Disclaimer: I don't mermaid melody or any of it's chacters. But you already knew that right?

EARTH & OCEAN

chapter 5: the end of a begining

Kaito smiled like the cat who caught the yellow canary as he walked into the onyx castel that he lived in. As soon as the wood doors closed behind him, Hamasaki rushed down the stairs near the prince, three at a time.

"Did you tell her?" the prince's friend ask as soon as he reached the stil moving prince. The two walked through the hall before Kaito said "Yes. And she loves me too."

"That's great! did she like the ring?" asked Hamasaki with a large smile. He couldn't help but be happy for his friend. He personally had never met Lucia, but if she could mend his friend's broken heart, than she must be great. The land prince smiled more and said "yes, and thanks for helping me pick it out. You don't know how approprete pearls are for her."

"You're welcome. Today's a good day huh?"

"What else happened while I was out?" asked Kaito. he knew it must be good. the two stopped walking in front of a stained glass window that turned everything either soft blue or rose in it's light. the two leaned against the ledge of the window while Kaito's friend said "King Rihito and Queen Noel are in a meeting to decide to how to end this battle once and for all." Kaito sucked in a breath of air and said "Really?" He suddenly was glad that he personally had walked Lucia back to the ocean that evening. Suddenly he had the strange feeling that something was not going to end well soon, if at all.

"What's the majority so far?"

"Offer the merpeople a chance of surrender and if they don't take it, we'll kill the royal family."

Silence surrounded Lucia as she flaoted towards the great hall of her coral castle. Her parents, as well as all of the elders were haveng a war meeting like every week, but the blond couldn't help but want to know what was going on. if something was going to happen, she wanted to know about it and if Kaito was in any danger. SHe twisted the gold ring with three pearls on top around her finger nerviously as she placed her ear to the closed wooden door. Most of the voices were muffled by the white coral room, but her father's loud voice could be heard clear as crystal.

"i believe this war has been going on far too long." she heard her father say in his deep voice. She knew the head elder made a comment, but she could barely hear what he said. Something about bing in agreement with the merking.

"I agree as well." said another elder, one obviouslly closer to the door. "Espcially when young Nicola was killed by one of the damn land walkers last year. We have to end this war as soon as we can, if not sooner." Lucia felt her heart sink into a pit like it always did now a days when ever someone mentioned Nicola and a image of her entered the princess' mind. Nicola was Lucia's older sister who had her purple hair cropped short, the same stunning blue eyes as the blond and a cool purple tail to match her temper. Lucia recalled the incident and felt her heart continued to ache. Her sister decided one day to go to the surface to see the sky. Unfortunetly, a fisherman from the village spotted her shooting out of the water and threw a fishing spear at Nicola. it hit the young mermaid's heart, killing her instantly. Everyone in the castle was so distraught that they lost almost half of their army during the week long battle. the day that Nicola died was the same that Lucia's father forbid her to ever leave the castle. Lucia removed the memory from her mind and continued to listen in on the conversation.

"That plan is rediculious!" one of the elders shouted in rage. Lucia flinched as her father said "But it is the only way for those land people to surrender. Without their leader, they are weakings."

"but dear," said Her mother in a sweet tone. " the young prince as well? why must someone so young die as well?"

"For Nicola, and to make sure that he doesn't go and and attack us to get revenge on his father." Lucia let out a loud gasp and pulled her ear away from the door. Kill Kaito and his father? what was her own father thinking? Lucia boldted away from the throne room and swam as fast as she could until she reached a bedroom door with a sogn reading "HANON'S ROOM." The blond slammed the door open, rushed inside and closed it behind her. The aquamarine mermaid as well as Rina who was visiting, jumped in suprise at the princess' rush. they were quickly filled with concern when they saw their friend was close to tears.

"Lucia, what's wrong?" asked Hanon as she floated over to the blond. Without a word, Lucia hugged her and started bawling her blue eyes out. Rina joined the two, placed her hand on the pink mermaid's shoulder and said "what happened?"

"Father..." Lucia started but her wild sobs stopped her from continuing. Hanon and Rina remained silent while Lucia cried. They knew it would be best to wait until she was calmer. After a fwe mintues, the tears slowed and the blond was able to talk once more. "Fatehr plans to kill Kaito!"

"WHAT!" said Hanon, shocked the blond nodded. "I heard them talking. He said he wanted to get rid of the land people's leaders so the army would be useless. Oh Hanon, Rina, what am i gonna do?"

"Lucia, you have to warm him." answered Hanon with energy. THe green mermaid gently put pressure on her friend's shoulder and said in her calm voice " Princess, do what you feel is right. I know Hanon and I will always suport you and your dessision." Lucia nodded and the three girls stayed that way until the blond's tear ducts were compleatly empty.

The wind was blowing wildly as LUcia dragged herself through the sand. THe sky was dark and cloudy as if mother nature knew what was going to happen tat day. THe blond put on a dress she brought with her while her tail was srying, her heart beating madly in her cest. Her legs appeared quickly due to the weather and she immedately started sprinting. The village was a blur as she ran through it and soon the castle was in front of her. Lucia banged on the solid wooden door with the large gold knocker that resembled a lion's head and waited for what felt like an eternity. A young man with glasses anwered and gasped when he saw the girl, out of breath and sweat beadding down her face.

