Chapter 16
Princess of Ice hugs

Waking up in a bed of rippling waves,
I think it cannot be the ending, but the mere beginning
Embracing me, with rays of light raves
Of hope that leads me, to you and this shining sea standing

The chiming bells of happiness
With ocean seas, shining so brightly,
To miracles of love, full of tenderness,
For you who I love tightly,

So together with only me, just kiss me, oh so softly?
~~

I laughed thinking of that song mother and I always use to sing together.  Now I sing it.  Alone.  I lay surrounded by floating fish gazing at their princess.  Mother and Father are always busy.

  I mean sometimes they have time for me, but with the council over everyone's tails, they never have any time.  But I do not want to be selfish, so I stay in here with some hope Miza will not be annoying, or Zen might come.

Speaking of Zen he turned a new meris recently right?  13-000 was it?  I have to ask him about that.  I also am kinda curious and I want to try pronouncing his full name.  It starts with an M I think and ends with zen.  But I have not seen him in like several weeks. 

The last time I saw him was Izidra's trial....And that became awkward.  I almost spitted out I liked him.  I was trying to get him to say something or be closer, but then he dismissed it.  I wanted to...  How stupid of me, I sighed. 

And then he got so upset at me.  It was like he was possessive and concern.  Although I never admit it to him, I kinda liked it.  I suddenly had the urge to swim in loops and in circles thinking about it.

He liked me being young, having a childhood and not doing what he was doing?

How much do I not know about him?  I just hope his father does not come around again...He kinda scares me.  Mother always talked found of him.  He was a servant of hers.  Kinda like Miza is my servant. 

And father always protected her as she became a full fledged.  Its been said my mother was friends with Zen's mother growing up.  They were visiting each other and that is how his mother met her future desired.

And my mother and father had their own mermaidtail.  I heard it so many times and each time it is so wonderful.  That is what gets me...sappy little tales like this.

Sappy tales like this....Makes me kinda want my own.  It does not have to be anything special just one that make me feel a little good inside.  For a long time I felt nothing and did just because it was the right thing to do.  The proper thing, but then I started being my own person. 

Messing around, living a childhood life, getting in trouble, and actually having some kind of friend.  As much as I would hate to be friend zoned by Zen, I still like it that way.  Friends come before anything and if anything happens I know he still always be my friend....

Because as much as everything hurts they will not go the way you want them to they always be there for you and never betray your trust.

Just then I heard voices...But not just any voices, pacifican voices.  Except they were not alone.  The council of mermaids came along, and now I am afraid they are having some long meeting.  What if I cannot speak to him at all this time?  What if....Nonsense, I thought.  I will wait.

And wait...

And I be waiting....

And I shall wait....

It been awhile.  Too long, but I was outside my quarters laying against the moss filled rocked-wall.  I could hear they were still here.  Was I being creepy?  I was only waiting.  I had to talk and be with him. 

Oh why is this worrying me much, so?  It was just Zen.  I smiled a tiny smile and opened my mouth and took a breath of water.  I wonder if there ever be a day that.....

"Hey.  Isa." A voice abruptly interrupted me from my thoughts.  Eeek!

"Oh!  Zen?" I jumped,  "Are you done with your meeting or whatever?  I am glad....Really glad.  I missed you coming here you know."

"Isa.... You missed me?  Why?" Why..... Hmmm I wonder?  Was it that I have a many tiny itsy-bitsy crush on Zen?

Nope.

Definitely not, we are friends and friends care and miss the other.

"Who knows...." I looked down as I lied through my teeth.

"Well I am here now." He put his arms behind his head as he just stared at me.

"Zen, you are recently thirteen...o...o...o, now right?  Congratulations!  Thirteenth anniversary of you!" I clapped my hands together as I grinned.

"Eh?  You remembered and know that?" His eyes lifted up in surprised, then he smiled, only but slowly.  His true smile.  I only seen it once and it was toward his sister.  "Jeez, Isa you must care for me a lot..." His eyes furrow as he rubs the back of his neck.

If only he knew

"Wow...." I breathed out loud.  He has a beautiful smile and it is so cute.

"What?"

"I wanna hug you..." I muttered.

"W-what...Wait...  What?!" He looked and seemed surprised even when I put my arms around him.  He felt nice and comforting, but he was freaked out completely.

"What?  It was recently your anniversary of being blessed, so congratulations I am hugging you for that reason." I could tell he was tense as I held my arms around him.

"....Y-......y......o........u......." He barely let out, but I heard it anyway even though it was lower than a whisper.

"What is it?" I tilted my head.  He said nothing still, but instead of also doing nothing, he closed his eyes.  And for what seemed like the first time ever that I saw, he actually looked like he was at peace. 

So restful and calm, so quiet with nothing to worry about.  With me here, doing this with him, it just seems all his troubles are gone.  His studies with endless pressure on him, dealings with the council, and his...father. 

I hope he is not here.  If he here I swear I am going to...  I suddenly let my arms down, but he still held me in a still immobile motion.  "Y-you are still holding on..."

"Oh?  Yes, I suppose.  I am sorry." He shook his head and let go.

"No, do not be.  We can if we wan to." I looked down and suddenly the question from earlier ventured out of my lips.  "Are you alone?"

"A-alone?  What....?" He looked confused with my question.

"Erk...Never mind I just meant is it just you who came here this time or...." I pressed my mouth together in curiosity.

That sounded really bad.

It sounded as if I was wondering if he was seeing others that he might desire.

