Chapter Seven- The Royal Sisters

Amara swam to the shallows before pulling herself to the shoreline and then dry land as the sun peeked over the horizon. Her tail and fins split into legs and feet before her pants returned. Her seashell bra faded as her shirt returned.

Michelle smiled from the water, the mirror held to her chest. She looked forward to invoking the mirror the change Amara into a mermaid for good. The blonde princess remained seated as Michelle held out the mirror, the glass facing her.

"Mirror of Neptune, please hear me," Michelle said. The glass sparked and then shimmered with magic, a sign that it was ready to be used. She smiled at the response, but before she could voice her request, a beam of light pulled the mirror from her grasp and into the hand of red-haired man who stepped out from behind a rock face behind Amara.

"The Mirror of Neptune! At last!" Rubeus exclaimed.

"Rubeus, what are you doing here?" Amara demanded, struggling to her feet.

"I was waiting for you two. I suspected you had fallen for a mermaid when you spoke of being one and asking for a permanent way. I knew if I spoke of the mirror, you would want to find it. I intend to use the mirror to rule the world!"

"Impossible," Michelle stated. "The mirror cannot help one rule the world."

"That's where you're wrong, mermaid. First, I will convince the king of the sea to make me the king. Then, I'll use the mirror to flood the world and change every life on this planet into sea creatures. Everyone will bow to me."

"No! You can't!" Michelle exclaimed.

"You can't stop me. You can't come on land."

"She can't, but I am already on land," Amara told him. She advanced on him, who quickly backed up. He held out the mirror and pointed it at her. "You need legs to catch me," he said.

A beam shot out of the mirror toward Amara who stepped aside as the beam grazed her leg. Amara suddenly gasped and fell forward onto the sand. She looked back and saw that she had a tail instead of legs! She had become a mermaid again!

"Amara!" Michelle exclaimed.

Rubeus conjured a net around Amara and levitated her tail into the water with the rest of the net secured to a rock. "Listen, mermaid. You will go to the king and tell him that unless he declares me king, I will use the mirror to create a storm that will wipe out his people and his kingdom."

"My father will never agree to this," Michelle said angrily.

"Your father?" Amara gasped.

Rubeus smirked. "Surely the king will listen to his daughter."

"I'll try," she replied. She dipped under the water. She had no intention of going to her father. She had to rescue Amara and get the mirror back. She clasped her hands together and closed her eyes. "Great Neptune, help me. A human has your mirror and intends to use it to rule a world of water. I ask for a storm just strong enough to blow the mirror out of his hand and return it to the ocean."

She opened her eyes and looked up to see the sun grow lighter and lighter until it disappeared. The storm clouds had rolled in. While Rubeus was occupied with holding onto the mirror, she would free Amara.

Amara pulled on the net, but it wouldn't budge. Must be magical, she thought. She swished her tail through the water. Her tail; she was a mermaid again and this time it would be for good. But it won't be good if Rubeus rules a planet completely covered in water and all humans becoming merpeople. I've got to get out of here and get that mirror, somehow.

Rubeus watched in satisfaction as Amara struggled in her net. He wasn't concerned if she escaped. Soon the whole world would be one big ocean and he would be king.

A low rumble got Rubeus to look up. A mass of storm clouds were rolling in and the winds were increasing in intensity. Amara gaped in astonishment at the sudden storm when the bottom of the net gave way beneath her. She fell through into the water and saw Michelle with a jagged shell in her hand which she dropped before embracing Amara.

The blonde mermaid looked up before turning to Michelle. "You asked for this storm, right?"

"Yeah. I asked for a storm with powerful winds to get the mirror and give me a cover to free you."

"What if Rubeus manages to recover it if he does lose his grip on it?"

"Well, first it will land in the ocean and second, I believe Neptune will forgive me if I destroy it."

"If it's destroyed, will I be human again?"

Michelle shook her head. "Any magic the mirror's used stays in effect even if it's damaged or destroyed."

A sudden cry from above was heard despite the galling winds. The splash of something hitting the water sounded nearby and both saw the mirror sinking through the water not too far away. Michelle swam over to it, grabbed it, and headed for the surface, where the storm had abated, with Amara right behind her. Why is she going to the surface? I thought she was going to destroy the mirror.

