The Pearl Ball

After a day outside Sienna and Nefari went to eat a snack. As the evening fell, the merprince came to visit them. Hector bowed politely." I came to invite you both to the farewell Pearl Ball."

Sienna stared at him blankly. She could not believe her ears. This was eighter bad black humour or utterly disgusting.

"It is a celebration for the mermaid due to be sacrificed, is the biggest opulent occasion, everyone has fun and show off their costumes." Hector tried to explain to shocked Sienna.

"We are not going!" said Sienna resolutely, "We will be not dying anyway."

"I know it is wrong." Hector shook his head."The mermen should be training and getting ready for battle. Not dancing."He bit his lips."But the king is one to rule and it is compulsory on the pain of death to come tonight."He said biting his lips.

"Then I bet is not compulsory only for the mermaid who will lose her life anyway!" Sienna called in outrage.

"How could you stand it, prince Hector?" She looked him straight into his eyes."Are you so weak, you can't take over your cruel father and change it? I wonder what your mother has to say about it, " Sienna shook her head.

The prince just bit his lips. He was about to reply something when the 2 mermen brought in expensive golden pearl dresses with golden heavy capes covered in big pearls."How many dead mermaids wore them? " Sienna scoffed.

" They are new." the prince tried to ease her."The king wants them more opulent each time."The prince noted. "The king is excited about this celebration hole 10 years every time. He even has a special calendar to cross the days."Hector said.

Sienna looked at the exquisite dress the king sent her."We go!" she said with a dark smirk, "But you will need to help us."She said something to the prince quietly. He nodded and left with his lips curled up.

Sienna and Nefari got ready. They looked at each other with a cheeky smirk.

Captain Glebius went to fetch the queen and Nefari." I can't take you like this my queen!" he became even paler.

The prince was waiting outside," What is going on? I will take them." he said to the worried captain." In any case, have your men ready to help the queen if needed." Hector bit his lips." This will be interesting." he thought.

The prince helped Siena and Nefari cover in the decadent capes and led them to the Dancing Sale.

Sienna and Nefari followed the prince with beating hearts. They did not know what will happen. Nefari was a bit scared but Sienna had a revengeful feeling in her heart." I will give him a celebration he will never forget." she smiled cheekily under her nose.

Everyone was expecting the beautiful queen and Nefari to arrive. Everyone had a ceremonial beautiful gown. King gleamed with pride in his pearl and gold outfit. He was actually so looking forward to this ball every 10 years. He always planned for his great outfit, and do not feel sorry for mermaids at all. It was his celebration act and he lived for it.

"The queen Sienna and Nefari the singing mermaid."The ceremonial announced."Prince Hector."The prince entered as well in his black velvet cape.

The queen and Nefari came covered in golden sparkling capes. The king looked at his shiny sacrifices. He was pleased. If Sienna's mates will not come, he will throw her to Kraken first and keep Nefari for the next one. "I will. design her even more pretty gown he thought and watch covered beauties. He could not wait to see the gowns he had prepared with so much effort, because for now, only their beautiful serious faces stuck out. They walked slowly to the middle of the room. Suddenly they stopped and dropped the golden capes on the stony floor, revealing their dresses. Everyone gasped in shock.

The queen and Nefari wore black cotton sacks stained with red colour reminding blood, on the waist tied up with a metal chain. Their hair were covered in black scarves. They looked so beautiful but like death predicting figures from the underworld. Prince Hector was wearing metal armour. He was also not dressed up.

Everyone stared speechlessly.

"What is this?" Asked the shocked king."Why are you disturbing our celebration with these ugly outfits? You surely received the splendid gowns I had designed for you two. It took years to collect the rare pearls and weave the splendid silks. I was waiting so eagerly for this special occasion and you are ruining it!"

" Celebration? Do weakness, pride and cowardness need a celebration now?" Sienna said loud in a clear voice."

" Well maybe is not to your taste, but some of us were looking forward to this ball and worked hard to accomplish its sparkling glory." the king said nonchalantly.

The merfolks looked at him in shock." The king enjoyed it!" they suddenly realised the king was pretentious about his sadness all these years! He scared and manipulated them and they felt cheated. The merpeople started to murmur upset and shocked.

