Chapter 10:
Princess of Envy

That missing princess has been missing for over a year now.  It been so bad that the mermaid council offered rewards for catching her.  She must be good at hiding to have been spotted near Rivalkai and never gotten caught yet.  She was also spotted near......

What is his country again?  Ah, Kimoshei.  She was spotted there that place recently.  Apparently the outskirts, I do wonder what he thinks about that.  I mean if he did, he might go stop her.  He always does things that are right.  It is so odd, why would she disappear and swim away from everyone?  I heard she was about to be desired too.  What a dream.

I sighed pulling the scroll down further.  'Levantia's princess Izidra was spotted in the outskirts of the evening coral forest in Kimoshei, Pacific last moon.  She had her hair swaying and was not wearing any of the royal merphan items. 

As soon as we called her name she swam away.  No one knows why of the princess' strange behavior.  She was about to meet her desired to be as well.  It was going to be a beautiful time for her.  We wonder what the Kimoshei royals think about her being so close to their kingdom.

  But we cannot get their opinion on this matter.  But I am sure if it ends of affecting the youngest princess, who the crowned prince calls Mina, he will get involved.  That being said we now offer a new rank for anyone who finds and returns her to her home. 

Just notify the council members and hand her this way.' I put away the weekly Clamspaper shaking my head.  I do wonder, what does he think of all this.

"Oh?  Ohh hoo, what is that you got there princess?" Miza plucks the weekly clamspaper from the floating sea.  "The missing princess?  What?  And a pleasant reward.  I wonder if I ask for prince Zen's desired if they would let me?  That sounds so dreamy doesn't it?"

"Yeah.. In your dreams.  They will never allow that!" Anger shot through my face.  They cannot do that...Right?  He would never do that...

"Calm down Your Highness, I was just joking.  Besides I meant for you..." I felt heat rush to my cheeks.

"What...I do not want that.  If he forced to do something like that....No." I shook my head firmly.  "I rather be friends than force him."

"I know, I didn't mean it like that...." Miza smile faltered as he leaned down.

A princess that ran away.  She get to visit the seas and oceans.  Maybe that was the reason.  I sighed wondering what the ocean was like,"You know....I wonder... Could you bring me out of these waters?"

"You mean leave the Atlantic?" Miza gasped and widened his eyes in amazement.

"Nono!  Just Rivalkai." I shake my head.  Well maybe further out near...Kimoshei, but...

"We might have to sneak out...If word gets out their princess just left people might get ideas and spreading all kinds of rumors just like that Levantia merphan." I nodded carefully.

"So what is the plan?" I was eager.

"First you have to kiss prince Zen."  I blinked.  Okay Miza, if I end you please do not get surprised.

"W-what...  K-kiss him.  B-but, why?  I mean that would be..." So embarrassing.  What would he think?  He has such a beautiful face and he makes me want to know everything about him.

  I want to help and have him trust me with all his secrets.  And he does this thing when he never smiles, but whenever he mentions his sister he does and I can tell she means the world to him.  He can never not tell me anything and I love that. 

He always end up telling me everything and even when its darker, I put my full attention on him.  His eyes turn into sadness and I do anything I can to help him.  Jeez I really need to stop this obsession. 

It just a crush that being going on over a year.  I recently turned 11-0-0-0 meris, or as Miza the part human-mermaid would say, eleven.

"Whoa... Princess.  Anyone in there?" He waved his flipper in front of my face.

"Y-yeah.." I muttered blinking.  I could already tell my face was the color of a coral.

"Come on." He reached out his palm waiting for me to hold on.  I took it and he spend off.  Miza was eight humanic years my senior, as he would say.

...

"Woah..." I gazed as we finally got out of our kingdoms.  "It is so empty and vast."  I clasp my hands together.  "This way!" I began swimming into a sea full of unknowns.

I was swimming around looking at any possible thing for what must of been forever, when I noticed crystals and corals coming to view.  It reminded me whenever Zen came over and he allowed himself to lay in my arms while I helped his arm. 

He would press his neck on my shoulder and held his arm in my palm, while he closed his eyes softly murmuring.  He would sometimes groan in pain and even told me a little bit of what has happened. 

He never said is clearly, but from everything of his expression and how defensive he gets when I bring up the topic, I think I know.

And then suddenly my vision must be hallucinating...In front of me was Zen.  Well not quite in front of me.  Distance away, actually and pressed against him was someone else.  She held her palm to his weak arm and the other was pressed to his bare back. 

