The Sea King
"What's going on here?"
Chloe and Marinette turned to see the King himself weilding his mighty trident he came upon the scene with a concern look on his face.
"Daddy!" Chloe cried happily. "I'm sooo glad your here. It appears that one of your loyal subjects isn't being very loyal."
The King looked at the mermaid in question then at the item she held in her hands.
"Where...where did you get that?"
Marinette held on to it tighter "I found it."
"Where?"
Marinette was silent.
"The King has asked you a question young mermaid" said one of the guards.
Marinette took a deep breath before speaking. "The outer seas...outside of the kingdom."
A few gasps followed by murmurs and whispers were heard in the crowd. No mermaid was foolish enough to leave the kingdom. It was too dangerous.
"Wow. I always knew you were weird but I never thought you were stupid too." Chloe sneered.
The King swam up to the dark haired mermaid. "You would leave the safety of the kingdom to mess with...human things?"
"I...I like to explore." Marinette stated. "I just couldn't help it. I'm sorry your highness."
"Let me ask you this." The King stated. "Have you been up to the surface?"
The mermaid went stiff at the question.
"I...um..."
"Answer me."
Marinette froze, her body and tail were tense. She knew what would happened if she said the truth. Going up to the surface is forbidden for mermaids and can be punishable by banishment.
"No your majesty!" Tikki swam in front of the mermaid. "She didn't go to the surface, I was with her!"
"Then why was she so late to my party." Chloe sneered once again. "She was probably messing with some dirty humans."
"Well princess, if you must know, when we were exploring we were nearly attacked by a shark."
"Really?" The blond gasped. "Its a shame that the shark wasn't able to catch you"
"Enough Chloe." The King said to his daughter before looking back at the blunette.
"I trust that you won't let this problem occur again."
Marinette nodded. "I understand your Majesty."
The King held his hand out expecting something. Marinette looked down at her Dinglehopper before handing it to the King.
"Enjoy the rest of the party" the king smiled before swimming off.
Before swimming off with her father, Chloe said one last thing to the red tailed mermaid.
"You should really learn your place in this world and start acting like a mermaid."
A hand touched the Marinettes shoulder and she turned to see her friend Alya.
"Are you okay Mari?"
Another hand touched her shoulder, it was Nathaniel's.
"I need to go." The mermaid said in a rushed tone before fleeing the ballroom. Tikki following close behind.