Eli froze, one hand raised to signal that he meant no harm. He hadn't meant to startle her but he had and he needed to make it right before she ran away. His mind raced trying to figure out the best course of action.
"I was..." What was he doing? What was the right term to use. "I was napping over there in the clearing." He said pointing in the direction he had come from. "I'm from the Cirque, we just made it to town and I needed to stretch my legs. I'm Eli."
He didn't dare move closer, keeping his distance. "You're a mermaid? I can help you."