bump.

She didn't even realize her mantra and heart beat pulled her into her dreams. Everything was peaceful now. There was no danger. Julliette knew she was safe.

The girl, draped in a white dress walked on the green, freshly cut grass. It tickled, but Juliette ignored it. Yellow rays cascaded down onto the field and her, warming her very skin. It was a wonderful place.

Butterflies fluttered by, swirling around her finger as she held it out and then continued on their path. The large insects were black on the outside and brilliant blue on the inside, reflecting the light. They even seemed to glow.

Darkness came. It blotted out the sun. Her safety was gone. She felt tears start to roll down her cheeks as she looked at the dead world around her. The grass was brown and broke with a breath. The butterflies were gone. Juliette stood in the middle, still in white. Her bare feet were poked and prodded by something sharp. She yelped, jumping away.

When she landed, she crumpled to the ground. Pin pricks of red ensanguined her pale skin before staining her dress. It was pain like she never felt before. It wasn't just physical any more. It was mental as well.

Her world came crashing down. Looming over her as she cried out, screaming, was the face of Nicolas. He smirked and pressed down on one of the wounds, loving the scream she released. Then came Matt. He just stood there, watching with no expression. She didn't know which was worse, Nicolas hurting her or Matt doing nothing.

The scene changed, melting to something else entirely. Standing in the middle of her living room, she found her family. Her mother and father sitting on the love seat as the children sat on the couch. “Do you really think she ran away? After all these years?” Adrian asked. He looked incredulous at his family, if he could call them that. Helen and William were clasping hands, looking upset. It was all a show for the three council members in their home. Adrian knew it was a show. He knew none of them cared about Juliette. Even he didn't care about her as much as he should. She was like a servant in the house that he didn't want to see hurt.

Juliette stood in the middle of the circle, staring at her family. Maria looked disinterested and wanted to get out from beneath the council's eyes. But it was her parents that scared Juliette the most. They were trying to win sympathy from the council, even though they didn't care about her in the slightest. Her younger brother—the youngest in their family, Victor, was standing in the hallway, watching on. He looked tired. But what surprised her the most was the smile. It wasn't a joyful smile. It was a sinister smile that scared her to the bone. Then his haunting grayish blue eyes turned to her, giving her that smile. He was looking at her like that.

She sat up, gasping for breath. Every part, every cell, in her body ached. “Juliette?” Her wild, scared eyes snapped to the person next to her. It took a moment to realize who it was. Nicolas. He sat on a chair, looking at her concerned. “Are you...okay?” he asked slowly.

Juliette didn't even know what to say to that. Now that she was out of her dreamland, she was okay, but the fear and the beating of her heart told her otherwise. She feared going to sleep when those were her dreams. “Juliette?”

Blinking a few times, she came back to reality. She was safe. At least from harm for the moment. “I'm fine,” she forced out, trying to be brave and not burden him with her problems. She wasn't even suppose to be here in the first place. She was suppose to be with her family, being treated like a servant. Juliette knew this. She knew one day, this would come crumbling down around her. It hurt to realize that this, whatever it may be, wouldn't last. It never does.

“You don't seem fine. You seem the exact opposite.” Nicolas suspected she just didn't want to talk about it. And he wanted to know. “What were you dreaming about?”

She didn't answer. Fear coursed through her, paralyzing every nerve in her. She couldn't imagine what her dreams were symbolizing, but she didn't want to know. Juliette couldn't get out how sadistic the people around her appeared in her dreams. Even now, she didn't want to face them.

Her hands gripped the dark blue shirt she was given by Nicolas. It crumpled in her hands, wrinkling. Luckily she had no nails to rib the fabric or herself. Her head was bowed as she stared at her tail. The thing that wasn't originally hers.

“Juliette!” Nicolas snapped.

She jumped, sliding away from him. He didn't mean to scare her, but he wanted answers. And she wasn't giving them.

