Amelia’s eyes, seeing her own emotions reflected there, even
if the other woman didn’t express them. Slowly she closed the distance between
them and kissed Amelia.
The
princess’s eyes widened and she put her hands on Melody’s shoulders, intending
to push the woman away at first, but ending up pulling the mermaid against her
body, uncaring of Melody’s nakedness.
The
mermaid didn’t close her eyes throughout the kiss, her gaze on Amelia, as the
princess tilted her face to one side, easing their motions.
Amelia
leaned back after a few moments, her face red and her lips trembling. She
touched them, and looked back at the mermaid, before she moved a couple of feet
backwards.
Melody
didn’t look away from the princess, watching as Amelia wandered aimlessly
around in confusion. The princess opened her mouth twice to speak, before she
closed it without a word.
“Did
you like it?” Melody asked, dreading the answer, but wanting it more than
anything.
Amelia
turned to her. “What was that?” She asked, ignoring the mermaid’s question.
Melody
shrugged. “A kiss.”
“I
know that.” Amelia hissed through gritted teeth. “I meant, why did you kiss
me?”
“I
did it because I wanted to.” Melody replied. She wanted Amelia to come to her,
to hold her, but the princess behaved too erratically for her to ask it.
“That
is not a reason.” Amelia replied.
“I
love you.”
Those
abrupt words froze Amelia in place.
Melody
smiled sadly, afraid of the redhead’s reaction, but continuing anyway. “I love
you.” She repeated after a few moments, gaining some courage. “I kissed you
because I love you and I found out I couldn’t live without you.”
Amelia
shook her head, almost as if she wanted to get rid of Melody’s confession.
“You’re mistaken, you don’t love me. I’m sure you’re confused, we’re just good
friends.”
Melody
looked forlornly at the distance that separated them, wanting to have Amelia in
her arms. Never had she regretted being a mermaid so much as in that moment.
“I’m
not mistaken,” The blonde mermaid continued. “I love you. I tried to fool
myself and not come to you, but I couldn’t. My sisters told me I loved you when
I told them about you, but I thought they were wrong. They weren’t.”
“You
can’t love me.” Amelia shrilled, turning her back on the mermaid.
“Why
not?” Melody questioned, sure she was close to finding what was making Amelia
so nervous.
“Because
we’re both women and I’m engaged to be married.” Amelia replied heatedly.
Melody
tilted her head. “I still don’t understand why your kind has two genders.
Mermaids work perfectly fine with just one.”
Melody’s
comment stopped Amelia’s rant right at the beginning. “Wait, what? How does
that work?” She questioned.
“What
works?” Melody questioned with a raised eyebrow.
“How
do mermaids breed if there are no men?” Amelia questioned, genially curious.
Melody
blushed scarlet, the first time Amelia saw it happen.
“Amelia,”
The mermaid scolded. “You can’t ask things like that.”
“Why
…” The princess started, but then she thought about her reaction if someone
asked her how humans breed. “Ok, sorry I asked, I didn’t think. Does that mean
female mermaids marry each other?”
Melody
nodded. “Not marriages as you have it, but many mermaids join together in a
mated couple.”
Amelia
shook her head, understanding Melody a little better. “Ok, that might happen
with your people, but my kind always marries someone of the opposite gender.”
Melody
continued to appear confused and Amelia sighed. “Even if I wanted to be with
you,” The princess continued her words soft and soothing. “I can’t. I have to
marry the king.”
“Do
you want to be with me?” Melody asked, ignoring most of Amelia’s words and
going right to the heart of the question.
Amelia
hesitated, her mouth opening and closing without sound.
“Do
you?” Melody