War of the Ocean

Chapter 23

They were waiting for her when she finally re-entered her brother's kingdom. Two Mer guards intercepted her and guided her back to the city where the palace stood.

The kingdom hadn't changed while she had been away. The guard at the stone arch still did not move as the three of them passed by, although she did see something flash in his eyes. Unfortunately, it disappeared before she could make out exactly what it was.

As they swam towards the palace, she began to dread the moment she would have to face him again by she reminded that it was inevitable. She had to see Tristien. But when she finally entered the throne room and came before him, she wished she'd been a little slower in coming; maybe she should have tried to delay them. It wouldn't have changed anything, she told herself as she bowed to him. The seconds passed, turning into minutes as her brother studied her carefully. The silence grew eerie and she tried to steady her heartbeat. More than once she had to keep from trembling beneath his gaze. At last, he broke the silence.

'Welcome home, darling sister,' he said. 'Did you enjoy your time with the humans? I heard that you loved dancing at their ball.' She gulped, not daring to lift her eyes from the sandy floor to look at him. She tried to focus on the grains of sands moving with every stroke of her powerful tail, a tail she'd missed very much when it had been replaced by legs. 'Don't you speak anymore, little sister?' Tristien asked. 'I heard that the sea witch stole your voice in exchange for your legs but surely you'd have it back by now, wouldn't you?'

Arelena had forgotten about her voice until now, it had just become so natural not to talk. 'I-I can speak, brother,' her voice came out hoarse from all the days she'd spent without using it. It felt strange to use her voice again but she was glad to have it because now she could finally speak her mind, not the her brother would let her do that anyway. At least she now had the opportunity to, if she wanted to take it.

'Good,' she heard him shift in his throne, probably to lean back and study her further. 'You'll need your voice when you defend yourself at your trial tomorrow.' She blinked, head snapping up to look at him in surprise. Her trial? He was going to put her on trial? But trials were for the Mer who had broken his laws, not for her.

'Why? I haven't done anything wrong!' She cried. He couldn't convict her for being innocent, could he?

Tristien raised his brows at her and then began to chuckle. 'Haven't done anything wrong? No, not you. Not my darling, innocent angelic little sister. You could never do anything wrong,' he said sarcastically, rolling his eyes at her. Then his eyes hardened. 'No one can ever be as innocent as you are,' he snarled. 'I've always hated that about you, the way that you trick everyone into believing you're a perfect little princess. Well you're not! At least, not anymore because now you've broken the biggest law of the ocean; you went on land!' Arelena leapt backwards as he erupted from his throne in his moment of rage. She'd never seen such anger and hatred in his sapphire eyes in all her life. Yes, she'd broken the ocean law, but had he always believed that about her? Is that why he tormented her so much, because he thought she was too perfect? If only he knew just how flawed she was.

'I'm sorry, Tristien,' she began but stopped when his eyes snapped back to her, full of hate. She froze, eyes wide as he spoke.

'No you're not,' he said. 'You've always been so submissive, you're just saying that because you're afraid, aren't you?' He let out a low laugh. 'You're weak, Arelena. You'll never be strong enough to lead a kingdom so you can let go of those foolish fantasies.' How did he know about that? Had Soren told him his plan? Soren... What had become of him while she had been away. She opened her mouth to speak but was cut off.

'Don't worry about you little friend,' Tristien told her, seething back down onto his throne. 'Soren is still alive, for now. I put his execution off until you returned so that you could see the ocean run red with his blood with your own eyes. It'll be quite the sight, I assure you.' The cruel, twisted Tristien had returned and suddenly he was something else again whereas a few moments ago he had seemed so broken, so entirely Mer. For a moment there, she had felt actual sympathy for him while now, the feeling had vanished. He was nothing but a monster.

'Can I see him at all?' She foolishly dared to hope he'd give her the opportunity. She couldn't help but try, she needed to see Soren just to see for herself that he was okay, and to let him know she was safe. Or as safe as she could be for the moment anyway.

'Do you really think I'd allow you a second chance to plot my downfall?' As always, he'd cut her down, leaving her as a broken creature too afraid to stand up for what she believed in. Instead she nodded, dropping her gaze to the floor once more. How has she been to stupid? Of course he wouldn't let her, not know that he knew she was grave enough to attempt to get rid of him. Only, he'd just crushed that courage and left her as a pathetic, weak princess again. Why was she so weak?

'Is that all, brother?' She asked, ready to get out of the room, even if it was just to escape to another section of this dreaded palace. It was better than being in a room with him at least.

'Yes, I'll see you again at your trial tomorrow,' with a wave of his hand, she was dismissed. Swimming from the room, she drifted back towards her own and collapsed onto the sandy floor, head in her hands.

Can't wait for the next chapter...