A Tail of Two Mermaids

Chapter Seventeen: NIXIE

The night after Open Library Day, Nixie had just as much trouble sleeping as Princess Lorelei did. She occasionally suffered from bouts of insomnia.

In the middle of the night, Nixie silently snuck out of the Atlantean royal palace. She swam over the palace gates, and into the bright city lights. Atlantis was often called "the merfolk kingdom that never sleeps", but Nixie actually thought it seemed very quiet at nighttime. She didn't see a single other mermaid or merman out and about.

Nixie swam up above the rooftops of the tall surface-scraper buildings of Atlantis. Pumping her blue mermaid tail, she then ascended to the surface of the Northeastern Ocean. She sometimes broke the surface, when she wanted to be alone and think things over.

A full moon hung high in the dark, starry sky. Celestial objects fascinated the false princess, as there was nothing quite like them beneath the deep blue sea. Most merfolk found the odor of the musty sea air above the waterline rather unpleasant, but Nixie truthfully kind of liked it. After quickly making sure there were no human beings nearby, she slid up onto a large rock near the shoreline.

As she sat on the boulder, the cool breeze rustling her long, blonde hair, Nixie's thoughts drifted back to her past. The cruel words of her father, Dr. Finnean Undine, echoed in her mind: "You're worthless, Nixie. You're so stupid that unless you become a trophy wife to a rich merman, you'll never amount to anything at all!". She felt a familiar sting in her bright blue eyes, but she blinked back the tears.

Nixie's thoughts turned to her current predicament. Had Crown Prince Delmore of Atlantis truly figured out her true identity? She felt a shiver run down her spine.

Drowning in a restless sea of introspection, Nixie remained seated on the rock for quite a while. As the first light of dawn crept over the horizon, Nixie gazed out at the ocean's surface, watching as the stars faded and the sky transformed into a kaleidoscope of pinks, oranges, and purples. As the sun rose slowly, casting a golden glow over the waves, Nixie dived back into the cool waters of the Northeastern Ocean.

Shortly after she had returned to the palace, Nixie swam into Lady Marguerite in the corridor. "Your Highness, Princess Lorelei of Baltica" said the Captain of the Atlantean Royal Guard, with a seemingly reverent bow. "His Royal Highness, Crown Prince Delmore of Atlantis, will hold a formal ball and banquet in your honor, tonight at low tide, in the palace's Grand Ballroom!"

Nixie's heart skipped a beat as she processed the unexpected news. "A formal ball and banquet in my honor...?" she repeated. Was this some kind of trap? Or was the fake princess's cover not blown, after all? There was a forced politeness in Lady Marguerite's deep voice that made Nixie feel a bit uneasy.

"Yes, Your Highness" replied the Captain of the Atlantean Royal Guard, her expression neutral. "The Crown Prince wishes to officially welcome his future wife to the Royal Family of Atlantis".

"His future wife?". Nixie raised a well-manicured eyebrow.

"For the first time in over three hundred years, there will be a marriage alliance between Atlantis and Baltica" stated Lady Marguerite.

Nixie smiled, even though she couldn't entirely shake off her skepticism.

The false princess spent a long time getting ready for the ball. Because Lorelei was still supposed to be recovering from the Seagull Pox, Nixie had to style her golden tresses into an elaborate updo herself. She wore Lorelei's large aquamarine pendant, her tiara, and the fancy seashell bra top that Delmore had bought for her at the Atlantean Indoor Shopping Centre. Nixie put vibrant coral lipstick on her full lips and applied shimmery aqua eye shadow to her eyelids.