Crown Princess Amara looked at herself in the mirror as she adjusted the ruby tiara in her blonde hair. She pulled a little at the high collar and the skintight top which covered her over her entire upper body. The golden fabric really did go with her hair and her green blue eyes but it didn’t really work all that well with her red and black tail. Even with the fabric around her gills a tad bit loser and thinner being in such a tight outfit made it hard to breath. Her sleeves where also skintight up to her elbows and then opened up into a flowing sleeve. Over her shoulders and in a V shaped piece was ceremonial armor in as pure of silver as possible. It had inlays of jewels, gold and other rare stones. Two large rods shot out form the belt area and went about halfway down the length of her tail before moving out and forming a ring behind her. Fabric was spread out over the ring giving her an appearance of a large open front ball dress if she was a human, it was over the top and made it a lot harder to swim but it was part of the traditional royal outfit for grand announcements.
“I hate this.” Said Princess Amara “I kind of wish I was in your outfit.”
“Well, I am not a royal anymore, gave that title up when I became a politician.” Said a mermaid in black suit top. However one of her sleeves was rolled up and she was breathing heavily as she had done for years. “So how is my nephew?”
“He is good Aunt Gene. I can’t wait for you to meet him.” said Amara to the mermaid who looked a lot like her, her blonde hair was brown and cut short but their bone structure looked similar. Her black and cream tail flicked back and forth as she floated there.
“That is Prime Minster Genevieve at the moment, once we are all inside I am Aunt Gene right now I am on official duties.” corrected Gene with a playful smile to her niece before coughing. When she finished coughing a sad smile formed on her face. She reached down and touched the large scar feeling where one of her gills used to be. “I am just glad that I didn’t fully fail that night, who knows what my brother would have done…”
“Aunt Gene, no one blamed you.” said Amara, she didn't know that for sure, she hadn't been born yet when the events happened but no one she had heard from placed any fault on her Aunt.
“I did…I was supposed to be baby sitting him while your parents enjoyed a date night.” said Gene as she remembered being an 16 year old princess. She remembered holding her nephew when the sound of battle came from outside, she jumped up as the door came crashing down as royal guards did battle with the assassin’s. One of them had yelled at her to run, to take the young Prince and swim away, she had and swam right into her older brother. She thought the spear in his hands was to fight to defend his family, instead he ran the spear through her chest. She was pinned to the wall, she still remembered the pain, but that nothing compared to the pain of betrayal and her nephew was ripped from her arms. She tried to form a magical attack in her arm, only to have her brother…the brother who she loved to bring down a short sword taking her arm. The last she saw was her brother taking her nephew, the crown prince away as she began to bleed out.
She woke up, days later her arm gone and one of her lungs/gills and scars which would stay with her, her entire life. The worse part was knowing she had failed, she was just a kid and no one faulted her for failing. More blame fell on the guard, but they had fought to the last and everyone of them who fell took at least three of the assassin’s with them.
The public was outraged by the attack on the crown and the believed murder of the young prince. When the group/cult which her brother was leading was brought to justice and the evidence given. The rare sentence of death was given to all of them. Her heroism had helped her become the youngest Prime Minister in the history of the kingdom and the first former royal to even hold public office. That had been an issue when she first ran but outside of the fringe on either side she was beloved.
“Princess Amara, Prime Minister we are ready.” said a royal guard who was also in the formal armor including tail armor and helmet.
“Well, lets go tell the people.” said Gene
“I still wish it was father doing this.” stated Amara
“The people need to know, the reports that your grandparents where seen moving around when they where believed dead is being covered by every channel.” Explained her Aunt as both looked out a tinted window to the mass of sea flowers which was being put around the fence. “We can’t wait, and your parents will not get here until evening.”
“Alright.” said Amara as she prepared herself. She swam out of the and was instantly flanked by two royal guards, one male one female in full armor. To either side where 8 more guards equally split between merman and mermaids all in full armor. Her Aunt moved beside her as they headed toward a podium which had the royal seal on it. Beyond that was a sea of cameras and media all watching as Crown Princess Amara flanked by the Prime Minister came forward.
She reached the podium and tapped the side, a holographic teleprompter appeared, she could see it and everyone behind her but from the front and sides it was as if nothing was there.
“Good afternoon…I know everyone has been wondering about the strange series of events which has been happening with the Royal family.” Started Amara “First my Grandparents, the retired King and Queen are doing well and are not sick in anyway. The story that they were gravely ill was not true, the news I have to give to the citizens of our kingdom and the world is one for celebration.”
“Days ago, the island brought a small group of humans and as what had happened for thousands of years they began the process of becoming merfolk.” Stated Amara before she gave a smile. “Among these humans was the transformed Crown Prince Cain.”
There was an audible gasp.
“This has been confirmed by multiple DNA tests and his ability to do magic at a high level.” Stated Amara “It looks like my traitorous Uncle decided to send my brother to the human world and let him live his life as a human, but his plan has failed. My brother is now in the Summer Palace and reuniting with his grandparents and our parents are rushing home to see their long-lost son. The Royal family asks the public to give us time to reunite as a family, we have been apart for over twenty years. The crown Prince needs time to adjust to not only his new found royal hood and the return of his mermanhood.”
“I will now answer a few questions.” said Amara as she prepared for the whirlpool which was about hit her. Within seconds she was a washed in voices all yelling their questions. She answered the first couple which where asking about the confirmation of the Prince and when the people would see him. She reaffirmed the multiple blood tests and his magical strength which confirmed his ability and that he looked like his father and grandfather. They asked for photos of the Prince and she said she would arrange that. Then finally someone asked the question
“Reports where that you where seen swimming with the former King and Queen along with who I assume was the crown Prince and a mermaid with a red tail.” inquired a reporter “Who was that mermaid?”
Amara smiled as she prepared to drop another headline news on them.
“Yes, I went on a swim with my grandparents, my brother and his betrothed, Rose.” answered Amara “She was one of the humans transformed along with others of his friends from the human world. And with that I am going to go reunite with my brother, once again the Royal Family asks that you give Prince Cain, his future wife and all of us time to reunite as a family. I thank you.”
She pulled away as the reporters yelled even more questions, as she pulled away her Aunt moved forward and took to the podium. When she did a merman on the staff swum forward and removed the royal seal and replaced it with the seal of the Prime Minster.
“This is a wonderful day for not only the royal family and the nation but for the entire world.” Started her aunt as she took focus away from Amara. Now that the public knew the only thing left to do today was reunite the whole family.