HIS ATLANTEAN PRINCESS

CHAPTER 4*LIKE A QUEEN*

*LORELEI*

My mind seemed vague as I tried to come up with words that could best describe how I felt a few hours ago in the hands of those two humans.

The places they touched, the body contact, how they made me feel like I was floating on water, I couldn’t come up with the best words to express myself.

At some point, the rush of pleasure felt so overwhelming that I almost told them to stop, and just a few seconds after, I needed them to do more. 

I don’t know if it was my charm that made them felt such great desire to please me or if that was how humans are overall it was the best feeling I’ve ever felt in my life. 

It was a moment I enjoyed and no one can take that away from me, when I know I can never feel that way with El’egro, not when my heart doesn’t crave for him. 

I have seen the king a few times at ráðh meetings and I hate how he comes to the meetings in his real Triton form, when most Merfolks don’t always commute in their actual form. 

The way he always walks around in the courtroom with his rýtingur gill sprouting from both sides of his cheek bone moving up to his either side of this temple and ear looking almost identical to a crown and his skin having the usual Triton grey sheen but the only he’s had was the silver sparkle that glittered from his neck, shoulder blade down to the forefront of his chest. 

And his eyes had to be the lifeless pair of grey I had ever seen. I have seen a wide range of eye colour in Merfolks. Unlike humans who had a white part they call pupil and the one with either blue or brown called iris according to what I read from the journal written in history shells. 

For Merfolks there is nothing like different, colours in both the entire eye have only one colour though the colours vary in Merfolks. 

Only Villimenn Merfolks have the same eye colour and it’s usually a hollow black, that’s how to tell them apart. They are wilder Merfolks cast away from their little coast for specific reasons and they spend the rest of their existence swimming the ocean.

They should be the scariest kind of Merfolks, because of their anger and how they hunt down anything they meet in the ocean. Yet picturing the Triton El’egro scares me more than Villimenns do. 

I, personally, won’t have issues with him showing pride in his Triton form if he doesn’t look so evil.

All Merfolks, most especially mermaids and merman, have gills on both sides of their neck which mostly bring out when we swim in the ocean. 

Once a merfolk comes in contact with any kind of water their gill responds and protrudes, so some merfolk don’t feel the need to bring out when they are not in water. 

I for exam don’t need my gill to breathe perfectly in water but no one knows this, it’s a secret I’ve kept to myself for a long time. 

I discovered my ability to breathe underwater perfectly without my gill when I was 8 years old.

 I had thrown a tantrum that day because the Queen wouldn’t let me play with other Merkid my age. After hours of screeching, she agreed. But not unless I go to our ocean with my entourage of Stulkas. 

That had angered me more and when we got to the walls of our ocean, I froze the Stulkas with water and I swam to the depth of the ocean; me exerting my power at such a young age prevented my gill from sprouting because it needed energy to do so. 

I didn’t notice that until a strange material wrapped around my neck, and I noticed my gill wasn’t present when I tried to get rid of the weird piece. 

I had wanted to tell mother, so I asked if it’s possible for a merfolk to swim without their gill or what happens to a mermaid that doesn’t have their gill. A response that day made me choose not to tell. 

She said there is no such thing as a mermaid who can swim without their gill and if they were, then they aren’t fullblóðugur mermaid and the royal will prosecute such mermaid. 

Although I know I am a sannkallað blóð which makes me fullblóðugur mermaid given my parents are the queen and king, I still couldn’t risk telling mother. 

I felt the change of temperature as I cross the boundary reef back to our ocean and it surprised me that the reef didn’t attempt murdering me this time. 

Perhaps the magic guarding it feels my energy and can tell I am a Merfolk who belongs on this side of the ocean and that explains why it tried to prevent me from crossing over. 

I smiled giddily as I felt the freshness of our ocean cool my skin, and I took my time to play in the ocean’s expanse before continuing my journey back to my palace. 

Before stepping out of the ocean walls, I make sure there is nothing on me that can tell of my journey to the human world before removing human band in my hair letting it flow down my waist as I stepped out of the ocean wall closing my eyes inhaling the atmosphere of our land. 

Nothing feels like being where you belong. If only my parents would make it feel like I belong, because to them I am just a tool to uphold their rule.

Once I opened my eyes, I notice the day was out brighter than I expected it to be. 

Given the time I left the human world, it should be dawn here. Perhaps I didn’t take an accurate reading of the sky or I spent too much time in the ocean.

Without wasting another minute, I decided to just go through the usual path leading to my palace instead of sneaking in. If anyone asks I went for a morning swim. 

As I got the entrance of my palace carved from ancient old iceberg and crust, the sentries bowed in respect as they mouthed their greetings to me and I walked in. 

On getting to my littoral, I noticed my Stulkas murmuring as they paced about the space. 

“What’s going on here?”

Zaire was the first to rush to me at the sound of my voice, stopping just a few feet away from where I stood. And she heaved a sigh.

