Chapter 12: Testing the Waters

November 21

Syrena and Philip were getting ready to head into town. Today they were going to get ready to tell Tiberius about everything, or they were going to start talking to him about mermaids. Philip held Syrena's hands in his before they walked out the door. "I would never do anything that would hurt you or our child." He said to her. She smiled at him.

"And I would do everything to make certain that no harm would come to you or our child," she said. "This is the only choice we have." He nodded in seriousness. She sighed. "So, we start talking to Tiberius."

"Yes," he answered. "We can probably break it to him slowly. We already know of his story." Together they left home, and Emelia was tending to the chickens. "We are going into town today. William will be coming by to help with the deck." He told her. She nodded, and she was coming to her own terms about how she will need to speak to him.

They walked into town, and they did some errands before heading to the bookstore. When they walked inside Tiberius was reading a book on myths, and Syrena nodded to him before wandering off to find something new. Tiberius was looking better than when he first saw him.

"Philip," he said after he had knocked on his desk. "Good to see you. How is Syrena?" He asked, and Philip smiled at him.

"She is doing alright," Philip answered. "What are you doing tonight?"

"Another dinner invitation?" He asked with a smile, and Philip nodded. "I would be honored to join you, and Syrena again." Syrena then came around the corner with a book. She was still learning English, but her French was impeccable. He supposed that was to be expected after knowing it for over a couple of centuries.

"How much for the book?" She asked with a smile.

"A woman that reads, something quite scandalous," he teased. "On the house in exchange for the dinner." Philip shook his head. "No, truly. You have helped me find… some steady ground after all of these years."

"We are happy to have met you here," Syrena said to him.

"Well, we will see you at six?" Philip asked, and Tiberius nodded as they headed out of the bookstore. He made to take the book from Syrena, and carried it on the way home. When they made it home. There was light laughter, and a gruff reply. "It's good to see your mother and William getting along." Syrena pulled on his arm to stop him.

"Do you believe in reincarnation?" She asked him.

"I believe that the soul goes to either heaven or hell," he replied. She shook her head at his reply.

"Did you believe in mermaids before you met me?" she asked him. "That my kind existed?" He paused and frowned for a moment, then shook his head in reply. "We live long lives." She started. "Sometimes the souls of our mates are reincarnated. Over and over again, until we find them."

"What does that mean?" He asked her, curious as to where she was going with this reincarnation idea.

"My father's soul has been reborn again for my mother," she told him. His eyes lit up at once, and she could tell that he was happy that her mother could find happiness.

"Truly?" he asked.

"He is William," she informed him, and he looked absolutely floored. "He does not recognize me, and he hasn't recognized who my mother is now. But she recognized him."

Is that why she was against telling him the truth?" He asked, and Syrena nodded. "Well in any case, we can slowly ease him into this new world." He assured her, and she was relieved that he did not want to tell William sooner. "But let us go home and prepare dinner for our guest." He suggested, and she smiled as she let them lead them along.

When they made it home, William was telling Emelia about the various dangers they had gotten into in the past. "Philip, Syrena. I am glad you two are home," Emelia greeted them as they approached the porch.

"You two seem to be getting along quite well," Philip said, and Syrena sighed.

"You know me Philip," William winked at Syrena. "I am a man of the people." Emelia let out another titer of laughter. She was beaming at William, and Syrena knew that she would not be able to avoid him forever. She was drawn to him the same way she was drawn to Philip. She wondered why her sister could not sense Tiberius here.

"Of course," Philip boomed in reply, and clapped him on the back. William mocked hurt, rubbing his shoulder dramatically.

"Living out here has made you strong," he told him with a proud smile. He sighed as he stood up work now done. "I should be heading back home. I will see you all soon." He promised and gave a lingering look to Emelia before leaving.

"We're having a guest tonight," Syrena said interrupting the longing looks between the two. "It would be nice if my sister had someone to spend time with while we are entertaining." Emelia gave her a dark look, but Syrena's smile only stayed on her face.

"It would be nice to have a guest," William in return offered to Emelia. After a moment's hesitation, Emelia sighed.

"I suppose it does get dull when they are entertaining another," she agreed. William smiled, and allowed Emelia to catch up to his side. Philip and Syrena watched them fade into the woods before heading into their home.

