Chapter 6

Full blown panic hits Jungkook when the red blood on the floor near the door catches his eyes and he couldn't find Lalisa anywhere.

'Jackson!' He yells pushing the glass pots kept near the door, causing them to fall and shatter into small pieces.

He turns around, holding his trident in his left hand and right hand seizing the guard's neck behind him, making the guard choke, not being able to wait till Jackson comes.

'Where is my sister!' His angry eyes ask piercing into the guard's wary ones as soon as Jackson comes down the stairs running.

Jackson looks around confused, at the blood spilled on the floor and the shattered glass, 'Did the prince get hurt - ' Jackson asks the guard and stops abruptly when Jungkook pushes the guard making him fall to the ground.

'Where is the other one.' Jungkook demands, when his eyes do not find the other guard.

'Your Highness! I swear on my child, I was obscure to the guard's intentions.' The guard begs for mercy getting to his knees before Jungkook.

Jungkook screams in vexation, not knowing where Lalisa is. She was not here when he had called out for her and then he was informed that one of the guards at Jackson's house worked for Wook. And now the guard was missing with Lalisa. The blood he saw made him feel like he was getting stabbed.

Rose enters the house, confused.

Jungkook looks behind Rose, at the door, hopefully. Lalisa could have been with Rose, with a minor injury somewhere.

'What happened here?' Rose asks looking around. And the tiny ray of hope Jungkook had wished for disappears as soon as he hears the next words leaving Rose's lips, 'Where is the baby? And the princess?' She asks looking at the empty spot where Lalisa sits every morning with the baby mermaid, playing with her.

Jungkook wastes no time after that and holds the guard by the collar of his dress and drags him out of the house.

'What happened?' Rose asks Jackson.

Jackson shakes his head, 'I came running down when the prince called for me and heard things getting thrown and he asked the guard where the princess was. He did not tell me anything, but the guard told the prince he did not know about the other guards intentions.'

Rose does not need to hear the whole thing as she realizes what might be the reason for the prince's anger and she runs off in the direction of Jimin's farm. But to her dismay, neither Lalisa nor Jimin could be seen in the farm. Jimin is never home at this time, he certainly is working somewhere, selling his fruits.

But Lalisa wouldn't come to the farm with the baby. Rose thinks confused. They never took the baby mermaid out of the water. And the prince being so furious, could mean something bad...

Rose facepalms herself. She looks back to find Jackson had followed her.

'Do you think she could be at the shore again?' Jackson asks.

They make their way towards the sea. Lalisa is not even at the shore.

'Jackson. Lalisa would never come out with the baby. What if someone...?' She trails off, fearing to complete her sentence. She blames herself for leaving Lalisa and the baby alone in her own house. But how was she supposed to know the other guard bearing malice toward the princess?

Jungkook and the guard continue finding Lalisa every possible place they could. Jungkook, with the help of the guard, went to all the places the traitor guard could be at. They found no clue.

The guard notices all the villagers fearing them because of the trident in the princes' hand and the angry look he is wearing. He knows it would be the last day of his life if they fail to find the princess. The prince had been commanding every trust worthy merman and mermaid, whenever he saw one, to inform them about the princess as soon as they come to know anything about her. And all the merfolk they saw today was busy finding the princess. For they knew, if they did not find her in time, they all would be dead. Either by the hands of their own king or by the shark lord. The princess was the only mermaid who could save them from the shark lord. And the whole merfolk knew it. Except for the mermaid herself.

The cries of the baby makes Lalisa's heart break. She keeps chanting, 'I am sorry, I am sorry...' for she couldn't keep her promise she had made to her dead aunt, about keeping her daughter safe. She had put herself and the baby in this situation. If only she had trusted people less.

The guard at Rose's house had threatened her to follow him when she had trusted him with the baby but he held a knife to the baby's throat. She had no choice but to follow him to her death when she saw the blood spilling out of the little mermaid's neck from the side.

"Please, please please please please please please....." she keeps begging in the dark of the room, "don't hurt her." she cries.

