THE COUNCIL

I stood in the partly destroyed throne room, overlooking the once shinning city of Maerin. two days ago, she had the tallest buildings in all of the kingdom, she was prosperous, the wealthiest with a formidable ruler, mother.

Today, the air is stiff, still foggy from the thousands of maerians whose bodies were turned into dust. The tall buildings broken down, left with me, a third born, who was never meant to be king as its new ruler.

Draped in black, I stood watching, the great kingdom mother and grandmother gave their all to build, the rest of maerin retreating back to the ocean and all I felt was the cold embrace of vengeance.

"Your highness." I hear professor bambish call "the council has assembled and await your arrival."

"you served my mother and grandmother with unwavering loyalty professor, there is none other I'd trust with the future of maerin."

"Thank you your highness. however, in such solemn times, I do not deserve such high praise."

I turn around to him, finally removing my gaze from the heart breaking city of maerin. His eyes are lowered in respect to the throne, a gesture he has never expressed with me.

"Kneel professor uliorio bambish." I commanded. He took a knee with no hesitation. I took a few steps towards him and inhaled. "Rise as lord uliorio bambish the first, hand to the king."

He finally lifted his eyes from the ground, tears well in the old man's eyes as he looked at me in complete shock.

"Your highness, this is not a position I deserve."

I gently my placed hand on his shoulder.

"If you do not deserve to be my hand, no one else in all of maerin does. Rise."

He lifted himself up from the ground.

"For the glory of maerin."

"For the glory of maerin." I replied, and we both shared a warm smile. "Now, the council."

❧

The door to the council room was pulled apart and I took my first step into a room I wasn't never supposed to enter till I die and all the members of the council who survived the attack rose to bow.

Thierion alvon the 5th, minister of commerce, round and stout, beard so long it could sweep can the floor, my mothers least favorite council member

Olellidh Gór the 3rd, secretary of maerin. A tall dark silver haired man in his 40s, muscular, eyes more blue than the ocean, a pure blooded maerin. The Gór's were insistent on keeping their bloodline pure to preserve maerins history, marrying only mermaids. they strongly opposed grandmother and mother building a city for maerin above water.

they were strong believers of the way of the old. Maerinians should remain under water and build its kingdom away from the rest of the landers. Mother always said it is important to have someone in the room who sees things completely different from you.

Somsoitri Aotha, a goddess of a woman, shining black hair, tribal scars on each side of her cheek, her skin so pale, her eyes so dark. Adorned in crystals, didn't look a day over 30 but was well over 50.

The richest person in maerin and maerin's treasurer, mother to Celie, my best friend.

Mother said, only trust your money with people who have everything or people who have nobody.

Fóine Rath, commander of maerins defense, a formidable woman who fought alongside grandmother and mother. Mother was very fond of her. She was slender, tall, always had her hair in a pony tail like she was always ready for war, her hair so long. She had the prettiest smile I have ever seen. She led the army with such graciousness and fierceness.

The council was always 6 in number and mother made it 7, but the darkness took 2 of them.

My gaze studying them as I walked to what was once mothers seat, the room so silent. I took my seat and so did they, lord bambish taking the seat beside me as the hand should. I cleared my throat, not knowing where to begin my sentence.

"You appointed your tutor as hand to the king?" Lord Olellidh spoke, breaking the silence.

"Yes, and you'll address him as Lord bambish lord olellidh."

"Am sorry your highness, but this matters are usually discussed the council before decisions are made, the position of hand of the king has always been reserved for high borns."

"Good to know." I reply, palms locked under the table.

"We welcome lord bambish" lord Thierion spoke with a bow, I could be see lord olellidh fumming silently. "we have began plans for your coronation, we have chosen a fortnight from today, but the elders insist it must be held underwater. Away from the darkness that looms."

"It is time for the people of maerin to return the water, for good. We have given much of our lives, time, resources to the landers, and what have we gotten in return, nothing, just years of chaos. We have a structured plan to move our people back and the elders are eager to help." Lord Olellidh spoke, the discontent in his voice very clear.

"Lord olellidh, did you present yourself to the elders on my behalf?"

"You are only still a boy your highness, there are many things you still do not know of."

"Yes i am young, and yes I was never meant to sit in front of you as king, there is so much I do not know, but call me a boy again lord Olellidh and put your head on spike and stand it in front of the ocean for all of maerin to see."

The Silence returned to the council room and I think I see a smirk on lord Somsoitri face.

"Are you to tell me that while I was mourning my family for the past three days, all the council was able to come up with is a coronation and retreat plan."

"With all due respect your highness..."

"That was not a question for you lord Thierion. Lord Fóine?"

"Your highness these are unprecedented times, we cannot fight an evil we do not know how to kill."

"And to move rather quickly is to move blind." Lord Somsoitri included "retreating is not out of fear but an opportunity to rise again stronger."

"The people of maerin do not need to rise again lord somsoitri, we are people of water, and when all of maerin is home, it won't want to return to the chaos the landers created." Lord Olellidh stated. not surprising, he was a very unchanging man.

"Do you think the dark demons cannot find its way under water?" I asked.

"Only water magic thrives under water."

"Untill it changes," I sharply replied. "Come sunrise, I will meet with the elders, and return with 10,000 soldiers before I depart to the fell where lord xetes will grant me 1,000 dragons. together, we'll travel across the Black Sea to the west lands to find the high priestess of nempth."

"What! Water people on dragons?"

"The elders will never let you take 10,000 soldiers." Lord Fóine expressed, shaking her head.

"The Black Sea?" Lord Somsoitri included.

"Your highness, the priestess of nempth was banished from Maerin for dark magic and sorcery for a reason, this is not a path you want to take." lord Thierion expressed

"I believe she's the only one who can win the war against the dark lord of Adarof, she did of course, create the enchantments that has kept Maerin safe for years."

"You think the dark lord is back?" Lord Somsoitri inquired.

"You think the dark demons just reappeared from no where? they answer to someone."

"Your highness, war with adarof is certain death for our people, we must return to the ocean and leave the landers to their ways!" Lord Olellidh exclaimed, a warning in his voice.

"I will not cower! I will not wait for the dark lord to find another way to strike. I will match to the gates of adarof and I will seat on the throne."

"You want to unify the kingdoms?" Lord Fóine asked, sitting up from her seat.

"It's the only way I see forward."

"Your highness," lord bambish finally spoke. "these are bold decisions to make in the face of grieve and anger, we must take a step back and re-evaluate these choices."

"My decision is made and I will not change them. I seek guidance from my council on how to execute Them. Let me be clear, I do not seek to earn your loyalty, I demand it. I will return with soldiers and dragons, and when I do, I expect to meet an unwavering loyalty."