After the two had entered the massive palace that more resembled a gigantic spire of ancient technology mixed in with sea shells and glowing algae, Ami couldn't help but feel a twinge of hesitation as they ascended the elevator to the top floor.
"Isn't it baffling that they have an elevator despite the fact that one could simply swim to the top?" Lucy remarked with a light laugh. "I don't k-know why... B-But I-I really don't want to meet t-the king..."
"The last king I met ripped out my heart and turned me to gold. You will be fine." The demon responded as the doors opened into a large throne room filled with a lot of blue décor. Apparently the king was a fan of the whole sea theme.
"O-O-Okay... Three things I-I know is his name is Sio, The Queen hates Dropllet and d-don't ask about the trident." Ami explained rather quickly, barely giving Lucy enough time to comprehend it as the young Oracle swayed her sickeningly pink hair back and put on the toughest face she could muster.
"F-Father, Mother, I have returned!" She proudly proclaimed with a dramatic bow before the King and Queen, who both stared at their daughter with a bit of confusion.
The king looked down at her with a warm smile as he stroked his light blue beard. "I see you dyed your hair again... It looks nice." He said in a loving tone. Ami shot up, rather receptive to compliments. "W-Well, I mean, I-I thought red l-looked nice a-and all, b-but this is nice too." She got rather flustered pretty quickly, as to be expected from her.
Lucy stood behind the mer-Ami, giving a more dignified bow. "I apologise for the intrusion, but you summoned her and I was forced to come along... As her-" Before Lucy could try and make herself out to at least be someone of status, Ami quickly interjected with; "Pet. She's my new pet, father."
"Oh of course she chose something so unsightly..." The Queen, Tiri, mused. With a flick of her wrist, Lucy was encased in a bubble that began to heat up quickly. "Don't worry, I'll find something less hideous for you to distract yourself with." She smirked, though as the water reached a boiling point that would have killed any normal aquatic creature, Lucy stood with her arms crossed with a bored stare.
"T-That w-won't work..." Ami mumbled before poking the bubble. It instantly popped, leaving the Queen confused, though the king was more then happy, laughing loudly as he slapped his tail. "Looks like someone's loosing there touch!"
"I... Oh, be quiet." Tiri sighed, slinking down in her throne with a pout. Since Lucy wasn't exactly a big fan of attempted murder, she stood in the hallway outside, leaving Ami to ask about the summon.
The king's smile slowly faded and with a sigh, he went on to explain; "Well my little Dropllet... We have finally found you a partner..." The king leant over to his Queen as he spoke before turning back with a sigh. "You're getting married to a Prince."
Ami felt her heart sink at first, feeling bad for the kingdom potentially being without a ruler... Then she heard the term prince and her mood instantly shifted. "I GET TO MARRY A PRINCE!? I-Is he tall? Pretty? W-Will he love me with every part of his being, trying to make me swoon at every chance and bringing me flowers before we go on a magical carriage ride that defines our marriage?"
The royals stared at their daughter for a moment, taking a second too blink. "We thought you'd be upset about getting married?" Sio was rather confused. He loved his daughter, sure, but he knew she would never accept being tied down so easily.
It was both delightful and alarming at her sudden shift in personality. Maybe she really did learn something out in Shellton. Though Tiri was more than delighted by how easy it was to convince their daughter.
Meanwhile, just outside the throne room, Lucy was feeling rather ill from the boiling. As she tried her best to hold back the vomit that was sure to come, she rushed to find a bathroom. Yet with little options left and no time remaining, she threw up viscous chunks of black bile that unfortunately landed square on a young Siren maid's outfit.
She let out a disgusted noise that almost sounded normal, yet vaguely broken as she tried to wipe it off with her frilled white wings that resembled wings. "A-Apologises, Ma'am." Lucy awkwardly laughed, trying to use her tentacles to wipe off the stain.
Yet it only seemed to get worse in the underwater environment as the maid muttered under her breath; "Abominabile creatura... Tentans fatum."
The phrase made Lucy freeze for a moment as she took a closer look at the maid. Despite her physical appearance not looking out of the ordinary, the Leviathan stared deeply into her eyes. "What's your name, dear?" She asked with a more put on awkwardness to her words.
The maid let out a watery sigh before ruffling out her dress. "I am... Odyssey Draphnir, Head Maid of The Bermuda Royal Family. And you are... Some kind of sickly sea pet?"
"Diabolus dissimulato. Non potes dicere?" Lucy responded in a flat tone, putting the siren on edge. "Who are you?" She asked in a hush whisper as she leant in close. "Penumbra. It's Lucy?"
The Siren quickly pulled back, now slightly confused. "Wait... You know Penumbra?" They asked in a more casual tone, their voice swapping to a more laid back masculine one as their once emerald eyes melted away into an almost hypnotical spiral of white and black.
"Are... You not Penumbra? Who are you really?"
"A Prince..." Dropllet mumbled again, still not able to get over the fact that she could be getting married. Ami had always dreamt about having a life like a fairy tale and she could finally have it... Even if it wasn't her life.
"But their was another reason we asked you to come... Dropllet? Are you even listening?" The king asked, snapping his fingers to try and grab her attention. The mermaid quickly snapped back to reality, facing him with an awkward look.
"We have to talk about her."
"Y-Yes... Her... W-Who is?" Ami tried to at least seem as though she knew who she was. Yet Tiri saw through her "daughter's" feigned knowledge of the subject rather easily. "How many times do we have to go on about the Queen Deep Beneath The Sea with you? You forget even the simplest things..."
Dropllet tried to at least look like the comment didn't sting despite the fact that it wasn't even her own mother. "W-Why don't you remind me?"
The two royals shared a look before Tiri explained the kingdom's dilemma once more.
In three days, A Queen From Deep Beneath the surface would awaken and cast their kingdom in ever lasting shadow. But, rumour had it that a Prince from the land above and Princess born of the sea would be able to stop her.
"Woah... T-That's a great plot hook!" Dropllet said with a giddy twirl. She was going to get married AND be the hero? It was a dream come true.
"A... Plot hook? This isn't some game, My Little Salmon." Sio explained with a half hearted look. Ami's acting skills were slowly being broken down by the prospects this body held. But if she wanted to play the hero, she had to buckle down and act like a princess.
With a deep breath of water, she quickly got back into character. "I know... Geez... Acting like I won't do this. I'm not some pathetic fish stick, Father." She snapped back with, her tone more disinterested and rough.
"Now then. The Prince from above shall arrive at any moment. Go with the maids and try to look... Presentable." Tiri snapped her fingers as four mermaids wearing rather old fashioned French maid outfits swam in, guiding Ami away.
"The sea is doomed." The Queen remarked as she turned to her husband with a worried look once their "daughter" was gone. Though the king seemed more than happy. "She's a fighter like you. If that Wicked thing thinks she can suffocate us, then she'll answer to her."
The queen looked somewhat comforted by the words as she got up to leave, though not before giving her king a kiss on the cheek. "Perhaps you're right. Neither the less, let us hope this king is as pure as our little girl." She remarked before swimming away to get ready.
As the king sat alone in his throne, he stared up to the ceiling, staring at a golden trident that hung above.
"I hope she can do this..."