*****
"What did you just do Yulan?" Mother shouted at me. She was furious and the lights kept going on and off. I was afraid of what she might do to me or the stranger. "When will you stop going against my orders?"
'Forgive me mother but the stranger needs help" I tried to change the topic. The other mermaids – the council members were present. They were shocked to see me talk boldly after what I have done. No one dare to utter a word if the Queen was angry.
If I was caught it on a normal day, it would have been a different case. Today, A life was saved by me- or might be saved because my mother was yet to give her consent for his treatment.
This should give them a reason to appreciate me for the good work done. Their princess was a lifesaver.
"You are wronged princess Yulan. Please apologize to your mother" the concierge said to me. She always claimed to be the obedient one. But I had no choice but to heed her advice.
"Mother please, forgive your daughter" I went to my knees and touched her dress. She looked at me and when our gaze met, she looked away. That hurt a lot.
"There is nothing I can do to save him. Humans are threats to the kingdom If I help him today only the gods know what trouble we might get into tomorrow" mother said returning to her throne. I was happy she used might there which means there was a chance that he might not betray us.
I stood up and climbed the stairs to meet her. A man's life was in danger and my mother did not even care about it. To make it worse, the concierge was aiding and backing her off.
"Mother, if I am in this situation one day and a human decides to save my life. Will you be happy?" I asked focusing my gaze on her. The question was a difficult one. She loved me with all her heart. Losing me would be a big blow to my mother and the entire kingdom.
"A human won't save you, daughter. They will kill and put your remains in a museum."
A museum? What was that?? Mother was not joking. She was not going to help this man. I have to do something on my own.
"If you don't want to treat him. I will" I said, turning towards the maids that stood with the guards.
"Get a physician for me" I commanded.
They all stared at me without moving. The servants were confused about whether to move or not. The concierge tried to give me signals using her eyes. She wanted to stop me from creating scenes.
I ignored her!.
"You are stubborn Yulan. Get the physician" mother said, permitting my request. "Once he is treated, I will have him thrown out of the kingdom immediately."
"No problem mother. Thank you for the help" I said, excitedly. The concierge did not look happy when my request was granted. Wait this was my mother, not hers! Why the face like I stole something from her?
"I am happy that you are using magic now princess," the concierge said. "Our classes shall resume tomorrow."
Was she really happy?
"Okay concierge" I curtsied and left for my room. She always has a way of ruining my day. See how happy I woke up this morning without seeing the face. When we met this afternoon everything turned upside down. A magic class won't hurt but the concierge always found a way of mocking and insulting me because I was not good at magic.
Magic in the underworld was laid in the hands of two important mermaids, My mother and I According to the tradition, she was the beginning and I was the end. If she dies, I take over from where she stopped. I was supposed to be her helper when it came to affairs of the kingdom but no! I couldn't even listen to the meetings. The concierge said I was unfit and it would be best if I concentrate on my training for now. What rubbish! Once I become the Queen, she will be dismissed.
At the age of sixteen, I couldn't light a common fire using magic. The concierge said their mother started using magic at the age of ten. And she was professional back then. But who cares? Yes! I was happy that she was good at it. This was not my life.
I wanted to go and live with the humans. Stay with them and try to copy their way of life. From the stories mother told at night, in the human world, they use technologies to help better their lives. One doesn't have to walk a far distance. They used cars, trains, bicycles, and aero… have forgotten the other one.
What a cool life to live.
I couldn't sleep throughout the night. The dead bodies in the sea kept on troubling my mind. I felt like throwing up each time, I remembered the man in that white suit.
I even dreamt that their families wanted to kill me because my mother was the cause of everything. With my tail on dry land, I couldn't walk or swim. They caught up with me. Just when they were about to cut my tail with a sharp object that look like a sword….
"Mother!" I screamed when I woke. My whole body was covered with sweat. My heart was racing at a high speed as I tried to on the lights in the room.
"What happened to you, my love ?" Mother asked when she entered the room. "You look pale Yulan," she said touching my forehead countless times. "Should I give you water to drink?"
"No mother. I am scared" I said hugging her tightly.
"Your nightmare has started again. Now, do you understand the reason I don't want you up there?"
Was this the reason my mother refused me to go up there? Any time I visited the shores of the sea, there was a nightmare waiting for me at night. Now, it was certain that mother was hiding something from me? But what could that be?
"Mother, how is he doing?" I asked her about the stranger I brought home yesterday. "Has he woken up?"
"Not yet my child but soon. The treatment is done. Once, he opens his…"
"He will be gone right?" I finished the line for her. "Thank you, mother."
She kissed my cheeks and held me tightly. A lot might be going through her mind right now. No matter what I must find out what was going on in the kingdom, behind my back.