THE BEAD

The next time Marina opened her eyes, it was already morning of the next day. She had to go back to the Sea. She hoped to find either Araxie or her corpse.

Thank God Araxie froze before making it to the Sea surface otherwise Marina could've found her.

Marina and her sailors were seen searching as much as they could but didn't find anything.

This left Marina with no choice but to declare her dead.

It didn't take long before people gathered at Marina's house to sympathize with her.

Hoping that Araxie was still alive, Judith and her daughters never felt the need to go to Marina's house.

Judith too was convinced after Sarah told her what exactly had been happening in Araxie's life.

"I hope he saves her this time as well."Judith breathed after listening to everything.

Elsewhere, Trion returned after crying his pain out. "The water is no longer cold, let's go."he said.

Wait! What's going on?

"Are you sure you want this?"Araxie asked looking at how strange Trion was behaving. A moment ago he didn't want her to leave but here, he was asking her to go!

"Your happiness is my happiness and moreso, I trust you dear. I don't know why but I feel like someone is asking me to let you go."his voice was still calm.

"For good? Is that someone telling you to stop loving me?"she asked, looking so anxious as she waited for his reply.

She almost fainted on seeing him raise a brow first as he was going to say something.

"What happened?"he asked when he noticed a sudden sad expression on her face.

"You didn't answer my question."

"You know I will never stop loving you Araxie. You're the only one I love and nothing will ever change that. But I'm wondering...., I'm thinking about what you just said. I hope you didn't mean it."

"I said so many things and I can't guess what exactly...."

"You said that loving someone doesn't... something like that!"

"Hey, don't take it serious. I was only kidding. I wanted to see how you would react but unfortunately you left me all alone here. You didn't care if the animals attacked me or not."she was sounding like she wanted to cry.

"So it's true humans can't see through water."

"What."

"I didn't leave actually, I just hid myself right here in water."

"But tell me, did I make a mistake by kidding with you?"

"Of course not. Let's go."

"You look to be in a hurry to send me back home. I hope everything is fine. Or perhaps you want to cheat on me after I'm gone!"she chuckled.

"Princesses are only meant to be loved and not to be cheated on.

I don't like to brag but for your case I will do it. I want everyone to know that I have the world's most beautiful woman."he kissed her hand.

"Do it again."Araxie whispered while looking in his sea blue eyes.

"Like this?"now he was on her forehead.

"No. Like this."

Oh my God! Araxie just kissed him. Feeling shy, she looked away.

"You're so sweet and innocent my love. You don't even know how to kiss. Just look at me. Come a little bit closer. Now close your sweet eyes."

Araxie found herself losing control for this man's whispers. She was craving for him.

It wasn't long before she felt his cold soft lips over hers. Soon his tongue slid into her soft slightly opened mouth before it started stimulating around the corners, she was breathing his warm breathe while her heart was beating so faster than usual. For some reasons she felt like climbing on him but that would be strange of her. Wow, she was fighting the urge to open her eyes and for some reasons, she didn't want to. She didn't want to make any mistake to stop this feeling. She could feel his seemingly cool fingers caressing her back and neck simultaneously that she didn't realize when she wrapped her hands around him.

"That's how they kiss."Trion whispered as he slowly broke the kiss.

"Wow. It's a forever good feeling!"

"Yes. You taste so sweet my love."

"You're incredibly sweet too."

"Really."

"I mean it love. I love you."

"I love you too my world. I wanna get lost in your world forever."

"But tell me. How did you learn this when you didn't have a girlfriend?"she wanted to change the topic. After that long kiss she was still wanting for more but deep down she was scared things might get out of hand and both of them might end up doing something they were not prepared for.

Laughing uncontrollably, "I must say you're so funny...(he laughed once more)... Anyway, some things happen to us naturally. We don't have to learn them."

"We have to go."Araxie couldn't stand being defeated.

"Take this with you. I'm sure you'll need it. Your mom will try to hurt you to read your mind but with this, she won't be able to get anything."

"What's this?"

"It was my mom's magical royal bead. Only sea queens own one."

"But I'm not..."

"Shuhhh! You're my queen from now on, do you hear that? No one can take you from me now."

"Really? Will you stop mother from marrying me away?"

"She may try to but only when she finds you."

"I don't understand."

"It's up to you to let her recognize you or not. Now this bead belongs to you so, your bead, your orders."

"I don't get it."

"It's magical and I'm sure you know what magic means. With magic, the impossible becomes possible."

"Do you mean this bead can hear my orders?"

