Osirei wasn't what Regina expected. The island was large with a single sprawling city covering every inch of it and surrounded by crystal blue waters. It had other smaller islands dotted around it and she could see a reef that seemed to stretch on for miles beneath the waves. As the boat drew closer to the main island, Regina found herself fighting the urge to scowl at the sight before her. What she thought was a sprawling city, was a bunch of temporary dwellings, huts and tents to house the refugees from Atlantis. They filled the entire beach and the makeshift docks that had been built.
"These are just the refugees?" Regina asked.
"Yes." Amphititre answered, standing at the bow of their boat. No one could just teleport into Osirei. A massive magical shield prevented it. She assumed it was there to keep the trench monsters from attacking.
"What about the great army you said King Oceanos was bringing? You wish for your people to gather here when there is little room as it is?"
Amphitrite glanced over her shoulder with a sharp glare but Regina wasn't fazed by it. "Osirei is too small but it is the closest settlement to Atlantis without attracting the trench. The Atlanteans will not move further."
Regina huffed, but said nothing more on the subject. It would have to be remedied though. This was no way for people, especially children, to live. Who was in charge of this place? She remained silent as they finally reached the docks and disembarked.
"It's not as bad as it looks." Salacia whispered to her, coming to her side. "The other side of the island is better."
"I'm guessing that's the side where the leaders of Osirei live."
"It is, but they were already living there anyway. This is the best we could do with what the Atlanteans were willing to obey."
Regina nodded. Many of the people watched them as they crossed the island. Some came to walk with them, asking Amphitrite and Raya if there was any news. They dispersed quickly when there was no new news to be shared. The other side of the island was also packed with people, but at a certain point, the beaches were clear, as if there was a boundary that couldn't be crossed. A blue castle sat in the center. The gates were open but Amphitrite commanded them to wait while she spoke with the lords. It was about ten minutes later when she returned.
"We can have the day to build our temporary homes. I told them that you have battle plans, Regina, but you can't present them until tomorrow. Oceanos is supposed to be here tomorrow so he can hear them as well. We've been given a spot down the beach here." Amphitrite took the lead again.
Regina was actually a bit glad that this beach wasn't as crowded. It seemed that this side had been reserved more for mothers and children and high members of the former Atlantean court. Many of the children waved at her as she passed and it amazed her to see all the differences between them. When she thought of mermaids, she tended to think of the typical kind, but the children were all different shapes and sizes. Some had tails, others didn't. Some had webbed feet and fingers and gills on their torsos. A few of them had fins on their ears that flapped when they waved to her and she spotted some with fish spines down their backs. Some had scaling and no hair, others had hair down to their legs. One little boy was covered head to toe in iridescent scales that made him sparkle like a disco ball. Another boy had webbed hands and feet and a tail that left a long trail in the sand wherever he went. There were also a good number of animals too playing with the children, laying on the beach or in the water. There were little crabs and seals and hippocampi in plain view. She had to imagine that they were displaced too with the turmoil in the city. One of the baby seals leaned onto his side and waved at her with his flipper and she waved back. It was pleasing to see that they were in good spirits, enough to play anyway. That was good.
Their designated spot on the beach was marked by a group of palm trees. Regina chose the side closest to the water and set about conjuring a house. She'd scoured the internet for images of beach houses the night before and had come to the conclusion that she would build a bungalow that extended out over the water. It would be made from dark wood, with a large porch and have a dock where she could reach the water faster. She didn't expect to use it much, but she wasn't calling the shots here so she imagined that there would be plenty of down time waiting for everyone else to make decisions. Salacia's impatience on the matter only seemed to confirm her thoughts. She conjured up the house and went inside, creating and moving walls. The kitchen would be full sized, with an island made of black granite and she made sure to have ways to cook and a coffee maker. There were two bedrooms. The master bedroom she connected a full sized bathroom to, complete with a working shower. She conjured a four poster bed with red sheets and a wardrobe for the clothes she'd brought for this little excursion. She placed a sofa in the living room with a rug and a glass coffee table, but that was it. She finished by fixing up the porch with a couch and a firepit.
