Dread, pure and utter dread was all that filled my stomach. Why? My mother was why; I would never understand why she insisted that Nathaniel was taking me to this welcome home ball.
I may have only met him yesterday; yet I could tell that I wouldn't like him. Nothing about Nathaniel was anything that I would ever consider looking for in a friend. Everything about him shouted pompous asshole.
His hair was perfect. I mean it looked painted on it was so perfect. There were no loose strands anywhere, it was dyed black except for his tips which he left his natural flaming red. It looked like his head was on fire.
What set me on edge the most was his eyes. They were cold and calculating. Always watching, as if he was trying to figure out how to best those around him. He appeared too good for a girl like me.
I had a feeling that if I weren't the princess and future Queen of Atlantis I wouldn't even be a tiny blip on his radar. Yet here he was this cold calculating guy was to be my escort, and friend. I think my mother has lost her entire mind.
Another thing that I don't understand is why they are having a ball anyway. I asked her last night but she just continued to say it was to welcome me home. Welcome me to a home that wasn't mine. A home I didn't want. It was beyond my ability to understand my mother's actions.
This ball was entirely over kill, and completely unnecessary. Mother however so kindly informed me that as the Atlantian princess destined to rule the sea, I was going to have a ball. It was my duty to show my people that I was fit to be their future Queen. Her exact words were 'If you are going to be a princess, you must start acting like one.' I couldn't believe that she would imply I wasn't a princess.
According to her, I would learn to appear happy, and elegant even when I was feeling down n the dumps, and entirely un-elegant. She was determined to teach me how to be the vision of perfection, an ice Queen. To her that was the proper mermaid, the Queen these people deserved.
Transformation Awaits
Maidens Debut
A Lady Made
Midnights Reveal
- - - - - - - - -
"Your Highness?"
Erg, all the formality, it was suffocating me.
"Yes, Leah you can come in. I told you yesterday you do not need to call me your highness. You are my friend; to you I am just Mia."
"Princess Mia, we have come to help you to prepare."
"We?"
"Yes princess, we. This is Esmerla, and Ervia. They are two of your mother's ladies in waiting. They will be helping me get you ready. Esmerla is a wonder at undersea make-up, and Ervia she can work wonders on any hair. As you already know, I am the fashion design expert. So my princess are you ready to get started."
I looked back at the two deep turquoise mermaids standing behind Leah. They resembled my mother in many ways and both were stunning, they made me feel like dirt in comparison. I noted the pride with which they both held themselves, and how their eyes shone with compassion. It did not take any imagining on my part to picture myself becoming close friends with these to mere women.
"Leah, is this really necessary?"
"Princess I assure you that this is one hundred percent necessary"
"Alright, but please remember who I am. I am not some fake un-intelligent mere princess; I am Mia the future Queen of Atlantis."
"I promise my princess."
Unruly Locks Tamed
Flawless Ivory Complexion
Gown of Ice
My Ball Awaits
Hours of pure torture, I endured hours of pure torture. My hair was a disaster, my skin was to pale, even my lack of fins brought reason for complaint. That entire ordeal aside, however I was breathtaking. The pinching, prodding, poking, curling, and pulling were completely worth it as I stood looking in the mirror. These three women were miracle workers. I was finally a princess.
My dress was long and flowing, it trailed behind me as I moved, easily disguising my lack of fins. Leah had chosen a pale blue for the color, it reminded me of floating ice bergs; she also seemed to have an infinity to strapless dresses for once again my shoulders were bare. For my hair Ervia decided to leave my long wavy locks to flow down my back; she told me that it reminded her of a waterfall and my true roots. That simple comparison to my home had me in tears, and I could not thank her enough for her consideration. Esmerla spent hours perfecting my face, and yet when she was done I still felt like myself. Silver swirls flowed from the edge of my eyes gently framing my face; light blue accented my deep cerulean eye color, and made them stand out. The rest of me she left just as it was. To complete the look Leah placed my simple crown on my head. Here I was the perfect princess.
'Knock, knock, knock.'
"Come in."
"Amiria doll, you are stunning."
"Thank you Daddy."
"So, are you settling in okay?"
"Yes, and I have a friend. One that I found on my very own without mothers help, or coehersion."
"Really now? Who is this friend of yours, not a little red crab I hope."
"No daddy, I am not friends with a little red crab yet! Her name is Leah."
"Leah? As in your maid."
"Yep, that's the one. She showed me all around the city yesterday."
"Mia, honey please be careful around her. She comes from an evil family."
"Why because she is a half breed, a hybrid, does that what makes her evil? I am a hybrid, I am a half breed, am I evil father."
