Niana's Journey

Chapter Two

When we arrived at the palace, we were all laughing so hard we couldn't help but splash our tails around and curl into balls to stop the side cramps from being side affects.

But as soon as we entered the throne coral of the palace, all became serious. Ariel was the first to stop laughing. Her beautiful, gracious laugh stopped and she hid behind a pillar. She motion for Sireena and I to do the same, so we each his behind another pillar of our own.

"Why are we hiding?" I whispered to Ariel, only to be shushed.

Ahead of us, the king was sitting on his throne with his Trident next to him. A guard walked in and bowed to the King Tritan. "Me Majesty, I wish to speak with you at once."

"Then speak!" King Tritan bellowed. His voice was deep and roaring.

"Scuba divers." The guard said. "There have been scuba divers spotted near the reef."

"What?!" King Tritan bellowed again. He sat up and stood on his tail. With his Trident in his hand, he pointed to the guard. "Did you say scuba divers? As in humans?"

The guard's expression became full of fear. He nodded. "Y-Yes Sire. Human scuba divers. With masks, false flippers, suits, legs, and a boat."

"Go! Go! Go! Go get the other guards! I want every messenger! Set the guards at every corner of the reef, armed! And send every messenger to every family coral to tell the merfolk to stay indoors. I want my all my daughters locked in their corals!" The king roared urgently.

The guard left the room quickly and Ariel led us into the coral. "Father!" She said with wide eyes. "What is going on?"

"Nothing, Ariel." King Tritan said. His once booming voice became soft and caring. He gently hugged his daughter and stroked her cheek.

"But Daddy!" Ariel fought. "I heard what that guard said! Why are humans in the reef?"

"Not in the reef, daughter. Just near it. We are still safe. You needn't worry." He assured. "Now who are these young ladies with you?"

"They're a part of my Dolphin and Shark Peace Association. They'll be staying with us for the rest of the week." Ariel explained.

"Yes! They will stay for the rest of the week. I wouldn't hear of them leaving at the moment. It's too dangerous." The King ordered. "Ariel, take them to their corals NOW!"

***

"Here you are!" Ariel sang, greeting us with our corals "Sireena, yours is across the hall." Ariel waved a hand to the coral across from her own. "And Niana, yours is beside mine."

"Awesome!" I squealed. Sireena swam into her coral to explore and look around, leaving Ariel and I in the passage way, but just as soon as Sireena had, Ariel swam into her coral. As I entered my own coral, I was welcomed by a shocking decor of multicolored shades of blue. As I swam over to the vanity, I became aware of a window next to my bed. The beauty of the window drew me to it and I was in awe as I gently caressed its frame. The edges of the window frame were highly decorated with Sparkling White pearls, set in a pattern, each pearl equally spaced apart. Big pearl, little pearl, big pearl, little pearl.

As I sat down at the vanity, I looked at all the different shades of blue on the shell pallets. "Wow!" My mind screamed.

Then I looked around and suddenly realized that the room matched my tail! Shades of blue to match my Deep Blue Sea tail. Then I began to wonder if all the rooms in the palace color coordinated with their residents.