Swallowing the growing lump in her throat, Juliette turned away from him and lowered her hands. “Nothing. Nothing that you should concern yourself with.” Taking a deep and calming breath, she looked at him, staring into his eyes. He was surprised at how bold she was being at this moment, but it didn't last long. Her eyes drifted to the ground and then back to her tail.

Self-consciously, she pulled the shirt down farther. It covered passed her hips and beyond. It was also loose on her small, slim frame. She seemed to have no meat on her. Just skin, bones, and some muscle.

Before he could question her further, his door opened. Matt came in, glancing at the two of them before lowering his eyes. Nicolas hadn't seen Matt like that since... It hit him then. Matt knew. He knew what she was. “You're sister wants to see you and this 'new mermaid' you brought home.” The bodyguard placed a hand on his weapon. It made him feel more secure and safe.

But it did make the newly turned mermaid more uncomfortable. She felt her breath hitch in the bottom of her throat, lodging there as she ducked her head, afraid what Matt might do. Nicolas could feel the tension radiating off of Matt and the fear off of Juliette. Both permeated the room, swirling around as if asking to be seen.

“I see. Juliette, I apologize before hand. Let us greet my sister properly.” Matt moved to the side, allowing Nicolas to swim along, heading out of the door. Juliette slowly followed, still new to the whole swimming part, but she was getting better. Matt took the rear. He wanted to watch his superior's back and keep an eye on Juliette.

They traveled down three different hallways before ending up at a large door. It was slightly transparent, but only enough to see that someone was inside and not any details about them. Tapping the glowing circle next to the door, Nicolas waited as the door slide open. Inside was a woman. She had the same dark brown hair as Nicolas, most likely her brother. It was cut in layers and framed her heart shaped face nicely. In a word, she was gorgeous. And that made Juliette even more self-conscious.

“It's good to finally see your face, little brother.”

“Don't call me that,” Nicolas growled. “It isn't my fault you never come to this side of Solatium. Especially since you met the 'love of your life' a few months back.” The woman scowled at her brother before both launched into a bickering match. That left Matt and Juliette out, hanging out in back, towards the door.

Matt glanced at Juliette from the corner of his eye, watching as she wrung her hands and looked at the smooth floor. He fully turned towards her, watching as she shifted, looking just about ready to cry. She was that scared of this situation. At least that was what it looked like, but Matt had a feeling it wasn't just the two siblings bickering before them as siblings do. This was something deeper.

Two arms wrapped around her shaking shoulders, surprising her. She stiffened under the unfamiliar pressure. No one really touched her this way. It was new and on the inside she was getting two different signals to her brain: relax or flee. She was never a fighter.

“It is okay,” his voice lowered to a new level, calming her. It was a slow process, but she finally relaxed into his grip, but by then the two siblings were staring at the two. They watched the two, realizing something clicked between them. At least for this moment in time.

“You sure know how to pick them. But at least this one isn't as bad as the last one,” Faith mumbled to her brother.

“Faith, shut up.” The older mermaid grinned before crossing her arms and looking at all three. They would grow to be best of friends, if they didn't break apart now. If everything turned out okay in the end. But that would be difficult since her and Nicolas' father now knew about Juliette.

“Juliette,” the scared, timid girl turned away from the chest of Matt to look at Nicolas. She slowly peeled away from the bodyguard and ducked her head to the two. “I would like you to meet my sister, Faith. Faith, this is Juliette.”

Faith smiled brightly and stuck out her hand for Juliette to shake. Taking a deep breath, she did. Her hand grasped Faith's strongly, showing she did have some strength within her and not just a scared girl all the time. This got Faith's approval with a similar squeeze in return before releasing. “It is a pleasure to meet you, Jewels.”

Juliette stared at her, not understanding that Faith just gave her a nickname. “Jewels?”

“Yeah, it's easier to say than Juliette. Don't you agree?” She nodded, smiling softly. No one had been nice enough to give her a nickname before. Never. “Good. So...what have you three been up to the past few weeks?” And that was a loaded question. But one that needed answering.