Maira stretched slowly, feeling every muscle in her body scream as she did. It was a delicious pain, and she held the position, her arms over her head, her toes reaching. She was warm. She was surrounded by what felt like a cloud. She didn't know where she was, but she knew she was safe.

Opening her eyes slowly, Maira fought back a yawn and let her vision adjust. Her eyesight was still a bit blurry, but things were beginning to come into full focus.

She was in a bedroom. A human bedroom. She was in bed, covered with what seemed like a million fluffy blankets. The last few hours slowly came back to her like a dream.

A warm fire. Layers of blankets. A lukewarm bath. Warm, dry clothes. A bed that felt like heaven. And...movement. Her legs slowly gaining strength. Still wobbly, but useful. She'd been so tired, she'd been in and out of consciousness since Brendon had carried her inside. She wasn't even sure where she was, but it was a beautiful place. High ceilings, artwork on the walls, servants everywhere. It almost seemed...royal.

Maira sat up, faster than she'd intended to, gasping softly.

It couldn't be. He couldn't be. Could he? Was Brendon the Prince? Her heart leapt, but she didn't dare indulge the fantasy. She looked around the room, frantic for answers, as if there would be a royal family tree painted on the wall. It was certainly a beautiful room. Not exactly opulent, but well appointed. There were two large windows covered in heavy velvet drapes. A vanity and mirror. A four poster bed. A chaise by the windows. This definitely couldn't just be a peasants home. But she somehow had always known Brendon wasn't just an ordinary human.

Throwing the blankets back, Maira marveled as she slid her legs over the bed and off the side. She wasn't sure she'd ever get used to them. Now that she was gaining her strength back, it was amazing. She enjoyed the feeling of her skin against the soft, smooth bed sheets. She sat on the edge of the bed, her legs hanging off, swinging them gently. The bed was so big, her feet didn't touch the ground.

Maira rubbed her knees gently before sliding slowly off the bed, testing her weight out as she held onto the mattress. She didn't want to fall. She remembered maids helping her into the lukewarm bath the night before. She remembered being able to walk with the help of two other women back to the bedroom. That was about all she remembered.

Her legs held her weight. She pushed the white dress she'd been put in down, and the length fell to the floor. It was a pretty gown, light and flowy around her. Her first human clothing. It felt weird, but also comforting. She'd always wanted to try human clothing. It was gathered around her with a wide neckline that settled on her shoulders, falling gently off the slope of one shoulder. The gown itself was gathered tighter around her bodice, and flowed out down from her waist.

Taking a few careful steps, Maira couldn't help but grin as she felt the strength in her legs. All the pain from the night before was gone. She could walk. This dream was real.

"It's real, it's real!" She murmured breathlessly as she began to move around the room. Slowly at first, but then a bit faster. She tested out what she could do. She balanced on her tip toes, she did a little jump. She didn't want to push it too far with a full fledged jump, but she bent her knees and touched her toes, giggling the whole time. It was amazing. The movement was so entirely different than anything she'd experienced. The way her feet felt on the hardwood floor. The sensation of the gauzy material of her dress against her bare legs. The way her hips swayed as she walked. It was wonderful.

Maira made her way around the room, moving toward the windows. She had to see the outside. She needed to see where she was. She wanted to see it all, see everything from the point of view of a human.

Maira gasped softly as she slid the curtain back, revealing the huge window. It was nearly ceiling to floor, and had been hiding a gorgeous view. The day outside was overcast, but it didn't hide the beauty of the grounds. The lawn before her was vibrant green, and wet with recent rain. Maira could see a forest of trees off in the far distance. A manicured garden below her, complete with what looked to be tall hedges and beautiful rows and gardens of flowers. It was a place she could see herself getting lost in if given the chance.

Excitement shot through Maira. She had to see the rest of the grounds, the rest of the house she was in. If her instinct was right, then she couldn't quite believe her luck. Spinning around, letting the heavy drapes fall back, Maira felt something against her chest begin to vibrate gently. She froze, grabbing at her chest in surprise.

The sisters! She'd almost forgotten. How could she have??

Maira took a deep breath, finding herself to be breathing heavily and shaking slightly. Her stomach felt like it had dropped. She pulled the delicate gold chain from under her dress, and held the tiny conch in front of her. She could feel it vibrate in her hand. She pressed it hard between her fingers.

"Are you alone?" Came a clear, thin familiar voice. It was as if the voice was in her head. Maira shivered slightly.

