Among the eight water tribes, the Trench Kingdom was the largest. The deep trench provided safety for the merfolk that lived there. Its thousands of underwater tunnels within the walls provided cavern homes and the palace itself had tunnels that lead straight up into Mermaid Island. The dark trench was lit up by fluorescent coral plants and glowing rocks of soft colors. All around the trench on rocky ledges outside of caverns or resting on other rocks along the floor of the trench, the merfolk were grooming themselves. Mothers and fathers were helping their children dress for the ceremony that would hopefully help them attract a mate. Anyone that could still breed participated. With their numbers dwindling, this wasn't just important for them but for all the water tribes. Merfolk were social creatures, and this was the biggest social gathering they had. This allowed their children to learn of other cultures among the other water tribes and meet new interesting people. Merchildren longed for this event. Sometimes the merchildren would even leave with the other tribes to live with them for a time.

The interactions strengthened ties between the tribes. For while the leaders of the eight tribes ruled over a part of the seven seas, they all held their allegiance to the Sea King. A position given to him by Poseidon when he gave his son a powerful Trident of godly power to protect the seven seas and its people. The ceremony was a tradition and an important one, because the seven children of Triton were the future of the Seven Sea kingdoms. Each child groomed to find a mate and head off to their new kingdom to lead the people there. Allowing the current rulers to advise them before retiring. This kept the kingdoms strong and healthy. While his sisters had all attended this ceremony at least once each, they had not left to rule because the leaders were not quite ready to step down yet. The leaders still had time left to rule. So, they could only hope that one of their sons or daughters would be chosen to rule at the side of Triton's kid. Triton's children were supposed to be a symbol of hope for the people. Seeing them at the ceremony showed the people how much they'd grown and how they cared. For his first ceremony, he was not off to a good start.

Swimming quickly through the trench, Nate tried to reach his grotto. Since he couldn't share a room with his sisters, his father had allowed him a cavern off his own as a gift. A home away from the palace. Pushing the hanging vines out of the way, Nate removed his bag and tossed it inside. He'd go through the stuff later. Mark glanced around at the whispering Merfolk that were watching them, upon telling Nate grimly. "You're so late... Everyone is outside now." Nate spun around, letting the vines fall back to hide his treasures as he positively told him. "Maybe they are just taking a break? Maybe my dad delayed the ceremony?" Mark gave Nate doubtful look, mumbling out. "I wouldn't bet on that." Nate's heart sank, but he didn't want to make any assumptions. With Mark tailing behind him, Nate swam off for the large entrance into the trench palace. As he swam into the massive tunnel, a mermaid that was leaning against a green glowing coral pillar, uttered out dryly. "You are late..."

Nate slowed to look at his eldest sister. She was a tall mermaid with braided auburn hair that was decorated in spiky shells. Out of all his sisters, Attina, was the tomboy. She was the son his father wanted. She was the strongest mermaid he knew, and she was confident. She was wise and the Barring Sea Tribe couldn't wait to have her as one of their own. Nate cleared his throat, asking nervously. "Where is he?" Attina crossed her arms under her large chest, stating coolly. "The throne room. He's getting a group together to go search for you... He's not happy." Nate looked at Mark, mumbling out. "He's never happy to see me." He started to swim on, until Attina grabbed his wrist. Holding his wrist gently, she told him more affectionately. "Nathan... He thought you'd gotten hurt or had been taken. After what happened to mom... You're just like her and that scares him. He can't afford to lose you." Yanking his arm from her, he snapped back at her. "If he can't afford to lose me, then why is HE the one pushing me away? He never treats you the way he treats me!"

Propelling himself forward, he left her in his wake. Approaching the large statue in the grand hallway, he looked up at the stony face of his mother. Swallowing, he bowed his head and swam around her to head to the throne room. He had been really young when his mother went missing. Since no one talked about her, he didn't know anything about her other than how strong hearted she was. The throne room was made of soft glowing blue rocks that brightened up the large room in a calming light. The throne was made from a massive giant clam shell of pristine white and sat on a ledge so that he could look down over his guests. Beside the throne was a sea glass table with scallop shells loaded with freshly hunted seafood. There was even shell platters of sea grapes and sea greens that had been grown in the royal gardens. Sitting on the throne, a burly muscular merman sat with a long golden trident across his lap. His long blue tail swaying in the water as he commanded his soldiers in a deep voice. "Start at the borders and work your way in. If you find anything I-" The second the Sea King's grey eyes saw him, his face turned from worry to a stony look.

