• Amy R •

Sometimes it felt like yesterday, some others like it had been ages, but regardless of how they felt, it was an unquestionable truth that it had been already 4 years since the Seven Mermaid Princesses had defeated Mikeru. With all enemies gone the Seven Princesses had thought they could finally find time to relax, but it happens sometimes, that even when the danger is over, peace doesn’t naturally follow. So while Coco, Noel, Karen and Seira all went back to their kingdoms, Rina, Hanon and Lucia kept their stronghold on land.

Much still had to be done. Tensions between the underwater world and the surface were still present, and by command of Aqua Regina, for the time being, the three were more useful on the seashore than at the bottom of the ocean. The same went for Nikora, Madame Taki, and, of course, Hippo.

Needless to say, to Lucia, Hanon, and Rina, Aqua Regina’s order sounded more like a gift. As much as they loved and missed their kingdoms, land was where their inner happiness truly lay.

Masairo had successfully graduated. While he maintained his passion for boxing, he began working as a broker in the city bank.

Shirai had developed a passion for music. Although he initially took it up in hopes of impressing his girlfriend, he eventually realized he genuinely enjoyed it. Within a couple of years, he became skilled enough as a trumpeter to earn a place in the Amagi Orchestra, which was conducted by Mr. Rihito Amagi himself whenever he wasn’t busy taking care of his overly enthusiastic teenage sister, Mikaru.

And then there was Kaito. For years, he had strenuously and successfully defended his title of most talented surfer in the nation, and his popularity grew even more when he entered high school. The emotional turmoil he experienced over just a few years left him dazed and confused. He had yet to fully accept that he wasn’t his parents’ biological son when he discovered that, in fact, he wasn’t human at all. The revelation that he was a Panthalassa — a Panthalassa Prince, no less — shook him to his core, so much so that he lost track of who he really was for a time. The sense of loneliness and dismay that gripped his heart as his entire life was questioned could have easily plunged him into darkness. He felt scared and overwhelmed when faced with the reality of being part of something he couldn’t fully understand yet, but none of it mattered as long as his Mermaid Princess was by his side.

Lucia had never let go of his hand, neither when he had forgotten the love they shared nor when he struggled to find his way back to her. Not once had she failed to smile at him; her gaze had always been nothing less than loving. Over the past few years, he had often wondered how someone as wonderful as her could have fallen for someone like him. Sure, he had matured over time, and looking back at his younger self, he couldn’t help but feel ashamed of how careless and insensitive he had been. Yet Lucia never questioned her love for him, and he now understood that same love had saved him countless times.

He needed to give her something in return. Not because she demanded it — her pure soul and kind heart could never do that — but because he felt the need to. He had sworn he would always protect her, but that didn’t feel like enough. Kaito wanted something more. He was determined to commit his life to hers and wanted to prove it not only to her but to the whole world.

He kept mentally repeating the speech he had so carefully prepared in the days prior as they slowly climbed the hill, hand in hand, while the warm orange light of the sunset colored the sky.

Kaito knew he couldn’t mess up. He had to get it right, which was why he had put so much effort into choosing the right words. Would he be able to remember them when the moment came?

It didn’t take long to reach the small cemetery at the top of the hill. No one else was around, Kaito noticed, as they approached the neat row of tombstones facing the sea, just beyond the little white chapel. Someone had changed the flowers hanging from its small windows. They were usually bright blue, but this time they were replaced with light pink blossoms. Kaito knew this place like the back of his hand, having visited it every year since he was only seven, always in complete solitude. For the past five years, though, Lucia had joined him on his annual visit. It felt only natural that she would be by his side to remember the saddest yet most important day of his life. Nothing compared to the comforting feeling of her hand squeezing his as he placed the usual bunch of white dahlias in front of his parents’ grave. It didn’t matter to him that he wasn’t their biological child. They had saved him from the waves and raised him with love as if he were their own son, and that was all Kaito cared about.

