Chapter two
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Pearl
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
" Hurry, Pearl. You're up next." whispered my older sister, Emeralia Her hair was maroon like mine, and floated in a constant wave around her.
I stalled, absently running my hands through my hair. Even I occasionally got nervous. Emeralia never did.
" Hurry, go!" she said, shoving me out on stage in front of at least two hundred people of the fish. " Presenting the last princess of the North, Princess Pearl Veralyn Kaetora Alia of Norkindas, known to all the Atlantic as the jewel of the sea!," the man pronounced, and left the stage.
I cleared my throat, and sang a song about a fish caught in a net. When I finished, the audience smiled, and clapped, some wiping tears from their eyes. I heard my Father boasting to the King of the Baltic how fabulous my voice was, and what a fine and delicate queen I would make.
I admit that my voice is beautiful. Though it sounds vain, it is pure honesty for saying anything less would be a lie.
But as for a queen? I was not born to be queen. A queen made noble choices and traded in her own life for a crown. I watched my sisters as they sang, and wondered how they could so desire a role that seemed such a hardship. Besides, I thought wryly, who ever heard of a queen who wasn't docile and soft spoken? That alone ruled me out.
My sisters finished singing, and the ball began. Today I was sixteen years old, and I couldn't help but wondered if it would be the last birthday I spent in Norkindas. I sighed, but went out to the ball room to dance. I waved at the serving boy Rab, and he began to swim over.
" Princess, are you needing anything," he asked courteously, his eyes dancing. I grinned at him-we had embarked on a risky friendship. I planned on strengthening it...I needed all the friends I could get with this Baltic issue hanging above my head. Before I could reply, a new, cold voice cut in.
" Scurry along, serving boy," a cold voice drawled, slicing the water.
I whipped my head around, but already knew who it was. Prince Kalius Mercundus Difalen the third of the Baltic sea had not changed a bit since childhood, when I had first met him. Marriage suggestions had begun then, and strengthened in the years. At first I had been mildly interested when I learned Kalius liked playing sports, which all of my sisters abhorred. But he played dirty, and it was only a reflection of his personality.
Rab cast his eyes down, bowed to both of us, then left. Kalius bowed and took my hand.
" May I have this dance, my princess," he stated, not asked as he took my hand and led me onto the floor.
I opened my mouth to retort that I was no one's princess, particularly in his case, but I saw my father watching me out of the corner of my eye. Glaring fiercely at him, I deliberately led us toward the opposite side of the room, far away from my father's eyes.
Kalius was beautiful, as much as I hate to say it. His cool blue eyes that reflected his blue tail regarded me as we danced, and his long white hair swirled with our movement. He had inherited height from his father and chiseled good looks from his mother. I could hate it and wish that his nose resembled a dolphin snout, but I couldn't change it.
" Well Pearl, you've changed since I last saw you. Are you still rummaging around with the your servant friends in oyster beds and such?," he asked smoothly, holding my gaze.
I hated him; now that we were beyond my father and the Baltic king, I spoke freely.
" You haven't changed a bit, Kalius. Still ordering everyone around like you rule all the oceans? That was such an endearing trait of yours," I said sweetly, the sarcasm in my voice evident.
Kalius put back his head and laughed, attracting the attention of every Merwomen around us. I resumed my glare, and waited to find out what he found so amusing.
" Just because you're endeared with oyster diggers doesn't mean everyone is, Pearl 'of the sea'. Or more specifically, that crab racer servant you were talking to. He's in love with you, but I suppose you don't see that, do you? That always was you. Happily oblivious to the fact that there is no merman who wouldn't sell his tail for your glance," Kalius said mockingly, smiling at my fury.
" Actually, his Crab races are very entertaining. Father likes them,"I told Kalius, daring him to disagree with my father. " And as for all those mermen, they don't
" Come, Come, my Pearl. You're father simply tolerates him. A man of his status does not bother betting on crab races. That's the sport of the common classes," Kalius drawled, his eyes flickering as he hastily retraced his steps.