Sienna looked at him." The king who enjoys the death of innocent, how low. This the last of your sick balls, where you show of your gold outfits at the innocent mermaid's death sentence."She called enraged."You should train your armies to be stronger and not parade them here as peacocks. Armies are for defending females not for bullying them."Sienna lectured to the king. Nefari just stood there. She was not afraid suddenly. She felt free.

"Your mates are not yet here. You should join our celebrations as it still might be your last." the king smirked.

Sienna smiled and unwrapped the black scarf from her head. Her golden hair fall down as a shiny waterfall and the elegant black crystals necklace graced her neck. She took the eagle feather stuck in her hair and put it in front of her face theatrically.

"You did not have it before. Did you?" the king furrowed his brows as he looked at her new necklace. He would never miss such an exquisite piece with his keen fashion sense.

Sienna nodded. "My kings are coming, so I bid you good night and I'm curious to see you at the battlefield."She noted.

Sienna turned in place and went out with Nefari. Hector followed.

The merfolks did not know what to do. They bowed their heads down and left slowly following the prince. The king stood alone in the empty throne room. Quin looked at him."It is decided. You need to make prince the king ."The old merman said to the king. "Why?" The king asked curiously.

"You need to put the prince in charge because if Siennna's mates find out you were willing to give her to Kraken, they kill us all right after Kraken, "Ouin replied.

"Do you think they can really kill it?" the king asked.

The old mage nodded his head."Definitely."

"Why did you not ask them for her help before?" the king asked.

"You did not want anyone to mate with mermaids, so you refused anyone who offered help." The Quin reminded him.

"Will not our tribe go ugly if other tribes mate with our females?" Nelius scoffed.

" If we don't take the queen's offer there will be no tribe." the mage said quietly.

Sienna with Nefari run back to her cave giggling." That showed him! The cruel old fish. "Sienna chuckled. Hector strode right behind them.

The Glebius was waiting for them." What happened he look at them in shock." What?" Sienna asked. Glebius pointed behind her. She turned around and saw all merfolks following them. Sienna smiled and lifted her right hand." To life and freedom."She giggled."Have a good night good people, your hearts are right." The merfolks cheered."To life!"They all went back to their homes.

Sienna went out to the fresh air with Nefari. The sky was dark covered in countless stars and the sea was black. The soft warm wind from the deserts was blowing over the sea. Sienna and Nefari smiled at each other and took deep breaths. They both felt bewildered. Sienna held Nefari's hands in hers, making it warmer." They are coming." she said longingly.

Marco with Voltoire hunted some prey to eat and after a short rest flew as crazy back. They flew thru the night and came in front of his castle at twilight. Marco sounded the horn to summon his Sea Egle armies. The sky began to darken again as the countless eagles arrived. Marco looked at his summoned armies."Soldiers are you the bravest of all?" he asked them in loud voice.

"Yes." the soldiers shouted.

"Good, because we are going to fight the Kraken tomorrow at right noon," said Marco darkly.

The old eagle come forward." Nobody can kill Kraken," he said worriedly.

"We will. "said Marco."We joined Scorpion King with a plan. We fight with the scorpion army together and shoot poisonous arrows, then we...

"It is not noble to use poison..." said the old man with a raised finger.

"Noble? It is the life of my queen at stake. Kraken is a vicious beast. It is also not noble to eat my queen or any female," said Marco angrily." I'm not wasting my time or lives of my soldiers on it for some nobleness or honour! Besides faster we kill it, the more time my men can spend with beautiful mermaids. "he said coldly.

The men cheered. Finally, a reasonable king, who values the lives of his men over made-up honour fights. They also liked the mermaid notion and got excited.

"And you will have more time with your queen..." the old man added."You are more ruthless than I thought." he nodded.

"You saw my queen." said the Eagle King coldly and his cold eyes emitted freezing anger. He will kill anything and anyone endangering Sienna in cold blood."And the next time you cut in as your king speaks is your last old man. You are warned."Marco hissed.

"Haayyy" the soldiers shouted in unison...Mermaids were said to be most beautiful, it was almost unobtainable for Eagles to see them and now they even will have a chance to mate with them...

The eagles eagerly spread around the forest and cut the best trees for the massive spears. They cut 200 of them for a start and started to work to change them into huge long thick spears.