Aqua

Somewhere in the North Seas twenty-two years ago

Lights flickered across the sky, piercing through the darkness. Loud rumbling echoed afterward. The sky finally opened up with tears of anger, pelting everything below.

My muscles ached, even my tail threatened to stop working. None of that mattered as I fought the monster that tried to drown us under its petrifying waves. It got angrier with each passing minute. The roar grew louder with the wail of the baby, slapping me under. Again. Bubbles surrounded me. My vision grew foggy. I had no choice but to let go of the basket I held.

People often said when an unlucky person was about to die, they could foresee their life flash before their eyes. All the things that mattered, all the good and bad they did throughout their time amongst the living. Everything would come back to them. However, they were wrong. My life meant nothing without what was inside the basket. All I could think about was how far he was from me. How his cries bellowed through the darkness.

No! This could not be the end! This was not the end!

With all the strength I could muster, I swam towards him, catching the end of the basket while trying to think of a way out. If I swam under the waves, we would be safe but it was a fifty percent chance he would die. But, if I stayed on the surface and swam this way, it was still a fifty percent chance he'd also die.

There had to be some other way. 

I knew my past transgressions would catch up to me. Somehow, I thought it wouldn't be from my offspring. 

Clasping the pendant around my neck, I squeezed my eyes shut. "Father, please, help us," I begged.

We haven't spoken for years, but he was the only one who could help me right now. The Bedding would make everything okay.

By the time I surfaced, the storm had gotten worse. My eyes opened just in time to catch the raging monster of the sea. They widened at how tall he grew, ready to attack. With shaking hands, I gripped the basket for dear life.

No! No! No!

The storm did nothing to quell the loud wails of the content of the basket I carried. 

"Shhhhh." I tried rocking the basket gentler to calm the toddler inside, but instead, his cries grew louder.

Defeated, I placed my lips as near to the basket as possible and begged, "Please, Marv, just stop, for Mommy."

Before I could utter another word, the monstrous tide came crashing down on us. We were thrust under the water. The basket survived the attack and floated back to the surface. I, on the other hand, sank further and further away from it. The basket became a blurred image rapidly disappearing.

Land was a place filled with wonders. It was the habitat for new beginnings. Now, was the time I regretted going there. If I had heeded to the warnings...

Frustrated, I closed my eyes, triggering a current of power. It flowed through my veins. First, it started with a slight humming, then transformed into something greater. My eyes flew open as the power and I became one. My first thought was to pull the basket towards me,  but the thought was knocked out of the park when a vivid image appeared in the distance. 

I squinted my eyes to observe the blur. Then, another flickered in my peripheral vision. There was more than one.

Whatever they were my son could not be their dinner. I would make sure of it. The figures swam closer. My heart picked up speed. 

I hadn't tackled sharks in years, but my skills weren't all dormant. 

Energy sang in my eardrums, and coursed through my veins, ready to be utilized. My heart pummeled against my ribcage while my patience was worn thin from waiting to attack. 

I needed to get back to him. I needed to get back to that basket. These creatures needed to be dealt with first. 

They came closer. Closer. Fists folded at my sides. Energy buzzed louder. 

The creatures neared. They weren't sharks or stingrays. They were...

"Aqua, what are you doing?" It was a familiar voice. I swiveled around to face Shelliot, the youngest guardian on the King's Council.

There was never a moment like now where I was relieved to see my people. I pulled the Guard into a long embrace. "Shelliot!" 

Not used to such actions from a member of the royal family, she stiffened. A smile curled my lips. I wasn't the same person. Land could do this to people. It changed us and made us throw out our pod's beliefs. 

For a second, I forgot why I came. For a second, this was great. Then, it crumbled when reality forced its ugly head. I released the young guardian. My gaze flashed to the surface, then flickered to the Guardian. 

"I can't make him stop. I need to take him to The Bedding," rushed past my lips. 

Shelliot's eyebrows knitted together as she tried to comprehend what I was saying. When it sank in, her eyes widened before she grew tense. 

"The storm," she murmured. 

I didn't give her much time to process everything, but insisted, "I need daddy!"

They still didn't make a move. At this, desperation started creeping up on me. "Where's the King?" I choked out.

"Princess, why do you need the King?" Octoria, the lead mer-guard for her team and Shelliot's older sister asked, swimming toward us.

What she had in her arms stopped my heart. Marvelon. She had my baby in her arms. Under the water. He was born on land. He had not yet developed the art of breathing underwater. I wasn't sure he could. His father and I had never taken him under before. 

Panic tempted to overthrow me.  Octoria realized my horror, and tried to reassure me, "He's okay. He can now breathe down here. I just had to put him to sleep first."

Sleep? Not again! 

I swam forward to snatch him from her, but both guards, Shelliot and Crystal held me back. Desperation started to build again. 

"No, you don't understand," I yelled. "What you did will only make it worse."

This was what I did. Now, there was a storm and Father was my last hope. 

Turning towards Shelliot, I enveloped her hands in mine. "Please, Shelliot, bring me to Father," I begged.

Maybe it was wrong of me to target the youngest guard. Octoria was a guard for too long. She was immune to erratic emotions from the royal family. Shelliot was not. 

Shelliot's gaze flickered from me to the baby. Those eyes never dared look at her elder sister as she contemplated what should be done. 

Before I could beg again, she eyed her sister, "The storm. The King can help."

Octoria arched a brow. There was no sign of sympathy in her facial features. She pressed her lips together, narrowed her eyes, then sighed. "Come, let's get the King."