Chapter Forty-Five

We stayed with Earl for a few more hours before heading home. We made plans to find a doctor to see about my pregnancy. It felt weird knowing that there is a growing person inside me. We were only an hour and a half from home when I started slowing down. I was tired and distracted with my own thoughts.

"Are you tired?" Jason looked to me.

"A little bit." I nodded.

"Come here." He swam closer to me. "Get on my back."

"Oh, that's not necessary. We are almost home."

"Blake, you are growing a baby inside you. That means you can't strain yourself and if you're tired than I will take care of you." He looked at me seriously, his golden eyes sparkling. "So come on." Not wanting to argue, I changed my tail into legs then pulled myself onto his back. He held onto my legs as he swam. When we got home, he insisted on carrying me up the hill. I refused, finding my aunt and uncle in the kitchen.

"You're back!" My aunt smiled. "Alice was here. She'll be back, but I told her-" She looked to Jason and stopped talking.

"I know." He smiled.

"We need to plan a baby shower." She squealed.

"First I need to find a doctor." I looked to the TV as it spoke.

"We would like the head of Atlantis to come forward to talk. I understand they may not, but we want to make it clear that we do not intend on fighting them." The President spoke. I turned to Jason. He nodded and we both left the house again, going to Atlantis.

*~~*~~*~~*

"Aquis, the President wants to speak with you! He wants to declare peace before it's too late." I argued. He just sat in his throne, rubbing his beard. "They don't have the technology to follow us back and we are way faster than them."

"If this is so important, why don't you do it?" Arlo crossed his arms. He didn't seem as angry and mean as he used to. Maybe it was because he had mom around again.

"Because I am pregnant and I'm sure they don't want to see that. Also, I know people on the land and they wouldn't believe it if I showed up." I replied.

"Then make them believe. And you don't look pregnant." Arlo shrugged.

"Fine. If you two come with me for appearance then I'll do the talking." I sighed, rubbing my forehead. "Let's go."

"You need to change." Aquis stood. "Your coronation dress. It's in your room." I gazed at him then walked in the water to my room. The pearl white dress that sparkled laid on my bed. It had been altered. The sleeves were long and made of a lacy material. I pulled it on over my short sleeved shirt and shorts and grabbed my crown then walked out. They were waiting and when I got back, we got into a mode of transportation that looked like a giant fish. With Jason, Arlo, and Aquis, and I, it was a little claustrophobic. We arrived in DC within two hours and Jason and I went in to set up the interview. There were guards that escorted us into his office.

"Mister President, the Atlanteans are here." The guard informed the man in the chair.

"Fantastic! Are you two the leaders?" He stood and smiled.

"The King and Prince are waiting for my word. I am the Princess." I placed a hand over my belly.

"Well, let's go meet them." We walked out of the room to the Potomac River where I started walking in. "She's just going to go in?" There were cameras filming us so I stopped when the water was up to my knees. I swiped my hands to the side and parted the water to show the giant fish transportation and Arlo and Aquis. They came out, leaving the craft. The four of us stood in front of the President and the camera crew.

"Wow, this is fantastic! Can you all do this?" He studied us with fascination. "Wait. Before we start with the questions, what are your names?" Jason looked to me.

"I am Princess Blake, my brother is Prince Arlo, and my father is King Aquis. My fiancé is Prince Jason from the Mediterranean Sea." I introduced, motioning to each one. "While my brother and father were born in the ocean, I was born on land. Same as Jason."

"Is this an arranged marriage?"

"No. We chose to be together." I replied.

"Do you all have abilities?"

"No. I am Ocean Master, which means I can control all sea life -mammals and all- and I can change the weather. I can control any liquid substance as well. Jason can communicate with all life in the ocean. Only royals can breathe on land." I explained.

"Can you demonstrate for us?" I looked to Jason who replied with a nod. Taking a deep breath, I extended my arms to my left and right with my palms up. The sky darkened quickly and the river behind us made a rushing sound. I gazed straight at the President -who was awestruck- and in the corner of my eyes, I could see the wall of water forming. Lightning cracked across the sky as a downpour started. I kept the rain from falling on him so that he would stay dry. My arms began to shake so I dropped the water and cleared the sky. "That is phenomenal. When you enter the water, do you turn into a mermaid or merman?"

"Only the Fisherman Kingdom does." Jason came to my side.

"I can change into one. My family has a curse that was created hundreds of years ago. Every female born learns at age sixteen. I was terrified of the ocean until it was a life or death situation. I was seventeen when I learned." I glanced up at Jason.

"How far ahead is your technology?"

"At least thirty to sixty years ahead." Aquis looked around. "Atlantis is the most developed of the seven kingdoms."

"Well, maybe you can help us out. We won't attack you. You are way more advanced than we are. Also, that would be a hard battle. We can't breathe in the water and you said only royals can breathe on land." The President laughed. "Thank you for meeting with us." I nodded and we went into the water. It wasn't long before we were back in open ocean and the pressure of the audience was gone. I felt drained and leaned against Jason. I just wanted to eat and take a nap.