Author's Note:

I know as well as you do, that the last chapter was a filler. I hope you will read this one, as well as the next one, because personally, I think (is there another way to think, but personally?) that these are one of the most interesting ones of the lot. Of course, you can disagree if you think otherwise.

I would like to dedicate this chapter to a very close friend of mine, who you might say is in the same situation as Layla, or maybe her situation has the potential to be like Layla's, and I used her personality and reactions to determine how Layla would think.

Layla couldnt sleep. She had the eerie feeling of being watched, or perhaps she was just worried about the big day. Riven's phone call had reminded her that she did, still find other men attractive. Did Nabu feel that way, too?

"It's too early, it's too early," everyone had said, but she hadn't listened. Nabu and her were perfect for each other. She remembered the look in her father's eyes, when she had told him about the wedding. The old man's eyes shone brightly with tears of joy. Nabu was the man he had picked out for her, and she had agreed to marry him. The rebellious side of the Tides' princess gave an uncomfortable squirm. She was doing this for her family, for her people, and for Tides. It was just an added bonus that she actually knew and loved the guy. But, the thoughts swirled around in her mind, nonetheless. Was it, as everyone kept saying, a little too early? After all, the other girls…Bloom and Stella, especially, had been going steady with their boyfriends for almost three years, whilst she had just met Nabu, not even a year ago. Yet, she was the one getting married first.

She knew the reason her father had wanted to marry her off so quickly. Tides needed a new king. It couldn't, it seemed, be ruled single-handedly by a princess. And, there was her father's past. She could remember his voice, soft and low, as he revealed his secret to her.

It had been around the time he had suggested the arranged marriage. Layla had been furious, and flatly refused. A few days later, her father had come into her room. He softly knocked on her door, and Layla looked up at him, eyes full of surprise and defiance. She had not spoken to him since he had made the suggestion.

"Layla," he began, "I..." he looked uncomfortably at Musa, and Mrs. Faragonda stood behind him, and spoke directly to Layla.

"Layla, come outside. Your father has travelled a long way to meet you, and says he wants a private word," she said, in a no-nonsense voice, which made both the girls sit up in surprise.

"Thank you," the man addressed the headmistress gratefully, "Where do you suggest…"

"I think if you head down the gardens, you will find the perfect spot," she said. Her father nodded, and gestured to Layla to follow him. Musa looked at her curiously. Layla shrugged, and reluctantly followed him.

They both sat down on the park benches. Layla was still angry, but she was too curious to show it. She was wondering why her father had come all the way to speak to her. Was it mom? She opened her mouth, but her father raised a hand to silence her.

"Listen," he said, softly, looking around to make sure that nobody could hear him. "Layla, this is very difficult for me to say, so don't interrupt me, okay?"

She nodded, urging him to go on, preparing herself for a long story.

"a long time ago, my father arranged my marriage with your mother. I hated the idea of marrying for duty, rather than for love. Just like you feel…" He smiled, as Layla tried to picture her father as a young man.

I ran away from home…" Layla gasped. Her father? He ignored her and continued, " I met a woman…"

Layla pushed away the memory. She didn't want to think about it. But the voice drifted in and out of her brain. "My father then told me the tale of the curse…" her father's voice came back with force, and Layla let it wash over her. "We are all cursed, Layla, none of our ancestors have made the right choice in love…" The story of the legend of the mermaid, Sammeria, Layla realized.

A long time ago, the prince of Tides had had a love affair with a mermaid, Sammeria. However, he had left her for a richer, well established princess. The mermaid was furious, and killed herself in the river, before uttering her final curse on the royal family of Tides. "You will never be able to pick a suitable partner, never again marry for love. If you do, the marriage will be sure to end, one way or the other."

"Yes, it's the story of the mermaid, Sammeria," her father said, nodding, when Layla ventured to ask. "Only, it isn't a story," he said sadly. "All your ancestors, without exception, who strayed from the path of duty, have ended their love marriages either in death, divorce or abandonment.

Layla asked, "What happened with you and…she couldn't even speak the woman's name."

She and I separated. It was horrible, she was probably the worst woman I could have chosen to marry…and I never want you to feel the way I did." He looked at her, his face dead serious. "Layla, please, for everyone's sake, listen to me."

Layla had already met Ophir at the time, and really liked him. "I'll think about it," she said, nodding.

He looked like he was going to say something, but he stopped himself.

Now, Layla thought about her meeting with her father again. She had never told him about her current boyfriend being the same one he had picked out for her, because she knew he would worry, the way she was worrying now.

The royals of Tides can never marry for love…but, she was marrying both for love as well as duty, didn't that cancel that out? The curse was to be kept from Nabu. Nobody knew this terrible secret, except her family and her, and she intended to keep it that way. .

What am I going to do? She asked herself, as she stared up at the ceiling...

-Riven stood, back against the wall, and ran his hand through his hair nervously. What am I doing here? He asked himself for the millionth time. Go home, he told himself. But he couldn't make himself do that. Tomorrow was the big day, for crying out loud! His best friend was getting married, and so was hers. it was stupid, going alone to such an important event.

He felt a stab of nervousness, musing on how he was going to approach the musical fairy. I'll just ask her if she would like to go with me, if I can't find anyone else, I'm going to pretend that I'm doing her a favour. He gritted his teeth. That wouldn't work, he told himself. She'll just give me one of those cold looks of her's and tell me to forget it. No, I'll be nice, he decided. I'll say, hey, let's go to the wedding together. No, no, no…that sounds like I'm begging her, he thought. He scratched his head, and shuffled his feet.

It was almost midnight, and he had been standing like a fool, for almost an hour outside Musa's room. Why didn't he just go in?

A/n: Read on, its worth it, I promise.