Chapter 4 – The Queen's secret

Though she was still confident, she had a hint of fear, enough for her to avoid the queen’s gaze.

“What do you want Briar?”

Penelope asks angrily, she had lived peaceful after that fateful day, and now this woman threatens her.

“I want my daughter as the next queen, I do not know how her majesty would do it, but I believe you are capable.”

She Briar Arnold answers confidently, she and Penelope were on the same boat, they were two greedy women who would do anything for power, and she need not to be embarrassed about her greediness as she felt Penelope was the greediest.

“How bold of you to claim to kill the previous queen without a single hint of remorse.”

“But her majesty killed her only friend for a throne.” Briar speaks, “does she has the right to act nobler than me? We are both wicked women and have no right to act higher than thee.”

Penelope had busted into a laughter at Briar’s words, her confidence seems to amaze her, she had always known Briar Arnold to be a dumb woman even the late queen who had died at her hands so foolishly would agree. Now this dumb woman is attempting to extort her, how frivolous.

“His majesty the crown prince had met his mate this morning, I want her taken care of.”

She was about to attack when Briar finally spoke again, speaking words that were music to Penelope’s ears.

“He met her? where is she now?”

“No one is aware of that; all we know she is a mermaid.”

“Are you that misinformed stupid woman, we all know she is a mermaid; we have been searching for her for years now.” Penelope says angrily, though her plan to kill Briar had been postponed for a little while since Briar seem to provide her with information she needed, she still hated her.

“Anne reported that his majesty’s mark had disappeared, we all know what that mean your majesty.”

“But when we visited the ship there were no mermaid in sight, where could she have gone?”

“I do not know, but we all know women are greedy creatures, we can use the throne to bait her to her death.” Briar said.

“Ah… now you are giving me important information little Briar, considered your request for a favor granted.” Penelope says extending her hand to Briar, “Just make sure you make yourself available anytime I need you.”

The two women shake hands, Briar had smiled before bowing to leave the room, seems her plan B is a good plan.

[Somewhere in the deep sea.]

Ophelia was anxious when they had arrived at the first undersea palace, she knew they were in trouble. She was tasked to keep Avisa in check, and she had always known she failed every time.

“Don’t tense up Lia, father will not be mad, we will think of something when we arrive.”

Avisa comforts her friend and ‘bodyguard,’ she didn’t want her to get in trouble for not doing her job right, because she knows she is a handful creature.

After a long trip back from land she had decided to return to the sea after encountering his royal pain in the *ss again. Though it was unpleasant to see him again, humiliating him like those misogynistic men she had just killed, was an icing on her giant cake.

The two had arrived at his majesty, the siren king’s majestic drawing room, they had been summoned when they arrived.

“Your majesty you have called us.” Avisa greets making sure to use honorifics to show the distance between her and her father.

But a majestic presence greets the two as well, even though she hadn’t thought of a story to tell her father to cover up that she went to land, but the scene clearly shows that even if she had a story ready, she would be screwed nonetheless.

“Your majesty I greet you.”

The mermaid queen, Kara Marine, was there with all her glory, but the culprit who must have snitched on her, the little mermaid who thanked when she rescued them. She knew one of the mermaids was not compelled but she never thought the one would snitch on her.

“Ah... the princess need not to be so formal.” Kara spoke, “you saved my little girl, and I am here to thank you.”

“Quite impressive of you Avisa,” her father says, “I am happy you came home safe. The queen and her daughter had been waiting for the whole day to thank you.”

His firm voice sure sent a shiver down her spine, she knew she was in trouble and the is no sweet talking to get her out of it.

“Um… princess, thank you again for saving us.” The mermaid princess, Myra Marine speaks with her angelic voice, if she wasn’t so cute Avisa would be biting her neck off for snitching.

“Your majesty doesn’t have to thank me; we were in the same ship overall.” Avisa speaks.

“Um… no, you can talk to me comfortably, call me Myra.” She says sweetly, maybe Ophelia is not the only friend Avisa needs after all.

“Ah… young friendships are so sweet.” Kara interrupts the interaction, “but unfortunately we need to return home for dinner.”

With the final sentence Kara had said her goodbyes along with her cute daughter. If Avisa were born a witch, she would have cursed the queen for giving her this problem that is her angry father in front of her.

“You went to land!” an earthquake worthy shout from his majesty, a ruthless man known in all the four oceans as the king of massacres.

Though he would want to shout at his daughter and ask where she got that attitude and unwavering resolute, he already is the person she inherited all that from. He knows he has the bad genes that stand out in his daughter.

“Yes, it was kind off a nice place, expect from the men there, did you know men there are misogynistic?”

She tries to lighten the mood, which she successfully did, because her father sighs before taking a deep breath.

“Ophelia, you may leave us.”  Kyrtos speak, Ophelia bows her head before heading out.

The two fathers and daughter seats down before even starting a conversation, but if you ask Avisa, it was all her father’s fault to begin with, he is the one who yelled at her for beating up Aran for bullying Ophelia. ‘He is the duke’s son’ is what her father said, ugh duke son my *ss, she is a princess why should she spare a small fry.

“I am sorry, I shouldn’t have gone to land.” Avisa says.

“Apologizing before you get scolded? Oh, what did you do there?” he asks sarcastically, his daughter had come back full of life unlike his wife who returned as a corpse, he need not make things worse by arguing with her.

“Oh, you would be surprised by how well-behaved I was.” She lies, if she tells him about beating his royal pain in the behind, she would be in so much trouble.

“That is good” he smiles at her, “I am sorry about the Tony Situation, I talked to the duke and he will sort it out.”

“I am sorry too; I shouldn’t have run away.” She speaks, reconciling with her father was always a good thing for her, they both curl into a warm hug, since the death of the queen they have been each other’s support and it is comforting for both.

“Ah… Avisa how did it go?”

Ophelia chimes when she sees Avisa enter the room, Avisa first signal for the maids to leave the room before speaking.

“It was good, you know dad has a soft spot for me, well sometimes.” She jokes.

“Great, at least that is the last time we go to land, I already have wrinkles from all that stress.”

“Who said it is the last time?” Avisa asks Ophelia to gasp with fear and exhaustion, of course Avisa had a taste of danger, she is going to go back again for more.