The music changed to a slow song, which set the mood between my partner and I. We were the center of attention. Everyone's eyes were on us, while the two of us danced in the center. I heard some people whisper, "Is that her suitor?" I just smiled, and continued dancing. The song had  finished and everyone cheered for us.

We walked away from the crowd, and went for a walk together.

"What's your name?" I asked him.

"Alastair La Croix. I am prince of Everwood." He responded.

"Nice to meet you, Prince Alastair." I smiled at him.

"Have you been enjoying the celebration so far?" He questioned.

"I have. It isn't my liking, though. I like to be alone most of the time. What about you?" I spoke.

"I have. Everyone here is nice and happy."

We stopped walking, and took a seat on a bench in the royal garden. "This is my favorite place throughout the castle. I love coming here to read a book, or just to overlook the waves in the distance." I told him.

"This is a beautiful place. What are these flowers? I've never seen them before." He asked.

"These are gladiolus's. They represent the month that I was born, and symbolize strength and moral integrity. They are my favorite flowers in the whole island." I responded, "Each color represents a different meaning." I picked a purple gladiolus, and handed it to Alastair. "This one represents Charm and Grace."

Alastair picked a red gladiolus. "And the meaning behind a red one?"

"It represents love and passion." I said.

He handed me the flower. "Well then, this is for you my Queen." told me, with a cheerful smile.

I smiled back, and accepted the flower.

We headed back to the dining hall. "I'll see you tomorrow then, my Queen." Alastair said as he kissed my hand.

I watched him walk away, before I headed back to the dinner table.

I took my seat at the table, while I saw Marielle and Coralie walk briskly towards me.

"Queen Vaea! Who was he? Is he your chosen suitor?" Coralie asked, her voice raised in excitement.

"He's Prince Alastair La Croix. he is from Everwood." I responded, taking a sip from my wine glass.

"You still didn't answer my second question! I really want to know if he is the one!" Coralie said.

"I am not sure yet. You shall have to wait to find out." I teased.

"Where did the two of you go?" Marielle questioned, raising a brow at me.

"We didn't do anything wrong. The two of us went for a short walk to the garden." I responded.

"I see he has a strong liking for you." I turned to see my mother, holding up the red gladiolus that Alastair had handed me earlier. "He clearly can't seem to stop staring at you, either." She added, as she nodded her head in the direction where he was.

The two of us met eyes, making the both us look away from each other's gazes.

The celebration ended, and I lied down in bed while Marielle shut the blinds.

"Marielle." I called for her.

"Yes, my dear." She turned to come and stand by my bedside table.

"I have great trust in you. I don't want you tell anyone; not my mother, not Coralie. No one." I started off. She nodded her head, and continued to listen, "I think Prince Alastair might be the one."

"You two look deeply in love, my dear. There is no doubt that there is a strong love connection between the both of you." She told me. "Goodnight, my dear. Sleep well."

"Goodnight, Marielle."

"Look at her. Our poor sister has been declared Queen today. Hmph, she doesn't deserve that crown. Looking pure and happy. She clearly doesn't remember her original home. Down here, where we claim the lives of many. Why is she the chosen one!?! She is full of rage and terror, why is she like this!?" I screamed.

"How do we get her to return to the depths?" My sister asked.

"We do what we do best. We lure her down here, and show her the life that she was supposed to have." Another one of my sisters' responded.

"If you want her to come down here. You are going to need to awaken the beast inside of her. The beast inside isn't fully awakened yet. We need to sing in order to awaken the beast. Then, we can lure her down here." I told them.

That night I couldn't sleep. All I could here was someone singing outside my windows. "My heart is pierced by cupid. I disdain all glittering gold. There is nothing can console me. But my jolly sailor bold."

For someone reason I know this song by heart. Why do I know this? I asked myself. "Come all you pretty fair maids, whoever you may be; who love a jolly sailor bold that plows the raging sea, While up aloft, in storm or gale, from me his absence mourn, And firmly pray, arrive the day, he home will safe return." I start singing a low tone. I couldn't stop myself. I felt different; like something inside me changed.

I got up from my bed, and walked to my window. I opened and stared at the sea. I saw nothing, except the waves crashing upon the beach. The moon was full, and hung high in the sky. For some reason, I felt like the ocean called my name. It was saying my name repeatedly. Vaea...

The next day, I hopped into the bath. My eyes widened at what I saw. I have a mermaid tail! I thought to myself. My tail was the color of amber brown.

Coralie walked in and screamed, "Queen Vaea!" Her eyes widened and look at me in awe. "What happened to you overnight?" She questioned.

"I don't know what happened last night." I told her.

"I'm going to get Marielle." She said urgently, as she walked out of my bathroom.

I looked down at my tail, watching it splash around in the little water that covered it.

"Oh my god! What happened? This never happened when you were younger!" Marielle exclaimed.

"Tell us what happened when you were going to sleep." Coralie spoke.

"I remember hearing someone sing My Jolly Sailor Bold outside my window. For some unknown reason I knew the song by heart, and sang along. Then it seemed like the ocean was calling my name." I paused for a moment. "I can still hear them call for my name."

Marielle and Coralie exchanged looks. "The prophecy must be true then."

"What prophecy?" I questioned.

Coralie conditioned my hair as Marielle told me the prophecy. "It is said that the one that is born during a thunderstorm and saves Wrilul from a tsunami, is the Queen of the Ocean. They say that the beast inside the Queen is dangerous and uncontainable. The ancestors believe that the mermaids are angered by the people on the land for stealing their queen, and will do anything to awaken the beast and to bring back their queen."

I was sitting at my vanity, staring at myself in the mirror. Great, now I have to live up to a damn prophecy.

I heard my door open. "Is anything wrong, Vaea?" My mother asked as she walked into my room.

"Did you know about the prophecy?" I questioned.

"I did. I didn't want to stress you out with your practices on running a kingdom. I wanted to tell you when you were older, before your crowning; but with time I ended up forgetting since I held it in for so long." She explained, as she took a seat next to me.

"I understand. I was young, when you found out." I couldn't blame her for not telling me. I also couldn't blame her for not telling me, before the day of my crowning. She forgets things now and then because of her age.

"I know it's hard for you to be careful when you're around water. I mean, it's in your name. Your name translates to Queen of the Ocean. You were born on a rainy day. You stopped a tsunami the day of your birth. But you're going to have to stay strong for: me, your dad, Coralie, Marielle, and the man that you met." She told me.

"I know... I just don't want to live my life afraid. I don't want to be afraid of the powers that dwell inside me. I don't want to be afraid of anything." I responded. I felt tears coming.

"Just... try to stay strong." My mother said, as she moved the hair out of my face.

" I will mother."

I was told by Marielle and Coralie, to avoid having any contact with water. I was in my study room, just thinking. My best friend, Onyxia Aryle, was sitting in a chair watching me pace around. "I don't think that I can avoid this, Onyxia. I am stormborn! I have powers that can stop a tsunami. I am Queen of the Ocean. Without water, I am nothing." I was tense over the whole situation.

"You need to calm down. I know it's a lot to handle, but you have to do it. It's not good for the queen to be stressed. Try to accept it. Think about how it can help you. Do you know how your powers are useful?"She asked.

"No. I don't know what powers that I have. All I know from what Marielle told me, is that the beast within is dangerous and that the mermaids are angry that the humans stole their queen." I answered.

"Okay... well I think that it's best if you stop thinking about it. Start thinking about your suitor. Who are you going to marry?" Onyxia said, as she made me sit down.

"I have my eyes set on Alastair. But I am not set on marrying him yet." I responded to her.

"Describe him to me. How was your first impression of him." She told me.

"Well... He is very charming and romantic. He is everything that I want in a man; especially one that will be the future king of Wrilul."

"Okay, that's good. Now... I want you to think about how you are planning to tell him about the prophecy. In order to have a stable connection with each other, you should tell him everything. It's a good chance to know from the beginning, whether he will support you." She explained.

"I was thinking of just telling him everything, and hope for the best. If he leaves, then that is okay. I can rule without him."

"Okay... Go ahead and tell him. Meanwhile, you should try to learn more about the beast." Onyxia said as she hugged me and left the room.

I sat in  my chair for a moment to contemplate about everything. Is that what we are calling my powers? The beast? I then got up and walked to the library. I walked down each aisle trying to find a book about mermaids, wanting to learn everything about them. In the last aisle at the back of the library, I found a leather-bound book that was titled: Hidden in the depths. The book was written by a famous writer, Jaxon Quasona, who was known throughout the whole world. I immediately sat at a table and started reading.