"Isa....You... Oh my I...." He trailed of before taking a deep breath, "Of the great sea, I should of known.  I am so sorry Isa." He lowered his head regretfully. 

"This is all my fault.  It is my father, right?  It be alright, you see.  Just..maybe I should go and distance myself from you.  That way it all be better for you....And my father will not bother you either."

I blinked as soon as I registered his words.  Distance himself from me?

"What?  Never!  Do not!  If you distance yourself I would....Please do not." I shake my head in worry, just please do not.

"But Isa...You fear him!" He protested to try to reason with me, but I care for our friendship more than my fears.  "And he will use that to an advantage.  I just do not want you to get hurt and-" 

"Please.." I whimpered, "change the subject."

Zen sighed and finally he said, "Okay.  I promise I will not distance myself from you.  But if you want I can tell you about the meeting.  Just so you be on the lookout." Lookout?

"For what?" I blinked.

"Humanics.  Apparently some descendants of the original ones who kept their memory think they can pay us a visit and prove we exist to the whole world." He rolled his eyes in annoyance.

"Why is that bad?  They might be nice..." I trailed off, but the look on his face showed me this was anything but nice.

"They been capturing mermaids, Isa!" He suddenly yelled.  "There been several disappearances and I do not want to lose you...This...this is why I am telling you this." The thought of him losing me hurts him...It surprises me, but I silently promise to myself that I will be careful. 
        "Today, the council is discussing what to do, but they are not even listening to anyone's idea.  Before long somebody will have to take it into their own fins." The council is not...listening to anyone?  Why?

"What do you mean?  Why do they refuse to?"

"I suppose one could...say like mess up those boats they travel in.  As in get suck in the middle of nowhere.  Suppose there is also the ability to sink their ships or send the water to carry them away from us and our kingdoms.....
       or lastly we could," he paused for a moment before his eyes darkened, "END THEIR LIFE." I looked at his words in shock.  I hope the ladder one does not happen.

"You hate them?" It was not a question, but a statement.  I knew that.  He never really cared for humanics.  Many mermaids like Zen were raised by prejudiced merphans, those who believed all humanics were bad and still could never find it in their hearts to forgive or realize they might be different now.

        Although with him I had a feeling it was not just his parents, the environment of his kingdom and his interactions with the mermaid council.  As much as they help set and guide us, they are a bit sketchy.... 

"For how they betrayed us?  Yes.  I do." He answered right away.

"That was years ago...." I had to see maybe I could tell him what I believed.  Maybe I could tell him and Miza will not have to hide in fear of mermaids finding out the truth of who he is.  "I mean some could have changed."

"Sure, some...But we cannot risk that chance of revealing ourselves." I opened my mouth in an o and thought of something.  Miza.

"Zen..." I asked slowly, "What do you think of halfmers?  As in half mermaid and half humanic."

"Huh?  You mean the rumored ones?  They do not exist...I thought.  If I had to say it should never happen and I would feel bad for the child.  They are not exactly merphan, but neither humanic either. 
        And as far as I know usually the council takes care of those incidents.  You never hear about them...Or any who lived to tell the tale.  But I am sure if you do that, you already messed up your own life and best to never return to the sea." 

He thinks lowly of what happened, I knew it.  But he feels bad for them.  I guess that is better.

"Oh....Y-yeah, I was just...wondering." Is that what Miza goes through?  No wonder he is so strange and odd.  Is that his way of coping?  I know his parents are alive. 

        He said once that time to time he gets a message across to them.  He grew up as a human, but by the time he was a human age of 15 he met my parents and they helped him out.  Very nice and considerate of them.

Just then the atmosphere shifted.  It was dark and cold, but I knew why.  His father was near.  I felt a sickening pain and fear within me.

"You know Mi..zen, I am sure the council would not appreciate telling everything that was said to anyone you see." I stared at him with probably an annoyed look.

"Well, Your Majesty in fact I was just warning her of humanics, so do not get your fins in a tingle." I stared at Zen.  I was actually surprised he has the audacity to do that.  Usually he would never, but now...

"Oh?  Is that so?  Well I want to remind both of you what I have said previously.  It a shame you both been conspiring against me.  What did I do to deserve this?"  Conspiring against him? 

"What are you talking about?!" I glared at his father.  "Why would I...or even him do that?  We have no interest in that."

"Oh...  Is that really the case?  But I have both of you know... Try not do anything make either look bad.  Nothing reckless...And if you do not you know what happens" He turned his head and the look straightly at Zen.  "Come!"

"Yes, Your Majesty." He lowered his head and proceeded to go wherever he went.  More threats.  More.  More.  And more!  Why is he doing this?  Does his father hate me?  But he does not seem to have the look of hatred. 

It seems he needs me for something, but I have no idea what.  I saw Zen turned his head to look at me with an expression I could not name.  He opened his mouth to whisper a phrase, "I should of never brought you into this..."  I closed my eyes and lowered my head.

That was the closest thing ever to an apologize a mermaid would ever do.  Mermaids or merphans do not apologize.  They do not say sorry.  Miza told me what one was, I was surprised. 

But some in certain cases bend the rules by saying things like this.  Bend rules, huh?  I wonder if me and Zen did that...

Would we survive?

AN//

This week was so fun...

Not.

I got sick ugh!

But none of my teachers put up assignments (not really) so I was bored and went on wattpad.

But I'm feeling better except I still can't breathe, but my body is like I feel normal again. 

Why can I still not breathe and why do I sound like I'm sick still?
~~~

Also I been redoing The Legendary Forest in 3rd Person and it is so fun.

I renamed several of the long annoying names too.