Chapter one of the first title in my new 'happily ever after…' series.
Each title will comprise of five chapters, updated as soon as they're written.
As with everything, I own nothing…even the plots are kinda stolen.
This title is based on 'The Little Mermaid', mainly taken from the Disney film version, although there will be some deviations when needed.
It was a normal day in the underwater kingdom of Malafia, meaning that the entire palace was in uproar trying to find the renegade Prince Draco, son of King Lucius. The blonde mermaid had always been secretive, and as the day of his coming-of-age ceremony approached, he had barely shown his face in the palace halls. No one knew where he went except his best friend Blaise, a flounder fish. Right now the fish was quietly slipping away from the search party and heading out to where his friend could be found. It was always the same place.
"Hello? Dray?" he called out, navigating his way through the narrow passage to the hidden cavern.
"Hi Blaise," came back a dreamy voice.
Here we go Blasie thought sarcastically. Draco only got that tone when he was fantasising about the human world. He was probably hugging one of those ridiculous artefacts that he spent hours scouring the ocean floor for.
"Draco, your father wants you back in the palace."
"Why should I do what he wants? He doesn't know me." Draco replied stubbornly.
"Apparently there's a storm coming, he's calling a lockdown."
"Why?" asked Draco, getting up from the rock he was resting on. "That's not normal protocol."
"Well there's a ship coming overhead, and odds are it'll wreck. He doesn't want anyone getting hurt."
"Huh," Draco snorted. "Figures that he'd only care about mermaids. What about the people on the ship?"
"Draco, what can you do about it? What could anyone do? The sea is the sea. Shipwrecks happen somewhere every day." Blaise tried to reason with him.
"I could go and warn them."
"And reveal the existence of your entire species to a race of barbaric murderers who would fry you as son as look at you?" Blaise almost shouted. He'd had this conversation about a million times with Draco before. The guy just couldn't get it into his head that mermaids and humans did not mix. And even if they did, the King would have Draco's head, relation or not.
"They can't be like that. I refuse to believe that the people who made these beautiful things could be barbaric."
"Draco just come home. Look on the bright side. If this ship does wreck then there'll be loads of new stuff floating around for you tomorrow, and maybe all the humans will get to their little rescue boats in time."
"Yeah, I guess," Draco replied, pouting a little. "Okay fine, but I'm going straight to my room when we get back. I don't want to see father."
"Fine by me. Come on then."
Blaise turned round and swam back towards the palace, and for a couple of minutes he could feel the presence of his friend behind him. But then, all of a sudden a shadow fell across them and Draco turned tail for the surface.
That little bastard Blaise thought before racing after the blonde pain in his fin. Towards the ship that was passing overhead.
"Hey Harry get over here!" Ron yelled.
"You done throwing up over the side?" Harry yelled back.
"Yeah whatever. It was definitely something I ate."
"Sure it was," Harry grinned as he jumped down from the rigging and clapped his closest friend on the back.
"It was!" Ron yelped indignantly. "Now why were you skulking over there? It's your birthday party, you only get a 21st once!"
"Technically my birthday's not for another week. I was just thinking about something," Harry replied vaguely.
"Why in Godric's name would you waste time doing that?"
"Don't be jealous that some us have a higher calling." Harry laughed. The unlikely combination of a brunette Crown Prince and a gangly ginger kitchen assistant was a source of much amusement for those in the castle, as well as a topic of constant banter between the pair.
"At least my father hasn't set a deadline for my engagement. I'm free for as long as I want. You've only got until next Friday to announce."
"Ugh, don't remind me," Harry groaned, leaning over to grab one of the many bottles that were stacked against the side. "At least it doesn't have to be some foreign Princess."
"Yeah, that's pretty decent of him actually. Letting you pick whoever you want. I mean, it's still crap that he's making you do it, but I guess his hands are tied what with the whole traditiony inheritancey thing."
"Yep. Anyway, let's just forget about it for now. At this rate I'll be asking you!"
"Now that's a mental image I really don't need. Come on everyone, let's get some dancing going, aren't we supposed to be young and wild?!"
A cheer went up amongst the various guys and crew members gathered on the deck and soon the wooden boards were groaning under their sifting weight as the jaunty accordian threw out a tune.
The raucous humans were so intoxicated by their celebrations and their alcohol that they failed to notice a pale face peeking through one of the gaps between the railings on the starboard side. The flickering torchlight danced in Draco's eyes as he watched, entranced by the strange beings that revelled before him.
He had never seen anything like it, the balls his father organised were reserved and dignified affairs. Dances were conducted under the supervision of the master of the court and partners were expected to maintain a respectful distance from each other, with contact only where their hands met.
Nothing like this.
The men were jumping and twisting and thrusting together. The deep beat from a kick drum throbbed in Draco's heart until it felt like the organ was about to burst from his chest. That was when he saw him.
Draco's breath caught as his curious gaze fell on the dark haired man. Now he knew his father must be wrong about the land people. Surely such a face, such a body, could only contain the purest of souls. The man was moving on the dancefloor with the grace of a dolphin, like he didn't even feel the increasingly violent waves that were rocking the ship.
The storm.
Draco had been so enthralled by the scene in front of him he had forgotten why he was even there. But how could he attract their attention? The music was loud and the men distracted by each other and their drinks.
He was saved from the dilemma when his eyes caught the gaze of the emerald eyed beauty with the dark hair. The tempest surrounding them dropped away and all Draco could hear was the rush of blood beneath his rapidly reddening skin. Did the other man feel it too? That connection, instantly formed and wrapped around his heart. Maybe he did, because the man stopped what he was doing and started to walk towards the railings, all the while staring into Draco's silver eyes.
With each of his steps forward, Draco's hands shook harder. The intense gaze of the man was melting his mind and his whole being was torn between throwing himself back into the comfort of the sea and throwing himself into the arms of the mystery a man.
"Harry what are you-" Ron called from behind him as Harry approached the side of the ship, oblivious to the heaving deck and staggering men. All he could see was the pale face peeking from between the slats of the railings. If Harry were superstitious he'd have compared the beautiful vision to a ghost. Sailors did swear by the silver shapes which were sometimes seen darting underwater, called them sea ghosts. Apparently they were a good omen, and promised fortuitous journey to those who saw them.
But they were nothing but marine legend, a result of too much beer and too much sun. Surely.
But there he was. A vision in the moonlight.
Harry bent down as he neared the edge, reaching out his trembling hand and just as his fingers brushed the soft skin of his cheek a sudden lurch sent him off his feet and he tumbled into the black waters below.