A ripple of power spread through the entire ocean, as wave after wave of sheer magic swept past the citizens of Nereus. They knew what it meant. Their ocean was mourning the loss of its king: Triton Augustus would not be coming home. Queen Melodia cried out with the force of her husband's passing, reeling from the magic.

She'd known that the peace meeting could go south, of course, and that her husband might be injured...but she had never dreamed the Selachs would go so far as to murder the Triton. In all their years of hatred and rivalry and war, none had ever touched the line of the kings.

Instinctively, the Queen moved closer to the bejeweled chest at the bottom of her bed. It lay open, baring the most important treasure in the world to the water. Melodia ran a hand over it gently, feeling it pulse beneath her fingers. The egg trembled with life beneath her hand.

Soon. 

Her future son or daughter lay inside, slowly coming to life under her watchful eye. Only a boy could continue the line of Augustus. A girl could not inherit her father's throne, only his magical abilities and his blood, both of which could be passed to her children but not wielded for her own. Either way, Melodia would love the tiny life she and Augustus had made before he'd left on his last journey.

The door to her room burst open and Melodia whirled around, fangs bared and ready to fight off anyone or anything for the safety of her child. Immediately, the large merman bowed. "Forgive me, my lady. I meant only to check on your safety!"

Melodia relaxed slowly. Not a threat then, just the head of her security detail. "I am safe, Militum." Still, she shifted a bit to cover the egg from view. "So is my child." 

The merman nodded his head and straightened out from his bow. "Forgive me for saying this, my lady, but you must not leave this room. I'll post guards at every window and door to this wing. I hope you understand."

Understand? Of course she did. That didn't mean she liked it, though. Not that she minded the extra security around her room. Melodia only minded that so many people would be around her unborn child. Still, she understood that she did not truly have a choice in the matter. She was Queen while Augustus lived. Now that he had passed, however suddenly or violently, she was nothing more than a citizen of Nereus with no more rights than anyone.

That was how the world of Merfolk survived. There was precious little nepotism or cronyism in the glittering golden palace. When you were no longer able to do your job the best, you were replaced. Plain and simple.

Melodia turned and wrapped her silver tail around the egg protectively. She also tugged out her journal and began to write. In case there were an assassin after her, she wanted to have a record of her thoughts and feelings to be able to pass to her child. 

Of course, the chances of anyone harming the former queen were slim, especially as Militum maintained watch. He was Undine, like Melodia, and had followed her from her glamorous palace in the Northern Sea when she'd agreed to take Augustus' hand in marriage.

Militum had followed her for many years now and he would no doubt continue to do so in a loyal fashion until he drew his last breath. At least, that's what Melodia thought. Especially because she was certain that Militum was in love with her. Not the kind of love that was really just Lust in disguise, but the kind that made someone sacrifice their well being for that of their beloved.

With a small smile, she wrote down the events of the day. Carefully, she penned using the Naiad alphabet into her journal, unfamiliar to her hand. She'd only just begun learning their written word, as she had only been their Queen for six months or so. Silently, she prayed to the Gods that her child would be born safe and whole...and male. One to carry on the line of Triton as no other could.

In her journal, she also wrote her silent thoughts that when her child grew, he would be a good ruler. Kind and warm, like Augustus had been. He'd been a sweet merman, with a gilded tongue like the Sirens of her home. His eyes had glowed a soft gold that matched the brilliance of his tail and the sunlight that was his blonde hair. He'd been dark skinned, having visited the surface of the ocean often, and he usually accented his look with gold jewelry, the mark of his house and position.

Even though the Triton could never sing to his mate, Augustus had more than made up for this deficiency with his charm and his devotion. For Melodia, the most important trait he showed her was ambition. He came to the Undine to woo not just any of their women, but a Siren. Augustus had dreamed big for his home and his clan.

If her son had half his father's charm, then she knew the kingdom would be in good hands. And if her egg hatched into a mermaid, she knew her daughter would be a beauty beyond all beauties. Hopefully, the fair maid would have the musical talent she needed to attain the title of Siren, like Melodia had before marriage.

Melodia shook her head and tucked away her journal before resuming her avid watching of the nestled egg. Watching and waiting for the future to bring her fate to pass.

Her reverie was broken by shouting in the hall and a burst of magic that threw open the door. Melodia watched as Militum sank to the floor of her room, his body limp and the smell of blood clouding the water. Instantly, she placed herself between the egg and the door, her tail flicking back and forth with agitation. 

She drew herself up, straightening her shoulders and lifting her head, preparing to Sing the most vicious magic she could. No one was going to touch her child. As the figure at the door moved into her room, from shadow to light, she hesitated.

The intruder was only a hand shorter than Militum, with wide shoulders and a square jaw. Short amber curls haloed around his pointed ears and he wore a Moonstone amulet over his heart on a chain of gold. His tail was long and glittered as golden as his brother's had. 

"Prince Arsenius." Melodia did not bow to him, but remained in her fighting posture. Her sweet voice was strained with the effort of ignoring all her instincts to lash out.

The prince of Nereus bowed to her, though she was no longer Queen. "Siren." His deep voice rumbled into the water, rippling with the power of his bloodline. 

Melodia closed her hands into fists, feeling her talons dig into her own palms and draw blood. "To what do I owe the...pleasure of your company?" 

Arsenius scanned the room slowly, seeming perfectly at ease. To Melodia, it was like watching a snake coil in preparation for a strike. Finally, he settled his attention behind her, to the hatching chest he knew housed his future nephew or niece. 

"I was worried for your safety, Siren. Given the current situation, nothing is more important to me than you and your egg." The way his eyes shuttered, flashing his milky inner eyelid briefly, told her that he was lying. Prince Arsenius had never been as good at diplomatic speech as his brother.

Still, the real question was which part was he lying about? Concern for her? Concern for her egg? If he was concerned, why had he hurt Militum, whose loyalty was unquestionable? Melodia cast her eyes to the crumpled body of her guard and noted with some relief that he appeared to be alive. It was a short lived relief. 

Even as she turned her attention back to him, Arsenius was already moving. His talons reached out, grasping her neck and digging in with enough force to close her throat. Not only were his fingers covering her gills, cutting her off from breathing, but the pressure on her throat ensured she would not be able to Sing. Her fingers came up, prying at his hands in a vain attempt to free herself.

Unlike his brother, Prince Arsenius excelled in the art of combat, and his power reflected that. His talons were like stone under her scrabbling nails. Though she strained against his hold, the only noise Melodia could make was a pathetic squeak that was cut off abruptly as he tightened his hold.

His golden eyes glittered in the dim light and he pulled her to him so that their noses almost touched. Melodia's tail spasmed as her vision began to darken around the edges. "You always were too arrogant for your own good. Judging everyone around you as though you could do better than they."

Arsenius' tail thumped against the floor, betraying his agitation. "Now you are reduced to mere commoner. Not even a Siren of the Undine anymore, Melodia." He grinned so wide that she could see all of his first row of teeth, pointed daggers in the growing darkness of her vision. 

"Aren't you even going to fight to defend your egg? Or do you harbor the same lack of emotion for your unhatched spawn as you did for my brother?"

Melodia's arms fell, sliding harmlessly away from her neck as she lost the strength to fight. Her body went limp and she knew if she did nothing, this would be the end of her. Despite the desperate ache in her body that demanded air, her thoughts turned to the egg. Her child. Defenseless.

A single tear slid from her eye and solidified as it traveled down her cheek. The tear shaped pearl fell from her chin and floated the floor, landing with a soft chink before it rolled away.