Behind the veil

Chapter one

Chapter One

“But mother! My sisters get to go for swims why can’t I?” Coral exclaims angrily towards her mother, the Queen. “Because you are the only one trained for the throne, and you will get the throne next whether you choose it or not!” Coral glares but says nothing more. The Queen swims away, smiling that she won the rather usual argument with her middle daughter. She decided to swim over and greet her sons, all 17 of them. The Queen had so many children because only a female could rule the kingdoms and provide heirs. Along with her many sons was her youngest daughter, Angel. She had wavy pink hair that had soft blonde highlights and it fell mid back and dark blue scales that were slightly rounded off and shimmered softly. She was talking with her brothers until she looked over at her mother. “Angel can you please go talk with Coral? She’s acting defiant again.” the Queen scoffs, in obvious repulsion. “Of course mother,” Angel sighs and swims off to Coral’s chambers, where she might be. Her assumptions were correct because inside the darkly lit room Coral laid on her bed listening to music through a conch shell. Coral had waist length black hair with fringy bangs, and had bright green streaks throughout it. and her tail scales are black the taper into sharpish points that looked as if dipped in silver. “Coral? Why do you always fight with the Queen?” Angel asked as she swam in the room cautiously. “Because she just can’t understand I don’t want to be queen. I want to explore the seas and i just can’t do it.” Coral sighs, closing her heavily lined eyes. “We all can’t get what we want. I want to do the same as you but you know the rules.” Angel says in frustration. Coral swims into a upward position quickly and in a flick of her fin she is at her closet door with a satchel in her hands. “What are you doing Coral?” Angel asks in confusion and worry. “I’m leaving!” Coral glares at Angel and starts packing some clothes (tops and tail skirts) “You know what will happen if the queen knows that you are missing. You don’t even know how to get outside the barrier without the WaterFire.” Angel points out. “I’ll figure it out. Me, Neela, and Kyle are leaving tonight.” Coral says referring to her pet eel (Neela) and the eldest brother(Kyle). “You can’t go. You don’t know what’s out there. Pirates could kill you Coral.” Angel says in anger. “I don’t need to. I have the book.” Coral states while tossing an old book filled with notes and pictures of creatures outside of the veil. Angel signs and starts to swim out of the room. “Fine. It’s your choice if you want to end up like the king Coral.” Angel swim out to the courtyard in anger. Kyle the eldest brother swims over to Angel slowly, his tail churning the water around it softly. Angel looks at him, he had longish jagged hair that was dark as ink(the same color as Coral’s). and his scales were a gradient from purple to black on each one.  “What do you want Kyle?” she asks nonchalantly, anger still lacing her words. “Just checking up on you, i saw you swim from Corals like a vampire squid was after you.” he shrugs. “Checking on me. You don’t need to do that. Why do you want to go outside the veil Kyle?” Angel says to him calming down a bit. Kyle grabs her hand and pulls her up and spins her around before laughing, “Don’t you ever want to get out of here? Explore and be free?” he asks, smirking. “After what happened to father. No. I don’t want to end up like him Kyle.” Angel says back to him on the brink of tears. The taller boy pulls the pink haired girl into a hug, “she won’t be able to catch us And.” he tries to assure her. “What if she does. You know what will happen.”. “But she WON’T!” he frowns and starts getting agitated. “You don’t know for sure.” Angel pulls herself out of the hug.  Kyle narrows his eyes into a glare, his silver irises seeming to glow brighter, “Then come with us?” Angel looks at him in shock,”Why?”.

“Because if we do get caught, mother loves you best! You can talk her out of beheading us…” his voice trails off as the large shadow of a blacktip reef shark circles the two mer. Angel looks up and it, jaw dropping slightly. “MAKO!!” Kyle shouts happily and darts upwards to the shark, tackling it into a hug. “That’s yours Kyle! How in holy Poseidon did you get a reef shark!?” Angel asks exited, slightly worried it might betray him. Kyle smirks “I found a tear in the veil, from the wars.” “That’s impossible. How could there be a tear in the veil at that time?” Angel asked curious. “You remember the old freaks tale of spell song?” he asks. “Of course i do.” Angel replies thinking of the song. “Well it’s true. Our powers by just being a mer is able to forthcome magic through our voices.” Kyle exclaims mischievously. “What are you meaning by this Kyle?” Angel says, having a questionable look on her face. “When the war first broke out a few of the mages tore a hole in the veil as a emergency exit. I found it finally and you have to see it Ang! It’s so amazing!” he practically yells. Angel looks at him, intrigued but scared. Kyles smile drops abruptly and he looks at someone over your shoulder, “Nico..” he says referring to the middle son, also the scariest of them. Angel turns around to see what Kyle is looking at. “What are you doing here Nico? Shouldn’t you be training still?” Nico has black hair with red tips in a jagged fringe that almost touches his shoulders, his tail is silver and black and his fin splinters off into sharp points that flare out when he’s angry. “Shouldn’t you be minding your own business Angel?” Nico asks in a deep voice. Angel glares at him.  “Well nice seein ya! Me and Angel just remembered we have VERY important chores to be doing. Right Angle?” Kyle asks quickly. “Right.” Angel said in a cold tone. Nico swims closer the them “But what would mother say if she had.. Randomly found out you found the rip in the veil Kyle? And the fact Angel hadn’t already turned you in?” Nico smirks darkly, his hair creating sharp shadows across his face. Kyles face slightly drains in color and he looks nervous “uhh…” is all he can answer. Before Angel can defend herself and Kyle she is greeted by Coral grabbing Nico swiftly. Nico glares at Coral and pulls roughly from his grip, his fins flaring out, almost resembling which of a lionfish. Angel looked surprised, “Coral?! I thought you would have already left!” she yells to her older sister. “What? And leave you dorks behind? No way! Kyle send me a conch that told me you were coming too.” Coral shrugs. “Oh..” Angel responds, glad that Coral saved their tails from Nico. Nico looks pissed “you guys were going to do WHAT!?” he shrieks. “Nothing….” Angel says worried. Nicos fins fare up even more “I’m coming with.” He states and Kyle glares “No!” Kyle argues. “But Kyle what if he tells mother?” Angel states out to Kyle. “She’s right. If Nico wants to come then we have no choice but to oblige.” Coral reasons and Kyle’s shoulders slump down in defeat “fine..” he mumbles. “So when are we heading off?” Angel asks. “Right after dinner, when mother goes to bed.” Coral and Kyle say simultaneously. “Alright,” Angel replies. Nico replies with a curt nod before swimming off towards the boys dormitory. “We should be heading off too,” Angel points out. “The guards will be wondering where we are.” Coral and Kyle nod, “true.” they part ways, Kyle going after Nico and Coral headed the opposite way. Angel follows after her, her tail churning the water softly.  