'A mermaid isn't like Ariel from The Little Mermaid. They are known to kill people; Not just men, they kill everyone. They kill women and children as well. They do this by luring them to the ocean with their singing, and then drowning them. Mermaids have the ability to conjure up storms and wreck islands near by. Their scale are like those of a snake. They are known for having long, thin fingers as if they've been decaying for quite some time. Their nails are sharp and can tear a man's skin a part. A mermaid's eye color is black, but can change depending on their mood. Mermaids travel in groups, similar to dolphins. Above water, their voice is as pure as silk. Yet when they are underwater, they sound as if they're screeching; making it unbearable for a human's ears.

They surround Wrilul. The mermaids live off the coast of Wrilul, inside a cave. The cave is impossible to get to, without the help of the sun, moon, and stars.

The queen is notorious than the rest of them. She controls the others. The queen is known for controlling the wind and tides. Her powers are much stronger than the others. She has a voice that is strong and powerful. It can make grown men tremble. Her hair and eyes are jet black. Upon her head, she wears a crown. The crown is made up of seashells, jewels and bones. She sits on what seems like a throne, made out of a giant clam shell placed on top of the skulls of the victims who were drowned.'

I was so focused on reading, that I didn't notice someone walk next to me. "My queen." I looked up to see Alastair standing next to me.

"Oh, hi!" I said to him.

"What book are you reading?" He asked, taking a seat next to me.

"I am reading Hidden in the Depths. It's about the mermaids that surround Wrilul. You have heard about the mermaids, while coming here haven't you?"

"I've heard stories about them on the ship traveling here. Is there any reason why you're reading about it?" He questioned.

"There is, but I feel better explaining it to you outside." We walked out of the library and walked around the castle grounds. I clutched the book in my arms and spoke, "So the reason why I'm reading this book is because there is a prophecy. The people of Wrilul believe that the one that is born during the night of a terrible storm and stops a tsunami from damaging the island, is a goddess being born into the human world. They say that the one that is 'stormborn' is the queen of the mermaids that surround the island. The mermaids, however, are angered at the people living in Wrilul for stealing their queen and will do anything to get her back."

There was a short pause between us, as we stopped and admired the view of the ocean. "...I'm guessing that the prophecy is about you. The people that attended your crowning, were talking about you being 'stormborn', and that you were special and important." Alastair told me. I just nodded my head.

"So... you're fine with me and the prophecy?" I asked.

"Of course I am. I just want you to be safe and careful." He reassured me.

As Alastair was speaking, his voice was drowned out by the voices coming from the sea. "Vaea. Come home." The voices were the same ones that I heard from the night before.

My eyes started to tear up. I don't know what's happening to me. "Queen Vaea! What's wrong? Get the guards!" Alastair yelled.

It was hard for me to speak. All I was able to say was, "Help me..." I felt something wrap around my ankles and pulled, making me lose my balance. I dropped the book, and fell into the ocean. There was foam all around me. My clothes were torn off of me, and my tail appeared once again. I felt hands around my body. I was afraid. My tail was heavy, weighing me down. I couldn't breathe. I struggled for air, but it felt like I wasn't in control of my own body.

I heard screeches coming from all directions. There was a whirlpool of bubbles around me. I felt my body shut down. I was going to pass out. All I could hear was a voice say, "Relax, " before my eyes closed shut.

My eyes fluttered open, adjusting to the dim-lit room. I looked around and scanned my surroundings. The moon illuminated the space around me; I was in a cave with a pool where the moon brightened the water around me. I didn't notice it before, but I seemed to be breathing normally underwater. I looked down to see what I slept on, which was a stone surface and I used a portion of a seaweed bed as a blanket. I didn't bother to get up, since I didn't know how to use my tail yet. There were multiple schools of fish swimming around the room. A koran angelfish swam past me. It was unusual having around fish swim around me, but it was also amazing at the same time.

I looked toward the tunnel and saw a shadow of another mermaid. I panicked. I was afraid of them. Especially since they pulled me into the water. The other mermaid swam towards me. I backed myself up a wall. "Don't be frightened by me, Vaea." She spoke. The scales of her blue tail shined in the moonlight.

"How do you know my name?" I questioned, as my voice cracked.

"Everyone here knows your name. You are the queen down here. My name is Naporia. I'm one of the few, who are actually nice." She introduced herself. "The others... are dangerous. But they sent me to get you for the ceremony."

"What ceremony?"

"Well, technically it's a ritual of you entering the position of being queen. Now, come on. Let's go." She swished her tail, creating bubbles.

"I don't know how to use my tail." I told her.

"Oh, it's easy! It's like this." She demonstrated. "Now, you try it."

Within a few minutes, I got the hang of it. "Thank you for helping me."

"Anything for you my queen." Naporia responded. She led me through many corridors, into an open reef. Before we continued she turned to me and said, "From here, you'll go all the way up to the altar. Then the one with the blonde hair will say an enchantment in french. You must respond back and say, 'I am the queen of the world above and below.' You have to say it in french, if you don't want anything bad to happen." I nodded my head.

I swam to the altar, in front of the throne that was stated in the book that I was reading, I turned around to face the others. Naporia was all the way in the back, behind everyone else. "Nous sommes ici avec la future reine de l'océan. Tous ceux devant elle, doit se prosterner devant elle. Êtes-vous, Vaea Stark, prêt à prendre la position de la reine?" The blonde haired mermaid spoke.

"Je suis la reine du monde ci-dessus et ci-dessous."

"Avec la puissance des dieux ci-dessus, peut-être vous donner les pouvoirs de Neptune notre reine bien-aimée Vaea!"

A ray of light appeared, striking the altar. For some reason, I wasn't in control of myself. I reached my hand out and touched the ray of light. It felt like I was being electrocuted. The power from the ray has started coursing through my veins. The veins throughout my body glowed a bright blue. The power was so strong, that the scale on my tail has started to peel away. My nails grew longer and sharper, my tail and hair color changed to a black abyss. The transformation finished and I was sitting on my throne, staring at the crowd. The mermaid then placed the crown upon my head and shouted, "Longue peut-elle regner!" Most of the mermaids cheered for me. I noticed three mermaids swimming away. One had red hair, another had blonde hair, and the third had brown hair. They each of them had matching tail colors, a blue and green mixture.

There wasn't a party after the ceremony, like the world above; which I am thankful for. Naporia stopped by my cave, so that she can explain the position of the queen. "Is there a way to contact the world above, without wanting to lure and drown the poor people?" I asked.

"Yes, my lady. It's very dangerous for you, the queen, to perform it though." Naporia responded.

"I don't care how dangerous it is. I belong with the humans more, than I do down here." I told her.

"It requires you to have a dagger, a vile of a human's blood, and the powers of the wind and tide." She said, "The dagger must have the words 'Mea Regina Mea Luge Meus Amor.' The blood has to be fresh, and the human must be killed by your own hand. With the powers of the wind and tide, you must lure another mermaid."

"How exactly am I supposed to find those?" I questioned.

"If it's something that you truly desire. Your newly gained powers will take you there."  Naporia added.

"Is there some sort of ritual to this?"

"Yes. After you get a vile filled with the blood of a human, you must be alone with the other mermaid that you lured. Then you must convince her to drink the vile. Once she drinks it, you must stab her with the dagger and say the words, Retournez mon monde à l'envers, et laisse-moi être dans la terre au-dessus."

"There has to be some easier way to do this. You can't just act like Ursula and give me human legs, with a price to pay later?"

She shook her head. "There is one other way to do it. There is a hand mirror that contains special magic. With this hand mirror you have to say the place where you want to be teleported. But I must remind you, that this mirror can only teleport you for a certain amount of times."

"Where is this mirror?"

"All I know is that the hand mirror is hidden inside a cave. No mermaid was able to find. If you are able to find it, I applaud you. If you are leaving tonight, I must warn you. There are three mermaids that will be on the hunt to kill you. They wanted the crown for themselves, but you took it. I've overheard them say that they are planning to kill you. Be careful and always be aware of everything around you." Naporia told me, before leaving.

I left my cave, shortly after Naporia left. I swam a good distance around the island. I stumbled upon another cave and entered. I looked around and saw two chalices, a chest filled with gold, and many other treasures. I peered around and saw many skeletons of humans and mermaids. The humans were lying everywhere on the ground. The skeletons of the mermaids were bounded in chains, and were outside of the water. I looked around and saw the hand mirror that Naporia was talking about. I grabbed it and sat on a stone ledge. 'Let's see... where should I teleport?' I figured out the place that I wanted to be taken to. "Mirror, mirror, take me to the castle for the one and only, Queen of Wrilul."

There was a gust of wind that surrounded me. I appeared inside of my room. I ended up falling on the floor. "What was that?" I heard Marielle's voice. I watched my tail disappear, falling off of my body like thin, sheer cloth; leaving me naked. "Oh, my dear! You're back! Here put this on." Marielle rushed in giving me clothes to wear. "What happened to you? Prince Alastair ran inside yelling for the guards to find you." She asked.

"I was pulled into the ocean by the mermaids. They declared me their queen." I told her.

"How did you find your way back? Knowing the mermaids, they would never let their queen escape from their vision." She lit a fire in the fireplace to warm me up.

