White Lilies

Aching Deep

It was a time of celebration in the Arabian sea. Their prince had come back from a foreign delegation - or so everyone thought. A banquet was thrown with decorations of colourful marine plants, bioluminescence, and dancing fish. All merfolk gathered around the city whirlpool show where Mirat was instantly crowned King. Citizens rejoiced at the early coronation while nobles close to the throne felt amiss. However, since he had proven himself to be most competent out of all his siblings, none of them could really question the coronation. The former King was speculated to have been scared of losing Mirat's support that the ceremony was preponed.

Mirat's head throbbed under the crown. His heart burnt imagining being separated from Mir forever. They were both bound in shackles of duty and he couldn't prolong the magical contract's expiration. But it hurt like a knife through his lungs. And even worse was that they were both expected to produce heirs. He could not imagine being fair to anyone who came after her. He couldn't love again.

And yet, he could see who they preferred as a queen sitting just five feet away. He had to see the way Bishwa had been given special preference in the seating and all the expensive jewellery she wore. He felt pissed inside. Why was the world so cruel as to device senseless laws simply on the basis of anatomical differences? Bishwa looked like a slave with a bell hung from her neck - uncomfortable and unhappy. And as much as he wanted to reach out to her, he knew that talking to her personally would only fan the hopes of his subjects. Something had to be done or they could keep Bishwa unmarried forever in hopes of their union - he knew them.

That night, Sitara was sent a coded signal-bubble.

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Mirat tossed in his coral bed of anemone mattress. He had missed sleeping on a live supple mattress so much in that stone cell. Yet, without her, comfort did not greet him. He tossed and turned in frustration trying to hold back tears.

But have emotions ever been suppressed successfully?

In the middle of the night, his tears mixed with the dark blue water of the room. His turtle-neck seemed to choke him. Somewhere inside, he blamed the magic contract for his unhappiness and a part of him also blamed his own self for not being able to sacrifice his voice. He had chosen to lead the kingdom than be her lover. He needed his speech for that and after all, she had loved his voice too.

If only reasons could stop the hurt.

His eyes still burnt in hot tears for ever having the thought of asking Mir to carry a child for him. He couldn't have stayed with her either way. Without her choices, she wasn't the woman he fell for and without him, his kingdom would have been ruined.

Upon returning, his father had seen the state Mirat was in and in his attempt to re-focus his son, the coronation had been preponed. He had blessed him with happiness instead of strength at the coronation. Many speculations had risen about the unprecedented blessing. The former King had always been quiet but caring and simply tried to be the best father he knew to be. Knowing all this made him nauseous and the vibrations made his orange-white fins look shimmery.

The Mer King puked and cleaned after himself alone. After a frantic search in the storage box on top of the highest leaf, he found his mother's wedding ring and wore it. As he clutched his hand close, sleep finally graced him and he fainted on the edge of his bed.