Aressa is the 1st born
Meria 2nd
Aria 3rd
Lyria 4th
Hana 5th
ARA 6th and last child.

—-

"I wonder where our beloved sister Ara is" Aressa asked as she played with a small platter of steamed seaweed. Another plate of small coral passed around the tightly packed banquet hall of the palace ballroom filled with the playful banter and laughter of sea folk alike.

"Father told me our precious sister promised him she wouldn't be late." Meria, the middle sister sighed, swimming higher to look above the crowds. Her long black hair swayed against the current of the waters as she turned her head each way. "But I don't see her anywhere"

"Neither do I " Lyria, the fifth daughter smiles. She was more than happy Ara would get in trouble on her birthday. Their father had given Ara far too many chances to elude punishment.

"How late do you think she'll be today sisters?" Aria frowns, playing with a piece of her short brown curls.

"39 minutes to one hour tops" Hana shrugged.

" No way! 2 hours" Meria the second oldest smiled, partaking in her sisters game of guessing. They had nothing else to discuss while waiting for Ara so they figured why not pass the time.

"Want to make this a friendly wager sisters?" Aria suggested, her interest now piqued. All the sisters exchanged knowing glances amongst each other for they knew how lethal their friendly wagers were.
One time, Aressa won and made Aria shave her beautiful brown locks. Their father was livid for weeks.

"And what is the prize—"Meria pried, pushing her elbows above the surface of the table.

"Or punishment-" Aressa interjected confidently.

"Hmmm" Lyria pushed a manicured finger above her heart shaped lips. "Whoever loses has to try and steal Father's trident and bring it over to the western wing of the palace"

"No way!" Each sister protested. Last time they tried to touch their father's trident, they were put on punishment for two months.

"A wager is a wager sisters unless you all are scaredey horsesss. Eh eh eh" Lyia squealed, her gestures were more exaggerated than before as she imitated Ara's faithful sidekick Tails. The sisters laughed at her imitation and nodded.

"Fine! I'm in" Aressa nodded.

"So am I"  Meria winked, lifting her tail to the middle.

"Count us in too!" the other two sisters said until all their fins were in the middle of the small table, touching upon each other.
And the sisters waited.
And waited, until the dial of the sea clock struck 5 and at last, Ara burst through the doors of the banquet hall.

"Yes!!! You all lose and I win! I said 39 minutes! She got here 40 minutes on the dot!" Hana beamed, clapping excitedly because she would not be the one to betray their father's trust.

"Meria guessed the lowest so I think she should go and fetch father's trident" Aressa deflected, trying to escape the agreement of the wager.

"But! But! That's not fair!" she stuttered but all the sisters giggled in agreement. "It's true! We guessed differently but you said the most time Meria. You retrieve father's trident" Hana demanded.

"Fine" she sighed, rolling her sharp hazel eyes before swimming over to the other side of the room to rid her father of his trident.

The sisters giggled, watching Meria swim away. Ara whipped past each mermaid and merman, zipping past the crowds to meet her father but just before she reached the throne chair, Ara crashed into a helpless servant.

-CRASH-

The sea floor was instantly dirtied. A large plate of food crashed against the sea floor, instantly staining a few guests with chunks of seaweed and plates of sea salt jellies.

——

Ara

My head rang at the impact of the collision and before I knew it, salted foods and jellies were sprawled against the elegantly decorated walls of the ballroom. Some food even stained the outfits of some unsuspecting sea folk. " I am so sorry!" I whispered, trying so hard to express my remorse to the servant as I helped him up. I didn't mean to crash into him but I was so late to my own party. I had promised father I wouldn't be, but I just had to retrieve that last golden thingumbob near the sunken ship. It was so shiny and hypnotic. Plus, i had to visit my room to change and hide my stash of human things before I swam to my banquet.

"ARA!!!!" "my father's voice ruptured the joyful noise of the ballroom, instantly silencing the crowds. The group of people parted ways down the middle of the room, allowing me to glance at his menacing figure from across the distance.

