Beneath the Waves (Ocean Song Book 1)

Chapter 15: Dark Secrets

Above picture is just to give you all an idea as to Serena's hair color. This is creamy blonde and I'd say the eyes are about the right color as well but maybe just a little bluer. I know I posted a picture in one of these chapters with the desired color but whatever, it's more just referencing her hair color anyway. All credit goes to the author who took this photo, all I did was borrow it. So yeah, that's all.

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"My Lady it is time you awaken," Aaralyn says quickly as she bustles about the room opening curtains. Serena groans as she pulls her covers farther over her head but a huff of frustration follows at the lack of gravity in the ocean. Her covers form something of a bubble as they slowly settle around her and by then Aaralyn has robbed her of that comfort in which she'd been awaiting.

"Why is it so important that I get up so early all of a sudden?!" She whines as she's pulled out of bed and prepped for the day.

"The King wishes for you to be present at breakfast this morning." At this Serena's eyes go as wide as saucers with her mouth hanging agape in shock.

"W-why?" She asks as she struggles to reel in her demeanor after hearing the startling announcement.

"I know not Lady Serena but in any event, you must not be late!" Aaralyn says in a hurry as she pulls a brush through her charge's soft locks. Serena finally decides to bite her tongue as her mind flies into thoughts of how she should act and what she should say. She's never had to dine with royalty before! She's just gotten used to the fact that she's within the same vicinity as them with the added bonus of the princess hanging around her all of the time. She would've been perfectly content with just dining in her room as always or alone with her brother as she's started to do since his arrival. Her thoughts come to a sudden halt due to the interruption of Aaralyn pushing her out the doors and down the hall.

"W-wait!" Serena cries out but it is in vain as it falls upon deaf ears.

"Now, now my Lady. We are already behind schedule so we cannot afford for you to be late!" Aaralyn warns but to Serena it sounds as though she's saying it more to herself rather than her. All too quickly does the doors to the dining hall come into view as it is the only door with a pair of guards stationed there. The guards nod their head in acknowledgement of Serena as they pull open the doors and Aaralyn forces her inside. All is silent as seven sets of eyes fall upon her. Four of those seated are the faces she recognizes quite well with one of them being her very own older brother but it is the last two faces that baffle her. She's never seen these people before but her bewilderment doesn't go unnoticed as one of the two new merpeople smiles radiantly.

"You must be Serena! I have heard quite a bit about you!" The mermaid says cheerfully as Aaralyn guides Serena to a seat across from her brother. "My how lovely you are! I never knew humans could be so beautiful! Then again, it has been quite some time since I last saw a human!" She laughs and Serena finds herself relaxing at the exuberant energy she emits.

"Dear child, I see that you are confused. Allow me to introduce you," King Neptune says with a hearty laugh. "First I would present you my mother, Queen Salacia." Serena struggles to keep her body from jolting out of surprise as she stares upon the mother of the King. She doesn't even look like she's past her twenties! Her youthful appearance makes it difficult to believe that she's the King's mother, not to mention the grandmother of the Prince and Princess.

"Oh dear, you have shocked the poor girl!" Queen Salacia says in a chiding manner as Serena sneaks a gaze over to her poker-faced brother but clearly he's just as shocked going by the barely noticeable twitch of his brow. "Allow me to dispel the cloud of confusion around you little one. Merpeople are not at all like humans when it comes to aging. We have been granted the gift of long life going on into eternity and with it we are given eternal youth so by the time a merperson reaches their twentieth year they cease aging," she says softly but then even more questions pop into Serena's head. If this is the case then just how old is she? She muses as she listens to the Queen's explanation. "And in the event that you are no doubt wondering, I am close to five millennia now," she says thoughtfully as the shocked girl's eyes fly wide open once again. Five thousand years of age and she still doesn't look a day over twenty! This is what she considers to be the perks of having a tail and living underwater.