They spent a few minutes there in silence, so as not to disturb those resting under those white tombstones. The sun had almost completely set by the time they climbed down the small hill and headed for the beach. They chose a nice, secluded spot and set up their simple dinner. Lucia had become a master at preparing quick yet delicious dishes, easy enough to eat while relaxing on the seashore. The moon was shining in the sky, casting its cold light onto the ocean’s calm surface. It was so quiet and calming that Kaito wondered if this was the right moment. Or was it when they were still on the hill, when Lucia whispered those sweet, comforting words to ease his aching heart? Or maybe he should have done it then, when they raised their glasses and cheered to the 13th anniversary of their first meeting. Whenever he thought it was the moment, he felt a lump in his throat, and the words he had so carefully chosen wouldn’t come out. But he was determined. He had to do it before the night ended.

And he did. All he needed was her soft gaze and smile to remind him once again how lucky he had been to meet her and become the one to own her heart, something he didn’t think was possible, and wanted to cherish for the rest of his life.

None of the words he said to her that night were the ones he had prepared, but it didn’t matter. The tears of joy in her eyes and the breathtaking smile she had when he kneeled in front of her and opened the small black velvet box told him he had managed to reach her heart, and that was all he cared about. Lucia threw herself into his arms, so overwhelmed that she actually forgot to answer, which prompted him to playfully tease her. She jokingly reprimanded him in return.

As if she could ever not want to marry him.

The sheer joy and happiness of that night drew them even closer and filled them with a warm feeling that both would keep thoroughly close to their hearts for the rest of their lives.

They had planned to announce it to their friends together, and although overly excited, Lucia was determined to stick to the plan. However, as soon as she returned to the Pearl Piari the next morning, her friends' pressing questions about her exaggerated cheerfulness and their jokes about the implications of her spending all her spare time at her boyfriend’s house only fueled her enthusiasm, and it eventually got the best of her.

Needless to say, Hanon and Rina were overjoyed and congratulated their best friend on the wonderful news. Not everyone shared their happiness, however. Hippo was nothing short of furious. He started ranting about how marriage—a mostly human institution—did not exist in their mermaid-ruled kingdoms and was certainly not on a Mermaid Princess’ agenda. Did she want to be the first Princess to bring shame upon her kingdom by marrying a human?

Lucia couldn’t quite understand what the problem was, given that Kaito wasn’t human after all. Hippo sarcastically reminded her that he was a Panthalassa, which was even worse. The poor penguin’s angry screams caught Nikora and Madame Taki’s attention. The two joined the others in the hotel’s main hall, and upon learning the reason for the commotion, they couldn’t hide their skepticism. While they cared deeply about their Princess’s happiness, Hippo had a point: although various marriage-like rituals existed in the underwater world, none were acknowledged in the Seven Mermaids' Kingdom.

The more the two women explained, the more color drained from Lucia’s face, and her heart ached at the thought of having to choose between her royal status and the love of her life. However, Nikora offered a solution. Both Lucia and Kaito had done much to protect the peace of the Oceans. There was a possibility that Aqua Regina might make an exception and grant her blessing on their union. This new hope lifted Lucia’s spirits, and Hanon and Rina made sure to encourage her to pursue this route. Aqua Regina herself had said: love is the greatest gift of all. Why would she deny one of her beloved Mermaid Princesses the chance to seal her feelings with eternity?

Kaito took it unbelievably well. Lucia had been so nervous to tell him about that small impediment to their marriage, she almost considered leaving him a written message instead of actually telling him. But Kaito hadn’t flinched. He grinned at her and kissed her forehead. If summoning the Goddess of the Seven Seas was what they needed to do, then he was fine with it. He was ready to meet Aqua Regina and ask for her blessing, fight for it if necessary. He thought they deserved it, after all. His self-confidence and positivity managed to reassure Lucia too, who took it as a good sign for their happily ever after.

