Don't Forget

#1 Princess Anahita

It would have been extremely dark in the palace if it wasn't for the softly glowing seagrass planted near the floor. A wide cavern opens up into the throne room of the palace.
If any creature besides the aquatic Piscus could see their architecture, they'd probably miss it entirely. The massive underwater city looks like hills and mountains of rock from above. Only by going through the cave tunnels would one see the grand beauty chiseled deep into the ground.
     The castle itself looked like a mound of sand. On the contrary, the cave entrance openes up into large underwater cavern. The floors has been chiseled smooth and luminescent seagrasses were planted to light the space. The walls are carved with different scenes, decorating the space like paintings.
Piscus, or squids, aren't less intelligent then other hybrids. They've just been almost completely isolated from humans or other hybrids. Their customs are different, they speak with different accents, and their social cues don't sink up with the rest of the world. Many conflicts could of been avoided if there was a little more understanding.
      They aren't particularly ambitious, either. Every empire in existence has fought over territory. That's what almost all wars are fought for. It was inevitable that the Piscus would have their first. They've never been to war before with a whole ocean to call their own. Unfortunately, no conflict means that greed grows. 
Princess Anahita is considered beautiful among her people. The light blue skin, dark hair streaked with blue, and pastel green eyes would throw off any other human or hybrid. The blue skin and webbed hands are common features for Piscus hybrids.
Anahita quickly ducks down a side passage, a royal guard swimming right by her hiding place. She has to cover her mouth in order not to laugh. A Piscus's voice is quite audible, even underwater. She peaks out and looks around before launching herself down the corridor. It's so much fun for Anahita to push herself off the walls! She shouldn't be doing it, but the neglected teen doesn't really care.
     The princess has three two brothers, but she's older then all of them by at least six years, making her next in line for the throne. Of corse, she has to marry first. Anahita rolls her eyes at the thought. A guy would just get in her way!
     She carefully makes her way past the guards without being seen. The King has sent all the guards to find his daughter for him, but Anahita knows all the best spots to hide. It against the rules for her to ever leave the castle without five escorts in tow. The rule seems ridiculous to her. Why should she get paraded around like some precious treasure? Anahita likes to annoy her father when she can. It's the only time he pays attention.
     She slips through a large set of double doors, closing them softly behind her. Regular books quickly fall apart underwater. That's not the case for the books in the Piscus Royal library. The material is made from sugarcane mixed with some sea plant, making them water proof. Anahita closes the door with a smirk. The guards didn't even see her! Then she turns around and runs right into the General. He does not seem pleased.
"I assume that you already know that the King is looking for you?", he growls. The General stands at least a foot taller then the princess, all muscle and annoyance.
"Well, yeah. But I figured that you'd find me if it was really important", Anahita says with a crap eating grin on her face. She knows that he can't touch her. No one would dare upset the princess. The General narrows his eyes, obviously wanting to test that theory.
He eventually snarls and slams back open the library doors. Anahita follows without being asked. Her games can only last for so long. Messing with the General is almost as good as annoying her father.
The pair swim down the winding halls, Anahita becoming a little nervous. What's so important that the King needed her? She is too young to marry. Or at least she hopes that she still is. The King usually lets his children wander the castle or leave with the guards whenever they choose. It's strange for her to be called on like this.
The doors seem to tower over Anahita when they get to the throne room. They're not at all comforting like the library doors. The General knocks once before opening them up and waiting for her to go first. The General refuses to let her get out of his sight.
Anahita hesitantly goes into the room, already knowing what to expect. The massive chamber is oval in shape with glowing seagrasses all along the floor. Pillars support the arching ceiling and have lapis blocks on either end. Almost every wall in the palace is made of prismarine, including this room.
The princess pushes off the floor and swims up into the room with the General following. Her father isn't in his throne like usual. Instead, the Piscus King hovers in the middle of the room with two of his Captains. Both of them are far nicer to Anahita. Why couldn't father send one of them to get her? Both of the Captains' eyes immediately shift to the pair, alerting the King to their presence.
     "Daughter", he greets her, turning away from the Captains.
     "Well that's nice", Anahita thinks, "He only calls me daughter when he wants something". King Salaris of the Squids makes a very imposing figure. His pitch black hair is cropped short to his blue skin, and he's taller and broader then anyone else in the room. The only resemblance Anahita has to him are their light green eyes.
"You requested to see me, Father?", she asks him, trying to keep her voice level. The two don't exactly have the perfect daughter-father relationship. King Salaris always valued his sons more then his only daughter.
"Anahita, do you remember your lessons on the GoldenEye Kingdom?", Salaris asks her. Of course she did. Liblicen never posed any threat to their home, but GoldenEye had continuously shows disdain and disrespect to her people.
"The continent to the East", she nods. What is this all about? Are they finally going to war with the continent?
