Chapter 29:
Prince of Realization

A voice gasped and suddenly exclaim with joy, "Look he is awake this fine day!  Everyone shout yay!  The prince has woken up today!" I blinked an looked around.  I was in a council section headquarters.

"Elvander, shut up..." I muttered.  Elvander was this blonde mermaid that was under this section along with Latisha.  This section was better than most, and it was more accepting of other opinions.

"Yeah, nobody likes your rhyming jam!" Latisha glared, "He has been doing this since they found you.  Which is extremely lucky for you.  The spirits could of killed you." Latisha kindly stated.

Oh, so that did happen?

I thought that was just a sick dream.

"Yeah the spirits came.  For you they aim!  But to them is was just a game!" Elvander clapped his hands together, making us all sigh again.

"Van, knock it off!  Seriously." I muttered.  I was tired and did not want to deal with his annoyance.

"But they attacked Kimoshei and..." Kimoshei?  I gasped and widen my eyes.

"My sister!" I suddenly thought of.  "Is she fine?"

"Yeah, yeah!" Elvander nodded his head, "She is fine, yes.  Protecting herself; she the best.  With Azurine; guarded is the quest." Latisha sighed at his words as I just groaned.

Pushing him out of the way, Latisha answered me. "The council decided for many of us to go on land.  But they wanted you to be part of the team that goes on land making sure the royal ones are fine."

"H-huh...?" I shrieked and felt my hair stick up, "You mean with those dreaded-"

"Yes, on land." Elvander interrupted, grinning in his sing-song words, "In the warm sand. They decided that was the plan."

"They are planning to have most of your kingdom along with the crown ones or ones that will be crowned to be on land." Latisha explained, "They want us to blend in."

Blend in?

Ugh that makes me sick.

"Come on, it might be fun." Latisha tried to lighten the mood.  She must of noticed my disgust.

"So fun. And we could even run.  And we could act like humanics are dumb."

I almost chuckled when he said that, but I felt numb.

"Can you smack him and put him out of his misery." I wanted to chuckle, to laugh.  But I had no emotion or feelings except sadness and anger.  Only Despair and Numb.

"Fine...But I am only doing it for my sister." I knew she was already there and I was going to find her.

I had to be with her.

"Yippeee!" Latisha jumped flying her arms around even smacking Elvander in the process.  "We all going to land do some things to help everyone!"

"For mermaids there no reason to welp.  We are going to help.  So prepare some nice kelp." Elvander grinned slinging his arms around Latisha and me.

"Okay...okay we should go already and do this...uh thing?" I offered, clearly not knowing how. They both stared at me dead in the eyes.

"Dude, you realize you gotta look humanic, right?" Latisha exclaimed, "The seas' sea!  They decided to combine their council magic and whoop them into a humanic looking one.  But you still merphan. 
         All magic and everything stays.  And when you touch water, any water..." She looked me in the eye, full of a serious expression, "Fishtails!  So let go to Lynzo, and come on!"

"Yes, we should go.  To find Lynzo.  And land we-" Latisha elbowed him.  "Okay okay!" He yelled in defeat, "I will stop, jeez.  I hate how you guys ganging up on me.  Like come on, really guys?"

We then headed away to Lynzo's quarters.  He was a council main member who was more understanding of anything than anyone I ever met.  He was tan with dark auburn flowy hair.  He also had deep indigo eyes.

"Sir!" Elvander saluted, "We are all going to take on the task!  To the land....To the humanics from our world, the sea!" He stated proudly in a sing-song way.

"All of you?  Really?" He seemed surprised.  It makes sense.  There was I, who hated and despised everything to do with humanics.  I wanted them gone.  They were evil and ruined us.  "Even you, Mivozene?"

"Yes... For my sister." I answered the masculine.

"Alright, but when blending in..." He narrowed his eyes at me. "I really recommend that you lay low and just because a humanic walks in your direction does not mean it gives you a right to kill them." He eyed me in particular.

"Of course!  Why would we ever do that?!" Elvander answered with his voice at a higher pitch.

