Deep Dive (L.s AU)✔

Chapter 5 Conflicted

Niall's Pov

Soon after Harry had left when the waters were getting dark, I was left alone with my thoughts to swim back to the Kingdom.

Harry told me, he had met my soulmate...confirming my fear that my soulmate was a human but also hope.

Truly, I was conflicted. Choosing between the underwater life I had or a chance of exploring up above with the humans on the surface.

It really wasn't the first time Harry had tried to convince me. Especially when I gave him a bit of insight to how I felt beneath the surface.

When I made it the kingdom, no one was drifting about. It wasn't a surprise even though we were thousands of miles from the beach. But the king insists, every mermaid should be out of the streets when the water started to grow dark.

All I could see, besides the glowing plants and particals on the coral roofs of the homes we had, I saw guards with spears roaming around. Most of them didn't spare me a second glance, knowing I was very close to the king, being that my father was like his right hand man.

But it was also because of the icy blue scales that covered my wrists and collarbone. The scales were a symbol of royalty in blood and it was rare.

I usually got bows from the people around me and truthfully, I didn't like it. When I met Harry after the king came to me with the truth when I just twelve, at first I was jealous.

At a very young age, the underwater kingdom was all I've ever known, hearing all the stories around me about the humans being horrible and ruthless, hunting our kind like treasures, made me stay away.

But my curiosity usually got the best of me.

I wanted to explore the forbidden land, the surface. So soon enough, home became like a trap for me and really, it grew so exhausting. I know I was suppose to protect the human but...how could I when I was stuck down here and he was happy above?

So of course, I thought about going up to the surface and escaping from the trap and cage around me.

Speaking of a cage, I got near my home, dark and wrapped in fish that floated by blankly. My parents must be asleep and I pray they were.

I swam inside the coral structure, all plain with nothing but table in an open wide space and holes where rooms were hidden. I was right, my father was asleep but I nearly jumped out of my tail when my mum suddenly spoke up in the dark.

"Niall, where have you been? Your father and I have been worried. He told you just left in the middle of a meeting," my mum was concerned as she appeared out of the darkness. I looked to her before glancing to their room down the hall.

"Your father is asleep. He won't wake up," my mum was quick to reassure me, concern written in the creases of her face. "Now, please, answer my question."

"I was with Haz," I answered simply.

But she watched me for a second, knowing that something was itching beneath my skin. "Is there something wrong? Something that you're not telling me?"

A part of me was elated that she figured it out; there was something wrong. But the other part of me was scared to bring it up to her. Though, I knew I could confide in her.

I sighed. "Its just-Harry told me he found my soulmate...but he's a mundane."

My mum took in what I said with a slow nod, biting her lips. "Is he sure of this?"

I gave her a slow shrug. "He says he is but there's only one way to really find out, mum."

"You want to go to the surface," she answered. I let my silence answer for itself.