But as Vieira said, it was in his blood. One look at all the mermaids and he knew that he must give them hope. Not as a boy, no….he was incompetent. So what would be the right thing to do? He wished his mother had never gone in the first place so as to avoid this situation. When he was brought back to the lighthouse shore, it was sunset. And he had made his decision.
Days passed and every-night he would watch the few fins that dappled the water. The light from his dome would catch them and he’d wave. Maybe they’d see or not, but it felt good to know that another part of him was resting in the waters below. His classes with Vieira were complicated for the history of the mermaids evolved over time. Nevertheless he learnt it. In doing so, he felt important and that was a great feeling to experience, when you were just the boy of a Lighthouse keeper. The mermaids below were now familiarized with him, it seemed like everything was going fine. Years rolled, the tides changed, there were now more ships in the sea. He’d taken over his father’s role by now and let the old man relax for a bit. He savored the time with his dad lest the future requires him to choose drastically. Still his father kept warning him about the sea every breakfast and he’d smile and reply
“I think I’m big enough to handle them now papa… I know the currents like I know the way back home.” His father gave him a sharp look then dismissed it.
He just had a few more days till the final day arrived. He had decided that he would do what his mother did, take care of both of them. He couldn’t part with either world. And that was when tragedy struck their lives like angry waves. His father’s stroke made the hero of Caspian’s life turn into a feeble man. To watch him crumble down from his stature made him think a lot about the final say. Maybe he was going to do that same mistake that his mother did. Maybe trying to have the best of both worlds was why his father started getting the strokes. Though he wanted to help the mermaids, there was someone else who needed him more. His father had already lost his wife, now the last thing he’d like is to lose his son as well. Besides, Vieira would make a fine ruler. She was bound to take over the throne… not him. Caspian sighed as the more he thought; the more comfortable he was with the decision.
The final day arrived; Caspian turned off the light at the dome and saw Vieira signalling him. He quickly got dressed, had his breakfast with his father happy that it won’t be his last. He let Vieira lead him to Atlantis, his likely home though he knew it by heart now. In the temple, the assembly gathered just like they did, eleven years before. In that assembly, Caspian stood to stage and began his speech.
“I stand before you with a sorry face…” Vieira’s eyebrows crinkled and she mouthed
“Don’t do it!”
“It’s my choice” he mouthed back to her before continuing.
“I choose to be the Lighthouse Keeper’s son forever…” the minute he said it, he stopped breathing. Vieira gathered him in to her arms as the rest of the mermaids closed upon him.
“I didn’t think he’ll change his mind” she muttered. One of the mermaids whispered to another.
“What happened to him? He could breathe before right?” the other one replied softly
“He is half blood, by choosing to be human; his mother’s powers have died from his body. Her actual last words were something else. Our queen was so sure he’ll choose us.”
“If he doesn’t choose to take my throne, then he’ll die as the Lighthouse Keeper’s son. Not mine.”
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