Chapter 4.3 | Rules for this challenge | Chapter 4.5

Generation Four: Orange

Appearance: Orange hair, Island clothing style
Traits: Foodie, Good, Active
Aspiration: Friend of the World
Occupation: Lifeguard
House Goal: 40,000 worth

(A/N: Something I forgot to mention in the note at the end of the last chapter: Greta really WAS at the thrift store in Copperdale, if you go back, you can see her in the pictures while Charlie and her mom are drinking bubble tea. I noticed it after I'd already played them getting married, and had gone back to edit and write the last chapter. Also: Charlie being gay was not something I had planned. She rolled a whim to break up with Magnus, and I couldn't for the life of me figure out why until the fortune at the festival.. that and I couldn't find any other young men.. but there were a million lovely young ladies. It wasn't until later that I, like Charlie in this chapter... realized what I'd done.)

What Have I Done?

The next morning dawned with a healthy dose of rain from the sky, and I blinked my eyes, stretched, and then remembered. I was married. I glanced over at the still-sleeping mermaid beside me, and grinned. Married. For better or worse, and all that jazz. As the rain washed down over my face, I contemplated the current turn of events. Wouldn't Mom be proud of me? I had picked out my lifemate so much faster than she had, and I had started my home-building already. It was going to be gorgeous, too.

I swam to the shore, and changed into my lifeguard swimsuit quickly, preparing to head to work. I glanced back at the still-sleeping Greta, and wondered if I should wake her.. but then finally decided against it.

With a confident strut, I walked past the beginnings of my house, turning to admire it.. and once again thought of how proud Mom would be of me.

... Suddenly I paused. Would Mom be proud of me? I'd never even considered the fact that I could be gay... especially since I was just ... expected... to fall for some handsome Sulani man and continue the family legacy. For that matter - what about the legacy? The mantle of Matriarch was supposed to pass to the first female mermaid BORN to the last Matriarch. I'd married a girl... somehow I didn't think adopting a baby and turning them into a mermaid would cut it for the terms of the legacy. And.. for that matter, I didn't even know if Greta WANTED kids?! I buried my face in my hands and tried not to cry at the sudden rush of uncertainty.

Suddenly, I knew there was no way I could work the beach like this. I called in to work, and wandered sadly down the path to another beach. Finally, I passed a bench, and, still in my work swimsuit, I sunk down onto it bonelessly, grateful to have found a bench. WHAT HAD I DONE??

... And for that matter, what was I supposed to do about it? I had no desire to go back on my word of "forever" to Greta. I loved her deeply already... even if it had been sudden, I knew it was real, somehow. My main worry.. was how the legacy rules could still be followed, and ... whether Mom would still accept me as her heir under the circumstances. It was bad enough that Mom and I had lied to the Legacy rule-makers about the fact that I hadn't, technically, been born a mermaid. Was being gay even worse? How was I going to get a mermaid daughter related by blood? And... what if Greta didn't even WANT kids?? Once again, I buried my face in my hand, and this time - I truly did cry.

Eventually, however, the pouring rain washed the salty tears away. I stood up and walked some more, coming across a swingset. I needed to sit again, so I did.. and before long, I was swinging. And wondering why, exactly, a swingset could cheer one up so much.

With a long, sad sigh, I realized that having taken off the morning from work meant I would have to make up the money somehow, and I swam off towards the far islands, hoping to find some shells I could sell, letting my thoughts wander where they wanted to.

For hours, I combed beaches and collected treasures, trying not to feel so maudlin.. or so confused and discouraged. It didn't quite seem fair that the best thing to happen in my short life.. could also be the worst thing.

A sound behind me caught my attention, and I turned to see one of the dolphins I had grown up with behind me. I quickly offered her one of the fish I had caught during my recent tour of the outer islands, and she squealed happily.

I patted her sleek, soft skin absently, still lost in my own thoughts... only to have her break in with a squeaked "What's wrong, Charlie? I could feel your distress from miles away."

Astounded, and a bit sheepish, I replied, "You could? Oh, dear. I'm sorry."

"Don't be sorry." she replied with an enigmatic smile, "I only came by to see if I could help."

Sadly, Charlie replied, "I don't know if anyone can help the mess I seem to have gotten myself into, Azul."

