The constant chattering of the clam shell alarm clock awoke Andrina from a delightfully peaceful sleep. Could it be morning already? Andrina wasn't ready to start a new day. She was perfectly content to remain in her comfortable bed snuggled up closely to her gorgeous husband. But that was not meant to be.
"Gonna lie in bed forever?"
Andrina could hear Damian's smooth voice hovering above her, but if she simply didn't open her eyes, he would have to leave her alone. Right?
"Andrina?" He sang softly.
Geez... Damian just wasn't taking the hint. It Looked like Andrina would have to up her game a little.
"Zzz...Zzzz... ZZZZZZ," the mermaid princess faked, and paired the faux snores with a few sleepy murmurs. Man, was she good at feigning sleep!
"I know you're faking," Damian's nose was pressed firmly against her own.
Huh. Guess not.
"Fine," the princess surrendered, "I'll get up... in ten minutes."
"Andrina!"
"Oh, all right. What's it to you, anyway?"
"It's just a great day," Shrugged Damian, "Can't you feel it? Who could possibly want to waste a day like today?"
Andrina flicked her fins over to the vanity and began comb her blond hair into her usual updo, while Damian made their bed. Perfectionist.
"Feels like any other day to me."
"Oh, no," Damian disagreed, "Something's coming. Though I don't know what it is. You'll see."
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Another day. Another breakfast with her father, her sisters, and their school of fish... err... children. Everyone crowded around the banquet table for the first meal of the day. The course, for those with all their teeth fully grown in, was the traditionally prepared steamed coral. And for the guppies that remained toothless, or teething... strained kelp. Truly appetizing.
Collectively, Andrina's six sisters boasted a whole brood of children. Ariel had only one, the eldest, Melody. But the rest of them! Attina had three. Alana two, plus one on the way. Another three for Aquata. Adella had four. And count 'em. Five. Five merbabies under the age of five for Arista. And then there was Andrina... childless. Did Andrina love her mass of nieces and nephews? Of course he did! She wasn't a heartless sea witch. But sometimes she felt just a little... well... jealous.
Andrina poked around her steamed coral a bit. She had lost her appetite somewhat, after watching Arista's youngest, Shelly, (yes, a mermaid named Shelly. Guess Arista was wanting for a few good baby names) transform her strained kelp into a sort of mushed up, half-eaten gelatinous blob.
"Not hungry today, dear?" Attina questioned.
"Eh," Andrina answered with a casual shrug.
"Oh, I couldn't possibly relate," Alana commented, while stuffing her face with huge chunks of steamed coral, "I'm always hungry. Eating for two, ya know?"
"Yeah, I know," replied Andrina through clenched teeth.
She noticed her father shot Alana a deadly glare, and her sister reddened some. But Andrina wasn't angry per se. She knew her sister hadn't meant to be insensitive. Only, sometimes in her maternal glee, Alana could spurt out hurtful comments. And that was all right with Andrina. She'd much rather endure an innocent, though thoughtless remark here and there, than have her sisters... oh, say go to extremes. Like hiding a pregnancy or something. But that was ridiculous. Her sisters weren't that crazy. Andrina was destined to remain childless. And it was high tide she accepted it.
"I'm fine everyone," Andrina assured, noticing the adult merfolk present were literally holding her breath in anticipation.
"Are you sure?" her father, Triton asked seriously.
"Of course, I'm sure. It was my own fault, anyway. I never should have eaten that stupid sponge-fruit-thingy."
"Andrina," Attina began, "that was in on way your fault. You couldn't have known that maniac was prowling the market place. A terrorist. That's what he was."
The barren mermaid shuddered. She remembered his shark-like features all to clearly. Later, they learned several young female citizens of the kingdom had been struck by the same assailant. Her father had his guards intensely comb the waters of Atlantica for days. And when the criminal was finally apprehended... he was executed. Personally exterminated by her father and his handy trident. The first such execution in modern Atlantican history. Now, that was one memory Andrina could easily do without.
Suddenly, Andrina had the need to leave. To clear her head.
"I'm finished here," Andrina announced, shunning her plate of unfinished steamed coral, "I'm going to have swim by myself."
Lightly, she flipped her fins through the all-encompassing water, and headed to the one place that seemed able to ease her troubles. A place her sister Ariel had been smitten by years ago. The surface.