A Merman's Tale

Seirra: Chapter Twenty

     I left Doris’s home in a stunned daze, but was later forced to go back to reality. I was immediately summoned by my father to report to Erma and Lukos then forced to help with the preparations for the Ceremony of Kys tomorrow. It was supposed to be a big celebration but we could not delay it any further because we needed to avoid the mermaid sightings and the King’s relapse.

     My mind kept on replaying what I saw of Margaret as I sulked later that night. I was perched on a huge rock in a secluded cove at the far end of the kingdom, trying to figure out if I should go back to Doris to see Margaret again. When my eyes got pulled back into Aquania, I found Doris panting with lost energy and I realized that she must have used too much of her magic to help me.

     Maybe there’s no need to see her again, I thought miserably to myself. She looked normal enough, anyway.      

     I almost convinced myself that I was being stupid sulking alone in a cove like a lovesick fool when the water began to move, indicating the presence of another merman.

     It was a mermaid.

     Her shining gold hair was now draped with randomly placed black pearls, her face bare of makeup but certainly blooming. Her lime green eyes were almost luminescent and it took me a while to realize that this almost angelic creature was the bitch who gave me a difficult time while on land.

     Only, there wasn’t any sign of Her Royal Bitchiness.

     In her place was a girl who looked utterly vulnerable.

     She looked at me in surprise, obviously not sensing the presence of another living thing in her chosen hiding place.

     “Hmph. And I thought I finally found a place where I can have some peace and quiet,” Marina muttered in annoyance.

     I saw her immediately turn around, intent on leaving.

     “Stay here. I’ll go,” I said before she was out of earshot.

     She stopped in her tracks then faced me.

     “Well?” she asked highhandedly. “Why aren’t you moving?”

     Her arrogant defense mechanism was really making me tick. “Will you do us both a favor and stop being a wiseass?” I saw her haughtily raise an eyebrow. “Look, it’s obvious you need someone to talk to and whether you like it or not, I’m the only friend you have here.” Her eyebrow lowered but she kept her chin up, refusing to acknowledge that she needed any kind of comforting. “What happened with your father?”

     I most probably struck the right chord because her puffed-up stance practically disappeared. She momentarily looked away and I saw tears forming at the corner of her right eye. Something she did not expect must have been revealed. I moved over to give her some space and she promptly took her seat.

     She sighed. I guess bitches get tired of themselves sometimes.

     “He didn’t know I looked for Aquania,” she said softly.

     I had already surmised as much.

     “He tried to find me as well but…he couldn’t get through. For three human years, we’ve been trying to find each other but someone was…” Her expression changed from one of lament to something that resembled hatred. “Someone actually tried to fool us into thinking I can’t go back,” she uttered in a venomous tone. “I’ll find him, Seirra. And when I do, I swear I’ll kill him!”

     “Hey,” I consoled. It wouldn’t be good to have a royal criminal. “Easy on it, Princess.”

     She was already shaking her head before I finished my short sentence.