The Little Merman (BoyXBoy)

Courtney’s POV

“Hytaa, your father called you for having the eating ritual with him. Please get back home now," Rnini pleads but I ignore him and continue to examine my feet.

I always find feet extremely fascinating. We mer people can only change our tail into feet when we are outside the water and on dry land. And obviously this is a quite rare for me because my father absolutely forbids me to come outside the sea since he always scared for my safety.

I love looking at my feets. They are so pale, just like my torso, so unlike my dark greenish tail. But they are still so... small.

I look away from them and start watching the waves as they collide with the shore. I always love watching this.

“Please Hytaa, our king will be very upset if he doesn’t see you there," Rnini again tries.

“Please tell Father, I am not feeling well and apologised for being unable to join," I order him firmly.

I really don’t want to go there. My mother, my twin brother and all my cousins and other family members will all be present there. I certainly don’t want to see the disappointments and hatred in my mother eyes every time she is forced to see me. I hate those hateful glares thrown in my way from my own brother. I hate being ignored and made fun by other family members.

From the very early age, I learned that every one in my family hates me, except my father. I know they hate me for not being strong, they hates me for having non existent mer-power. They hates me for being... small.

And I also hates these. I hate myself.

This is exactly why every mer, myself included, don’t understand why Father made me the Hytaa when my twin brother is obviously more capable for being the next king.

“Hytaa, please. We should go back. King will send his men to search for you if we are late and it will not be good if he knows about you being outside the sea and this far away from home," he pleads with his blue eyes which are of the colour of deep sea and I have to give up.

I sigh and get up. Immediately I started missing the soft feeling of those sands on my skin. I love how smooth and pure they feel. I could stay here and play with them all day. I even love the scent of this dry land.

Again I heave a sigh. Sometimes I think, I love everything about these dry lands and human are so fortunate that they rule over these lands. I am lucky that they haven’t found this island yet otherwise I can’t come here anymore since it is forbidden for us to ever interact with humans or even being seen by them in our true form. It is a severely punishable crime.

“Hytaa, please hurry," Rnini urges me to move.

So I drive myself into the sea headfirst and breathe into the sweet familiar water. Although I love being outside but I have to admit, I can’t stay away from water for a long time. And I don’t think any mer can.

Just like always my body goes through the familiar sensation of the transformation in touch of the water. It is quite painful sometimes but it is oddly freeing.

“Hytaa! Please slow down for me!" Rnini calls me when I started swimming in the direction of my home in full speed.

And I slow down for him since I know it is quite hard for anyone to keep up with me when I am using my full speed in deep water. Perhaps my speed is the only good quality I have.

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“It is very strange here today," I inform Rnini as we get closer to our home.

Something is definitely wrong. This is too quite here. I can’t see a single mer or any annoying jellyfish who never seems to shut up or those yellow fishes who like to always gossip about everything.

Where is everyone?

As I reach in front of my home, the feeling of dread only intensifies. There is no guard protecting the front gate of the mansion which is really odd. I never saw this before.

I am about to enter my house from the front gate but two strong arms grab me from behind and forcefully start taking me to the opposite direction.

I don’t fight the hold since I already know who the person is.

“What is the meaning of this, Andreion? Why did you stop me from entering my own house?“ I ask him when he finally removes his holds from me after we reached inside a hidden cave close to the mansion.

“Hytaa, we need to get away from this place right now," he informs me with seemingly calm voice but I know him enough to know something is wrong.

“What is happening here? Where is everyone?“ I ask him again.

“We don’t have time for this. Come, we need to leave.”

“I am not going anywhere until I know what is happening here," I tell him firmly. Even though he is one of the strongest mer and my father’s most trusted friend but I still need to know what is happening inside my home.

“The king himself ordered me to send you to somewhere safely and away from this place," he returns.

“I need to talk to my father," saying this I turn towards the exist of the cave to do just that. But again Andreion stops me.

“Please listen to me. Believe me, this is also what the king had wished for you to do," Andreion almost pleads before me and this totally uncharacteristic for him to do something like this.

“Where is my father? Is he inside the man-mansion?“ I ask him but my voice broke at the end. I don’t know what happening but suddenly I am feeling a intense need to see my father and make sure he is unharmed.

“Hytaa, we don’t have time for this. We need to go. This is not safe here," again he tries.

“No. I am not going anywhere without seeing my father. I am not going to abandon my father before seeing him healthy and well. Now, take me to him!" I tell him firmly.

“I-I can’t," he informs me with a pained voice and suddenly the feeling of dread I was having before intensified thousands times and I feel my heart beating with an abnormal speed.

“What did you mean by that?" I ask him again while feeling somewhere deep down I don’t want to know his answer.

Andreion shook his head.

“Hytaa, please. We don’t have time for this.“ again he refuses to answer.

“Answer me! Where is my father?" I shout at him. I need to know if the only person I truly love is well.

“The king is...," he hesitates.

I thought he wouldn't answer but suddenly he shook his head and looks into my eyes. And starts speaking again.

“Courtney, your father is no longer alive.”