A/N: Media is what I think Niamh looks like! Plus, she should have green skin. And gills! Don't forget the gills!

Sirena's eyes bulged at the idea of having the Sapphire in her possession.

After the next meal, Fabian brought up the subject with delicacy that was to be admired. He was worried, he proclaimed, that he'd left behind the Sapphire in his tower, a tower which would surely be ransacked by the crown now his alliance with Lumina, a fugitive, was known. Without the Sapphire as his, he would no longer have any ruling power over the district. They would slip further from gaining control of the crown. At least, by removing the Sapphire, Freya would not be able to appoint a new Lord or Lady to rule in his place.

But the hardest part was convincing the Underwater Queen who should accompany him. Scarlett and Sakura she nodded absently, her eyes still distant at the prospect of having another of the gems in her possession. At the mention of Lumina being removed from her presence, she tensed.

'I forbid it,' she said, shaking her head, 'The Princess has no need to go on this adventure. It would put her at risk.'

And she might not come back. Sirena left those words unspoken, but the look she shot me was enough. She didn't trust my word to return, and she needed to if she were to let me go with them.

I knew from that point that Fabian's negotiations would fail. His words washed over me as I stared into the distance, grimly registering the debate errupting across the table. 

'What if you could ensure my return?' I said, picking an opportune moment when the conversation reached a lull. 'Could one of your shamans not place a spell to make sure I come back?'

Sirena folded her arms with delicate precision, a sure sign I knew that she was bested. I was wondering how many times I could press this Queen before she decided that saving her Kingdom simpy wasn't worth my annoyance, when Scarlett spoke up.

'Princess Nautia,' my sister said with reverence, 'Are you not a shaman? Please could we aid Lumina to comply with the Queen's request?'

Nautia, her gaze upon Scarlett, became the focus of my attention for the first time. She was a quiet but haughty presence at the table, always sat in the chair beside her mother with a derisive stare. Her hair was a shiny platinum blonde, cut into a rigid and fierce slice along her jaw and forehead, and decorated with a band of feathers and shells. Her body was lean and powerful, taller than any human's and each muscle honed like that of a hunter. Nautia was no ordinary Mer, it seemed; from the robes she wore over her slender body, and the titles that my sister had given her, that Nautia was indeed one of the shamans. 

'I am a shaman,' Nautia said, and a sneer curled upon her lips. She turned her head, dismissing Scarlett. 'But I do not answer to your summons. A Shaman is no magician; we are sacred, bound to the Goddess and it is she, not I, who will deem your princess worthy of fins or flesh.'

Inside, my stomach dropped at this news. I hadn't realised there would be so much politics and demands in meeting the shamans. 

A hush fell around the table. Sirena, with an approving glance to her daughter, addressed the newcomers at the table.

'Nautia speaks the truth,' she said, her accent harsh and ringing across the silent room. 'The Shamans will only see you inside their cave, and it lies deep within the Nereus Trench, far from the protection of this palace. As soon as you step outside the boundaries here, you will be encased in deep water. It would be incredibly risky.'

I gave her a stony smile. 'As a group, we've raided a high security prison and escaped. "Risky" hasn't stopped us before.'

Whilst Sakura was nodding vigorously, Niamh said solemnly, 'But last time, you lost a dear friend.'

I felt the feeling leave my fingers, and down the table, Val's head visibly shot to the floor. The searing pain of losing Clae was now as strong as the image of her body before my eyes. 

'Please, let us leave that topic,' I said through gritted teeth. 'It is still fresh.'

Niamh paled. 'I'm sorry, sister,' she said quickly, 'I can be-- tactless, people say. But it is our belief that your friend rests in a better place, and she must have been needed there, for they are always in need of beautiful souls.'

My fingers, no longer numb, trembled and twitched. Clae's blood was still seeping before my eyes, but a happier feeling-- hope-- had settled somewhere in my stomach, and allowed me to look up again at this nest of harpies. Niamh, however, seemed more kind than I'd thought: she had apologised in earnest, and she had called me 'sister'. 

Perhaps Niamh would also help us to reach the Nereus Trench, I thought as the meal wore on and idle talk began once more. Sirena seemed content that our questions had been shut down, and any thought of my leaving settled.