"Need to...see Kaito." she said as she took deep gulps of air. Hamasaki let her in with a nod and called out the prince's name. As soon as he saw her, Kaito ran down the stairs he was comming down and hugged her tightly. No body said anything until Lucia's breathing was back to normal.

"Lucia, what in the world-" said Kaito but Lucia shushed him with putting her index finger on his lips.

"It's my father-he plans on killing you and you father."

"What?" said Hamasaki. He was confused, but Kaito quickly filled him in and things made sense. He didn't get mad at Lucia, just suprised. "The king is planning the same thing!"

"We must try to stop them somehow!" said the prince, determination in his voice.

"but the troups are already at the beach." said his friend.

"We have to try. How many more lives are going to be lost before everyone realizes that continuing it is just plain silly?" asked Lucia. Kaito held her hands up to his face and said "Yes, we can't let them kill each other. however, if we can't stop them, Lucia, we must flee to the neutral territory." the blond nodded and the two kissed as Hamasaki left the room, saying "I'll get the boat ready."

The star crossed lovers could taste the anger in the air as the small fissing boat left a small cove off the coast. as she stood nest to Kaito, who was driving the boat with the small engine, Lucia twirled her ring around her finger the land prince grabbed one of her hands and steered with the other, giving the blond a reassuring squeeze. Neither of them said a word as the boat floated out into the water. Bhind them was the coast, overflowing with land soldiers armsed with spears. In front of them was the ocean, dark and bubbling in one spot. THe two st opped the boat in the middle of the bubbles and soldiers surrounded them. Lucia took a deep breath to calm herself as the bublle instensified and more soldiers with fish fins appeared. She knew that it was saffer to talk to her father first because he didn't have such a great temper, but she couldn't help but worry about hers and Kaito's safty when the merking found out. Each member of the milita for the ocean was standing in charriets made out of shells and held a spear while looking at the two who was in the middle of it. Once everyone was at the water's surface, Lucia took a deep breath and shouted "Father!" the ranks broke to let the king, a mature man with snow white hair and hard blue eyes through. He took one look at the couple and said "Lucia! what on posiden's throne are you doing!"

"Father, you must stop this madness! Don'y you see that killing inocent people won't end the war!"

"Lucia," said the king with a fatherly sigh. "you are still just a child.. When you're older and this war is over, you will find a husband and take over the kingdom. Then you will understand why I have to do this." the blond raised her hand high into the air, showing her pearl ring to her father.

"I already have." she stated. The king looked awe struck as Kaito grabbed her hand in the air with his, showing his own ring athat said he belonged to Lucia. "and we can't let you two kill each other." the great merking stared at them for a moment in awe before he lowereed his three pronged spear. The other members of the undersea army did the same and the two love birds smiled. There was a murmer within the crowws as the two lowered their hands. There suddenly was a shout from a milirary merman and everyone turned to the shore. The king of the land people was standing in front of his troups, a thick spear clamped tightly in his hand and pulled back. Kaito started waving his arms to try to stop his father but it was too late. the spear went flying through the salt air and headign towards Lucia.

"No!" called the prince, grabbing the blond. he moved her as the spear hit him in the back instead of her. Time seemed to slow down to a teeth grinding speed as Lucia heard the sickening squish sound on impact. The two's eyes grew in horror as the blond caught him from falling to the ground. Kaito's body was to heavy for her, so they fell to the boat's bottom, blood spraying everywhere. Lucia cluched him tightly as tears fell down her face and the merpeople gasped. they started throwing their own spears at the land people and soon a volly of weapons was flying over the two love bird's heads. Lucia continued to cry as Kaito shakkaly raised his blood covered hand to her face. He touched her cheek for a moment before it fell limply next to him. The two sat that way for a moment befoer Lucia made a quick desision and pulled out her shell necklace from her dress pocket. she tied it around her neck and moved Kaito's limp form to the side of the boat. His eyes were closed. She stood up, ducking from the spears and stood on the boat's wide edge above Kaito. She cupped her hands around her mouth while the pearl inside her neklace started to glow pink.

"S-S-S-T-T-T-O-O-O-P-P-P-!-!-!" she shouted at the top of her longs. the sound grew louder with her magic and the merpeople froze in their poses. some were prepaired to throw a spear while others were grabbing for more. The land people did not stop, so spears continued to fly over the blond's head as she prepaired herself to speak. The King watched silently, hopping things would not turn out worse while his daughter said "This war is pointless! What's it going to take for you to understnad? how many deaths will unplug your ears? how long will it take before there's peace?" tears were streaming down her face now, mixing with Kaito's blood that was on her cheek, leaving pink streaks. the spears above her head slowed until only two or three at a time soared in the air.

"Please we msut work out our differences! this war has gone on for LONG ENOUG-!" the merarmy and the merking gasped out loud in horror as a sound like a pencil stabbing an apple silenced everyone. Lucia cluched the spea that was sticking out of her abdomen as blood gushed out. It sparted as she turned around and gazed at her father. The merking watched in dismay, calling out his daughter's name as she closed ehr blue ey e and fell into the sea. Her hands grabbed for Kaito as her head hit the water and her wait pulled in into the sea as well.