Ace nervously fingered the bracelets on her wrists as she sat in the first row of seats. The Grand Room was nothing short of magnificent, its design resembling a grand coliseum. In the center, a towering pillar stood proudly, made entirely of emerald stones. Its surface shimmered with faint, shifting lights as ancient symbols, intricately carved, glowed softly with a mysterious green hue.

"What do you think?" a familiar voice said beside her. She turned to see Morgan watching her with a sly grin, his arms crossed casually over his chest.

"This is all so strange," she murmured, her eyes scanning the Grand Room. "It's nothing like the wedding ceremonies I'm used to."

Morgan's grin widened as he leaned closer, his voice low and conspiratorial. "I'm not surprised. This isn't just any wedding, it's a sacred ritual. Here, the King or Queen bonds with their chosen partner in front of the goddess herself. Watch closely—it's about to begin."

Ace's eyes flicked back to the center of the room as the soft hum of music began to fill the space. Her eyes searched for the source, but she saw no instruments, only the gentle vibration of song carried by the water itself.

Her gaze settled on Kai. The Emerald King was breathtaking. His broad shoulders were dusted with shimmering gold powder, and his powerful green tail flicked with a grace that only kings possessed. His long black hair floated around him, decorated with small emerald stones woven into the braids. A flowing green cape clasped around his neck with a golden emblem of his kingdom's sigil.

Beside him stood Atlantis, his fiery red hair adorned with thin strings of gold. A delicate gold circlet rested on his head, a symbol of his role as a prince and brother to the king.

The music shifted, its rhythm deepening, more resonant and powerful. Ace's eyes widened as she saw Kai's body shift, his limbs elongating, his eyes glowing a brilliant green. Scales shimmered brighter, covering more of his chest and arms. His frame grew larger, his form more beastly and divine all at once.

"What's happening to him?" Ace's voice was tight with awe and confusion.

"That's his true form," Morgan whispered beside her, his eyes fixed on Kai. "It's passed down from the parent to the rightful heir of the kingdom. The King's power manifests in this form, making him more than a merman—he becomes something greater."

Ace's gaze darted to the crowd. The entire mer population watched in reverent silence, their eyes never straying from their king. She felt the energy shift, the water itself humming with an unseen force.

The music reached a crescendo, and from the far end of the room, a second figure appeared. Ren. Her beauty was otherworldly, her black hair cascading around her like a living veil. Her silver eyes glowed brighter than the gems in the palace, and her scales shimmered with gold accents. Beside her was a man whose presence made Ace's heart skip a beat.

His hair was pure white, trailing behind him like fresh-fallen snow. His body was adorned with swirling white paint that emphasized his corded muscles, and his tail shimmered with a crystalline blue hue. A transparent but glistening crown sat atop his brow, catching the faint light of the emerald stones.

"That's Destan," Morgan's voice was laced with amusement as he glanced at her.

Her heart thudded in her chest, her thoughts frantic. He's so hot.

"Why is he wearing a crown?" she asked, still unable to take her eyes off him.

Morgan's grin was sly. "Don't you know? He's the king of the Diamond Kingdom."

Her eyes widened. King Destan. Her gaze stayed glued to him, the realization making her pulse quicken.

Ren and Destan reached the base of the pillar, and Atlantis stepped forward, his red hair glowing like flames under the emerald lights. He raised his hands, his voice loud and commanding, carrying through the room with ease.

"The time has come!" Atlantis declared. "Our Emerald King has chosen his Emerald Queen. Long ago, our goddess blessed this pillar, deeming it the sacred place where two souls are bound as one. Let the ritual begin!"

The crowd's hands clasped together. The water around them shifted, the vibration of an ancient song resonating from their joined palms. Ace's heart pounded as Morgan took her left hand, a mermaid on her right linking their fingers with hers. Warmth coursed through her body, spreading from her fingertips to her core. Her gaze was drawn to Kai and Ren, watching as they swirled around the glowing pillar.

Symbols carved into the stone lit up, one after another, in a cascading spiral. The glow intensified as they reached the top. The warmth Ace felt grew stronger, and for a fleeting moment, she thought she felt Destan's presence behind her, his arms wrapping around her from behind.

Her eyes remained locked on Kai and Ren as they reached the top of the pillar. Their eyes met, filled with an intensity that made Ace's chest tighten. Their lips met in a slow, deliberate kiss, and the glow between them intensified until the light became blinding. A burst of energy shot out from them, shattering into thousands of tiny fragments that floated through the water like fireflies.

The crowd's hands released as they reached for the glowing fragments. The water shimmered as each mer caught a fragment, their faces glowing with awe. Ace's gaze stayed fixed on the couple, but when she glanced down, she noticed something small and glowing resting on her lap.

A fragment.

Morgan's grin was positively wicked as he watched the mers turn to their loved ones, their gazes filled with quiet hope and yearning. He turned his head just in time to see Ace glance at Destan, her eyes soft with uncertainty.

I knew it, Morgan thought smugly. He glanced at Atlantis, his heart warming at the sight of his prince's golden eyes glowing with love.

"Do you think it'll happen between them?" Atlantis's voice was soft but knowing.

Morgan's gaze shifted to Ace and Destan. She hovered a few feet from him, her hands nervously twisting her bracelets as if unsure of her next move.

"It's already begun," Morgan murmured, his fingers brushing against Atlantis's hand.

Atlantis's eyes turned to him, his grin slow and intimate. "Then let's not waste the night, love. Come with me. Let's make it count."

Morgan's heart leapt as his gaze flicked to Atlantis's lips, his grin mischievous. "If it pleases my prince, then I'll follow."

************************

Destan's eyes stayed on the dispersing crowd, his thoughts distant. Seeing the ritual with his own eyes left him humbled. He'd always known the meaning behind it, but witnessing it was something else entirely.

"Destan?" The soft voice pulled him from his thoughts.

He turned, his breath catching in his throat. There she was. Aceso.

Her dark hair floated in soft waves around her, streaked with strands of gold. Her eyes, framed by shimmering specks of light, gazed at him with warmth and uncertainty. The glow of the ritual's light still lingered on her skin.

"Aceso," he whispered, his voice barely audible. "You're here."

Blush bloomed on her cheeks, and she glanced down before looking back at him. "I... I had to see it for myself."

Destan's heart thudded harder. Slowly, he reached forward, taking her hand in his. Her skin was warm, her fingers soft in his palm.

"I'm glad you're here," he murmured, his eyes searching hers.

Her eyes flickered down to his lips, and before he could think, her lips met his in a gentle, yet powerful kiss.

His arms wrapped around her, his world narrowing to only her.

For the first time, he let himself fall. Fully and completely.

What happened next whirled out his control, their bodies colliding against one another in a frantic pace to satisfy the longing they had for one another. Right in the private rooms of the Grand Room.

****
Kai brought Ren to the soft bed of moss, cushioning their sudden desires to take one another. The water surrounding them warming up from their passionate heat.

She was beautiful. Her eyes glowed like the stars themselves, her lips reminding him of the plump, red fruits that grew in the gardens. But none of that compared to the satisfaction of having her in his arms not as the girl that nearly died of starvation but as his wife.

"Oh Ren," he murmured softly, burying his face into her neck, placing soft kisses over collarbone, "My wife. My Queen."

He felt her hands slid down his back as she spoke in her soft voice, "I love you Kai."

"I love you," he murmured, pressing a kiss on her lips before finally taking her as his.