A few years back, the only way to summon the Goddess was to gather all the Seven Princesses and their Pearls. Since then, Aqua Regina had regained her full powers and could manifest whenever she deemed it necessary to answer the prayers of her worshippers. To celebrate and in hopes of maintaining lasting peace after Mikeru's defeat, the People of the Sea had joined forces to build an underwater shrine at the point where the North Pacific met the South, in a place that all Kingdoms agreed was easily accessible to whoever wished to pay a visit to the Divine protector of the Oceans. The shrine was built in a cave opening in the ancient ocean floor, large enough to house a small, circular temple surrounded by tall columns of white marble on which was a cornice intricately sculpted with marine-themed motifs. The area was adorned with colorful corals from all Seven Kingdoms, long green and blue algae flowing with the currents, and veils of tiny bubbles emerging from the cracks in the rocks. Inside the shrine was a pool of clear water on crystalline sand, said to help one connect with Aqua Regina simply by touching it.

 The journey didn’t take long. Over the past few years, Kaito had significantly improved not only his surfing skills but also his swimming ability. To say he could keep up with his mermaid fiancée would be an overstatement, but he did manage to move quickly enough to be able to join her in her underwater strolls.

They entered the shrine in respectful silence. It was fortunate that no one else was around; the matter they were about to discuss was quite delicate. They swam closer to the tall columns and knelt at their bases, close enough to touch the central pool of crystal-clear water. They exchanged a brief, reassuring smile and began to recite their prayers.

Aqua Regina appeared before their eyes in a beam of warm light, welcoming them and urging to tell her what brought them all the way there. Kaito was the first to speak. He stood up and proudly declaring once again his love and commitment for the Mermaid Princess of the North Pacific, he stated their shared wish of tying together their lives the way humans did on land. The Goddess listened carefully to their plea, and although she seemed to understand their reasons, a shadow in her usually bright eyes told Lucia that something wasn’t quite right. As soon as Kaito finished speaking, the divine creature responded.

Although aware of the true love that bound their hearts together, Aqua Regina wanted to make sure they realized the extent of what they were asking. Mermaids, especially Mermaid Princesses, were not allowed to marry, as their primary commitment had to be towards their kingdoms. She could only bless their union once she confirmed it wouldn’t disrupt the balance of the underwater world. The memory of Sara’s rageful drift and the scars it left in the Indian Ocean were still fresh in everyone’s mind.

But Kaito was not having it. The love he and Lucia shared was different. He too was a child of the Ocean, and if necessary, he was ready to fight again by the Mermaids’ side. How could their union ever affect the peace of the Oceans?

The Goddess answered with one simple question: would he be willing to leave his life on land to follow the Mermaid Princess of the Pink Pearl in the depths of the sea? Kaito’s affirmative response came quickly, and while it comforted Lucia’s heart, it only added to Aqua Regina’s worry. She sensed the insecurity in his voice and the doubt in his heart. Kaito was not yet ready to leave the world he had grown up in. It hurt her to see the pain in her beloved Princess’s eyes, but the Goddess had no choice but to deny the couple of her blessing.

That was not all. It was time for the North Pacific and the North and South Atlantic to have their rulers and protectors back in their waters. Aqua Regina entrusted Lucia with a clear message for her best friends: within a week, they had to leave land and return to their homes in the depths of the sea. A warm, blinding light engulfed them and, before they realized it, they were back on the seashore. Unable to fully understand what had just happened, they started their slow and silent walk on the beach until Kaito couldn’t take the quietness anymore.

He told her he was sorry, once again; that he knew he had hurt her, once again; and asked for her forgiveness, once again. But Lucia wasn’t capable of holding ill feelings, especially not towards him, and offered nothing but comfort in return, although her eyes couldn’t hide her pain and slight disappointment. Then again, what were they supposed to do? She wasn’t willing to leave her kingdom nor renounce her duties. How could she ask him to abandon everything he had called home for his entire life? The awareness didn’t ease her pain, though, and when he grabbed her hand to lead her home, their home, she gently pulled back and reasoned it would be better if she returned to the Pearl Piari for the night. She had a message to deliver, after all. With a heavy heart and the feel of the quick goodnight kiss she gave him lingering on the corner of his lips, Kaito watched as Lucia walked away from him.