Letting out an exhale, Triton raised a hand to wave his guards away without a word. The merfolk dressed in golden armor turned with confused faces before understanding. Fleeing the room, Nate slowly moved closer to the throne. He tried to imagine his father being the youngest son of seven siblings but couldn't. He had been told by the elders that Triton had been a scrawny shy kid... but that was certainly not who he was now. The merman before him was a warrior. His body was almost entirely muscle and his long black hair and short beard was wavy but well groomed. Triton wore golden shoulder plates with a gold chain that was attached to them across his broad chest that had shiny seashells and pearls hanging from it. The golden crown on his head had spikes that were decorated in more pearls of pinks, whites, and blacks. Triton turned the trident in his hand, his eyes locked on him with anger that he was barely containing. Bowing his head and exposing his palms at his sides in a gesture to show his dad his loyalty and respect, he tried not to say anything.

He was at his dad's mercy and figured he'd have enough to say to him. His father leaned back in his throne, asking in a firm voice. "Where were you?" Nate inhaled slowly, his ear fins falling back against his head. Shaking a little, he tried to dodge the question by answering in a low respectful voice. "I'm sorry. I forgot what day it was... Honest." His father adjusted the trident on his lap, gripping it tighter as he growled out as calmly as he could. "I asked you a question. Where were you? What was so important that you blew off this sacred tradition?" Unable to tell him the truth, he mumbled out the first thing he thought of. "I went for a swim around the trench with Mark." Triton tapped his fingers on the trident, shaking his head with disappointment. Nate lifted his head more but kept his ear fins down as he told him truthfully. "Dad, I am sorry. I... It's my birthday and I just wanted to do something for myself." Triton hefted a sigh, looking away as he said in a fatherly tone of voice. "Nathan... I've told you repeatedly how important this is. If something happens to me, the people need to know that they can count on you. And so far... You've only proven how much you don't care."

Nate straightened up, retorting seriously. "I DO care! But I have things that I want to do!" Triton's eyes turned to glare at his son, uttering out in warning. "You can't always do what you want. I've been patient with you... By your age, I was ready to rule and I was put on this throne in a seconds notice. I'm hearing from the elders that you are skipping out on lessons. That you are fighting with the other mermen. And now... you made me look like a fool. I don't know what to do with you, Nathan. What am I doing wrong?" Nate puffed his chest up, replying gently. "Dad, I'm not like you. And whenever I wanna talk about something that matters to me... You don't wanna hear it." Triton tossed his hands up, sitting up straighter on his throne as he told him firmly. "Alright. Talk to me." Nate crossed his arms, nervously diving into the core of the problem. "I wanna go to the surface." His dad shrugged, telling him bluntly. "You'll be going up to the Mermaid Lagoon tonight." Nate rolled his eyes, correcting. "I'm not talking about the Lagoon. I'm talking about going up to explore. To observe. I wanna see a human." Triton cracked his knuckles, firmly blurting out. "No."

Nate tried to stay calm as he retorted quickly. "I don't want to talk to them. I just want to SEE one. I'd be careful and I wouldn't get hurt." Triton shook his head, causing Nate to rush out desperately. "Dad, please! Just once! I can take care of myself!" Triton shook his head, telling him sternly. "I said no. You think you can take of yourself, but you can't. You have no idea what humans are like. What they do to people like us... There is too much riding on your future. I'm not going to have you snared in some fishermen's net." Nate glared at Triton, bitterly snapping back. "I'd be fine. I'm not afraid of humans or their nets! Unlike YOU!" Triton's tail stopped swaying, his voice turning dark as he said. "I'm not afraid of them. I HATE THEM. But my duty is to protect my people. Something you will learn. The fact that you even bring that up, just goes to show your arrogance! You are young and you know NOTHING of the dangers in this world." Triton forced himself to relax in his seat, his voice leveling out as he informed him. "After tonight, you will be escorted to your private lessons. It's time you stop floundering around and start taking things more seriously. There is nothing up there for you and it's about time you realize that."

