Chapter 2

SEVEN YEARS AGO :

The blue peaceful sea, with all its creatures swimming normally just like every other day in the sea, seems different, is somehow not at peace today. The Pink See-Through Fantasias - the sea cucumbers - are swimming everywhere, they would emit light if something was wrong. The sea angels, who are not actually angels, but the predators that feed over sea butterflies, are busy near the grass by the biggest rock and the jelly fish are swimming straight to the octopus, who is hiding behind the rock, fooling its prey to directly swim into its mouth that is in the center of its tentacles.

There is no sign of any storm, hurricane, cyclone, tsunami, or even earthquake. Nor is the human land in any trouble because of the sea, thinks the mermaid princess, looking at a shark far away. Although the sharks meant danger, but it is just not them, it is something else.

The mermaid princess, her long colorful hair floating behind her, nicely tucked behind her ears with pearls that make a hairband for her hair and her colorful tail - which has all possible colors in it, making it even more beautiful, not the type of colorful that stings the eye, but the type that anyone might fall in love with, floating below her, is just not able to put her finger on what kind of mood today the sea is in.

She swirls, narrowing her jade colored eyes, to look around her once again to check what is out of place today. What she sees again, is a shark far away - who definitely cannot spot the mermaids from that distance, and also because of the huge broken human ship, making a barrier between the shark and the other creatures, blocking their sight, of course the mermaid princess can see them because of her powers. She spots her friends swimming, trying to catch each other, her aunt sitting by a rock with flowers and grass by her side, with her baby daughter, making her laugh while playing with her nose, looking at the baby so affectionately and gently - mermaid princess smiles faintly, and looks away to see a few other mermaids.

No mermen in sight.

An orange colored vampire squid, a water creature she thinks of to be very alluring because of the similarities it shares with both octopuses and squid, its bottom like octopus, passes from in front of her eyes, moving up and down in front of her eyes, as if teasing her, blocking her sight. She swats it away with her left hand and throws a quick glance towards it as if daring it to irritate her one more time.

The vampire squid swims away, bored at her reaction it always gets after teasing her. She ignores it and starts pondering over the silence of the sea again.

Hmm. What could it be?

She taps her index finger on the sharp object around her waist, even though she has never learned how to use it, she has been told to keep it if in case she is in danger, she should stab whatever it is that has put her in danger. She frowns and twists her mouth, frustrated that she is not able to identify what it is that has made the sea go so silent. Not in peace. But the kind of silence which comes before storm.

She feels someone coming from behind, tapping on her shoulder, 'Stop it, I don't like your grey hair,' a mermaid with green hair and tail smiles at her.

'Hmm? I am not doing anything,' The mermaid princess thinks in confusion and turns to face her aunt completely.

'Maybe you didn't know, but it is very few times that you are anxious. And when you are, your hair turns grey, so whatever is bothering you, don't think about. I figured you don't want to let anyone know what's on your mind, because all you have thought of is "hmm, what could it be?" so I won't ask you. But don't at least trouble you hair, it's all grey.' she looks at her hair and back at the princess.

Mermaid princess remembers her colorful hair changing colors as long as she has known, according to her moods. She had felt the eerie when the other mermaid or mermen didn't change the color of their hair. She had asked her mother why is it that only her hair color changes and her tail is colorful while the others had hair and tail color the same? When she was said it was because she is a princess, she was even more confused. But the king and the queen are like other merfolk, she had thought but was never answered.

She hadn't noticed they go grey when she is anxious. Maybe there wasn't any need for her to get anxious or there wasn't anything that made her anxious till now for her to notice. But if whatever she is feeling, is anxiousness, then something must be wrong.

'You look terrible with your grey hair and now frowning face,' her aunt nods towards her daughter, 'you will scare her.'

The mermaid princess smiles sheepishly looking at the baby mermaid, her hair turning to light pink color, now pushing the thought of something-is-wrong away and waving at the little yellow tailed mermaid.

'Look after her, I'll be back in few minutes,' her aunt smiles kissing her daughter, and swims in the opposite direction towards where the king is with other mermen, after confirming that the mermaid princess will take care of her.

The mermaid princess cheerfully swims towards the baby not knowing she is going to regret it.

