THE PAST

"Who even told you that crocodiles would come over. I know you're only concerned about me but you shouldn't be scaring me this way. I don't like it. Which animal would be awake at this late hour of the night anyway. Don't you think you've cracked a simple joke. If you really want to scare me, come up with something big. Something very dangerous."she was teasing him.

"If I'm lying then what's that."he asked coldly while pointing at a crocodile in the opposite corner.

"Co..cro.. crocodile!"the same girl who wasn't getting out of words was now struggling to utter a small word.

"Oh girl, don't stutter. Where's your ego and stubbornness now. Where are they. I dare you to chase it away!"he challenged.

"Woooooo..."before he knew it she was screaming on top of her lungs that she almost broke his eardrums. "It's staring at me."she said in fear.

Laughing uncontrollably Trion later spoke, "calm down please. It's dead. I can't harm you."

Araxie didn't wait for him to finish talking but to wrap her arms around his neck.

Trion wanted to explain everything to her before he paused to enjoy her embrace first- he was loving it!

For him it felt like he was being reborn. That girl's hug was arousing the beast inside of him but he wasn't ready to witness something like that. Perhaps that's why it was right of him to push her off him and let his beast calm down before he could ruin it for himself.

"You don't have to be scared. I've killed it already."he said, pushing her off himself.

It was then that Araxie realized she had been holding him without his consent. It looked like she was forcing herself on to him otherwise he wouldn't have pushed her away like he did.

"I'm sorry."she said quickly.

Her saying sorry was so hurting for Trion.

He couldn't believe the love of his life was looking so regretful just for hugging him.

It was a total torture to him.

"I feel like kissing you and telling you that I loved it when you wrapped your arms around me. I wish I could promise you that all will be well. I can't get close to you even if I want to. I'm scared I might lose control over myself and maybe do something I would live to regret and moreover you haven't accepted my love. I'm sorry love."he was looking apologetic while talking to himself in his mind.

"You wanted to know about my father, right?"

"I don't want to know anymore. Thanks."

Araxie was really hurt by this man's actions. How dare he push her! She was cursing himself inwardly little did she know that Trion was regretting it as well.

"I know I've hurt you, and maybe it's the reason you look upset right now. What else could I have done. Could you have handled me if I just enjoyed your embrace and lost my control. Who knows what could've happened...."

Araxie was wise enough to tell that he didn't hurt her intentionally instead he did it for her own good and safety.

At first she thought he didn't like her touch (the same thought was making her feel sad and unattractive) as any woman would feel when rejected by the man she loves.

"I'm sorry. And...."

By raising a brow, Araxie knew that Trion wanted to hear what she wanted to add on.

"Thanks for saving me again. Wait a second. When and how did you kill this big crocodile?"

"I've lived in this sea for so many years now. So, I have learnt all the necessary tactics to deal with dangerous animals like this.'he said with a free look.

"Well, you were going to tell me about your father."she reminded him.

Trion could've refused since she already missed her chance when he was going to tell her but since he didn't want to upset her again,he had to tell him.

He was so happy that she understood why he pushed her.

Annoying her was something he didn't want to repeat since he had already tasted how if feels seeing her sad.

"Aaaah."he couldn't find how to start. He wasn't that proud of his father you know. In fact he blamed him for his every single problem and suffering.

He never wanted to talk about him because of the pain he had inside of him. He believed that if his father had done the needful, perhaps his life would've been different.

Wait! What did his father do that he hated him that much?

"Why are you nagging. It's okay if you don't want to share it with me. I can understand." He could clearly see a sad expression on Araxie's face.

"No love. I'll tell you everything. It's just that I can't find where and how to start. It's a long story you know. I'm thinking of cutting it short. I'll only tell you about the main plots, right?"

His suggestion wasn't bad but Araxie didn't like it at all. She wanted him to tell it all.

"You aren't writing a story that I would say you're scared your ink and paper would get finished and that you'll need rolls and rolls of ream.

Come on, tell me the whole story and don't skip any scene if any."

Since Trion had promised himself that he would do anything to ensure she wouldn't miss him, telling her this whole story was nothing and he would do it gladly.

