Sunlight, when viewed from underwater, is a beautiful sight. And while so close to shore, the beams managed to break apart in shimmering strands to fall upon the colorful fish and coral reefs, giving so much more life to the world beneath the waves, so easily out of sight from most land-dwellers unless they don loud, clunking gear and goggles that fog and take away from the true serenity from the watery world. But on this secluded island no one was around. In fact, animals were rare, save for the few carnivores that preyed on the smaller ones, and the sea birds calling before diving into the water.

Alden preferred these islands. Sometimes they weren’t quite several miles wide, often they had just breached the surf several hundred years before. Their vegetation was young, their trees not quite as large as other, larger islands. These tiny islands didn’t usually have animals larger than a few insects, birds, and soil-dwelling creatures. There were no prying eyes to take in the sight of a semi-young man swimming leisurely in the deeper water, sometimes flipping a black fishtail into the air. If anyone were to see it, however, they would probably jump to the conclusion that it was fake. If he were to near the beach, however, they would have known otherwise. If there were anyone to prove wrong, anyway. His tail was especially long, split halfway down as though it had once intended to be legs, each ended in a flat, strong bladed tail that kicked powerfully through the water.

Alden had been around to see these islands as they formed. While surface countries formed, fought, fell, and expanded, while true pirates sailed in search of both treasure and mermaids and mermen alike, he had watched it all. He was one of many influences on modern ideas of merpeoples, though like his brothers and sisters, had escaped true capture. Now, hardly more than what a land-dweller would call his ‘mid-thirties’, Alden swept through the water far from humanity, enjoying the solitude he never took for granted. Despite being a loner, he seemed to be followed, approached, spoken to, or somehow managed to swim into someone or something that had a conversation to entrap him in.

Then again, he was one of the few oldest creatures in the sea. His father and mother preceded him. They were much older, their own age losing actual number and stretching back into the B.C. era. While the others of his family had been killed, Alden’s parents managed to survive, and were certainly showing their age. At least, the last time he saw them. It had been several years, and the last time he had seen them, his father’s white beard and hair had been stained with an algae tone, his face fallen and showing its age, and his mother’s eyes had lost their emerald glow. Their ages had slipped even their minds, but his father was sure he was well over four thousand years. However, they had wanted Alden to remain in the watery kingdom that resembled Atlantis, but was both older and thriving. The true Atlantis had succumbed to erosion and desolation not long after its fall.

He hadn’t accepted that. Alden didn’t want to deal with the looming death of his parents, or the ultimate dedication it would take to keep the kingdom Aqaris safe and alive and well. He was still young. Alden didn’t trust himself. His doubts ran like poison through his veins, and as he dwelled on this, he surfaced close to a rock beach and pulled himself onto the warm, smooth surface. He didn’t like thinking about the loss of his parents, the future of Aqaris. The merpeople there would probably detest him. He may be his father’s son, but he certainly wasn’t Marion, the king, the true second king of the entire merperson population. With a sigh, he rolled onto his side and caught sight of a strange plant. It normally grew under water, around the outskirts of Aqaris. It was probably scooped up by the currents and planted here during high tide. Now it sat in a shallow puddle, thick red petals spread wide toward the warm sun. It would die if the water didn’t come back and sweep it back into its depths.

Alden had a soft spot for the weak. With a faint smile, he cupped the prickly flower in his hands and leaned forward, diving back into the water kicking down to the shadowy, sandy area below the rock shelf. It didn’t have predators; their petals were tough and secreted a powerfully potent, bitter taste when bitten. Alden took a deep breath of the clear water, returning to the sunny stone above.

{It's all right, I just can't find good images of most of my non-human characters is all}

Alden was almost asleep when he heard something foreign approaching. It was loud, mechanical. Something that wasn’t a part of the sea itself. Annoyed, he opened his eyes and found that in his state of near-sleep, a massive ocean liner had begun approaching. Oftentimes he found that these ships carried cruise-goers, gawking at little islands such as the ones Alden had taken a liking to as though they’d never seen one before. Swiftly, he dove under water, the shock of the cold water drawing a gasp from him. But it woke him up as well. He darted around the island, flying into the fresh-water stream that led into the center of the island, which fed the lush foliage that had overtaken the entire center of the several-mile-wide land.

