Chapter Thirteen- Revelation

Gozaburo with Mokuba beside him approached the group and Mahad moved aside. The king took two steps and froze, blinking rapidly. His son was kneeling beside the boy he knew as Joey, but below his waist was a blue fishtail! Mokuba was equally speechless.

Joey pushed himself to a sitting position. "Hi, Gozaburo. Hi, Mokuba."

Gozaburo continued to stare, his mouth opening and closing, unable to articulate his thoughts.

Joey sighed, knowing that his future in-laws would probably hate him for lying. "Yes, I'm a merman. I am a prince, though. I gained the ability to be human for three days five years ago. I met Seto this summer and though I wasn't seeking a mate, Seto chose me and I realized that I had fallen in love the moment I saw him."

"Mahad gave me a potion so that I could visit Joey for three days," Seto spoke up. "I learned that human contact is forbidden. Joey's sister saw me change back and told the queen."

"Mother confronted me about Seto's true nature. She still doesn't know exactly how we met. I told her I wasn't going to stop seeing him. She disowned me, banished me from my home, and exiled me from the kingdom. I was on my way here and got hurt from an undersea storm. Mother has the power to raise storms and I believe she directed it at me, possibly to stop me from interacting with humans."

Gozaburo's eyes swept over Joey's body, seeing the bruises and abrasions on his body and tail. "Your mother's storm did all that damage?"

Joey nodded and then dropped his eyes. "I'll understand if you hate me for lying and if you don't want to see me again."

"Hate you?" Gozaburo repeated, hardly believing his ears. "How could I hate you? You were lying to protect your race. A prince can do no less."

Joey nodded, eyes still down. "Yes, but since Mother disowned me…that means I'm not a prince anymore." Joey's voice took on a tone of stunned realization.

"Nonsense," Gozaburo said, crouching down beside him. "Nobility doesn't come from a title. It comes from within." He put a hand on Joey's chest over the heart. He smiled at him. "My dear wife knew that when I married her."

Joey looked at him. "So, you're fine with me being a merman?"

"I am. So, can you change your tail into legs now?"

Joey shook his head. "I'm afraid not. I have to wait for dawn and pull my tail out of the water."

"I gave Joey a spell a few minutes ago that will reverse his ability so that it's like Seto's. So tomorrow morning will be the last time that Joey will change this way," Mahad added.

"We can't leave Joey here," Mokuba insisted.

"We won't," Seto said. "We can use the fountain in the garden." Seto stood before leaning down and lifting Joey into his arms. Gozaburo removed his cape and covered Joey's tail before the group headed back to the palace.

"Mahad, I can't really thank you enough for reversing my power," Joey said as he swam about in the fountain.

"I wouldn't have been able to or make that potion without the scale you gave Seto."

"Oh?"

"I took a scraping to make the potion then examined the remainder to design the spell and make another dose of potion."

"Another dose? Why?"

Mahad's cheeks flushed slightly and Seto smiled. "He had debated taking it himself but chose to wait until he heard from me how amazing it is."

Mahad nodded. "I took it last night and look forward to swimming with the two of you."

"Me too," Joey said. "I was desiring company on my way here."

"Well, you have it now," Seto said. "The wedding is in a month and you'll officially be family."

Joey sat on the rim, his tail lying limp on the grass as the sky lightened. The sun rose and his tail split into legs while clothes appeared. Joey rose to his feet, relishing the thought that he would have legs longer than three days and wouldn't have a tail unless he was in the water when dawn came. He walked toward the royal family, the king and young prince awed by his change.

Gozaburo shook himself out of his awestruck state and guided the blonde inside. "Now that you're human, let's discuss your wedding outfit."

One month later, Joey and Seto stood before Gozaburo, the palace front doors behind him and the citizens gathered behind the couple. Gozaburo raised a hand and said, "My people, two months ago, Prince Seto had chosen Prince Joey to be his fiancée. Now, on this joyful day, I will unite these two young men in matrimony." He turned to accept two gold bands from Mokuba before facing the couple and handing them each a ring.

"It is always a king's great duty to wed people for weddings are always happy occasions." He paused as Joey and Seto took one another's hands and slipped on the bands. Gozaburo put his hands on their left ones. "As king of this great land, I pronounce you married." He released his hold and Joey and Seto sealed their marriage with a loving kiss as the kingdom roared its approval

Mahad strolled behind the married couple as they headed for a far, secluded corner of the shore. A moon was dipping below the horizon, shedding pale white light over the sand. Seto and Joey wanted to spend the first three days of their married life as mermen and Gozaburo insisted that Mahad go along for protection when the magician admitted to take the same potion that Seto had taken. He had a good idea of how the change happens, thanks to seeing Joey go from merman to human. He knew there was no pain involved and yet he was nervous about his legs merging into a tail.

Joey, meanwhile, was enjoying his late night walk with Seto. He remembered sitting on the fountain shortly before dawn after the third day, legs on the ground. He was waiting to see if he would change back. When the sun came up and he still had legs, that was when he knew: He was more human than merman now and it filled him with joy. He had asked Seto for swimming lessons that day and he quickly became an accomplished swimmer. He looked back to see Mahad looking nervously at the water. "You okay?" he asked, heading over to him.

"I'm a little nervous about changing," he admitted.

"Don't be. Once you have your tail, you'll feel differently. Seto did."

"Joey's right," Seto put in. "I was a bit nervous as I waited. But when I got my tail, I was thrilled."

Mahad smiled. "I was being ridiculous. There's nothing to be nervous about."

"Right. Nothing to be nervous about." Joey pointed at the sky. "We better hit the water. The sun will be coming up."

The trio waded into the water until they couldn't touch the bottom and treaded water watching the horizon and waiting. The first ray of sunlight appeared and Mahad closed his eyes to enjoy the warmth of the sun as well as the feel of his legs merging together. He felt himself sink below the surface, but felt no alarm over it. I'm a merman now. Being underwater is natural.

He opened his eyes once he was fully submerged and saw Joey and Seto nearby. Joey had his royal blue tail again while Seto had his gold tail. "Seto, you were right. Your tail is beautiful."

"Yours isn't so bad, either," Seto replied. "It suits you."

Mahad looked down to see a deep purple tail instead of legs. He couldn't help grinning at it. "It's nice. I happen to like the color purple."

"Okay. Now that we've' changed, let's go swimming and find a nice cave nearby where we can spend the next three days."

"Remember, we'll need to surface for mealtimes," Seto said. He grinned. "I look forward to eating at the shoreline."

"But first swimming and cave hunting," Joey said as he led his husband and royal magician into the depths of his former home.

The End