She was healing him.  I suddenly felt my blood go cold.  She was beautiful.   Her dark skin outlined her silver hair that dangled in perfect curls in the most beautiful way. 

Her eyes were dark purple and I could tell with her cool look and fluffy, white sash that she was from Arctic or the Southern.  So this was Izzi, but then I stared at her and a realization came to me.  She is the lost princess.  My eyes widened.

"Wait is that...?" Miza began to say, but I nodded.

"Yes.  Zen and princess Izidra." I muttered coldly, shutting my eyes.

"You think he knows?  She missing and-" I put my hand up, interrupting my butler.

"Probably, nothing gets by him.  He knows everything.... Come on." I turn away, not wanting to watch any longer.  "We should go."

"Oh.  But... don't you want to-" Miza decide at that moment to grin and say something incredibly annoying.

"No.  We need to go." I grit my teeth, I do not want him to notice us.

"And are you going to turn her in?" Miza asked me as we headed back.

"No...But I wonder if he going to." I shrugged saying nothing.

We were outside the coral forests now.  But I could still see them if I turned around.

"How about we play a game?  I pretend to be someone and you guess!" Miza exclaimed lifting his arms in the air.  He grinned before saying,

"I am so hot and fine with my body and don't come near me Miza because I hate you and you think my body is fine chop of meat.  My name is also too short for you!" Miza grinned as I starred at him blankly.  Zen does not act like that.... Well maybe... You know what, never mind.

"He does not-" I gritted my teeth annoyed we were still talking about Zen and Izzi.

"Isa?  Princess...." I heard a familiar voice to that who appeared in front of me.  Oh no.

Oh no, indeed!  He realized I was here.

Miza grinned as I looked down.  "Oh?  Z-zen....."

"What are you doing here....And I thought princesses were suppose to be in their kingdoms' walls." Zen remarked slyly.  So much for staying unnoticed, I thought.

"I could say the same thing about princes, but then again you must always running off for your..." I trailed off implying his weakened arm.

"That is different.  I mean look.  I am just..." He trailed off as if unsure what to say to me.

"Mah-zor-vayn?" I hear an antarctic merphan voice.  I looked and saw the princess coming towards us.  I pretend to gasp, as if I just figured out who she is.

"Wait....I know you!  You are that princess that left."

"Oh...Great now someone going to turn me in." She frowned crossing her arms.  She did not sound princess like with he speech, sure her voice sounded mature and silky, but she sounded tired of everything.

"She not going to.  She be stupid to." Stupid to?

"Oh?  And why is that?" The feminine pressed on.

"Because if anyone turns you in, it be me."

"Then you will not heal-"

"So can she.  I mean I think she does it way better, besides...." Imagination thoughts filled my head and instantly I forgot where I was and where I am.  Zen would rather have me than her? 

How wonderful.  Me better than her and what if he actually cares for me...

"......So this is the famous Isa." Imagination disappears and now I am back where I was.

"Me?  Famous." I scoffed.  "And please actually I go by my real name Kaisa, but some people tend to forget it." I gestured to Zen.

"And some people cannot seem to recall or pronounce my real name correctly, so we are even." His real name....I shuttered thinking about it.  His name was long and started with a M and ended with a 'Zen'

"Awww, how cute." I abruptly turned my head away.  I was about to dismiss her claim when Zen already beat me to it.

"What are you talking about?  Isa thinks we are only friends." If he only knew what I wished...

"So..." Putting an end to the conversation, I turn to the princess.  "Why did you actually leave?"

"Oh me?" The princess frowns.  "Silly feminine, did you not read the weekly clamsterpaper?  They are right about me being forced to meet who I am suppose to desire.  I do not want to do any of that, plus I really heard some rather sickening things about this one.
           Spend life with someone like that, how cruel.  I just hope the rumors about desires are not true." No wonder they both get along.  They both see desires as bad things and are against them.

"B-but...Desires are suppose to be good things." I tried to reason with him...And if he does not and his parents might force him to...And then what if my secret dreams might never come true...

"Are they?" Zen spoke up.  "All I heard have been terrible forcing people to when they clearly do not want to." Zen narrowed his eyes and then shrugs.

  "I do not blame her for leaving the way she did.  To be fair I do the same thing if not for my sister and for the fact I actually care about my birthright.... I am suppose to choose some moronic merphan to be desired to as well..." Zen trails of sighing.

"At least you got it easier, you masculine." Izidra glares.  "Feminines, well most never have a choice especially with parents like ours."