He entered the perfectly-rounded pool of crystalline water and surfaced, safe from prying eyes behind curtains of thick green vines and heavy tree trunks. Leaning against a moss-covered stone near a swift waterfall, which fed the pool, he pulled the gold and tanzanite-gem-encrusted necklace away from his neck. It was something that indicated his status, which he had forgotten to remove before departing Aqaris. It was one part of an identical set that ringed his wrists and arms. He couldn’t get rid of it by dropping it into a deep crevice of the ocean floor, that was disrespectful to his parents, and Alden never disrespected his parents.

The water moved on its own because of the waterfall, which drowned out most noise. But Alden could hear his thoughts perfectly well. He didn’t want to go back to Aqaris yet. He didn’t want to bother with the politics. He wanted to be alone. His hair, exposed to the air for so long, had begun drying and fell into his face. It was pure white and especially long, the ends stained a bit with a pale emerald green that indicated his age. He put his head down and closed his eyes, lifting himself up onto the soft bed of moss. He had to go back. He’d been gone all day, and if he didn’t return soon, guards would be sent to search for him come evening. But he still had time. Letting his long hair fall over his face, Alden rested as much as his mind would allow.

He didn’t dream; Alden didn’t usually have dreams. His inner conscious tended to be black, or swirl with mist of varying colors of blue, green, and purple. Sometimes the mist formed shadows of images, things existing both under and above water, from trees to wrecked ships he’d passed and explored many times. Never had he touched those preserved artifacts, however. They were of the humans, destroyed by what had resided among the waves. Foggy images of these boats, ships, and old cruise liners swam about his mind. Much like the ruins of Atlantis, these boneyards gave Alden a sense of peace and aloneness that he couldn’t get anywhere else. Only small fish tended to call these places home, and when he swept through to rest among the destruction, he gained a sadness that he, oddly enough, enjoyed.

He breathed in and forced his eyes to open. He hadn’t been sleeping well in the growing shadow of his parents’ deaths, but here, so seemingly alone, he felt at peace. It didn’t let the pain of their imminent passing lessen any more, though. In all his life Alden hadn’t felt close to anyone other than them. They had shown him the world both under and above the waves. They had been around so long Alden didn’t want to think of the loss. He sighed, studying the clear water below him, sweeping across the surface a little at a time. But something was amiss. A movement that wasn’t water, or fallen leaves on the water itself. Narrowing his eyes to see a bit better through the web of pale hair, he caught sight of a similar gaze staring right back.

He gasped, sitting up immediately. Alden couldn’t go back, however, or he’d fall into the grass and be a true fish out of water. Many times in the past he’d been thrown and washed up onto shore, and it had been rather humiliating to drag and flop himself back into the water. But that was the least of his problem. He’d been found. A guard must have been sent before evening, possibly because something had happened, or they wanted him back immediately. Alden didn’t want to go back.

However, he didn’t fight it. “Did something happen to my parents?” He asked at last. “Is that why they sent a guard before nightfall? They’re... dead... aren’t they? And I wasn’t there.” A freezing dread, colder than the arctic water, filled his chest. He hadn’t been with his parents at their death. Centuries, decades of centuries, they had lived, and he’d known them for more than several thousand years. Yet he couldn’t be there the one day they needed him. Some son he was.

The cold melted away immediately when she reacted very oddly. Others tended not to run, especially from Alden himself. A terrible sense of relief nearly knocked him onto the grass below the mossy stone above the pool, but was replaced just as quickly by suspicion. This woman could most likely have been a thief, killer, or some similar abuser of the sea or its people. Perhaps ran from the city to hide here, obviously unaware that someone else had been near. A sense of anger filled the cavity in his chest that once had been frozen over. Grabbing the necklace he’d taken off, he dove back into the water and flew through the canal that he’d used to approach the center of the island.

