"Adelphia...!" Ozanne screamed as we plumeled, down, down, down. The wind and blood roared in my ears, the obsidian greeting my gaze. I flinched and rolled myself up into a ball, waiting for the impact.
SPLASH! "It's a lake! We're in the Eshaizar empire!" she finished, her voice strewn with fresh fear.
I looked around, surprised, by the sudden change of surroundings. The icy forest air was immediately misplaced by the even more frigid waters. The waters, glinting as black as the night, were giving off a small whirlpool, like someone stirring hot chocolate, except you were the marshmallows.
"I know!" I responded playfully to her, looser with relief. "Hey, at least we didn't get-"
I stopped mid-sentence to look at Ozanne, where my teasing quickly shifted into horror.
"Adelphia! I-" she gurgled, flailing around. "I- I can't swim!"
It took a moment to sink in.
"I've known you for three years, and you decide to tell me now?" I screamed.
"H-how was I-I su-supposed t-to k-know that we w-were going to f-face water on o-our journey?" she coughed, teeth chattering. "H-help-"
"Quick! Climb onto my back!" I yelled. Ozanne quickly paddled over to me, barely making it without drowning, and heaved herself onto my back.
Now we both were going to drown.
"Just leave me and survive," she whispered as she grasped onto my back with her aching fingernails.
"Actually, that would be a nice idea- Ozanne! Do you think I could do that to you?" I shouted, almost slapping her in realization. "You're my friend! I'm not going to leave you here!"
My head was bobbing up and down, the weight of Ozanne pushing me underwater.
"Adelphia! It's either we die or I die! And-"
Suddenly, a glimmer in the lake interrupted her words. I squinted at the flickered light, before, unexpectedly, a long, whipping fishtail stroke out of the water, flapping, with golden specks and scales, teal dots, and...
"Mermaid!" Ozanne gasped, choking up on water. I looked more closely at the thriving tail, and realized what it was.
"We're at the outskirts of the Eshaizar empire!" I choked. "O-of course there are mermaids!"
But the sudden appearance of the happy mermaid gave me an idea. Quickly, I splashed to the tail, and gently poked it with my pointer finger.
The reaction was immediate, the mermaid's tail sunk into the waters, and the beautiful upper body of her creature surfaced, looking at Ozanne and I with haughty eyes. I gulped.
"SAVE US!" Ozanne screamed. "WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?!"
The mermaid had delicate pastel pink hair, light green, foamy eyes, and on her neck, there was a necklace made of the finest pearls, shining like tiny moons... probably best of ever had existed. She rolled her eyes at Ozanne's plea.
"It's against the law of the Eshaizar empire, us, so you know," she said in a soft voice, reminding me of Klide's oozing one. "In this empire, we believe everything happens for a reason. So unfortunately, I cannot save you."
"So you're going to just let us die?!" I screeched.
"No, but it's not I who can save you," the mermaid frowned, ripples forming around her in the water, silver and glorious. "Other... s, of your kind, of course, can save you..."
"Then-" I coughed. I stared off, trying to locate the shore, but the twilight swallowed it whole. I could barely catch my breath.
"Please- I'll do anything!" Ozanne begged.
"No can do. It's against the law of the Eshaizar empire-"
"I'm a princess!" I screamed, while little bubbles burst out of my mouth. "I'm going to become the empress-"
"Proof?" the mermaid asked pallidly, not looking fearful one bit.
"I don't have proof!" I blurted, regretting that I had shot my princess gown a few days ago. "Please, anything!"
"I cannot-"
"There's a reason to save us: so we don't die-!" I began.
"No-"
"We'll give you this!" Ozanne shouted, squirming on my back as she pulled out the little brown bag. "Thirty diamonds! Please-"
Those words were all I heard, before I couldn't take it anymore. The energy seeped and spilled out of me, and I froze from my desperate flapping in the water.
Ozanne and I both tumbled into the darkness of the freezing lake.
'''''
I woke, blurriness taking over my sight.
"Where...am I?" I slurred as I righted myself up. I was seated upon a sheet of soft, damp grass, prickled with moonlight and sprayed with the first shafts of rosy dawn.