She is tied to a pillar away from where the little mermaid is, with a human who is pinching and biting her, making her cry in pain. She had realized there was only one merman present in whatever place she was. With five other humans, counting the pearls falling off of the baby mermaid's face as she cries.

"Pearls is all you want. I will give you bigger ones. Please let her go." Her cries fall on deaf ears.

She has to do something before the little mermaid cries herself to her death. She thinks and stops pleading. She looks around to find something, anything that could help her. But all she sees is dry grass.

The little mermaid's cry, this time sharper, reaches her ears and she watches in horror as a human pierces a needle into the baby's arm and Lalisa screams again, fighting against the chains she is tied with.

"Tell me princess. Would you still dance at our finger tips, if we let her go?" the human who had just pierced a needle in the baby's arm asks licking his lower lip.

"Leave her alone!" This time she commands with the tears flowing down her cheeks, screaming. As if the tortures the little mermaid is facing are hurting her. And they are. She is feeling every sharp needle pain, every teeth sinking into the baby's skin.

She cannot just sit around and watch. She feels her head might burst with the pain.

The door bursts open, blinding Lalisa with the light and she hears footsteps nearing her. She prays it's Jungkook.

She opens her eyes just to close them again as someone blindfolds her.

"We don't have enough time," the voice says panicked, and she knows it's not her brother, "Take her to the vessel! Proceed as planned."

"But the pearls?!" She hears one of the human ask, the same one who had looked at her in a dirty way and licked his lips.

"Keep that fish. It would give you pearls for a lifetime. But take this one to the vessel! And spread the rumors!" The voice that blindfolded her commands hurriedly.

Lalisa feels hands on her and she tries to fight them off. They pick her up and throw her into something she does not know but feels like being inside a drum. She realizes she is the one being taken to a vessel and the baby would remain here. She tries to untie her hands and kicks the walls of the drum she is sitting in.

I have to protect little mermaid! She panics, banging the drum with her legs.

She fails miserably and stops her protests, crying her soul out when she no more hears the baby's voice as it faded with the distance. She is being carried away from her.

She was wrong.

Humans are the worst!

She would never trust one ever again.

"Soldiers! I hope no one disappoints me." Hoseok says as he watches his men get on the ship.

Taehyung waits for all his men to take all their weapons and belongings on the ship.

After few minutes, he pushes himself off the pillar he was resting his body on, and just takes his sword and starts walking towards the ship. He wonders what it would be like to be a pirate and not a prince.

Freedom.

He thinks and smiles to himself.

He would always be stuck with the laws, fulfilling his duty for his empire.

He would never be able to lead a normal life. With a normal family.

He would always have to be there to fight. Shed blood.

They were going to fight the pirates today. If they find any. Although his men say, they were about to fight the mermaids and mermen, he did not believe in any of it. He was sure the ship was attacked by the pirates. But his men believed it was attacked by mermen.

Taehyung bumps into a hard figure who is carrying a tank of water to their ship. He looks up at his face, the man's jaw locked, not meeting Taehyung's eyes. Taehyung says nothing and then finally smiles slightly, motioning him to continue.

Taehyung looks at the tank for a bit longer as the man takes it on the ship. He looks at Hoseok, who nods at him saying they are ready.

Yoongi glares at the guard that just stopped them. He had hated the idea of asking for help from humans. And here they are, in front of the palace. The last thing he wants to see is his father begging a human.

They enter the throne hall, where the land king sits on the throne in the middle with his soldiers around him.

"Long time," The king says, not in a very friendly way, "you dared to show me your face after what you did."

Yoongi clenches his fists. Albeit furious about the land king's tone, he can't help but notice that the land king already knows about them.

"Kim," His father nods at the land king and the soldiers look at them confused and alarmed, for they just address their king with his name, "We need to talk. Alone."

After few moments of contemplating whether to hear to what the fish creature has to say, the land king finally signals everyone to get out.

The land king with his oldest son and the sea king with Yoongi are the only ones in the throne hall.

