This Drowning Kingdom

Chapter 4

Althea sniffled. "Really?"

Ariel forced a smile onto her face and prayed her sister didn't realize that it didn't reach her eyes. "Yeah," she said. "Of course. What—What do you want?"

"A bracelet," Althea breathed immediately, wiping her nose. "With a flower on it."

"I think I can do that," Ariel said. "What kind of— oof!"

Althea barreled into her, gripping her in a tight hug once more. Ariel's shoulders slumped, and she wrapped her arms around her sister again, holding Althea against her.

Forcing herself to still, Ariel opened her mouth and began to sing for Althea. It was a lullaby of sorts, her siren's song weaving through the water and calming Althea's racing heart. It was something Ariel's mother used to sing for her when she was scared, and now Ariel sang it for Althea. Althea, who never got the chance to hear Athena's ethereal voice, to feel her warm embrace as she sang her daughters to sleep.

And in that moment, Ariel had never hated her aunt more. Making Althea grow up like this, terrified to be left alone in this palace... Ariel glanced down at the scar on her sister's side, and her voice faded as a shuddering sob ran through her.

The sisters held each other in silence, breathing in the other's presence. It was a rare moment, for the two of them to be together without Ursula or Bullus watching over them. And though she knew she had to get to the throne room, had to find this damned necklace for her aunt... Ariel couldn't find it in herself to let go. There was no way in hell Althea was staying in Atlantica, in the sea, when Ursula had the both Trident and the necklace—which meant that after today, after she returned in three months' time—

Ariel would never see her sister again.

Althea's voice cut through the silence.

"Ariel?"

"Yeah?"

"Make sure you come back."

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Against their better judgment and damning their aunt to hell, Ariel and Althea made their way down to the throne room together. Althea trembled at her side as they neared the doors, and Ariel took her hand and squeezed it tightly.

"While I'm gone," she breathed as they passed guard after guard, "stay quiet. Don't remind her you're there—make yourself scarce as often as possible. Stay away from Bullus, too," she added. She wouldn't put it past the Captain to torment Althea, even if Ariel herself wasn't there.

Althea nodded, gripping Ariel's hand like a lifeline.

"And make sure—" Her throat refused to form the words, but she forced herself to get them out. "Make sure you're not around when she's angry." She glanced down at the scar on Althea's side. "Hide if you must."

They paused outside the doors to the throne room. They only had mere seconds before they had to enter. Ariel looked over her sister one last time, soaking in every detail she could: Althea's waist-length hair, her hazel eyes, her golden tail that shimmered, even in the deepest waters.

Althea turned to her, eyes wide as she said, "I don't want you to go."

"I know," Ariel said softly.

"I'm scared."

Ariel swallowed against the lump in her throat. "Me, too," she said. "But do you know what I do when I get scared?" Althea shook her head. "I think of it like a kraken under the bed—just close your eyes, and it'll go away."

Althea's smile wobbled. "Just close your eyes, and it'll go away," she repeated. "And—and you'll be there instead?"

Ariel smiled. "Exactly."