“Your Majesty.”

Zaire greets bowing, and the other Stulkas filed behind her as they bowed and greeted me.

“What’s the reason for the early ruckus.?”

I asked again Zaire breathed in.

“I’m sorry, my princess we got worried that you were still asleep and didn’t respond when the Queen Mother came looking for you. We need not know you went for your morning swim.”

Zaire explains, and I walk past her to open the door of my littoral.

“What might she need me for?”

I asked and my Stulkas shake their head as they move about to clean my space. 

“She did not say. She was angry and requested your presence immediately you come out.”

Zaire says, and I scoffed. So much like mother to cause trouble out of nothing. 

“Do not touch any of my personals. And Zaire my food before I get back.”

I say as I make my way out of the littoral.

“Bring Griffin to me.”

I tell the sentries, and one of them hurried to fetch the creature with the leg of a lion and head and wings of an eagle.

 A creature of the sea whose principal purpose is to serve the royals of Ashira.

I smiled as griffin came in sight, bending its hind leg for me and I mount the creature before telling it where I needed to be. 

It didn’t take long for griffin to arrive the Queen’s palace and I climb down from its back, instructing to wait for my return. 

I hadn’t even stepped through the crust holdings of the Queen’s place when mother came rushing out.

“What have you been doing, that it took you this long to answer my call? And you told your Stulkas to keep me out of your littoral.”

Mother screeched in my hearing, not caring to ask if I was okay or even show care for her daughter.

“I went for a morning swim and I didn’t instruct the Stulkas to keep you out. I only told them I wanted to be left alone with being disturbed. What might you need me for?”

I ask my annoyed mother, who already had her ears steaming from anger?

“What might I need you for? What has come over you, princess? Did you realise you missed today’s ráðh meeting? because of one morning swim.”

Mother screeched, and I had to cover my ears, because the sound of her voice is irritating.

“I will I know a ráðh meeting would hold today, especially very early in the morning, and you came to my palace yesterday, mother. You could have done me the favour of telling me.”

“How can you know? When will you ever learn and start acting like the Queen, you would soon become? You don’t need to have the record of a schedule date for a ráðh to hold. As the future queen and current princess you should always be available if any meeting takes place.”

Mother says, and I sighed.

“And when will I ever get to the things that I want, mother? Tell me?”

I asked, and my mother shakes her head.

“You don’t get to do want you want Lorelei. You are the princess of Ashira, the largest kingdom underneath the ocean, the one who rules over every coast. There are responsibilities, ones that fell on your shoulders from the day you were born. You don’t get to live like every other mermaid out there because you are everything they wish they were. Someday not only will be queen of Ashira but the queen mother or Triton and Ashira when they merge. You have responsibilities your duty to Merfolks are the only things you should worry about.”

Mother lectured just like and I wished I could tell her the words in my heart, that I didn’t ask for any of this.

I never asked to be birthed with all these responsibilities. Those mermaids who wish to be like me don’t how bad I wish to live their lives even if it’s for a day. I would do everything to have the freedom they have.

To not wake up every day knowing that I am not living for myself but for Ashira and for my parents to their offspring on the throne.

That was the only reason mother birthed me. Not because she needed more Merchild, but because she need an heir to keep the throne in her bloodline. 

It hurts knowing I worth nothing more to them than a figurehead to take the throne. 

“Do not look at me like that. I do all this for you. Right from the day I conceived you, I was told you would become the greatest Queen and would bring two kingdoms together. I fuss often to see you achieve your destiny the least you can do is show gratitude.”

Mother scorned, and I shake my head.

“I didn’t ask to be birthed with such destiny.”

“I didn’t ask to be birthed either.”

Mother says, and I scoff.

“Leave the princess alone, at least Let her come in before you do all this.”

Father says walking up to mother and I and he smiled at me, which I couldn’t bring myself to reciprocate.

“Stay out of this. I would reprimand her when I see fit.”

Mother says, shunning father and he nods.

“By the way, the king is here to see you.”

Mother announced with a smile, and I frowned. 

“Come, lets go in you. You need to pay your respect.”

Mother says, and my frown deepened. I can’t believe she is only inviting me in, because she wants me to bow for El’egro.

“Sorry mother but tell the Triton that I am not in the mood to see him.”

I say with as much authority as I can and for a moment father smiled. 

“What did you just say? Ianassa I did not train you to be a disrespectful mermaid.”

Mother says, ears steaming from anger, and I smiled.

“You didn’t train me to be anything, mother, other than a cold, emotionless figurehead. Besides, you want me to act like the future queen I am. This is me acting like the future Queen instructing you to tell the Triton King that I soon to be Queen Lorelei Ianassa Ianthe does not wish to see him today.”

I told mother loud and clear and I watched as her jaw dropped. Serves you right.

“Now if you would excuse me, I need to rest.”

 I tell her dumbstruck’d figure before whistling for griffin and he flew me out of the Queen’s Ivory palace back to mine.