"Strict too?" I asked her quietly.  I honestly did not want to get to know her, but my curiosity made me ask that question.

"You could say that again.  But the only thing they strict about is desires the rest...is well... Alright. Imagine being forced into a desire to connect your heritage and the merphan that you are to be with is a good for nothing spoiled prince that plays with every feminine heart he sees..." I stared at her and frowned.

"You are not talking about Prince Zen are you?"

Izidra looked up in surprised, "Pfffffff.... Never."

"I feel insulted.  How am I spoiled?" Zen muttered.

Izidra suddenly realized something, "Oh and about desires M...zen's his is well, not and his arm has everything to do with."

"Izzi...." Zen warned, glaring.  So I was right, she knew more.

"Oh wait....  You never..."  The princess gave him a look of disbelief.  "You never told her?  What...What is wrong with you?  Why did you never even...  Prince of Kimoshei! 
          Of all the oceans and you never told her.  Why?  She deserves to know ought you think... I mean she involved and helps you contain you sanity.  Stupid foolish pacific crowned." She was practically yelling and laughing in amusement at him.

"Shut up.  You know nothing about me." Zen shrugged moving his fins in mockery.

"Oooh this getting good." Miza who been surprisingly silent this entire time leaned over to whisper to me.

"Quiet..." I whispered back.  "This could be serious."

"And juicy...Like his nice fine ...." I jab him.  "Carp!  Princess!  What was that for?" 

"Isa...We should go." Zen interrupts, clearly tired of the conversation of which I tuned out for a bit.

"Since when was me and you a we?  I was just here in the area and I should really get back with Miza and council will-"

"It be fun...." Fun? My eyes lit up.

"Really?" I tilted my head.  He nodded as he proceeded to grab my wrist.

...

We just left.  He being closer to full fledged than me, held my arm as he swam.  Miza was behind, but slowly.  I could tell.  "Where are we going that is fun?"

"Somewhere you like it.  I promise.  I always wanted to show my sister, but she never really been out.... And you both quite similar." He thinks of me as his sister?  

"I am like your sister?"

"In a way, her personality and-" He did not answer my question.

"Wait...You think of me like a sister?"

"What?  You...Being my sister?" He raised an eyebrow with an amused expression on his face.  If he was a merphan with feelings and emotions, he would laugh.  But since he was not, he did not and simply only looked amused with the statement.   "Pfffff...."

"Oh, then what did you mean?"

"I meant your personalities are similar in a way..." I looked away hiding my expression which was turning a different shade.

"S-similar?" I wondered me and his sister.  How?  I would never of guessed.

"Yeah...." He breathed out a long sigh.  Silence remained.  He said nothing and neither did I.  He held my arm and wrist carefully.  And him just holding my arm distracted me.  I wonder if he held my palm in his... What would it feel like?

"We are here." I blinked.  In front of us were gemstones.  The crystal caves.  They were deep marine blue and shined so brightly.  You could touch and take them off by breaking them, but you probably end up with a hurt palm unless you had some item to break it off. 

On the tops of the crystals were magenta or a royal purple- blue that dazzled filling the tops with light.  I could tell just by looking at these crystals and gems, they reflected off above the ocean. 

Above our sea, our love, our home, our world...By the brightest star that I never dared to see.  The one that in the day, but replaces our moon.  On lunar full moon that helps age our meris.

"Wow....These are the caves like our pendants right?" This was absolutely amazing and fun.

"Yes...the pacific ones."

"Oh?  You brought me out of my country?"

"You were already out when you saw me."  Wait that means I....

"I left the Atlantic?" Surprised filled my face.  I LEFT ATLANTIC?

"You must not go out very often." He then held something to his chest and seemed to be in deep thought.  I tilted my head as if to say 'What is it?'  
       "Here.  A gem, a crystal of pacific.  I want you to have in just in case you ever here...That way you could use magic."

"Why would I go somewhere else... I mean why would I need magic for it."

"Who knows...You could be in trouble or danger.  With this you will be safe, and I know you will be.  And...You, it would fit you.  Feminines like things like that, yes?"

I smiled at his cuteness.  He did not even realized how much him caring about me if I was safe or not meant to me.

"I accept it.  Now you have not to worry.  I am going to see if I could get a necklace out of this...." I smiled even more just thinking about it.

"Technically we not suppose to be here." I looked up in confusion.  "Technically this place is off the maps and not suppose to be known by the public merphan's eyes.  But I am an exception.  I have my ways  I heard about it, researched about it, and then I found it.  Only council members are suppose to."