'Hey cutie,' she beams at the baby and sits on a rock beside her. The little mermaid goes behind the mermaid princess' back and touches her hair in awe.

'waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa,' is what the mermaid princess could figure out. Not knowing what actually the baby wants to say.

'Eh, what?' she thinks and turns around to look at the baby, wanting to know if she is hungry or needs something. Her eyes go round and she turns left, right and everywhere when the baby is not behind her, her hair turning red and orange dreading she had lost the baby. 'But she was just here!'

'Prreeeettttyyyyyy,' she hears the baby think and looks up only to make a flat face.

'You scared me hyung!,' she gets up from the rock she was sitting on and turns to scowl at the merman with purple hair and tail, smiling at her playfully, holding the baby mermaid with his left hand while his right one holding a sharp three bladed weapon. His smile spreads even more over his face when his sister - mermaid princess - smiles at his childish prank, 'What are you doing here? I thought father had something important to tell all the mermen about?'

She notices how her friends and a few other mermaids have stopped doing whatever they were doing and gawking at the breathtaking purple haired merman who has just arrived.

His arresting merman body turns to wink at the mermaids ogling him, making them swoon and giggle.

'Brat!' Mermaid princess swats his arm forcing him to look at her to which he flashes his rabbit like teeth. It's not the mermaids' fault. Anyone would gawk at him admiring his beautiful self.

The 7th princes' striking face suddenly changes to a serious one, not making him any less handsome,'Yoongi hyung and I were told to look after you,' he thinks and turns around and frowns when Yoongi is nowhere to be seen.

'Well? Where is Yoongi hyung? And why would you look after me? I am not little anymore. I can even change into' She stops thinking mid-sentence and immediately looks the other way to ask the same question, 'Where is Yoongi hyung?' and avoids to look in the eye of her elder brother, playing with the pearls around her wrist that looks like a bracelet.

The prince, releases the baby mermaid form his hands and raises his right brow at the princess mermaid, who keeps avoiding his stare, 'Change into what?'

The baby mermaid goes behind the princess again and start playing with her hair, trying to sleep on it and when not possible, trying to tangle her hair with her little fingers.

'pretty prettyyyy soft sooooffftttt,' the baby thinks.

'You wanna mess with my hair huh?' she thinks with a bored expression, watching the baby play.

'Answer the question. Lalisa.' Another voice, that sounds like a command speaks and the princess knows she will have to deal with her angry brother for letting her thoughts slip. She turns around to face the 4th prince, standing mere inches away from her face, his shiny black hair and tail making him look more intimidating, his stony black angry eyes piercing through hers, making the princess shiver.

'Yoongi hyung, let me handle - ,' the 7th prince thinks only to stop abruptly when Yoongi, the 4th prince, glares at him to stop him from thinking any further.

Yoongi looks back at the princess, who reaches out to hold the baby mermaid to stop her from playing with her hair and making noises that might anger her already angry brother even more.

She tries to smile awkwardly, 'Jungkook,' Yoongi speaks to the purple haired merman making everyone flinch and that is when the princess notices that the whole merfolk present around them have gone silent, not daring to move, for they might ire the 4th prince even more. She realizes she has made a grave mistake for her brother to get furious at her, for the first time.

Yoongi continues, 'kill that octopus, he woke me up from my slumber.'

There is a moment of silence before the princess blinks and cracks into a fit of laughter thanking the gods. She thought her little secret was about to get exposed if her hyungs kept demanding for it.

Now that she had her mini heart attack of getting exposed, she promised herself, she would never change into whatever she was changing in at midnight every night for a week and obey her father and her hyungs who had warned her to not do what she was doing for a week everyday, secretly, not knowing its consequences.

Her laughter dies out when she notices Yoongi who is looking at her with his furious eyes narrowed at her questioningly.

She looks back at Jungkook, the purple haired 7th prince, who looks a bit angry too.

'Answer the damn question, Lalisa!' Yoongi tries to remain calm. Lalisa, the mermaid princess, looks down at her palms. They hear someone scream when princess is about to say something.

'Aunt!' She recognizes the voice immediately and panics when the voice sounds like she is crying out for help. Her eyes go round alarmingly and she turns towards the direction of the voice.

