Cursed with Fins TWO The Land Calls

Chapter Four

I was able to make it back to my pod, but every one was asleep. That makes it a heck of a lot easier! I could possibly just sneak into my little hole and no one would know I was gone-

"Skylar, where were you?"

Right when I slithered into the little opening, Azalea was sitting there, waiting for me.

"Just.. Out for a swim.." I mumbled, looking around the 'room.'

"This late? And this long?"

I rolled my eyes, swimming over to my little area where I slept. "Hey you can't judge, sometimes I need to get my mind off things. I'm still adjusting to this new life style, you know." I laid down on my 'bed.' Of course underwater, they don't have beds. But for comfort, mermaids gather a bunch of sea weed to kinda make little almost like nests.

It's actually not too bad, I mean... It could be worse. My bed back home was way more comfortable though.
And we obviously don't have houses. Instead, we go deep in the ocean and drill out holes in rock or so, where it's just big enough for us to fit through and small enough so sharks or other predators can't get through. It's a lot safer, and it does take heck of a long time to get room for all of us, but Aquilus says for everyone's safety, it's worth it. Half of the rooms are from last time, I've heard that they migrate the same route every year so they don't constantly have to dig out so many homes for us.

Azalea sighed. "Okay.. But my Dad won't be too happy about you going out this late. We all have a curfew, most of our enemies hunt at night. It's not safe." She moved closer to me, looking me up and down. Then she poked me in the belly. "And you should really eat more, your going to make yourself sick."

"What are you? My Mom?" I looked down sadly after saying this. "Not like I get to see her anymore." I laid my head back down. I know I might be able to see her tomorrow night but I can't tell Azalea that.

"I'm your friend," she wrapped her arms around me. "I'm trying to help look out for you. You could say I care too much but I might as well put this in your head then not too. You need to know the dangers of the ocean, sure it's beautiful but it can be dangerous too."

I exhaled, a small bubble floated upwards. My eyes went wide for a second seeing the bubble, I glanced up to her but she was too busy in her thoughts that she didn't even notice.

Thank god! I rolled my eyes up. It might seem like nothing but that tiny bubble was a sign that I went against the King's words and went up to the surface. Even though I was breathing water, sometimes there's little air bubbles trapped within my lungs. It can go for anyone. If they had breathed air recently.

"Well.." She started. "You should go get some sleep. it's late, plus, you have a little 'study lesson' tomorrow." She slid out the room, leaving.

"Ugh!" I floated down to the floor. I was never a real fan of these lessons. Even if you grow fins and lives in the deepest parts of the ocean, you still have some type of school to attend.

I glanced back towards the dark entrance, making sure she was gone. From under all the sea weed I pulled out my shirt I wore when I joined this under water world. I flipped over to my side, bending my tail and hugging onto the fabric close to my face.

I couldn't wait till tomorrow, I would be able to see Mom again. After a long month. But if Aquilius finds out about me going against his words, I know he will be pretty mad at me. But why would he ban me from seeing my only two friends who KNOW I've been turned into a fish... They were there. And my own Mother? It was ridiculous.

Azalea acted almost like a Mother than just a friend. She worried about me so much and made sure I stayed out of trouble. Sometimes Azalea's Mother, Meredith, would be a Motherly figure to me. She was often busy with other Queenly chores but when she was able to and if I needed her, she would make time for us.