Michelle surfaced to see a fuming Rubeus. She held up the mirror. "Your plan to rule the world ends here," she told him before swinging her arm and smashing the item against a nearby rock. The sight of the item being destroyed brought satisfaction to Michelle, but her satisfaction turned to confused astonishment as a light blue light stream shot into the sky before descending and entering her body. She gasped at the feeling and collapsed into Amara's arms.

"Michelle! Michelle, please wake up!" Amara begged.

The green-tailed mermaid's eyes fluttered open and she groaned slightly. "I…think I'm okay."

"What was that light?"

"I'm…not sure."

"I know," spoke Rubeus.

Both mermaids turned to see the human standing there with a light blue glow around his body and a smug grin on his face. "That light was the power of the mirror. I'm guessing the power was too much for one being to have, so the stream split into two. One went into you, princess. The other went into me." The glow faded, but his grin was still in place.

"In that case," Amara said. "You still can't carry out your plan because Michelle can just cancel it out. Both of you have the same powers."

"Perhaps. But does Michelle know how to use that power? I have training as a sorcerer that helps me control the power. I could create a storm that could affect both above and below the waves. Would Michelle be able to dissipate both?"

Amara bit her lip, not sure what to say. If training was necessary to use and control the power, then Rubeus had the advantage. He would still be able to carry out his plans and succeed until Michelle learned to control and use her half of the power to defeat him.

"Rubeus, you wish to rule, correct?" Michelle asked softly.

"Of course I do."

"What exactly do you wish to rule?"

Rubeus's eyes narrowed in suspicion. "What are you getting at?"

"I have an older sister who is heir to the throne, but has no one to marry. If you were to wed her, then you would be king when my father is ready to give up the throne."

Rubeus stared at Michelle in shock. "You would let me marry your sister? After I revealed what I planned to do?"

"Surely, being a beloved ruler of the Seven Seas sounds a lot better than being considered a power-mad ruler of a water planet."

"I would someday rule the Seven Seas? That does sound…enticing. But, would she consent to marry me? Surely, there are others that interest her?"

"There are others that interested in her, but they do not interest her. You being a sorcerer is a quality that none of the others have that would interest my sister, Trista. The fact that you have half of the mirror's power would absolutely interest her."

"She would want to marry someone with magic and I alone fill the requirement." He smiled and nodded. "Well spoken, princess. I will present myself to your sister and hopefully win her heart." He waded into the water and stopped when he was waist-high. He closed his eyes and concentrated on his new power to change him into a merman. He sensed his legs merging together and his feet turning into fins. His clothes faded away and he knew that the transformation was complete. He opened his eyes and nodded to Michelle. "I am ready to meet… What was her name again?"

"Trista. Princess Trista. Come, both of you." Michelle dived down and the other two followed.

Amara followed Michelle with Rubeus behind them, learning how to move his tail, which was the same shade as his hair. "Michelle," Amara said, swimming up beside her. "Do you think him marrying Trista is going to make him give up on total world domination?"

"I'm not absolutely certain, but I know that Trista would certainly marry a sorcerer, especially one who wields power almost equal to Neptune's. Plus, I sense that deep down he's actually a good person who wishes to rule but was going about it the wrong way."

"Speaking of your sister, why didn't you tell me you were a princess, especially since I said I was one?"

"I don't really care much for my title. I would rather be considered a regular mermaid."

"Well, you certainly act like one, but that's one of things I love about you."

Michelle smile and was about to reply when a merman swam up to the trio. "Princess Michelle, have you see your sister?" the merman asked.

"No, I'm afraid I haven't," Michelle answered. "But if I find her, I'll let her know you're looking for her."

The suitor smiled. "Thanks, princess," he said before swimming away.

Michelle rolled her eyes. "Great. Apparently, I've become my sister's secretary while I was away."

Amara giggled. "I wouldn't be surprised if you have."

Rubeus stared in the direction the merman had gone. So, it was true that Trista was being pursued by others, but she wasn't interested in them because they weren't special enough to her? That made her sound picky however, that meant that he wouldn't have any competition in winning her hand in marriage. He continued to follow the two mermaids as they approached the royal palace that gleamed ivory that was intertwined with red and pink coral.