"Ughh..." Latisha smacked her forehead.

~~~

"Look humanics would think I am naked if they saw me.  I have nothing on except seaweed on my chest!" He grinned,
       "Maybe I should of kept the vourset on?" Elvander exclaimed as we used each other to support ourselves when walking for the first time.

"Actually we are waist down...  But lucky for me I kept my corset on!  Bruh, unlike you idiot who decided, nah I never need this again. 
        I'm gonna throw it away......." She made her voice sound stupid as she told him what he said earlier.

Yeah that was Latisha and Elvander.  Sometimes they got along, but other times....  They were like this. 
       Most of the time I tried to tune out what they were saying.  Lynzo and them were also the only ones who knew of my undesired to be desired.

"...Oww you know that hurts!" Elvander exclaimed.

"Both of you!  There it is!" My words stopped their arguing immediately.  We were finally at the place.

"It kinda big and roomy!" Latisha admitted, looking around the place.  It had several rooms.  It was meant to be a place for merphans to share..well humanics.

"It has six rooms, but three of us..." Elvander noted after coming out of each room.

"That is for any merphan we have with us.  Remember we suppose to make sure the land is safe and keep certain special merphans with us..like royal ones." I lifted one of my fingers up to show a point.

It is funny how my hands, the webbing disappears when on land.  My royal symbol still stays, my undesired symbol on my shoulder.  Any humanic could see it, but since it is covered all the time... They cannot.

No scales.

Humanic flesh.

Teeth still sharp.

No webbing.

I lay down on one of the rooms of the bed and thought to myself I like how it is quiet and almost peaceful.  But that thought soon fades away as I realize no one can be like that without doing something to someone. 
         I must make the world a better place for my sister.  I will guide her into the path of success.  I could not be the one wearing the crown, she is a siren and stole that away from me. 

        I envy her, but I will make sure everything is perfect for her.  And if she tries to ruin anything, I will be greatly upset.

"Mivozene?  Mivoooozene?" One of them was calling for me.  "Mivo?  Mivozene?  Mivo...Mivo....Zen?" I scowled when they said Zen.

I hated it when merphans called me that.

Too many memories, painful ones.  It better to forget it all.  I cannot think about her or they use her to make me weak.

"I am in here and call my actual name!  My full name.  No nicknames, nothing!" I glared at Elvander and Latisha.

"Hit a scale?" Elvander turned to Latisha, "Or a nerve as humanics would say!"

"Shut up..."

"Okay look we are in this together and if you end up being in a bad mood this entire time.  It will not help things, so stop getting mad at nothing." The dark-skinned feminine sighed, "Just cuz' we called you some silly nickname? 
       We just calling your name and it just slipped out, jeez!" Latisha yelled at me.  But I was only thinking about one thing.

Could they not see my side?

"Just shut up!" I yelled, "Be quiet do you not see that I do not like it?  I hate it when others call me that name in particular..." I muttered groaning as I walked over towards them "Whatever hates means..."

"Someday you are gonna wind up all alone forever and nobody gonna be there for you.  And you do not even like desires.  You have good points about it, but there been plenty of cases where they end up happy and love each other. 
         What about Lynzo and his desired?" Latisha turned to face me with a serious expression on her face. "They are happy and make you want that, no?"

"That...That is one exception." I admitted, lowering my head, "But there are plenty of incidents where they are toxic and one of the pairs hurt their desired.
          And the other one let them do whatever because they are hypnotized by the desired affect." I sighed.  "Remember Izi...I mean Izidra of the Antarctic?  She claimed the one she was suppose to be desired to was going to be like that."

"That the only case I heard of.  Besides after you so kindly returned her, I heard she escaped again.  Rumor was it, she escaped to the land." Elvander kindly informed us.  So she escaped again?  I guess they did not want to tell anyone.

"Yeah," Latisha agreed, "Has there been anyone that you thought that made you want to be desired or in love just like them?"  My thoughts all of the sudden thought of the Atlantic royal family. 
       Kaikuriza and Koitan.  They respected each other and they were always happy with the other's presence.  Just being around them I could tell and...

Isa no..

Kaisa, she made me want to actually...

Isa was always the one who-

"Hey!" A voice broke my thoughts, "Hey are you listening?"

"H-huh?!" I jumped away, out of my thoughts.

"Oh look, you made him think about something embarrassing.  His face is red as two desired mermaids in the middle of M-"

