No time to talk, must finish chapters!

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Marinette, Alya, and Tikki swam as fast as they could back to the rest of their friends.

Juleka was still in the arms of Nathaniel who held an unreadable expression. Rose held the purple mermaid's hand with both of hers hoping with all her heart.

Juleka opened her eyes slightly and looked up at Marinette and Alya who were approaching. "Hey....what happened?"

Nathaniel raised his head to look at them as well...Rose didn't move.

"Hawkmoth's gone." Marinette spoke.

"Yeah like gone gone." Alya said. "Prince Adrien made sure of that."

Juleka's eyes widen a bit. "Wow. That's pretty dark. Maybe we could've gotten along..." She chuckled but it hurt to do so as she once again winced in pain. "Marinette?"

"Yes?" The blunette went down to the Sandy floor next to the dark mermaid.

"You always thought you were odd compared to other mermaids, but truth if anyone of us was odd I'm pretty sure it was me." Juleka smiled. "I always thought.....if I was a little more like you....maybe fish wouldn't find me so weird....so scary, but even with that you all stayed by my side you all stayed as my friends....and Rose?"

Juleka squeezed the blondes hand affectionately. "You'll always be my best friend.."

Rose started to cry again, "And you're mine."

Juleka looked up at Nathaniel who still remained emotionless. "Don't be so hard on yourself......This wasn't your fault."

"You're wrong." He said. "This is my fault. You're hurt because of me, if I hadn't given him the Trident. If I hadn't told Chloe.....you would....this wouldn't...."His own voice started breaking not being able to finish.

"Isn't....that what you do....for the person you love....?"

Nathaniel's eyes widen and he looked up and Mariette who stared back at him.

"Rose?"

"Y...yes Juleka?"

"I need you....to...promise me something." She gestured for the pink mermaid to come closer. Juleka whispered something to her that was unheard by the others.

Just then Juleka's body began dissolving into sea foam and her vision became clouded.

"J...Juleka."

