"I see this is how Lord Gilliam wants it... violence, bloodshed, tyranny...Too bad, he'll get none because we're gonna run, escape from here right now! Go, go!", Wanda yelled.
"Okay", Winter said joyfully and floated into Dylan's cave room.
"Wait, you have no property there...!", Dylan yelled but she ignored him.
"Winter", Wanda said and clapped her hands together.Winter pouted her lips sadly and turned back.
They hurriedly packed some things that they needed and headed out.
They hadn't gone far when they saw a large army coming towards them from the opposite direction. Dylan and Wanda held hands together and placed Winter between them. They chanted some words and slowly transformed into two mer-people with tails, they both held onto each of Winter's hands and swam away very fast. Luckily for them, the army sent by Lord Gilliam and led by Olly's mom didn't see them. They swam non-stop till they were far ahead of the army then they stopped by the entrance of a cave to get some rest.
Winter wasn't shocked by the fact that her siblings could change into mer-people. They told her before that day. When they stopped at the entrance, Wanda and Dylan panted heavily and held onto to the cave to catch their breaths.
"Are you guys okay?", Winter asked concerned.
"Yeah...we're just...trying to...catch our...breaths.", Dylan replied, panting.
"We'll go to Mama Finney's place and stay there till it's safe to leave", Wanda declared.
"Okay", Winter replied. "But we could stay here ...y'know hide here",Winter said hoping they would agree and spend some time in the cave.
"Nope", Dylan and Wanda chorused.
"Okay", she said and sighed.
--An hour later--
Mama Finney heard a loud blast in front of her underwater house. She immediately put out the glowing jellyfishes by tapping them once and grabbed her magic staff, she aimed for the door and was prepared to attack whatever it was that was around her house. She waited patiently and some seconds later two mer - people swam speedily into her living room but immediately became slower than sea snails after Mama Finney cast a slowness spell on them. The third one who was not a mermaid smiled happily and swam towards her.
"Mama Finney! I have missed you so much!", Winter announced and hugged her tightly.
Mama Finney gave Winter a quick kiss on her hair and defensively pulled her behind herself.
"One minute, darling. Let Mama Finney deal with these baddies!", Mama Finney said and gave a scary frown.
"Winnnn...terrr, tellll Maaa...maaa Finnn...eyyy whooo weeee arrrreee", Dylan said slowly.
"Mama Finney, they're Dylan and Wanda", Winter said and giggled.
"You don't say...", Mama Finney replied and gasped in surprise when she recognized the necklace around their necks - The royal necklaces.
"Oh my, it seems I am not the best at Tech Magic in the ocean anymore. I've got master competitors", she said and threw her arms up in defeat.
"Reverse spell", she said to her staff and it shot out sparkly blue bubbles towards them. They unfroze and Dylan flexed his obvious but not too big muscles and flapped his tail rapidly in the water.
"Phew...feels good to be able to do those again", Dylan said.
"I'm sorry, darlings. I thought you were two of Lord Silly the Second's soldiers", she explained and shook her head dejectedly.
"It's okay Mama Finney, we understand in fact we were escaping from them. Can we stay here for a while till we figure out what to do?"
"Of course, you're welcome here anytime. I'll go prepare you some snacks. Mini Sapphire will show you to your rooms", Mama Finney said and turned to leave.
"Wait, who is Mini sapphire?", Wanda asked.
"He is", Mama Finney said and a light blue dolphin swam out of the aquarium - room Mama Finney had prepared for her 'assistant' ever since they had been visiting her.
The dolphin looked majestic and even had a mini sapphire necklace hanging on it's neck.
"He really is the one you've been waiting for", Wanda commented still admiring the dolphin.
"Yeah, I found him on my way to the Chemical store yesterday, he took a liking to me and followed me home. I asked around to know if he had an owner but he didn't so I named him 'Mini Sapphire' and gave him a special necklace that literally describes his name. It also matches his colour, he's been so helpful.", Mama Finney paused and looked at the dolphin lovingly.
"Wow...all these happened in one day", Dylan said with the tone he usually used when he wanted to end a conversation and Wanda smacked his shoulder.
"Silly boy, of course", Mama Finney said and chuckled. "It's easy for us sapphires to bond with other sea creatures within a short span of time. That's our extra skill apart from Tech Magic.", she explained.
"Cool", Winter said and moved closer to the dolphin. She patted it's head and hugged it. Surprisingly, the dolphin heeded and nudged Winter back.
Wanda tried the same but Mini Sapphire retreated defensively. "Guess it's not my turn", Wanda said and laughed. Mama Finney had left already.
"Can I call you M.S. for short?", Dylan asked, moving closer to Mini Sapphire causing Mini Sapphire to move even farther away.
"He's scared of you two", Winter said.
"What? Pfft...I'm not even full merman", Dylan said and laughed.
"He's still scared", Wanda said.
"Fine", Dylan said and changed back into human form. Wanda did the same. Mini Sapphire relaxed a bit and turned to swim then made a 'follow me' gesture.
Being the best Tech magician in the ocean, the 'rooms' Mama Finney prepared were self automated. They literally did everything you wanted and made it seem like a home away from home.
Mini Sapphire punched in Wanda's name with his fin and said something in dolphin language. The first room opened by itself and said in a robot female voice, "Welcome Princess Wanda".
Mini Sapphire spoke for the first time."Princess Wanda, you can settle in your room now, your maid will tell you when the snacks are ready".
"You can talk?!",Dylan asked in shock.
"I couldn't talk before now. My voice has just been activated. Follow me, Prince Dylan and Princess Winter.", Mini Sapphire said and swam along elegantly leaving Dylan's mouth open in shock.