Diving back into the salty water of the sea, Alden glared around. He’d seen her well enough to know her coloring. Since his tail’s coloration was black, the same color went up his waist and faded into a dark tan. This one could hide among the color of underwater scenery. Alden flipped the necklace in his hand over, picking the side of a circle that had been etched onto the back. A very thin, glass-like lense popped out and into his hand. Only his father had the same one. It could detect the life force of a merperson from any distance, a force that surrounded the heart and kept them young for centuries, often thousands of years. He closed one eye and put the lense to his other.

The sea was blue, varying in tones, often spreading to a green tone pierced by sunlight. Turning back to the island, he saw something very pale silvery-gold pulsing like a heartbeat among the shadows of the lagoon just ahead. Often Alden had been called sheltered because of his royal bloodline, but most of his life he’d spent in the harshest areas of the ocean, proving he could be much more than a prince, a word he detested. There she was.

He darted forward, tail powerful, giving the current nearer the island no chance to bother him, snatching the girl from her hiding place. “What have you done!?” He demanded, pulling her by the wrist into open water. “Have you killed someone? Stolen something? You’re obviously not a guard, you wouldn’t have taken off like that. You must have done something.” His gaze, he’d been told, grew piercing and often took on a wild glint when he grew angry, something he tried not to do. But this young mermaid probably deserved every bit.

((Eheheh, I'm glad you liked it! I went a little out of my passive element there...))

This one was strong. Alden had a difficult time trying to keep hold of her, and avoiding that powerful blue tail was proving to be a bit of a challenge. But he kept his hand clamped in a vise around her wrist. She certainly wouldn’t get away from him, regardless of what status he held, because in his mind, she’d done something she didn’t want him to know about. Either she couldn’t find words to defend herself with or sie was trying to catch him off guard. Not much more than a whispered squeak could be heard, and that was washed away in the underwater current.

He pulled her farther into the water. “Stop!” He growled. “I’m not trying to hurt you, I just want an answer!” He grabbed her other wrist as she flailed around to attempt another escape. “If you haven’t done anything, I won’t have a reason to stay here.” He twisted her around so she would have to look at him. From experience he knew the eyes told all their secrets, regardless of how trained one was in hiding their most prominent emotion. Despite age, practice, and ability, the eyes always told the absolute truth. And hers seemed terribly desperate, possibly fearful. But it didn’t say much more. They could be fearing absolute capture. Their desperation could mirror her desire to get away and vanish to commit more crimes, had she done so. But then, perhaps it was him. His look, his status, the impression he had made. Sudden and angry. Not like Alden at all.

“Please.” He said at last. “I’m not about to do anything to you. I just want you to answer me. I’m just like you.” He softened his gaze, from dire and angry to soft in an instant.

Alden lessened his grasp. Just a common. He’d heard it too much. So many people tended to avoid him, or give him a wide berth when he passed, or simply acted as though he and his parents were gods that could smite them where they were. “No.” He said. For once his voice wasn’t unsteady, or overflowing with rage at some vile act. “It’s just a status. If I hadn’t been born into the royal family I’d be just like you. There’s nothing to separate us other than a tag given to us when we came into this world.” He let her go. She didn’t seem to be willing to take off, at least not so quickly. And he’d sapped all his desire to even touch another living being. He hadn’t been so close to someone in days, possibly. Only his mother and father, who tended to request his company more than usual in their lingering days of life.

In that moment Alden remembered his parents. And noticed that the water had become a bit darker. It was getting late, and if he didn’t return before the moon rose, guards would automatically be sent to locate and escort him back to Aqaris as though he were still a few decades old. He bent down, brushing back the mess of hair that hovered in front of his face when he tried to look at the young mermaid. “I know you’ve not done anything.” He said. “Now, anyway. You’re like me I suppose, trying to find loneliness wherever you can.” He went backward, flipping his especially flat tail fin to propel him into the water a bit deeper. “I’m sorry to have accused you of anything. But if you want to come back to the city with me, you’re welcome to do so.”

Without another word he spun around, not giving the girl a chance to look back at him. Despite his status, the tag he’d been given, he could hardly make eye contact with anyone.