Yoongi immediately goes off in the direction of the cry, not wasting any second and commanding his sister to stay where she is, 'stay right here,' swimming away swiftly.

Jungkook, before following his brother asks, 'Did you go beyond the shore Lalisa? On human land?'

All she does is nod and hears her brother swear when he has swum away from them, leaving the panicked princess with the baby.

She hears Yoongi curse, killing a shark. And she then knows it. She knows her aunt was caught by a shark. She just prays and prays for her aunt to be safe.

The moment both of the princes' are out of sight, she hears three sharks approaching them and all the mermaids- near about eight - start swimming in all possible directions and Lalisa has no time to think when they noticed them as she tears her way in opposite direction of the sharks and takes the baby mermaid by her side, holding her hand, and starts swimming off as fast as she could. The baby mermaid giggles, she looks back at the little mermaid and hopes she could save this innocent creature.

She shuts her eyes hard, when she hears a mermaid scream, the tightness in her heart increasing every second, fearing it was her friend who might have got caught by a shark. Her head might burst by the screams she hears crying out for help. She loathes herself for not being able to use her power to save her friends, for not being able of any help.

She feels something following her furiously and she clutches the baby closer to her and tries her best to swim faster, not wanting the little mermaid to look back or even get hurt. She feels a sharp prick just above her left fluke on her peduncle (a part at the end of the mermaid tail). She looks back, her eyes stinging at the pain her now injured tail is causing.

She is terrified after noticing how close they are to the sharks' mouth, its sharp pointed teeth trying to catch her into them. She holds the baby tighter to her chest, who is now crying, and moves her tail faster, wanting nothing else but the little mermaid to be safe.

She bumps into something, and opens her eyes when she feels her heart pound insanely fast and loud, ready to defend herself or even attack. She relaxes when she hears a familiar voice.

'Lalisa is with me. Safe.' She hears the 5th prince, Namjoon as soon as he throws his trident - a sharp weapon with three blades (a three-pronged spear) - at the shark that was following Lalisa, killing it.

She hears Yoongi curse in relief, and she takes the time in the blue haired merman, Namjoon's comfort to breathe. She looks up at her hyung, who is looking down at her worried and takes the baby mermaid from her hand. She is hesitant to let go at first, not because Namjoon might do something - she would never doubt her brother - but because the baby is scared. A pink haired merman comes from behind Namjoon, gently taking the little mermaid from Namjoon and looking down at it remorsefully.

'Aunt. Where is she?' Lalisa asks immediately dreading to know the answer, which she has already guessed, 'Jin hyung?' She looks at the pink haired merman with broad shoulders.

He shakes his head, not looking up and holds the crying baby in his arms, closer to his chest.

'Take me to her. I - I can heal her,' Lalisa turns to swim in the direction where she last herd Yoongi, who had went to save her aunt.

'She is dead!' Namjoon holds her arm to stop her from going there.

The mermaid princess has the power to heal creatures. She was told she could do a lot of things once she is in dire need of the power, but she can do nothing else other than healing . She can't even fight like her brothers yet.

All she could do until now was heal. And there was no other day she had wished she could bring creatures back to life than today.

They hear a few more cries, 'What the fuck is going on? Where did they all come from?' Namjoon looks angry.

'Why don't we ask our Lalisa here?' This time it is the 1st prince, Choi Seung-hyun, who comes from behind Namjoon and glares at Lalisa.

The mermaid princess looks at him as if he has grown a second head.

How is she supposed to know why they are being attacked?

She had always disliked her eldest brother, who never cared about her. He didn't think much, and when he did, it was to dictate merfolk below his rank, that basically is everyone except the king.

'I hear you went to the land.' He raises his right brow and Namjoons' head snaps up at the princess, his eyes wide.

He no longer wastes any second after hearing that and swim off in the direction of the cries to help his merfolk. He tells Seokjin to stay with Lalisa.

After a few minutes, Seokjin finally manages to calm the cries of the baby and then signals Lalisa to follow him. Lalisa has a lots of questions in her mind but lets none of them out. After how Namjoon looked at her, she knows the sharks coming to hunt them in a group - which sharks usually don't - has something to do with her going to the land.

It all started a week ago.

