Under Blue Skies

Chapter 2: The Seer

Maris Salacia:

"Ah, Fishsticks!"

A barrel of kelp topples over and the merchant glares but I have no time to stick around.

"Sorry!" I holler as I swim as fast as my purple scaled tail was willing to take me.

I'm late, i'm late, i'm late, i'm la-

"Maris!"

Damn it!

I don't falter at the sound of my friend's familiar voice. Instead, he swims up to me, his large blue-grey tail allowing him to catch up must faster than an average Shark-being. Emeric has always been faster than the others

"What are you late to this time?" Emeric questions as we continue to speed along the kingdom of Costalia. The castle sits ahead, towering over the city in all it's blue glory.

"The Seer is coming to the castle today. Some sort of a mandatory-" I almost go smack into a group of mermaids idling in the our path, but Emeric is faster and latches a grip around my wrist to fling us out of the way without even slowing us down. "visit? It sounded urgent so Auntie requested us all to be there, but she didnt say what the concern was."

"Wait, that blind bloat-fish is coming to see you guys?"

"She is not a bloat-fish!" I defend.

There's a giant school of yellow fish merrily circling ahead. Emeric is quick to swerve around the group.

I, on the other hand, barrel right through the group, spewing an apology along the way. Emeric shakes his blond head at me.

"Well she's just as plump and spiky as one. Unlike any Mermaid I have ever seen!"

"Now's not the time, Emeric!" I huff. The castle was right ahead, we we're almost there. Maybe I'd make it on time-

"Maybe she's a distant relative to the blow-fish?"

"Not now, Emeric!" Grabbing onto his hand, I wave our locked hands in the air and scream like a mad fool to catch the attention of the guards. At the sight of our hysteria, a flicker of recognition appears on their faces and the large gates heave open.

"Thank you!" We yell in unison before I'm leading us through a side entrance. If we're lucky, we'll pass through the kitchen and sneak into the common area where I was supposed to be, waiting for the Seer.

Of course, barging through the kitchen unexpectedly earned us a few curse words and a dish being thrown at Emeric's head, but we manage to make it out with very few injuries.

Out the kitchen, Emeric rubs the side of his head and I scan the hallway before swimming further ahead, trying to scope out the area when someone clears their throat.

"Blimey!"

Sure enough, Auntie's assistant, Vio, is glaring down at me. He crosses his bulky arms over his chest, his usual stoic expression plastered on his features.

"You're late."

"Who, us?" I question, looking back at Emeric who feigns a look of innocence, "we were just in the kitchen!"

"Yes, we were hungry!" My friend nods enthusiastically, rubbing his exposed belly.

Vio does not look amused. He takes one look at the forming bump on Emeric's head and sighs before nodding to the common area. "Go."

"On it." I mumble, ready to go forward when I hear Emeric yelp.

Vio has pulled my blond haired friend back, holding him back with a tight grip on his shoulder. He glares. "Not you."