Between Waves and Clouds

11 - Santaklaussen

Frost jolted when someone knocked at his door. He tore his eyes from the nacre sheets he was readying for the entire morning and noon. The sound had also woken up the small beluga napping next to him. She had jolted so high that, if the water wasn't carrying her, she could have slipped from the shell bed.

The young merman chuckled and swam to the door, opening it to reveal a grumpy mermaid. Despite gorgeous curves and voluptuous fins, the mermaid was scary because of her bulky shoulders and death glare. Her reddish-pink skin blended with the firing red of her scales and hair. Hair that was bright red, with yellow strands in it, the firing color swirling behind her back.

She was wearing an epaulet on the left shoulder and had a long spear in hands, both made of the same dark green reef the city was build of. Frost hold back a grunt as he realised what the guard wanted. She still thought she had to remind him.

''Your Highness, your brothers are waiting for you for training.''

''Thank you Amonël, I know—''

''If you are not ready within five minutes, I will have to take you there by force.''

''That won't be necessary.'' He sighed.

He closed the door without letting her say something more, so the red mermaid decided to wait by the door, mentally counting the five minutes with irritation. Frost sighed heavily and ran a hand on his face, under the shy and concerned gaze of Baby Tooth. After a few moment, she swam to him.

''You have a training, today ?''

He nodded without a word, it was obvious he wasn't excited by the prospect.

''It's gonna be alright.''

''Thanks for trying to cheer me up, but we both know how it's going to end up.''

Baby Tooth lowered her head, her smile dropping too.

''You really have to go ?''

''Unfortunately, yes. Don't forget Father wants to.''

''But Cörail is so mean...''

''I know, it's not like we can do anything about it.''

He stroked her big snout before swimming towards the giant pinkish shell he used as a chest. He took out the different pads he had to wear during training, and struggled to put them on.

The reef armbands were too large for his thin arms, hense he had to wrap stripes between his skin and the object so they wouldn't slip. Because of this, it took him longer than the others needed to put them on. The same applied for the epaulets he had to tie around his neck and chest so they wouldn't slip on his arms. When he was finally done, he left heavy and encumbered.

He looked back to Baby Tooth, who barely managed to smile encouragingly to him. This smile dropped once the door closed behind him. She whispered a 'good luck' as she knew she couldn't go with him and cheer him up there, thought she knew he needed it.

Amonël lead Frost in the corridors of the reef castle, even if the training arena was not far from his room and located in the same north wing he wasn't allowed to leave. Frost knew the wing by heart as he had spent his entire life there, but the red mermaid wanted to make sure he was really going to training.

All too soon they reached the tall doors, and he knew there were no more path back possible as the guard opened the door for him. He barely had the time to swim into the room it was already closed behind him. The eyes of the two mermans within the arena instantly landed on him. There were his two older brothers.

The first one, the edler, was litteraly twice the size of Frost. His muscles were showing on his shoulders, chest, six-packs and his large tail. Even his fins looked strong. His skin was a light blue contrasting with the darker blue scales and hair, the tail had coral patterns on it.