Will You Listen?

Will You Come, To Meet The King?

A fortnight had gone by since the invitations had come to the nobles of the seas, and the nymphs, and anyone who could breath underwater. A celebration was in tow.

'Will you come to meet the king and his family for their youngest daughter, Aariel's, coming of age.' It had said.

The biggest bustle since the last daughter, Xedda, had a birthday.

"ALL WELCOME LORD AND LADY TURNHILD!!!" a nasally voice boomed through the ball room. Prattling off name after name, mostly of bachelors, from around the world.

The king sat on his throne, smiling as he thought his daughters were getting ready. They would soon be married for alliances, and strengthening the kingdom.

Today, his daughter Aariel, is turning sixteen. She is suitable for marriage, and will be introduced to the best bachelors on the seven seas.

But, in the dressing room, the sisters are in a panic to dress and get ready, only realising the star of the day is missing.

"What are we to tell father?!" They all cry out in horror. "Surely we will die!" One screeched 'And be fed to the sharks.' Thought another sarcastically.

They all hastily made their way to the shell, which could fit them all twice over. And worriedly called the guards to carry them.

The centerpiece was gone! They just had to continue like nothing were wrong, and maybe, just maybe, their father wouldn't notice.

As the performance of the princesses opened, they all swam out and gracefully got into position. Their father immediately knew that his daughter was gone, and enraged by this used his loudest yell.

"WHERE IS AARIEL!!!!?" He yelled as everyone in the court trembled in fear.

"I-I um... W-we don't know, she wasn't there f-father." The eldest of the sisters said.

"You know h-her, father, sh-she's probably ex-exploring a new ship..." the middle child said, defending her sister.

The sisters all nodded in agreement. The king seemed to contemplate this.

"Sir T'cha, you will watch her, I have high hopes that you'll take care of her." He turned to one of the bachelors. "You and Aarial were close... do not disappoint." He said to the man.

Beaming, he nodded and mumbled in acceptance. He had, afterall been hoping to woo her.

He then turned into a crab and swam in search.

*Aariel's POV*

I swim through the empty ship, decked out for my birthday, and grinning at my genius. No stuffy ball, the ocean called me here, and I listened. Like my mother used to.

With my pretty teal-green hair flowing around me, I pick up a trinket from the... table, right, we don't have a word for ours, but I know that's what humans call them, I listened to the pirates on the... uh, ships. The trinket has three sharp spindles at the edge, and a long pole at the end.

I recognise that it looks like my father's trident. I wave it through the water, and smile at the feeling.

I examine the trinkets, with a curious smile. "M'lady Aariel, you shouldn't be here, alone." A voice with a heavy accent told me.

I turned abruptly to see a crab transform into a merman.

"Hmm." I hummed with a fake smile and nodded.

"Well the wh-" he started but I took off, through a tiny opening. I will not be forced to go to that stuffy ball.

I found a hole too small for him to fit through and went through it abruptly. To come face to face with a shark, with reighns, and a helmet, along with other armor.

Perfect, I hopped onto it to feel it tense beneath me.

"Oh... shit..." as soon as I finished the sentence it began to violently twist and churn beneath me.

I flew off of it to be caught in a strong current, which pushed me to a cave.

I hit my head on a rock and the last thing I remembered was feeling delicate arms around me.