The next few days were hard. The chaos Aqua Regina’s command caused only worsened the tensions that had already arisen when Lucia announced her imminent marriage. But that was only one of the issues now. Nikora and Madame Taki had no doubt about it. As People of the Ocean, they had to obey the Goddess's wish at once, and so did the Mermaid Princesses, though it pained them to admit it.

Rina had to tell Masairo that the long journey they had talked about at the beginning of their relationship was finally happening. It was easier now that he knew who she really was, but not less sorrowful. He promised her he would wait for her, even if it took years, even if it took forever.

Shirai made a scene. Sure, he knew that moment would come, but it was too soon, and too sudden, and he wasn’t willing to let her go. Hanon tried to reason with him, but in vain. However, he wasn’t a kid anymore, and once his anger washed away, they were able to talk things through quietly. The compromise they found was barely acceptable, but it worked for them. He would move closer to her ocean, so that it would be easier to see each other, even if only by chance.

Lucia had been uncharacteristically silent. She didn’t say a thing while she packed her things, nor when they nailed the wooden boards over the hotel windows. She didn’t complain when Nikora asked her to clean all the rooms, and when Hippo, though pained to see her suffering like that, reminded her this was for the best, she offered a sad, tearful smile and walked away.

She had been determined to avoid Kaito; all his attempts to meet and talk to her were in vain. She didn’t want to see him, let alone talk to him, although her friends urged her to, if only to discuss how things would go between them from then on. But Lucia had no doubt on the matter. She felt ashamed to admit it, but she wouldn’t accept a compromise. Not again. She knew very well the pain of having to wait for your most beloved person to come back, to live with the hope of seeing again the one you care most about. It was heart-wrenching and consuming, and she didn’t want this for Kaito, nor for herself. She longed to see and talk to him but knew she wouldn’t be able to control herself and be resolute in her decision. So she decided to tell him how she felt in a letter. She had to rewrite it multiple times, as her endless tears soaked the paper and dissolved the ink, but she was determined to do it.

She recalled their first meeting, their first kiss, their first date, the sheer happiness when they finally got to live their love to the fullest, and how she wanted that for the rest of her life. But she had a duty, and it was time to take all the love she had received and give it back to the people who had so patiently been waiting for her. She folded the paper and put it in an envelope, together with her engagement ring. She hid and waited for him to leave his house. Barely seeing him almost made her falter in her resolution, but she didn’t give in. Lucia placed the envelope on the living room table, her copy of the house keys next to it, then she left quietly, as all the wonderful memories she had made between those walls crowded her mind and a single tear slid down her cheek.

That same night, Lucia, Hanon, Rina, Nikora, Madame Taki, and Hippo gathered on the seashore. With one last sad look at the town that had hosted them for the past six years, they headed to the sea, ready to be engulfed by those familiar waves once again. But an agonizing scream stopped them before they could even touch the salty water. Kaito was running towards them, yelling Lucia’s name. He was clutching the envelope she had left him in his hand—she recognized it. Lucia had to fight the urge to run to him, throw herself into his arms, and tell him she didn’t mean to leave him, but she knew that would have made everything more difficult. The Princess decided they would have one last conversation; he deserved it. Their love deserved it. She told her friends she would join them shortly and waited for him to reach her on the shore.

Nothing Kaito said managed to change her mind. The way he once again declared how much he loved her, admitting that yes, he was afraid of leaving his life behind but that didn’t mean they had to end their relationship, and that he was fine waiting for her as long as necessary, was not enough to shake her resolve. She didn’t want this. Like she wrote in her letter, she told him she didn’t want him to live a life hoping and waiting for someone who might not return. She didn’t want him to sacrifice his happiness for her, and when he told her she was his one and only happiness, she did falter for a moment. But the thought of one day having to decide between him and her kingdom, between his safety and that of the ocean, stiffened her resolve. She would have always kept him in her heart and loved him for all eternity, but they had to part ways that very night.  