She remembers stepping on the dry human land for the first time. She remembers how her colorful tail had changed into two pairs of what humans call legs, and she had felt creepy when the moon light shone on her tail then turned into legs. She had trusted the merman who had bought her to the human land, promising nothing would happen if she gives it a try. She had looked at the man uncertainly when he had given her a crooked smile. It felt wrong to come up here with him. She remembered her mother tell her to never go to the human land or else it might outrage her father, when she had asked her mother to let her go to the land after listening to her friends experience on land. She knew merfolk mate on land at midnight when it is a full moon. And she knew, one day or the other she had to go, but she was excited and wanted to go right then when her friends had. She had loved how they had dramatically told her how good it felt to see them self change.

Mermaids could go to the land and change into humans when they turn eighteen. And Lalisa was already nineteen.

She had kept it a secret from everyone, and had went secretly on the land the next day without the creepy merman, by herself. She has been going to the land for one week straight in a row now. But she didn't know something like this would happen.

How was she supposed to know anyway? No one ever told her that sharks would attack merfolk if she steps on land.

And now. She has even lost her aunt. She looks up at the little mermaid sleeping in Seokjins' arms and can't help but blame herself for her mothers death. She starts weeping. She had never wanted to do this. How did her so small mistake turn into this big? Will she ever be able to forgive herself?

She feels a warm figure embrace her and looks up at the pink haired merman comforting her.

'Take her away hyung!' She hears Yoongi and Jungkook yell in unison, who are no where to be seen around. She assumes they are still fighting the sharks off considering how the cries have yet not stopped. She prays for every one to be safe and specially her brothers who are trying to fight the sharks and save the merfolk.

They swim towards north where Ocra (killer whales) are. Sharks do not come near Ocras. Although Ocras have never tried killing merfolk, they cannot be trusted. But for now, that is the only place where sharks won't attack them.

Lalisa spots her mother between mermen guarding her. She hurries towards her, embracing her and finally letting her emotions out freely.

The mermaid queen makes no effort to comfort her daughter, trying to push her away. Even though the queen has always been harsh on Lalisa, she is her mother after all, she loves her mother anyway.

'What's the point of mourning now? It's all your -' The queen mother is interrupted my her son's voice.

'Mother.' Jungkook pleads, while coming in their direction.

Lalisa says nothing. Now she is certain it was because she had stepped on land. She has no idea how her stepping on land and sharks attacking them are related. But for now, she knows that is the reason.

'Proceed as planned.' Yoongi commands the warrior mermen, as soon as he reaches the place with few mermaids, who he has saved.

They all bow and turn towards south, where the land is, waiting for the queen.

'I wish I could come with you to ensure you had settled safely,' Jungkook tries to smile, 'But I assure we will join you soon after making sure every merman and mermaid is out of here safe.'

'Huh? Where am I going?' Lalisa asks confused.

'To the land. For now. We won't be able to handle all the sharks alone. We will need help.' Jin replies.

'B-but, I am not allowed to step on the land?' She asks confused even more. She thought whatever happened today was because of her stepping on the land. But now, she was being told to settle on land for safety purpose?

'The spell is already broken. What's the point now? Don't wast our time and follow us.' The queen commands.

'Spell?' She looks up at her Jungkook hyung to answer her and he just smiles.

'Go.' Jungkook smiles.

Yoongi comes near her, patting her head while Seokjin gently squeezes her arm. She takes the baby mermaid from her Jin hyung, 'What is happening here?'

She is not able to ask any further questions neither gets any answer when the queen grabs her arm and starts swimming, the warrior mermen following behind.

'W-what about other merpeople?' She asks as soon as the queen leaves her, 'If merpeople are in danger, why are only I, you and three guards going to the land for safety? Where is father?'

'Shut your voice Lalisa! This would have never happened if you would have listened to us! Look what you did to our people! They are dying! But all your father cares about is YOUR safety!' The queen stops abruptly glaring at her daughter, trying her best to not let the guards hear her.

Lalisa stares at her mother wide eyed. She knew it. She knew whatever that is happening is her fault. But now hearing it out loud makes it even more painful.

'Your father and brothers will rescue every single mermaid and merman, who isn't dead yet. And they will eventually come to land too. Now shut up and follow me.' Queen starts swimming.