"Yes." Maira said in a whisper, despite being alone. And then all the sudden, they were there, clear as day. Andrina and Daryah's faces floated before her. Like two ghastly spirits, just their heads, floating in the air before Maira.

"Hello..." Maira fought back her surprise, her voice a harsh whisper.

"Mmm...took you long enough." Daryah said with narrowed eyes. Maira took a step backwards, but the visions seemed to follow her movements.

"I...I was very tired. I slept for...well I'm not sure." Maira defended herself.

"You slept for nearly 12 hours, you idiot." Andrina growled.

"Sister." Daryah said, her voice warning.

"I'm sorry, I was just so tired. And doing that little thing called forming legs out of my tail--" Maira started to quip as Andrina glared at her.

"Let's not waste time," Daryah cut in. "Where are you, Maira? What have you done so far towards the task at hand?" She asked, her voice forceful. Maira sighed softly, reaching up and pushing her hair from her face. She felt exhausted all over again.

"I just woke up, Daryah. I don't know where I am or..." She took a deep breath. "I washed up, naked, alone and nearly freezing on the beach! I could have died. Neither of you prepared me for--"

"Don't." Andrina interrupted, her voice steely. Maira stopped. "We gave you legs, little girl. The circumstances afterwards weren't up to us. And you seem to have made out just fine." She rolled her eyes. Maira seethed, but didn't reply.

"Sister, get yourself together, and then you must find the Prince. You've wasted almost a day now. You can't afford to waste more time." Daryah said urgently. Maira nodded, knowing her sister had a point. She had a reason she was here. It wasn't just to fulfill a fantasy of her own. It was to help the merpeople of Oceana. That was what mattered.

"I'm sorry. I'll do better." Maira looked down, feeling suddenly ashamed. She'd been so excited about her legs, and the beautiful room and grounds outside, she'd nearly forgotten the real reason why she was there. To find the Prince. To seduce the Prince. To make sure the people of Oceana were taken care of. She couldn't fail.

"We'll be in touch." Andrina said shortly, before their images began wavering. Maira nodded, then reached up and pressed the conch again, breaking the connection between them. She sighed heavily, and then turned toward the door to her room. She needed to figure out where she was, and there was a good chance she was going to have to find a way to leave. Other than that, she had no idea what her plan was. A little guidance from her all knowing sisters would have been nice, but apparently they'd had other things in mind. It was so like Andrina and Daryah to push her into a situation she wasn't comfortable with and then leave her to fend for herself.

Maira made her way to the door of her room, and opened it slowly, listening. When she heard nothing, she peeked outside, and let out a tiny gasp. The hallway outside was not what she expected. The ceilings were just as tall as the ones in her room, and the hallway was long and had multiple doorways. This was no normal house.

Carefully, she crept along the hallway, noticing after she'd taken the first few steps that she didn't have any shoes on. The idea made her giggle silently to herself. Shoes. She hardly knew the first thing about shoes. All she knew about humans, she'd learned from books. Books that had sunken down into the sea, or been left on sandy beaches by accident. Her sisters had never found the books, thank Poseidon. And they'd also never found the missing Corallia dust that she'd used to preserve them for so long under water.

She didn't have a big collection, only six books. But it was enough. A few of them even had pictures. Her most helpful human book was Lives of the Queens of England by a woman named Agnes. Maira had been fascinated by every detail -- the relationships, the politics, the everyday lives of these women. Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte was her favorite though, a novel she'd read at least a hundred times. Her lesser favorites included A Nautical History by Sir Frank Mildmay, and Toilers of the Sea by Victor Hugo. Both were a bit too long winded and on the nose for her. But Jane. Oh, Jane. She understood Jane. She understood her wild and willful nature a bit too much, perhaps.

Stepping softly down the hall on tiptoes, Maira took in the beautiful oil paintings on the walls. The plush, rich colored rugs that lined the floor and felt so nice under her feet. The heavy, ornate tapestries that hung where paintings did not.

"Maira?! Maira!" Isla's voice rang out behind her, and with a surprised lurch, Maira spun around, her back smacking into the wall.

"Oh! Hello!" She exclaimed, her eyes big. Isla rushed toward her, her pretty face lighting up at the sight of her.

"Oh my goodness, Maira. You're in the hallway in your nightgown! Has anyone seen you?" Isla asked, her voice full of laughter but no meanness. Maira smiled then, pressing her hands to her face. A nightgown. Of course. That was explain the gauzy weightlessness of it. It was just for sleeping.

