Xander lay upon the hard bench that was his bed and felt his mood darken. He was trying so hard to be nice, but it seemed the Princess was immune to his efforts. When he thought he was getting through then she would block him with another brick wall. She was unlike any woman he’d met before.
There was also the fact that no one on this ship seemed to give him any respect. All of them ignored any requests, only responding if Briganti gave a nod of approval. In his kingdom, his father ruled and his mother supported him. It was the way of things, but he feared that with Briganti, she was not going be that sort of queen or wife.
The door opening made him sigh and turn his face to the cabin wall. He was in no mood for Surrial’s judging stares. He respected his guardian with all his being, but sometimes he was just suffocating.
‘We will be in Hades in the morning,’ Surrial said.
Xander grunted a reply and heard a chair scrape across the floor as Surrial sat down.
‘She is not what you hoped?’ he asked.
‘I don’t think I stand a chance,’ Xander replied. ‘Look at the men she surrounds herself with.’
‘But you are the one she has to marry,’ Surriel offered.
Xander turned over to look at his guardian.
‘Exactly. She has to marry me, doesn’t mean she wants to. Do you know she threatened me with a knife?’
Surriel rushed to his feet. ‘What? Why did you not tell me before?’
‘Because the men out there have barely any respect for me as it is. I don’t want them knowing I was overpowered by a woman.’
‘I will speak to her alone then,’ Surriel said.
‘No,’ Xander snapped. ‘I don’t want you to do that either. Just leave me alone.’
And with that Xander turned his back on his guardian and continued to sulk.
Surriel looked down at his prince for a moment and then turned and left. As he stepped on to the deck he spied the Princess stood at the helm and caught her eye. There was a look of indifference and he fought every part of his instinct not to go over and confront her. She needed to learn her place and also needed to know that the Prince was not to be messed with.
Bri forced her eyes away from the angel’s. She was sure he was about to confront her and she wondered if he now knew that she’d threatened the Prince. It was expected and she was surprised it had taken so long.
'So is he all that you were expecting?' Clues asked Bri as he steered the ship.
'What? A poncy prince who loves himself more than anything else? Yes, he is everything I expected,' Bri mocked.
'You both seem to be quite cosy considering,' Clues said, his eyes not leaving the horizon.
'Well at the end of the day Clues, I have to marry him,' Bri sighed.
Clues opened his mouth to speak, but stayed silent. Bri looked up at the sky. There were no stars in Celestia, just the moon and sun, the moon dulling as it neared the Zolar. So the brightness of each measured their direction. However tonight, something looked different, but she could not put her finger on it. She looked up to the nest and considered climbing up to talk to Eyes. But seeing his still shadow suggested he was probably sleeping, so she changed her mind.
The shadow of one of the Trio caught her eye and she tried to guess by the way he moved which one it was. She loved playing the game in her head. Unless you could see their eyes it was almost impossible to tell. Deciding that it was the shadow of the Third, she realised she was far too tired to continue and made her way to bed.
She laid herself on top of the barely soft mattress and tried to close her eyes to happier times. But the usual sedative motion of the sea gave way to an unsettling worry. It was the same feeling she felt when the tide was about to turn. But the tide was not due for turning for another three months. She shook her head clear of thoughts and closing her eyes again, her body finally gave in.
She heard a crash as though someone had fallen into her room. Slowly opening her eye her hand gripped the small dagger that lay beneath her pillow. Frowning, she realised the cabin was filled with sunlight. Surely she hadn't slept that long?
'Princess! Princess!'
Bri sat up fully and was greeted by the Third on his knees.
'Why don't you call me Bri, like the other two?' she yawned.
'I'm sorry Bri... I mean Princess... I mean Bri,' he blurted out.
She pulled herself from the bed in frustration. Out of the three, he was her favourite and for a nervous wreck he had the most amazing brain ever. But sometimes his babbling ways really pissed her off, and this was one of those moments.
'What’s wrong?' she asked him.
He lifted his brown eyes to hers and quickly averted his gaze.
'Mr. Clues has asked me to get you. He says it's urgent.'
She thanked him and began to pull on some clothes, pulling her hair under her hat. Still drowsy from sleep, she ambled through the ship’s dark corridors and climbed the staircase to the deck. The brightness of the sun made her blink. Where on earth were they? Clues ran towards her, everyone was out looking up at the sky; even Eyes had come down from his perch.
'What's going on? How long have I slept?' she asked Clues.
'Would you believe me if I told you that you've only been asleep an hour?' he replied, his face filled with panic.
'An hour? How in Hecate's name is there sunshine?' she asked.
Clues followed her to the ship’s edge. 'I've no idea, Bri. We should be getting darker the closer we get to Hades, when we realised the sky was getting brighter, Eyes shouted that we'd hit the border.'
Bri looked at her First Mate in disbelief. 'The border? As in Creaegon?'
Clues nodded at her. This was turning into one hell of a journey and they were barely on it.
'What's going on?' Orlson asked running toward her followed closely by Surrial.
'We are at Creaegon. It seems we have gone full circle.' she said raising her hands in confusion.
