!!Warning: Themes of violence and suggested rape in this chapter!! 

The cold water splashed against the dark rock causing Whylomie to flinch as she tried to stay dry. She was concentrating on keeping her toes, smiling when her hair brushed over her shoulders. She touched it lightly, taking a deep sigh as she wrapped her arms around her bare legs, pulling her knees into her chest.

This was the longest she had lasted sitting next to the edge. Normally, she had to move farther into the cave to keep the water from calling on her true nature. She glanced at the troubled surface pouting. Wishing she never had to return to that unwelcoming place.

The home she knew sat at the bottom of the hidden lake, deep underground she assumed. The rocky cave she hid in was dark and uninviting. She knew the only light in this suffocating place was within the colony, carved from stone and coral in the depths.

Whylomie was sure it had been beautiful at one time, but with their colony desperate and their kings need for focus on himself, the colony was fading. Falling into ruin. Asir was their only hope.

Unlike her twin brother who had been called the chosen one, Whylomie was the outcast of the mermaid colony. She had been unwanted since her birth, but then most females were unwanted. She, however, was slightly less desirable than the others, with no use or purpose.

The only reason to be a female is to mate with one of the last two remaining males in the colony of three thousand mermaids, in hopes of providing more male offspring.

Whylomie sighed as she decided to try walking on her new legs. What good would it be to pout about the present? Her only hope of having a family of her own was outside of their prison. Whylomie leaned against a rock for support as her legs trembled beneath her. She had decided months ago that she should leave this place and find Meredith, the last mermaid princess.

Meredith had been the only person to care about her besides her own brother. Not even her parents cared about her. Being related to the only two males in the colony meant her chances for breeding were nonexistent. She had to leave. Even if she was leaving someone, she cared about behind...

"What are you doing?" Asked a deep voice from the water making her squeak surprised. She turned to glance at the water as her masculine face peered back annoyed.

His jaw line was squarer than hers, with dominate cheek bones and a strong nose that framed his two deep blue eyes. His scalp was covered in a light fuzz of bright blonde hair, almost blending in with his pale skin tone. He had an earring clip on his left ear, though sometimes it was easily overlooked.

"I'm leaving. I have had it with you and your demands. I'm the older twin. I should be making the rules." Whylomie growled down at him as she thrust her nose into the air stubbornly. She turned to glare at him when he chuckled.

"You're leaving like that? The morning of my coming-of-age ceremony?" Asir pouted as she scoffed at him. He smiled as he looked her over as she rolled her eyes at him. Her light blonde curls becoming more obvious as they bounced around her jaw.

"Well excuse me for not wanting to witness the sight of thousands of desperate women throwing themselves into your bed hoping that you will impregnate them with future sons. Every sister's dream." Whylomie huffed sarcastically.

If she had been the male, then she would have been wanted. Desired even by her sisters. Whylomie sighed as she thought of her one mermaid friend. Marielle had done everything with her, until it became clear that she was like everyone else. Only using Whylomie to get to her brother.

It might have been easier if Asir did just ignore her like everyone else. She heard a splash, turning in time to see his scales fall away as they revealed two muscular legs.

"What are you doing?" Whylomie asked as Asir simply chuckled.

"You said we were leaving. I can't follow you if I stay in the water." Asir told her simply as he waltzed over. Whylomie stared at him with her mouth flapping open, before she growled gritting her teeth. Everything always came so easy to the chosen one, she grumbled inwardly.

When the hell did he learn to get legs and walk? She had been practicing for weeks to get this far. Since their father, King Waljan had forbade shifting forms, mermaids remained more fish like than human.

Their scalps lost their hair so that scales could cover their heads. Their fingers grew more webbed, and their tails grew more permanent. Whylomie had been noticing a change in her sisters over time as some began to grow gills while losing their human like noses. Whylomie as far as she knew, was the only mermaid with hair.

But she had assumed it was because she still shifted into her two-legged form. Tried to anyways. She was never very good at it.

"You think you could move faster? I would hate to not get anywhere before you chicken out and go home." Asir mumbled, flinching when Whylomie lashed out and struck him with her delicate hands.

"Go home by yourself then, stupid show off. Nobody likes you here." Whylomie hissed as Asir simply smiled. He grabbed her hand pulling her off the rock she used for balance.

"Sink or swim." Asir told her as she scowled at him. He walked beside her, holding her hand in his. They may have been twins, sharing the same face, but Asir was taller by almost a foot in this form, letting his sister's blonde curls reach his shoulder.

She had curvy hips and a large bust much like their mother. Her chest was larger than a lot of girls in the colony as they became flatter chested and streamed lined for swimming. It made him have to hide his blush as he watched them bounce with each jerky step.

"Why are you a natural at everything? You were already a boy for crying out loud. Give me something." Whylomie demanded making Asir laugh happily.

"Can't you just have me and be satisfied?" Asir asked bending down close to her face. She rolled her eyes pushing his face away from her as he grinned.

"Don't be stupid. Besides, you can have any girl you want back home, and tonight you most likely with all of them. Oh Asir, our sexy male prince. We want to have your babies so bad. Only because there is no one else. Like please, if they knew the you, I know, they would be waiting on Dad's second son." Whylomie told him as Asir pouted at her.

"So, you think if there were more male mermaids to choose from, they wouldn't be trying to seduce me?" Asir asked as Whylomie nodded confidently.