She was sitting on her new docks with her feet in the water when Salacia came to sit next to her. "You're finished already?" Her daughter asked. "Mom's still bringing her potion making equipment over." Regina looked over her shoulder at the new tower peeking over the top of her house.
"I didn't want to bring too much." She shrugged. "Not that I have a lot to bring. I expected for things to be a little more fast paced."
"I hoped things were too." Salacia sighed. "I hate waiting around for these idiots to do something."
Regina smirked. "So impatient. Do you enjoy fighting that much?"
"Yes. I like destroying people who like to hurt others."
"You wouldn't have liked the Evil Queen then."
"I wouldn't have liked her anyway." Salacia replied with a shrug. "But I kinda like you."
"Kinda?" Regina flicked an eyebrow when Salacia shrugged again.
"I want to see you in a different light."
"A different light?"
"Happy." Salacia said. "I want to see you happy."
"I am." Regina assured her. "I get to be here with you."
"I don't really believe that, but I do think you're happier than you were so I will take it."
Regina had to concede that that was true. She looked out over the water, admiring the brilliant blue waves. When Salacia's head sagged against her shoulder she didn't call attention to it, but she couldn't help but smile when she heard the soft snoring. She teleported her daughter to the couch nearby with a blanket over her and turned back to the water. It wasn't long before Raya came looking for her eldest daughter.
"She's asleep." Regina motioned behind her. Raya glanced over at their sleeping daughter and laughed to herself.
"I'm not surprised. I don't think any of the kids slept last night."
"Salacia's still considered a kid?"
"Absolutely. She will deny it, but she is. She's one of my kids."
Regina smiled. "Best not wake her then."
"She has time. Zelena isn't quite done with the rooms. She wanted to be the one to decorate the tower."
Regina hummed and got to her feet. She snapped her fingers, removing any salt and water from her person. "I should get ready to prepare dinner. Would you like some?"
"Is it lasagna again?" Raya asked, brightening up instantly.
"I can make one, if you'd like." She smirked.
"I would like that. I have to speak to Zelena first."
Regina fought the urge to frown. "You have to ask Zelena before you can accept food from me?" She waved the matter away before it upset Raya and went inside to begin making the lasagna. She'd made this meal many times so it was easy to let her mind wander while she cooked. In case Raya wanted to take one with her, she made two. While they were in the oven, she heard whispering at her front door. There was a soft knock and she went to answer it. A small group of children had gathered at her door.
The boy who had knocked peered up at her. He was young and a bit short, barely coming up to her stomach, although she knew from experience that looks tended to have little to do with age when it came to magical creatures. He was skinny and lean and he was probably the only fully clothed person she'd seen so far. His attire was a thin gray shirt and black shorts. His hair was dark and wet, sticking to the sides of his face but he didn't seem to notice or care.
"Hello. Can I help you?"
"Um, I'm Adam."
She smiled. "I'm Regina." She glanced at the others. The girl behind Adam was a little taller than he was. She had a darker tan and a thick mane of light brown curls. A lovely design of purple, green, gold and blue scales glittered along her forehead and chin, all the way down her neck and even across her arms where they grew in thicker patches. She wore a dress made of shells and pearls and corded seaweed. Beside her was a human looking boy with dark brown hair. He had the clearest blue eyes Regina had ever seen and a broad tail that she kept hearing sweep across the ground. He was shirtless and had a set of gills on both sides of his ribs and neck. They introduced themselves as Mareena and Taron.
"We were wondering what you were making." Mareena said. "It smells really good."
"It's called lasagna. Would you like to try some? Would your parents be okay with it?"
"Yes." Mareena said.
"They're probably happy. I ate all of the fish they caught." Taron smiled.
"My parents are gone." Adam replied.