Kaito realized he couldn’t force her into something she was so adamantly refusing. He knew she loved him as much as he loved her, but maybe he had to surrender this time. If that was what she wanted then he would do it, he would let her go. Their last kiss was an overwhelming rush of passion, sorrow, love and reluctance. Kaito kept his eyes closed as Lucia slowly pulled back and slipped away from his touch. He couldn’t bear the sight of her disappearing among the waves. When he finally opened his eyes, she was gone.   

The journey home felt like it took ages, and since she parted ways with Hanon and Rina, time seemed to flow even slower. She had no more tears to cry, and although Nikora, Madame Taki and most of all Hippo incessantly tried to cheer her up, only the sight of her bright pink Palace managed to rise her spirits.

The moment she entered the great hall was one she would never forget. Everyone had lined up at the main entrance, eager to give a warm welcome to their long-awaited Princess. It took some time to greet and thank everyone for their hard work. The efforts of the North Pacific’s mermaids, the Coral Fairies’ and all those involved into the protection and management of the Palace and the kingdom while she was gone deserved to be properly acknowledged. Not much had changed since she was gone. The familiar glimmering of the pink marble slabs covering the walls, and the sweet scent of her Ocean relieved her aching heart, and when someone asked for how long she intended to stay, with tears of both joy and sorrow in her eyes, she could only answer “forever”.

A big celebration was in order, no one objected. And what better opportunity to celebrate the return of Princess Lucia then the Alma Lux Ceremony? The Alma Lux was an ancient ritual performed by Mermaids Princess to give thanks for the light of their Pearls protecting their people and the wealth of their Kingdoms. For 13 years the North Pacific had not celebrated one. It was about time that thousand-year-old tradition was restored. Despite its importance and antiquity, the ritual was actually quite simple.

First, the Mermaid Princess was offered a traditional herbal infusion by her Ancilla Maxima, who also took care of brewing it with some special algae collected from the ancient site of Karthago. Then, all the lights in the palace had to be switched off as the Princess made her entrance into the main hall, illuminated only by the light emanating from her Pearl. After that, there was a sumptuous banquet accompanied by traditional music and dances.

Lucia was thrilled to finally be able to celebrate the Alma Lux and followed precisely every instruction she was given by Madame Taki, who had seen countless ceremonies in her long life, and by Liwiana, the current Ancilla Maxima of the North Pacific Ocean. If anything, keeping herself busy helped distract her and avoid thinking about Kaito, even for a little while.

Liwiana was a mermaid of great experience. She had managed the palace while Lucia was on land and did so with absolute dedication and care, so much so that now that the legitimate ruler was back with her most trustworthy companions, she felt left out. Actually, the root of her discomfort went far deeper than jealousy. Though she did her best to hide it, she had grown to detest her Princess. Not only had Lucia taken years to return to her kingdom, but she had also wasted time playing human on land, falling in love with a man who had special powers – as the Coral Fairy who went to check on her years prior had told them – and who turned out to be none other than Gaito’s younger brother, a Panthalassa! How inconsiderate. It took an order from Aqua Regina to call her back to her duty.

Liwiana wasn’t the only one harboring ill thoughts towards Lucia. A few other mermaids had started expressing their annoyance months before Lucia came back, and when she finally did return, some of them went as far as suggesting Liwiana herself should be made Princess of the North Pacific. The older mermaid had firmly refused, but over time, she started warming up to the idea. Lucia’s carefree demeanor bothered her, as much as she hated hearing their Princess crying herself to sleep every night over that Panthalassa man. How dare she be so attached to the very kin who tried to destroy their whole world?

Liwiana and her supporters agreed it was time to act, and they would do so at the Alma Lux Ceremony.

Unaware of the imminent danger threatening Lucia, Kaito tried to go back to his life, but it was a hard task when the one person who gave light to his existence was beyond the horizon, in the depths of the Ocean. He didn’t leave his house for a few days, though he had too, eventually, as within those walls he could still hear her cheerful voice, he still expected to see her sleeping peacefully next to him when he woke up in the morning, her sweet scent had yet to vanish from the sofa they had spent so much time on, imagining the things they wanted to do together, and fantasizing about what future awaited them. They weren’t naïve. They knew Lucia would have had to go back into the Ocean sooner or later, which was one of the reasons why Kaito had decided he couldn’t wait any longer to propose to her. They would have figured out the rest later. But then Aqua Regina denied them their wish and it felt like a jet of cold water bringing them back to reality. There was a Kingdom to rule, peace to keep, and a whole other lot of responsibilities to take, and he wasn’t ready. He simply wasn’t, and as hard as it was, he had finally admitted it.

