Gaymers

Part 1 - Calm

     Triton didn't want to marry a princess. Actually, he didn't want to marry anyone, but he and his twin sister Attina didn't have much of a choice. Being the eldest children of King Triton, senior to Triton's junior, they'd been betrothed since they were young teens. They were the next in line for the throne and needed to secure their future as crowned royalty and the promise of heirs.

    What his father and sisters didn't know was that Triton not have any interest in a princess—but rather a prince. Kind of. If he was ever ready for marriage, he'd want a merman at his side. The only other mer who knew his secret was his youngest sister, Ariel. Not even his own twin knew. Ariel understood because she was in the same bubble as him.

    The princess Triton was meant to marry was set to arrive in Atlantica when the night disc was no longer visible—which would be in a couple turns of the tides. He was definitely getting cold fins—at no fault of his betrothed princess, Willow. The marriage wouldn't be fair to her anymore than it was to him.

    Triton was floating anxiously around his room when Ariel burst through his seaweed door, eyes clenched shut and shoulders heaving with sobs. She tossed herself onto his gray clamshell bed, her emerald tail curling around herself protectively. Triton shoved his worry for himself to the back of his mind to tend to his sister.

    "Ariel." he gently laid a webbed hand on her shoulder, using the other to smooth back her red hair floating around her face. "Ariel! What's wrong, what happened?"

    Ariel shook her head, burying her face in her arms. A dark look washed over Triton's features as his green eyes examined the small nicks dotting his sister's arms, torso, and tail. His own tail began thrashing in anger, its red color perfectly mimicking his mood.

    "What did Father do?" he demanded.

    "Ariel hiccuped as she peered up at Triton. "All my human things...the trinkets, gizmos, thingamabobs...even the statue! He destroyed them all," she wailed.

    Triton seethed, but pulled her into a hug, tucking her under his chin. His mind had been made. "We leave tonight. We can't stay here any longer." Triton's voice was steady and dark with determination.

    "W-what?" Ariel blinked hard. "But this is our home!

    "Are you fishing out on me? C'mon Ari, we've been planning this for three night discs now. We can't wait much longer! My bride-to-be will be here soon, and it'll be too late. Father's temper is growing, and his patience is wearing thin. How much more should we suffer before it's enough?"

    Ariel's blue gaze sank, and she smoothed her hair behind her. "I guess you're right but...what about our sisters?"

    "They'll be fine," Triton assured her. "They don't feel like strangers in their own home as we do. Take what you can, but travel light. I'll come get you when it's time." His light brown hair drifted into his eyes as he spoke, hopefully masking the frightened sorrow he felt.

~          ~           ~

    Triton and Ariel's vibrant tails were too noticeable against the night sea; they'd certainly be spotted. Ariel took the octopus ink their sister Alana used to dye her hair black and was helping Triton smear the last of it over his tailfin after her emerald one was stained.

    "How long do you think this ink will stain?" he asked.

    "Long enough, I hope. Alana doesn't have to reapply for at least a full night disc, but I don't think it'll last as long on scales. By the time it wears off, we should be far enough from Atlantica that other merple shouldn't recognize us."