8th Wave - A Disruptive Melody [1]

Prince Seikan had enough self-awareness to recognize his mistakes. To own them and properly face the consequences of his actions.

And at that moment, the greatest consequence of his actions was ‘true love’.

The merman of the Caeruleus Sea could hardly believe how wrong he had been about the Queen of Pearls. With all the messages they exchanged, and though he was certain the seahorses delivered the mermaid’s intonation and emotions almost to perfection, no creature alive could ever capture those eyes.

That beauty.

Of course, Seikan was not of such shallow tastes to only care for the queen’s beauty. Although the artist had clearly failed to replicate her looks, even when the prince saw Yūritsu's portrait, he thought she was quite attractive—and he still judged her based on the words exchanged between the two Palaces.

Yet when he first landed his eyes on her…Seikan was able to see the queen’s true nature. And if there was one thing the second Prince of Cobalts was certain of, was the face of the mermaid who had to become his future wife.

Before the prince charming could approach the mother of his betrothed, however, a firm hand closed around his wrist and pulled him to a full stop.

“A quick word with you, brother!” Ryousuke’s smile was not one of joy, of amusement, much less of irony.

It was one fairly blended between anger and fear.

In only a few moments, the two Cobalts’ princes were alone in a secluded room, away from all the merfolk and merry music, their sounds being but faint echoes to their ears.

His brother grabbed him by the shoulders, eyes so wide one would think they were about to explode out of their sockets.

“Sei. Please tell me you didn’t fall for the Queen of Pearls.”

“Fine. I didn’t fall in love with the queen.”

Ryousuke’s face melted with relief, his entire body relaxing—

“Yet me lying only so you will feel better will do us no good, will it brother?”

Before it became even more rigid and petrified.

“But…you…are not planning on making any moves…are you?”

Prince Seikan smiled.

A smile his brother knew well.

“No, no, no, Sei, you can’t…! Do you even realize the consequences—no, the ridiculous amount of problems this will cause us?!”

Sheer horror dripped from the older merman’s eyes, a desperate panic inflating in his voice the more he spoke.

None sentiments were shared by his kin, however.

“Why should it be a problem? Queen Yūritsu reached out to us in order to establish a lasting partnership between our Palaces, and to bring more stability to Pearls—through marriage. Why should it matter whether I marry her daughter or the queen herself?”

It took Ryousuke a few seconds to realize his younger brother was serious.

The elder prince blinked.

“Sei…your fiancée is two years older than you.”

Seikan raised his eyebrows. “Oh, is she? That’s surprising, she certainly looked younger—”

The grip on Seikan’s shoulder got tighter, his brother’s gaze piercing his eyes even more.

“No, no, Sei… The queen’s daughter is older than you. The queen herself is a great deal older than you. When we received news of her marriage to the late king, you weren’t even born yet.”

Prince Seikan’s gaze did not waver as he replied, gently removing his brother’s hands from his shoulders.

“Worry not, brother. I am aware of all the implications this relationship could cause.”

A nervous laughter escaped Prince Ryousuke’s lips. “Th-then, you will—”

“Which is why I will make sure we won’t get caught until our union will barely pose any backlash to our family or the queen’s."

On a spiritual level, Ryousuke’s soul abandoned his body.

On the stupidity level, Seikan's smile grew wider, brighter, and even more blinded by the foolishness of love.

“Trust me, brother. I will make sure everything works out.”

And as the prince opened the door and turned to leave—

They found Princess Reika standing close to the door.

Incredibly close to the door.

Both mermen froze.

Did she hear us?, is what they both thought.

Princess Reika met both their gazes before giving them a curt bow, making her way back to the ball.

As they saw her leave without asking or saying a single word, the princes’ bodies relaxed.

She didn’t hear us…that was close.

She had heard them, though.

Quite clearly, at that.

                                                            𓇼 ⋆.˚ 𓆉 𓆝 𓆡⋆.˚ 𓇼

After talking—or being talked to—with all the old acquaintances whose needs to quench their curiosity about her private affairs surpassed their desire to avoid her, Eirin kept to herself.

The princess noted many things as she watched the ball unfold.