"You, breaking rules?  I thought everything had to be perfect and exact." I thought of the time I first met him and the times after that.  Not wanting to cause any trouble.  Now he more than willing to.

"How unhumorous.  Then every day would be boring and full of nothingness.  I could never live like that.  You said so yourself.  I learned sometimes you have to relax and live a little, not everything have to be serious" I did.  Everyone should have a little fun and joy.

"I guess we should go it might be late and I have to get back to my studying before Father found out I sneaked out."

"What if he finds out?"

"Oh he knows, but never says anything unless he catches me in the act." He waves it off like it normal.

"Wait...Your Father... Is he the......" I breathed in.  I can do this.  "Is he the one that causes your pain?  Your injuries and..."

Silence.

"Yes.."

"I uh..."

"Do not even dare to try and pity me!" He glared as soon as I opened my mouth.

"I should not of brought it up it just....I.  I do not want you to always be hurting.  How long?" I wanted to heal him now, even though Izidra recently healed him.  I wanted to hug him.

"Since ever.  Since before I met you." I gasped.  Oh no.

"Zen....I..I care for you and I want to help.  Whenever, you can tell me anything.  I always listen and allow me to heal you.  Please." I rest my palm on the hand on his injured shoulder.

"Isa..." He blinked.  I could not tell, but I thought maybe he was shocked with my movement.

Just then in front of us, I noticed great walls with pillars that from the deep sea raised up to what must of look like forever.  They were silver, gold, and platinum rose. 

Within it were crystals of those I seen previously.  And between each pillar were spaces of a merphan that not yet full fledged could get through.  In it I saw beauty with towns and pictures of merphans.

  In the furthest distance about thousands of towns and villages away was a tower like castle mansion, but I could not see well that far away.

"Is that Kimoshei?"

"The city or the country?"

"Umm both?"

"Technically it is the country and not till where I live is the royal city Kimoshei.  But yes this is it.  Beautiful and amazing I know, tell me it is absolutely glorious.  Please, do and go right ahead." He laughed in an arrogant manner,

"But princess, just for the record most of the time if you seen it you never ever want to leave.  The walls and pillars are there for a few reasons, and most the time it is to never let anyone out." I blinked.  It was something.  It did not look cold or strict. 

It looked happy and pleasant.  It was giant having a massive wall that filled to who knows how much.  But I could tell if needed, it could be transparent making humanic divers confused driving them away.

  It was beautiful.  A nice place.  I would not mind it there...in the future.... Eek!  There I go again thinking about my day dreams again.

"I never been this close to another country besides my own before, nor seen another."

"Oh?" He cocked an eyebrow.  "Well you must certainly....Sometime.  Someday you will.  Oh how certainly you will...I promise you Isa, I will show you.  I will bring you here and I will show you around.  I always go to your country, so why not the other way around?"

I smiled at that idea looking down.  Going to his kingdom and country... I would not mind.

"Alright." I grin with a small smile forming.  "It is a promise than.  Someday in the future we should meet in the crystal caverns full of gemstones.  And then you will show me?"

"Most definitely.  I would bring you back....But I see Miza...ergk I really hate his name...But he with you, so I am sure you be fine and with that little gem.  Nothing will ever hurt you.  Kimoshei's protection is on your side.  Remember that.  Please princess Isa whose meris is 11-120."

I nodded and right before he left, he laid his palm on my cheek whispering.  "I am glad to spend time and be with you."

  And then he kissed my other cheek, but it was so quick that I could not tell what he meant.  But what I could tell was he cared in some way.  And feeling his lips on my cheek made me feel tingly.

"Oh..." I said stupidly and stared waving back.  He chuckled shaking his head with something else in his eyes.  But I did not know what.

"So...You and Zen, huh?" Miza grinned and I sighed realizing I would have to face and deal with him all the way back and even at my own home.  Oceans, help me.

Side note...

 So they are 12 and 11 in human years.  So you probably thinking wait they are young what with how they act are kinda older.  Well the romanticness is for now is kinda a crush with just random kisses which is normal around that age.  Young children done it.  And mermaids ages are different.  A meris is basically an age, but mermaids that are 11-202 for example will not look the same as a 11 human.  The mermaid will look 2.5 years older or 3.  So technically Zen is around 15 and Kaisa is around 14, but they are not because they have some traits that make them younger.  And the reason why 15 is the full fledge point is what is 15 plus 3.... 18 (What a shock) and as you know many countries consider 18 as an adult.