Once the girls got back to their dorms they immediately knew it was trouble due to the fact the Queen was sitting on Angles bed. Angel looked worried. “What are you doing here mother?” She asked. Coral glared as the Queen swimmed up to them, “mother.” Coral says bitterly. “Ah, my two favorite daughters…” the Queen answers in a sickly sweet voice, “i’m here to help you get ready for the ball tonight!”. “Is this where you try to find us suitors mother.” Angel says bitterly. The Queen smiled ruefully “you know it.” she says before going to Corals closet, “nothing with color i see..” she tsks out at the Black haired mer. Coral glares at their mother and sighs, “if i go to this ball will you LEAVE ME ALONE?!?” Angel looks between the two, hoping that the Queen will listen and agree. The Queen nods and smiles brightly. Angel sighs in relief. Coral rolls her eyes and looks at her black tail skirts and shirts in disdain. Angel looks at Corals closet. “Do you want to wear something of mine for the ball? I wouldn’t mind lending you a dress.” Angel says opening her closet. ‘Just nothing pink please.” Coral says softly to her sister, her eyes grateful for the offer. Angel nods and looks through her closet for her dark blue dress, pulling it out of the closet once she finds it, it’s made of sea silk with soft flowy layers. Coral puts it on and smiles at the softness of it. “Thanks Angel” she says happily to her sister as she fixes the sleeves of the borrowed dress. “It’s no problem Coral,” Angel says as she smiles. “What will you be wearing for the Ball?” Coral asks Angel. “I’m not really sure. All my other dresses aren’t ‘Ball’ apparel.” Angel replies. Coral hands Angel the dress she borrowed  and smirks, “wear this one, it will bring out your eyes.” she points out while grabbing a gothic looking black and red corset topped dress from her own closet. Angel puts on the dress and looks at Coral. “You look amazing.” Angel says. “You too sis.” Coral laughs and starts on her makeup and hair. Angel looks at her mother, “ Shouldn’t you go and get ready?”, the Queen swims up, “right, you both look fabulous.” she compliments before darting out of the room, her guard right behind her. Angel sighs and looks over at Coral. “You wanted to leave tonight right?” Angel asks. “Mother will be so drunk she won’t even notice us being gone!” coral exclaims happily. “Won’t the guards see us leave though or would they be to busy with the ladies that they wouldn’t care.” Angel says back in response. “Stop worrying about the details, you know me and Ky have it planned out.” Coral snap at the pinkette. Angel jumps slightly. “Right…” She says as she gets her satchel and bag packed. Coral grabs her already packed bag and sets it by the window in the room, and swims out to the ball. Angel follows after her after doing the same, Kyle swims over to the girls and hugs his twin happily, Nico hovering awkwardly behind Angel. The Queen glides through the water, dancing with the King of the northern seas. Angel looks around curiously, a boy around Corals age swims over to the pinkette and holds his hand out for a dance. Angel takes his hand and dances with the boy. “The name’s Rouge.” the boy says to Angel, he had pure white hair with patches of blood red and his skin was a pale olive color, his eyes were violet purple with golden flecks. “Angel,” she says back nicely. Rouge smirks as he dances with the younger princess, “so.. What are your plans for life?”, “Why do you want to know?” Angel says curious, and unsure.

The boy’s  smirk grows mysterious, because i will be asking your mother for your hand.” he says nonchalantly, under his breath muttering about someone’s  head. “We only just met…. I don’t even want to be married.” Angel tries to push him away as she attempts reason, he grabs her wrist harshly and growls “you see little princess, you have no choice.” Angel looks at him, knowing that he is right. There would be no way to make the Queen change her mind about this. Nico swims over, a stony look in his eyes, “excuse me sir, but i’m afraid my sister is done with this dance.” he growls out and takes Angels arm from Rouge. Angel looks at Nico thankful that he came. “Indeed i am.” Angel says. Nico glides into a dance with Angel as a new song starts, “who was that creep?” he asks her. “His name was Rouge. He wants my hand in marriage…” she replies. Nicos eyes darken, “over my dead body.” he growls and pulls his sister over to the twins. Angel mumbles, “i don’t think that is all he wants though…”, Nico stops swimming, “what do you mean?!” he demands. “He said something to himself. About someone’s head.” Angel says frightened. Nico looks around frantically, “get the guards. I need to grab the kid.” he demands harshly. Angel nods and darts over to the guards telling them.