Deeper Than Blue

Two

Eren

It was all alright.

Then it began with pain.

Like a sea urchin was being pressed against my face and arms and tail. All over was a painful burning sensation that forced me to lay paralyzed in bed as my mom swam worriedly around me.

I was eleven at the time.

My mother had just gotten engaged to a man named Kenny and he was a powerful man who ordered doctors to me to try and help. Nothing could be done.

I laid in pain for a month, the pain finally disappeared at the end letting me fall into a fitful sleep.

I was awoken by a scream.

My eyes shot open and I met a blurry image of my mom staring at me horrified. My body felt heavy as I sat up,looking up at her. She hugged me tight and cried, sobbing and yelling for Kenny to call another doctor.

I could barely feel her comforting touch. I felt pressured and patchy prickles from her arms and chest. I looked down at my hsnds to see why. I was covered in growths of disgusting Rocks. Head to tail in disgusting bulbous pebbles.

I stared at myself in horror and started to cry as well,clinging to my mother hoping I was dreaming.

The doctor came.

There was nothing he could do. Removing the pebbles was painful and it left me screaming myself hoarse. Plus there was a lot of blood. Besides, the ones they managed to remove only showed up again the next day.

I learned something about myself though.

If I went to sit on a rock outcropping out of the water and I cried or I bled, it would immediately turn into jewels.

Tear drop gems and Blood red diamonds. I had a bunch of each stored in jars under my bed.

I was now 14, going on 15 in three days. Three days and I'd have to meet the one who is my soul mate. Id have to meet the one who could and would reject my hideous face.

Three days and my heard would shatter.

Levi

I sat in the carriage with Isabel across from me and Petra next to me. A mer named Nile sat next to Isabel,keeping track of all the times I pushed Petra away. It's been an hour and so far five times.

She's a bitch. She knows I'm not going to accept her but she keeps trying abd it keeps rallying up my whippings.

Outside, four guards were holding onto the side if the carriage as the driver controlled the sail fish.

I would swing my tail from time to time, Isabel crouching down to pick up a scale or two and add them to her pouch. Petra tried to take one but Isabel quickly snatched it away like a thief with bread.

I glared at Petra. "don't touch my scales" I hissed, turning my attention to the window and glaring out if it.

Two days dragged by, eight days left, the most enjoyable part was the food and Amber sacs, and when we finally got to the castle, I had a total of 325 marked up according to Nile.

I had counted every time his pencil his the parchment. It was actually 267 times.

I swam our and stretched my arms and tail, looking up at the castle. It was grand. Mostly because Kenny owned a larger sector than my father did. Also because it was in the mother city.  The palace shoned like abalones and the doors twinkled like mother of pearls. The palace had a coral grown cage over top if it to keep out intruders. The coral was a light pink color and there were dark grey ocean stone walls that sprouted from the bottom. A gate if anemones swept aside as giant clown fish pushed aside the dangerous electric fronds.

I swam in ahead of the others, Isabel and Farlan and hanji close to me.

"It's been a long time since we've been here" Isabel hummed. "it hasn't changed at all" Farlan added as he looked around. "I can't wait to see the new prince!” hanji yelled as they swam ahead slightly then swam back.

I was in a rush to see my sister again. I missed her. I missed how motherly she was and how understanding she was and everything about her. I just want to find her, hug her, abd go out to the garden and lay in the kelp Grove as we talked. I really need that.

We hurriedly swam into the castle leaving my parents, the bitch,abd the other guards behind. The hallways were lined with shells and skeletons of fish, gems and pieces from ship wrecks as decorations. The way was lit by phosphorus algae that grew on the walls and floors and ceiling.

The water held a greenish blue glow and smelled like freshly made sweets and baked red Amber sacs.

If your wondering, Amber sacs are a type of fruit that grows underwater. They have a thick skin and the inside is like a thick syrup which we drink to survive.

They come in many different colors and each color is a different flavor. Some are even baked and used in treats.

I don't know whose cooking but it smells delicious.

I looked around, getting a bit side tracked. As the others swam on,I fell behind a bit, following my nose towards the sweet Smell.

I swam down the hall and arrived at a door of anemones, hearing soft singing through the swirling fronds. I couldn't see inside, but I knew someone important laid on the other side.

"Levi!" A voice called. The music suddenly stop and I frowned, turning my head to see Farlan waiting for me. "let's go your royal pain!" He teased, gesturing me over. I rolled my eyes and sighed.

"Your singing is enchanting... Whoever you are." I said softly through the anemones. I then turned and swam to Farlan, chancing a glance back to see a head covered in a hood peeking out of the anemones staring back at me.

Word count: 1025