"There was one mermaid who helped me. She was the only one that was different from the others. Her name was Naporia. She was very kind to me." I responded, "She also warned me to be wary of my surroundings. Naporia told me before I left that there are three other mermaids who are plotting to kill me, in order to take the crown and rule the sea."

"I must tell the guards and your family. They need to protect you from them. Come with me, my dear. Everyone wants to see you." She grabbed my hand, and led me through the halls of the castle.

We walked into living room, where everyone seemed to be. "What do you mean you can't find my daughter? I want her back, now!" My mother argued with a guard.

"My love!" Alastair got up and hugged me. We parted, and everyone stared at me.

"Where did you go? You made me panic! With my age, you should already know to not give me a heart attack." My mom hugged me tightly.

"I'm sorry." I said.

"Coralie. Go and fetch a cup of tea for Queen Vaea." My father commanded her. "Sit down and tell us what happened yesterday." He told me.

"From what I remember, I was talking to Prince Alastair, and then all of a sudden I was pulled into the ocean. They had a ceremony, and crowned me queen. I met one mermaid, who was nice and helpful. She did warn me that there are three other mermaids who are out to kill me, in order to get my crown." I explained.

My father nodded his head. "We will have guards that will be with you 24/7. They will protect you from any threat that is directed towards you."

"Father. I don't need guards."

"Yes, you do. You have those mermaids trying to hunt you down." My father's voice got deeper.

"The guards are useless! They don't know how to kill a mermaid. I'm fine on my own!" I exclaimed, and stormed out of the room.

I feel broken. My mind is in pieces. I feel like I'm going insane. I can feel the power, surging through my veins. My body wants me to kill. It wants me to murder and take the lives of the innocent. But that is not what I want.

I was walking through the halls, when I heard the guards arguing with someone. "Please, let me in! I need to speak with Queen Vaea!"

I recognized that voice... It's Naporia's. I ran towards them, and asked, "Is there something wrong?"

"We were only doing our job, your majesty." One guard spoke.

"Next time, tell me if there is someone that needs to speak with me." I told them. I noticed that Naporia was covered in leaves and rope. "Go and fetch a maid for me. Tell them, to bring an extra set of clothes for my friend."  

I removed my shawl, and tried my best to cover her up. I walked her into a guest room, where we could talk. "Is anything wrong, Naporia? How did you leave the ocean?" I asked her, as I handed her clothes that the maid had given me.

"I sense that we will have a war... between the land above and below. I came here to warn you. Have you been feeling different recently?" Naporia questioned, as she put on clothes behind the wall divider.

"Yes, I have been feeling a lot different. It started today. I felt like I was going crazy." I responded.

Naporia took a seat across from me and spoke, "The power you wield is very strong. If it were transferred to someone else, we could've been dead by now. I believe that you not using any ounce of your power is causing it to intensify. Once you start exposing your power, I fear that it will cause massive destruction." She grabbed my hands and held them in hers and told me, "I advise you to be careful; especially around water. This new strength of yours may either work in your favor, or cause death to the ones you love."

All of the emotion drained from my face. I was afraid. I didn't want anything to happen to my parents, Alastair, Coralie, or Marielle. "How do I know if my powers will work in my favor?" I asked.

"You don't. It's always a gamble. It all depends on the situation you are placed in. But I sense that your powers will work for you, Queen Vaea. You are pure; you will do anything to protect the ones that you love. Your mind isn't poisoned by those around you." Naporia said.

"Will these... hallucinations get worse?" I questioned. I feared for myself and those around me. I do not want to harm anyone that I love. I just want to carry on, but being a fallen goddess is a burden to me. Surely, there must be a way to give it up.

"Yes. These powers crave for vengeance. Only a god can handle it, and knowing your birth story... you are a fallen one. Your powers crave for death to those that caused this to you. I cannot help you with it, and I'm sorry."

I felt a knot tighten in my stomach. I didn't want to hear it. I didn't want to believe it. I got up and left the guest room. I headed to my bedroom and locked the doors behind me upon entering. I closed all of the windows and curtains, leaving me in the dark.I slumped down on the floor and started crying. This is too much to handle. I don't deserve this. All of this hurts me; I feel like I'm dying. I thought to myself.

I gathered enough energy to force myself to stop crying, and got up from the floor. I wiped away the last few tears on my cheek. "Breathe in... Breathe out." I spoke quietly to myself. Once I knew that I was fine, I left my room and went to my office. I took out my journal and started writing:

I am an emotional wreck. I can't handle this; It's too much for me. I want to set myself free from this, but I can't. I'm trapped. I'm chained. I can't live like this. I can't do this on my own. I feel like I am being punished by the Gods above. I don't know what I did to deserve this. Maybe it would be easier if I stopped living. Maybe if I am gone, everything will be okay. If I die now, that is fine.

I fear for the safety of my people. I wish to do no harm to anyone, unless they prove themselves that they deserve to die. I can feel the power surging through me.It tells me to kill. It wants me to kill. I do not obey to the power. I fear of becoming power hungry. I don't want this anymore. Save me...

There was a knock on the door. "Come in."

A servant of mine walked in. "Prince Alastair would like to see you in the royal courtyard, your majesty."

I walked into the royal courtyard, and saw Prince Alastair sitting on a bench, waiting for me. "There you are, my love. How have you been?" Alastair said, as I sat down next to him.

"I've been feeling stressed lately. I'm getting worried by every waking minute, because there are evil mermaids that are out to kill me." I told him.

"The guards are doing everything that they can to protect you." He reassured me. "Meanwhile, tell me more about the girl that you are currently housing as a guest. I'm only asking because I want to protect you as well."

"The girl's name is Naporia. She is the mermaid that helped me when I was in the deep. She is the only one that is actually nice to me, compared to the others. Naporia went above land in order to warn me about my new mermaid powers." I responded.

"I think that you need to get your mind off of that. You're stressed about all of this. How about the two of us walk around the castle grounds." He offered.

"Okay... Just not around water. I don't want the same thing happening again."

The two of us walked around the castle, talking to each other about many topics. At one point, Alastair turned to me and said, "Queen Vaea, the time that I spent with you has been amazing. I asked to meet you tonight, so I can take you on a date."

I was shocked. "A date?"

"Yes, a date. The two of us are going on a date." He said, as he grabbed my hand and led me to the garden. In the garden there was a table and a two seats for the both of us. There were waiters standing by, waiting to serve us.

"I can't believe it! This is beautiful." I spoke, as he pulled out my chair for me.

The two of us ate delicacies from his kingdom and mine. I was happy. After everything that I had experienced earlier today... this definitely made up for it. "How are you feeling so far?" Alastair asked.

"This is phenomenal. I've never experienced a date like this before." I responded, taking a sip of wine afterwards.

"That's good then. I'm the very first to impress you." He smiled. "I actually have a couple gifts for you, my lady."

"Gifts?" I questioned, as I watched him get up and grab a box from a servant.

"Back at Everwood, I found this in the chambers, and wanted to give it you." Alastair opened the box, and presented it to me. It was the dagger that Naporia had told me, the day we first met. "The blade was made with poison, so whoever you harm shall die a slow, painful death. I do advise you to be careful with it."

I slowly took the dagger out of its box and examined it. "Mea Regina. Mea Luge. Meus amor..."

"That translates to, 'my queen, my light, my love.' I'm giving this to you because you're a true queen any king would die for." Alastair added.

"Thank you." I told him.

"That's not the only gift I'm giving you." He smirked, as he took another box from the servant. It was much smaller compared to the one that contained the dagger. He opened at pulled out a necklace.

"It's beautiful, Alastair." I replied.

"May I?"

"Of course." I smiled at him. I moved my hair, as he placed the necklace around my neck. "Thank you for everything, Alastair. Why green?"

"Green compliments you very well." He commented. "I wanted to give you diamonds because you're a diamond yourself. You're a diamond girl. I'm not trying to be stereotypical here, but it's true. Diamonds compliment you. I wouldn't want to give you anything less." Alastair added.

"I don't what to say to that... Thank you." I gushed.

"One last gift. I promise that this is the last gift that I will give you... at least for tonight." He teased.

"Really?"

"Yes. This last gift that I'm giving you is a special one. I am hoping that you enjoy it, because I specifically got it for you, and I don't think I can offer it to someone else." Alastair paused. "I can't believe I'm really doing this..." He mumbled. "From the time that I first met you til' now, I knew that we were meant to be together. The time that we danced together, I was ecstatic. You are beautiful. No one could compare to you. Each day we met, I fell deeper and deeper in love with you. When you were kidnapped by the mermaids, I was afraid. I didn't want to lose you. That whole day, I blamed myself for letting it happen to you. When you came back, I was glad that you were safe once again."