Great live music accompanied by excellent food. Guests smiling, dancing, and enjoying themselves. The familiarity of the domain of Pearls.

A ‘home’ that no longer felt welcoming to her.

“The Prince of Cobalts is certainly charming.”

Risei’s voice reached her from the side, yet Eirin continued to stare at her drink.

“I suppose…” She took her lips to the bottle’s tip, pressing it until liquid poured into her mouth.

The squid put some crustaceans in his mouth, closing his eyes for a second as he enjoyed the rich taste.

“Also seems to be a decent folk. You should talk more with him, before the ball ends.”

She didn’t reply. Eirin was glad the prince appeared to be a decent merman at first glance, however, she couldn’t dispel the tightness around her chest. A thick feeling surrounding her heart, like a rope tying itself more and more every time she thought about her fiancé. It made her feel uncomfortable, almost unsettled.

There was great music and great food, and everyone around her was enjoying the event her mother had prepared. And yet, all Eirin could feel was this cloud around her, isolating herself from the present, making her feel depressed and lonely.

…I miss him.

The thought came to her with its own bitterness and self-awareness, surprising her for a moment. Never would she’ve imagined a day would come where a mere human would bring her more joy than her own kin. That a sailor would make her laugh more than her own friends and family, that she would miss a human man.

Of course I miss him. I was forced to come back home for a stupid ball I didn’t want to attend, to get to know a merman I don’t wish to marry, to prepare for a position I don’t want to inherit.

It’s obvious I would miss anywhere—anyone—that is not here.

And those were the thoughts that soothed her heart, that gave her a logical reason for the knots around her heart.

Suddenly, Princess Eirin was hugged from the side, the sight of Reika immediately calming her racing heart.

“Bored already, sister?”

The second princess gave a short nod, not bothering to let go. “No one here seems capable of holding a decent conversation. I came so you can rescue me.”

The older sister laughed, patting the youngest on the head.

“I wouldn’t blame them. Your chosen topics for conversation are…hard to follow.”

Reika’s expression remained impassive, though there was a slight tension in her eyebrows.

“The chosen topics are fine. You are the ones with the uninspired minds.”

Eirin rolled her eyes, fully expecting her sister to go on a rant about how no one is ever interesting enough to her standards—

But then Reika averted her eyes, her thoughts going elsewhere.

“What did you think of Prince Seikan?”

Eirin’s smile deflated like a pufferfish. “We barely exchanged greetings.”

“He does appear to be decent, though,” Risei added, grabbing a few more crustaceans.

Princess Reika stared deep into her sister’s eyes. She was quite aware Eirin did not wish to marry, the mermaid’s expressions when they were alone at the Archives told her more.

Expressions Reika herself had observed in other situations, usually in studies of romantic tendencies and attraction, accompanied by behaviors she had never seen her sister emulate. However, right before the second princess could confirm her suspicions with her sister, they were approached by a merman.

One with rich blue hair, and ever bluer eyes.

“Princess Reika, Princess Eirin.” Eirin’s fiancé gave them a short bow, a charming smile blooming on his face as he directed his speech to the eldest princess. “I was hoping we could talk a bit, in privacy. As you well know, we traveled a long way to be here, and I would hate to depart without getting to know you better.”

Both Risei and Reika glanced at the first princess, their eyes anticipating her reply. From afar, Eirin felt a different pair of eyes burning in her way; her mother’s.

With a strained smile, the princess passed her bottle to Risei—who grabbed it without even thinking—taking the hand the prince had extended to her.

“Of course, Prince Seikan. Follow me.”

Both Reika and Risei watched them swim away.

Within the squid’s eyes, there was hope brimming with anticipation.

Within the young mermaid’s gaze, there was concern and uncertainty.

And minutes later, Eirin’s expression was an even mix of both.

“What did you say?”

Prince Seikan's smile got brighter as he repeated his words, making Princess Eirin’s heart race for the very first time since she laid her eyes on him.

“You also don’t want us to be married, right? If I say there is a way for our engagement to be annulled, will you help me?”

It was then that Princess Eirin concluded, without a scale of doubt, how her future husband was one of the best mermen she had ever met.

And how she couldn’t wait to be ‘unmarried’ to him.