"Alright I'll tell you everything.'

"I'm getting curious."Araxie was behaving as if she had seen that man for ages. It felt like he was her childhood best friend which wasn't the case!

"Well, I don't know much about my father because it's like I've never seen him.

I only heard about him in stories my mom always narrated for me.

I used to take those stories as nothing since I had her around me all the time that I never felt lonely or miss my dad for a second.

I thought there won't be a day I would feel like meeting him as I believed I didn't have anything to do with him.

But I was wrong. I miss him now that I've found you. I'm tired of this life, perhaps it's the reason you're rejecting my love. You don't want to fall in love with a merman, right?

I wish to meet him once and become normal (human) for your sake. Only he can grant me a new life.

Actually... when my mom was on her death bed, she told me that, "Trion my son, I guess my time to live is up and perhaps my purpose is done as well. I'm going far away from you dear but I promise I won't forget about you. No, son!

How can I forget something so precious to me.

You see, this life is funny... I never imagined that I would ever leave you on your own. I'm afraid we're going to get separated but I promise you that I will always be with you. I will be there whenever you want me.

I'm leaving my duties and responsibilities in your hands. I want you to promise me that you'll take care of this palace so well in my absence. I know you'll make your mom proud because you have my complete trust son.

It's so sad that I won't be there to share both your pain and happiness as I'll be long gone.

I know you'll encounter so many challenges with this new position. You're not perfect that all your subjects would bow down for you with a pure and clean heart.

Some won't hesitate to plan for your defeat. It takes courage and determination to defeat them at their own game.

I have faith in you my courageous son, I believe you would do what's best for everyone.

I'm leaving this palace and every merpeople in here.

They're your responsibility now. I'm making you a new king which means you've started a new journey where you'll meet both good and bad people, friends and enemies since some people won't easily accept to be ruled by a small boy like you. They'll try to challenge you. Some will go ahead and question you because of my past.

They'll make you feel like you're a total orphan since they're well aware that you don't know about your father.

I'm not trying to scare you, I just want to explain to you what kind of creatures you're going to rule when I'm gone and I don't think it's far from now.

I've told you everything about your father... I answered whichever question you brought to my table concerning him but... I lied about one thing. I remember you asked me so many times why the two of us separated and I couldn't bring myself to tell you the truth. I was scared you would blame me for everything and perhaps leave me to look for your father.

I admit I became selfish by lying to you that your father, Beryl Jackson ousted me from the house when he learned that I was pregnant with you. Well, the truth was that I'm the one who left him.

It's a long story but I will cut it short.

Your father and I were happily married. We had spent five years in marriage, spending every day like we were on our honeymoon.

It's not that I couldn't conceive in those years, we had said we'd make our first baby in the sixth year of our marriage and that's what we did.

Everyone was very happy when we got to know that I was expecting. Your father felt like he was on cloud nine. He even shed tears of joy if I'm to remember correctly.

I was a princess by then but he treated me like a queen -thanks to your pregnancy!

Everyone was taking good care of me especially my mother-in-law.

All our minds and attention were focused on you.

We hoped to spend all the nine months with so much love and happiness little did we know that destiny had something else in store for us.

I was three months pregnant when Beryl's both parents died suddenly without falling sick.

We were still recovering from the shock when my parents fell sick after the sea water was poisoned by the fishermen.

Many merpeople died on spot but my mom and dad lived some days ahead. I was there (in the Sea) to take care of them.

I stayed with them for a while, took care of them and gave them medicine on time but their condition kept worsening.

When they realized that they were not going to make it and recover, they asked me to take up all their responsibilities and duties.

Some few guests were invited and I was crowned as the new queen.

Some welcomed me with a pure heart and some didn't.

They refused to bow down for me but it wasn't a big deal with me.

I was crowned like today and they died the next day at the same time, holding each other's hand which shocked everyone and surprised them at the same time.

Everything happened so fast that I didn't get time to share everything with my husband.

After their farewell ceremony, the royal committee gathered and before I knew it they had chosen a date for my coronation.