Him and I were near equals; however, any insult on my father's name was treason, and above him. " Well, I enjoy the Crab races. Does that make me a lower class subject?" I demanded angrily as he twirled me around.
" Your mother was only half noble, and known for her bad breeding. At least now that she's dead, royal blood may be bred again." Kalius told me simply. I simply stopped dancing and stared at him.
" You horrible creature! How dare you say that, when you are in my father's kingdom? You are nothing but a slimy, obnoxious, eel! No wonder you're so willing to go through with this arranged marriage, no other merwoman would take you!," I hissed, fighting to control my voice and wishing that the last words had been true.
None the less, Kalius colored slightly, his trained court mask gone. He was silent for a moment and I was smug with triumph when a look flashed across his face.
" Perhaps I should apologize for that comment of your mother's blood. It's not her fault by any means that her daughter grew up to be a human lover." Upon seeing my astonished gaze, his smile widened. " As if I don't remember following you to wreck sites when we were younger. Truly, you surprise me Pearl."
I had no retort for that, and just set my expression in a permanent scowl instead. We danced in silence, and I watched the faces of the people we swirled past. I knew what they all thought- the charming romance of the Princess of the Norkindas and Prince of the Baltic, a perfect love story to the outsider.
" Don't worry. In the Baltic, we'll have that exercised out of you," he whispered in my ear, and I jerked back.
Was I betrothed to a rock or a Prince? I almost wished he'd be mad at me instead of treating me as if I were a plaything that amused him. I couldn't contemplate marriage to Kalius, for all of his unbelievable good looks. I glanced over at my father, who was laughing with the King of the Baltic. Their servants and bodyguards surrounded them, and several nobles from both delegations laughed at the joke as well. No, if I tried to break off this marriage, Father would never forgive me. And even if he did, I would be shunned by my sisters, and constantly be reminded of a chance I gave up. The chance to be Queen of the Baltic, to finally be able to trade with the Baltic sea after all of these years of attempted treaties. Yes, my marriage will be good for both countries, I tried to tell myself unsuccessfully.
" Purple eyes are so rare. You are still the only one in this Kingdom with them besides your grandmother, aren't you? Only in the royal line, I suppose. Maroon hair is more common, but I've yet to see another pair of purple eyes,"he mused, staring at me.
I nodded, absent minded, not really interested in my eyes. Oh, I knew the songs that poets had written, of how my eyes glittered and flashed amethyst, but I didn't care. They marked me immediately as the youngest princess, and it was hard to go anywhere disguised.
Bored, I began to count the number of jewels he had on. It was a miracle he could swim straight with them all on. I was tempted to ask, but kept my mouth shut. The sooner this was over, the best.
" Is Conchita still enraptured with that lordling? Darlen, his name?"
" Darlycon" I snapped back to focus. 25 jewels. This had to be a record.
Kalius sighed, and the next dance began. I smiled, knowing that after the song had finished I could retire. Bored silence ensured as we danced again.
" You'll have to get rid of that scowl when you move to the Baltic palace. Honestly Pearl, any other of your sisters would feel honored that the Baltic has finally chosen to make arrangements with Norkindas. It's been scrabbling for centuries to get hold of trade rights, just as your sisters are to get hold of me. You seem to be happy for neither," Kalius mused as we moved toward the right.
I let out a snort. " My sisters haven't seen what you're really like. Looks may be a large part of our lives, but in your case, it can't overpower personality. Come to think of it, why don't you marry one of them instead! I will personally hand you over! Trust me, my dear prince, my affection for you doesn't last past my father's eyes," I said through clenched teeth.
Kalius raised his eyebrows, then narrowed them.
" Because you are the most beautiful daughter of King Oceanius. Because of the tales we hear of you as the ' jewel of the sea', the most beautiful merwoman in all the oceans. The merwoman with the purple eyes. If I marry a legend, I become a legend. Be thankful that your appearance and voice precedes your personality, Pearl. "
" How funny. I was thinking the same about you, Kalius," I said sweetly, still glaring at him.