"Shut up.  Desires are stupid." I groaned putting my face on the bed.

"It makes me think and wonder.  Did someone do something to him to make him hate desires for eternity?  Bad break up...I wonder?"
        Elvander whispered to Latisha, walking off, trying to be out of earshot, but I could still hear them.

"I really have no idea....But we could always-"

"There no one I care for more than myself and my sister." I raised my voice as I told them, "And if I were you stop trying to figure out my past."

"Okay....jeez." I saw Latisha put her hands up and turned to Elvander, "Hey, I heard most kingdoms are sending their crowned ones to the council to be safe...." She trailed off, "I mean after the Kimoshei the next one in their path is Rivalkai...."
         She frowned and began to get in deep thought, "But what gets me is how that kingdom is sending no one...  The council realized that and is basically helping to protect it.  They are lined up outside the protective veil..."  What?

Why are they staying if it is dangerous?

"Wait why are they not going to land?  If it safer to do that..." I sighed, "I think they should.  Since there only three of them they could all stay here.  They are nice enough.
          I knew them a lot when I was younger.  I used to go over to them to discuss crowned things...." They all started looking at me.  "What?" I asked simply.

"Oh nothing it just I always wanted to meet them.  But the council kinda does not like them.  It is because they are different.  But if they were here and..." Elvander trailed off, realizing something in quite excitement.
        "You knew them when you were younger?  Princess Kaisa! Queen Kaikuriza and King Koitan!  They all seem so different than most crowned ones." Elvander exclaimed, I smiled agreeing.

"Yeah I knew Isa...Kaisa!  Y-yeah," They both looked at me.  "Okay fine!  We were friends, but I had to kinda erase that friendship because the council would hurt her and threaten me because of it." I finally explained,
          "Not everything is happy.  It is cruel world.  Some mermaids are backstabbers and I am one that sometimes is involved with those kind of mermaids."

"You should honestly, cut yourself loose from all of that.  Those types of groups.  They are miserable and hurting.  They would want to hurt you too." Latisha mentions, but I know that.  It just there is one thing that keeps me there.

"But being with them makes me strong, so I cannot." It was the truth.

"It kinda makes me wonder..." She trailed off, but then suddenly nodded her head, "Okay!  So are you going to call your sister or the Atlantic crown ones?"

"W-what?!" I blinked.  "But being close would cause-"

I couldn't stay with her.

"Hey you need a friend right now.  And she seems to know more about you than anyone." She muttered smugly. "Besides awhile ago, I remember you were sneaking somewhere and seemed all secretive and mysterious." Latisha grinned, "Could she be the reason why you are brokenhearted?"

"What the!?" I exclaimed shaking my head, "In... ALL THE OCEANS NO!  ABSOLUTELY NOT!  Why would I ever?!  JUST GAH, IT MAKES ME GAG THINKING ABOUT IT. 
       WE ARE DONE WITH THIS CONVERSATION SO BE QUIET AND JUST INVITE MY SISTER!" I yelled loudly, denying everything, while still pulling my face to the soft material.

If she knew how red my face was...

"Heh... Of course, your sister." Latisha smiles and shook her head, "We will invite her."

...

My main solution to things always ended with me pushing them away.  All those around me.  I was fine by myself.  I can handle myself.  I do not need anyone.  Besides everyone bound to hurt or betray you.  It is a mermaid's nature to do so. 
         I am just wondering the time when my sister finally betrays me.  I done everything for her, and it make sense.  She going to do something to cause everything I worked so hard for fall apart.  I can just feel it.  She been here with me for many many meris, but still.  For the past thirty meris, she been here. 

        After she started staying with me on this land, she looks at me as if she is so scared of me.  She never done that before.  She did something and she must of betrayed me some way.  But anyone who betrays me will soon face the consequences, even you.. sister.

"Mivo!" She said to me one day.  She loved the land.  I could not understand how or why.  She liked that wind blowing in her face, making her hair be pushed in her face.  That was always so annoying.  But she loved it.

She loved walking around with those humanic like things: Legs.

"Is there something wrong?" I asked her as I laid on the ground that sand covered.  It made me almost feel as if I was still at the ocean with the sand here.

"No... I am just worried." She looked down, "The ocean it feels different.  What if the humanics are hurt by the ocean and drown?  What if the spirits cause it to be worse? 
