A Tail of Two Mermaids

Chapter Eight: NIXIE

The royal palace of Atlantis was a magnificent structure built from farmed crystals, their flawless transparency allowing sunlight to cascade deep into the water. Its central tower shimmered like a captured rainbow. Sea shells, treated with a special bioluminescent coating, were tastefully incorporated into the architecture.

Nixie glided out of the Sea-Carriage, which was parked in front of the palace gates. The gates were crafted from perfectly polished, pale blue crystals.

Lorelei swam behind her former Tailmaiden at a sea snail's pace. The poor mermaid was obviously so traumatized that she could barely move her turquoise tail. For an all too brief moment, Nixie actually felt a slight pang of guilt for cruelly manipulating the princess, who truly did look miserable.

The gates of the Atlantean palace were guarded by the tallest and most muscular mermaid that Nixie had ever seen. All of the palace guards back home in Baltica had been mermen. The kingdom of Atlantis was evidently as socially progressive as it was technologically developed.

The guard was wearing shining silver armor on her upper body, and in her hand was a Stun Shell, a high-tech, non-lethal weapon favored by Atlantean guards and security forces, which resembled a large, beautifully iridescent seashell. It combined advanced bio-engineering and sonic manipulation to effectively subdue opponents without causing lasting harm.

The intimidating female guard eyed the two young, blonde mermaids with palpable suspicion. "What precisely is your business at the Royal Palace of Atlantis, little mermaids?" she questioned, in a gruff voice.

"I am Nix...I mean, I'm Princess Lorelei of Baltica" Nixie lied through her pearly white, flawlessly straight teeth. "And this is Nixie, my loyal Tailmaiden. I was invited here to officially court Crown Prince Delmore". The false princess attempted to imitate Lorelei's demure voice, but it came out unnaturally high and squeaky.

The guard raised a thick eyebrow, and then she pointed to the giant seahorse-drawn Sea-Carriage. "Only a Baltican would travel in such an old-fashioned vehicle..." she remarked condescendingly. Nixie had recalled her father, Dr. Undine, mentioning that some Atlantean merfolk viewed Balticans as ignorant country bumpkins.

"Very well..." the guard sighed. "Come with me. I believe His Majesty, King Piscine, Her Grace, Queen Delphine, and His Royal Highness, Crown Prince Delmore, have been expecting you...".

Nixie and Lorelei followed the armed guard into the Atlantean palace's entry hall, which had a high ceiling and a pearlescent tile floor, and then through a seemingly endless maze of interlocking corridors, until they reached the throne room. In the center of the round throne room, the wise-looking, white-bearded King of Atlantis was seated on a raised crystal dais. The monarch's lovely wife, Queen Delphine, hovered to his left.

Crown Prince Delmore sat on the shiny floor. Nixie's jaw nearly dropped when she laid her blue eyes on him. She had expected Delmore to be attractive, but she never could have predicted him being THIS drop dead gorgeous! Just like both of his parents, as well as most other Atlanteans, Delmore had long, snowy white hair that gracefully flowed in the current, a fair skin tone, emerald green eyes, and a sleek, silvery gray tail that was similar in shape to that of a dolphin. He wore wide silver bracelets on each of his strong, well-toned arms, and he had absolutely perfect pecs.

"Her Royal Highness, Princess Lorelei of Baltica, and her Tailmaiden, Nixie" the guard announced, her deep voice echoing through the room.

"Princess Lorelei, it's a pleasure to see you again" said King Piscine. He paused, his eyes narrowing slightly as he closely studied Nixie's face. "I must say, my dear, you appear to have...blossomed since our last meeting, over a year ago...".

"I recently went through a major growth spurt, Your Majesty" Nixie claimed. She sure hoped that the King of Atlantis was credulous enough to buy that explanation for the supposed changes to her physical appearance.

King Piscine nodded. "I see...".

Delmore hopped up, and floated closer to Nixie. "Princess Lorelei, it's an honor to finally be able to meet you in the flesh and scales!" he uttered warmly. "Your letters have meant a great deal to me, Lor...".

Nixie's heart skipped a beat and her fins trembled a little, as Crown Prince Delmore's striking green eyes met her blue ones, even though she didn't particularly care for "Lor", his cutesy nickname for Lorelei. "Your Highness, the honor is mine. I have enjoyed our correspondence immensely".

The imposter understood that Delmore was expecting a shy and bookish mermaid princess. Nixie silently prayed to Amphitrite, the Goddess of the Sea that her coy smile and overly formal speech patterns would be enough to convince the Crown Prince of Atlantis that she was indeed his longtime pen pal.