Azul chittered back with a reprimanding tone, "Of course we can help. But only if you tell us what's wrong!"

I sighed, and scratched her tummy absently. "I got married."

Confused, she tipped her head to the side, "Isn't that what you're supposed to do?"

"Well, sort-of. I don't think I was supposed to marry a girl, though."

Azul looked at me strangely for a moment, then quipped, "Why is that a problem?"

I sighed, and replied with a frustrated tone, "How am I supposed to give birth to the next baby girl mermaid when I married a girl?"

"Oh, for goodness sake." Azul replied, giggling in that silvery way only Dolphins can, and continued, "Just because you married a girl doesn't mean you can't have a baby. Even us Dolphins know that modern medicine has alternatives."

For a moment, I just looked at her. "I didn't think of that."

With another giggle, Azul leaped out of the water gleefully, "Obviously."

Unable to hold a smile away any longer, I watched her cavort in the water without a care in the world, and let myself think on what she had said. So, adoption wouldn't be a blood heir.. but maybe a surrogate could carry the baby? .. or .. for that matter, I could still carry a baby, I just would need to find a donor....

Azul's playful antics finally brought me back to myself. "I guess you're right, Azul." I finally admitted.

"Of course I'm right." said Azul, without one shred of artifice. "Now, I think you should probably return to your mate. It's getting late, and I think she's worried."

I hugged her tightly for a moment, and she gave me a squeaky kiss on one cheek, and then she was gone again, hidden by the depths of the sea.

I floated by the buoy for a while, then wryly decided I should bring a present back to Greta. I had been gone literally all day with no warning, and no contact. I hope she wasn't mad at me, but maybe something shiny would help. It always seemed to help when the dolphins were upset.

After a short dive, I came back with a lovely necklace from the deep, and swam back to my home, figuring that Greta probably hadn't gone far. She didn't know the town yet, anyway. Sheepishly, I hoped she'd been able to find the food stand that was just down the beach from our home.

I found her not at our beach, but at the pier just to the side of it, gazing out into the ocean. Perhaps she was looking for me.

I walked up behind her, and wrapped my arms around her. "I'm sorry, Greta. I didn't mean to be gone so long."

With a gasp, she spun around to look at me, "Is everything okay? I thought work was only in the morning today?"

"With a sheepish look, I shrugged, pulled away, and replied, "I called in. I had a lot to think about."

"Oh? What's wrong, Charlie?" She said, wringing her hands a bit worriedly.

With a deep breath to give me some courage, I started in on the story. "Greta, I'm not just an island Mermaid. I guess you could say I'm THE Island Mermaid. I'm the current Matriarch of the Naiades family. The family charged with caring for the islands and ruling the seas. It began generations ago, and the rules are ... strict. The next heir must be born of my blood, and she must be born a mermaid. I'm expected to carry the family's legacy.... literally." I sighed and looked away for a moment, "And I don't think anyone in my family, including me, had ever considered the fact that me not loving my boyfriend from high school, and having such trouble connecting to males.. could mean I might be gay."

"You mean... even you didn't know?" Greta replied, a bit stunned, and deciding to just slide past the whole legacy bit for now. There were more important questions.

"No. I'd never put any thought into it, really. I just knew I was different. And that I didn't love Magnus like I should. We parted as friends, and he's the one who's been building my house.. or well, he's part of the company that is. I had no idea.. not until I met you."

She ran a hand down my cheek softly, "Oh, Charlie.. I'm so glad I met you. I've known most my life I wasn't destined to be with a guy. I never really connected with them, either. So it's hard for me to relate to you never having a clue, but I can understand your dilemma. Now you have to tell your family you're gay .. basically out of nowhere. Even I would be terrified of doing that."

Wryly, I nodded, and let her wrap her arms around me.

"Don't worry, though, Charlie. We'll figure it out. Together. Love always finds a way." she murmured against my hair, and I hugged her back.

"Okay. Thanks, Greta. I love you too." I replied, snuggling close. I was desperately trying not to worry that she still hadn't said anything about the bombshell about my family being the rulers of Sulani, and the fact that I had to continue the legacy with a child of my own blood. Surely we had plenty of time to figure that out later....?

Chapter 4.3 | Rules for this challenge | Chapter 4.5