*FORGET THAT THING*

"Forget about that thing" Colbert said coldly.

"No col...bert...where is my...baby...where is she...where....my...baby..." She began sobbing trying to leave where she was placed but Colbert held her back furiously.

"I TOLD YOU TO FORGET THAT THING!! WHAT ARE YOU DOING KAI! CAN'T YOU SEE THE MESS YOU'VE GOT YOURSELF INTO! YOU'RE DYING! YOU ARE!!" He yelled with his grip on her arms hurting her in the process.

"Colbert please...."

"Why did you do that? I told you I'd protect you...I told you I'd keep you safe but you just had to betray me like that!" He snarled angrily making the whole place to shake.

"Please...let me see my baby Colbert...I'll pay for everything I've done...just...let my baby go she's innocent"

"She has that human blood in her...she shouldn't exist"

"Colbert NO!!!"

"KAILANI!!!" He shouted angrily at her. Kailani shakes her head.

"I know I've done you wrong...I've caused you pain and agony...I've also let you down several times and put you in a hard position and I'm ready...to pay for all those...I'll pay for my crime Colbert so just please...let me see my peninah for the last time...let me hold her...let me embrace my baby...please Colbert" she sobs.

YEARS LATER. (LAND)

"What's this all about? I have to be somewhere"Jason said checking his wristwatch.

"Grandson...I think it's high time for you to become serious in life"

"Wow....never knew I was living a useless life up to this moment...thanks for letting me know grandfather"

"Why are you twisting my words?"

"I never did that...so what do you want from me?"

"Take over the cooperation"

"Grandfather...are you sick?"

"It's time...we just can't continue to leave it like that"

"I don't want to and also isn't Mr Travis taking care of it?"

"You want me to leave it in care of a stranger?"

"How is he a stranger? He works for you for over twenty years now"

"It's yours_"

"I'm...not gonna do anything grandfather"

"You're not getting any longer Jason"

"I'm only twenty four...im still young I still have a life to live. I have a dream to achieve"

"What about the company then?"

"It's not like you're dying now....just keep doing what you've been doing. Live your life while I live mine...we shouldn't disrupt our lives"

"JASON!!"

"Why? Is this how you forced father too? I'm...not interested in your company grandfather...at least not for now"

"Alright...I'll give you time...sort yourself out first"

"I...I'm not gonna change my mind "

"I'll see you when you come back"

"I'm moving out"

"Jason?"

"I think...I'm at the age to be independent now..."He stood up.

"See you later...Jason's beloved grandfather" he smirk before going out.

"That punk...what am I going to do with him seriously"

AT A BAR.

"So you decided to move out?" Cain asked while Jason sipped his drink.

"You did great man" Josh pat his shoulder.

"Didn't I? You guys should have seen his face earlier" Jason joked.

"Don't you think you're been too much...he's just an old man" Cain said while Josh rolled his eyes.

"There he goes again..." Josh said in a bored tone.

"Hey spare me the sermon I've already made my decision" Jason wave him off.

"Aren't we gonna celebrate this? Let's go to your new mansion we should throw a huge party! I'll calls the girls" Josh suggested.

"We're gonna do that but not now...I have to visit Mom first"

"Really...how many days would be spending this time?"

"Just few days"

"Have you informed Margret?" Cain asked.

"Not yet...she's busy these days I'll see her when I return."

"You should at least call her"

"Not that she'll be surprised anyway...let's just drink"

"Yeah...let's celebrate here to Jason's jackpot cheers!!" Josh raised his glass up.

"Cheers!!" They all clink their glasses.

DAYS LATER.

Peninah hid behind a huge rock staring at the humans in their various activities with utmost estacy.

"Princess I think we should go back now" Shira her maid said beside her nervously.

"Why are you so anxious? Look at those" she pointed to the humans.

"Isn't it so fascinating? How could they be so different and awesome?"

"Princess I'm sure the king would already be looking for you we should just go back for now"

"Don't fret...nothing will happen" She smiles and took her gaze back to the humans.

"How do you think it'll feel like...to have legs like that also?"

"Don't ask me I don't know and I don't care"

"You don't seems to like the humans much Shira?"

"Of course they are monsters who kills the Merpople as if it's nothing...they're dangerous beings...let's just go back now uh? For my sake princess please" Shira please and she sighs.

"You're such a pain...I don't get why you're so scared this isn't our first time here"

"Let's just go" Shira grab her hand and they dived into the water together.

"Oh!" Jason ohhed looking at the sea.

"What's that?" His mother asked.

"Oh...nothing...i think I saw something" He smiles back at her.

"Let's have a seat over there" He pointed to the rock peninah and shira had left earlier.

***

Peninah and Shira swam to the palace hurriedly.

