Chapter 11

Helena POV

I didn't know what to wear to dinner, I was going to attend the way I was it's a good thing the girl from before came to check on me, decided to help me out. One thing I must say though they were different from the others here, and I was curious to know about the pair of wings in her back,

"Can I ask you something?" I watched her in the reflector, as she stuck colored pins in my hair,

"Go ahead Lady Helena,"

"I don't know if this is going to offensive to you, but what are you exactly?"

"I just a mere maid," she chuckled, followed by a few snorts, "You get it, mere mermaid... Mermaid, see what I did there," she winked back at me,

I did get the joke, it was clever one could tell she has been waiting to tell,

"I know you are a mermaid, but not like the rest of us... I noticed the maids around here, you all have tiny little wings,"

"Oh," she lowered her hands, staring back at me, "You don't know?"

"No, I don't know anything... I might look like you in the water, but fins and tails don't make me a mermaid," I sighed,

"And... I have a feeling that the queen shares the same thought,"

Saying nothing, she continued to attend to my hair, she didn't even meet my gaze in the mirror, I think she is afraid but afraid of what,

"I am sorry if I crossed a line," I spoke again, but she said nothing, instead she put her finger over her lips,

Walking over the reflector, grabbed my arm,

"Hey what are you—"

Swiping my hand over it something began to happen, it's like I activated something, inflicting the water to start fuming angrily, and then it stopped. What I saw next was surely baffling, in the mirror I saw a mermaid, her tail was glistening with a multicolor scale, large wings flickering in her back, she seemed terrified, "Is that you?"

Bringing her finger to her lips again, she pointed to the mirror, gesturing that I kept on watching,

The mermaid was beautiful, her hair was white, and it was long, almost the length of her tail.

Out of nowhere, she was attacked by a merman, one who familiar armor, he was a soldier from Meritopia, the guards here wore familiar body shield. Soon she was cornered by more mermen and she fought back, she wrapped her hair around their feet, tossing them away, the strength of her wings would push a few further from her, but there were just too many of them, and she was losing. Casting a net over her, I watched as they dragged her away.

Yanking my arm again, she swiped my hand over it, and the film stopped, it was back into a regular mirror, well not for me since it's water, but for them it is. Standing up, I turned her around staring at her wings, that's why the edges looked chopped because they clipped off the majority of their wings and her hair, they cut her hair too,

"Who did to you... Was that you," I placed my hand on her shoulders, looking deep into her eyes,

"Tell me please,"

"No," she finally spoke, "That wasn't me,"

"Who was it?"

Shifting her gaze to the door then back to me,

"I have said too much said,"

Said? You haven't said anything at all,

"You must figure out the rest on your own, you're the first... ever... To be concerned with my kind and what we are," she cupped my cheeks,

"I a mermaid pixie... That all I can say, let that guide me towards the answers you speak,"

Her last words were followed by knocks on the door, she removed her hands from face to stand next to me, smiling brightly as if nothing happened,

"Act normal," she whispered through cooled teeth,

Looking away, I shifted my glance at the door,

"Come in"

On the side of the door was a guard,

"The queen request for your presence immediately," she spoke,

"Good. Tell her I will be there,"

"You don't understand... Immediately means now... As in I should take you,"

"Well then," I turned to face the girl,

"You are a good... Maid," I tried to sound 'normal' as she said, "But I must know your name. Your services are... Extraordinary, especially my hair, and the dress is lovely as well,"

"Ashera... My name is Ashera,"

"Okay, Ashera... Clean up this mess while I am away," I brushed my finger against hers as I walked away, I needed to know that I didn't mean to call her a maid or did I mean to boss her around.

Walking with the guard, I felt anxious to meet with the queen, she didn't like me one bit because of my mother, so why is she inviting me to dinner, what's the catch here? Because there is always a catch.

Seated across a large table, the queen waited for me, various types of food lining the wooden surface,

"Glad you can make it lady Helena... It's an honor to be having dinner with you," she smirked, entwining her fingers,

Not like I had a choice, I thought.

"I must say, Queen Marina... I was surprised when you requested me to join you for dinner,"

"Oh, Lady Helena... I was simply bored. Don't flatter yourself." She wore a wide smile.

Yeah, she didn't like me. That was out in the open, and I was sure if it, but I couldn't shake this feeling that it's more than the bitter hatred she carries around for my mother.

"Please," she gestured with her hand, "Sit down. Eat. You must be starving,"

Saying nothing I sat down, I was hungry, and these foods were looking rather succulent, lobsters, crab legs, shrimps, clams... Every seafood I could think of, but... Why were mermaid eating sea creatures, weren't they from the ocean themselves? But I didn't say anything, I am a human— well half-human, I am considered an animal, and I do get my food from animals so... I guess it isn't as bad as it sounds,

"You are so quiet Helena... Is something on your mind... The prince maybe,"

Glancing up from my plate, I glared at her as she slipped a piece of meat into the corner of her mouth, pressing her lips tightly around the fork,

"What— why would I... Why would you think my mind is on the prince?"

"You tell me, Lady Helena, word around here is that you two are pretty close... Mine told me about that?"

"I— I don't—" I was interrupted by a guard hauling a girl in, she had short white hair and wings like Ashera's, her hair... It—it looked damped, as if— it was her, the mermaid pixie from the mirror, everything I watched... It was a live feed,

"Fresh Catch," the queen joked, and the guards chuckled at this, how was this funny... Any of it,

"Come closer," the queen waved over to the guard with the girl,

Shoving her in the back, she stumbled to the floor falling at the queen's feet,

"This one is a bit feeble general, sure she is a good fit?"

"She is my queen, she put up a fight too... Hurt a few of my men,"

"Not good enough it seems," she snickered, glaring down at the girl, "Take her away..."

"Will do," the guard bowed before yanking the girl from the ground,

"Get up," she shoved her around,

"Right." She shifted her attention to me, "Sorry about that... Please continue with what you were saying,"

"The prince and I... We aren't involved enough for him to be on my mind, why would you think that?"

"Is that so?"

"Yes, Triton and I are just friends—"

Hoisting her hands, the liquid in the cups rose with her, shooting spikes my way. Taking cover, I flinched when I felt the sting on my cheeks, one of the ice blades must have cut me,

"Why did you..."

"Because you're lying... Are you my son's mate?"

"Wh—" I held my cheek, what the hell is a mate, "I have no idea what you're talking about,"

"Helena," I hear his voice behind me, cupping my cheeks soon as he caught up to where I stood,

"What did you do," he glared at the queen,

"I cut her to see if you two are connected," she mumbled, "But you two don't share the bond," she walked over to us,

"You don't even share her pain," she gripped tightly on to Triton's face,

Groaning lowly under his breath he pulled away,

"She is not your mate son, I am sorry," she whispered, standing next to us,

"I tried to warn you... I tried to protect you from these promises from the oracle... And what do you do, stab me in the back,"

Ambling away I hear her laughing under breath, uttering something,

But Triton. Everything his mother said didn't faze him. I didn't understand what's going on, but it sounded important. He looked relaxed as if the news she broke to him wasn't alarming. He already knew.