"No, no, no not at all, you and your brother you are hybrids, and you are not evil at all."
"Well then why dad? Why is my new friend evil?"
"Her father was a Selkie. One of the Selkies that was united against your mother. He was the highest ranking general of Xavier."
"Xavier, as in my grandfather, my mother's father?"
"Yes, the very one, promise me that you will be careful around her."
"I will dad, I promise. But just because her father was evil does not mean that she will to be evil. The same way dad that Oliver and I can be just as evil even though both you, and mother are good. Mom is flawed but I know she is good, and pure."
"You my child will never be evil. Look, here we are. What do you think?"
I looked out at a sea of fins, and tails. Everywhere I turned my eyes met pure elegance. Mere and Slekie united under my parents rule, coming together to celebrate my home coming. Each face, each set of eyes, each look of hope, or fear; they were all my people. Every one of them having some sort of expectation, opinion, or idea of what I was, and what I would be. They all wanted me to rule, they all would be watching my every breath.
Overwhelmed I took my eyes off of the people and focused my gaze on the ball room. To say that is was stunning would be a gross understatement. To say it was breathtaking did not do the room justice. Floors of obsidian, black as night met walls of deep turquoise. Pure white fabric, sheer enough for me to see through but blocking me from the gazes of the guests below were spread of twinkling lights. Pillars of pearl spread from the walls dotting the dance floor casting light across the room, completing my fairytale welcome. Below me was heaven under the sea, below me was my fate wrapped in all the glamour and finery that royalty could buy.
Joy, gratefulness all those things I should have been feeling, they never came. Instead I was filled with a bitter hate, a resentment towards everything that was before me. I hated Atlantis, hated that they threw me a party, and most of all I hated that they wanted me to stay.
"Daddy, I want to go home."
"Mia, I know. But isn't this breathtaking?"
"Everything is fine dad. I just don't want to stay here, and the more nice things they do for me the worse I feel about hating them."
"How can you hate them? They have worked so hard to do this for you."
"I know they have dad. It is just that they are the reason that I am trapped here. I can't help but blame them for wanting me as a Queen. I feel like it is their fault that I am here."
"Mia your fate was the fault of your mother and me. If you feel the need to blame someone, please blame us. These people they are innocent. Is this hatred why you keep refusing Nathaniel as your escort? Do you blame him too?"
"No. I don't like Nathaniel plain and simple."
"Have you spent time with him?"
"No, and I do not need to get to know him. Dad he is cold, and hard. All Nathaniel wants is the title. Never would he truly love me, and I want to spend my life with someone that I truly love."
"All this is based on one glance. Mia you are basing your judgment of him on your own immature desires. Get to know the boy first."
"Why? Why is it so important that I get to know him?"
"It is important because we want you to be happy. Mia how can you be happy here if you never give anyone the chance to be your friend."
"Happy, you want me to be happy. Father I was happy. I was happy on the Mystic Isle. I was happy with Leo, if you really wanted me to be happy you would have left me there. I will never be truly happy here. This is not my home."
"You and Leo could never work. Do you not see that Leo is Fey, he is of the earth. Leo is steadfast, logical, and serious. It goes his very nature to be with you. You my daughter, you are mere and selkie. You are changing, emotional, and playful. Everything in you wants to be free, your very nature is chaos, and unpredictability. From the beginning your relationship was doomed."
"We would make it work. We balance each other."
"Daughter without you the sea would die. You are the heartbeat that keeps everything going."
"I am that important?"
"Yes Mia. You are that important, you always have been."
'knock...knock...knock'
"Mia are you ready. It is I, Nathaniel."
I turned to my father, hoping that somewhere on his face I would see one hint of giving in. One little glimmer that I would not have to do this. My hope was crushed the moment I took in his sad smile, his haunted eyes, and grey hair. I knew then that this was one battle I would not win. One battle lost in what was looking like a doomed war.
"I am ready."
Slowly, agonizingly slow he opened the door, as the crack grew wider a boyish grin spread over his face. Then I noticed he had legs. Nathaniel was like me a half-breed. I was not beneath him. In that moment, I rushed to him, hugging him with all my strength. I was not alone.
"Why, why didn't you tell me?"
"Why? Why didn't I tell you that I was cursed? Mia I am not pure, that is why. You Mia you are purely from the sea. I however I am not I am an abomination. Banished to the sea."
"You had a tail, you are breathing. You look of the sea to me. If you are not then what are you?"
"Mia, did you look at my tail?"
"No,"
"I am a Beofu. An outcast."
There was no way they didn't exist... They were all wiped out... They were evil... None survived...