Chapter 7

Mathilde's ~ POV

Mathilde had never followed rules very well, from the time she was just a young Mer she was constantly swimming off and getting into trouble only to have her older brother drag her back to their parents cove. As she got older and puberty hit the incredible awkwardness made it more difficult for Berwald to find her and bring her home. She knew the other Mer's pitied him, their parents having died recently and then his sister gallivanting off having newly gotten her legs and not having the decency to keep them hidden.

Legs were one of the "marvelous" changes that happened during puberty so that when you found your spouse the prospect of children was opened for you. That being said it was considered indecent for someone to really use their legs and walk around on the shore without being married. She knew all of that and she knew humans were dangerous but it was so amazing in the huge cities that the land dwellers made so she didn't truly care. Everything was so busy and exciting and fun, when she was sixteen summers during one of her first adventures she stumbled into a small bookstore. The owner and his wife were kind and happy to teach her how to read the scribbled text that humans used to write. With her new found ability she easily fell in love with fairy tales that humans often wrote. It seemed that no matter what kind of trouble these human female's got into there was always some kind of dashing knight who would save them.

Mathilde had always believed these valiant knights were only in the stories, but they truly existed, and they saved her! Looking through her lashes she gazed at the knights who had rescued her from the poachers she watched as the two talked at the table. They were at some kind of temporary living home called a "motel" and the human men had quickly started talking trying to sort out what to do next settling her on the soft sofa. She shifted uncomfortably trying to tuck her legs under herself thankful of the large garment covering her almost completely. Whenever she had gone into cities before she had always worn a skirt garment to cover them and the only one to see her legs bare before was Berwald who was her brother. Now there were two strange human men who had seen them, even she felt embarrassed about that.

"Are you hungry?" It was the man who come in to rescue her speaking. She paused looking him over, pale blond hair, his eyes were a darker blue than her own. She knew he was just barely taller than her when she was standing but standing over her looking concerned she could very well imagine him standing tall in the fabled shining armor of a knight ready to defend her.

"A little, is there food provided in these accommodations?" Was her hesitant reply. Were you supposed to tell knights that? The fairy tales' were never very clear on if it was acceptable to tell the knight who saved you that you were hungry enough to eat a shark. Really she would take on a shark on her own right now and eat it raw.

"We can order something in, Ivan do you want to order pizza? You can choose the toppings." The comment was directed at the other knight, the one who had given her his coat who nodded and walked off to the back room. Whatever "Pizza" is she could only hope it wasn't to strange. She was feeling completely awkward and unsure of how to break this silence, and it took a lot to make her feel awkward her brother was the most awkward being on the planet.

"So have you ever been to Aalborg? I have, it was very big which was strange but the old humans who I was with took me to Egholm which was very pretty we took a ferry." Mathilde said trying to start some kind of conversation laughing slightly.

"No, I can't say I have. Do you come into cites often?" He asked looking painfully blank it seemed to be his natural expression, the only time she had noticed emotions on his face was when the glass had broken and she had fallen after that he had taken on this indifferent look that almost made her feel like he didn't care. That wouldn't detour her though; he was her knight, he had saved her which meant they would fall in love. At least that is how the books always ended, but of course those were just books maybe a little more work would need to go into this than she thought. That was ok she just had to be flirty and brave, but focused and not distracted by any cool new things she found here and maybe probably she had to learn his name. That was probably important.

"Sometimes… I am called Mathilde; what is your name? How did you come to find me" It would probably be best if until she knew more about the knight she didn't blurt out all of her people's secrets. He didn't answer right away tilting his head slightly caught off guard by the change of topic.

"My name is Lukas, I am a Marine Biologist, so I had been investigating the company who took you already so when it got around that a Mermaid was being brought to the laboratory you were in. So Ivan and I made a plan to get you out." Was his calm reply answering her question but causing several new ones to come to mind. What in the depths of the ocean was a Marine bologna?

"So what is going to happen to me now?" She asked deciding it was a safer question.

"I have a friend who is stationed on an island studying a pair of Mer I figured I can take you to meet them and hopefully you can get home from there." He answered calmly giving her hope to at least get back to the ocean, from there she could find her way to her brother!

"Oh is your friend also a Morning bologna?" Mathinda asked rather proud that she remembered the title.

The sudden laughter from the tall man named Ivan who had just stepped back into the room made her feel like maybe she didn't get it quite right.

AN: So… if it makes you guys feel better I feel really bad about the delay in updating this. I just didn't expect this to be as long as it is turning out. I also am wrestling with myself about the ending so we might end up with an alternate ending just because I can't decided. I am going to really try to get the next chapter up within this month.

Thank you all for your reviews and just FYI I am going to start a one-shot collection so I am still posting things when I have writers block.

Also this isn't beta'd because I wanted to get this up ASAP, when I get it proofed I will replace this.