Alden sighed, glancing back to see the blue mermaid take her own course. Rather lucky for him, as it wouldn’t lead to more talk. He took off quickly, spanning the length of the canyon below him and diving into the crater-like area Aqaris was located. Moving down to the gate, he went to greet one of the guards. In the clenched hand of one of the rough-looking guards, whose tail fin was tattered a bit from wear, a very sharp blade was grasped. He lowered it, however, when Alden approached. “Sir.” He bowed, something Alden didn’t appreciate but couldn’t change. “I was about to send a search out for you.”

“Why?” Alden asked with a barely-concealed sigh. “It’s not late. And I honestly don’t need you to bother with it. I’m always fine, aren’t I?”

“Yes, but this is... important.” The guard sighed, taking his spiked helmet off and letting his brown hair loose. “Your parents... They’ve taken a turn for the worst. I don’t think they’ll live much longer after the parade.”

Alden bit his tongue. Quicker and quicker the reality of his parents’ looming death was seeping into him. He wouldn’t be able to avoid it much longer. And the annual parade, celebrating the king and queen’s benevolent rule of the seas, which also paid homage to Alden, whose rule came afterward, would probably take a lot of energy out of them. Without a word Alden swept past the guard, into the city. Without paying mind to the roads, which were often used for varying reasonings, especially the parade, Alden flew above the rooftops of homes, shops, and varying schools. The palace was off slightly to the right of the city itself, and he swam with haste through the water-filled halls.

They had based their bed chambers on the varying illustrations of men. Often they depicted a mermaid or merman lying upon the soft tongue of a clam much larger than they, and Alden’s parents had taken an adoration to such styles. Lying upon marble floors, a huge, elaborate clamshell, adorned with gold and tanzanite and padded softly with fine, cushioned sands, his parents laid nearly motionless. A terrible pain flew through Alden’s heart at the sight, and he glided to them effortlessly. His father was nearest him.

Dark green hair gave way to the soft currents made by Alden’s swishing tail. His skin, a pale green that darkened as it shifted to his powerful tail, seemed much paler than normal. Alden laid himself carefully on the floor beside the clamshell recreation, and put a hand on the powerful arm that had so many times saved him from underwater whirlpools and pulled him along in pursuit of ships a couple thousand years before he could even keep up. So frail, now, those arms rested, folded, over a large chest, deep aquamarine eyes only half opened in a semi-wakeful state.

At Alden’s touch, however, the king focused, blinking his eyes and glancing around. His squared, lined face didn’t seem to show the age he truly was. But his eyes, once so bright, burning with a fire so strong not even the coldest of water could extinguish them, were dull and almost lifeless. That was what broke Alden’s heart the most. He’d watched his father’s eyes lose their luster, their life, just like his mother’s. He cleared his throat of the lump that had formed, to speak: “Hello Father.” At that simple statement his voice almost broke. “I’m... sorry I left. I shouldn’t have, not now, not... not now.” He bit his tongue. So long he’d avoided even considering this invincible creature, the most powerful in the ocean, putting even the largest of Blue Whale or vicious shark to shame, could even succumb to death.

Disregarding his state, Alden’s father put a faint smile on his lips. “You’re forgiven, my son.” He said. A voice once so sturdy and just had faltered to a whisper. “I’m just glad you’re back before the parade.”

“Should you really... should you and Mother partake in such an event?” The prince let his worry show. His father never penalized him for that. “It could weaken you a great deal more.”

“Certainly we must.” His father raised a hand, placing it on his son’s head. “No matter our state of being, the queen and I must face our subjects. We must let them know we care about them. It’s what you must do after our death.”

“I don’t know if I can.”

“Neither did I, my boy. But I did. For almost six hundred thousand years. No one is immortal, Alden, and the death of your mother and I will show the city how fragile life is, and how no matter how long you live, eventually, everything must die.”

The tears didn’t show since they were underwater, but Alden could feel them, stinging his eyes. “Then... I’ll try.” He put his head down, resting it against the soft inside of the clamshell. “I won’t fail.”