      "And you're aware of the small island off it's coast, yes?", Salaris continues, "GoldenEye uses it as one big shipping port, but I think that it would be in our best interest to take the island for the Piscus Empire". The small island really is just one big fishing port. Most of the land is covered by wooden docks and bridges. It allows traders to avoided stepping on the mainland. That doesn't mean that it's not valuable.
"Da-, um, King Salaris", Anahita stutters, "Why would you want that island? Our people have lived underwater for thousands of years. GoldenEye won't just hand it over to us". Anahita thinks taking the island is a terrible idea. It would do nothing except give the soil stompers somewhere to attack. She knows all her father would want it for is the reputation of actually having valuable land to other kingdoms.
"You are not to question your King, only follow orders", Salaris narrows his eyes. Anahita ducks her head and looks at the ground.
"Yes, my King. What do you need me to do?", she mumbles. Royalty by birthright is taken extremely seriously in the Squid Kingdom. Still, Anahita doesn't think her birth right protects her from the King.
"Anahita, you will lead a small battalion of soldiers to the island. I want you to negotiate a trade for the land", the King tells her.
"And if they don't agree?", she asks. Anahita already knows the answer. This isn't a peace mission.
"If we can't purchase the island, take it", Salaris deadpans. The undertone in his voice makes Anahita shiver. Her father can't possibly expect that GoldenEye will just give up the island? It's a suicide mission. No, it's a way to get rid of her.
"Yes...... my King", the princess quietly says. She wouldn't of had a choice in the matter, anyways. The soldiers had already been prepared to march for the next day.
King Salaris is not stupid. He knows how this will most likely end. His daughter will be marked as royalty by the ornate armor she will wear. GoldenEye will crush the small group of soldiers and take his daughter prisoner. But that's just what the Squid King wants.
This whole show isn't just about the island. No, it's for the whole continent. The Piscus's greatest enemy will be swallowed up into the King's empire. All he needed was a reason. Salaris needed his people to feel the need to stand and fight. There needs to be a better reason then more land. A captured princess would do nicely for his plans. He would retrieve her after they won.
Princess Anahita did exactly as she was told. The small group of hybrids swam to the island and climbed up onto its wooden walkways. It's the first time that any of them had been out of the water. The Piscus still possesse lungs from before they evolved. It took time for them to be accustomed to their own weight above the water. They still followed orders.
The soldiers stationed on the island were not impressed by the invading hybrids. What would be the first thought when armed warriors crawl out of the ocean and into your home? No one is even sure who attacked first. The Squid soldiers were outnumbered one to three, not to mention their awkwardness on land.
The gold on Anahita's helmet made her stick out for who she was. Only a few Squids weren't killed, including her. The princess hated her father for the suicide mission that was forced upon so many of her people. Her fate turns out to be so much worse.
The prisoners were shackled and loaded onto wagons. Anahita only showed grim defiance on the way to the capital. It gave the others some hope that she had a plan. But she didn't. The princess was just a pawn used on her father's chess board of bishops.
She almost starved herself on the journey. The GoldenEye soldiers escorting the caravan had to tie the princess down and force fed her. They let one of the other prisoners die.
The massive walls made Anahita feel like she had entered the gates of the underworld. GoldenEye's capital is so different from her own home. She had started to become lightheaded for short periods of time with how pure the oxygen was to her. The smoke from fires still burned her throat.
The castle was even more daunting to the remaining prisoners. Anahita snarls at the castle guard who yanks her forwards. He cuffs her head in punishment. This just makes the princess even more livid. She simmers in her helplessness while being dragged into the castle.
     The large building has far too much gold for her tastes. It must make the surrounding houses almost burst into flame with the summer heat. Wasting the resource like this seems extremely unnecessary.
    Anahita is marched through the castle with two of her soldiers. They both cower with the enemy all around, but the princess only glares at anyone who meets her gaze. If this her fate, then god dammit, Anahita is going to fight all the way. She won't give her father the satisfaction of seeing her lay down and quietly die.
      The throne room is similarly shaped like the one she is used to. The only differences are the material and lack of water. It makes Anahita homesick to look at. She misses her grand library and palace gardens. The princess glares down at the GoldenEye King.
      He was obviously expecting them. Multiple archers line the walls with arrows notched, and armed guards are hovering all around the hybrids. What surprises Anahita is the petite woman sitting in the throne beside the King. Her mother didn't have a throne next to her father's.
     There wasn't much to be said. Piscus had threatened GoldenEye when they weren't on very good terms in the first place. It was easy for the King to imprison and torture the two soldiers for information. The GodenEye King looked the fiery princess up and down with a cold gaze. He had other plans for Anahita.
     The princess died ten months after her imprisonment. War had already been declared, but King Salaris always expected to retrieve his daughter. This revelation  enraged the hybrids to no end. The war would reach a stalemate, continuing for twelve long years until there was a change.

(A/N)

Yeah, I know that none of the main characters have been introduced, that's all reserved for next chapter. Have patience!
But what do you think of this writing style? I've only used it one time before in a smaller book. In my opinion, this point of view if the best way to tell this story. It might get a bit too formal at times, though.
Thoughts? Excited to meet Prince Adam next Chapter?