         Then there be no humanics left and...and then....then they be gone!" She burst into tears.  Why did it upset her?  That would be good.  She still a naive little mermaid, huh?

"Mina, most humanics are evil.  If what you say is true, then they will take over and get rid of the evil humanics." But really I meant all.  My sister only thought some were evil and not all.

"So then he be okay... Yay!  Seivon will be fine!" Who?  I never heard of one named that.

"Umm What?  Who is that?  I never heard of a mermaid named Se-"

"He is a humanic, silly brother!" She laughed as I made a face of horror, "But he is a good humanic.  But I do not know where he is and I am going to find him.  I want to see him again.." All I could hear was that he was a humanic and nothing else.

"What?  Why?" I looked over at her, trying to understand her reason. "When do you see him?  All humanics are evil and he is probably tricking you.  You better not tell him what you are." I frowned, looking at my sister.

"But he is different, Mivo!" She put her hands together and grinned, "Besides Brother.... I did not tell him, he saw me himself.  And he did not tell the others when I saw him. 
          He saw my eyes when he was telling them something and decided against it.  Is that not great?  So he is good!" The girl clapped her hands excitedly like she did something good.

"You should not go around telling people your a mermaid though.  It kinda a thing the council prefers us to not do.  Besides do you not know what will happen if you tell humanics that you are a mermaid?" I leaned in close to her ear. 
        "You will get turned in..." But then I decided against telling her what researchers would do to her. "..into a sea snail.  And loose all your memories as a mermaid." Former me would definitely laugh at what I came up with on the spot.

Humanics would turn her in and study her if they knew of her existence.  They could capture her and I couldn't have that her.

"S-sea snails!" My little sister exclaimed in shock. "That is terrible...  Will I turn into one since he saw me?" She looked sincerely worried.

"Nope, you did not show him on purpose did you?" She shook her head, "And he found out on himself.  You be safe if they find out themselves....But why were you with that humanic in the first place?"

"He was drowning!  I saved him.  We were still at the ocean and I saw him, so I wanted to do something good and save him!" I wanted to do something good and save him.

Does she not know of that one rule?  I never cared for the council's rules, but that one was serious.

"Did you tell anyone else?" My sister shook her head.  "Okay...okay then do not tell anyone else.  We are not suppose to save drowning humanics.  The council said so.  It will cause other humanics to be suspicious."

"He could of just drifted to land. That is a stupid rule." She frowned innocently, "What if the good humanics all die from it?  Then only evil humanics are left?
         What will we do then?  Besides I am going to see him again and I a-" Just then I noticed something.  It been like that for awhile.

"Where's your pendant?" Silence filled the air.

"Umm....uh... I gave it to him.  To help him." She answered with a smile.

"I think I know why the spirits came back..." I muttered, "Why did you save him?  Huh?  Why did you save that stupid humanic?" I threw my hands in the air, "All humanics are evil!  What did I tell you? 
        I told them what they did to us...What happened to many of us...." I sighed, tears falling from my eyes as painful memories come to mind while catching my breath after yelling.

Her eyes went wide.  "W...what?  It not my fault... Is it?"

"Of course not, Mina." I lied to her easily.  "But if the council found out.  You be punished severely and harshly.  But do not worry as long as you do not say anything, you never see that hurt and pain.  The only way is if I say something, and I will never do that to you.  I promise!"
        I put my arms around her, "We have each other.  Besides if I did that then you could easily get me in trouble for crashing that humanic' ship." I laughed dryly.

It was still fake.

My former self, I could not return to.  Part of it was there telling me to do things, telling me things that were important to me.  But whenever I tried to do those things, it would not be the same.  I knew.  And I should just try to forget my former self already.

The wind blows across the sky and I could only wonder about one thing.
Who am I really?

All this backlash of these memories and how I acted filled my head, but all I want is others to feel me.  Feel what I am going through.  And feel all my pain and sorrows that keep me here.  Feel everything I have.

All the hurt, despair, anger, and sadness.

Please feel it too.  Feel the same way because that what I want you to do.

Finally editing after a 1.5 month break.  I just didn't feel like editing and was lazy.

Though I've been working on my first, original story I wrote: The Legendary Forest

Written: June 29, 2021