Bella Marina

Prologue

**Two days ago**

"Please, Roy? I'll stay out of the way, I swear! You won't even know I'm there. I'll be like a ghost. I just want to see the human world, just once!" "Wow, Tristan. I think you have got to be the most annoying Best friend in all of Marina. I couldn't care less if you came, but you know my father would never allow it. He's sending me to the human world for two months just to look around and study them. We're no different from them, except that our lungs function underwater and above water. That's all." Royal Waters said to his friend. Royal's father wanted to send him to the human world, just so he could look around, and study humans to see how different they are from the people from Marina. (other than the lungs thing, of course). He was excited, too. The only thing they ate in Marina was fish and seaweed. He'd heard rumors about such diverse food in the human world. He and his friends had started calling the humans "Landers," because, well, they lived on land. People who lived in Marina were called "Mariners," so it only made sense. "We could talk to him, Roy. I could tell him that it would be safer with me, or something-" "Look, maybe we can work it out next time, Tristan. I'm sorry, but I must go see my father now, I leave for the human world in two days," Royal said, and he left his friend staring after him. Royal did feel bad, but he didn't want to get in trouble and give his father a reason to not send him up. His father was the King of Marina, Making him the prince. His mother, Queen of Marina, had left, and made a life in the human world, just after Royal was born. Some Mariners did this, mostly because of love, or because they would rather live as a lander. Of course, many women came to the palace, trying to get his father to ask for their hand in marriage. My father was very handsome, with his jet black hair and eyes the color of the Caribbean Sea, a striking, almost unnatural blue-green. Of course, every mariner had an unnatural eye color. It was just how they were. Tristan’s eyes were bright, electric green, which accented nicely with his sandy blond hair. Everyone said Royal was a spitting image of the king, which he took as a compliment, considering his father's good looks. Royal swam on, and every day when he swam to the palace there were always girls his age there, just waiting to see him. He didn't really care for any of them at all, but he knew he would have to marry one day, to keep the bloodline going. 

When he arrived at the palace, his father wasn't alone. He was talking to a girl Royal knew, or rather, knew of. What was her name...Rosalie? Yes, that was right, Royal thought. Of course, Rosalie noticed Royal right away. "Hi, Royal! I don't know if you remember me, but I'm Rosalie. King Waters and I were just talking about you!" "Oh, really?" I said, raising my eyebrows and looking at my father. "Yes, Royal, we were," my father said, giving me a look that said, we need to talk. He turned to Rosalie. "Dear, would you mind going outside for a moment? I need to talk to my son." "Sure. I'll see ya around, Royal!" She said. He felt no attraction to her whatsoever. None. But he knew what his father was going to say even before he said it. "Father, I am not marrying her. I'm sorry. I am not going to pretend to love someone for the sake of the bloodline," Royal said sternly. He didn't know how many times he had said that. "I know, son. I just wish you would go find her yourself. It would make my life so much easier," he said sadly. "Well, let’s not repeat a conversation we have had too many times. I assume you wanted to talk to me about my trip to the human world?" Royal said impatiently. "Yes, I know you are very eager to get there. I wanted to tell you that you are there strictly to observe. You will tell me all your findings when you get back. It is the summer vacation there, which means humans your age are not in school," Royal knew what school was. It was where Landers went to learn about things like numbers and stuff, so that they could get a job later in life to earn money. "So that way," his father continued, "you don't have to go to school. All you have to do is walk around and maybe make some friends, and observe them. Is that clear?" Royal knew what this statement meant: don't stay there like your mother did. Don't fall in love with a human girl. "Yes, father." Royal said. "Good. Now, as you know, since human money has no value to us, we have a bank account with a very substantial amount. You can use this whenever you need it, for whatever you want," his father finished. And," he continued, 'since you are of the Marina, you posess the power that we all have, the ability to speak in human's minds. You may not use this, for fear of giving away what you are," he stated.  "Is that all?" Royal said eagerly. "Yes, Royal, that is all. You may go and finish preparing," His father said and turned away. Royal went to leave, when his father called out, "Oh, Royal? I thought you should know that Tristan will be accompanying you for the second month of your trip,” he said. “When did you decide that?” Royal asked. Tristan had been begging him ever since he heard about the trip. “Just now,” his father said, grinning. “I will tell him, then,” Royal said excitedly. “Good idea. Now, go finish preparing. I will see you when you depart,” his father said. Royal swam faster than he’s ever swam to where he left Tristan. Another thing about the Mariners-they were exceptional swimmers. He couldn’t wait to leave for this trip. He knew he couldn’t fall in love with a human girl. What were the odds of that, right?