After disembarking from the Foam Carriage the queen had sent, Lin stretched his hand out to support Mia. She took it with a smile, though she didn’t need it.
Together they walked down the passage decorated with neon weeds and squids. The entire ambience had a fluorescent hue. It looked unreal. It looked surreal. They marvelled as they swam. The guards stationed at the intervals opened each pass at a time as they kept proceeding without any hindrance. There were glow fishes patrolling the perimeter as they gave out light. Mia pulled Lin further as he kept lagging behind, admiring his new found.
” Come on. What do you keep staring at? ” Mia asked as she noticed Lin stare at one of the guards.
She was as beautiful a mer-witch could get. All of them were. What made them even more attractive were their voluptuous busts. The rear was mesmerizing too as it ended into a tail like end. A thin layer of skin attached between the two legs like duck feet making it easier to paddle. Some wore a tail like suit that gave them more of the legendary mermaid feel. Their hair too had vibrant hue. Like Mia’s had changed to a reddish tone others had crimson, blue, lavender and yellow too.
Lin looked at Mia. Turned her around and then said, ” Mia why don’t you have a tail. ”
Mia rolled her eyes at his words and shoved him hard at his rear end.
” Because I am also a wolf, ” She had to literally pull Lin along this time who kept behaving like a child spoilt for choice.
Everybody kept staring at them as they passed . And why wouldn’t they. Lin kept behaving like a weird lad.
When they finally reached the main entrance they were stopped by the ones inside. After they introduced themselves, two officers came out personally and gave them a thorough search.
” Do you think we are there to assassinate? Do we look that insane? Who would dare do anything like that and how would they even get away? ” Lin smirked as the officers ran their hands around his body.
Though Lin laughed, he surely felt the touch to be very much unsettling. It was so unpleasant he had wanted to joke his way around it. But the officers sure took their time. In fact, they took more time with Lin than they took with Mia.
“We needed to be sure. It’s not everyday a fox comes by. ” One of the officers had finally answered when she was done but the look in her eyes made Lin’s gut coil in repulsion.
They went ahead inside as Lin insisted on holding Mia’s hand.
” Welcome, ” The queen announced as soon as they entered her field of view.
The two bowed to show their gratitude.
“My fellow sisters, look who joins us today. Our long lost princess and she also has a pet. ” The queen laughed a malicious laughter.
” I beg your pardon my queen, but this is my husband. Lin, the seventh price of the fox clan. ” Mia corrected her with pride.
” Oh! See. You were born just yesterday. You are already a bride.” The queen swirled around in an elegant twirl and continued, ” I thought your child was conceived just like you, by mistake. ”
Mia’s face flushed. She could feel the heat of embarassment sweep through her hands and feet reaching the tips of her fingers and toe. She wanted to rush and land a tight slap on the queen. But she was in no position to even defend herself.
“On the contrary my lady, her father, the wolf king had wanted to make Mia’s mother his queen, ” Lin’s prompt answer brought Mia back from her revenge trail.” It was just sad turn of events that did them apart. ”
The queen turned towards Lin with a smile. She glared at him, head to toe and said, ” Crystal was already a queen. But she chose to abandon her tribe. Her people. She betrayed her own kind. ”
Mia was clenching her fists to vent out her pent up rage. She wanted to counter that her mother was right. That she knew about their inhumane practices. That she knew what a miserable life the mer-boy and Anajana were living. But saying that would be confessing that she knew about their whereabouts. It would be straight away endangering Anajana. Jeopardizing the sole purpose of ber mother’s sacrifice. Instead, Mia choose to fight with a detour.
“My lady, I don’t know if you are familiar with the term love, but it is said it makes one do strange things, go unfathomable distances. It’s no less than war. When someone is in love, they say, everything is fair. My mother must have done , went through all of those pain, just to be in love, that was all she wanted to gain. No matter what anybody might call be, illegitimate, illicit, an anti-heir. The truth is, I have never seen a married couple to be as much in love as my father, about my mother, said. He clearly misses her. And she did as well I know. It’s enough for me to know that I make their love grow. ” Mia’s answer left the hall dumb struck. They all looked they way and that. There were whispers and states that filled in the air.
“Enough said. ” The queen growled in her magnificent throne. She then forced a smile, broad and clear and said, ” Why keep pinching at the past. What matters at the moment is you. ” The queen went back to a reclining position and continued, “tell me Mia, I hear you ushered in the curse. ”
Mia looked at her then put her head down, this time there was only so much that she could have done. There was no denying she was the herald. What was worse, she was now being hunted by someone’s grudge.