My father stared at me, his dark green orbs were filled with rage. Timidly, I swam over, frightened to meet his gaze. "Father, I know it is my fault- but Tails and I—-"

"SILENCEEEE!!!" he yells, snapping me into an stupor of silence. The crowds of merpeople shifted awkwardly as they heard him fume. I couldn't believe my father was embarrassing me like this, on my birthday!

"Tell me where you were"

"I was—"

"And DONT lie to me" he demanded. I twiddle my thumbs, desperate to come up with an excuse but he didn't allow me the opportunity, clearing his throat impatiently.

"I was...at the sunken ship" I confessed, praying he wouldn't be too upset since it was my birthday.

"You disobeyed me Ara! Deliberately! Didn't I tell you not to go there today?"

"Yes father but if you would just--"

"You are not to go there, or ANYWHERE else. Not even the surface! You are grounded!"

"But FATHER!!" I tried to protest but he was hearing none of my complaints.

"You have disappointed me Ara...." he murmured before turning to his chair at the table. I knew everyone was watching me, feeling pity for the princess who was just scolded by her father. I meet the eyes of my sisters then, the eyes of the people. I was too embarrassed to remain in the room and before long, I felt heavy tears trickling down my cheeks. Just before my sisters could swim over to comfort me, I swam away, desperate to find an escape in solitude.

___

"I knew I would find you here" I hear the familiar voice of Prince Fai and nervously wiped away my tears. He was too cute! I couldn't let him see me in this state.

He swam over to my side, sitting and leaning forward to take in the sprawling view of my father's kingdom. We always came to this hidden cove near the top of the palace.

"He only yells because he cares"

"He doesn't! My father never understands me nor does he let me try and explain" I admitted, burying my head across my fin.

He let out a lengthy sigh and shrugged. "Parents are like that. I think when they reach 500 years, the fun is sucked out" he chuckles. My lips part into a lazy smile as I hear his truth. Prince Fai smiled at me from where he sat before pulling out a small bag from his fintail. "I wanted to give you this at your party but seeing that you kinda ruined it" he teases me before placing it in my palm. It was a small little clam whose exterior was painted bright with emerald crystals. I opened the clasp and gasped, taking in the beauty of the small little pearl. " Fai, I love it" I whisper, lifting it towards the light of the shimmering crystal walls. Slowly, I brought it down to my lap before lifting my eyes to meet his brilliant green ones.

Another tear streamed down my face but before it could reach my chin, Fai's warm fingertips reached out to wipe it away. Closer and closer we came, each of us eager to do what we hand not done before. Just before his lips touched mine, I hear distant screams from the hall.

"AHHHH!!!!"

I thought nothing of the noise, even trying to ignore but there it was again. "Did you hear that?" I whisper across his lips.

"No?" he sighed, pulling my jaw to his again but there it was again! I was sure I heard it this time.

"I wonder why they scream?" I frowned, swimming away to press my ear against the wall.

"Maybe the people decided to partake in the festivies after all?" he suggested, trying to appease my worrisome nature. Him and I both swam to see the commotion in the ballroom but before we could assess it, I see a high flash of lighting from the back.

"AHHHH!!" another mermaid screamed, pushing past us to cower in fear. I peer around the once so cheery room, making sure my eyes adjusted to the chaos before me.  A scene of turmoil greeted me as merfolk young and old scurried across the room in fear. They were all running away from something or someone...but what?
Who?

In the distance, were a small army of mermaids who didn't really look like mermaids.  It was so strange! You could tell them apart from the merfolk in an an instant but they still looked so similar to us, but the longer you observed them the more distinct they looked.

They had our tails; they were black and parted into two distinct fins. They had hair as long and black as the abyss of the sea with pointy claws as sharp as the coral mounds of the ocean.  They were still beautiful creatures but something about their features made you quiver with fear.

"Sirens" Prince Fai whispered, backing away.