His speech had caused tears to form in my eyes. I am truly in love with him. I watched him pull out a small box and opened it showing an engagement ring.He bent down on one knee and said, "I am in love with you, and I would do anything for you. Will you, Queen Vaea, marry me?"

I can't believe that this is happening! My heart fluttered inside, as tears started streaming down my face. "Yes!"

He placed the ring on my ring finger, got up from the floor and kissed me. "Let 's dance as a celebration of our engagement." He told me.

I smiled and grabbed his hand. Alastair led me to the middle of the garden where we danced. "News will spread fast about our engagement."

"Let them. I want all the kingdoms to know that you are mine, as I am yours. You are my diamond girl." He smiled, as he kissed me once more.

It was passed midnight, when I returned to my bedroom. Today was... eventful. It started off so horribly, and yet it ended in the most astounding way. I hummed the song that Alastair and I danced to, as I fixed my hair and went to bed.

"Pathetic. No mortal can marry a goddess. It's a shame that their love story won't have a happy ending." I told the others; my voice echoing inside of our lair. "You, Taila. I want you to kidnap her lover." I commanded the mermaid with red hair. "Now, I want you, Aquina, to go on land and try to find a way to get close to Vaea. But do not threaten or hurt her. If you do, then you will also die besides Vaea." I demanded the one with dark brown hair. "Lastly... you, Veritas, stay with me and help plan a way to attack Vaea and her kingdom." I told the mermaid with blonde hair. The two mermaids swam away, while the blonde one swam to my side. The two of us watched Vaea fall asleep. "That crown is mine."

I dream't of something horrifying. I saw my people bloody, and on the brink of dying. Alastair was nowhere to be seen. I was scared. I didn't mean to bring harm to them. Naporia was caught by another mermaid, threatening to slice her throat if I didn't obey to her. People were screaming. The garden, my sacred place, was lit on fire. The castle wasn't safe anymore. This is war against the mermaids.

"Naporia!" I called for her. She was busy speaking with one of the towns-people. "I'm sorry, but can I speak with you privately. It's urgent." I added. The towns-person bowed, and walked away.

"What's wrong, your majesty?" She questioned.

"We need to speak in my study room."

Naporia shut the door behind her, and took a seat on the couch. I paced around the room, panicking. "I had a vision. It came to me in a dream. The castle was being taken over by the mermaids. People were injure and dying. My garden was lit on fire. Someone threatened to kill you, Naporia... I am worried." Tears swelled in my eyes, as my voice cracked.

She grabbed my hands and held them tightly. I watched her eyes change from a blue to a black. "You finally figured it out. You don't deserve your powers. I do! I will take away your powers if it's the last thing I do. I will destroy everything you love, as I watch you suffer a slow, painful death." This wasn't Naporia. It was someone else. Another person was speaking to me, by using her.

Naporia let go of my hands and stumbled backwards; her back hitting the book shelf. She fell down onto the floor. I watched her blink a couple times, regaining her vision; her eyes blue once again. "You are in grave danger. The voice you heard is someone powerful. She has others working for her; they are known to do the dirty work for her. I suggest that you must be aware of who you are talking to." Naporia said.

I decided to speak about the dagger. "I have the dagger that you told me about. Alastair gave it to me as a gift."

"Good. Use it to defend yourself. Keep it with you at all times. These mermaids have the ability to shapeshift in order to blend in with the people around them. They are waging war against you because they know that they have an advantage. The advantage is that you don't know how to channel your powers." She told me. I was dumbfounded. I didn't know how to feel or react about this. "Look. Don't fear all of them. The mermaids are your people as well. You shouldn't have to worry. Most of these mermaids are happy that you are their queen. You should only fear these four; the ones that are out to get you. This is merely a tug of war between two great powers."

"Two great powers?" I asked.

"That's a story for another time. Just know that you have the gods and goddesses on your side. They will help you fight in this war."

"If the gods and goddesses are on my side... then why am I here? I am a fallen goddess and you know that. I deserve to be with the other gods and goddesses, but I am here; trapped in this world. Why am I here?" I questioned.

"I can't answer that for you. I am only a mermaid that has the ability to see into the future. I don't have the ability to contact those above us." She responded. "Just remember to keep a weapon with you at all times." Naporia added, as she left the room.

I felt like there was more pressure on me. I am a queen of both Wrilul and the ocean. I am a fallen goddess. I have someone trying to plan a war against me. If I don't play my cards right, then I can end up dead. My kingdom will be destroyed, and it will be my fault.

I grabbed the book to try and learn more about the mermaids, while I had Marielle prepare me a bath. My tail appeared as soon as my body submerged in the water. Marielle prepared to wash my hair, until I told her, "No need. Just prepare my clothes."

"Yes my dear." She spoke, leaving me alone in the bathroom. I watched the steam rise from the water. I noticed that my tail wasn't black. It was purple, so was my hair. I grabbed the book, and flipped through the pages, making sure that the water didn't smear the ink. Finally I landed on a page that spoke about tails changing colors.

'Mermaid tails are amusing. They are one color, and vary for each mermaid.

The ones that stayed near the beaches, had a red or orange color. It was similar to the sunset that would set in the east. Those farther into the sea had a dark blue, to resemble the depths beneath the waves.

The ones that swam inland were far different. They would swim as far into the swamps in the north of Wrilul. I remember encountering a mermaid at Lake Vyrkos. She was intimidated by me, but she was kind. Her fin was a gold color; whereas the rest of her tail was a light blue. Her hair matched her tail as well. I asked her why her tail is different from the others, she responded, because she was different from the rest that I've seen. She was a cross breed between a shore mermaid and a lake mermaid. If she were to live with the ones by the shore, she would be murdered. So she decided that she would stay and live in the lakes because these ones would care for her. "Can mermaid tails change color?"

"Yes. A mermaids tail can change. It depends on their personality, their emotions, and how strong their powers are."

I asked her if she had a name, the mermaid said, "Rhaenyx Vaelgaris." I stayed by Lake Vyrkos for three days. Rhaenyx was the only mermaid that would speak to me. Sometimes she would communicate for the others, if they were to shy to speak to me. By the third day, I told her that I needed to continue my journey. Rhaenyx was dissapointed. She wanted me to stay with her, but I knew that it would be dangerous to stay near them. Before leaving, she warned me about the ones that lived in the swamps. Those ones are ruthless. They murder their own kind, and will kill anything that goes near their territory. They have vine whips that pull and drag their prey into the deep, and tear them to shreds. Those ones aren't the most dangerous ones; their are others that are far worse than them..."

It took me two days to hike to the swamps. I didn't forget Rhaenyx's advice. I decided to hide behind trees, and to stay low on the ground. The waters were murky, and you couldn't see anything. I saw a deer go and drink the waters. As I watched, I saw a vine wrap around its neck and drag it into the waters. There was a lot of splashing, until it ended. All you can see was the blood of the deer. It was my fourth day of being in the swamps, I had yet to see a mermaid. I almost gave up, until I saw a mermaid crawl out of the water, lie down on the ground. She seemed like she was resting. This mermaid looked beautiful, but I knew that she would kill me if I disturbed her. I waited until she went back into the water to leave the swamps.'

The page ended right there. Then I remembered what Naporia told me. She told me I was pure. I am willing to protect those that I loved. My tail changed because of my personality. It was originally black, because of how strong my powers were. It changed because I'm starting to accept them.

I changed into a pink, pleated gown. Tonight, Alastair and I were announcing our engagement. I headed to the room where Alastair was staying at, to talk to him. "Alastair. Open up please." I said, as I knocked on his door. No answer. I knocked once again. Still no answer. I began to get impatient, and opened his door. The room was a mess. One of the curtain drapes were ripped. A painting was hanging crooked. The mirror had a bloody handprint on it. I noticed that there was a note, on the bed. I began to panic. 'Did he leave me?'

"There you are, my queen." I turned around to see Onyxia. Her voice was different. It wasn't sweet like usual. Her voice was dark. This person that was portraying Onyxia rushed towards and tackled me to the ground. I had little time to react. "Say good night, you pathetic bastard." She added, as she she forced a pill down my throat.

The echo of water droplets hitting the ground, can be heard. The sound of chains being shook around, rang in my ears. I turned the corner, and saw Vaea's lover chained up against the wall. Taila stood next to him, speaking harsh words in latin. "Taila." I spoke, causing her attention to divert towards me. "You managed to take him away without being caught. I applaud you."

"Thank you. He put up a fight, so I had to cause minor injuries to him." She responded, pointing at where she cut him.

"That's fine. Has Aquina returned?" I questioned.

As if in cue, Aquina appeared next to me. "The deed is done."

"Good. Did you harm her?"

"No."

"Veritas. Wake the others. Tell them to start killing. We have weakened their queen, and we are ready to take over her castle."

"Yes ma'am."

"No more tug of war between Vaea and I. I'm not letting the crown come and go this time. Your beloved queen will get her powers back, and take a seat on the throne." Screeches echoed in the cave as a celebration. "Be prepared to start calling me, Queen Rhaenyx."

