Naia didn't answer immediately, feeling the depth of his question.
But her eyes met his beautiful emerald ones and her heart felt full. She didn't have an inch of hesitation when she agreed.
When she nodded, he smiled so brightly and Naia knew she gave the right answer.
He excitedly took her to an interior cave much smaller—intimate—than the main space outside. It was still larger than most merfolk's private spaces though, and extremely comfortable.
It was his bedroom, intricately designed with patterns and carvings, shells, and stalactite crystals.
In contrast with the common kelp-hammocks, sandy beds, or simple seaweed beds of other mermaids, this was more than a bit different.
His, a noble's, was made of comfortable special seaweed. It was further covered with aquatic silk made from rare seaplant.
There was also a canopy of shells and pearls that framed the bed.
These were added just a few days prior; he wanted to surprise her.
Naia was a typical orphan merling who grew up in the community of merlings.
She had been living in a comfortable community coral complex and her room was actually quite nice because everyone spoiled her. But none of the rooms came close to this.
Caspian knew she'd love this room.
Sure enough, Naia was gaping and looking around in amazement. The last time she was here, it was all very plain, straightforward, and very… Caspian.
What was this now? So pretty!
Caspian smiled at her cute reaction, habitually wrapping his arms around her soft torso.
"This will be our room," he said, "You're my mate after all.
"And… we are going to mate tonight." He added, his mouth hovering on her pointed ears. "Are you willing?"
Naia blinked. Didn't they already talk about this before?
Caspian smiled and gently pulled her to the bed, letting her lie down relaxedly there.
He watched his beautiful Naia lay there, her hair floating around her gracefully. Her beauty was also given special luminescence by the glittering crystals around them.
Too beautiful…
He leaned down and met her lips, but this time he was more passionate than usual. He rubbed his large body against hers as he parted her soft mouth with his tongue, letting them wrap around each other like their tails usually did.
It was their first time being so intimate, and both merman and mermaid found it quite addicting.
They did not part until Caspian took off the small shell that covered the tip of her breast, revealing the beautiful peak.
While their tongues danced, his hand groped her mounds and rubbed them, making Naia separate a little as she gasped.
"Hmmm…" she moaned and Caspian did not give her a chance to react as he captured her lips again. He began rubbing her mounds more passionately, making her squirm.
His hands temporarily parted from her jelly and he lifted his head to see her expression. She was dazed, looking confused as she looked at him, silently asking why he stopped.
He chuckled and leaned down again to capture her lips again, but his hand had already slid down her flat stomach and to her beautiful scales.
There were two pleasure points in a mermaid's tail. One was dedicated purely for procreation, the other for cleansing.
He was determined to explore both tonight, and his fingers inserted in one of them at this thought.
"Hmmm~" he felt her arch and flinch, but his weight kept her in position.
Her front point felt lovely and tight, he could feel the meat gripping in his fingers.
He had heard his soldiers talk about their wives this way, and it actually disgusted him before. However, at this moment, with his Naia in front of him like this, he was just curious and eager to try.
He wanted to explore more of her, to reach more inside her.
"What…" Naia gasped as her back arched. Caspian's finger moved inside her front hole, making her confused at the sudden onslaught of pleasure.
"Ha~"
Caspian smiled and kissed her smooth cheek. "Does it feel good?"
"Hmm…" she nodded, and his ministrations turned a little wilder, and her mouth parted in pleasure.
His emerald eyes glinted with lust as he began kissing her neck, ending up on her mounds while his fingers wreaked a new type of havoc in her.
"Caspian…"
He was already breathless at this point, wanting to do more.
However, before they could do anything else, the cave was suddenly opened.
"Stopppp!!!!"
A few elders—including his own mother, Elder Baba—entered with a few guards.
Caspian quickly wrapped the naked Naia with the nearest seaweed. He walked forward and blocked her view from the guards, shifting his dissatisfied stare to the Elder.
"You cannot mate with her." The elder said, making Caspian's blood rise.
Caspian glared, "Why not?"
"At this moment, she must fulfill her duty to the clan."
"What?"
The Elder stared at him and sighed. She turned to the guards. "Leave," she said and turned to Caspian, who was frowning deeply in confusion.
"Mother—"
Elder Baba shook her head and looked at the girl behind him.
"Get dressed, we will wait outside," she said, tone non-negotiable. "We have much to discuss."
***
When they got out of the room, they noticed that all the elders remained with a few guards nearby.
Caspian frowned, was there a need for guards?
Naia held Caspian's hands as they settled in front of the elders, feeling scared.
"Do you remember your promise? To protect the clan?"
It was Caspian who answered for her. "What does she need to do? What do you expect from her?"
"You should know that the clan is dying," The old mermaid began, "Our home is dying and our bloodline is weakening. In a few years, newborns will cease to be born."
This made her gasp. "What? No…"
Elder Baba nodded and held her other hand. "The Grand Elder then went into seclusion to ask our gods. We have received our answer."
The couple looked at her with beating hearts, unsure if they wanted to hear the rest. However, the elder knew there was no avoiding this, and there was no point delaying.
"You must go above the sea and gather power there."
"Now?" It was Caspian who spoke. He was holding her protectively, pulling her away from his mother.
He could see that this was unavoidable, so his mind raced. He was already planning what they'd need—
"She needs to go alone."
"What?" Caspian's voice rose. "NO!"
"She must go above the surface today and with no one else!" The elder said, tone heavy. "It is prophesied!"
Caspian almost exploded, all respect he had towards the elders carried by the waves. "No! She doesn't know anything! She could die!"
"No! Our gods will protect her, but she must go today!"
Elder Baba looked at her son complicatedly, but there was no choice. "She would be in greater danger if she missed this time!"
"Forgive us, children, but we must do this." She said and the guards rose, making Caspian's eyes widen.
No wonder she brought so many guards! It was to hold him back!!
"Caspian!" Naia screamed as she was pulled away from him. She extended her arms, trying to hold onto him as if he was her lifeline.
"Naia!!!" Caspian yelled and pushed the others. As one of the strongest warriors of their clan, they were very weak against him.
Caspian managed to escape and almost reached her stretched-out hand, but more guards surrounded him, keeping him at bay, each appendage held securely by different guards.
His green eyes widened in despair as she was pulled further and further away from him.
"NAIA!!!!" He bellowed, but this time she could no longer answer back.
That would be the last they would see each other for a long time to come.