Suddenly, a shadow fell between them. “Forgive my intrusion, but you are wrong. On two counts, no less.”
Both mermaids turned to find that Larissa had come close without them realizing. “We have every reason to keep you near.” She turned to Tyna. “As I said before, Dustin’s body was infused with the same royal magic as your own. In essence, she is joined to you, and under our law, this makes her family.”
“Family?” Tyna gawked. “So, Dustin’s my sister now?”
“Under law, yes, but not by blood. She will not be taking your place as heir. Still, she will enjoy many of the same privileges as befits her title.”
“Title?” Dustin asked.
Larissa smiled. “That is the second thing you got wrong. You are now a princess, as well.”
For a while, both younger mermaids simply stared at her. “Me!? A p-princess?” Dustin’s eyes showed a mixture of horror and amazement.
“Princess Dustin,” Tyna said to herself as if trying to wrap her head around the idea. Like her newly adopted sibling, she felt rather conflicted on the matter. Mermaids had always been her own passion, and being a princess had made the deal even sweeter. Now, all these same things had been bestowed on her foster brother, too, and a small, admittedly petty part of her did not like that at all. Why Dustin of all people? And why did she have to be so pretty?
Wrinkling her nose, Larissa continued, “I do suggest, however, that we choose a more appropriate name for you before we introduce you at court.” Drifting forward, she gently lifted Dustin’s chin and inspected her stunned face from different angles. “How about Destiny? A bit more fitting, would you not agree? Destiny Novalia for an exotic flare. We can say she is from the Burning Seas or beyond. Perhaps from a drifter tribe.”
These references went over Tyna’s head, so she just nodded. She had to second her mother that Destiny matched the lovely mermaid before her a lot better than a boyish name like Dustin. “Uh, sure.”
“Then it is settled,” Larissa beamed, hugging her newest daughter. “Welcome to our family Princess Destiny.”
Dustin, now dubbed Destiny, shook her head. “Nuh-uh, no way! I’m no girly princess!”
“You’re right,” Larissa agreed. “But that is where your foreign origin story will come in handy. People will be less suspicious of your odd mannerisms and lack of knowledge of our customs. Still, you will need to be taught some basic training in the more universal mermaid habits, proper grooming, body language, that sort of thing.”
“Can’t you just tell them where I actually came from?”
Larissa shook her head. “No. The fact that we hid Tyna in another world is a guarded secret kept within the royal line, not even shared with the general court for security purposes. They are not even aware that gateways to other worlds even exist. Most citizens will be under the impression that Tyna was raised in some secluded location in our world. As one who knows the truth, you must keep it to yourself.”
“And if I don’t?”
“They will assume you are crazy, and I will be forced to make your situation far less comfortable than it is now.” Seeing Destiny shudder, Larissa sighed. “I am not threatening you. I have no desire to make you suffer, but betraying state secrets is an act of treason. Did they not have consequences for treason in your world?”
“Um, yeah. Mostly death.”
“Then you understand the gravity of this matter. Therefore, please, promise me you will never divulge your true origin with those who are not authorized to know. Furthermore, promise me you will not run away, for your own safety as well as ours. There are things in these oceans far bigger and hungrier than anything you have in your world. They mostly leave us alone, but one solitary mermaid would present too tempting a morsel to resist. So promise me, please.”
The mermaid hung her head and nodded. “Alright, I promise.”
Immediately, Larissa pulled her into another embrace. “And I promise to do my best to ensure your happiness in this world and love you as a mother should. I will confess to you both, I am a bit out of practice. So, I guess we will all be learning as we go. Now, let us be off. There is a three day journey ahead, long enough to prepare ourselves. Come.”
With that, the three mermaids swam off towards their new home.