Numbness. That's what I felt. A numb pain in my swollen cheeks. I opened my eyes. The sunlight blurred my vision. Once the blur passed, I was unsure why my surrounding looked the same as before. Hadn’t I gone into the light?

 I felt heavy as if I wouldn’t be able to get up if I wanted. I rose my back and peered around. Turning my face from the left back to the right, I was startled to see the dryad once again staring over me. She made a mean scowl at me.

 "I thought you were dead."

 So did I. I wanted to say that, but the moment I opened my mouth, I heard a popping in my ears as my jaw disjointed around the swelling in my cheeks. A painful mistake. My jaw snapped shut.

 "Interesting." The dryad observed me. "You are still suffering from the side affects of the poison, even though you survived. And... you're a little out of shape."

 My eyes followed her gesture, pointing down, down at where I should have seen bare, peachy legs. But Ariel didn't have legs. Freja had legs. And I was not Freja anymore. I flipped up the tail, green scales shimmering. How did this happen?

 "The poison must have killed the false form, leaving your true form. You, my dear, are caught in your lie."

 What was I going to do? Arne could not see me like this. I pleaded with my eyes, Help me!

 "Don’t look at me like that. Have I not done enough for you?" The dryad crouched by me. "You deceived me into thinking you were human."

 I scorned at the puerile creature. I wanted to let her know that she was not the only one I had deceived. And I didn’t care either way because I could not go anywhere with this tail, and I couldn't speak. I was mute and immobile. I was dead weight.

 The least she could do was help me out of the wood to a river or... that's it. I picked up a twig beside me and drew squiggly lines in the dirt. I pointed to myself, then the drawing.

 "What is it you're trying to say? Speak up, will you."

 I gave her a hard stare.

 "Oh, I forgot. You can't talk. Well, how am I supposed to know what those lines mean?"

 I put my hands together and moved them like a fish. I pointed again to myself and the drawing.

 "Alright. I think I understand. The river, right?"

 I nodded excitedly.

 She waved her head, considering it. "I guess I wouldn't mind getting you to it so I can be left alone." She helped me out of my heavy dress and stays. Then she tore a piece of fabric to cover my breasts. She lifted under my arms and dragged me and my heavy tail over the dirt and moss. The dryad was stronger than she seemed. She took me all the way to the river.

 Dropping my arms, she stared into the body of water. I watched the dryad's eyes grow serious. She then turned to me. "The trees have a way of communicating with their roots. They can reach other tree roots far away and share information. Sometimes I tap into the messages myself." She chuckled mildly, "Trees are awful gossipers. But I was told by a willow who was told by a needle tree who was told by some beech trees who were told by my alder friend you took inside the prince's castle... that there is talk of a war between land and sea. Is this true?"

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 I nodded.

 She looked down for a moment. "I may be against both peoples, but I believe in balance. If a war starts, the king of Undersea might use anything from floods to hurricanes to fight. And foolishly, the humans would think they have a fighting chance. They would jeopardize my trees." Her gaze had drifted up to the sky before she finally regarded me.

 "No point in telling you this. You are just a common mermaid. Though, I wonder how you came to have legs. 'Tis a pity you can’t tell me now."

 There was a time when I was not a common mermaid but a mermaid princess. And still, I had no more will than anyone else.

 "Alright. Meeting you was... different. Um... goodbye."

 I hid my smile. It was funny to realize how bad the dryad was at ending an acquaintance. But I supposed I would have had a farewell just as odd if I'd been alone for thousands of years.

 She came to my side and pushed me. I rolled into the river. My body went in with a splash. I let the water consume me. My skin now longed for it. I breathed the delicious, clear river water. The way it filled me was like being filled with life, energy, and power. This kind of invigoration, I had long missed and forgotten.

 Once I was completely full of it, I shot up from the water and ended my fall in a dive. I swam forward, feeling free. Feeling alive. I swam past the vibrant grass and mossy rocks that impinged the river's sides.

 But the feeling soon passed the further I went downstream. I knew this river would eventually lead to the ocean. Though, I couldn't exactly stop myself from flowing in the river's current. It wasn't long before I was carried into the sea. After I made it in, I quickly swam toward the edge of the land and crept onto the sand.

 I remembered my promise to my father. To never swims past the shallows. Should I have disobeyed yet another rule? I couldn't do that. My head hung with the realization that I had no place of belonging. Not the land nor the sea. I wondered if I was meant to live always in between.

 Though this disheartened me, I couldn't sulk now. It was time to accept. I raised my head. Looking to the right, far in the distance, I saw the cove. The cove where I had met the witch. She hadn't told me her name or why she wanted a tail. I remembered that way she outstretched her hand, pointing with long sharp nails down at me in the pool. She wouldn't let me see her face, hiding it underneath her black cloak's hood. She spoke slowly, deeply. "Legs for a tail." I had eagerly made the deal.

 But now I had my tail, and I wondered if that meant she could no longer swim. Perhaps she was drowning as of this moment.

 I went into the water and swam toward the cove. I peered into the mouth. No one was there. I went inside. Lifting my eyes at the craggy walls of the cave that were painted by the motional reflection of the water.

 Her old cauldron remained on the land, dusted by the sand that must have been tossed by the wind at some point.

 I began to think of a plan for myself. Here was a place I could hide. Away from both humans and mermaids. I could survive off the seaweed that washes on the beach. Though after being fed human food, my palate would long for variety.

 I remembered cooking in the kitchen with Clara. I was missing her already. I had given my life for her. And with that, I was content. But I also knew I'd miss holding her as I slept.

 And Arne... I missed Arne, too. I missed his resoluteness. Nothing ever moved him if he didn't want to be moved. I imagined he would say at this moment, Control your sentiments or they'll control you. And he'd be right. I have gotten into so much trouble that I otherwise could have avoided if I wasn't so impulsive. But should I try to change myself? I'm not sure how I could.

 Am I the problem? Should I be as loyally obedient as Attina? Or as predictable as Arista? Should I be as appreciative as Clara? Perhaps I should always try to be. These are traits I definitely need to model. But I am not all that bad, am I? Someone has to be a risk-taker. Someone has to have heart. Someone has to think beyond what is commonly accepted as true. I have seen the upper world. I have an understanding of the humans that none of my sisters, nor anyone in all of Undersea have.

 No, I am not them. And I do not want to be. Arne let me know that I don't have to change. Right before he kissed me. But Ariel, you promised yourself you wouldn't remember that. I know. But how can I not? He told me he loved everything about me. And maybe, some day, I will be able to as well.

 I listened to the calming ambience of the waves. Finally, I could admire it. I had no one waiting on me. Nothing to do. No imminent peril, for now at least. I could just rest. And rest, I did.