The Little Mermaid (Faerie Tale Collection) Read Online Free PDF Page A

know for certain.”
    She sniffled into his chest. “Thank you for coming with me. Thank you for caring enough to make sure I did not go alone. I truly do not deserve someone in my life as wonderful as you are.”
    He chuckled. “In one week, we shall see how wonderful you think me, when you are in pain and growing legs and cursing the day you ever thought up this idea.”

A WEEK LATER, PEARL was kissing her family good-bye in the main entrance of their section of palace. Great, glowing crystal jellyfish bobbed above them, and long strands of pink and blue seaweed flowers and pearls reached from the intricately carved ceiling to the shimmering abalone floor, creating a beautiful serene room.
    Pearl was so nervous, she could feel the flutterfish beating in her stomach.
    Her mother hugged her once more. “I expect you to listen to Prince Keel, and stay with him at all times. This journey to the South Seas will be good for you both. I know it will. Just stay safe. Follow the warnings of the sea life, and always be aware of your surroundings.”
    “We will, Mother. Prince Keel will take very good care of me.”
    “Of course he will,” her father responded, “or we would not allow you to take this journey together. He is one of the finest princes in this colony.”
    Her two sisters and littlest brother were there as well, eager to hug her and kiss her and talk about the journey she was about to embark upon.
    “Will you bring me back a present?” her brother asked, her sisters interrupting him. “And you have to tell us every detail about your adventures. We will be eagerly awaiting your return.” It had been discussed that if her travels went well, Mother and Father might allow her siblings chances to go on their own travels with trusted friends and royalty too.
    Pearl felt a twinge of guilt, not sure how to respond to her siblings when she was not certain she would ever return and soon they would know she had been lying to them. Instead, she ignored their chatter and hugged them fiercely, telling them she loved them forever. Glancing up, she caught Keel’s concerned look, but he masked it quickly enough when he realized she had noticed.
    They had already been to say good-bye to his family. All in all, both families had taken their fabricated story very well. Neither seemed to think it odd that Keel would wish to take Pearl on a journey to the South Seas, where he hoped to teach her about the responsibilities needed to become a governing princess or queen. In fact, both sets of kin seemed rather pleased with the idea and encouraged it.
    She knew it was most likely because they wished for Keel and Pearl to unite one day, and this trip would bring them that much closer to that reality. Keel balked at the idea of creating such a falsehood at first, but after talking it over, they had agreed that outright lying and saying good-bye, instead of leaving without word, would save their families the most heartache in the long run.
    As she pulled back from her brother one last time, she felt Keel’s hand on her back. He slid his fingers down her arm and she clutched his hand. For a moment, the excitement of the upcoming adventure seemed to be dampened by a sharp hole in her chest. She had not realized that leaving her family and home would hurt this much. She looked around the beautiful room, her mind wandering down the abalone-covered hallways to each of the coves that made up her siblings’ bedrooms and to her parents’ larger set of rooms with the beautiful sea life and plants scattered about it.
    She saw her lovely mother, with her long, bluey-silver hair floating around her and the many strands of pearls and jewels about her neck. How she had loved and learned so much from such a strong, quiet merwoman. Her mother was simply the epitome of a gracious, loving queen who was adored by all. In so many ways, Pearl’s rash temper was nothing like her mother’s personality, but she hoped to someday be one-tenth as wonderful as