"In the Eshaizar empire," a soft voice murmured. I straightened up, and saw the beautiful mermaid bobbing in the water, with Ozanne and I sitting by the bay. Ozanne was still unconscious, but I could hear her heavy breathing, lying beside me.
I gasped, memories instantly flooding back.
"You- you saved us?" I said, barely containing my surprise. "B-but, I thought that people of your empire-"
"Exception this time," the mermaid sighed heavily. "And don't worry about your friend, she's fine too." She said it lightheartedly, while looking at the small brown bag grasped in Ozanne's hands.
"Er, well, thank you," I breathed. "Thank you so much."
"Don't thank me," the mermaid frowned. "Instead, you should get out of here as fast as you can. You are currently in the Zupia territory, where half-bears and half-wolves live. They are quite hostile, so I do recommend running. The kingdom is a smaller one, unlike the Eshaizar." Her necklace gleamed in the sunlight.
"We'll be fine," I smiled reassuringly.
"Sure hope so." The mermaid gave a slight smile back, before it faded. "Princess..." She paused, staring right into my eyes. "We... nevermind."
"What?" I inquired. The mermaid grumbled something under her breath.
"I said: 'nevermind.' The Eshaizar empire doesn't get involved with other kingdom's problems. I don't want to cause trouble for my kingdom."
"My goal is to become the empress," I grinned sheepishly. "I promise I'll fix your problems with pollution. I'm trying to get to the Thinia empire, currently, so hang in there a bit longer."
The mermaid almost toppled over back into the water. "You know about these problems?!" she wheezed.
"My teacher taught me," I beamed. "He's amazing."
The mermaid gave a sigh of relief. "I thought other empires didn't know of these problems. Thank you, your majesty." She sank her head down. "Thank you."
"No problem," I smiled. "What's your name?"
"I'm Kisha, Kisha Filburn. I'm the step-daughter of the Eshaizar empire's queen's aunt. And you must be... Nydia?"
"Adelphia," I corrected her, and then instantly regretted it. She gasped.
"Princess Adelphia? You're... you're the one that escaped the Thinia empire's prison?" Kisha screamed.
"Shhh!" I whispered. "Yes, I am."
"But- you're last in line for heir! You can't be-"
"I'm sure my sister Klide will hand over the throne to me, as she doesn't want to be queen. As for Nydia..." I hesitated, my voice pricked with skepticism, eyes telling much more than my voice. "We'll see."
"Well, good luck," she responded, sounding cheerful. "I hope you can take over the Thinia empire's reign and bring prosperity to the kingdoms."
"Thanks." I couldn't stop grinning.
"Anything else before I leave?" Kisha cocked her head.
"Urm, yes actually. How to get to the Thinia empire?"
"Go through the Zupia empire, best at night, not day... The empire is very dangerous in the midst of day. Once you get out... well... you'll know you're at the Thinia empire... the palace is right outside." Kisha shook her head, letting her glorious hair flow with the light wind, and as the sunlight shone, I spotted a few loose pearls woven in her coral-pink locks.
"Thanks," I said once more."Oh! And one more thing?"
"Yes, Adelphia?"
"Here." I gently picked up the little brown bag, full of thirty diamonds, and handed it to Kisha. "Use it well." She gaped.
"Wow..." Her eyes were glassy, memorized for a while, before she snapped back to reality. "I couldn't ask for more. Thank you."
"It's okay, don't worry," I reassured her.
"How can I ever repay this-?" she coughed. "I'll-"
"You don't need to repay-"
"Oh yes I do!" Kisha frowned. "I'm not going to let you give me thirty diamonds, just for me to save you!"
"It's okay Kisha-"
Kisha ignored my words, and instead reached into her hair, and from behind, pulled out a delicate, small, seashell, and handed it willingly over to me. I gasped.
"Here," she whispered, not looking. "It's my favorite seashell, one the queen gave to me. I want you to have it. If you're ever near the Eshizar empire again, and need help...then just blow into the small opening on the bottom. And I'll come."
Before I could thank her, Kisha bowed her head again, before disappearing into the dark, unknown of the Eshaizar empire.