Chapter 16: Dinner with a Merbaby

Isaac realizes as he gets closer to the town, he can't let anybody see him carrying Coralia, not because of the fact that she was a girl, but the fact that she was a creature technically speaking, and he doesn't know how the towns people would react. So, Isaac takes a roundabout way back to his house, costing him 5 minutes of time but he makes it back without anybody being able to see him carrying Coralia. As Isaac is right at the front door, he lets Coralia get down out of his arms.

"Alright, we are here now, let me do all the talki-". Before Isaac can even finish, the door begins to open. Isaac shoves Coralia aside from the entrance of the door and looks up at his mother who just opened the door with a sheepish smile.

"Hey mom..." Isaac says in a somewhat embarrassed tone. Isabella gives Isaac a look that says, "you aren't getting out of this one mister" while tapping her left barefoot on the floor. Isabella is currently in a white sleeping gown that contrasts with her black flowing hair.

"What. Took. You. So. Long". She pauses for emphasis on each word, growing even more annoyed as time passes.

"Well, you see mom...". Isaac thinks about what he is going to say, but before he can even do such.

"HOW DARE U PUSH ME"! Coralia screams and kicks Isaac away from the front door, sending him tumbling for 3 seconds before he comes to a stop. Isaac gets up with a indignant expression on his face.

"I pushed you so my mother wouldn't see you"! Isaac yells as he gets closer to her face. Coralia literally buts heads with Isaac and then yells back.

"You could have been more gentle you ape"! Coralia yells.

"Who you calling ape goldfish!?" Isaac yells back as they both begin to give death glares to each other. Isabella in the doorway has a very different expression on her face then the the frown of the annoyance, a very happy smirk. Isabella walks over to the both of them and separates them from glaring so hatefully at each other. Then she smiles down at the both of them, which interrupts their insults to each other as they stare up at her.

"I see what's going on here little ones, but don't you think you both are way too young to be doing anything of that "sort". She quotes the word sort and smiles even brighter. The cheeks of Isaac and Coralia begin to flare up in red and they retort in anger, "Huh"!!?? As if this was the most unbelievable thing in the world to the both of them.

"Oh and it's turning dark out right now, Isaac, invite your "friend" over for dinner with us, and in the morning we will take her to her parents, but night is too dangerous to be roaming the streets". Isabella says as she begins to walk back into the house to prepare a third chair for Isaac's new friend. Isaac and Coralia look at each other look at each other, and then nod at the same time, as if signifying that they must clear up the misunderstanding that Isabella is under right now, and both walk into Isaac's home.

The smell of the dinner fills the entire room, and Isaac and Coralia feel less angry at each other, as both of their stomachs growl. Isabella has already set the table and laid out the food on the table as she sits down across from two empty seats with a joyful smile etched directly on her face. Isaac and Coralia sit down at there seats that aren't too far from each other and begin to eat. Both Isaac and Coralia ate like their life depended on it, Isaac at most of the meat items on the table while Coralia found that all the green veggies that was there were absolutely delicious. When they both finish which doesn't take long, Isabella finally begins her interrogation.

"So...my little warrior, tell me, who is your friend"? Isabella asks while holding her face in her hands and flashing a smile towards Coralia.

"Well, she's not my friend...It's more like...Let me just explain the situation". Isaac says as he gives up trying to explain the entirety of how the events had led up with only short sentences. Isaac proceeds to tell Isabella all about how he had fought the wolf and won to save Coralia, and how he wasn't doing anything with her that would be considered inappropriate. Coralia also helps by explaining things by her point of view, even by showing Isabella that she isn't a human but is really a merbaby by transforming her legs back into a mermaid tail.

When Isabella sees Coralia change her legs into a mermaid tail and regain her fins, she was shocked into surprise, but then walks over to Isabella then kneels down to her.

"Can I touch your tail"! Isabella asks in excitement. Coralia surprised by Isabella' interest in her tail says, "yes" instinctively. Isabella begins to rub across Coralia's tail. "It's so smooth"! Isabella says in amazement as she continues to rub on the surface on her light while Coralia is doing her best to hide the blush on her face and the giggles from escaping her mouth. After Isabella is done, she continues asking questions.

"Coralia sweetie, if it's not too much to ask, how did you end up in the pond on the outskirts of the forest that surrounds our town"? Isabella asks with a curious expression her face.

Coralia begins to let a hint of sadness appear on her face. "I was originally with a lot of merbabies in a river, but I was betrayed. The other merbabies had told me that the elders of the mermaid council of our tribe requested me to go out and see the world. Like a fool I listened to them, not thinking about the repercussions but just leaving. I was out for only an hour, but when I arrived back, I overheard the conversations of the merbabies, apparently there was a law of our tribe that anybody who leaves unpronounced, they sent me off in the hopes I would die, but even if I didn't they knew if I came back, I would be executed. I couldn't let my mama and papa see their only daughter be executed, so I ran again, and never looked back. Eventually I got chased by that wolf, and the pond was the only place I could go to hide. But because of the injuries I suffered at the wolf's hand, I wasn't able to recover my magic and was slowly dying due to exhaustion, and then you know the rest". Coralia finishes with tears coming down from her eyes.

Isabella begins to hug Coralia into her arms. "It's okay, you can stay with your big sister Isabella and Isaac for as long as you need to, you have a home here with us". Isabella says Isabella as she does her best to wipe the tears coming from Coralia's eyes.

"Thank you big sis Isabella". Coralia says as she smiles brightly for the first time since Isaac has been with her.

"And here I thought I was the mage, but my mom seems to have a stronger type of magic". Isaac smiles as he watches the scene.