I awoke to the sound of a piercing scream. I blinked multiple times; my eyes adjusting to the bright lights. My head was pounding. I felt awful. I saw the dagger on the nightstand, and grabbed it; hiding it in my clothing. I examined myself in the mirror. I looked like a wreck. The door opened and Naporia walked in. "You're finally awake. We need you."

I followed Naporia throughout the halls, and led me to the others. They encircled a body with a mask over its head. Staring at it made me sick, but I knew I had to do something. 'I can't be afraid in front of those who look towards me for support' I reminded myself. I walked towards the body, and removed the mask. It was Onyxia who had been badly bruised and wounded. A note was inside the mask. "You dug your own grave." I read aloud. "Onyxia. Wake up. Can you understand me?" I nudged at her.

Onyxia groaned. "It hurts..."

"Don't worry. We'll get you healed." I reassured her, as I summoned the guards to take her to the infirmary.

"They're dangerous. Please be careful." She said as the guards took her away.

"What's happening?" My mother questioned.

"The mermaids are..." I was cut off by a guard.

"Watch out!" He yelled , ushering us farther down the hall. I turned to see another guard get tackled by a mermaid. I watched as the guard collapse onto his knees as the mermaid tore him a part. "Get out of here! It isn't safe!"

We all started to run. "Go to the dungeons! Use the tunnels, and the mermaids won't find you." I commanded my parents, Marielle, and Coralie.

"We're not leaving without you. You are our daughter." My father responded.

"If you stay with me you will die. I refuse to watch my parents die in front of me."

"Listen to yourself, Vaea! You are going to die if you don't get to a safer place. Just come with us." Coralie added.

"I am the queen of Wrilul! Since I am the Queen you must listen and follow my commands. I command all of you to get to the tunnels."

They looked at me in shock. "Just please... be careful out there." Marielle told me. We all hugged one last time, before we went on our separate ways.

"Naporia let's go." I said to her.

We ran out of the hall to the courtyard. I was reliving my nightmare.I looked around and saw guards ushering people to the tunnels. Others were trying to fight off the mermaids. People were screaming. Nearly everything was lit on fire. My garden was in flames. "Vaea!" Naporia screamed.

I turned around to see a whip wrapped around her neck. It was coming from the ocean. As soon as I touched the whip, it glowed a bright orange, and turned into embers. "Are you alright?" I asked her.

"Yes. I'm fine. We need to get you to the mountain." She spoke.

"Why the mountain?"

"Just don't question it. I'll explain it to you later. Now just run."

I ran as fast as I can, until I felt a whip wrap around my ankles. I felt another wrap around my  wrists. "Naporia!" I yelled, but she was gone. She was nowhere to be seen.

"I found you." I heard an unfamiliar voice speak behind me.

I turned to see the mermaid with brown hair once again. I last saw her leaving with two other mermaids during my crowning ceremony. "Why are you doing this?" I questioned. She didn't say anything. Instead, she inserted a pill down my throat, knocking me out.

I awoke inside a cave. The moonlight shined directly on me. I was inside a pool of water, tied to a bunch of tree branches. I looked around, scanning my surroundings. I was trying to wriggle out of the rope, swishing the water around me.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you." A mermaid warned, as she poked her head out of the water.

"Who are you, and what do you want from me?" I questioned. "I don't want anything from you. She's the one that wants to speak to you." She responded

"Hello child." A mermaid emerged from the water, presenting herself to me. "I see that the gods had given you a gift. Do you even know how to use it?" she laughed.

"Who are you?" I asked once again.

"You don't need to know my name. There shouldn't be a reason why my name is in your mouth, if you're going to die." She responded as she swam away to her throne  far from me. "Aquina. Go and get my mirror. Also go and fetch the other two for me." The brown haired mermaid dove under the water. "Now as for you, Vaea. You do know what I want from you, correct?"

"You want my powers."

"I do, indeed."

"Why can't you just take them away from me? I didn't want these powers. Hell, I didn't even want to be crowned Queen of the Mermaids in the first place." I confessed.

"I would, but there is a reason why you were given the crown and powers."

"Well, I would love to know the reason because I've been telling myself that I don't deserve these powers." I spat out.

"Don't speak back to me like that!" She screamed.

Aquina appeared once again. This time with two other mermaids. "Here is your hand mirror, your majesty."

"Taila. Go and show the ungrateful bastard where her lover is." She commanded. The mermaid with red hair came forth, grabbing the mirror, and swam to me. "Go and help your friend, Veritas." The mermaid commanding them smirked. The blonde mermaid held a knife against my throat, as the other showed the mirror. In the mirror, it showed Alastair chained up against the wall. He had a couple wounds on his arms and chest. I was worried about him. Nonetheless, seeing him with injuries made me want to cry. But I knew that if I cried, they would mock me. My facial expression changed, when I looked away from the mirror and stared at their leader.

"So you do care for the mortal? That's pathetic! No mortal can marry a mermaid!" She laughed once again. "I can't wait to get your throne, so I can rid this world of humans."

"Is that why you are like this?" I asked. "Is that why you want my throne above the ocean? It's all because you fell in love with a human. Tell me Rhaenyx Vaelgaris. You fell in love with a human, but he left you. Do you remember Jaxon Quasona? He was an adventurer and journalist who was travelling Wrilul to write a book about the mermaids. He met you when you were living at Lake Vyrkos. You told him that mermaids can change tail colors... I mean look at you! You once had a light blue and gold tail, but you possibly changed colors when he left you. Is that why your tail is now black and gold. Just admit it!" I nagged.

"Enough!" Rhaenyx roared. "I never fell in love with Jaxon Quasona. I just... I never met a human, and he was the first."

"But you did fall in love with him. He was nice and kind, and you wanted him to stay, but he had to leave you. So, this is what you became... If Jaxon came back, how do you think he would feel about you changing color? He love you with light blue and gold. He would be disappointed in you." I added.

"Quiet! Yes I did fall in love with him, but what's past is past. I am done with you." Rhaenyx admitted. "Veritas. Go and do what we've discussed. Make sure Vaea dies a slow and painful death. Aquina and Taila come with me, and help me takeover Vaea's castle."

It was midday. The sun was high in the sky. It's light shined on me, burning my skin. Veritas had left to go to another part in the cave. There was a green light coming from where she was. She was speaking a chant in latin, and somehow I understood her. "Deos quaeso ut mihi concedas abs vetitum virtutes habentis maleficia. Humano cruore, scala syreni et gladium. La Croix quia ego praecipio Alastair sub mea potestate. Consumpta est caro eius non abrumpendos sanguis eius sine macula, et comminuet ossa numquam tamen eum perderent. Ille nihil aliud propositum nisi. Et jussit ut regina Vaea Kehlani Stark occidere. Semel factum est, moriatur a dolore mortis cruciatus." (I pray to the forbidden gods to grant me the powers of witchcraft. With the blood of a human, the scale of a mermaid, and a sword. I command for Alastair la Croix to be under my control. Let his flesh not be torn, let his blood leave no stain, and let his bones never break in however they destroy him. He shall have no other goal, except one. He shall be commanded to kill Queen Vaea Kehlani Stark. Once his deed is done, let him die a painful, excruciating death.)

"Oh God... I didn't want him to get hurt... Please, no..." I cried out. I didn't want anyone to get hurt. I didn't want it to get to this point. I heard chains rattle. Veritas walks out of the tunnel with Alastair behind her. She had a smirk on her face. "Why do you do this?"

"I do this because I love seeing people suffer. Now, Alastair go and kill her." Veritas spoke, her voice echoing in the cave. Veritas stood there, as Alastair came running towards me. I wanted it to end. I wasn't going to fight back. This was my mistake, and I am going to pay for it.

I closed my eyes, ready for the pain to come. Instead, it didn't. I opened my eyes to see Naporia using her whip to keep Alastair away from me. She used her powers to keep him strapped against the walls. The roots of the trees wrapped tightly around him, making it unable for him to break free. Naporia started to attack Veritas. She was fighting well, yet she was struggling to injure her. I started to wriggle out of the rope once again. This time the rope started to loosen. The rope broke, and I slipped my whole body into the water. I tried to help Naporia by wrapping my whip around Veritas' ankles. Veritas dropped on the floor with Naporia on top. Naporia threw my dagger away from Veritas' hands. "Vaea! Get your dagger." Naporia commanded. I reached out my arm to grab the dagger. With the dagger in my hand, I swam closer to Naporia and Veritas. In a quick move, I stabbed Veritas in her stomach. Veritas screamed in pain. As I pulled the dagger out, blood spurted out of the wound. "Avec les dieux de mon côté, je leur commande d'enlever les pouvoirs qui ont été donnés à Veritas."

