Published September 2012
Picture: Ocean / Song: If Today Was Your Last Day by Nickelback
Prologue
Taiven swam as fast as he could towards the castle. The news had reached him through the talk of his merfolk; his father hadn't bothered to send anyone to tell him. So here Taiven was, swimming so fast through the ocean that his heart felt like it was going to explode at any moment.
He reached the castle in a daze, many mermaids and mermen were gathering around it, but none were permitted to go inside, none besides Taiven. His young sisters were probably already there on time and in the moment, unlike most days where they were too caught up in their own bubble and had not a clue what was going on.
The crowd moved at his approach, to let him inside his home. Many kept their heads down as he passed by; he was a prince after all. Inside, the castle's water was incredibly cold and empty. Without pausing, Taiven swam all the way up to his mother's chambers. He wasn't surprised to find his father, King Taiven Senior, already by his wife's dying side. Taiven supposed that his father had dismissed the merservants for the day, he didn't blame him.
The prince gathered his courage before asking the question that he feared the answer most. "Has The Day finally arrived, Father?"
Both his sisters, Breena and Cyri turned in his direction silent with lots of sadness in their eyes. Taiven Senior on the other hand simply nodded as he stroked his wife's hair. "Come here Son." His Father said to him, finally turning around and extending his arm. Taiven swam slowly forward.
He had been preparing for this day. The day his mother, Queen Safiana, would pass on to the next world. Was there another world? Life after death as most Mortalis believed?
A year ago, the queen had been diagnosed with merrafell, a genetic virus that had been carried out through her family for many years. There was no cure for the virus, but in some rare cases it turned merfolk human; sadly, Safiana did not have that chance no matter how hard everyone had hoped and prayed.
In this moment, as Taiven grabbed his mother's cold dying hand, he realized that no words could describe what he was feeling. He was mad that faith chose the death path too early for her, he was completely depressed at the realisation that she was dying, happy to see that she would no longer be suffering, scared for his kingdom about the news of the lost of their queen, shocked to see everything happening so soon and confused about what is yet to come.
"Taiven..." Safiana whispered with a shadow of a smile. She had once been beautiful, but the disease had deformed her face, and body; now she was close to ugly. But still, her sea green eyes remained the same; warm and comforting.
He put his mother's hand on his cheek, his sparkling merman tears disappearing into the water that already surrounded them. Taiven looked at his father, the King was also crying. Surprisingly, his sisters seemed the calmest; maybe because they had been more prepared for the moment to arrive. They had after all been crying since they learned that their mother actually had the sickness.
Taiven held on to his mother's hand, until she took her last breaths, and died. Even when her heart stopped beating, Taiven didn't let go, he was scarred that if he did, his mother would suddenly disappear and only remain a memory.
Taiven Senior extended his hand and closed his wife's eyes; the same sea green eyes that Taiven had. He saw the king do a light movement with his other hand, and out of nowhere their servants appeared to take the now lifeless body away. He had put up a little fight, before finally letting go of his dead mother's hand.
He remained in his mother's room, as his father went to announce to their merpeople the passing away of their queen. His sisters had left; probably to go cry alone in their chambers. Taiven felt too weak to swim back up and go cry in his chambers. He listened to his father's strong powerful voice dominate the ocean; he was king for a reason. He was explaining that with the death of Safiana it was time for a new air to begin and that the kingdom will not simply stop functioning because of her death. Yes, he was sounding positive, but no one could miss the sadness in his powerful voice.
When his father came back to the chambers, his face was all busyness. Taiven knew that his Taiven Senior was still sad; he knew that he probably would always be. But the prince also knew that the King would not show his true emotions until he would be completely alone.
Taiven however was not king, he could let himself cry as long as he wanted too. "Son" His father said to him, gesturing him so come forward. Taiven swam slowly towards the merking, not really expecting father to comfort him in his time of need.
Once he was in front of him, the king sighed. "You do know what must proceed with the death of a supreme royal." It wasn't a question, it was highlighting out an obligation.
Taiven knew very well what he must do, now that his mother had passed away. "I must marry." He said more to himself then to his father, not really sounding pleased or happy in the least.
For a merkingdom to be fully functional and powerful there must always be two supreme rulers to watch over it. If not, the kingdom slowly begins to fall apart and is eventually taken over by those of the Deep.
Merfolk mate for life, a king or queen cannot marry twice, so the thrown falls to the eldest child; to Taiven. "I request I year." He said looking straight into the king's eyes.
The merking seemed taken aback by his declaration. "We cannot wait so long; the kingdom could possibly f—"
"Our people will still last long enough because you are still alive, Father. And I promise you that if the kingdom begins to fall, I will marry sooner. But for the moment I would like a year to choose my bride." Taiven said taking a convincing tone.
The king thought for a few moments, before finally nodding. "A year" He said decidedly, but obviously not very pleased about it. "I will give no additional time to find your mate. If the kingdom starts to fall you take the thrown immediately and I shall chose your bride if ever that time comes." Taiven nodded and left the chambers.
He would have preferred to have been given more time, but he knew that his father was already being too generous by giving him a year.
Taiven swam out of the castle and over the kingdom. He wanted to be far away, where he would be alone. He swam until his tail began to hurt, he swam until his heart threatened to explode, and he swam until his longs started burning. He swam until all that he could only think about was the pain that he was giving himself, nothing else.
Thank you for reading! Hope you stick around for chapter 1! Please vote and comment your thoughts! Maybe check out my other works as well? :)
- NocteLamia101
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A Mermaid Tale - Book 1 (IN EDITING)
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