Royal Waters

Chapter 6

Some changes are personal. Others are universal or controversial. The change this sea is doing to me and everyone I care about is ripping me apart. I swam out of my room from the mansion and swam out to a coral far away from the kingdom. I was still a safe distance to see the town lights.

I cried the whole time pulling my tail up so I can lay my crossed arms on them. I don't want to go back there. This isn't my home and those certainly aren't my parents. My mother used to be the bossy one while my father was caring and the softy that mother had to straighten out.

Was it all an act? Did they even think of sending a note saying they are alive? Or something? And my sister is another thing, she was only three when she 'died' with my parents. Did she know of me? When did my parents tell her of me? 

I bet they only told her when Nix called them to his castle. I feel so far away from actually being at home. Maybe, my parents did die that day and became different people. People, I am losing faith in.

"Hello, love. Why are you crying?" An unfamiliar male voice reaches my ears. I turn to see a merman on a deep red seahorse.

"Just crying." I look away cursing myself. Why didn't I notice him before? Oh right, i was crying my heart out.

"Mermaids don't cry for nothing. Tell me what is wrong?" He swims over as his sea horse stays in his place.

"My father seems to be very pushy and I don't know why? He never was like that when I was younger nor to my sister." He nods and sits next to me.

He has a deep red tail that matches his sea horse. He is muscular yet lean with tanned skin and black wavy smooth hair that flies along with the water. He wears a tattoo of a trident on his left shoulder.

"Hm, family problem. Been there, left that." I look up into his black orbs.

"You left your family?" I ask astounded. Why would anyone do that?

"Yeah, they had expectations for me to woo the red-tailed princess." I look away thinking of Crystal.

"You must have hated that." thinking about being forced to woo someone you do not love.

"Hm, not so much. Leaving was easy but living in exile is a bit challenging." his smooth voice fills the silence of the sea.

"Hm, might have some relation to that feeling. Been away from my family and now a lot of expectations and fate is on my shoulders." I confess thinking of the way I was almost like an exile being on land.

"Really!? What would a gorgeous mermaid-like you be as an exile?" He asks surprised and a mischievous grin across his lips.

"I was on land most of my life and now I am back home."

"Are you Cymopoleia?" He asks leaning slightly.

"Yeah, why?" 

"Interesting. I would have thought you would love being a princess?" he asked casually.

"I didn't even know my parents were royals until I met Nix and-"

"Wait! You met the Coral king?" he interrupts me. He waves his hands in front of him. 

"Yeah, he was at the aquarium which I worked at and he brought me into the sea as I transformed into my mermaid self," I explain and the merman leans back on his hands.

"Hm, seems you are in trouble." He swims off the coral which I sit on and jumps on his sea horse.

He pulls the reins and the horse swims forward. I pet his muzzle and he neighs at me. He swims to the side in order for me to see the merman. The merboy really who looks to be the same age as I; extends a hand for me to take. I look at the merman and then at the hand.