Lucia was right. A long-distance relationship wouldn’t work, not when she had to tend to her duties as Princess. He would be a distraction, and if anything happened to her because of his interference, he wouldn’t be able to forgive himself. Maybe it had been a mistake from the very start; their love had to stay a beautiful dream. Maybe they had been naïve, after all.

Not knowing how to fully process what had happened, Kaito decided to flee to the only place in the world that, despite everything, made him feel at ease: Hawaii. True, it hadn’t turned out to be a good idea in a couple of occasions, but still, that was the place where he and Lucia had flown to mere days after Mikeru’s defeat. He still remembered the night he told her he was going back to the island, how terrified she looked as tears welled up in her eyes, and how he had to chase her all the way into the ocean to tell her that that time, he didn’t want to go alone, that he needed to have her by his side to sort things out between them. They did, at that trip to Honolulu marked a new beginning in their relationship, coming to terms with the pain and suffering both of them went through and realizing that at the end of it, they were meant for each other.

Were they truly? Kaito couldn’t help but wonder as the plane crossed the vast blue water of the North Pacific. Unbeknownst to the people surrounding him, it was ruled by a beautiful pink mermaid, with long golden hair and bright blue eyes. For a moment, he thought he saw a pinkish glimmer on the water’s surface. Maybe there was where she was, where her majestic Palace stood. Kaito closed his eyes and laid back on his seat. Had it even been a good idea to leave?

In the depths of the Ocean, Lucia was tormented by the same doubts. She knew going back was the right and only possible choice, but had she been too strict? Maybe they could’ve worked it out somehow, even if they were forced to be miles and miles away. But the preparations for the Alma Lux were pressing and she couldn’t give in to distractions. She was aware there was much to do, many things she needed to be updated about, and countless other matters to tend to.

What she did not know was that something, rather someone, was scheming in the shadow. Liwiana and her supporters had finally agreed on a way to get rid of their unwanted Princess. Putting an end to her life sounded too extreme and dangerous a plan to carry out in such a short time, but if Lucia were to fall into a deep, irreversible sleep, that would serve their purpose just right: Liwiana would become regent, just like she had when Lucia was on land, and things would go back to the way they had been in the past years.

Their plan was simple, almost too simple. All they had to do was add a little bit of Dasycladaceae, a venomous alga growing up in the vast underwater plains of Nemo. Just a few drops, and by the time the Ceremony was over, Lucia would’ve closed her eyes never to open them again. Liwiana was already savoring that sweet moment, as she gazed at Lucia proudly trying on her ceremonial gown.

Poor Princess, if only she knew that would be her last one.

There was a variable they didn’t take into consideration into their plan though: Kaito’s deep connection to Lucia’s heart. It had happened before, that he had sensed the danger as it approached her. It was a deep, gut-wrenching feeling, as if a spear passed right through his heart. Then he knew his Princess needed him.

It was the middle of the night when it happened, and he woke up screaming in the small house he had rented on the Hawaiian beach. Was it real or was it just a dream? He was confused and dazed, but ultimately decided it was just his imagination. Lucia never wanted to see him again anyway, and he wanted to respect her choice on that.

But his resolve didn’t last long. After the jolting pain, came the nightmares. For three days straight every time Kaito closed his eyes, he was tormented by the same gruesome image of his beloved mermaid lying unconscious on the cold ocean floor, a golden goblet near her and a rivulet of greenish liquid dripping from her purple lips. Night after night, the image was clearer and clearer, and when he woke up for the umpteenth time screaming at the top of his lungs, he decided he had had enough.

