A Love Beyond Time

Siren held Aaria close, his fingers gently tracing patterns on her hand as they sat by the water's edge. The waves whispered against the shore, mirroring the peace in his heart. For the first time in six hundred years, he wasn't waiting—he was living. With her.

But deep inside, he knew something still remained undone.

Aaria was human. Her life was fleeting compared to his, and though they had found each other again, time would eventually pull them apart once more.

He couldn't bear it.

As if sensing his thoughts, Aaria looked up at him. "What's wrong?"

Siren took a deep breath, reaching for the pendant that hung around his neck. It wasn't just any pendant—it was the Heart Pearl, a sacred part of himself that had kept him bound to the ocean for centuries. A merman's heart was unlike a human's. It wasn't just flesh and blood—it was something deeper, something ethereal.

And now, he was ready to share it.

Siren turned to face her fully, taking her hands in his. "Aaria, I've made up my mind." His voice was steady, filled with determination. "I want to give you half of my Heart Pearl."

Aaria's eyes widened. "What?"

He lifted the glowing blue pearl from his chest, the light within it pulsing gently. "If I share this with you, you will live as long as I do. You won't be bound to time. You won't have to leave me again."

Her breath hitched. "Siren… that's—"

"It's the only way I can keep you with me forever," he said, brushing his fingers against her cheek. "I lost you once, and I can't go through that again. I won't."

Aaria's lips trembled. "But… won't it hurt you?"

Siren smiled softly. "Not nearly as much as losing you would."

She looked at him, eyes brimming with emotion, before nodding. "Then… I want it. I want to be with you. Forever."

Without hesitation, Siren closed his eyes and focused on the pearl. A soft glow enveloped them, and the magic of the ocean swirled in the air around them. The pearl in his hand split in two, its light dimming for a moment before half of it melted into Aaria's chest.

She gasped, her body trembling as warmth spread through her veins. It was as if the ocean itself had become a part of her.

Siren pulled her into his arms, pressing a kiss to her forehead. "Now, no matter what happens… we are together."

Aaria clung to him, tears slipping down her cheeks—not from sadness, but from overwhelming happiness. "I love you, Siren."

"And I love you, my Aaria," he whispered.

As the waves shimmered under the moonlight, two souls that had been separated by time finally found their eternity—together, forever.