"They would actually care more about your personality than your... body." Whylomie mumbled blushing. Asir smiled at her stubborn face before she shook her head and smiled up at him.

"Besides, I heard from Meredith that the reason she left the colony was to find a prince. That must mean there are more males out there! I'm going to leave and get one of my own." She told him giggling at the thought. Asir came to a halt gripping her hand tightly in his. She paused to frown at him as he stood with his eyes closed, breathing deeply through his nose.

"Let's go home. I'm sure mother is looking for me." Asir told her bitterly turning and pulling her with him. Whylomie pouted confused by his sudden mood shift as he pulled her back to the water's edge. They hadn't gotten very far in her escape making her sigh disappointed. She balked at the water's edge making him frown.

"Why do I have to go back? I doubt they would even notice I am gone." Whylomie told the ripples as Asir sighed tugging on her hand and making her fall into his chest.

"I would notice. I always notice." Asir told her as he held her close. She blushed lightly hugging him back. It was nice to feel wanted by someone. He cupped her face in his hands forcing her to look up into his shadowed face.

The caves were too dark to make out colors, but Whylomie knew those deep blue eyes well. Something was clearly bothering him as he stroked her cheeks with his thumbs.

"Alright. I will stay a while longer. I guess your kids need an aunty to look after them." Whylomie told him with a sigh, pushing away from him. He let her go reluctantly, before shaking out his head and sliding into the cold water. Whylomie growled when he splashed her, falling into the water when she lost her concentration to keep her legs. He chuckled as he swam around her before they both made their way back to the colony. The dark waters grew lighter as the colony glowed in the depths.

They snuck around the back passageways, keeping out of sight as they entered the castle. Whylomie was giggling as Asir swam into a post distracted.

"Oh, you think that's funny, do you?" Asir growled as he rubbed his cheek. She stuck her tongue out at him as she kept out of reach. He chased after her as they made their way to their rooms. Mermaids could move through water as easily as they could on land. Water didn't give them as much trouble as other races.

Whylomie turned the final corner quickly, coming to a halt. Asir crashed into her, tumbling about in the current before settling down. He held Whylomie to his chest, feeling her become stiff and ridged before he spoke.

"Out for a swim?" Waljan asked as Asir quickly released Whylomie, gaining composure in front of the king.

Waljan was large and bulky, scales covered his shoulders and back, leaving his torso fleshy and defined. His bald head seemed to highlight his square jaw and small eyes as he peered at the two young mermaids. He wore gold accents that complemented his dark black scales. He was twice the muscle Asir was as they stood face to face.

"Father. Yes, she was helping me release some of my nervous excitement for this evening by challenging me to a race. I would have won in the end." Asir told him with the bow of his head. Whylomie hid behind him nervously, not sure why Waljan and their mother would be swimming in their hallway.

When they first moved into the palace, Asir had demanded Whylomie be put in the room across from his. Since he would never take her as a mate, she could be his friend and companion growing up. A neutral party that wouldn't try to claim him as their own.

Everyone had agreed to the young princes demands and Whylomie was satisfied she could grow up next to her brother. The only person who seemed to care if she existed. Waljan smiled tightly at the two of them.

"Your mother was just looking for you. It's time to prepare you for your coming-of-age ceremony. Now that you are twenty you will be acquiring a harem much like mine. You are in for a life of pleasure and responsibility from here on out. Be careful not to disappoint the females." Waljan told him softly as his shark like teeth smiled down at him.

Asir nodded stiffly, grabbing Whylomie's wrist and trying to swim past him. Waljan thrust out his arm to stop him from getting to far.

"She just wants you. You can leave the girl behind." Waljan told him as Asir calmly moved his arm aside.

"I am merely taking her back to her room where my sister can stay out of the way. It is just down the hall." Asir told him, keeping his eyes straight ahead of him.

"Of course. I forgot she dwelled here beside you. Such a shame you won't be staying here anymore. She might get lonely." Waljan told him in a voice thick of false concern. Asir didn't say anything as he continued forward, pulling his sister along. Whylomie swam with him, frowning when he swam past their mother too. Asir opened her door and swam inside making her grumble.

"Sure, just let yourself right into my room. That's cool." Whylomie grumbled as he turned his frown on her. He sighed frustrated before hugging her tightly.

"I will be back as soon as I can. Don't trust anyone and stay here." Asir demanded as she rolled her eyes. He growled as she swam up the wall, plopping down on her seafoam bed carved into the wall.

"Okay boss. I will stay here and do nothing exciting and talk to no one until the wise and mighty prince returns for me. Satisfied?" Whylomie asked as he swam up to her.

"I am only saying this because I love you and want you safe." Asir told her softly as she sat up to look at him unamused.

"I love you to. Now you better go before mom starts freaking out." Whylomie told him honestly, pushing on his chest to encourage him to go. He grabbed her hand, holding it for a moment before leaning forward and kissing her forehead.

"Try not to miss me too much while I am gone." Asir teased as he swam away, his silver blue fin disappearing out her door. Whylomie sighed as she laid back down, pouting at her celling. One day she really was going to leave. She sat up slowly, glancing around her room. Asir would be furious with her if she left without saying goodbye. She glanced at the door before swimming down to her closet. Asir would never leave this place. He couldn't. But she could.