He laughed, but his laughter was not kind-it never was. As the song came to a close, I bemused possibilities to annoy him.
" So if I crashed into a great white shark, which conveniently ripped off one of my arms and caused my eye color to change green, and because of this I became as wide as a whale, would you still want to marry me?" I asked him.
He raised an eyebrow and ignored me. I continued, to his annoyance.
"What if, for instance, all of my hair fell off. Would you still want to marry me?" I could live with having a shaved head for awhile.
" That would be no problem. You could just stay indoors until it grew back," he retorted.
The recluse bald queen. Wouldn't the people love me.
" Just pretend that it never grew back. What would you do?"
" I'd get you a wig. A gold one, perhaps. It would set your eyes off."
The dance ended, and our unplayful banter ceased. He swept a deep bow to me. Our eyes met, and we regarded each other with suspicion. All the ball room watched us, to see our final greeting. We had both been trained, and knew the appropriate response, if not the one I wished to do.
" My dear Princess of Norkindas, until next time we meet," Kalius told me smoothly
I forced a delighted smile, and replied with just as much grace, "the pleasure would be mine, milord."
The crowd cheered and smiled as they always did when Kalius and I met. It was only once a year up until now; but soon it would be constant, and the thought turned my stomach. I had to get out, away from it all.
I excused myself after several more pleasantries, and swam past the columns as quickly as I could. I didn't stop until I reached my grandmother's garden.
Since my mother's death, she had essentially raised us. Particularly me; my memory of my mother was brief and short. Her gardens were beautiful and reeked importance; she was considered a wise woman, and my father permitted her to where twelve oyster shells on her tail, making her the most esteemed woman in the sea.
" There is only one merwoman in all the world who would miss a ball in her honor," my grandmother's wise, graceful voice mused from behind me, and I turned around to see her.
" Ma Cahill-grandalia de l'mere," I said, quickly lowering my gaze when I said her respected title. Then I hugged her and fell in stride next to her.
My grandmother had aged wisely over her life; she was near the end of her magnificent years. Still, her deep sea blue eyes held the answers to many secrets. I was her favorite, and she made no secret of it.
" Ah Pearl, you look lovely, as always. What brings you here tonight?"
I hesitated for a moment, but went on ahead. " Nothing truly, grandmother. I've just been thinking a lot, lately. I'll be married to Kalius soon, if the treaty goes through......." I left my sentence hanging.
My grandmother furrowed her brow. " He is like his grandfather. Your father is a fool to marry you to him, the treaty will only break several years no matter what. And you, Pearl! Could he of picked Meryliese, or Conchita at least? You are not made to be a queen," my grandmother scoffed.
She had mentioned it once to my father, and only once. Now that he was king, she made no move to try to control the throne, and if he rejected something, she let it lie. I wished that her methods were different.
" The kelp forest grows in the South, and trade routes are blocked off there; your father is wise in not wanting to disturb the sea witch," my grandmother told me as I opened my mouth to speak.
After she brought that point up, I could not argue. In fact, I couldn't stand any more human contact as it was.
" Grandmother, excuse me, but I need some time to think by myself," I told her, then called her by her appropriate name.
She studied me for a moment, then laid her hand on the top of my head. " Horrible things can work out for the best at times, Pearl. There are many worse fates that could happen. But you shouldn't worry, Kalius will not be yours," she told me quietly, then turned away.
I puzzled over that, then turned to swim off into the open sea. My grandmother was a renown wise woman; anything words she said were heeded as good advice.
So much was changing in my life, for the worse. I could feel the sea churning, and realized that a storm was coming. Rough water was ahead. I sighed, but was glad-storms tended to calm me. As I swam, I tried to remember the human god....specifically, what his minions were called. Then I smiled as I recalled it. Angels.