The last thing on the dark mermaids face was a smile before she disappeared from sight.

~~~Two weeks later~~~

Juleka's death was something that the group couldn't possibly think they would ever come to accept. Rose being closer to her than the rest took it harder than anyone else and had began to isolate herself from any other sea life.

Nathaniel was too face life in imprisonment due to his crimes for stealing the Trident, but for some reason Chloe had intervened convincing her father to just let it go.

When Nathaniel asked why she responded with. "I'm only doing this to make us even for saving me, but don't think this means I forgive or anything for using me in the first place. You might not be banished from the kingdom, but if I ever see your face in my castle I won't hesitate to do so."

As for Marinette and the rest of the girls. Chloe told her father to ignore their crimes of consorting with humans. Not only did one of them save the ocean, but after that day and the lost of their friend the princess couldn't think of anyway she could possibly make them more miserable.

Marinette kept her promise of meeting Adrien on the beach the next day. She relayed to him everything that had happened and in response he hugged her in comfort.

They made it a daily thing to meet on the beach at the brink of dawn or at least tried too since he was still the Prince and had his duties.

Sometimes Marinette would bring Alya with her and Adrien would bring Nino. When Adrien was unable to make it he would write a letter to her and have Nino deliver it to the mermaid which usually ended up with him reading the letter to her since she couldn't read human.

During one of their visits Marinette showed Adrien some of the treasures that she had collected that she was able to salvage from her cave along with some more she's picked up.

"So what's this?" Adrien asked picking up a smoke pipe with an amused smile.

"That's a snarfblat." Marinette answered. "You use that to make music right?"

Nino was over on the side shoulders shaking as he tried his hardest not to laugh. Alya raised an eyebrow at him.

"And this?" Adrien picked up a fork.

"That's a dinglehopper." She said. "You use it to do your hair......right?"

Nino was unable to hold in his laughter any longer as he began to have tears rolling down his face. "That explains so much!" He said thinking back to when they had dinner together.

Adrien chuckled. "Marinette who told you all this?"

Marinette looked over at the black cat who was curled up in the sand sound asleep. "Plagg was usually my go-to expert on humans, but judging by your reaction I'm....guessing he wasn't very accurate.."

"Yeah about as accurate as the earth being flat." Nino said

Ignoring Nino, Adrien continued to ask Marinette questions. "So you can understand Plagg?"

She nodded. "You can't?"

"Well no, but I do understand when he's hungry. Then again all he eats is cheese..."

"I really liked those croissants we had during our time in the town. I wish I could try them again..."

"I'll bring you some next time if you want."

"What's a....Cross-Aunt?" Alya asked.

"It's this food that humans eat. It taste delicious and it feels so fluffy in your mouth!" Marinette said excited. "You should try it too!"

The mornings would often go like this for the four of them, sometimes the evenings if Adrien found the time and was lucky enough to spot Marinette in the water.

Adrien loved Marinette with all his heart and Marinette felt the same way, but even with their constant visits at the beach Marinette still felt that she was apart from him and it saddened her that she could never really be with him the way she had been when she was human. He said he didn't mind her being a mermaid, but that reason was the one thing keeping them apart.

Adrien was feeling a similar dilemma. He also found it hard to see his beloved do to their differences. Even though he knows that he'll always love her, tail and all, he can't help but think of that being the reason they couldn't be together.

He spent hours in his room trying to figure out ways for them to make this work. He even thought about having a giant fish tank for her, but the idea was thrown away as fast as it was brought up. Marinette wasn't his pet he wasn't going to treat her as such.

Not to mention the event at the 'wedding' had spread all across the kingdom and of course his father knew eventually. Adrien told him about Marinette and what had happened those few days.

Not only did his father believed what he was telling him, but Adrien actually caught a glimpse of emotion in his eyes that threw him off greatly.

As if there was something he wanted to say, but chose not too.

It was only a matter a time before the King called Adrien in his studies again.

"Evening Father. You called for my presence?"

"Yes." The King spoke in a Stern tone. "Adrien, do you remember the deal that we had nearly three weeks ago. Where I had told you if you didn't find the girl by the third day, I would choose your bride?"

Adrien nodded. "Yes father and I have found the girl. Marinette-"

"Marinette is a fish." The King interrupted suddenly. "How are you going to marry this girl? How will she be able to rule by your side as Queen with fins instead of legs? You must think about these things Adrien if you are to be King one day and as future King you can't keep making pointless visits meeting that fish girl of yours."

"Marinette's is a mermaid father and I love her. I don't care if she isn't human there isn't going to be anyone else!"

"Unacceptable!" The King said. "You are to be King and you are to have a Queen. I gave you the time to find one and you have failed so I will be picking your bride. In fact I already chose her."

"What?! Who could you have possibly-?!"

"Her name is Kagami she is from a distinct family of nobles from a neighboring kingdom. She will be your bride and future Queen. Is that understood?"

"Father please-!"

"I said is that understood?!"

Adrien clenched his fist. "No! You can't do this! I'm not going to go through with it!"

King Gabriel's eyes widen at his son's defiance, but simply went back to his emotionless expression. "I'm afraid you don't have a choice Adrien..."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"So you're betrothed to this Kagami chick?"

"It seems that way Nino." Adrien answered.

Nino rested a hand on his friend's shoulder. "That's rough Dude. I'm sorry to hear that."

Plagg who had been close by jumped into the blondes lap while they sat on the beach. Adrien started to pet the feline while speaking.

"I don't know what to do. What am I going to tell Marinette?" Adrien sighed, but thought of an idea. "Maybe we could get a boat and try sailing away?"

"As cool as that sounds Dude I don't think the sea life is for you."

"What do you mean? I love the ocean."

"Yeah, but you've only been out the for a few hours at a time."

Adrien sighed again. "Then what should I do Nino?"

"Well for starters you should probably tell Marinette what's going on." Nino looked back towards the water. "And here's your chance."

Adrien looked up and saw Marinette out in the water. She waved at him a huge smile on her face and made her way over to shore.

Being the fast swimmer that she was it wasn't long before she was in front of the duo.

"Hi." She said

"Hi.." Adrien returned the greeting as a smile graced his features.

"Hey Mari, Where's Alya?" Nino asked the red mermaid.

"She's with her mom helping her out in the King's palace." She replied. "The princess's ball was postponed due to the....incident."

"Aww..that's too bad." He got up from his spot off the sand. "Well I don't want to intrude on your conversation. I'm going to head back to the docks. See ya there Adrien."

The blonde watched Nino walk down the beach and turned back towards the blunette who smiled brightly at him. There was nothing he could do to stop the blush from forming on his face.

"What have you been up too?" Adrien asked.

"I mostly spend my time in my cavern on the edge of the kingdom." She said nonchalantly. "I'm trying to rebuild it since the princess....destroyed everything..."

There was a glint of sadness hidden in her eyes that broke Adrien's heart. He really didn't want to tell her about his betrothal he wanted to make it work between them, but he had to tell her what was happening he had to be honest.

"Marinette I...I have to tell you something." She lifted her head up to look at the Prince and at the moment Adrien realized what he really needed to say. "Let me see your hand."

Marinette gave a confused look, but obliged to his request. Adrien removed the silver ring that rested on his finger and took hold of her hand placing it on her finger.

"I love you Marinette and I'll never stop loving you. No matter how far apart we are you'll always be my princess." He finished with a smile.

Marinette felt as if her heart was about to burst. A tear fell from her eye and she smiled. She threw herself in his arms. "I'll always love you too Adrien."

Adrien held his love returning her embrace. Things may not be the way they had hope, but as long as they still had each other. They knew they could overcome anything.

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The End

Hahaha just kidding! There's more!

(Return of le troll face)

The next chapter will be the final chapter of the story.