"Absolutely, but you can't ask it to go and get you something. You can can ask it to change your looks in case you want to look different so that people won't recognize you. You can ask it to control you and maybe be teleport you to a certain place even if you don't know that place."he explained.

"This sounds impressive."

"It really is."

"May I try?"

"Go ahead but only in a whisper. No one around has to hear what you're asking. In other words, it only hears secrets."

"Okay. Let me see."Araxie was so excited to try something new. She felt like she was on an adventure trip with this man, Trion who always came up with new different things.

"Never lose it please."

"Do I look that careless to you?"she sighed.

"I didn't mean that but you see ..."

"I promise I won't lose it. Treasures are meant to be kept safe and not to be thrown away."

"I see."

Trion couldn't hold his laughter on seeing Araxie's new look. Yes, the face remained the same but something was new about it. The bead responded to her instantly. "All of the things you asked for the fangs! Hahaha.... you're so funny... like really funny.."Trion was laughing at the top of his lungs. She had developed long fangs which couldn't fit in her heart like lips.

"Ain't my bead, my orders!"she chuckled. Maybe she did that intentionally - perhaps she wanted to make him laugh.

"I wanted a goodbye kiss but not anymore. No man would ever accept to kiss those scary lips. Oops,... haha....they're really scary. They're aren't enticing anymore." Now Araxie was feeling a little bad. How dare he say he won't kiss her goodbye!

"What do I do when I need to transform back to normal?"

"Do I even know!"

Wait! Are you guys sensing something fishy too? I hope we're all in the same boat!

Araxie hoped Trion was joking.

"I'm not joking."he replied to her thoughts.

"You said no one will read my mind, how did you know I was thinking about that?"

"It's my mom's bead and I've lived with it on the underside of my tongue for ten years now so, it has no effect on me. I can read what you're thinking with ease."

Araxie breathed with relief. All she wanted was hiding her thoughts from Marina at any cost. After sharing her sad story with Trion, she was now feeling like it just happened yesterday. The wounds felt so fresh and the pain was too much. She felt like avenging for her mother but how?

"I'm sorry for everything."Trion said after reading that girl's mind, breaking the silence.

"Aren't you hungry?"he added.

"I'm starving!"

"It's all your fault that you got me engaged and I almost forgot to order for some food. I would've asked them to bring it here."

"Now how's it my fault. Did I stop you from showing me your hospitality."

"I'm sorry ma'am, okay?"

"It's okay my king."she chuckled. This reminds me, where are your subjects. I saw only one lady since I arrived here."

"They're all in the palace and unfortunately I can't take you there. They will get scared of you."

"Am I that scary?" She liked urging and couldn't miss a chance to trouble him.

"You're different from us. They'll consider you as an animal. Some of them have never seen humans so, what will I tell them?"

"Can't you lie to them that I'm your wife or girlfriend. What's the matter with it?"

"You are deliberately ignoring my point. Even if I lie, they'll still know that I'm lying because you're still in human form."

"Meaning."

"Let's not make it a big issue please."

"It's okay."she said with a fallen face.

"Thanks. Now let me order the meals."

"I don't want it anymore. Thanks."

"What? You can't punish yourself like this."

"How do you expect me to sit and enjoy the meal prepared by the ones I'm not supposed to see. I need to go home. It's like I don't have any place here."

"How can you say that dear. Of course you have a special place here and in my heart as well as my life."

"I need to go."she kept mumbling, ignoring his words.

"Try to understand me dear. They're mermaids and they think that humans are only after their lives and pearls, that's why."

"I didn't know about that. Sorry."

"It's okay."Trion simply said.

"It's not."she wanted to start.

"What now. I hope you aren't picking up another argument."

"It's nothing like that. I'm wondering if you would ever take me there."

"Sure. We'll go there as a couple one day, I promise."

"I can't wait... to see as many mermaids as possible. I'm sure life is so beautiful inside that palace, right?"

"You're a queen now because you own that bead. You have the whole sea as well as the palace in your hands. It doesn't matter if you can't go there, you can still see everything."

"I don't understand."

"It's turning into a habit now. Every time you don't understand. When will you understand?"he chuckled.

"Tell me sir please, I'm curious..."Araxie was looking so excited with that broad smile which stretched from ear to ear.

"What did you call me. Can't you call me romantic names like baby, sweetheart or boo? What's sir? Am I your master? Will you keep calling me these boring titles of yours?"

"Okay. I get it."Araxie cleared her throat before speaking with a little hesitation.

"What do you mean my...w...."

Was she going to call him wife! Trion hoped she wasn't..

"I'm waiting."he raised a brow.

"You heard me and I'm not going to repeat."

"Well then I won't say anything too."