Veritas winced in pain, as her veins glowed a deep purple. Her powers were being stripped away from her. "No. No... No!" She screeched, her voice echoing inside the cave. "Rhaenyx will hear about this. She will come after you herself, and kill you." Veritas warned as she entered the water, disappearing from our vision.

"Come on. We need to get to the mountain. Who knows what Rhaenyx has been up to." Naporia said, as she threw a bag full of clothes for me to wear. I lifted myself out of the water, and changed as fast as I can. I stared as the burns that the rope left on my wrists. "Are you okay?"

"Yes, I'm fine. The rope left a mark on my wrists, but it'll heal over time." I responded.

I stood up, and helped Naporia wake up Alastair. He jolted awake, opening his eyes and looked around. "What happened? Why are we inside a cave?" He questioned, as he brushed the dirt off of his clothes.

"Mermaids kidnapped you. You were hypnotized, and were commanded to kill me." I told him. "I wasn't going to stop you if you did. I believe that it's my fault that there is a war between the two worlds. The two of us would be dead, if Naporia hadn't come to save us."

The water started to ripple. Each ripple, caused bubbles to form. Soon, the water was overflowing. "More mermaids are on their way. C'mon, we need to leave now." Naporia said as she rushed the three of us out of the cave. We ran outside the cave, to find ourselves inside a forest. "Do you know where we are, Vaea?" Naporia asked.

I scanned my surroundings, noticing the mountain, a lake, and multiple trails that led to different directions on the island. "We are near Lake Vyrkos, and we're closer to the mountain. The castle is West of the lake. It's farther from the mountain." I responded.

"We'll go to the mountain then." Naporia told us.

"Why can't we go back to the castle? Isn't that the place where the evil mermaids are staying at?" Alastair questioned.

"It's too dangerous. The castle will be crawling with mermaids. It's impossible to even get near the castle. We need to get Vaea to the mountain, so she can use her powers." Naporia answered.

"No." I stated.

The two of them turned and stared at me. "No?"

"No. I'm not going to the mountain. I want to go back to the castle."

"It's dangerous if you go back there. Once they know that you are still alive, Rhaenyx will be sending her demonic army to find you and kill you." Naporia argued.

"But they are at my castle! My people are still there and I am not abandoning them. They are counting on me to get rid of them. And if you are truly loyal to me, then you wouldn't argue against me." I instructed.

Naporia looked saddened, but then went back to her normal self. "Is there some way to get into the castle without being caught?"

"There are tunnels that lead to all parts of the island. The closest one will be..." I paused, to look at the sky to find and measure the sun's position. "North of Lake Vyrkos."

We walked past the lake, and suddenly I felt different. I felt as if I was going to faint. I imagined the water pulling me in. It was difficult for me to breathe. I felt like I was going to die. Naporia pressed her hand on my shoulder. "Queen Vaea. Are you alright?"

"Yes. I'm fine. I just... don't feel safe here." I told her.

"Then c'mon. Let's get going." She said. As we left the water started to ripple. Bubbles started to form. Whips started to appear. They tried to wrap around us.

"Run!" Alastair yelled.

The three of us ran as fast as we could. We were afraid that they were going to capture us. "Okay... I think we're safe." I spoke, out of breath.

"Where are we?" Alastair asked.

"We are at..." I gasped. "...the swamps. Oh Gods no. We must leave. We mustn't stay here."

The water started to bubble. Laughing rang in our ears. "Who do we have here?" A mermaid appeared out of the water. "Look! It's the Queen!" Other mermaids appeared out of the water. "What's wrong? Are you okay Queen Vaea?"

"How do you know my name?" I questioned.

"We all know your name. You are our new Queen. We are your people." One of them responded. I was still afraid of them. "Oh no... We're not dangerous. That's what Rhaenyx told to that new traveler. We knew that he was afraid. Please, don't be afraid as well."

"I need your help. I need you to help me fight Rhaenyx. She is at my castle, and she is taking my throne away from me. Will you help me?"

"Anything for you, Queen Vaea."

It was nearing sunset. Alastair, Naporia, and I headed towards the tunnels. "Naporia. Tell me why you wanted me to go to the mountain."

"I believed that if we sent you to the mountain you would get your powers. Since we're not headed there, I am only hoping that your plan will work." She answered.

We entered the tunnels, closing the hatch behind us. Naporia conjured up a flame in her hand to give us light in the dark tunnels.

The three of us walked around the tunnels. I saw a bright luminescent light appear at the end. I heard pebbles being kicked along. "Who's there?" A voice yelled out.

"It's Queen Vaea. Do not shoot." I replied back. Multiple pairs of feet ran towards our direction. Guards ran and led us to the others. We reunited with everyone that has made it safely into the tunnels. Everyone looked scared. They fear the mermaids. Judging by the looks on their faces, they don't trust Naporia.

"Queen Vaea. What has happened to the castle?" Someone asked.

"We are being overrun by evil mermaids. They are not the same as my friend Naporia." I gestured my hand towards her.

"What are we going to do?" Another person asked. I can hear the panic in their voice.

"Everyone is to remain calm and to stay inside the tunnels. Naporia and I are going back into the castle to take back what is ours." I explained.

"That isn't safe for you! They want you dead! Why would you want to head back there?" My mother questioned.

"I know it's not, but it's better than having to live in these tunnels for the rest of our lives. It's better if it's just the two of us because we are the only people who know how to kill these mermaids. I am not risking the lives of my royal guards to fight something that they aren't trained for. If I do not come back, I leave the power to Onyxia and Alastair."

This led to a commotion between everyone. "Silence! My daughter is right. No one here is trained to fight off these mermaids. Instead of arguing, we should support and pray for the safety of her majesty." My father explained. He looked at me with saddened eyes. My mother cried, as she hugged me tightly.

"Please be safe, Vaea." My mother told me.

Naporia and I were inside the castle. We were in one of the guest rooms. The two of us crept around trying to not make any sound. "What's the plan?" I whispered.

"I thought you had one." Naporia responded.

"You're the one that always has a plan."

"I had a plan, until you changed it by deciding to come here and not the mountain."

"Well, I'm sorry." I retorted. Naporia opened the door, and checked the hallway. "How about we fight off the mermaids until we reach the throne room?" I offered.

"That's too dangerous." Naporia said. She paused and thought to herself. "We will not fight them. Instead we will be sneaking our way around the halls. Do you know every passageway throughout the castle?"

"I do."

"If we ever get caught, you need to lead us into the hidden passageways." She peered out the door once again. "Hold onto that dagger. Mermaid attacks are far more dangerous than human attacks."

We crept into the hallway, slowly closing the door behind us, trying not to make any sound. We walked up to the end of the hallway and peered around the corner. There were two mermaids having a conversation. "I heard that Rhaenyx had a human lover."

"How'd you find this information?"

"One of her pawns were talking about it. Do you think that they are going to betray her?"

"I doubt that. Rhaenyx would've had them killed by now."

Another mermaid walked into the hallway and started speaking to the other two.

"Did you hear the news?" The other two shook their heads. "Apparently the Queen and her lover are still alive. They were helped by another one of our kind. Her name is Naporia. Rhaenyx had a bounty over her head, since she started commanding us. She also said that if someone can hand her Naporia's head, then she will recruit them to one of special pawns."

"Let's start looking for them! I doubt that they know their ways through the forest." They three of them disbanded into different directions.

I started to walk down the hallway, until Naporia grabbed my wrist and pulled me back. "Don't go that way. You never know if another one is coming over. Let's head the opposite way." I nodded, and started walking in her direction. We walked through endless hallways; it was as if there was no end in sight. "I seriously don't know how you never got lost in these hallways. There's so many twists and turns."

"I never really paid attention to how big the castle is. I had little time to explore because everyone was so focused on raising me to be a proper Queen." I told her. She peered around the corner, and gave the "Wait here" signal. We waited for a few moments before continuing to walk down the hall.

"Naporia, I have a question to ask you. Why does Rhaenyx want you dead?"

"She wants me dead because I was the one who got her banned from the ocean. She was planning to kill the Queen before you. I wasn't going to let her take over the kingdom and abuse her power. I told the Queen, who then punished her by sending her to go and live far away from the ocean."

"Most of the mermaids are afraid of her because of her blood. She carries the remaining purple blood. Those that have this blood are: psychotic, rude, grumpy, secretive, and they tend to prefer to feast on high blood. High bloods are usually royalty, so that's why she went after you." Naporia explained.

"What's a high blood?" I asked.

"High bloods are a mixture of all the different blood colors. They are made up of: yellow, purple, red, teal, green, and blue. They contain at least one personality trait from each blood type. Thankfully, you have the pure ones."

"So what blood color do you have?"

"I have blue. That's expected from the mermaids who help others." A door down the left hall opened and three of Rhaenyx's minions walked out. The two of us started running silently down where we came from and entered a room. "So how far are we from the throne room?"

"We have to walk down three more hallways, until we reach the throne room. There should be a weaponry on the way to the throne room. The two of us can stock up with weapons, before we fight her minions." I replied.