Soon, our plates of stews and herbs were empty, and a lull fell around the table. Sirena herself stifled a yawn, which struck me as a surprisingly open gesture. Shortly after, she rose and bid us good night, followed in tow by Nautia. The Underwater Queen retired in the opposite direction to the rest of us, leaving through a large and decorated door opposite to the one we then exited through.

As soon as we left, however, I doubled back to find the princess who called me her sister.

Niamh, unlike Sirena, must live somewhere else within the palace, along with the other dinner guests. As I watched the last group leaving the hall, a breath along my neck nearly gave me away.

I jumped, turning at once to find a very familiar face. A long, beautiful face. Fabian grinned at my surprise, pressing a finger to my lips to remind me not to shout.
Shooting him a glare, I turned back to watch the leaving group, which included Niamh.

'What are we doing?' He whispered, this time caressing my ear with his breath.

I ignored the urge to lean back against him. 'We're going to speak to Niamh about getting me to that trench.'

He raised his eyebrows, glancing in the same direction as my stare. 'How do we know she'll help?'

I shrugged. 'We don't, but what else can we do?'

'You could use Iggy's power to shapeshift,' Fabian suggested.

I hadn't thought of that.

I opened  my mouth to reply when a pointed cough sounded.

Both of us spun in the direction of it, looking for the source of the sound. To my surprise, Niamh waited at the door, her arms folded.

'Brother,' she called, 'What are you two doing?'

Whilst more heat rose to my cheeks, Fabian seemed unfazed. When I glanced at the mermaid, I had the urge to blush once more; she stared at us, head cocked slightly like a bird, observing us. Fabian pressed  a gentle hand in my shoulder in reassurance, clearing his throat. 

'Lumina was looking for you,' he said. Still, the mermaid princess said nothing, merely watched us. I counted each blink, mesmerised by how, along with the rest of her hair, her eyelashes were a sea green. 

He paused to let me continue, so I take a deep breath. 'I was hoping you could guide us to the Nereus trench.'

It was Niamh's turn to look surprised. 'Guide? You have  a way of swimming there?'

Thanks to Fabian. 'Yes,' was all I replied, acutely aware of my rudeness. Perhaps letting on too much at this stage was not a good idea; if Niamh were to run and tell all now, I might still have a way of taking them by surprise later.

Niamh, however, didn't seem to mind. Running a webbed finger across her chin in thought, the princess nodded in agreement. 'Then yes,' she said, 'with that part sorted, getting there won't be difficult.'

Fabian and I glanced at each other, and in unison, said, 'It won't?'

Staring at us in puzzlement, the girl shook her head. 'No...that's what I said. It won't, provided your means of getting there is efficient. I trust you will have gills?'

'Y-yes?'

'And fins? Fins are far superior than those angel limbs.'

'Er-- yes,' I replied, biting back a smile. Angel limbs? Gills?  Niamh spoke in complete seriousness, so my humour was ill-timed. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see Fabian stifling a smile.

'And you do know how to swim? Underwater, of course.'

Fabian sobered, turning with concern. I felt a fraud as I agreed once again, but was relieved that Fabian had stopped smirking. My own giggles were able to calm down. 

'Good,' Niamh said again, straightening. 'Now, is tomorrow appropriate? Or is there a better time for you?'

She added this sentence on. I wondered, by her slight hesitation, if she was worried about being too abrupt again. But then her gaze was back, expectant, waiting for answer, and I shook my thoughts away.

'Tomorrow would be excellent,' I said, 'What time?'

Her eyes turned on me once more, and they were as big as a fish's. She contemplated her answer before voicing it. 'I will come and fetch you,' she offered. 'Do not tell the Queen about this. She will put a stop to it. If the Sea Goddess grants you a favourable journey, we will be back before she realises you're gone.'

Fabian and I suppressed glancing at one another, but I was certain I knew his thoughts. Niamh's rebelliousness could either be a lucky break, or our first steps into treachery, with Sirena counting our every move. I had the presence of mind to smooth over my insecurities, but I couldn't think of anything to say. So far this conversation had gone well. Too well, whispered my hackles. 

So, with nothing else to say, I thanked her in the traditional Mer, pressing my fingers to my lips and bowing deeply. When I rose, Niamh's lips were pulled into a smile, and I couldn't help but feel it was genuine.

