EMBER

It's too late for "SORRY"

"Send four extra men to the front gates of the palace and tell Max to see me as soon as possible," a voice ordered. My eyes are still heavy and I struggle to blink them open. My vision is a bit blurred but I continue to blink until I could see clearly even though it hurts like hell. 

"Yes, Sir," one of the the palace soldiers said.

"You may leave," Kai commanded.

"Yes, sir," the man said and then took off hastily. The door to my room closes. He turns around and for a split second our eyes met. He moves towards my bedside- yes mermaids have beds, a girl's got to sleep. I try to sit up and he quickens to help me.

"I'm fine," I say. His hands move to the back of my waist and he pulls me up.

"So who died and made you head of security?" I ask.

"My dad did," he said blankly. My eyes widened. His dad was dead. Chief Calder was dead.

"I'm sor-"

"I don't need any sympathy especially from you," he said, "anyways all the condolences were given at the funeral."

"Kai......," I say sadly.

"Thanks for being there by the way," he continued in a flat voice.

"Kai, I'm so-"

"No, Em, you don't get to apologize, okay, you don't, you of all people should know how it is to lose someone but........," he said his voice raising, "YOU LEFT REMEMBER, YOU SAID NOTHING, YOU JUST LEFT!"

"I......"

"So no, you don't get to say sorry, I lost two of them in three months," his voice lowered and somehow I prefer when he yells at me.

"Ka-"

The door opens and Tess and Aiden come through the door. I finally notice Aiden's tail, it is a green, silver colour. I didn't before.

"YOU'RE GETTING MARRIED" Aiden yells, "AND TO THIS GUY." He gestures to Kai. 

"I can explain," I say.

"Then explain," he demanded. The truth is I couldn't. It was just one of those things. I knew my dad wanted me to married Kai and I would have to. I don't want to. I really don't want to.

"The thing is," I start. I feel my head spinning and I rub my temples. 

"Em, are you okay," Kai says worrily as he comes to my side.

"So that's how it's going to be huh?" Aiden says, "it's you and him now." He starts for the door.

"Aid wait," I try to call.

He stops and turns around his eyes angry and I know why and I hear the words, "I HATE YOU!"

"Em, you need to lie down," Kai said still holding me. I jerk him off. 

"Aid......," I call but he was already through the door.

"Tess go after him and make sure he doesn't wonder off," Kai ordered her.

"Of course," Tess responded and swam off. 

"Em are you okay?" 

"What makes you think you can order a Princess," I say to him.

"She respects me Em," he says.

"Why would she respect you?" I say confused.

"Maybe because she's a soldier."

"WHAT!"

"Alot has changed in the last three months Your highness....and everyone didn't take three months to mourn the lost of the Princess, the lost of the future Queen."

"What's that suppose to mean?"

"It means we lost the Princess, but we didn't expect to lose the other one as well.....EM EVERYONE WAS SO WORRIED, YOU TOOK A MONTH, A WHOLE ENTIRE MONTH TO TELL US WHERE YOU WERE....YOUR FATHER, THE KING, DIDN'T MOVE FROM HIS THRONE UNTIL YOU SENT THAT MESSAGE......."

I watch Kai, his eyes like glass.

"He thought he lost another daughter, your sister cried for weeks until she said she wanted to be a soldier, tried to talk her out of it but couldn't......she thought she would have to be Queen, GOD EM, YOU HAVE NO IDEA WHAT WE WENT THROUGH.......,"

"Kai, I don't know what to say."

"Ha, that's a first, we all lost her Em, Princess Ren was truly...."

"I know Kai she was my sister, my twin sister."

"That she was and I know this must be hard for you so I will tell your father to cancel the marriage, you obviously don't want this," he says.

"What is this Kai?" I ask.

"I don't know but I Loved your sister very much and you obviously did too and I know marrying me is like you're betraying her."

"Finally you understand," I say.

"I did all along, it's just you're just like her."

"I'm nothing like Ren! She was loving and kind and admired by everyone. She always had a sparkle in her eyes and you couldn't help but not love her. She respected everyone and treated everyone as an equal. I AM NONE OF THOSE THINGS."

"Maybe not," he says, "or maybe you're more," he said softly that it was quite hard to hear.

"I'm sorry Kai, but I can't be who they want me to be," I say.

"Kinda late for sorry's Em, you have to be Queen, whether you like or not. I can cancel our marriage but not your position. Your flower bloomed Your Highness, now you must build your garden."

"I can't....." I come off my bed. I'm still a bit dizzy.

"You have to!" he yells.

"My sister may be one of your soldiers Kai, but I'm certainly not, so you can't talk to me like that!" 

I start for the door and he grips my hand.

"Let go of me!" I commanded.

"Says who?"

"THE QUEEN!" I say. He releases my hand and I swim off.

YOUR

FLOWER

HAS

BLOOMED

NOW

YOU

MUST

BUILD

YOUR

GARDEN.

Maybe Kai's right but there's only one person who can help me figure all this out.

REN.