Alden felt confined. So confined in his chamber after speaking with his parents. Even through the sturdy marble-and-agate encrusted walls, he could sense their life, their energy, fading slowly, so weak in comparison to his. With a flip of his tail Alden left the palace itself, avoiding the only open gate around the city and jutting upward, to the surface through the dome formed by sharp coral weavings to deter unwanted or unknown visitors. Unlike humans, who had to ascend carefully from what he had witnessed, merfolk could easily dart from the deepest depths to breach the water without any greater effects than a tired tail. He dove out of the waves and into the cool, dark evening, finding nothing of danger in his initial observation before falling back into the water.

Returning to the surface, however, Alden went to his left. Not many years before he’d encountered a stray buoy, seemingly drifted from a different area, a bit lighter than it should have been. He’d used an old rope to tie it to a powerful branch of especially long kelp, and it had remained. Now, clean from the usual wave battering, it bobbed in the surf, broken on top and silent to create a nice, if a bit hard, bed. He lifted himself into the domed center and curled his tail around him. Alden twisted his hair and threw it over the side, keeping it out of his face, and because his tail was especially long, it hung off the edge to slap the water when larger waves bobbed the makeshift bed. It calmed him, however, the gentle movement, like a swing on top of the water.

He’d seen the parade preparations for the next day. The place he and his parents would reside. It was far too elaborate in his opinion, but his parents didn’t complain, so neither did he. He didn’t quite see the use of a parade in their honor. In fact, he considered it a waste of time, if a beautifully complex and melodious one. He knew everyone had their own agenda. But considering it, the event was a nice way to show off what each sect could do with their abilities. It certainly showcased the best of the best in art, music, song, and dance alike.

He accepted the parade because of that. The education that came along with it, showing the young how the race of the merfolk had evolved throughout the generations, gave it reason as well. And in the current situation, it would give his parents a bit of much-needed entertainment. That reassuring thought did little to ease the weight in his heart that made it difficult to even swim. It was as though an anchor had been tied to his chest, sinking him slowly. He bit his lip, shutting his eyes and turning his head away from the sight of the ocean.

Alden let his mind wander with the waves. Eventually the soft rocking let his troubled thoughts sleep. His dreams, however, were dark and foggy. He watched himself drift along with the guards and the city’s master artists, musicians, singers, and builders and their immediate families, all of whom the king and queen held in high regard because of their contribution to the city and way of life of Aqaris. They filed into the submerged tunnel in the side of the crater Aqaris was built inside, but the water seemed terribly cold and an odd tone of red. But it was as though Alden himself didn’t even notice. He followed the two guards carrying a covered platform, the first to enter afterward.

The tunnel dipped low, then straightened out before lifting a little more. There was a large pocket of air trapped beneath the waves, making a huge clear cavern. The guards set the platform down on the dry land and in an instant, had sprouted legs to climb from the water. The beings around looked on in awe as they surfaced, taking a place in the water at the ledges. Alden followed suit, stepping out of the water on long, human legs, hidden by his long hair. The guards uncovered the platform they’d carried so far, shrouding Alden with it, and raising the platform. When its contents were brought into sight, the scene darkened ominously, One guard lifted the body of the king, while the other lifted the queen, and together, they stepped toward the far wall of the cavern. Against that wall were marble stands in rectangular forms, padded on top with gold satin sheets. The guards laid the king and queen upon these pedestals, and stepped back.

Before Alden could move forward, the scene faded into black, and he woke harshly. In the quiet lapping of the waves, lying upon the buoy, his heart pounded in his chest. Not even in his sleep could Alden escape the looming promise of his parents’ death. In a slight frenzy, Alden dove into the water and darted away, deep into the depths. He swam as though he desired to outrun his reality, outswim what he couldn’t escape in his mind. Perhaps if he traveled fast enough, he could go back in time and prepare more readily for this situation.

However, after his fifth circling of the city, exhausted and breathless, Alden slowed. He knew it wasn’t possible. With a combination of grief and exhaustion settling on him, Alden let himself sink to ground level. He was far enough from Aqaris’ only open gate, far enough so others wouldn’t hear him. Resting himself on a dome of sand, he allowed himself something he hadn’t done for several centuries. He sobbed. He didn’t care if anyone could hear him, not that they could if they were inside the city walls. The truth was killing him.

