Under The Sea

Chapter Two

Conspiracy

Yulia paced throughout her bed chambers anxiously. Weeks had passed since the events that took place during her visit to the Deep Sea. She couldn't get the image out of her mind, the two floating humans, bloated up and green. She had never seen a corpse before, let alone a human corpse. She had never seen a human in general. Not many ships tracked this far north, and those that do usually fall victim to the sirens of Glacineria. The Arctic Seas were secluded from both humans and other merpeople.

Yulia swam to the top of her bedroom and looked upwards from the skylight- the glass was thick and clouded for privacy, but with a simply wave of her hand and a muttering of an incantation, the glass cleared up as if it wasn't there. Above the bedroom, surrounding the royal palace Yulia saw the small grey fish that inhabit her cold waters almost to the level of being a pest. The waters around the castle were always empty, void of life in order to maintain the protection and privacy of the royal family. Yulia hated this. Tall glacial mountains were formed around the icy walls of the home, glowing blue from the microscopic bioluminescent cells used as the light source. Yulia wanted nothing more but to make her break for it, to escape this castle and swim far and deep, right into her best friend's home where she could go unrecognized. Where she lacked responsibility and was barely visible. Yulia often daydreamed about her great escape, how it would feel to swim and feel the waters warm the deeper she swam as hot geysers surrounded her.

But she did have the dark. Something about the bright, blindingly white ice that Yulia was constantly encapsulated by was so fitting. The merpeople around her, friendly to her but not to any outsiders that came near- so fittingly Yulia. How could she ever leave this place? Especially with the responsibility she carried.

Yulia's life was already in motion: she was to become the next chieftess of the Arctic Mamaelia. The protector of the Arctic Seas, Yulia was nobility, hence her guarded castle she lived in.

Yulia broke her drawn out thoughts when she hears a clash outside her bedroom door. She knew what it must have been, her idiotic brother was rushing through the hallways again. Yulia rolled her eyes as she waved her hand again, allowing the thick ice to fog back up and become impenetrable. She swam to her door, flinging it open annoyed, and took in exactly what she knew was going on.

"You can't be slow, Kenai?" Yulia groaned. The merman grinned a toothy smile, small sharper than average and pristine white teeth emerged. He was almost enraging to look at, and Yulia could not fathom why any merl- including Meridid, could ever find him cute. His long braided hair swayed around his body, settling after the commotion.

"I could, but then I would be you." He smirked. His hands landed on his waist with a hint of sass. He carefully avoided to touch the heavy silver belt that adorned his hips as the icy cold metal would burn skin instantly.

"You're bothering me." Yulia retorted, swimming back into her bedroom and dramatically throwing herself atop the many layers of blue dyed pelts that sat on her bedding.

"Your problem, sis, not mine." Kenai scoffed before he continued on his way. Who knew what the merman was up, it was always something stupid, Yulia thought. The young mermaid's thoughts drifted again, returning the the putrid vision of the corpses. She shook her head to clear the vision, blinking her eyes. Nausea overtook her body just imagining what they looked like. Worry took over as she imagined how casual Meridid was to the sight.

I wonder what she's doing right now, Yulia thought. In her mind, Meridid led an exciting life with zero responsibility. She didn't have to work out and train extensively, she didn't have royal appearances, she didn't have to shake hands and play with the Arctic Sea's royal family's young children at noble dinners, she never had to attend balls and wear heavy leather gowns that were so unflattering. Meridid could swim endlessly through the water, exploring and discovering whatever she wanted.