'Wasn't the prince supposed to be in the sea? To investigate why and how their last ship had been attacked and broken?' Yoongi asks so that only Seokjin and Namjoon could hear, who are standing outside the throne hall, waiting for them.

'I guess it was a rumor if the prince is still here. Or he could be going now, or tomorrow?' Seokjin says.

'He won't. After listening about the shark lord.' Namjoon tells.

Yoongi looks at the land prince confused, but ignores it for now.

"My people need help." The sea king states directly.

The land king looks at him as if the person who has just asked for help had grown two heads.

Yoongi would have never let his father ask a mere human for help if it was not for the huge peril in their way. But if the humans denied to help them, his father had at least wanted to warn them about the coming storm.

"I wouldn't even ask what has happened. My people will never help yours," the land king replies. The sea king says or does nothing. He knew the answer already, "it took me eighteen years to make every soul - who witnessed your doings - believe my sister was innocent. I would never help someone as wicked as you. I was a fool to even let you enter the palace so that you could stab onto my fading scars again!" The land king looks at the sea king, with pure hatred.

And Yoongi, even if not remembering what had happened eighteen years ago, or even how this man knows about his father and the merpeople, knows their request for help will fall on deaf ears, all in vain.

After a moment, as if something clicked in the land kings head, he asks, "Are your people - apart from you and your sons - already on the land?" He asks, his eyes wide. The sea king says nothing and the land king gets up from his throne in disbelief, "Is that why the crimes in my world had increased?"

The sea king has no answer to that. He knew who was responsible for the crimes on the human kings land. But he couldn't answer. For the criminals were the traitors. Who had betrayed him for the shark lord. But they were merpeople after all. He was ashamed to admit that the land king was facing problems because of his people again.

The land kind loathed him. Although it was not the same nineteen years ago. They were cronies. Never left each others sides. But eighteen years ago, everything changed. Once known as brothers from different mothers, were enemies now.

The sea king had already known, the land king would never help him. But he had come. Hoping he would forget his one mistake and accept his friendship.

"Selfish." Yoongi hears the land king say in a low whisper.

"Selfish," the land king says louder this time, "selfish is what you are. You always will be." he says remembering how he was trapped by the fish standing in front of him eighteen years ago.

Yoongi could not listen to any more insults for his father. He places his hand on his trident and steps forward but is immediately stopped by his father. He clenches his jaw, but obeys.

The sea king feels sorry for what had happened and for the people who suffered. He lost someone precious too. But what happened was history. They have to focus on the present and their future.

"The shark," the sea king starts and the land kings head snaps towards the sea kings direction. Yoongi wonders if the land king knows about the shark lord too, he couldn't believe a human knew so much about the sea and it's creatures, "is free."

The four words are all that takes the land king to sit down again and listen.

Looks like he will help. Yoongi thinks.

Yoongi looks at the land kings face, his features changing rapidly. From surprise to anger to fear and then horror. Just when the land king is about to say something, the door to the throne hall breaks open, revealing a furious Namjoon.

'What is it?' Yoongi asks sensing the fear and anger in his brother's eyes.

'Lalisa!' Without saying another word, Namjoon, in few angry strides, reaches near the land king and places his trident on his chest.

The eldest land prince immediately takes out his sword and places it on Namjoon's neck.

"Namjoon!" The sea king warns.

"Father, they abducted Lalisa!" Namjoon says angrily.

"Lalisa." The name registers in the land kings mind and he looks at the sea king, eyes wide open, he had never expected to hear that name again.

The soldiers of the king come running in, pointing their swords at Namjoon one by one, stopped by attacking only because their king has signaled to.

"Never expected you to play dirty. Where is my daughter!" The sea king demands, ignoring the swords now pointing at his direction. His body looks as if its growing in size with every passing second. The land king knows, the sea king gets furious very rarely. And if he is getting furious now, he knows he could burn everything down to find his daughter. But how is he supposed to know where his daughter was?

And she was abducted?

