1 Prologue

"Love conquers all, my Queen..."

"We are in this together, Apsara, you and me.."

Nilakant's voice invaded her mind with each step Apsara took, towards the place she once called home.

Each word pierced like an arrow, begging her to go back.

'I'm sorry,' she whispered softly, 'you have claimed my heart. And it will always be yours.'

The cobra pearl, gripped tightly in fist glowed bright, and she stumbled. The water called to her, the lost daughter who finally returned.

The moonlight hit the dark waters and her people wove their way towards the surface, singing in their agonizingly melodious voice. The sea parted, and a very beautiful woman appeared, her cruel black eyes empty and terrifying. Her blood red hair covered most of her body, ending at her waist to reveal red scales in thick patterns, fused together to form a fish tail, like most of her people. The air around her crackled with power as the Queen of the Sea regarded the girl before.

'Apsara, dear, have you come back home?' Despite the words, the Queen's voice was devoid of affection.

Apsara took a step back. 'You promised, mother. You promised you wouldn't go to war.'

'If you come back home, of course. With the pearl.' The Queen said, waving a webbed hand.

'Really? Why do you want the Nagmani if you don't plan to use it? You want to extend your rule! Yet you promised me the safety of Nagmire.'

The Queen's eyes flashed at her daughter's outburst. 'You forget yourself!' She snarled. 'I sent you to them to steal their most precious pearl, for the good of our people, and you disrespected me by falling in love with one of them! What kind of Queen will I be if I stay silent? You want me to be portrayed as weak?'

The Sea Queen's words were followed by the first stroke of lightning in the sky.

'After all the trouble you have caused me, how dare you even suggest that I sit back and relax?' The sea raged as the Queen's temper rose. Her people swam back nervously in the water.

'I love him, mother.' Apsara cried, staring defiantly at her Queen. 'I tried not to, but I couldn't help it.'

'The Queen relaxed, the sea mirroring her calm. 'Come to me, daughter. They have you under a spell. Come to me and we will talk about it.'

Her mother's voice was too sweet. Soothing her. Urging her to agree. Just like all those times when her life was ruled against her will. In that moment, Apsara knew, the Queen never intended to keep her promise. Her mother was blinded by the lust for power. The Nagmires, the people she had come to love, would be slaughtered by the sea.

All because of a forbidden love.

'I got the Nagmani, mother. Just liked you asked me to. But I will never give it to you. Never!' Apsara said, with the ferocity of an incoming storm.

The Queen's dark eyes burned with unleashed anger. 'You're no daughter of mine. You are not fit to be called the Princess of Matsyavir.' She screeched, face twisted in disgust.

The former Princess was not rattled. She looked up at the sky, searching for a bright star before the clouds lined up for thunder.

'All I wanted was peace, mother. But now, you give me no choice.' Saying thus, Apsara uttered her wish. A wish made with the most sacred of pearls and born from sacrifice. The stars couldn't ignore something like that.

Her mother's laughter echoed all around as she stepped closer to the water, hurt when it didn't recognize her. She was no longer a child of the sea, for her heart was tied to the land. Apsara moved closer, the Serpent King's name on her lips, until the water fully enveloped her, stealing away her life, claiming the price for the wish spoken.

The nature went wild, stars disappeared, lightning struck. The Sea Queen's mirth vanished as she lost control of her domain. Destruction followed. The Nagmani faded into nothing, lost and never to be found.

Far away, past the Woods of Deuce, in the Kingdom of Nagmire, King Nilakant awoke to terrible pain, as he felt his mate's death. The stars knew it was the beginning of the destruction of two races who fought over the serpent pearl. One to protect it, other to possess it. Both were sabotaged, for a wish has been made, the price paid, and remains to be fulfilled.