Kaito jumped out of bed and left his house without even closing the door behind him. He couldn’t ignore the signs any longer. Lucia was in danger, he knew it, and although he had sworn to let her go, he couldn’t bear the thought of her being hurt. He would protect her once again, if she’d let him, and then go forever. But he had to do it.

He crossed the beach running head over heels and dived into the ocean. The cold water slowed down his rush: he didn’t know where Lucia’s Palace was, he didn’t even know if she was actually there. He looked around, seeking a hint, and he saw it. A pinkish stain in the deep blue, swimming towards him. He would’ve recognized him everywhere: Momo! The pink dolphin reached him and urged him to follow him. He too had sensed something was wrong, but no one in the North Pacific had taken him seriously. So he had to go to one person outside water he trusted, and that was Kaito. That was all the confirmation the Panthalassa Prince needed. It wasn’t just his imagination. Lucia really was in danger, and he didn’t have a second to waste. He nodded at the pink dolphin and together they headed for the Palace.

The long-awaited day had finally come. All the mermaids, fairies and dolphins in the North Pacific had gathered in the Royal Palace to witness Princess Lucia celebrate the Alma Lux Ceremony. Everywhere were garlands and flowers, and the walls were decorated with long pink drapes. The palace had never shined more. 

Nikora, Madame Taki and Hippo watched proudly as Lucia crossed the main hallway in a marvelous pink gown as music played in the background, all the way to the throne room, where more mermaids were waiting. Lucia stopped just in front of the huge, engraved doors, where Liwiana and her attendants were waiting with a golden goblet.

The moment was solemn. For a whole lot and very different reasons, that was the moment everyone was waiting for: those who wished for peace, those who wanted to celebrate the Princess’s comeback, and those who wanted her gone. Liwiana handed the goblet to Lucia, who took it with gratitude.

It happened suddenly.

Just as Lucia was about to drink, a hustle coming from the bottom of the hallway interrupted the ritual. Lucia lowered the goblet, much to Liwiana’s disappointment, and moved closer, followed by her friends, to see what was happening. Her heart stopped beating for a moment.

Kaito was there, Momo by his side, trying to convince the mermaids guarding the entrance to let him see the Princess. It was a matter of life or death, but no matter how much he insisted, they wouldn’t let him pass.

Liwiana took a glimpse of the agitate boy over Lucia’s shoulder. So that was the Panthalassa their Princess was so fond about. What a reckless boy, to come all the way down there.

Nikora was the first to recover from the shock. She looked at Lucia, who appeared clearly overwhelmed by the sudden rush of emotions that had had to invest her at the sight of Kaito. She honestly couldn’t predict how Lucia would react now, though she certainly didn’t expect to see her stiffening up and heading steadfastly towards the entrance of the hallway, were Kaito was still trying to force his way through.

She appeared before him in all her majesty, and for a moment Kaito was left speechless. It was as if for the first time he realized how much out of his reach she really was, she had always been, even when he thought to be quite a catch. She was so much more, and although he felt far from being worthy of her, he realized he wouldn’t have been able to let her go. And he was about to tell her there and then, but Lucia was quicker, and as her gaze went from incredulous to disgruntled, she addressed him as a Princess should when and uninvited guest breaks into her Palace.

Kaito was taken aback, he hadn’t expected such a harsh reaction, and his attempt to warn her about an imminent danger were to no avail. She dismissed his worries as just an excuse to reach her, which he heartly denied, though the desire to see her again was indeed real. But Lucia was immovable. She took a glimpse of the crowd around them: everyone was watching her, her subjects, the People of the North Pacific, all her Puellae, Ancillae and Magistrae. She heard them whispering, wondering if that was the man who had kept her on land for so long, the Panthalassa whose evil brother almost destroyed their home mere years prior. Lucia needed to send a clear and effective message if she wanted to keep her People’s affection and loyalty, and although it hurt her, she did.

Lucia hushed Kaito and his worries with a gesture of her hand. Then trying to keep the tears from filling her eyes, she dismissed him, ordering him to leave the Palace at once and banning him from setting foot in the North Pacific ever again.

