Betrothed

Chapter 2: Who Knew, Right?

She's kidding. She has to be! There's no way I'm royalty! I'm sure I look nothing like King Orion and Queen Melissa, right? I stand up in disbelief.
"You're kidding, right?" I am so NOT in the mood for jokes.
"Unfortunately, I am not," Mother replies solemnly. I can tell she really means it.
"What exactly did I tell you when I was an infant?" I can't help asking, I'm curious and can't remember.
"That you'll need to find out on your own, the time will come, I promise," Mother replies simply but with a sad look. "But for now, you need to go to your real home, in the Magix Realm," she continues. No - please no. No. No! NO! NO! This cannot be real! I've read about fairytales, but never imagined them being TRUE!
Pinch me somebody, this has got to be a terrible nightmare! I just have to wake up from it, yeah, okay Melissa, time to wake up! I pinch myself, it doesn't work, I pinch harder, it only leaves a mark on my wrist. No - Please, no! I burst out in tears, Mother tries to comfort me by wrapping me in a nice, warm embrace that usually washes all worries away, but right now I can't calm down. I can't leave my family in which I've known forever, I just can't. Birth parents or not, I love them. What if Orion and Melissa are secretly jerks, and full of themselves?
"I can't do this! I'll miss you and Dad too much, what if Orion and Melissa are jerks? Mom! Please don't let them take me away," I cry, hugging her tight.
"Mel, they're super sweet, I promise. We've been good friends for a very long time, they've been waiting for 16 years to see you again," Mother replies calmly.
"But why 16 years? Why not 15, or 17? That seems a little odd to me," I ask. It honestly all seems so weird to me. Why 16 years? What happens when I'm Sixteen that's so special? Sure, I just had my sweet Sixteen, but what is so special about 16?
"You'll find out soon enough," Mother states simply. Ugh. I need answers, how am I supposed to find all of this out? I'm not a fortune teller! "Just trust me, it will all work out, I know it," Mother continues, trying to calm me.
Maybe I'll just try reading more of The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. I love reading about Katniss Everdeen, Peeta Mellark, Gale, Rue, people fighting to the death. Yes, I know Katniss and Peeta win, but I just love the book which is from Katniss's point of view. I have also watched the movies which are great, they are very good, a lot like the books.
"I think I'm just going to read The Hunger Games some more," I say calmly to my Mom while drying tears.
"Okay sweetie, but tell me, haven't you read that book before?" So maybe I've read it a million times, literally. It's my all time favorite book.
"Yes?" I answer more like I question it myself. Mother rolls her eyes and eventually walks out of my room, closing the door behind her.
Finally, alone at last. Now I can get back to when Thresh is about to bang Clove to death. I open the pages back up, I'm about to start reading when my entire room starts glowing purple. PURPLE! My room is BLUE! I put my bookmark in my place and wonder what in the world is going on NOW? Suddenly a portal like thing appears, but there seems to be a messy lady and man on the other side.
"Hello, Melissa," the lady says. "I am Queen Melissa, and this is King Orion." She looks at "my father," he is typing something on his phone. "Orion! Our daughter is on the line and you're texting your brother?"
I can't help but laugh, this literally just made my day, and that's saying a lot, I'm not one to laugh a lot. I don't know why I've always been a little bit shut off away from everyone, but I have been. Ever since I was bullied in Third grade I have never opened up to ANYONE, and I mean it.
"Oh, right! Sorry baby girl! I just needed to talk to my baby bro about his son, his son's name is Ethan, I hope you guys become good friends," 'Dad' says, as soon as he has finished saying this I see he regrets it because Queen Melissa jabs him in the side with her elbow. "Oops, was I not supposed to say that to her?" he asks innocently. Queen Melissa rolls her eyes and jabs again, harder this time.
I can't help but have a sad feeling, this is what I may have to deal with for the rest of my life.
"So, dear, you'll be moving on with us in exactly a week," the queen has now turned her attention back to me.
I have to admit, I do look an awful lot like them. Why did I end up where I am now? I want to ask, but Mother said, 'I'll find out soon enough.' Whatever that means.
"How did you even power this whole - thing," I say gesturing to the portal like message. "Is this some kind of trick?"
"No dear, no trick. When you move in I'll tell you much much more, about your history, anything," Queen Melissa says.
"Umm, okay, Queen Melissa," I say awkwardly.
"Please, do call me Melissa, or Mom? I don't like Queen Melissa, it's too formal," Mom says. "We must go now, I will see you on Valentine's Day, I love you, Melissa," she says before the portal disappears with a poof, like a cloud disappearing. My room goes back to being blue, the purple is gone.
By now it is nighttime, I think I'll just sleep, thinking about everything that has happened.

Valentine's Day - February 14th

Well, today's the big day! The day I finally meet my real parents. I have on my best dress, it's a long sleeveless gown, I wore it to prom with my boyfriend, his name is Jason. A royal carriage has come to our house and everything, just to take us to this "Magix" and by us, I mean myself and my parents. Of course this makes no sense, because apparently the "Human Realm" and "Magix Realm" are far away, so how is just a simple carriage going to work?
So it turns out, this carriage is a MAGIC carriage. Who knew? I sure didn't! This whole day has gotten weirdo and weirder.
I guess I fell asleep, because I was on my way through a pretty star filled room, and now the palace is just in view. I have to say, the palace is beautiful, however, it's surrounded by water. WATER! Why water of all things? Whatever, it must have some special meaning that 'I'll find out soon enough.' I feel strange, my legs are a little tingly, they must have fallen asleep. We are going through the water surrounding the palace. I do not like water. We have always been mortal enemies. I touch water, my everything cramps up, soon enough I'm in a world of pain.
Moments later we have arrived at the palace, and Orion and Melissa are outside to greet us, only this time they look way more formal, and somehow I can sense they don't like it. I think I might actually enjoy living with them.
"Welcome, welcome, old friends!" Melissa says greeting my parents, "come in, come in! Let us get you something to eat after your long journey!" She leads us into the palace.
We ate lunch, and boy was it delicious. It was the best lunch I had ever had in my life, it was amazing. I bonded with my new parents, they seem to really understand me.
"I can't help but wonder, why is the palace surrounded by water?" I ask, I can't keep the question in any longer.
"Umm, I think this is our cue to leave," Mother says. Dad gets up as well, they are given farewells and then they are back to the "Human Realm."
"Follow me," Melissa says simply getting up and leading me outside. "You've always hated water because of the painful 'cramps,' correct?" she asks.
Shocked I answer," Yes! How did you know that?" She doesn't answer, she somehow parts the water enough for her to walk in and stay dry. She reminds me of Poseidon, mythical God of the Sea. "This is because your body has been preparing itself," she continues. She then releases the water, it laps at her waist, suddenly she has scales.
"You have scales!" I say in great shock,"Does that mean that -" I say, too shocked to continue. She just simply nods, then dives under the water, revealing a lovely orange and gold tail. She surfaces, her hair has orange and gold streaks in it, bit it doesn't look bad. It looks really pretty, actually.
"Come on in, don't be afraid," she says. I am honestly afraid, I have suffered the pain many times, it is really bad.
Mother parts the water once more, enough for me to walk in. I slowly and shakily walk in, the pain is back, but not as nearly as bad as it used to be.
Moments later the pain is gone, and so are my legs. My legs have officially been replaced by a blue and silver tail, it's very lovely to be honest. I dive under the water, take a small breath in, I do not choke. I can see in the salt water. I look at my hair, the same streaks as mother's, but blue and silver. I surface, I am honestly happy.