They swam up to ivory double doors that each had a peach seashell on their surfaces and a guard on either side of the doors. The guards nodded at Michelle as they drew closer and without a word, the guards pushed open the doors. Michelle gestured for the other two to precede her through the doors and as they did so, she said, "Have either one of you seen my sister?"

"I have, princess," one guard replied. "I last saw her head for her chambers. Shall I send for her?"

"No need. I'll go up and see her. Thank you." Michelle swam in and the guards pulled the doors closed behind her. She smiled at her guests. "Trista's in her room. This is perfect." She seized Rubeus's hand and pulled him up to the next floor with Amara right behind them.

"Michelle," Rubeus called. "How am I to interest your sister?"

"Just be yourself."

Right. Be myself, he thought. Only I can't truly be myself because not that long ago I was set on ruling a planet of water and forcing her father to move aside to declare me king. I suppose I could prove I have magic by conjuring a bouquet of sea flowers. It's a corny and cheesy trick, but women find it romantic. I hope Trista is one of those women.

Michelle knocked on a door and heard Trista's voice call, "Enter." She pushed open the door, being careful to conceal Rubeus behind her. Trista was lying in bed on her stomach with an open book in front of her. She sat up when she saw Michelle and smiled at her. "So, you're back from your trip. Was it fun?"

"If you consider dodging geysers, living seaweed, and a shark fun."

"I'd rather do that than dodge mermen."

Michelle chuckled slightly before saying, "Trista, I want you to meet someone." She moved aside to reveal the redhead behind her. "This is Rubeus. Rubeus, this is my sister Princess Trista."

Rubeus moved a hand in a circle and a bouquet of flowers materialized in his hand before he swam forward and held them out to her. "It is a pleasure and honor to meet you, princess."

Trista took the bouquet automatically before it dawned on her that he had created them out of nowhere. She blinked a few times before looking at him and saying, "You're a sorcerer?"

Rubeus flashed what he hoped was a charming smile. "I am." He looked her full in the face and felt a sense of deja vu come over him. Trista's eyes and hair were very familiar; they were the same ones that had been peering at him yesterday!

Trista was likewise staring at him with a look of recognition on her face. Even though he was bare-chested and sported a red tail, he had the same hair and eyes that she had found captivating. I fell for his looks and it turns out he's a sorcerer and turned himself into a merman to possibly look for me.

Michelle looked back and forth between the two of them. "Have you two met somehow?" she asked.

"Yes. I saw a pair of eyes looking at me from the water yesterday," Rubeus answered. "I soon found that I couldn't stop thinking about them afterwards."

"I saw him at the shore while I was underwater," Trista added. "I loved his looks and wanted to know if they were just as lovely above the water."

Michelle smiled. "Well then. This works out nicely then, doesn't it?"

Rubeus bowed to Trista and remained in this position as he said, "Princess Trista, will you marry me?"

Trista bit her lip. She had spent most of her time avoiding mermen and had never considered the possibility that one of them would get a chance to ask for her hand. Now, she was faced with the situation and she didn't know what to say: Yes or no? If she said yes, she would be expected to wed soon and the prospect scared her slightly. If she said no, she risked driving Rubeus away, possibly back to land and out of her life forever, leaving her with avoiding mermen possibly for the rest of her life.

Rubeus anxiously awaited Trista's response. Why is she hesitating? Am I not the very merman she desired to marry? Is it possible that she never expected to find herself in this situation? Perhaps I should reword my question or maybe make a suggestion?

Before he could open his mouth, Trista smiled at him. "I'm flattered by your proposal, but the thing is we hardly know each other. How about this? We spend time getting to know each other and when I feel I've gotten to know you enough, then we will wed. Do you agree?"

Rubeus smiled back. "Yes, princess. That sounds perfect."

"You can just call me Trista. After all, if we marry, it would be ridiculous to call one another by titles."

Rubeus nodded. "Very well, Trista."

As I said, Trista and Rubeus' glances was important. I admit, I was a little stuck after Michelle destroyed the mirror, but as you can see, I found a way out.