'Creaegon?' Surrial said, 'What has happened my lady? Have we taken a wrong turn?'
The crew and even the Trio hushed, all eyes on Bri. She never took wrong turns and to question that was suicide.
'Excuse me?' she asked tightly.
Surrial towered over her, self-importance emanating from him. 'We are supposed to be at Hades.’
‘Surrial? Is that your name? I have sailed these waters more times than you have polished that impressive breast plate that you wear. I don't lose my way,' she responded.
Turning to her crew, who were still nervously watching her and the angel: 'I'm not sure how we have ended up here,' she added puzzled.
'Well could it be possible that this is the first sign of what happens now the Scales have been removed?' Surrial said smugly.
Bri turned back toward him, her body rippling with irritation. How dare he try and tell her what was going on? She knew far more than he or that prince.
'Do you not have a prince to watch?' she snapped.
She moved away from the angel and her crew followed her.
'He does have a point,' Orlson said, once they were out of earshot.
Bri looked at all her men, their faces waiting expectantly for answers. But she didn't have any. She knew the water well and the sky above to navigate, but if Dryad had switched plates then she was blind.
'I know he has a point Orlson. But right now I've no idea which way we are pointing and we can't trust the sky to navigate us,' she said finally.
'Princess, we could ask the mers,' the Third stammered.
'Yeah, that's a good idea,' Clues said patting him on the shoulder.
'How do we get in touch with them?' Decks asked.
Bri felt their eyes fall to her and a cold dread passed over her.
'I don't think so,' she said.
'Why not? What do you think Orlson?' Decks protested.
Orlson shifted from one foot to the other nervously. The crew were far too adept at using them against each other to get
what they wanted and it pissed him off. He hated having to be the voice to convince Bri, especially when relations were already tense.
'What if we just wait a while and see if one of them surfaces?' he offered.
Bri rolled her eyes. 'We could be waiting for days,' she mumbled.
'Surrial has just informed me,' Xander said as he pushed his way into the tight knit group. 'What is the plan?' he asked eagerly.
Bri looked at him and tried not to roll her eyes. It seemed that this was about as adventurous as it got. He really had no idea.
'The crew wishes me to swim to the mers and find out what's happening,' Bri replied, giving each of her men the dirtiest look she could muster. Just so they knew how much she hated what they were asking.
'And the problem is?' Xander asked.
Bri took a deep breath. 'When I turn, I turn and change completely,' she said quietly. 'And I'm not so good at turning back. It’s not something I've ever needed to do.'
Xander took her by the arm and pulled her slightly away from the group. She tried not to tug her arm from his grasp. His touch would need to be gotten used to, no matter how much she hated it.
'Surrial is able to heal. Maybe he could help change you back quicker and easier if that’s the problem.'
This was the first time he’d seen a moment of weakness in her and it softened him after his earlier sulk. If he helped then maybe she would prove easier at getting on with. Both needed to change in order for them to be able to work together and he wanted to make the first move and be more giving.
She looked at him with surprise. She hadn't realised he could be so thoughtful, but if only he knew what the real problem was. If she gave in to her mer-side then she was giving in to her grandfather’s prediction and betraying her mother. She looked over his shoulder to her men. There was going to be no other choice. It would have to be done if they were to move forward.
'If he can, then we can get moving,' she said finally.
Orlson scowled at the sight of Xander’s hand on Bri’s and her reluctance not to move away.
'It seems that Prince Xander is going to save the day,' the Second whispered in his ear and Orlson felt his insides flinch.
This needed to stop. He needed to stop these feelings once and for all.
Surrial had been reluctant to promise to help with her transformation, but he had been ordered by his Prince and had no other choice. Now the crew stood, some with their hands clenched as Bri stood on the edge of the ship. Her heart was racing, watching the sun shine on to the still sea. She looked back and saw her men give the thumbs up and taking a final deep breath, she jumped.
There was a deafening silence as her body hit the water. Then came the panic as her lungs emptied of air. She was going to drown; she hadn't used her gifts in that long she wondered what if she no longer had them. Then, just as quickly as she began to think this, she felt her legs pull together and change. Coupled with the pain inside, which caused her to gasp out, she realised she could not only breathe, but hear everything too, from the sea creatures to the movement of the sea plants beneath.
Quickly, she acclimatized to her newfound form. It was surprising how quickly she allowed that side of her to take over naturally. It shouldn't have been that easy, yet it was. Incredibly so. But there was little time to think about it too much. There were answers to find.
She made her way towards the bottom where she spied the mass caves of Creaegon. The caves were as high as mountains under the sea and were imposing. The place bothered her and there was little life in contrast to the kingdom on the seabed. As she swam down she spotted through the darkness the shimmering lights of Aquim's kingdom.
She tried to remember what her mother had told her about the ways of the mers. She remembered that in water, mers were telepathic and could read the other’s thoughts. Her mother had instilled in her how to put the guard up when she was younger and now she prepared herself so they could only read what she wanted them to.
The dark cave loomed as she neared and realised why this place had been chosen to house the Scales by the gods, because its presence chilled her. The size of it was immense and it seemed to swallow the darkness around it. The lower she went, the more desolate the feeling. This place was truly a dead space.
