Pearl opened her eyes, gasping for breath and spat out a mouthful of gritty sand and a slimy strand of seaweed. Her head was pounding and her stomach felt queasy from all the salt water she had swallowed when that wave had crashed into the ship. Startled, Pearl realized she was no longer on the ship! It appeared she was laying on a sandbar surrounded by calm turquoise water, not a cruise ship in sight. The azure sky above her was cloudless and the sun was blazing hot. In the near distance she could see a stretch of beach and if she didn't feel so weak she would attempt to swim to shore. Her soaking dress clung to her body and she could feel the compact inside her pocket. That damn compact! How had it managed to survive what had to have been the most powerful tsunami ever? Pearl didn't have much time to ponder that mystery because the most gorgeous man she had ever laid eyes on was staring right at her!

The man leaned on the sand bar, his arms and bare chest bulging with tanned muscles, his lower half hidden under the water. Raven hair fell to his shoulders and his amber eyes were gazing at her with a mixture of amusement and concern. He wore a thick gold cord around his neck, from which hung a small gold and silver conch shell. The man leaned closer and held up a large clamshell full of water.

" Drink this," he said in a deep voice that compelled Pearl to listen, although she hoped the water wasn't briney. Pearl raised the shell to her lips and sipped cautiously; it was cool and refreshing.

" I found you drowning in my waters," the man explained. He hoisted himself up on the sand bar to sit beside her, and to Pearl's amazement a strong tail from his waist to long, graceful fins was attached to his lower half, instead of legs! The tail was covered in sapphire scales that shimmered in the sunlight. A thin, faint silvery scar twisted along the side of the tail, but did nothing to diminish its beauty, rather it enhanced it in Pearl's eyes. Pearl resisted the urge to reach out and touch those scales to see if they were real. She realized she was ogling the attractive man's tail and wondered if she was being rude, until she saw he was doing the same to her legs. She could feel her cheeks burning and knew it was not from sunburn.

I must have died when I drowned, this can't be real! Pearl thought. This man is a merman! Meeting mer-folk had been Pearl's childhood dream and she couldn't believe it was happening. She had to be hallucinating. Pearl closed her eyes to stop the wave of dizziness that washed over her.

She felt the man's arm slide around her waist to keep her from fainting. "Are you ok?"

Pearl opened her eyes. "I think so," she murmured, weakly.

The man smiled and nodded. "Good. My name is Caspian; the ruler of Mar Caribe," he said, waving his arm at the water. " My friends call me Cas, and what are you called lady land-dweller?"

Lady land-dweller, Pearl thought, was this merman for real? " My name is Pearl and so what if I am a 'land-dweller'?" she snapped.

Caspian smirked. " Relax Pearl, I have nothing against land-dwellers, even those who trespass in my waters and frighten my dolphin friends." Pearl watched as a cluster of squeaking dolphins surfaced near the sandbar. It seemed as though they were laughing at her, so Cas must be teasing her. Pearl was not in the mood for teasing; she just wanted to get back to the ship, even though she knew if Mari was in her place she would be wholeheartedly flirting with Mer-king Caspian.

"Listen Lady Pearl, I want to help you," Caspian said, seriously. "How did you get here?"

" That's the thing, I don't know!" Pearl cried, her eyes starting to sting with frustrated tears. Oh great, now she was going to cry in front of Caspian! " I was on my cruise ship and suddenly a storm came, after I opened this mirror." Pearl held up the compact mirror to show Caspian. Upon looking at the mirror, the dolphins dove back into the water with fright and Caspian's amber eyes turned dark like molten lava. " That cursed mirror! YOU are not a normal land-dweller! YOU are the evil sorceress who killed my king and queen, my only family!"

" No! I'm not a sorceress!" Pearl protested.

" Liar! You are invading my realm, you murderer," Caspian roared, " You will pay for your crimes." Before Pearl could attempt to flee, Caspian's strong arms wrapped themselves around her body and he dragged her with him into the depths of the sea.