"I never knew she lived!"The land king replies equally furious. For he is worried for his son now. Whom he had sent to the sea, not knowing about the shark lord getting unleashed! He himself had sent his youngest son to death. And now he has no clue how he was going to save him. Even if he sends his whole troop to rescue his son, he wouldn't be able to. He will lose everything. His son as well as the whole army that would go to save him.

"Lalisa, is she...." the land king trails off searching in the sea kings eyes.

The sea king notices how mournful the land king's eyes look and he looks away nodding, letting his wrath calm down. Hearing that name from the land kings mouth, made him realize the land king would never harm Lalisa.

"Namjoon, Yoongi. They must have not gotten far away. Start searching for her." The sea king commands, walking out of the throne hall.

The sea king's heart breaks for the first time in eighteen years. And he prays it's not the shark lord that had got his daughter.

Yoongi and Namjoon leave the palace confused by the exchange between the two kings.

And the land king sits there, on his old throne, wanting to ask for help from the merpeople for the life of his son.

He sits there, not being able to tell anyone what he is going through. His son is in danger and Lalisa - someone he thought was dead eighteen years ago - was alive.

Jungkook had searched the whole village and had got no clue about his sister. He had thought of sending a message to his father and his hyungs, but he later came to know they had already come to the land. He did not know where they were.

He later heard about the rumors of Lalisa getting abducted by the land kings men. But he knew that wasn't true. He knew Wook did all of this.

Jungook even failed at protecting the baby. He did not know where the baby as well as Lalisa were.

Someone taps on his shoulder and he turns so fast, his neck might break. He looks down at Jimin staring at him, smiling. Jimin's smile falters when Jungkook looks coldly at him, his eyes hollow. The warmth Jimin had felt looking in them, no more there.

"Is everything alright?" Jimin asks concerned.

And just then, Jungkook hears the cries of a baby. He turns around and starts running as fast as he could in the dirction of the voice. It is a bit far away. But it would take him two minutes to reach the baby. He hopes and prays with all that he has got in him, for the cry to be of the baby mermaids'.

He does not dare to call out for Lalisa, fearing if Wook comes to know about his presence, he might do something.

He kicks the door of the stable and it flies open startling the humans in it, near the baby mermaid. His heart sinks when he notices the wounds on her as she cries.

He grips his trident hard and in one swift move kills the human running towards him to attack him. He might have thought Jungkook was a normal soldier.

He looks at the four humans, frozen in their spots, his red eyes searching for a familiar face. And he spots it.

The merman who had betrayed them, who was the other missing guard at Rose's house, stands there, fearing the prince. He tries to run away from the back door. Jungkook's hand reaches to the small knife on the belt around his waist and he aims for the guards head. The knife finds its place exactly where Jungkook had aimed for and the guard falls down to his knees, holding his head.

Jungkook strides towards the remaining four humans killing them in a blink of an eye, not leaving any time for them to even register what had happened.

Jimin could not believe what he just saw.

He had followed Jungkook who started running without saying anything, and Jimin had felt something was wrong.

And here he was now.

The man who had made him feel things by just meeting three times had murdered six men. And he was not even a soldier! Jimin did not know what he was supposed to think of him? What was he feeling?

Is this fear?

And is the man in front of him a criminal?

Who had been killing people in his village. The one he had heard about from Rose?

He looks down at the dead bodies of six men in horror. He then looks up at the trident in Jungkooks hand. And then it triggers in his mind. The night his family was killed. His mother, father and sister.

Behind his back.

The weapon Jungkook is holding looked same like the one that was in the chest of his father. The mermen had killed his family eighteen years ago.

And the man he thought he felt things for, was now standing in front of him, with a trident covered with blood. Was he a merman too? The creatures he hated the most!

Jimin shakes his head and stumbles backward. Did the mermen come back? Will they attack humans again? No! He won't let that happen. He won't let any other kid lose their family and suffer like he did.

Jungkook looks back ready to attack but stops immediately after finding Jimin looking at him.

Jimin looks at Jungkook's red angry eyes softening as soon as they find his. How could these eyes harm innocent people?

Jimin had no answer.

