The Servant Girl and The Sea Prince

Chapter Fourteen: POSEIDON

Poseidon was in the middle of his "Humanology 101" class at the University of Pacifica, halfheartedly listening to Prof. Yellowtail spout on about how human beings pollute the oceans. Triton, his father's brawny merman-at arms unexpectedly swam into the lecture hall.

"I apologize for interrupting your class, Professor" said Triton. "I have come to escort His Highness, Crown Prince Poseidon back to the palace. His father, His Majesty, King Neptune, could foam any minute, and it is vitally important that he see his son immediately...".

Of course, the Crown Prince of Pacifica had known that this day was coming soon, but it was still a shock to his system. He blinked away fresh tears, as Triton led him out of the crowded classroom. All of the other students stared at him with deep sympathy and sincere grief in their eyes. King Neptune genuinely loved his subjects, and most of his subjects adored him in return.

The King had already bid his final goodbyes to Poseidon's five sisters. It was an ancient tradition in Pacifica for the reigning monarch to explain how the Enchanted Royal Aquamarine worked to their heir on their death bed.

"My dear son..." breathed King Neptune. Poseidon hovered over his father's wide bed, in his spacious bedchamber. "The crown you are about to inherit is more than just a symbol. It is a promise to protect our people and the delicate balance of our ocean realm, and to ensure that Pacifica remains the most peaceful merfolk kingdom in all seven seas".

The royal family of Pacifica prided themselves on their diplomatic skills. After all, the name of the kingdom was derived from the word "pacificus", which meant "making or tending to make peace" in Latin, a human language. Pacifica had not been involved in a war in centuries, and they had the smallest standing army in the four oceans.

King Neptune paused for a moment, and took his son's hand. "As you know, you will also inherit the Enchanted Royal Aquamarine of Pacifica. The magic of the Aquamarine is very powerful indeed, but it can also be unpredictable. You must use it sparingly".

"Yes, Father", Poseidon agreed with a solemn nod of his head.

"The Aquamarine is most frequently used for Banishment, which is the most severe punishment in Pacifica. Banished criminals will be magically transported far away to a remote location. I don't know why exactly, but it also magically wipes away all memories of the wrongdoer from all citizens of Pacifica. After you do it, you will have only the vaguest recollection that a Banishment had occurred".

"I see". Poseidon nodded again.

"A much more rarely utilized power of the Enchanted Royal Aquamarine is called the Transformation of True Love. If a mermaid or merman is truly in love with a human, and has the leg-walker's love in return, the Aquamarine can permanently transform the human into a mermaid or merman. It hasn't been used for that in over a thousand years, and the transformation is said to be completely irreversible and perhaps even physically painful..."

"Painful...?" echoed Poseidon.

"Yes, and the human must give up their life on land...My dear son...". King Neptune's weak voice trailed off. "I want you to be a wise and noble monarch, but more than anything, I want you to be happy. And if marrying a landlubber will make you happy, so be it..."

Poseidon gasped. Had his dying father found out about his growing relationship with Melinda, somehow?

Before Poseidon had a chance to ask his father about that, King Neptune's frail body began to fade away. First his head vanished, then his torso, and finally his royal blue tail. All that was left of the King of Pacifica was a merman-shaped clump of shiny, sudsy bubbles, which quickly floated up to the coral ceiling, out of the royal palace, and eventually up to the surface of the waves.

Poseidon, who had never witnessed a Foaming before, sobbed like a newborn merbaby. His father really was gone now. And he was now the King of Pacifica.

Could he come even close to being a worthy successor to the great King Neptune? At merely sixteen years of age, he was the youngest monarch in Pacifican history. Merfolk usually lived for centuries, unless they foam due to injury or illness, as both of Poseidon's parents had.

The Enchanted Royal Aquamarine of Pacifica was perched on a tall stone pedestal across from the King's bed. As Poseidon ran his left hand across the lovely, light blue gemstone, he felt a mysterious power surge through him.

He remembered his father's dying words to him. If marrying a landlubber will make you happy, so be it. Poseidon thought he was too young to seriously think about marriage, even if he was a King now, but he couldn't imagine sharing his life, in the future, with anyone except Melinda.

That night, Poseidon swam up to water line to meet Melinda, as usual. He was tightly clutching the Enchanted Royal Aquamarine of Pacifica in his fist.

Melinda was laying down on the sandy beach. A positively distraught expression was on her pretty face, and her green eyes were red-rimmed from heavy crying.