Regina's stomach did a backflip hearing that. "I'm so sorry." She couldn't imagine how many children on the island had lost family in the attacks on Atlantis or how long they'd been here. It broke her heart just thinking about it. She stepped aside, opening the sliding door fully and left it there in the hopes that they would feel more comfortable. She conjured a button and placed it against the wall. "Touch this if you decide to come in." She said, "I enchanted it. It'll get rid of all the sand and water on you so you won't track it everywhere. I can bring the lasagna to you, if you want." Remembering that the oven was still on, she all but ran back into the kitchen to take the lasagnas out. She placed the heavy dishes on the counter before returning to the children. "I don't mind feeding you but I would be happier with confirmation from your parents that it's okay." It may have been unnecessary but she didn't want to make an enemy of anyone here, especially given her history of poisoning people and having lived in a castle and then a town full of people that hated her guts.
Taron and Mareen ran off to find their parents while Adam came inside, looking around in curiosity and her strange home. "Are you alone, Adam?" Regina asked.
"I have a big brother." He lightly tapped the couch before pushing his hand into the cushion. "But he's so annoying."
"I'm sure he's just protective." Regina smirked.
"Annoying."
A knock at the sliding door made her turn around and she was shocked at the sight of the tall man that was waiting on her porch. She went out to greet him and had to lean her head back just to meet his eyes. "Can I help you?" The man had to be over six feet tall and a heavy magical aura surrounded him. He reminded her of a Greek god. Handsome, broad shouldered, and a physique that made him look like he was cut from marble. He had silver hair and dark blue eyes and was dressed in a white robe.
"I am Oceanos." He bowed and she quickly did the same, remembering that he was an ocean king. "I smelled something delightful. May I ask what you're making?"
That was how when Raya returned with Amphitrite and Zelena, she found Regina's home half full of people dining on plates of lasagna, including King Oceanos, his wife, Queen Tethys and some of their children that Regina had already forgotten the names of. Except for their youngest, Nereus, and that was only because he asked to marry Regina after he tried the lasagna.
"Oceanos, we weren't expecting you until tomorrow." Amphitrite said, skirting the children on the living room floor watching a tv Regina had conjured.
"The swim was faster than I expected." Oceanos replied.
"And you did not announce your presence because?"
"Because I smelled this delicious meal." He gestured with a smile at Regina. "Regina was kind enough to share some with me and all of these children. She had some interesting insights for battle plans as well." He paused to take another bite of lasagna while Regina moved to get the rest of the last pan for Raya.
"We'll present them to the lords tomorrow." Amphitrite said.
"Why?" Oceanos scoffed. "Will they say something useful? Do you need their approval?"
"I like him." Salacia said.
Regina moved the last pan to the kitchen island and offered for her guests to join them. She conjured chairs for them before returning to her own.
"We should try these bombs tomorrow." Oceanos said, taking another bite of lasagna. "By the gods, Regina, I have twelve sons and daughters, you have my permission to marry any one of them for the recipe to this lasagna." Regina only smiled and Tethys burst out laughing.
"They will have to fight Nereus for her hand."
"Considering Nereus is only thirteen, you don't have to worry about it." Regina said. "And you can have the recipe, Oceanos."
Amphitrite only glared at the feasting ocean king. "Where are the rest of your people?"
"The island is already crowded, Amphitrite. You want me to bring my entire army here? Do you have another plan beyond throwing ourselves at the Trench and hoping we can make it through them?"
"That's why your input was important."
"Ugh, we can discuss it tomorrow. I am enjoying my dinner and enjoying speaking to Regina."
"The lords are going to hate you." Salacia murmured.
Oceanos laughed. "I know them so I'm glad."
Regina's eyebrows moved upwards at his words. She wondered just who these lords of Osirei were. Granted, she didn't really know Oceanos but he seemed like a nice man and a good king and husband. He was loud and boisterous but sincere. He hadn't stopped talking since he arrived, constantly singing her praises for the meal. Tethys was quiet, seemingly amused by her husband. Salacia must've admired her because while she spoke to Oceanos well enough she could hardly look Tethys in the eye. However, none of them spoke highly of the lords of Osirei and if that was true, she could only imagine how tomorrow would be.
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