"Oh...I..." She started, shaking her head.

"Come on, I'll help you find something to wear. And I'll ring my maid." Isla grinned. Maira nodded appreciatively and followed the younger girl back to her room. In the daylight, Maira could see that Isla was actually quite a bit younger than she'd first assumed. She was 16 or 17 at the oldest. She was just as beautiful as she'd thought before, but up close in the daylight she could truly admire her beauty. Flawless, milky pale skin with rosy cheeks. Brilliant slate blue eyes rimmed with dark lashes. Glossy coal black hair that she had curled and fashioned into a thick braid around her crown. She was stunning.

"How are you feeling? We kept checking on you." Isla asked, her eyes lighting up. Maira stood dumbly in front of her, feeling strange and foolish. This young girl had just found her wandering the halls in her nightgown, and yet she remained so sweet and understanding.

"I'm feeling a lot better, thank you. I was exhausted. Thank you again for helping me. I really don't know..." Maira took a deep breath. She had decided she would be as honest as she could with Isla. It only made sense. She'd simply feign amnesia for the things that she had to leave out. Like where she was really from. She was sure it wouldn't be a good plan for long term, but it only needed to work for a few weeks.

"Of course, we had to help you. When I saw you, I was so scared you were already dead!" She gasped softly, then lowered her voice gently. "Do you remember anything?" Isla asked from over her shoulder as she pulled the drapes open, letting the light in. Maira leaned against the bed, shaking her head.

"No. Everything is so murky and...I just can't remember much of anything." She said softly. Guilt made her stomach clench. She didn't want to lie. Not to Isla. Not to anyone who had shown her such kindness.

"You poor thing, I wish we knew what happened." Isla walked forward then, taking Maira's hands in her own. "You scared me to death when I found you on the beach. You were frozen through and...no clothes..." Isla looked away. "You scared my brother as well. He checked on you every hour while you were sleeping, that is until he had to leave for his duties. I've never seen him so worried, though." Isla smiled gently. Maira's mind began spinning and she squeezed Isla's hands as they both let go.

"I'm Isla, by the way. In case you don't remember. I know you were in and out last night." She smiled, "And my brother is Brendon." Isla gave Maira a tiny smile then, as if she knew something she wasn't sharing. Maira nodded, and decided to take a chance.

"Isla...what does your brother do?" She asked carefully. Isla grinned then, bigger than Maira had seen her smile before.

"So you've figured it out then, huh? I kinda wanted to keep it a secret until it was too obvious." She laughed.

"I'm not sure if I've figured anything out, honestly." Maira laughed with her. "But this isn't a normal home. And that's not a normal backyard." She felt her face flush. Isla laughed louder, shaking her head.

"You should continue calling me Isla, but...most people know me as Princess Isla. And they know my brother as Prince Brendon, Duke of Empyrea." Isla's smile was full of mischief, happy to have kept her little secret for as long as she had.

Maira was stunned into silence. Brendon. Her Brendon was the Prince. The Prince she was meant to seduce! Maira wasn't sure if it was great luck or horrible luck. Her chest squeezed tightly, and she had to force herself to close her mouth. Isla kept giggling, enjoying the joke and Maira's reaction.

"I feel like an idiot." Maira said softly, though a smile crept to her lips. It was quite funny, to be honest. Of all the odds...

"Don't! How could you have known? It was dark and you were nearly dead!" Isla rushed forward, grabbing Maira's arm as the door opened up. Both women looked toward the door, as a young maid rushed in.

"Your highness." She curtsied toward Isla, and Isla grinned.

"Are you ready for a little dress up, Maira? Bethany is going to help us get you out of your bed clothes and into something suitable to be the guest of the Princess." Isla winked then, and Maira couldn't help but smile.

****

Over and hour later, with some sparkling wine, and quite a few tiny, beautiful little cakes later, Maira stood smartly in front of the full length mirror that was inside the dressing room attached to her bedroom. She was sure the Sisters wouldn't approve of the time her and Isla had just spent laughing and carrying on while she tried on dress after dress, but Maira couldn't seem to muster the strength to care. She was having fun. And she loved Isla's company. After the scariness of the night before, she was enjoying the carefree laughter.

She blinked at her reflection, not sure if the bubbles in her stomach were from the wine or her reflection. She had never seen herself look this way before. Legs aside, of course. The idea made her absolutely giddy with laughter.