The baby mermaid starts crying again and the queen stops suddenly again.

'What were you thinking when you bought her with you?' The queen is about to loose her shit, 'You know she can't turn right?' She looks at one of the guards signalling them to take her away and Lalisa protests immediately swimming away.

'Hand her over Lalisa! We are trying to save you here!' Queen glares at her daughter.

She can't. She knows her mother too well. The queen was the one to murder her uncle who was the baby mermaids' father. She does not know why. But she saw it. And she couldn't tell anyone. How could she? She is her mother after all. She knew they would either kill the baby or leave her behind to become the sharks pray. But she had promised her aunt she would take care of her daughter.

'If she can't turn, doesn't mean she can't come along with us. If she doesn't go, I won't go.' She threatens the guards to come any closer and the queen has no other choice other than rolling her eyes and letting her be.

She prays for her father and her hyungs safety. She prays for the merpeople too.

When they finally reach the land, there is no human around and a mermaid and merman are already waiting for their arrival. Queen throws a shawl in her direction that was given to her by the red haired mermaid waiting for them, dressed like humans, and tells her to cover herself. She does as told and covers the baby too, who is still in the mermaid form.

Young mermaids cannot change into humans, but they can breathe on land.

She then looks up to take in her surroundings. It looks different. She had been coming to land at midnight, today it's daytime. And it looks beautiful. All she sees is trees, water meeting land and a big cave in front of them. Yet she thinks of it to be beautiful.

They notice humans coming their way from far and the mermen point in the direction of the cave for them to enter.

It is dark inside, but she can see everyone clearly.

Lalisa looks around when the red haired mermaid gives her same fabrics like the shawl and the queen tells her to wear it. She looks around to find a tub of water and puts the baby in it after wearing the clothes.

She watches her mother actually talk, just like how humans do, making sounds from her mouth, with the red haired mermaid. She suspects, every mermaid or merman present here can talk. Except her. And the baby, sure thing.

She is told they will spend the night here and go to a near by town in the morning by the red haired mermaid. She finally takes in her appearance. The red haired mermaid is wearing a long blue and white colored attire that looks beautiful on her.

She looks down at herself, and touches her clothes that are light pink and cream colored.

'How long will it take for the merfolk to come? And until when are we staying on land?' Lalisa thinks quietly so that the queen won't hear.

'Not sure. Days. Maybe even months?' Red haired mermaid replies, 'I have being living on land for quite long now. It is good here. You need not worry.' She says despite Lalisa not asking.

Lalisa smile instead and prays yet again for her peoples' safety. Blaming herself won't help her or them anyway.

Meanwhile in a town nearby ;

"Stop whining Kim Taehyung!" A man in his twenties nudges the younger one sitting beside him, "I can't believe, we are meeting after three years and you are still a baby."

"Hey! I kill more enemies at war than you! I can even succeed you general." The youngest prince, Kim Taehyung teases his friend, Hoseok.

"As if," Hoseok rolls his eyes and laughs lightly.

They have been friends for as long as Taehyung can remember. Even if Hoseok was his fathers' subject, he was his friend first.

"Hyung?" Taehyung looks at the sea in front of him firmly.

"Yes?" Hoseok moves his eyes away from the sea to look at his friend.

"The villagers here say," he stops mid-sentence and thinks for a while, and Hoseok starts thinking Taehyung has to say something very important, "do you believe mermaids are real hyung?"

Hoseok looks at his friend baffled. He contemplates whether smacking His Excellency on his head in front of so many guards behind them, near the horses, would be a crime?

He laughs instead at Taehyungs' bonny face.

"Get up. We have had enough rest." Hoseok says instead and they start making their way towards the horses waiting for them.

Their have been rumors recently that a mermaid comes near the shores every midnight in this village. Hoseok shakes his head in disbelief.

Taehyung was ordered by His Majesty to investigate a few towns in this side of the empire where thefts, murder and all sorts of crimes had increased. Hoseok had just come from a war at the border, and when Taehyng was ordered to go this far from palace, Hoseok - who was king's general - voluntarily agreed to join the young prince. It took them two whole days to reach this side of the empire on their horses. And with Taehyung being such a baby, they had to stop every time for anything that caught the young princes' eye.

This time, it was the sea.