The Heart's Content

Alastor couldn't find Charlie that night; she had run off, or rather, swam off to her grotto to think. Her mind was at a crossroads, torn between land and sea, between her heart and her head, and between her love for her friends above the waves and her family beneath them.

She couldn't believe it—Alastor had actually proposed. He had asked her to stay with him forever and share a life together. This meant she might never have to part from Alastor, Beth, Vaggie, and all her other friends. It also meant she could gain a soul. For a fleeting moment, she allowed herself to dream of human happiness and immortality, envisioning a life beyond being just a creature of the sea destined to dissolve into foam. It was everything she had ever wanted.

But accepting his proposal also meant she might never see her father, mother, or sisters again. She knew her father would never accept such a union. For years, she had listened to his disdain for relationships between humans and merfolk. When he heard of their tragic endings, he would coldly remark, "Serves them right for being so foolish."

If he discovered she had chosen a human as her mate, he would be furious. He might even disown her, banishing her from his kingdom forever. He was an irrational, unreasonable, and cruel merman, driven by hurt and anger to control every aspect of her life. He had forced her into a betrothal to satisfy his thirst for revenge—not to protect their people or make the kingdom safer, but to retaliate against humans for what had happened to her sister. While Charlie could understand his pain, she couldn't condone his actions.

In all honesty, no one would blame her for cutting off all contact with Lucifer and never returning to his domain. Staying above water, surrounded by Alastor, Vaggie, and Beth—people who accepted her for who she was without constant criticism—seemed like the better choice. Yet, there was one significant issue: despite Lucifer's erratic behavior, Charlie still loved him. She loved him, her mother, and her sisters just as fiercely as she loved everyone she had met up here. The thought of abandoning them forever was unbearable.

After hours of contemplation without a solution, she decided to seek advice from the only ones who might help: her sisters. She swam back to shore, and when her legs returned, she sang a melodic call to summon them. If they had truly stayed behind to watch over her, they would hear her plea—and they did.

"He what?!" They exclaimed in shock when Charlie recounted the night's events.

"Yes, he asked me to be his mate for life." He clarified.

"You told him no, right?" Helena asked, her voice laced with concern.

"Yes, I did."

"Oh, thank the seven seas." She sighed in relief.

"But I'm not sure if that's my final answer."

"What do you mean? You're not actually considering accepting this ridiculous offer, are you?"

"Actually, I am."

"Why?!" Beatrice exclaimed. "Why would you even think about such a thing?"

"Because I love him, and I want to be with him."

"But that's not allowed! You know it's not!"

"I don't care."

"You're letting yourself be blinded by love," Helena warned. "Think clearly! You can't have a life with him; you're from two completely different worlds!"

"Does he even know you're a mermaid?" Evelyn interjected.

"I... I haven't told him yet. To be honest, I don't know what I'm going to do about that."

"Here's what you're going to do! You're going to forget this nonsense and come home right now!" Beatrice insisted.

"No, I am not!" Charlotte replied defiantly. "I called you here for advice, not orders. I'm not a child anymore; you can't order me about!"

"We're trying to save your life, Charlotte!" Helena exclaimed. "He will never accept you! If you reveal your true self, he'll reject you, your heart will break, and you'll turn to foam just like Celeste did!"

"I am not Celeste, and Alastor is not that prince. He loves me. He wants to marry me, not someone else."

"Only as long as he believes you're human." Delilah interjected. "Deep down, you know he will never want you as you truly are. Humans are shallow creatures, fixated on appearances. He'll see your tail as ugly and view you as an animal, not a woman."

"I hate to say it, but she's right, Charlie." Aurora added. "You've lived among humans; you know what they're like. Do you really think he would still love you if he knew you were a mermaid?"

Charlotte pondered Aurora's words, reflecting on Alastor and their time together. He had always treated her with kindness, embracing her quirks and making her feel cherished. Each embarrassing moment had been met with laughter, each oddity seen as part of her charm. She loved him deeply, and she believed he loved her in return.

But one truth loomed large: if Charlotte chose to return to the sea, Alastor would let her go, despite the pain it would cause him. He understood how cruel it would be to force her to choose between him and her family. Conversely, if she returned home, her father would never allow her to leave the castle again, driven by his hatred and unwilling to let go, even for her happiness.

"Yes, I believe he would." She declared, a smile breaking through as clarity washed over her. "I'm going to tell him that I accept."

Her sisters gasped in shock.

"Father won't allow this." Helena warned.

"He can't stop me as long as I don't go into the sea."

"You can't be serious!"

"You mean you're not coming back? Ever?" Aurora asked, fear etched on her face.

Charlotte shook her head slowly, pain evident in her expression.

"So that's it? You're leaving us for some man?!" Beatrice screeched, furious.

"No. I'm choosing to be with someone who loves me."

"We love you!" Aurora protested. "Mother loves you! Father loves you!"

"But he doesn't love me enough to accept me or let me make my own choices. You all know that if I go back, he'll lock me away and force me to marry Seviathan against my will. He'll kill every human I've come to care for, leaving me miserable and guilty for the rest of my life. And he doesn't even care."

"Charlie, you can't do this. You're making a huge mistake."

"Tell Mom and Dad that I love them, and if he can let go of his obsession with revenge, I'll come back."

"Charlie, please." Aurora pleaded, her green eyes filled with desperation.

"And tell him that if he harms Alastor or sends some flood to bring me back, I'll kill myself."

A stunned silence fell over the mermaids, their faces pale and still as death.

"I mean it. I would rather die than lose Alastor and be used as a tool for genocide. It would break my heart, and I couldn't live with the guilt. I won't do it! You hear me? I won't! He can either let me go, or I'll die!"

Her sisters were at a loss for words, caught between betrayal and the realization of Charlotte's pain. They finally understood how trapped she felt.

"Helena, Beatrice, Evelyn, Delilah, Aurora, I love you all dearly, and I love Mom and Dad just as much." Charlotte said softly. "But I love Alastor more than life itself. I can't leave him forever. And Dad would make me do that."

Her sisters remained silent, some unable to meet her gaze. Slowly, they sank back into the sea, leaving Charlotte alone on the shore. She hated to hurt them, especially after losing their sister in a similar way. But she saw no other way to protect her chance at true love and happiness.

"Our love is stronger than any hate or prejudice." She thought. "Stronger than anything, even dark magic."

Confident in her love and Alastor's heart, she realized it was almost midnight. There was only one thing left for her to do.