Aeralie sat on her bed in her quartets; tail pulled to her chest, rocking as she stared at the wall ahead, her mind racing.

They'd taken him. The humans had taken Kazimir out onto land.

They'd taken him away from the sea.

Of course he could breathe out on land but being away from water for too long would exhaust him. How could merfolk last out of water? She had no idea; she'd never known a mermaid or merman to do it.

And his tail!

She had seen all that blood pouring from him, he was so badly injured. She could only be thankful she had only seen red and no silver bleeding out of him.

But it didn't change the fact that he was far from the sea and he would struggle to get home without help.

She had to help him.

It was her fault this had happened.

Her curiosity had got the better of her. She had dragged him in because wherever she went he followed to look after her. She knew that and had always taken it for granted.

Now look!

He had gone somewhere she couldn't follow to look after him!

What did she do?

Her father.

She had to tell her father.

She shot up from her bed as the planned formed then instantly sat back down again.

No, what was the point in telling him? He wouldn't care.

He would be glad to see Kazimir gone – he was convinced Kazimir was the reason behind her interest in the world Above. Deaf to all pleas that suggested otherwise.

All the powers of the ocean and he wouldn't cause a ripple to help Kazimir, he would let Kazimir save himself or be lost.

So who?

Who could help him?

Who matched her father's power?

The answer came as simply as glow coral lighting up.

She looked up, towards the window that looked out towards the dark seas beyond. Drifting over, she set her hands on the sill, looking in the direction of The Rip Tide. An area of caverns that sat deep under the beautiful reef. Close to the surface, a hideous current ran through the water, strong enough to make even merfolk and whales think twice before trying to swim through.

But worse, inside the caverns...

A chill ran up her spine and she pulled back.

She couldn't.

She couldn't go there. There were things even she couldn't do. Swimming between warring ships scared her less than going... there.

Good merfolk didn't go there. Sensible merfolk didn't go there. Those were weren't desperate didn't go there.

She swam back to her bed but couldn't sit.

Because there wasn't another option. Not one she could think of at least.

And was it really so dangerous? If her father went then, sure, maybe, it would go badly but if she went... she just wanted to talk, to ask... blame didn't lie with her after all. It had all happened before her time so maybe...would that matter? Would she risk Kazimir's life by doing such a thing?

No.

No this was Kazimir.

That alone would be enough to turn the tide in her favour.

The second that thought formed in her mind, Aeralie went to the window and swam straight through, heading towards The Rip Tide as fast as she possibly could, leaving the safety of the palace and the city beyond far behind her, before she could change her mind.

She saw her destination long before she felt the pull of the current and knew to swim deeper to avoid getting caught.

The reef stretched all the way up toward the surface, beautiful coral pouring from the rock face, dazzling with colours in the sunlight, glowing with florescent in the moonlight.

The deeper one went however, the less coral grew, too far from the sunlight; there was nothing but cold rock face.

Apart from one small archway carved into the face of the underwater mountain, right down at the seabed. It was hemmed with glowing coral.

So startlingly inviting, Aeralie had to force herself to keep going.

It was like the least subtle trap ever invented, designed to make a wonderer feel safe but she knew that darkness lay beyond.

Her father had warned her enough times. Her mother had reminded her enough times. Everyone knew what lay beyond but... she had to try.

She flew through the archway, expecting darkness and bleakness and was surprised to find a high-ceiling hall, glowing white and welcoming, much like the ones in the palace.

She stopped, staring around her.

Sea-flowers littered the blue Topaz gem floor. Glow coral hung from the white walls. Charming sculptures depicting various historical figures lined the hall, sat on top of opal pillars.

It was completely different from what she had imagined.

Slowly, she made her way down the hall, staring around her.

She swam through the only arching exit and found herself in a large circular room with five archways branching off, each leading to a hall built from white walls and floors of different gemstone.

Which way did she go?

Should she call out?

Perhaps it was best to just leave.

Noise behind her made her jump and whirl around, only to see a pair of small fish dart out from the hall built from pink crystal and contentedly make their way across to the emerald hall.

They weren't scared at all. They hadn't even looked at her. Were they somehow enchanted to not realise the danger they were in? Could they possibly not know about the horrors of this place?

Aeralie suddenly became aware of the fact that her heart was pounding.

Her fingers were trembling and her throat was closing up, she felt sick.

This was a bad idea.

All this beauty to look like the palace was a farce. It made those who came fall into a state of comfort, of trust. Nothing bad could come from a place with a ruby hall that glittered prettily in the light.

She had to go. She couldn't stay here.

She whirled around and a voice made her turn to stone, terror seizing her.

"May I help you?"

