Love in Dangerous Waters

Chapter 10 - Family Help

"Just don't blow things out of proportion…" King Triton whispered to his wife as Queen Nicole, and only Nicole, approached the threshold between Antastica and Tanyela. "You don't know how she's going to react."

"She's coming with us, Triton." Queen Melody stated, feeling her nails digging into the ground next to the water. "I don't want to put up with her shit today, she has to help us before something happens to her!"

"Lucille manipulates. She could've been completely lying to us!" The King reasoned, swimming up next to her. "Look, we can't force Nicole to do anything."

"One of our daughters is gone." The Queen stated without looking his way, feeling a real tear drop from her face. "I can't risk losing another."

The King was saved from speaking as Nicole finally came back, sitting away from the edge of the water. "What do you want this time?"

"Nicole…" The King started, feeling the tension between his wife and daughter. "Please try and understand that what we're doing…"

"I'm not helping you." Nicole stated, causing the Queen's head to snap up. "Not after what you've done. I don't know what's true anymore."

"Nicole!" The Queen shrieked, almost jumping out of the water to get to her. Nicole jumped back at the water, keeping her distance even farther. "You're going to help us whether you want to or not!"

"Melody, stop it!" The King ordered, grabbing her waist and dragging her back all the way to the other side. "Just… stay here." He ordered as he swam back, waving his daughter in. "Come on, let's talk about this, Nicole."

"I don't want to talk about it." Nicole pouted, crossing her arms and legs on the ground.

"Marina Nicole Cordelia, get over here this instant!" The King ordered, causing most of the water to erupt into an enormous wave, making Nicole scream and run even farther back. The water dropped back in though, but now Nicole was even farther. "Just come here."

Nicole finally inched her way over to them, and soon she was right at the edge. "What do you want?"

"Look, we know we haven't been the best parents lately, but don't you want to know your little sister?" The King asked, placing her hands in his. "I mean, she's still family, after all."

"You could've told me sooner and I could've been the big sister that I could've been." She stated simply, eyeing her mother at the other side of the pool, flipping her greenish-gold tail tensely. "I just need an explanation why this needed to be a secret."

"No one could fine out." The King replied, lowering his voice even more. "I mean, with Lucille and Earth itself, anything could've happened."

"But instead, I have a little sister who I've never met who's out on Earth." Nicole stated, shaking her head and sighing. "Just like Calia." She stated, comparing her sister and her best friend.

"You have met her." He replied, but changed the subject. "You don't need to bring the Princess into this, this isn't about her." The King growled, resting himself on the land with his arms. "We came to make a deal."

"Oh really? What would that be?" She asked, crossing her arms and turning defensive. "I can call for my husband at any second, Mom." She shouted behind her father, and as he turned around, he saw his wife inching closer and closer, only her eyes and up above water.

"Stop it, Melody." He ordered, making her swim spastically back to the other side. "Look, all we're saying is if you help us find Aqua and bring her home, we'll never bug you about it again."

"Because you're going to have her then. What good does that do for my kingdom?" She shot back, looking back to the green land that she now ruled. "Me leaving to find your daughter doesn't do my kingdom any good."

"But she's also your sister." The King jumped the phrase in.

"I don't care. I can't leave just to find somebody I found out about three days ago." She stated, and then the arms shot up, grabbing her and bringing her into the water. Nicole fought her mother as she swam towards the Antastica Entrance, but with Nicole still human, she couldn't breathe.

"Melody, stop it!" The King ordered, but it didn't matter when the greenish-gold tail replaced the legs, and then shoved herself away from her mother.

"What the hell, Mom!?" Nicole shrieked, coughing at the sudden change of environment.  "You could've killed me!"

"Why won't you help us voluntarily!?" Melody snapped back, the King separating them to opposite walls.  "A family always helps each other out in a time of need."

"Then why'd you let her go?" Nicole shot at her mother, and they tension grew between them as the claws started to come out.

"Both of you, stop!" The King boomed, sending loud, water-pressured shockwaves through their ears, making them scream and clasp their hands to them. "Now Nicole, you come with us, and we're gonna get out of your hair for good."

"I'm still not agreeing to it." Nicole stated, lowering her hands from her ears. "You can never make me agree to it."

"We don't need you to agree to it." The King stated, swimming to her and stopping in front of her. "We just need you to help us out."

"I'm not helping you-"

"Marina Nicole Cordelia." He stopped her from going on with her rant, using her whole name. "What can we do to convince you to help us?"

"Absolutely nothing." She answered as a shadow was casted over the pool, causing everything to get a little darker. They all looked up to see King Aaron peering in, causing the Cordelia's to be more annoyed then they already were. "Now, as you can see, I need to get back to my kingdom." Nicole told them as she soared to the top, reaching the surface and resting her arms at the shore. "Hey Aaron."

"What do they want this time?" Aaron asked, giving a small wave to his in-laws.

"The same subject." She answered, looking deep into the water. "But I can't do it."

"Yes you can." He whispered, pressing a finger to her lips to shut her up. "I know you want to."

"But after what they've done! What they've kept from me…" She whimpered, and Aaron wiped some wet hair from her eyes, revealing them. "How could I help them?"

"I know you can." He whispered, pressing a kiss to her forehead. "And I know you will."

"What are you saying?" She asked, more isolated from the faeries with every second.

"I'm saying go help them. I can take the kingdom for a couple days." He insisted, kneeling down even closer to her. "Besides, I can always get my sister to help."

"Oh yes, my best friend who has two kids, is living with a pheasant, and has almost gotten herself killed multiple times. Oh yes, she's very capable of running a kingdom." Nicole snapped sarcastically, glaring at him.

"Not the point." He stated, shaking his head. "We'll be fine. Just come back safely."

"I will." She breathed as her brought her lips into his, sharing a short kiss before she headed off towards her parents. "Just make sure the kingdom doesn't go to insane."

"I will." He smirked as she swam down to her parents, flipping water up at him with her tail before she did.

Her parents looked at her with hopefulness, clasped hands to look like they were pleading. "Well?" They asked in unison.

"Fine, I'll help." She muttered, and on those words her mother was dragging her towards the Entrance. "But I'm only getting my sister."

"Deal." The King replied as she was forced through, and they all headed towards the place that Aqua was abandoned… Earth.