He watches as Jungkook turns and holds a little girl, who looks three or four years old, with scratches and piercings all over her. Jimin feels his eyes burn and realizes Jungkook did whatever he did to save the girl. He would have done the same. Anyone would have.

He looks at them, his eyes soft, as Jungkook looks at her in relief. Jungkook looks around as if finding something. But when he does not spot what he is finding, he drops down, on his knees and hangs his head, hugging the little girl.

Jimin waits for him to calm down, not going near him. He is no one and he has got no right to say something. The little girl could be Jungkook's daughter. He lets him have his time, albeit feeling a bit disappointed.

After a few moments Jungkook gets up and turns around, his lost eyes looking determined again.

And that is when Jimin gets to look at the little girls whole body. Only she is not a girl but a mermaid. All the sympathy, empathy and whatever he was feeling for Jungkook and the gir - mermaid leaves him replacing it with shock and horror again.

Jungkook looks at the change of Jimin's expressions calmly. He had expected that.

"Can you trust me and take her to your farm secretly?" Jungkook asks directly. Not wanting to waste his time and continue searching for Lalisa. Wook was not here. Lalisa could be with him. And he has got no time to waste. he has to find her faster. He thinks.

Jimin nods without letting any word spill from his lips.

Jungkook looks around and finds a cloth to cover the little mermaid, "Leave her in a tub of water as soon as you reach home." He says, searching for Jimin's eyes, "I trust you." He tells him and runs out of the stable, leaving a shocked Jimin behind.

Jimin opens the door to his house absent minded. He had brought the little mermaid to his house secretly just like Jungkook had told him.

He did not know what was happening. Why the little creature in his hands was treated so brutally, what had she done to get such punishment?

He did not know why he had agreed on bringing her home.

He did not know why Jungkook, even after finding the little mermaid was panicking and in a hurry.

The image of the six dead men crosses his mind and he shivers. Were they mermen too?

He locks the door behind him, not trusting even humans now. He removes the scarf out of the little mermaids face and watches her, he sees tears spilling down her checks uncontrollably even now.

"Hush. It's alright. They are gone now. I won't harm you." He tries to calm her but fails.

He remember Jungkook telling him to put her in a tub of water as soon as he reaches home. He fills a tub with water with his right hand while the left one still holding the mermaid.

Jimin takes off her scarf and a handful of pearls fall down. And even after the scarf has none of it, they keep falling. He slowly raises his head to look up at the little mermaids face and witnesses something he thought he never would. The tears spilling out of the mermaids eyes are turning into pearls.

Is this what those cruel men had wanted? Pearls?

He places her in the tub gently, hoping she would calm down then. And she does. She stops crying.

The color of the water changes to crimson red and Jimin feels tears forming in his eyes again. How could someone be so brutal to do such a thing to a child!

He fills another tub with water and places it beside the first one. He takes the mermaid out of the first one carefully and dabs her wounds gently, which had dried earlier before putting her in the water.

He puts her in the second tub and watches her in awe. She sleeps after few moments and Jimin watches as her yellow tail curls upward as she sleeps.

He had never seen a mermaid before. And she is beautiful.

He can't help but wonder how Jungkook might look as a mermaid? If he was one. Is his tail yellow too? But that won't look good under purple hair. Jimin shakes his head, reminding himself, the little mermaid in front of him could be Jungkook's daughter and he possibly is already married.

And has a family.

Do mermaids and mermen marry too? He thinks and shakes his head again.

He shouldn't feel anything for a merman. He tells himself.

He gets up, goes towards his bed and bends down, dragging a box out from below his bed. He opens it after three years and holds his fathers sword. Then he looks down at the broken trident and remembers how he had made a promise the day his family was murdered - to kill the mermen who had murdered his family.

He was just eight years old when he was left alone to suffer. He started to learn sword so that he could fight them when he finds them.

His father was a soldier, and he had wanted to become one too.

But not anymore.

He looks back at the sleeping mermaid, the words I trust you ringing in his head with Jungkook's face.

"But I don't." He whispers sadly.