MY STEP-MOTHER IS MY MATE

THE BANQUET

A large disc with tiny spiral lines made from a clam shell material was placed in the turntable of a gigantic glossy lilac Phonograph. A man seemingly in his 40s rolled the hand crank with his tentacles. He was clad in a luxurious suit that seemed to rather complement his bizarre features. He had a serious expression on his handsome face, his white pompadour hairstyle standing tall and shiny under the slightly lit Hall by the several bioluminescent jellyfish swarming the top of the spaciousness. As the phonograph started to play a subtle classic banquet composition, the man brought out a clarinet and played in coherence with the music being played on the phonograph with his tentacled beards.

The Hall was full of unconventionality, as the floor and wall were shiny and lit in blue, contradicting the darkness that covered the outside of the building. The spacious hall was filled with several sea creatures of intellect, judging from the way they interacted and dressed. Elegant Men and beautiful women with aquatic feats formally dressed up with wineglasses in their hands as they danced and interacted with one another.

A boy dressed in a navy blue and white raiment stood watching all from above on the landing of the hall's stairs, holding the railings with an excited smile on his face vividly seized in awe by the grandeur baroque settings of the Hall. His blue eye shone with a slight glint in contrast with the hall's light as he stared around. He took a step back to adjust his posture, and step back into his room but he heard a high shrill sound and a soft tap on the back of his head that startled him.

" Kya!! didn't you see me coming, brother?" A high-pitched but sweet tone resounded behind him and he couldn't help but turn around to see who it was.

The sight of a beautiful girl with cyan-colored hair and a bright golden eye stunned him for a second. Dressed in a deep blue knee-length gown that increased her charm, Aerwyna pouted in a slightly annoyed manner which made her look cute and adoring.

"I'm sorry, I- I didn't..."

" Come downstairs with me this moment brother, let's go dance!" Aerwyna cut him off and took his hand excitedly before swimming unto the dance floor with Caspian behind her, still confused.

Caspian had always been an irregular since birth. He was the sole difference in the hall as he was only of royal blood but with a strange physical constitution. The human physique of his late mother who had died two years after his birth, as she had been ill since his birth simply due to the strain of a human having a merman's child, was inherited by him. His mother being the beloved Queen of Atlantis was popular and well-loved for her sincerity and heroic demonstrations by all. Thus, her death Since then had been blamed on him by the folks and he was cast out. If he wasn't royalty, he would have been dead by now as the Merfolks were people who could be quite irrational but respected royalty nevertheless. Caspian had then built restraint, caution, and reproval as a defense mechanism for himself in the royal castle and had always stayed away from everyone, locked away in his room. However, he was only 12 and his curiosity for the decadal Atlantis banquet couldn't be suppressed as he had heard and read about it severally.

He planned to watch from the stairs and leave quietly without anyone noticing but here he was, standing in the dancehall with a little beauty in his hands. Caspian had always been cold to everyone around him as he knew he was loathed by everyone, however, facing the innocent princess' cheerfulness and glee, he lost all his will to refuse.

As he danced with the Mermaid in his hands, he slowly forgot all his predicaments and he felt free in his heart and soul for the first time. He felt relevant and confident and stared intently at the girl in his hands. Their steps weren't smooth and elegant but he felt joyful as they both giggled. He could feel the warm light of the few jellyfish that had centered around himself and Aerwyna. Suddenly, Aerwyna stopped and stared at a figure sitting on the throne and ran towards the throne.

Caspian felt embarrassed and a blush crept onto his face for a moment as he stood alone on the dance floor at the watch and attention of everyone. He shied away and looked towards the princess, to avoid the Merfolks prying gazes, and watched as she swam gleefully across the room towards the throne. He shifted his gaze towards the throne to see a beautiful woman, with which Aerwyna shared identical features, sitting on a smaller throne beside his father, the King of Atlantis, The ruler of the seas, King Rinus Miureadhach. He had married the beautiful woman a year after his mother's death.

Aerwyna was his step-sister, the daughter of the current Queen of Atlantis, Queen Cordelia. The prince and princess pair had not been quite close but due to the cheerful, innocent, and ever-friendly character of the princess, she had no problem reaching the cold prince.

Unbeknownst to the black-haired prince, The king was staring at him with a fatherly loving smile on his face seeing his son beginning to open up to folks gradually; even if that folk was family. He had always felt guilty for making his son this way and not being able to give his son the well-deserved life a child of his age deserved as he had always been surrounded by hate and prejudice. He and his race were the cause of his coldness and lack of enthusiasm. He felt angry at himself for what he did and felt that he and the Merfolks were selfish and unreasonable to put a child of Caspian's age in such hurt. He had been hurt by his beloved wife's death and didn't know when he spat nonsense at his son.

Caspian was a very smart, intelligent boy with average looks and a thin but elegant body frame. The king could see the deep blue pupils that the boy had inherited from him, that carried heavy sadness and indifference for every other thing, slightly lit at this moment. A bitter smile crept up his face as he saw his two children binding. He had always feared that Caspian could turn out to be dangerous and loathly in the future because of what he did when he had been blinded by hate but seeing the care in his eyes, he felt relieved. He had tried to apologize several times and tried to make it up to him but he just couldn't get through to him.

"He has the true blood of a merman, fierce and indifferent but cares and wants to protect his loved ones..... how I only wish..." The king murmured under his breath.

He felt a soft thump on his chest and soon realized that the little princess swam into his embrace in the middle of his thoughts and he gently caressed her soft hair.

" Father, I danced with brother" the little princess pushed her head up and said excitedly to her father. She was only 7 and her cheerful, childish behavior could not be put in contempt in any way as she was just too adorable.

" Really? that's very good of you little Aerwyna" The king acted surprised and poked her tiny nose tip with a finger as he complimented her.

" Yes!" she jerked her hands up in celebration on the king's lap and suddenly swam off into the hands of her mother. Not in one bit concerned about the formalities and simply doing what she wanted.

Caspian was now standing in his previous position, the landing of the stairs. Looking at the cheerful princess, he felt happy and at the same time jealous of how she could be free from all the contemptuous looks of the folks. He had been smart from when he was a kid and had always understood the meaning behind different stares. He had been yelled at and blamed by his father when he was only 4 after his mother's death and he didn't hate him for that, instead, he hated himself, he hated his existence. He had heard people whisper behind him and accused him of killing his mother, calling him a Monster, a demon. He had tried to impress the folks but alas, he couldn't bring back his mother. And seeing his step-sister getting all he wanted made him jealous for sure, but he saw something else, he knew he wasn't going to get much affection and love from everyone, thus, he wanted to protect that happiness in her that in return made him feel happy and care for her. He saw a new purpose in her.