'You cannot be here,' a voice said inside her head.
She turned and was greeted by a blond, muscled mer. She instinctively bowed to him. She had no idea if he was a royal, but years at sea had taught her that if you wanted something from the mers, respect was paramount.
'My name is Bri. I'm trying to get to Hades and we have ended up here.'
That is what she intended to say, but instead what left her lips was something she would never have dreamt of saying. But she was mer now and self-importance was beginning to seep through her veins.
'I am Princess Briganti,' she said flicking her long hair.
She saw his face change and twitch.
'Princess Briganti, daughter of the High Queen and once princess of the mers, Magda.' She nodded. 'You are a land dweller. You should not be here,' he reiterated once more.
'King Aquim has asked for my help to find the Scales you were so incapable of keeping safe,' she answered.
The man swam closer to her so she could see his green eyes. He was beautiful in an exotic way, but also familiar.
'My name is Brandish. My mother was Magda's sister.'
'So we are cousins?'
'No, you will never be one of us. You belong to the land,' he answered bluntly.
This normally would have cut deep, after all it was a slight against her parents, but not this time, she held her head up high.
'I am your High Princess, soon to be Queen. You will take me to my Grandfather, and give me the respect I am entitled to.'
She saw his eyes twitch as he nodded his head in a slight bow.
'As you wish my lady,' he said, not hiding the slight sarcasm in his voice.
The kingdom was nothing like she imagined, filled with buildings built from rocks and coral, yet they shimmered like diamonds and pearls. Brandish refused to take her through the streets stating she would be recognised and it was for her own safety, so she had to watch with awe at the colours of the sea animals and the other mers from a distance. But she wondered if embarrassment was the reason why her cousin kept her away.
The towers of the palace dominated the sea floor and there was no mistaking the importance and wealth of the place. Her grandfather was the power of the sea and it showed.
Soon they arrived at Aquim’s palace and that was just as impressive. The sheer beauty of the walls and floors overwhelmed her and she could feel the pull of wanting to stay becoming stronger. Why would her mother have left this? For a man? Could she have done the same thing? She was enchanted. She heard a swish of a tail and caught a glimpse of Brandish leave.
'My lady,' Bri jumped at Aquim’s voice. She had not heard him enter, and he looked more impressive within his own realm, less old and tired.
'We need your help,' she said bluntly while trying to keep her head focused on why she was here.
Aquim raised himself on to his pearl encrusted throne and looked at her with raised eyebrows.
'You have made an impression on Brandish,' he observed. 'And he did not like you before.' Bri was not listening. Her eyes were everywhere, lit up by the beauty of the room. 'You like it here?' he said finally.
'If my mother had stayed, this would have been mine,' Bri said without thinking.
'And how does that make you feel?' he asked.
She wanted to say she hated her for the selfishness, however something deep inside made her stay silent. Aquim nodded and smiled.
'You're struggling with your mer-self. This is because you have suppressed it instead of learning to control it. So what you're experiencing is the negative traits of our people. The selfish need and desire for everything. It is what makes the psyrens, psyren.’
'I have no idea what you
mean,' she said quietly.
Aquim looked at her for a while and swam towards her. Bri felt herself flinch as he placed something around her neck.
'A gift for my granddaughter. It will help balance your personalities.'
As soon as it was placed on her neck, she felt her body begin to loosen and the brilliance and glamour of the palace began to lose its shine.
'Do you feel the change?' Aquim asked.
'Yes I do,' she said, 'but why did you call me granddaughter? I thought I was not to be accepted?'
Aquim sat down once more. 'You misunderstand. I cannot accept your mother back. In order for her to marry your father, she made a pact that cannot be broken and there is no help for her. You are not to blame for a princess' selfishness.'
Bri felt her hands clench in defence of her mother. But she needed his help; she had to keep her cool.
'You have not answered my question, why are we here?'
'The Scales control and anchor the foundations of Celestia, and now they are gone the imbalance of our worlds will become apparent. However, this has happened very quickly and it seems to me Dryad has simply swapped the plates over on the Scales. The plates are made from the sun and moon. So now Hades will be found in the land of the sun rather than the moon.'
'So the islands have shifted,' Bri said, 'and it happened that quickly?'
'No, it is happening slowly. Hades is closer to Zolar and is the first to be affected.'
'I was sure I felt the tide shift,' she said.
Aquim nodded. 'I told you your gifts would come in handy,' he said. 'Take the pendant, it will also help with the change quicker. Go as though you were going back to Eastre and you will find Hades, and just trust yourself.' Aquim lifted his hand and waved Brandish back into the room. 'Brandish will take you back to the caves.'
She made to turn and follow Brandish from the room, instead turning back toward Aquim.
'My lord, how will the shift affect you?' she asked.
She could feel Brandish’s eyes look at her with surprise, but didn’t care. She was not a selfish creature despite what they believed.
'We are prepared and ready for the effect. Our biggest danger is the psyrens. Thank you for your concern. You will become a great queen.'
He bowed his head at her and she returned it.
Chapter Eleven
Celestia's Tales: The Lybiria Scales Page 11
