G/T Stories

🧜🏻

Merfolks didn't even move, but hearing loud snarl from above, they began to clap their hands.

***

One week has passed since Bliss became a queen. It was a living nightmare. Royal family members were thrown to dungeons. Every mermaid and merman had to praise new queen and work endlessly for her all day long, otherwise they would face horrible consequences.

The bravest ones formed an underground movement. One of their members - Corrissa, who also happened to be the best friend of Meris - was constantly updating royal family about progress and was asking them for advice.

Exactly what she was doing now. Corrissa patiently waited for guards to left their spots. When they did so, she quickly swam to bars and called out:

- Meris!

The oldest of queen's daughters swam up to mermaid and hugged her through the bars.

- Corrissa! How is everything going? - she asked.

- Everyone is living in fear of Bliss and her hideous sidekick. We thought that if we want to overthrow her highness, we first need to get rid of that monster - Corrissa replied. Princess nodded in agreement.

- You're right and I think I know what to do - she shoved a sachet into her friend's hands.

- Inside there you'll find spores of a deadly fungus. If you manage to put it for example in his meal, its mycelium will overgrow his gills and cause him to suffocate. Then, the underground movement will attack! - she suggested a plan.

- This can work! The sooner I do it the better. Hope to see you soon bestie - Corrissa said her goodbyes and swam away to find Bottomer.

She stiffened, hearing queen's voice. She hid behind a coral and observed. Bliss seemed to have a conversation with her monster. Curious what they're talking about, Corrissa swam closer, but still stayed hidden.

- I don't like this Bliss. You promised me that if I help you, I'll get to befriend more merfolks. But they don't want to be my friends, because you were talking horrible things about me! You know well I would never hurt any of them, yet alone eat them! - bottom merman said.

- Perran, it's not my fault. I warned you that they can't be trusted. I'm your only friend, I did all of this to protect us. If they see you as a danger, they will be scared and won't hurt me - she replied.

- But this isn't what you promised! - Perran growled. Bliss swam up to his face and looked at him with hurt in her eyes.

- I saved you from being alone in that dark, awful Bottom and that's how you're thanking me? Or maybe you just don't want me to be your friend anymore? - she asked. Bottomer gasped.

- No! Of course I want to be your friend! If you left me, I wouldn't have any friends! - he whined.

- So you better listen to me Perran or I'll leave you! I don't want to be friends with someone who isn't supporting me! - she said and they've arrived at dungeons. Bliss opened one of the prisons and having gestured at it, said:

- Now get in.

Perran was taken aback.

- You want me to be in a prison? Like your enemies? - he asked, visibly hurt. Bliss caressed his illuminating esca.

- I'm doing this for your own good. You don't want to get hurt by others, do you? - she asked. Bottomer shook his head.

- See? Here you'll be safe, no one is going to bother you. Now go! - she ordered. Perran obeyed her and entered the prison. Bliss locked him up and swam away in hurry, not hearing a "goodnight" Perran bid her. Sad merman laid down on the cold and hard floor, his esca was now glowing weaker.

Corrissa was shocked. It turned out he was just manipulated by Bliss, he wasn't evil! She was playing an "only friend" card on him, making him to be under her control. Mermaid decided to help him open up his eyes.

She swam closer to merman's prison. He quickly noticed her and turned away. She didn't give up.

- Hi - she said.

- I shouldn't talk to any of you - he replied.

- But you can talk to me! I'm a friend of Bliss as well - she lied. This caught his attention, he faced the betta fish mermaid.

- Oh yeah? - he said, obviously doubting her words.

- Yeah! She even told me your name! Perran, isn't it? - she said. Merman brightened up visibly, his light became stronger too.

- Yes, it is! So you're really Bliss's friend! - he exclaimed.

- I told you. Maybe you could use one more friend too - she offered him her hand - I'm Corrissa - she introduced herself. Perran took her hand and gently shook it.

- So, Perran... - she started - How come you and Bliss became friends? I thought merfolks like you don't like the upper part of the ocean - she was curious.

- Oh, it happened when we both were kids. She got lost and after I assured her I don't eat merfolks, I offered to help her get back to upper ocean. And from that moment we've become the bestest of friends! - he exclaimed.

Corrissa felt bad for him. He really was convinced that she was his friend and didn't saw how she was perfidiously abusing his naivety.

- And she promised you that if you help her with taking the throne, she'll help you befriend other merfolks, right? - mermaid asked. Perran frowned.

- Yes, but it's not going well... Sometimes I feel like she's...

- Deceiving you? - Corrissa ended. Merman nodded, but then he shook his head intensively.

- No, she wouldn't! She saved me from solitude, she is my friend! - Perran shouted.

- Do you think that real friend would be capable of doing such things? She's using you as a bogey, she convinced everyone that you're a bloodthirsty monster and at the top of that she ordered you to spend night in the prison! Is that what friend does to another friend? - she asked him.

- I don't know, I don't have any friends except for her - merman replied.

- I can give you my word, real friend would never use you for their own benefits. Don't you feel bad, doing everything she orders you to? Don't you feel it's all wrong? - she asked. Perran didn't reply.

- I know it's a lot to take in. I'll give you some time to reconsider your friendship with Bliss, if it's worth all of this - Corrissa said and swam away. Mermaid hoped Bottomer will find out the truth and that overthrow of Bliss won't end with unnecessary bloodshed.