Naporia stuck her head out of the door and checked to see if there are any evil mermaids nearby. "Let's head to the armory."

Taking a right turn, I saw the large door that led to the armory. The two of us checked left and right, before we opened the door. The large is locked with a handprint and a number print. I placed my left hand on the pad, and typed in the code with my right hand. The large door split in half allowing Naporia and I to enter. Once we entered, the door immediately shut. I decided to grab knives, and a bow and arrows. The blades were specially made with poison, slowly killing whoever is injured with it. The tips of the arrows are all different. Certain ones can pierce through armor, others explode on impact, the third kind can poison whoever is struck by it, the magnetic one has two arrow heads attached and will split into two directions, and the last kind can go 'through' any object and reconnect confusing and killing the opponent. Naporia grabbed the poisonous knives and sharp daggers. "Are you ready?" I asked Naporia.

"Yes. Let's kill Rhaenyx and her minions." She smiled deviously. The two of us walked out of the armory, and started walking towards the throne room. We went down the last hall, and peeked the right hallway that led to the entrance to the throne room. There were three mermaids guarding the door. "What's the plan?" Naporia whispered.

"You kill the one in the middle, while I take out the two standing beside them." I told her.

"Okay. I strike when you shoot your arrows."

I prepared my magnetic arrow, and aimed at the one that was on the right. "3,2,1." I shot my arrow, and watched it split in half, killing the guard that was on the right and left. Naporia threw four knives at the one standing in the middle. The knives struck the forehead, jaw, and the upper and lower chest. The three bodies collapsed to the ground. Naporia and I ran towards them, picking up the arrows and knives. We looked at each other and took a deep breath, before opening the door.

It was dim inside the throne room. Fabric covered the beautiful windows. There were new chairs that sat next to the throne. On the throne sat Rhaenyx, and Aquina & Veritas sat in their chairs. Taila was the only one that was missing. "I knew you would come back. I'm surprised you made it through the forest. But you made a stupid mistake by coming back here." Rhaenyx said coldly. "Look who's here as well. Naporia, the one who sold me out to the former Queen. What do you want, you pathetic mutt?"

"I want my kingdom back, Rhaenyx. I want to end this war once and for all. You don't deserve this power. You weren't meant to take the throne. You were nothing, and you're still nothing. You may have minions working for you, but that doesn't mean anything. You don't have the rest of the mermaid kingdoms working for you. If they find out that I'm dead they'll-"

"They'll do what. They will only replace you, like they've been doing for generations. You will be forgotten, like the rest."

"Just like you. You were exiled away from the ocean because you planned to murder the Queen before me. Your colors changed because of this; you were frustrated with them. And so when you found out that there was a new Queen, you decided to target me because I didn't know how to rule the ocean. Now, you have others working for you. I know your plan Rhaenyx. You're just using Aquina, Veritas, and Taila for your advantage. It's all because you are weak. You don't want to fight because your powers aren't strong enough against me." I argued.

"You're the one who doesn't know her powers! You're the one that's weak. I know my powers, and I know how strong they are. I am done arguing with you. Aquina, Veritas, kill them." She commanded.

Aquina and Veritas stood up and said in unison, "With pleasure, my Queen."

Within seconds, there was an explosion that occurred near Naporia and I. The two of us ran and hid cover behind one of the pillars. "What's the plan?" I asked Naporia.

"We separate from one another, and fight them 1 on 1. I'll distract the both of them to buy us time." Naporia responded. She poked her head out of the pillar, and got their attention. Aquina created a fireball, and shot it towards us. Naporia reflected the shot, making it break into pieces and hitting all of the lights.

We ran two separate ways; I went to the left as she ran to the right. The lights flickered back on and I was crouched behind a pillar. I grabbed my bow and an armor-piercing arrow. I peeked around, and saw Naporia fighting Aquina. Once again, I was fighting against Veritas. I looked around, and I was having trouble finding her. "I found you." I heard Veritas say right behind me. I turned around quickly, dropping the arrow and grabbing one of my knives, I tried to stab her, but she smacked it out of my hand. She raised her arm, and in her hand she held a sharp, curved knife. Before she could stab me, I kneed her in the chest.

Veritas winced in pain as I picked up the arrow, and ran across the room. I readied the bow and waited. She walked out from behind the pillar with an electric charge in her hand. Without hesitation, I shot the arrow, making her lose aim of her charge. Her charge had hit the pillar, where I was hiding behind. The pillar cracked and crumbled. I dodged out of the way, and prepared another arrow. This time I grabbed one of the poisonous arrows. "Stop hiding, and come out and fight me Vaea!" Veritas yelled. She was walking towards me once again. I took a breath and hoped that I won't miss my aim. I shot the arrow, and it struck her in the middle of her chest. I watched her pull the arrow out of her chest. The once silver tip, now was covered in green liquid. The green liquid poured out of her wound, and I wasn't sure whether or not that was the poison or her blood.

"Vaea watch out!" Naporia yelled, as she pushed me out of the way of a collapsing pillar.  I closed my eyes, and I was expecting for pieces to fall on top of us, but it didn't happen. Instead, I opened my eyes and saw Naporia casting a shield around the two of us. She was badly injured. She had cuts and bruises all over her skin. Her forehead was dripping with dark blue blood. Aquina and Veritas had us cornered.

"Just give up, Vaea and Naporia. You two should already know that you won't win." Rhaenyx spoke. Naporia looked at me, and I nodded my head. She dropped the shield, and allowed Aquina and Veritas to grab us and push us towards the center of the room. "Good. The one time that the two of you listen to me." I heard the doors open behind us. "There you are Taila. You missed the whole show."

"Well, at least I get to see how this ends." Taila spoke, as she pushed down Alastair in front of Naporia and I.

"Alastair?! What happened to you? Why did you get yourself caught?!" I questioned him. I noticed the wounds and cuts all over his arms and chest.

"Hi, my love. Fancy seeing you here."

"Why did you get yourself caught?!" I repeated myself.

"I was trying to find you. I wanted to make sure that you were safe." I felt flattered, but now wasn't the time.

"Gross, love. Can I kill them already?" Taila asked.

"Yes, you may." Rhaenyx approved.

Taila walked over and grabbed one of the knives that I was carrying. In one swift move, she stabbed Alastair in the chest. Alastair spurted out blood. "Alastair!" I screamed. Next, Aquina grabbed one of the daggers and did the same to Naporia. She pulled out the dagger, and blue blood came pouring out. I watched in horror, as I saw Naporia fall over and wince in pain. Tears fell down my cheeks. I didn't want this to happen.

"Pick her up." Veritas told Aquina and Taila. I stumbled on my feet, as I was forcefully pulled up.

"No... no... no..." I mumbled.

"What is she saying?" Veritas asked.

"No." I repeated once more. "Not today. I am not dying today." I felt electricity flow throughout my body. The closer Veritas got, the stronger I felt the electricity. It was a familiar feeling to me, but somehow it still felt different. "I said Not Today!" I raised my voice, as Veritas tried to stab me. There was a force-field that pushed Veritas, Aquina, and Taila away from me.

"Impossible!" Rhaenyx screamed. She was in shock. She feared me. "Veritas! Aquina! Taila! I demand you to kill her!"

I heard them stand up and pick up their knives. Taila and Aquina conjured up flame balls, and Veritas created another electric charge. The three of them started running towards me. I wasn't afraid anymore. They got closer and closer before throwing their charges at me. In the nick of time, I managed to create a shield to protect Alastair, Naporia, and I. The lights had flickered and gone out. I used this time to try and heal Alastair and Naporia. I used my power to remove the poison inside their bloodstreams. Alastair coughed, and Naporia groaned. "It's okay. You're still alive." I tried comforting them.

Naporia looked at the shield that I had made and said, "You've awakened your powers!"

I told her, "But it's still not over. I need you to get Alastair out of here. Can you do that for me?"

"Yes, you're majesty." Naporia was able to create a portal from the hand mirror that she told me about when I first met her.

"Goodbye, my love. Once this is all over, we can finally be happy together." I said to him, before he walked into the portal.

"So, what's the plan?"

"We kill them. You need to distract them, so that I can shoot them with my arrows."

I picked up my bow and arrows. I haven't used my explosives or glass arrows yet. The lights flickered back on, and Naporia and I had separated and hid behind pillars once again. I turned to the throne to see that Rhaenyx had disappeared. I watched and waited for Naporia's signal. Naporia had used her force to take away the knives that Aquina, Taila, and Veritas were carrying. She fought fiercely against Aquina and Taila. Veritas didn't have the same speed as the other two. The poison was setting in. I was about to shoot her with an arrow, but was distracted when Naporia yelled my name. "Vaea!"

