Beneath the Waves (Ocean Song Book 1)

*UPDATED* Chapter 12: The Ocean's Curse

One troublesome human he could deal with. Two is more trouble than it's worth. And one of them just so happens to be one of the most infuriating people to grace the planet.

Prince Oceanus heaves a sigh as he swims through the corridor. Servants clear the way, keeping to the pillars in stiff bows whilst he passes. No one dares to utter a single sound to him. Such has it always been. Everyone's too afraid of a negative reaction or some such nonsense.

Prince Oceanus couldn't care less. Let them believe what they will. If he makes any kind of outburst then it would be related to the two humans that he's forced to cohabit with in this palace. It doesn't matter how large the palace is, he's thoroughly aware of their presence and he wishes them gone.

Ah, and speaking of trouble. "Prince Oceanus!"

He inwardly cringes at the shrillness of the way she sings his name. He gives a tiny bow and says, "Lady Delmara." He straightens himself up—gazing upon her with little interest.

Lady Delmara Aquilus, the daughter of one of the most prominent nobles in the noble faction, Lord Hallmar Aquilus. As well as the self-proclaimed most beautiful mermaid to grace the ocean. A bold claim that shouldn't be made so lightly.

Luckily, no one ever pays much attention to such an outrageous remark. Nor would he say anything of it. The last thing he wishes to do is endure the shrill shrieking of his fiancée as she throws a temper tantrum.

Fiancée. He nearly recoils at the mere thought. Such an arrangement only came about to appease the noble faction who have been pressing their luck against the royal family.

It was Lord Hallmar's idea to arrange a marriage between Prince Oceanus and his daughter in the first place. Supposedly, it should silence those of the noble faction for a time. But they always find a reason to whine about something. It's only a matter of time.

"My Prince?" He clears his head of those thoughts as he finds himself staring into Delmara's dark eyes. Her strawberry blonde hair has been adorned with the rarest of jewels and pearls found only to the east—a place where sirens are said to dwell. Her tail's scales shine as brilliantly as the glittering treasures of Nautica, the kingdom in the Mediterranean.

Clearly, she had just come from a beauty treatment of some sort. She places such value on her appearance—believing it to be the thing that'll keep him. It is no secret that she highly values the crown and desperately wants to be a member of the royal family.

Unluckily for her, she never held enough interest for him to even remotely be taken with her. But she need not worry with such trivial things now, since their arrangement had been made.

A smile adorns her ruby painted lips. "I heard the most interesting rumor!" she states conspiratorially.

And it doesn't take a scholar to know what that rumor may be. But still, he plays along, nonetheless. "And what would that be?" He begins to swim down the corridor once more—Delmara hurrying to keep to his side.

"I heard that humans with tails have appeared in Aquaria! Can you imagine?!" A cynical laugh bubbles from her throat. Shrill, much like the way she calls to him. A frown settles back onto his lips as the doors to his office grow near.

And it is at this moment that all of his problems converge onto one spot.

"How did you learn so quickly? It took me days and a special exercise to learn!" Serena whines.

Rodion—he believes his name was—wears a cheeky grin. "Well it's to be expected given that I was a better swimmer than you."

Prince Oceanus had managed to go a blissful three days without seeing either of them. Truly the Sea Goddess must be angry with him if she has seen fit to cast on him this punishment.