Nate shook his head at him, yelling back. "When are you going to see that I'm not a kid! You don't treat my sisters like this! Just give me a chance!" Nate swam closer to the throne, pleading with him desperately. "Just one day. Please?!" Triton leaned forward, his muscles tensing as he asked seriously. "Why? What about those heartless land dwellers is so damn fascinating to you?" Nate shrugged, feeling personally attacked by the question. Swallowing, Nate told him coolly. "I just wanna learn about them..." Triton stared into his eyes for a minute, trying to search for something in them. Then shaking his head, he told him flatly. "No. Down here is your home. There is nothing they can teach you that will help you down here. We are both predators... and we kill each other. That's the way things are." Nate snorted, turning to take his leave. He was tired of fighting a losing battle with him. He didn't care what it meant to him. His dad was too bitter and set in his ways. Just as he was crossing the room, his dad told him shortly. "Nathan. Wait." Nate slowed to a stop but didn't turn around. Instead, he heard his dad call out beyond the vine covered entranced. "Mark. Come in."

Mark slipped between the vines, heading past him with a guilty expression. Nate's heart raced, reaching out to touch Mark's arm. Mark touched his hand but didn't slow down. He couldn't tell him anything without his dad questioning him. Turning to watch Mark approach the throne, he watched his dad ask Mark seriously. "I wanna hear from you, Mark. Where were you earlier?" Mark tensed, starting to turn to look back at Nate, but Triton reached out to grab his jaw to keep his attention. Bringing Mark's face closer, he asked him sternly. "Don't look at him. I asked you a question." Mark swallowed, bowing his head as he uttered out under his breath. "I... We..." Nate's heart twisted up in his chest. He hated that he had brought Mark into this. Triton glanced at Nate briefly before telling Mark seriously. "Tell me the truth, Mark. Lying to your king is treason." Mark's shoulders slumped with a heavy exhale. The question was hurting him. Torn between his friendship and the loyalty of his king.

Unable to watch this, Nate blurted out. "I lied. I didn't take him with me. I waited until the change in guards and slipped out to the reef. I went treasure hunting for my birthday. Mark didn't even know about it." Triton put a comforting hand on Mark's shoulder, turning a stony look on Nate as he told him darkly. "You risked pissing off Riptide... After, I told EVERYONE to stay away from him." Nate rolled his eyes, grumbling out to himself. "He's just a shark." Triton rose off his throne, bellowing out. "Riptide is NOT just a shark! Damn it, Nathan! I put these rules in place for a reason! WHY can't you just listen to me?!" Nate tossed his hands up, unable to stop himself as he yelled back in a broken voice. "Why can't you listen to ME?! I'm not like you and I don't want to be like you! All you care about is yourself! I HATE YOU!" Triton dropped his hand off Mark's shoulder with a hurt expression, but Nate whirled around to race from the palace. Mark started to follow but stopped to look at the king. The king's expression fell more, before he waved Mark to go after him.

Sitting back down on the throne, Triton buried his face in his hand and said to himself. "I wish you were here, Loreley. You'd know what to say... He's so much like you..." Lifting one of the scallop shells on the chain across his chest, he opened it like a locket to see her name written on one side and his on the other. Sniffling a little, he clicked it shut and sighed out. "I don't know what to do... It's not safe to let him go... and I can't seem to keep him here..." Closing his eyes, his tears mixed with the ocean water. Collecting himself, he straightened up on his throne when a guard swam in. The guard bowed to him and rushed out. "Your highness... The Sea Witch was spotted at the border. Should we call off the ceremony?" Triton rose from his throne, gripping his trident tighter as he told him. "No. This ceremony is too important for our people. I'll handle it. Warn the rest of the guards and tell them to prepare for a storm." The guard bowed again, rushing from the throne room.

Triton made to follow, catching Attina in the hall who had a confused look as the guard swam past. Holding her arm, he told her swiftly. "Attina, at nightfall, lead the young merfolk up to Mermaid Island. If the storm gets too dangerous, retreat to the water cave in the center of the island. Understand?" She nodded, then grabbed his arm to ask curtly. "Daddy? What's going on? Is this about Nathan?" Triton kissed her forehead, shaking his head as he told her warmly. "No. But keep an eye on him. The Sea Witch is back... and that can only be for one reason." Attina hugged herself, whispering back. "To kill us..." Triton pulled her close to kiss her again, comforting her confidently. "I'm not going to let that happen. Just keep them safe." She nodded, leaning into him as she told him a little scared. "Be careful, Daddy." Triton reluctantly pulled away from her to leave. It had been a long time since he had seen his older sibling. It still pained him to think about how they parted ways, but he wasn't going to let the Sea Witch kill any more of his family. As long as he had the trident, the Sea Witch didn't stand a chance against him. He just had to remind the Sea Witch of that. To Be Continued...