Grabbing an explosive arrow, I pulled back the string and shot it quickly at Aquina and Taila. The force of the arrow forced Aquina to fall back and stumble into Veritas and Taila. There was a loud explosion,, and then the three of them were gone. The wall was bloody with the colors of Green, Red, and Yellow.

Naporia was out of breath from all of the fighting. "I'm impressed that you never missed a shot. I applaud you my Queen."

"It's still not over. We still have to kill Rhaenyx."

"I can sense her. She's in the courtyard. This is it. We kill her, and then you can get your kingdom back."

"Let's get this over with."

Naporia and I ran out of the throne room into the courtyard. I can sense Rhaenyx's presence nearby. "Is there some way to find out where she is?" I asked, as I scanned the premises.

"Yes, but I haven't quite mastered the skill, yet. Maybe you can, now that your powers have awakened. What you need to do is that you need to get a sample of her blood and drink it. By drinking a portion of her blood, it connects to where she will be located. How is it possible? I have no idea, but it is." Naporia explained.

"But I don't have a sample of her blood. Is there another way?"

"I'm trying to think..." Naporia paused for a moment. "Yes, there is. You have to speak with her kind. So that means you need to speak with the mermaids that live by the shore. Call them."

"How do I-" I was cut off.

"You're the Queen. You know every call. Just think of who you are trying to speak to and it'll happen naturally."

'Let me speak to the shore. Let me speak to the shore. Let me speak to the shore.' I repeated in my head. Without hesistation, I started humming to the tune of Jolly Sailor Bold. "Come all you pretty fair maids, whoever you may be, Who love a jolly sailor bold that ploughs the raging sea, While up aloft, in storm or gale, from me his absence mourn, And firmly pray, arrive the day, he home will safe return."

I heard the sounds of screeching, and water splashing by the end of the courtyard. The waves rose higher and higher. Until I was face to face with a fellow mermaid. "You called my royal Queen?" She spoke. Her voice was mellow and soothing.

"I need your help to find a banished mermaid. She goes by the name of Rhaenyx Vaelgaris." I responded.

The mermaid nodded her head, and closed her eyes. Her hair started to glow a bright blue, as she started to hum a melody. The water that held her up above the jagged rocks started to flow all around her body. Streams of the water started to do a dance; up and down, left and right, and then twirled into a miniature whirlpool in the palm of her hands. The water then formed a ball, and showed Rhaenyx at the end of a corridor. The walls had vines, and had flowers covering the stone walls. At the end of the corridor, I saw a large picture frame. The picture frame was of me, when I was a baby. "She's headed toward the East of the castle. We need to get to her!" I spoke out loud. "Thank you for your help." I smiled.

"Anything for my true queen." She said her last words, as the ocean pulled her back into the depths.

There was another screech. Then another, and another. "The rest of Rhaenyx's minions are coming! Go and find her, I'll handle the rest." Naporia told me.

"Are you sure you'll do fine?"

"Yes. If I need to, I'll get help from the others."  I hugged her tightly, before I ran off to fight Rhaenyx.

I reached the corridor where I had seen Rhaenyx in the ball of water.

"Rhaenyx. Your reign is over." I confronted her.

Rhaenyx turned around to face me. "Oh is it? At least I know how to use my powers. Compared to you; You barely unleashed them!" She snickered. "I mean c'mon my dear! I am stronger than you. I am powerful than you. You are nothing."

"No, you are nothing! You're only like this because you didn't win the throne! The world selected me to be the queen of the ocean, not you! You attacked my people; you injured my fiancé!"

"Oh boo who. Your fiancé is clumsy; Hell, I don't even know why you agreed to marry him."

"At least I can marry someone that I truly love. You can't fall in love with a human, and yet you did. You couldn't have him for yourself, so this is what you became. A cold-hearted, cruel leader who wished to become a ruler."

Rhaenyx didn't say anything. Instead, she conjured a fireball and threw it at me. Raising my arm, I created a small shield that blocked the fireball. "Don't you dare speak of Jaxon like that!" She continued to fight, tossing many fireballs at me all at once. Four of them, hit a pillar, making it collapse. "Are you scared now, Vaea?" I heard her footsteps come closer towards me.

'Think Vaea, think.'  I stood up and tossed an ice ball, in combat of her fireball. When the two elements met it created a mist that blocked Rhaenyx's vision. Quickly, I prepared my bow with an armor piercing arrow. I shot the arrow blindly into the mist, hoping that I struck her. As the mist cleared, I saw that the arrow had gone through her shield and struck Rhaenyx directly into her chest. I felt my heart leap, but I knew that it still wasn't over. I watched as she pulled out the arrow from her chest, and toss it onto the ground.

"That's it, you filthy imbecile!" She screamed. Her scream was loud enough to shatter the gold shield on the wall behind her.

I covered my ears, trying to deafen the sound. Black liquid spilled out of her mouth. Using it to her advantage, Rhaenyx used the pieces of the gold shield and formed some sort of spear and threw it at me. The spear broke into a millions of pieces, cutting me in multiple areas of my body. I fell onto my knees as I winced in pain. Blood the color of white spewed out of my wounds. "What's wrong? You've never cut yourself before?" I can hear the sarcasm in her voice. Heels clacked on the stone tiles, as they walked closer to me. Stumbling back onto my feet, I wiped away the blood on my lips. I watched Rhaenyx walk closer and closer to me. Instead of attacking, she summoned a smoke cloud to block my vision. Worried of her sneak attacks, I scaled the wall to try and get a view of her. The dress made it difficult to climb, but it's better than being killed in the smoke. I grabbed a magnetic arrow, and prepared it. I watched from above, like an eagle stalking its prey. The smoke started to evaporate, and I saw Rhaenyx standing there looking dumbfounded. I shot my arrow, and watched as it split into two and strike her in her stomach and left arm. "How the hell did you get up there?" Her voice sounded coarse.

Rhaenyx  looked angrier. Using her anger, she created a large electricity ball, and tossed it to where I was standing. It struck the wall, making me lose balance. I fell into the ocean. The salt water stung my wounds. Other mermaids came to my aid. They helped heal my wounds and brought me deeper. "Use your powers. To finally finish her, use your sword. Good luck." The mermaids spoke in unison. Four of the mermaids that healed me, used their rope to attack and distract Rhaenyx for me. The ocean's waves carried me back onto the surface; behind Rhaenyx. She was holding onto the railings as she was being pulled by those in the ocean. Losing her grip, she fell into the water.

The water was no longer crashing on the rocks, and it was now silent. All of a sudden, Rhaenyx jumped back out of the water and back onto the land. She knocked over oil lamps, which caused a fire behind her. She looked horrible; she had claw marks from the mermaids that dragged her in. Blood dripped down her forearms. Using her remaining energy, she telepathically raised the gold shards and formed the golden shield. I saw two vines wrap around her ankles, making her fall as she tossed the shield to my direction. I grabbed my glass arrow, and shot it. The arrow split into pieces, similar to glass shards breaking, once it made contact with the shield. The shield fell, but the pieces of the arrow rejoined and struck Rhaenyx in the middle of her chest. Rhaenyx is now on her knees, as the fire spread all around her. With the sword in my hand, I walked towards her. "I am not your only enemy. There are stronger ones out there. Far powerful than me. Once you kill me, they will sense that I am dead and come after you. This is your final warning." Showing no sympathy, I stabbed her with the sword. There was a strong forcefield that pushed me away from Rhaenyx.

Her body glowed brightly creating a beacon, as the fire consumed her body. The beacon shot into the night sky, and exploded like a firework. The explosion sent waves the opposite way; away from my island, Wrilul. I watched as her body exploded, and the fire had gone out. In her place, was a pile of ashes. Over the edge of the railing, there were the mermaids from the swamp, and from the shore. The squealed and celebrated the death of Rhaenyx.

"Queen Vaea!" I heard Naporia shout. She ran and hugged me tightly. "We did it! Rhaenyx is finally dead! All of her minion's are dead! Wrilul is yours again!" We pulled away from the hug, and smiled at each other.

Naporia created a large portal, and I entered. I was back in the tunnels, and everyone turned around waiting for the news. "She is dead. Wrilul is now under my reign once again. There will be no other mermaids terrorizing our island." The people cheered. I told them to follow through the portal that Naporia had created.

~~~

It took months to repair the damage that Rhaenyx and her minions had done. But I'm glad that it's finally over. The royal gardeners had planted new seeds of gladiolus's into my garden.  Alastair and I had announced to my people and his people that the two of us will be getting married. Although there is still a lot of work to do, I managed to have another crowning; and by another I meant I was crowning Onyxia as my hand of Wrilul, and I was also crowning Naporia as my hand of the ocean. But I still remember the last words that Rhaenyx had said to me.  'I am not your only enemy. There are stronger ones out there. Far powerful than me. Once you kill me, they will sense that I am dead and come after you. This is your final warning.' I am afraid of what's coming for me in the future. But for now, all I was focused on was my wedding, and ruling between the land and sea.