"You're stunning, Maira." Isla leaned against the door jamb, her eyes big.

The maid had put Maira in something called a corset, which she was sure had cracked one of her ribs. It did make her figure look nice, despite how hard it was to breathe now. And she'd tried on at least a dozen dresses, each one more beautiful than the last. Isla had insisted she keep the ones she liked in her closet. Maira didn't bring up the fact that she didn't exactly have a closet and...how long would she be staying?

They'd settled on a champagne colored dress that had a wide low neckline that showed off Maira's fair skin and delicate neck. The sleeves puffed out just so, mimicking how it flared out from her nipped in waist. Bethany, Isla's maid, had done Maira's hair in a similar way to Isla's, but the result was much different. Maira's wild, curly copper burnished blond hair fell in tendrils around her face, making her appear both refined and a bit free spirited at the same time. Bethany had placed a blue flower to the side, and it had brought out the crystalline blue of Maira's eyes.

"I've never...never seen myself like this." Maira said softly, turning slowly in the mirror. She lifted her skirt just slightly, marveling at the beautiful shoes on her feet. Shoes! She had shoes! Behind her, Isla smiled, bringing her hands to her cheeks.

"It's like dressing a doll!" She exclaimed.

"You're very sweet, Isla." Maira searched the younger girl's face. There was so much she wanted to know. About Isla, about Brendon, about the Kingdom and about humans.

"So Prince Brendon. He's your older brother?" Maira asked as casually as possible, looking over a display box of ribbons and jewelry that Bethany had brought in. Isla plopped down on the settee across the room, putting on earrings and checking her reflection in the mirror as she did.

"Yes, and believe me, he's constantly reminding me that he's older. Much older. So much wiser. Etcetera, etcetera." Isla rolled her eyes, but she was smiling.

"How old are you, Isla?"

"Just turned 16. So you can imagine how much trouble I thought I'd be in when I found you. I'm not supposed to leave the castle after dark. Brendon says there's dangerous things out there. On the beaches. In the water. He has quite an active imagination for such an old man. I thought he was going to wring my neck when I ran in and woke him up. Thankfully, you were a wonderful distraction." Isla laughed.

"You really should listen to him." Maira smiled.

"Oh, not you too," Isla blew out a puff of air. "How old are you, Maira?"

"I'm 24."

"Oh! Well. I've always wanted a big sister. Brendon is still older than you, he's just turned 34. So beware. I'm sure he'll boss you around, and tell you what to do just as he does me." Isla shrugged, getting off the settee to retrieve another tiny cake.

"He is the prince. I suppose that's his job." Maira offered.

"I guess there's that, too." Isla said flippantly, making Maira laugh.

"Do you have any sisters, Maira? What do you remember?" Isla asked, her expression turning serious and worried.

"I remember some things. It's odd. Like pictures in a book. Frozen memories." Maira sat down on the chair by the dressing stand, placing her hands in her lap. "I remember waking up on the beach, in pain and freezing. I don't know how I got there, or where I'm from. But I know I did have a family. I have two sisters. Their names are Andrina and Daryah." Maira felt the white lies come so easily, and it made her feel ashamed and guilty. She knew it was what she had to do, but it still felt wrong to deceive Isla.

"You all have such wonderful, beautiful names." Isla smiled gently.

"Thank you."

"We'll help you, Maira. We'll help you find your family, don't worry." She nodded.

"You've already been so kind to me. I never would have imagined..." Maira trailed off. It was true, she'd never imagined such kindness in humans. Not from what merpeople had said. Not from the horror stories her sisters had told her. Even if her books told her otherwise, she hadn't had much to go on.

"My brother will do everything he can to help you, I know it. He's a little busy at the moment, planning the Centennial, but after tomorrow night, I know he'll have more time." Isla leaned forward and squeezed Maira's hand.

"Centennial?" Maira asked.

"Oh! It's a huge ball tomorrow. Everyone in Empyrea is invited to the castle. It's going to be amazing! You must come!" Isla grinned and stood up, dragging Maira along with her.

"Ok...where are we going?" Maira asked, as Isla pulled her from the dressing room and out towards the hallway.

"We need to find Brendon. You need a dress for the Centennial! And I'm sure he'll have so many questions for you!" Isla laughed, as Maira did her best not to dig her heels into the ground. She wasn't sure she was quite prepared to see Brendon again. Her job had been to find, seduce and marry the Prince. Not find, seduce, and marry Brendon. This changed everything.