Summer would be over soon, which gave me and Berwald not that much time to have real fun and swim in the river together. The days melted away as he would come in the early mornings and strip down to his trousers, then jump into the cold rushing water. We would laugh and play and splash around in the calm shallow areas where Berwald had no trouble swimming. I had missed playing with someone more than I thought, and the time I had with Berwald was pure ecstasy for me.

One day he brought an odd silver object with two blades and holes for his fingers. After some persuasion, he was able to sit me down on my sitting rock as he began to cut my hair. He had noticed the trouble it was causing me, and I was relieved when it was cut short once again. He did a wonderful job.

Sometimes I could almost feel like my home had never changed. While we chased each other around in the water, it was almost like the other Mer were right there behind the rocks, also playing and displaying their silver scales for the old people of the land that had treated us so well. It was those moments that, as soon gone, left me feeling rather melancholy. Berwald sometimes picked up on this and would put his arm around me and question what was wrong. I wished I could tell him. If only I could speak human, or if he could learn Mer…

Why didn't I think of that sooner? Due to physical limitations it was impossible for me to speak human and it was impossible for Berwald to speak Mer, but if I could understand him that meant he could maybe understand me!

I dunked him after giving him little warning, but he managed to get a good breath before submerging in the pool. Once underwater, I began to sing. Mer communicate by vibrating something in our throats. It creates pitches and sounds resembling speech that anything could hear if it stuck its head under the waves. Berwald heard my voice and his eyes were wide with awe. I sang to him a song of love. Mer would often sing this with their partners, and I'm not sure why it was the first thing to pop into my head. Perhaps I thought of Berwald as my partner. He certainly thought of me as his.

We surfaced and I waited for his response. I didn't wait long. As soon as he got a breath of air, he responded in his heavily accented human speech. "W'w, th't w's beau't'ful T'no," He gasped. I nodded in appreciation and ducked him back under.

"Berwald," I said in Mer as he watched me closely. "There are so many things I want to tell you!" I held onto his arm as I pleaded and hoped he would understand what I was trying to say. He broke the surface.

"M's'rry, I c'n't t'lk l'ke th't und'rw'ter. T's imp'ss'ble," he apologized. I smacked my head.

No, I want you to learn how to understand me, not speak to me!

He blinked at my frustrated look. I pointed to his mouth and to my ears. Then to my mouth and to his ears. After a few pondering seconds, a look of realization washed over him.

"I c'ld l'rn to und'rst'nd ya…?"

Yes!

From there on out, I was busy teaching him the meanings of various sounds and clicks under the water. I started with things I could point to, as that would be easiest, but when it came to phrases and sentence structure it was up to him to ask how to say something and for me to provide the translation. Berwald soaked it up like a sponge and knew how to differentiate a few words from others. It would take quite a long time for him to understand it completely, but this was a start.

I then decided there was a phrase I needed him to know. One day, before he had to leave, I pulled him under and said it in Mer. Berwald looked confused as we surfaced.

"Wh't d's th't m'n?" He asked.

I smiled and pulled his lips onto mine. We held there for a few breathtaking moments. His hand cautiously ran up the curve of my back and his other held back of my head delicately. I broke the kiss slowly, cherishing every second, and he looked into my eyes with such intensity and awe I had never seen before.

"D's 't m'n…I l've ya?"

Another kiss confirmed this.

Winter was fast approaching. Berwald would still jump in the water, despite how chilly it was becoming, but needed to return earlier than usual. The days started to grow shorter, which was why he had to leave so soon. He only had a few hours a day in the morning to spend with me before he went back to the village where he lived and worked. Seeing him leave always made me sad, but I took comfort in the fact that he would be back the next day as the sun rose.

When it was too cold to swim without risking sickness, our lessons ceased. My teaching could only be done if he could hold his head under the water.

Winter was almost here. I began to feel sluggish in the cold. In winter weather, Mer hibernate much like fish. Berwald must have noticed, because he began to bring more than the usual scones or other small treats I enjoyed. I needed to gain more weight if I were going to survive the winter, so I took most of my free time eating and lounging around the water's edge when the threat of human traffic was low. Berwald seemed to enjoy watching me eat his cooking. I found everything he brought me tasty and amazing, which it was.

When the time came for me to go to take my long sleep, there was already a thin layer of ice on the water's edge. I had to crack and break it in order to reach Berwald, who scooped me up and carried me ashore in his arms.

I was weak and sleepy. I knew this was it. This was my last day awake with Berwald until spring. I hoped he would last the winter without me, he hated having to skip these times we spent together.

As I snuggled into the warm long coat he had wrapped around my torso and tail as we lay on the sand, he saw the look I gave him and began to seem a little sad. I reassured him with a sleepy smile, which he gave back as he kissed my brow.

"R'ya go'ng tah sl'p s'n?" he asked. I groggily nodded my head. He sighed and pulled me closer, which I accepted appreciatively. Wind chill here on the surface was killer when you were still wet, but he kept me warm.

"I'll b' h're f'r ya wh'n ya w'ke up," He whispered soothingly into my ear. "J'st as l'ng as ya 'r st'll h're wh'n I c'me b'ck."

I squeezed his hand. He squeezed mine back.

We watched the birds migrate over the sky and felt the cold wind on our faces. It was such a perfect moment, and I didn't want it to end. But as the time came and my eyes grew heavier with fatigue, and we knew it was time to say goodbye. Before I slipped back into the icy water, Berwald dug into his pocket and pulled something out.

It was a shiny green gem cut, polished, and fitted onto a gold band. I took it and admired the craftsmanship. Humans were truly masters of the arts.

"Do ya r'm'mber th's st'ne?" He asked. I shook my head and he took the ring in one hand and my hand in his other. Berwald slipped it on my finger and it fit perfectly, shining against my skin and reflecting little green dots. "T's the st'ne ya g've m' wh'n I g've ya my sc'ne th't day. H'd 't cut an' m'de 'nto r'ngs."

I watched him take off a glove from his hand, revealing another ring just like mine around his finger. I smiled warmly and put my cheek in his palm, thanking him for the gift.

"G'ving some'ne a r'ng m'ns th'y w'nna sp'nd the r'st of th'r l'ves t'geth'r," he cupped my face with both hands and kissed me sweetly. "I w'nna sp'nd m'ne w'th ya…"

I kissed back and a few pearl tears fell from my lids. He caught them, admiring their beauty in his hand, before clenching them in his fist, determined to keep them as reminders of his love during the long winter months to come.

I would gladly spend my life with him. He was the one thing that kept me from dying out here in my loneliness. Though I knew Berwald would continue to grow older as I aged slowly, I was determined to stay by his side until his last breath. When that day comes, I will gladly wish for death by his side. I will be with him as we descend into the darkness hand in hand.

When Berwald disappeared into the trees, I sunk into the water and found the sleeping place us Mer would use every winter. Though I was alone here now, I was never truly by myself. I had the ring on my finger to prove that.

As my consciousness started to fade, I rubbed the surface of the golden band and sang myself an old Mer lullaby. I may be the last Mer left, but here in the place of my lost family and ancestors…

I was home.

Sleep, little one,

Drift away to your dreams.

Sleep, little one,

Love will wake you in the spring…

THE END. I bet it was a bit dissapointing to a few of you, huh? Oh well. I really don't think it could have gone any other way, though.

What happens next is up to your imagination~

Thanks for reading! Reviews are nice, blah blah blah you know the drill.

MURMAAAIDS DURRRR