Forever and Always (Sciles)

52: First Date With Moselle

"Yeah, I get it. I don't really know what to expect. I haven't been here for that long and everything is still so new to me." Moselle admits, an edge of excitement to her voice. I'm still surprised by her eagerness to visit land. Her adventurous spirit is admirable, I'll give her that. "That's understandable. It's very different to the ocean, but I think it's a good different. I really like it here. It's nice to not be treated like royalty and that I'm super fragile all the time." I comment quietly so no one else can hear.

"Yes, I hated that back in Tritelin. I'm sick of everyone bowing or curtsying to me, or calling me 'your highness' or something like that. I just want to be normal. I know I have responsibilities for my kingdom that I can't get rid of, and I accept that. I'm fine with that. I just wish that the merpeople wouldn't treat me so differently, you know? I care about them and I want to keep them safe, which is a part of my responsibilities, especially when I become Queen, but I want to have normal conversations with the merpeople. I don't want to be thought of as the stereotypical princess who demands her subjects to address her formally and that she doesn't care about them as individuals as she is too wrapped up in her own protected bubble of a life." Moselle rants quietly, using animated hand gestures to get her point across. I nod and hum in understanding. I know where she is coming from and how annoying that can be. I rest my chin on my hands and lean forwards slightly, quite interested in this conversation. It is like the awkwardness has gone away now and we can just talk and get to know each other. I guess it helps that our parents aren't watching over us like hawks, giving us a bit more freedom.

"I get what you mean. It's weird. We're just like them, yet we are treated so differently. It's not fair. For example, my dad and I were moved to live on land while the war raged on in our kingdom so that we could stay safe and protected until it was all over. It was probably for my benefit mostly, but still. No one else got that leisure!" I add my opinion on the matter. Moselle's eyes light up with intense curiosity and she stares at me with wonder.

"So you have been living here in Beacon Hills since you were nine, right?" Moselle asks me for clarification.

"Yep, that is correct." I nod in response.

"What was it like? To grow up here? For everything to change so drastically for you? To come to a world that you knew nothing about, yet now you know everything about?" Moselle asks excitedly. I chuckle a little at her enthusiasm.

"Well, it wasn't easy at first. I missed my mom heaps. I also really missed my friends. I hated having legs and the pains I would get. I wanted my tail back badly. I wanted to go home again. Of course, that couldn't happen. I just had to learn to adapt to this new world. At least my dad was with me. Deaton, the local veterinarian and also supernatural expert, helped us a lot with that. I also met my best friend Scott McCall after only being here for a few weeks. That really helped too, to have a friend here. It made it feel a lot less lonely and made me think that maybe things wouldn't be so bad here. I never expected to get so attached to this town and the people here though. I'm very grateful for the relationships that I have made here with people that I would have never met if I wasn't forced to live here while my mom was fighting in a war back in our kingdom." I explain to Moselle, hoping that makes enough sense. Moselle gazes at me sadly for a moment.

"I'm really sorry about your mother. I've heard stories about her. She was a kind, brave and courageous woman." Moselle tells me.

"I know." I nod a little sadly.

"I miss my father too. He was so good and kind to our people and I always looked up to him. I wanted to be like him. I was so shocked and upset when he died. I didn't come out of room for a weeks and I cried myself to sleep for at least a year or so." Moselle admits to me, the light in her eyes from before dimming a bit.