Philip started on the fire, while Syrena started to prep the food. Once he was done, he joined her and then they were cooking together, and everything felt... Perfect. What if telling Tiberius ruined it? No worse than what would happen if she let her sister get to Philip.

"Stop," Philip said, and she flinched. "You look so sullen. Like everything has already been lost. We will figure out a way to tell him," he assured her. "I wouldn't lose this happiness for the world. Even to meet God himself." She laughed.

"I wouldn't let anything to happen to you," she said.

6:00 PM

Tiberius was right on time, and Syrena was already setting the table. "Hello," he said as he walked past Philip. "It's smell heavenly." He complimented and Syrena smiled at him. "I will say that I have certainly been eating better since you two found me."

"Glad to help," Philip replied. They started to eat and talk about little idle events happening in the town. Then after dinner they sat down in the living area to talk about more important matters.

"You'd be surprised at how many people avoid me in town," he sighed. "It's because of the first couple of months I was here… Not that I blame them. I sounded like a lunatic."

"Not so much," Syrena started.

"Remember how I told you about how I was captured by pirates just a while ago," Phillip started, and Tiberius nodded. "During my trip, I have seen things a lot of things that caused me to question my faith. A lot of things that match what you have said about the mermaids." Tiberius stared at him, shocked. He stood up shaken and pushed away from the situation.

"You are simply tormenting me, and my insanity," he said. Philip stood up and grabbed his wrist to steady his friend.

"I am not," he said. "Syrena is a mermaid." Tiberius gave Syrena a pleading look. She gave him a soft smile and stood up as well.

"I will show you," she told him. It was bold, but he would descend even further if she did not. She sensed it. He looked like he was going to start throw his weight around, but when she added her calm hand to Philip's, he started to calm, just a little bit. "Come," she said, and Philip lit a lantern, so they could navigate in the dark.

They walked in silence to the little pond further into the woods, and she could tell that Tiberius was getting more on edge, and it would have seemed from the outside that they were going to kill him. Once they made it to the pond, she gave Philip a look, and he nodded. He knew what she had to do.

Tiberius's outburst was expected as she shed her clothes, and she entered the waters. Her legs melted into a single tail that ended in a fin when he dropped to his knees.

"I haven't been insane," he said with a short laugh. "May I touch your tail?" He asked, and Syrena nodded as she swam over to him. She lifted her tail up to the surface, and she felt his hand ran across her delicate scales. "It's really real," he said as he collapsed backwards.

8:00 PM

They made it back, and Tiberius seemed more at peace than ever. After they came into the house he spoke again. "Who else knows about it? Obviously, your sister," he started.

"My sister is actually my mother," she told him, and he looked surprised. Then it softened to an accepting look. "But I do have a sister… You may have met her long ago." Tiberius eyes lit up.

"How can you be sure," he asked, as they all sat back down.

"I am nearly positive," she said. "The way you described her is very similar. Of course, there are many other mermaids out there… She will try and find me soon."

"Is it because of the baby?" He asked and assumed that it was a positive reason.

"It's to kill Philip," She answered, and he looked up at her surprised. "She believes that she had killed her soulmate, but I believe that to be you."

"This is a considerable risk, Syrena. How can you be sure," he asked.

"We will find out soon," she told him.

"But it is late," Philip said. "Would you like to stay the night? I would hate for you to walk home in this dark."

"Yes of course," he agreed. He paused. "I know this goes without saying, but it will not slip my lips that Syrena is a mermaid." They both sighed and smiled at him. "You two were worried how I was going to react to this?" He looked away for a moment. "I don't blame you, and even though I know it's because you believe I'm your sister's mate. I am honored with this secret."

"We were concerned," Syrena began. "With how reverent you were about the story of meeting the mermaids." She said. "Clearly, this whole situation is very delicate."

"Yes," he agreed. "It is safe with me." he swore.

November 22

Midnight

She had made the long swim to find her sister again. She could smell her once she hit the air. She paddled and flicked her long fin to get her to the shore. "I am here, my beloved sister," she said to herself as she crawled onto land, her strong tail melting away to form legs. She stood up nude on the beach, and she heard loud laughter. She wanted to avoid attention and ran to find some clothing, so she may blend in more with the other humans.