Chapter 67: Nowhere Home

(Background music playing) .... Song by Billie Eilish

I had a dream

I got everything I wanted

Not what you'd think

And if I'm being honest

It might've been a nightmare

To anyone who might care

Thought I could fly (fly)

So I stepped off the Golden, mm

Nobody cried (cried, cried, cried, cried)

Nobody even noticed

I saw them standing right there

Kinda thought they might care (might care, might care)

I had a dream

I got everything I wanted

But when I wake up, I see

You with me

And you say

"As long as I'm here, no one can hurt you

Don't wanna lie here, but you can learn to

If I could change the way that you see yourself

You wouldn't wonder why you hear

'They don't deserve you"...

Erica drove down the hills with her eye soaked in tears, her thoughts gathering every piece of words anyone had said to her.

"I don't know who your mother is but whoever she is, it's her loss for loosing a daughter like you" The Queen had said to her the very first day she had come to choose the young mermaids that would serve her

"I want to serve you my Queen, with all my heart" she told the queen

"Sure, i will make you my personal warrior" The Queen told her with the brightest smile she had ever seen.

Months ago...

"Can you drive?" Erica asked Oma 

"Of course, it's year 3030; driving is taught in every school now" Oma told her

"Since you can drive, you can teach me" Erica silently said looking into her eye

"God, why do you make everything so flirtatious?" Oma asked laughing

"It's fun having to feel something, i didn't get to feel this where i came from; i am probably not going to have a mate in future" she told Oma

"I know you have a big scar in your heart after finding out that your mother was Vashi but that doesn't mean everyone is like her" Oma told her

"I so much dislike the fact that she is my mother, she is a version of someone i don't want to be like; she caused harm at the sea and we did fight a lot before i knew she was my mother. I probably would have killed her if we had the chance to meet again but no one knew if she is dead or alive" Erica told her

"Let's not talk about Vashi, let's talk about how you are going to be the first mermaid that drives a car" Oma told her. Erica laughed hard as she spreads her hand and hugged her.

"My life has been a lie, i don't belong anywhere" Erica cried out.

***

(Kingdom of Oceania)

Prince Luca was lost in his own thoughts for minutes that he didn't notice the presence of Princess Adunni.

Princess Adunni silently touched him bringing him back to reality

"Have you made up your mind on what would be your response to king Obi?" Princess Adunni asked

"If i sign on the message to be whipped in front of the Sirens of Marco, that means I am an accomplice to his attack; but if i don't, i am simply putting the life of Oceania's in danger" Prince Luca told her

Princess Adunni kissed his lip calmly, whatever is your decision; i will stand by you" she told him.

Prince Luca genuinely smiled at her as he had felt a heavy weight lifted from him.

The Mer-nurses silently closed the door so that Queen Ola would rest after taken her medicine, just as she was about to sleep; Princess Adunni badges in holding her weapon

"You did this!" she angrily said as she raises her weapon to stab her but Queen Ola was fast enough to dodge it

"You sent the messenger; it has been your plan why you sit here deceiving everyone" Princess Adunni angrily said trying again to stab her but her mother held her hand

"If you stab me, i will tell Prince Luca that an assassin from Marco did it; you know what that means?" The queen asked

Princess Adunni threw her sword and sat low looking frustrated "At some point, you are going to have to kill me too" she told her mother 

"Why don't you understand that i am doing this for us? I want you to rule in a world where you don't have to share your power and authority with any other siren; that's what i have been fighting for, sharing powers and dividing the sirens will always bring war no matter how much you try to maintain the peace" her mother said to her

"Do you even realize that all the genuine Mer-people that stood beside you are all gone because of your ignorant?" Princess Adunni asked her "You have lost me too because you are the villain of the so-called home i had" Princess Adunni told her in tears.