Aeralie didn't want to turn around. She didn't want to face the monster she knew was behind her. She didn't want to see... but she had to. She owed it to Kazimir. After all they'd done for her and her curiosity... she owed him... them... the courtesies of looking upon a beast.

With an effort greater than trying to manoeuvre on land, she turned her head.

The sight stunned her.

For years she had been told stories of a monster. A demon of the sea who could not be trusted because of her unknown crimes. A creature so evil the sea had punished her in the cruellest way.

Aeralie expected to look upon a monster.

She was in fact looking at a mermaid of immeasurable beauty.

Icadora looked at Aeralie through vivid purple eyes, her white-blonde hair, streaked with starry midnight black, streaming out loose behind her. Her tail shimmered through every shade of blue and green and her tattoos glowed like ice. Aeralie couldn't see the colour of her Heart of the Sea because it was covered by the top she wore, but the top seemed to be crafted from flowers of the world above.

Aeralie stared at her, mouth open, stunned and Icadora raised an eyebrow, giving the young princess a cool, dismissive expression.

"Well, well," she said, her voice low, folding her arms, "Princess Aeralie, I did not expect you to visit me."

"Ice... Icadora?" Aeralie asked, needing to confirm.

"Are you expecting someone else in The Rip Tide Palace?" Icadora asked lightly before turning away.

Aeralie barely managed to think about asking her to stop before Icadora beckoned for her to follow and headed off down the diamond hall.

Aeralie rushed to follow, scrambling to keep up until they came out in an indoor garden. Flowers and greenery burst from every available space, all the way up the towering ceiling, only giving way to a few portraits and two dozen windows that somehow poured in sunlight.

Huge seats made from clamshells and seaweed sat in the middle of the garden and Icadora took a seat in one, beckoning for her to take the other.

Aeralie sat down gingerly, her fingers knotted on her lap as she looked at the portraits.

"So," Icadora said, snapping Aeralie's attention to her as she calmly settled her elbow on the armrest and her cheek on her knuckles, watching the princess. "What brings little Aeralie to see the Icadora, the most wicked of wicked sea witches in all the known oceans?"

Aeralie winced at the words. It made it worse when she was reminded by the mermaid herself just who she was facing.

"I... I need help," she muttered.

"Oh yes?" Icadora said, raising an eyebrow again. "And what do you think I can give you that your dearest daddy cannot."

"I..." Her breath was failing her, her heart was pounding to hard as she stared at her lap. "I... I need to go on land!" she forced out, rushing it out before she could stop or stall.

Silence greeted her.

Eventually she had to look up and Icadora was just staring at her.

"I'm sorry... what?" the sea witch finally asked, looking at Aeralie like she was mad.

"I need to go on land," Aeralie said again, "I need you to... I need legs."

"Are you mad?" Icadora asked, straightening up, "You can't go on land. I know about your fascination with humans but there is a huge difference between watching them and being around them. Being near them will shatter your love, I assure you."

"No... no it's not fascination. I need to help... someone," Aeralie said quickly.

Icadora narrowed her eyes. "Where do you wish to go on land?"

"I... think it's the palace?"

Icadora rolled her dramatic eyes and stood up, dismissing Aeralie with a wave of the hand.

"Your prince," she said, bitterness in her tone, "You wish to go on land for that prince, don't you? Stupid, Aeralie, it's stupid. I shan't give you legs, you shan't be human. Do you have any idea of the price that needs to be paid for such wishes? I can't let you throw such things away for a man you have never even met."

"No, please, you don't understand!" Aeralie said quickly, rushing up.

"Whatever issues the world above face, they are problems for humans to be solved by humans," Icadora said without looking back, heading for the archway, "Don't get involved in things you think you understand but have only ever seen by looking outside in."

"No, it's not like that! It's not about the prince!" Aeralie cried, racing after her.

A portrait caught her eye as she rushed past.

Icadora, a little younger but no more or less beautiful, with a merboy beside her, a child, his long white hair tangling with hers, both smiling, happy in their own world separated from those who looked at them with such hatred.

"It's not about the prince," she said again, stopping.

"It's not worth the risk, dear!" Icadora called back without stopping.

"It's Kazimir!" Aeralie called after her, watching.

As she expected, Icadora stopped instantly.

She should have used Kazimir's name right from the start, the reaction was so instant. She had been right. Because it was Kazimir, the tide turned in her favour.

Icadora was still for a moment then slowly straightened up and, barely turning her head so nothing more than her profile was visible – sending shivers up Aeralie's spine – she said in a voice like cracking ice.

"What about Kazimir?"

Aeralie winced and Icadora turned on her, her hair flaring out around her, eyes practically glowing.

"What about my son?"

~~~~

Next Up: Thursday

Art By: Google Image