He paced back and forth in his chambers, his mind a whirlwind of confusion. Destan, crown prince of the Diamond Kingdom, had never been so torn before. His father's orders were clear: cut off the young mermaid's jeweled hand to send a message. But Destan could not bring himself to do it. The girl had a fire in her eyes that unsettled him, and the thought of causing her that much pain felt wrong. So, instead of obeying his father's brutal demand, he had taken a lock of her hair and a piece of her tail—a gentler, less permanent punishment. It would heal quickly with the help of his light faeries, he hoped.

His golden hair fell into his eyes as he ran a hand through it, his fingers gripping his white mask. He had expected a spoiled, sour princess—another entitled, arrogant mermaid like the Ruby Princess from the east. But Lady Belle had surprised him. She was strong, fierce even, with eyes that burned with a fierce intelligence. A fire stirred inside him, one he had not expected.

"Destan," his father's voice cut through his thoughts like a sharp blade.

The crown prince glanced up to see his father standing in the doorway. The Diamond King, with his grey hair and stoic demeanor, surveyed him with piercing eyes. His tail, a dull blue, swayed slightly behind him.

"Yes, Father?" Destan replied, his voice steady but with an underlying tension. He shifted his own bright blue tail, feeling the weight of his father's gaze.

"Did you do what I asked you to?" The king's icy gaze never wavered.

Destan hesitated, the weight of his decision still heavy on his chest. "I thought cutting off her hand would be too drastic, so I took a lock of her hair and a patch of her scales instead. It seemed... kinder," he muttered, avoiding his father's eyes.

A heavy silence hung in the room. Destan could feel his father's anger, simmering just beneath the surface. But when the king spoke, his voice was surprisingly calm.

"How is she?" the king asked, his tone measured.

"She's confused, angry. But my light faeries are watching over her. She'll heal."

"Good," the king said, turning to leave the room. "She is a valuable prisoner, a tool in our war against the Emerald Kingdom. We're fortunate to have found the king's favorite." He paused in the doorway, casting one last glance over his son. "Don't fail me again, Destan."

"I won't, Father," Destan murmured, lowering his gaze to his tail, the weight of his father's words pressing heavily on him.

_______________________________________________________________________________

Meanwhile, deep within the heart of the Diamond Kingdom, Morgan was moving like a shadow through the palace grounds. He had to be careful—too many guards patrolled the area, their eyes scanning the waters for intruders. But Morgan wasn't just any intruder. He was a merman of great skill, and more importantly, he was desperate.

Ren's time was running out. The spell that was slowly turning her human would soon reach its final stage, and if he didn't act quickly, it would be too late. He could feel the weight of the time ticking away.

He closed his eyes for a moment, reaching deep within himself. A faint flicker of light brushed against his senses.

Cassio.

He didn't need to speak the name aloud. His connection to the faerie was deep, and the light faerie would sense his presence, just as Morgan could feel the warmth of Cassio's light approaching.

Morgan opened his eyes, and sure enough, a swarm of light faeries appeared before him, their tiny glowing bodies flickering in the dimness. They darted towards him, unnoticed by the guards, for no one dared question the servants of the royal family.

"Morgan!" Cassio's high-pitched voice greeted him, and the faerie hovered in front of his face, its orange eyes wide with curiosity.

"Cassio," Morgan murmured, relief flooding through him. "I need your help. I need to get this to Ren. Quickly."

Cassio's small face grew serious as Morgan handed him a vial of liquid. "The mermaid with the grey eyes and white tail, you mean?"

"Aye," Morgan said, urgency in his voice. "She won't last much longer. We don't have time to waste."

With a swift nod, Cassio darted off, followed by the other faeries. They moved with purpose, headed straight for the royal palace.

Inside the palace, a guard named Frio approached Destan, his face pale with fear. The usually stoic guard looked shaken, a stark contrast to his usual stern composure.

"Your Royal Highness," Frio said, his voice tight with anxiety.

Destan lowered the spear he had been practicing with and turned to face him. "What is it, Frio?" His tone was sharp, and irritation flashed through him.

"There's something wrong with the prisoner. Lady Belle... she's suffocating," the guard said, his words tumbling out in a rush.

Before Frio could say more, Destan was already moving. He dashed out of the room, his heart pounding in his chest. He hadn't expected things to take such a drastic turn.

He reached Lady Belle's quarters in moments, and when he opened the door, his heart nearly stopped. What he saw shocked him.

Instead of the familiar tail, her body had shifted. Two slender human legs, kicking and struggling for air, replaced her once beautiful tail. Her jeweled hands grasped her throat in desperation, her silver eyes wide with terror, pleading for help.

Without a moment's hesitation, Destan cut her bonds and scooped her into his arms, her soft form limp against his chest. He swam with all his strength, desperately pushing himself towards the surface, calling upon his light faeries for help.

Before they broke the surface, Destan acted on instinct, placing his mouth over hers, breathing life into her with oxygen drawn into his own lungs. He pressed his lips to hers, holding her close as they spiraled towards the surface.

Ren's vision was blurry as she gasped for air, her chest heaving as she took in deep breaths of fresh air. Her mind was spinning. When had she left the water? The world was so different above the surface, the sky stretched out before her, filled with twinkling stars and a glowing crescent moon. She looked up to see the merman who had saved her, his golden hair falling past his shoulders and his icy blue eyes studying her with quiet concern.

She realized, with a shock, that her tail was gone. In its place, two human legs now hung beneath her. She was no longer underwater, no longer a mermaid.

"Are you alright?" the merman's voice was soft, gentle, but there was something beneath it—something cold and calculating. Ren couldn't place it, but his presence made her uneasy.

Her mind was spinning. She hadn't asked for this. 

The merman seemed to sense her hesitation. He sank beneath the surface, disappearing for a moment before rising back up, a small vial in his hand.

"This is for you," he said, his tone detached. "It's best you drink it. It will help you."

Ren looked at the vial in his hand. She recognized it—the liquid that had been used to turn her human in the first place. She could feel the pain stirring in her legs as the transformation continued.

With a heavy heart, Ren took the vial and tilted it back, letting the liquid slip down her throat. Pain exploded in her legs as they began to shift, and a soft cry escaped her lips.

Warm arms wrapped around her as the darkness closed in around her. As she faded, she couldn't help but think of him—the one who had been there all along.

Kai.