"Sirens? But they don't exist! They are fake" I protested, dismissing his outlandish suggestion. I didn't believe in their existence or maybe I didn't want to belive it? Every day my father warned me of these dangeorus creatures whose only claim to infamy was killing merfolk and trapping unsuspecting seamen with their songs of hypnotics.  I always thought the tales outlandish, regarding them as simple fables but I guess my lack of faith had come to bite me in my tail fin.

"Come on Princess Ara" Fai demanding pulling me into his arms but before I had the chance to swim away, I was intercepted by a large black tail. The force from its limb knocked me against the wall, instantly knocking the wind out my lungs.

"Hey! Let her go!" Prince Fai yelled, trying to protect me. I yelped out, cringing in pain as one of the Siren's nails dug into my skin.

"LET HER GO!" Prince Fai yelled trying to push them off but they screamed and pinned him against the wall. I tried my best to push the siren off but her stregnth was greater than mine. She let out another painstakingly shrill tribal call, its pitch ringing in my ears.

"Let go! It's my birthday!" I fumed, trying to kick her off. I guess my actions angered her becuase her eyes turned a bright red.  She opened her jaw, extending a pair of teeth that were hidden from sight. Closer and closer she came, trying to sink the ends into my neck but before it had the opportunity a voice stopped them.

"Ara!" my father yelled, seeing my struggle with the foul creature. He swam over trying to be of aide but another siren intercepted his path. More of the merfolfs screamed with terror as the sirens captured their necks,  sinking there teeth into the innocent sea folks. A few others pushed their claws between the stomachs of innocent mer folks, instantly killing them.

"Father! HELP!" I yelled, trying so desperatly to break free but it was no use. I guess this is how I was supposed to die, on my 18th birthday. As I see fate doing her worst, I forced my eyes closed, anticipiting the sharp tooth that would sink into my skin but just before the siren committed her fatal blow, a booming voice halted all the noise. "THAT IS ENOUGH!"

I turned my head to the noise and see another siren. She was as radiant and bright as the sharp rays of the afternoon sun, reflecting across the crystal seas. She still had features pleasing to the eye despite her turned form. It was as if she was part mermaid??
Her slow claps filled the quietly eerie room before she swam over to me and smiled. "Liked my surprise?" she beamed. Her voice was so smooth and crystal. Like a deep hypnotic lullaby that would silence all.

She still watched me with eager eyes, smiling as she observed my sprawled body on the floor.

"Let her go Livden" she commanded and the siren on top of me obeyed.

"Ara! My beautiful Ara" she sang, swaying from side to side. She tried to hug me but I held out my arm, quickly rejecting her embrace. Was this woman mad? I didn't even know her yet here she was, trying to pull me into an embrace.

"Who are you?" I finally find my voice.

"Who am I? Who am I?" she whispered, titlitng her head in fake alarm.  "HAHAHAH" her shrill battle cry echoed against the room and the surviving mereople covered their ears.

"Triton! You dissapoint me! I am surprised you didn't tell her of my existence." She turns to face my father.

"Why would I Iressa. You are nothing to her.
To me.
To us merpeople."

"Can someone please clue me in on what is going on!" I yelled, demanding an explanation for this unexpected disruption. Silence fills the dismal room before the beautiful siren opens her arms wide. "Happy birthday daughter!!!!" she beams, spinning around to show her joy.

Daughter?
Did this woman just call me her daughter.
That meant——

"Mommy's Homeeeeee!!!" she smiles, dragging out every syllable before forcing me into her arms.

So this woman,
this siren, was really my mother?

——

Quick AN:

Hope you guys followed along.
Lol did Ara remind you of those annoying girls who be reminds everyone on Instagram that it's their birthday 😂 like okay sis! We don't care

——

I just wanna say thank you to each and every one of you for giving my new book a chance! I know I made an announcement a month ago about selling/taking a break and I lost a lot of my usual readers (I guess they got tired of waiting 😢)
Thanks for taking time to enjoy this book! And if you haven't already, check out Oshun, Vikingr and my new book, A Painted Lady!