'Sleep well, sister,' Niamh said, and in her own language, she signed the words: may the goddess guide your dreams.

Then she was bowing and moving away, the hem of her dress tinkling with metal beads as she walked. Her hair swung around the corner, and she vanished, leaving only the sound of her dress in the distance. I stared after her for a long time, before feeling Fabian's warmth at my side.

'Angelica to Lumina,' he murmured, 'Come back?'

'I hope she's on our side,' I sigh, turning to look up at him. I couldn't see anything of his half-sister in him. His hair today was brushed to the side, so that it missed his eyes by an inch. Every so often, a stray hair had come loose from the immaculate style of regal prince that he'd had to keep sweeping the strand away. As he looked down at me, the same rebellious strand dropped down.

Automatically, my hand rose. I was halfway to his hair when I started blushing, and it was too late to retract the gesture. 

Caught, I couldn't take my eyes off his. What was I doing? Was I supposed to act familiar with him?

Orphan Lumina had never casually swept the hair from his eyes.

Had-- had Lady Lumina? Yes, probably. But I couldn't remember. 

Fabian raised his hand, and for a moment I thought he'd gently take my hand away.

He tucked my hair behind my ear. 'Our side,' he whispered, his fingers still outstretched. 'I like it.'

His lips curved into a smile.

My mouth went dry, and all of a sudden my arm felt curious. Instead of tucking the strand away, my hand overreacted.

I pulled on his hair, snatched my hand away, and cringed. 

What was that? That was terrible! That is NOT what a queen acts like. That is what an IDIOT acts like.

To make matters worse, we were still staring at one another. 

'What was that for?' Fabian said. 

'It's-- long,' I said, my mouth remembering that words existed. I was thankful that I didn't need to use Mer sign language, however, judging by my disastrous arm. 'Your hair. It's nearly to your shoulders.'

Shut up, Lumina. 

'Do you dislike it?' he said, and he turned to catch it with his hands. I blinked, getting caught by staring at his hands, and the way his hair gleamed in the dim light, before wanting to hit my head against the wall. 

'No,' was all I managed. By now, I was sure my whole face had blown up red. 

In the visions Scarlett showed me, Lady Lumina flirted with Fabian easily! She knew when to look at him, how to look at him, and none of her limbs misbehaved!

I had never wanted to get my memories back more quickly.

'Lu? Are you okay?' Fabian was leaning down, trying to catch my eye. I jumped like a frightened rabbit, my heart hammering oddly. Why now? Why am I being so unnatural?

'I'm fine,' I said, taking a step away. 'I...I need to find Iggy. See if he'll let me borrow his power for the day.'

Fabian nodded, still looking concerned. I wished he wouldn't; the more he looked at me, the hotter this palace felt. 

'You will have to go alone,' he said, and that shock brought the reality back. My heart now oddly still, I turned to stare at him. 

'Why? Where will you be?'

'You heard Niamh. I'll need gills and fins,' Fabian said with a shrug, as if it didn't bother him. 'I only have an air bubble. I'll slow you down.'

I tried to say that he wouldn't, but stopped. Not only did he have no fins, but he'd also have his "angel limbs"-- his wings-- to slow him down. 

I glared at him. 'This is why we should have found a shaman who could put a spell on us all, like I suggested.'

Fabian grinned. 'Sorry, my queen, I shouldn't have doubted you.'

I was relieved to note that my stomach had stopped flipping and when I put my hands on my hips in mock irritation, they didn't make any unwanted movements. 

'Well, luckily for you, I have some friends that might be able to help.'

He quirked an eyebrow at me. 'But I'm your only friend.'

Rolling my eyes, I pushed him forward. 'Take me to Iggy! Let's hope we can all use his power to get there!'

---

Halloooo. Do you remember me? I'm the author! I'm back after the looooong (few months?) hiatus that was finishing Little Saint Bride. But to celebrate, here's your new chapter with the promise of more, as regularly as I can manage.

Wooooo!

Please let me know your thoughts. Can they trust Niamh? How will they make it to the shamans? Will the swim go as easily as planned?

Will Sirena find out?

Will Lumina stop having crazy hand motions every time Fabian makes a move on her?

PLEASE, comment your thoughts and if you enjoyed....press that star!

~ lots of love

Larissa