Cursed with Fins TWO The Land Calls

Chapter Nine

I had started to calm down, Meredith had my head laying in her lap. She slowly petted my head and repeatingly saying "Shhh.." I would not let go of the shirt for nothing, acting as if it would dissolve if I were to let it go. It was now becoming early morning, the sun would rise at any minute now. I saw Azalea poke her head in. "How's she doing?"

"Just fine, I was able to calm her down some."

Azalea bent over more so she could be almost leveled with my face. She easily rubbed my shoulder. "You okay now?" She quietly asks.

I stiffly nodded my head, moving my eyes away from her and focused them on nothing in particular. Azalea got down next to her Mother on the opposite side of her. Meredith threw her arm around her, holding her close. "My girls.." She sighed.

"Your, girls?" I looked up to her, rolling a little over onto my back so I could see her better.

"Aquilus said he would get you someone who would take care of you. Did he not?"

I thought back to when I tried to ask them my questions, when I took my first swim. Wait, is she saying she's taking me IN, or is she just taking looking after me. Like... if she is then.. wouldn't that make me.. a... No! I couldn't see that happening! Now why would she want to make a girl that was once HUMAN, the reason why they are all in hiding, a princess? She wouldn't, that's why. She probably meant that she would be a motherly figure to me, like she always has been.

"Queen Meredith?" A merman came up, giving respect by not entering the room.

She picked her head up, waiting for him to tell her what he needed. "The king has requested you."

"Alright." She nodded, gently moving my head off of her. "Azalea dear, can you stay with Skylar?"

"Yes, Mom."

Meredith left the area, out of eye sight. Azalea's face lit up when a thought came to her head.
"Hey, let's go for another swim. get your mind off of everything." She grabbed my arms and pulled me up.

"But, wouldn't your parents not like you going out while it's still dark?"

"I think it'll be fine. The Sun is about to come up anyways and predators should be going back home now. Think of it as an early morning swim," She got me moving again. "Now I know you're not a morning person though." She swam on her back with her hands behind her head. I swam right above her normally.

"You have me there." I followed her.

We have been swimming for a while, even was able to swim close to Ava's house. I couldn't really see the house, that well. It was hard to make out but I could see it right behind the cliff that lead to the water.

Fortunately, we didn't see any predators. Azalea pointed out all of the different kinds of plants and fish. Taking it more as another lesson, I also saw different types of crustaceans.
I looked up to the surface, still seeing the full bright moon shining through the water. Sun didn't even come up yet.

"Well," she sighed. "I think it's about time to head back."

I nodded, confirming. We turned back around and headed back to the direction of the pod. "Question though, why would Aquilus yell at me like that? It doesn't seem like him.."

She gave me a look of sympathy. "I-I guess to show that he was serious. To scare you into never doing it again. Sometimes I even don't understand my own Father and his ways in protecting us." She looked down. I heard the slushing of water, the movement of the water got rougher.

I felt the strong current, I started not being able to swim in the direction I was going.

"Azalea! What's happening?!" I yelled, being frozen in one place. I tried to fight my way to go in the direction I was going but the current fought to pull me back, keeping me in the same spot.

"I don't know!" She screamed. I looked over my shoulder, seeing a strange but familiar activity with the water. It started to look like an underwater tornado. My eyes widened. It can't be... Is it?..

"The whirlpool is trying to open!" Azalea yelled up to me. The current got stronger and stronger. I started being pulled away, not even my tail was strong enough to keep me away from its strong grasp. I tried to grab whatever I could, to prevent myself from being sucked in. I randomly grabbed something, but had to yank my hand away.

I yelped, clutching my hand to my chest. Feeling a stinging pain in my hand. "Azalea!" I got sucked in.

Same for Azalea, we were thrown and spun around. I lost my barring, not sure where was where while the underwater world started to turn into a blur. I was smacked up against the side of the rock cliff, hitting my head. My head yelled at me in pain.

I groaned, last thing I heard, was "Skylar!" All sound faded away from me, so was everything else. It was lights out.