"Slow down Shira...why are you so fast?" Peninah grumble behind her. Shira ignored her as they make their way to their secret passage but Shira had to stop abruptly making peninah bumb into her.

"Ouch! Hey why did you stop suddenl_ brother??" She called on seeing the prince at the entrance who stood with folded arms.

"Welcome back sister" He said with an evil smirk

"Father seek your attention...dear sister"

**

Peninah swam into the palace with her head bowed.

"Father...you seek for me" she said slowly.

"You really love disobeying don't you?"

"Father I just..I'm...im sorry I won't do it again " She kept her head down shamefully.

"No use...guards take her maid lash her hundred times RIGHT NOW!" He ordered strictly.

"Yes your majesty" The guards bowed and went out to carry out his order.

"No....no father...punish me instead...she did nothing wrong I forced her to go with me father!" Peninah pleaded holding onto his hands. King Colbert turns deaf ear.

"Father please I'm begging you i did all these alone please let her go"

"Go to your room quit begging cause the more you beg the more her punishment increases" King Colbert turns to sit on his throne.

"Why do you hate me so much?"

Princess go back to your chamber"

"You're always harsh on me ever since I was young what have I ever do to you? Why are you always so harsh on me!!"

"TAKE HER AWAY LOCK HER UP IN HER ROOM. I DON'T WANNA SEE HER!"

"Am I really your daughter? I wonder if what others said is true"

"PENINAH!!!"

"NO FATHER....no father has this much hatred for his child! I hate you father I do!!"

"TAKE HER TO THE DUNGEON! NO FOOD FOR HER LOCK HER UP THERE AND MAKE SURE SHE DOESN'T ESCAPE!"

"Your majesty..."

"NOW!!!"

"Father! Father!! Let me go!! Let me gooo!!!"

As they dragged her out kailani's last words replayed in his head.

"Please protect her...never let her make the same mistake like me...don't hate her...think of her as me...I beg you Colbert"

"She's just like her mother" King Colbert mutters angrily.

LAND.

"Mom...should I just stay here with you? We can live together happily also"

"Then what about your grandfather...he'll be alone"

"Why do you even care about him? After everything he's done"

"Jason...you shouldn't be so hard on him I'm sure he's going through a hard time also"

"Hard time?" Jason scoffs.

"Not only did I lose my father because of him...I also lost you"

"He already apologized...he asked me to come back...I was the one who decided to remain here you know too"

"You may have gotten over what he did but I can't mother...I can still remember vividly...how he seperated you from me...I was only five years but he didn't care...he didn't care about me"

"My son...for my sake please forget about the past uh? It'll do us no good if we keep bearing grudges him"

"I've vowed to pay him back in his own coin you know...if not for Margaret...I would have done much more worse to him"

"You...you like her don't you?" His mother asked while he kept quiet.

" Your father loved me a lot too...even though your grandfather vehemently oppose us being together...he was willing to go end of the world just to be with me...he fought for our love...but where did that leads us? I ended up losing him...my son...im sure he regretted what happened in the past also...if not he wouldn't be willing to take me back...so forgive him already"

"Not like I haven't forgiven him...I just get angry anytime I remember what he makes me go through"

"He's your family...and he loves you a lot..you're the only one he has now son...don't forget that."

UNDER THE WATER.

"Oh my sweet sister" Prince Kelsey swam to where Peninah is locked up.

Peninah rolled her eyes on seeing him.

"You look terrible...what to do?" He in a mocking tone.

"You know I could help you beg father...he listens to me"

"I don't need your help"

"Oh why? No one will save you here except me...father is really angry you know"

"Ah or...you waiting for your dead mother to come save you uh?" He laughs.

"Don't you dare talk about my mother"

"Oh please I don't want to either...I heard she was just like you when she was alive...maybe even worse"

"Stop it"

"Figures what do I expect? You mother brought a bastard like you to the palace father was generous enough to take you in and this is how you repay him...you're just as worthless as your mother...tsk tsk tsk...pathetic" He shakes his head leaving her.

This is not the first time peninah have heard hurtful words because of her mother.

Rumors that she's a bastard.

Rumors that her mother ran away on her wedding with a merman.

Rumors that her mother had an affair.

Now she's even tired of crying. She hates her father for always been harsh on her but hates her dead mother the more for birthing her. Because of her...her life is hell.

Prince Kelsey is the only son of the Queen. He has two siblings who also makes life hard for her. Living in the palace is like walking on thorns. No body loves her and she feels worthless as they call her.

Strangely the only place she finds solace is on the land. Somewhere forbidden for her. Looking at the humans makes her feel at peace strangely she's drawn to them and wished she could be like them but that's such a dream that can never come true for her.

"I hate you...mother" She mumbles to herself repeatedly refusing to shed a tear.