It had been so long since Alden felt how he did now. Several times when he was young, when the sea had been left, for the most part, undiscovered by the land-dwelling. When he had failed to catch a certain sea creature or wasn’t strong enough to outswim a powerful underwater current under his mother or father’s watchful gaze, he had felt like he let them down, and the same sadness weighed on him heavily. But he’d always been reassured, eased out of his pit by a kind word or touch, yet those strong hands he’d grown to respect and appreciate had fallen so far.

Alden cursed himself. He should have been ready. He’d had centuries to prepare. However, his dream had told him more than he wanted to know. He’d seen that same ritual before. He’d followed his father, watched among the artists and builders as his grandmother and grandfather, both having died upon the same moment, as they were laid upon their marble pedestals. His father had shed tears for both of their passing, lying half a clam shell containing a dark blue sapphire upon their chests, just above their folded hands. Alden felt a sadness at their passing, but had never known his grandparents well. Unlike his own parents, they remained in their chambers, generally out of sight for the most part.

He bit back another wave of pity, resigning himself to shuddering upon the dome of sand. He almost gave a harsh laugh at what anyone else would have thought had they seen him in such a state. Rarely did one of royal blood show true weakness, sadness. But he didn’t want to be what he was. Avoided, singled out, shown more respect than he really even deserved. He didn’t look up, even when he felt someone else near. With his luck it was only a matter of time before someone else approached.

When they touched him, Alden tensed. He didn’t want to look up from his hands, but curiosity took the place of immediate exhaustion and sadness, and regretfully, he glanced upward. It wasn’t often one saw a mermaid or merman of complete blue, skin and tail, even hair, which seemed to mimic kelp in the deep water. At the same time it was familiar and easy to look at, unlike the sunny, floral tones of most others. Despite his state, Alden had to smile a bit.

“Seems we can’t avoid one another.” He muttered. “But you can see now, can’t you? I’m no different than you are. The only thing that separates me from you is a tag I was born in to, like you were. If you look past that, though, you’ll see we’re made up of the same things.” He shook his head. “I’m sorry. You’re probably only listening to me because you think you have to. But you don’t.” He brought his tail up and around him. “If anyone asks, just say you haven’t seen me.”

Alden moved forward almost mechanically. He’d been taught to put space between himself and others, but in reality, he just didn’t feel right so close to others. It was strange to him, a foreign feeling he couldn’t appreciate. He’d also been taught to hide his weaknesses from the common city-dwellers, but here he was, having shown his true, most debilitating weakness to someone he’d already met rather negatively in the first place. But the movement had probably been taken the wrong way. “I’m sorry.” He muttered. His voice threatened to break if he spoke too loudly. “I just...” He shook his head, and moved toward the open gate of the city. Despite there being no physical barrier across the entrance, he couldn’t move any closer.

“Why can’t I just be normal?” He muttered, turning away from the gate. “I’m not as good as they are.” He referred to his parents, fearing that speaking their titles would send him into a pitiful mass again. “I can’t... lead a city as large as Atlantis once was. Why can’t I be the son of an artist, or sculptor or builder?” He scooped up a handful of sand, littered with sapphires and diamonds from faraway traders who had recently visited the city. “Nothing can be simple, can’t it?” He asked, but didn’t really expect an answer.

Alden didn’t expect his possibly-captive audience to answer. He sighed and raised himself in the water. “I’m sorry. You probably have other things to worry about. You don’t have to stay here.” She probably thought she was obligated to stay there, listen to his mutterings she probably couldn’t even hear. He hated that. However, as he raised he felt a strange current, a sound racing to him on the underwater waves. This sound he knew well, he’d been chased by the owner many times. A very large shark was nearby. Much larger than he was, absolutely. He’d watched it grow from a distance for a few decades. “Go inside the gate.” He called down to the girl below him. “The rogue shark’s circling.”

He went down and to the gate. The shark didn’t appreciate the dome of sharp coral above the city, and it couldn’t get through the gates, it was far too large. And regardless of one’s status in the city, or anywhere in the sea, the jagged teeth of the massive great white didn’t discriminate. Alden had learned that on several occasions in the past.