Chapter 18

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Esmeralda

I worked furiously to get my new kingdom ready, all the while, waiting for Louie to return. He was taking longer than expected, so I kept myself busy with cleaning and arranging. I decided to venture a short distance from my new home in search of some rarities to place around the kingdom. I decided to christen it 'Vallea'. When I had returned, arms filled with treasures, I stopped short, dropping them all onto the sand. To my horror, there was someone sitting on my throne. A woman. My first thought was, 'is she the rightful queen, whose throne I had stolen?, coming back to claim it back?' and my second thought was, 'How dare she.' She sat at ease with her thin arms resting comfortably on the crystallized arms of my seat. Her pink hair blew around in the water like she owned the place.

"Excuse me!" I rushed over urgently. "What are you doing on my throne?" I hissed, filled with rage and hoping she wouldn't bite me back if it was indeed hers.

She jumped up quicker than I could rush to her. "I... I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to... I uh... thought it was another abandoned throne after the war. I was just trying it out... I'm sorry." She turned quickly to swim away, leaving in a whirlwind of sand.

I sat back in my throne, reclaiming ownership, disregarding the items I had left in the sand. I didn't care about them anymore. All that mattered was that I was sitting on my throne - it belonged to me and I to it - And then I had an idea. "Are you still there?" I called out curiously, yet not leaving my seat, even for a second.

I watched for a few moments before a figure emerged from the stirred up sand - left behind from her quick exit. "Yes?" She replied meekley, though it came out more like a question.

"I might have a place for you here, if you were looking for somewhere to live." I let the words seap out like a forbidden kiss, almost wanting to take it back, but then realizing that if this was going to work, building up a kingdom, I needed to leave my trust issues behind and get to know some new mer. "What did you have in mind? I mean... what role would I play in your kingdom?" she sidled up to me slowly, growing more optimistic by the second. I looked deep into her reddish-brown eyes, almost clashing with her pink hair, and I saw a cunningness deep in those eyes. I liked cunning.

"If you prove yourself, you might just work your way up to becoming my right hand on the throne." Of course that spot was taken by Louie, but she didn't know that and the more people I had willing to help me, the better. Her mouth gaped as though she had never heard such words.

"And who might I ask is going to be my second hand lady?" I added.

"My name is Mika." She held out her hand proud, as her glorious hair floated behind her.

"Well, Mika, time to earn your keep," a thought dawned on me, "Actually, you know what?"

"Yes?" She looked up at me expectantly.

"I have a job for you that will definitely earn you a place as my right hand."

"What is it?" and that is when I filled her in on the Violet situation and sent her to spy on Louie.

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