Shock was on everyone’s faces, but most of all on Kaito’s. He tried to reason with her, but it was useless. Lucia, Princess Lucia, had made her choice. He watched as she retreated, covering her face so that he wouldn’t see the sorrow in her eyes, and slowing making her way back to Liwiana’s side. That was when he saw it. The golden goblet he had dreamed about, that mermaid was carrying it. Lucia was still in danger. She was turning her back to him when she heard him calling for her again. He was asking, begging her, not to drink from that goblet. Lucia turned around abruptly, watching as Liwiana’s attendants dragged him away and he screamed at the top of his lungs as it was fine if she never wanted to see him again, he had accepted it, but she had not to drink from that goblet. The fear and plea in his voice had unsettled her, and as she took the goblet from Liwiana’s hands to carry on with the ritual, she took her time, watching the green liquid. Liwiana was growing impatient, and gently reprimanded her: did she really believe the words of the Panthalassa man? She said it herself, it was all an act to try and win her heart back. Lucia nodded smiling, but there was still something bugging her. All the way there… just to invent something like this? Wouldn’t have been easier to just tell her he missed her?

Liwiana knew she needed to act. In an attempt to reassure Lucia, she told her she herself had prepared the infusion, using the algae from Nemo she has personally collected. That was her biggest mistake. Everyone in the underwater world knew that among others, in Nemo grew the most poisonous algae in the Seven Seas. Lucia confronted her about it, and Liwiana tried to defend herself, but when the Princess left the goblet fall and the green liquid left a black, fuming stain on the marble floor, that the trick was clear to everyone. Much to everyone’s horror and astonishment, Liwiana had tried to poison the Princess. Before anyone could react, the Ancilla Maxima, tired of playing the part, dropped her mask and praying to the sea demons, she deployed her most loyal followers in the middle of the hall, both mermaids and sea creatures she had managed to win on her side.

Kaito was almost out of the palace when he heard the commotion. The imagine of Lucia lying unconscious on the floor gave him enough stamina to break free from Liwiana’s attendants’ grip and run back to where he knew Lucia was. He was just in time to shield her from a direct attack from a swordfish Liwiana had sent after her. Around them was utter chaos. Nikora had thrown herself in the melee to trying and reach Lucia, but her once mermaid sisters were preventing her to go any closer to her. Hippo had transformed into his majestic hippocampus form, but he was instantly assaulted by all kinds of sea creatures turned monsters.

There was only one way to end all this, Lucia thought. She swam to the ceiling, far from the throng, and transformed. True, she didn’t have the other Mermaid Princesses by her side, but her Pink Pearl Voice was powerful enough to make the rebels come back to their senses.

Liwiana was nothing short of furious, but her threats were stopped by Lucia’s loyal subject, who by order of the Princess, put her under arrest.

Kaito was watching from the corner of the hall. He had hurt his leg in the fight, but that was not what was preventing him to run to Lucia and pull her into his arms. He was scared to do so, that she would reject him again, and he wondered if the harshness of her voice earlier showed how she truly felt. Then there she was, back in her ceremonial gown, swimming towards him.

Lucia looked at his wounds and reassured him. The harshness was gone. Now there were sadness and longing in her eyes. He felt like it was the right time to ask her the permission to keep looking after her. He wanted to keep the promise he made to her years earlier and protect her, no matter where and when.

Lucia smiled softly, and Kaito took it as a good sign. She apologized for not believing him and thanked him for having risked his life for her, but all that didn’t change things. No matter how much they loved each other, and they did, she couldn’t allow him to live a life waiting for her. She said so in a whisper. It was becoming harder and harder to be steady in her decision, now that she saw him there, now that she had seen the extent of his love for her.

It was then that a warm light engulfed them and everyone else.

Aqua Regina appeared before them in a beam of white light. She approached the couple, as everyone in the room bowed to greet the Goddess. She complimented Lucia for managing to use her voice to avoid any damage to her people and said herself proud of her dedication to the North Pacific. Then she turned to Kaito.

She thanked him for protecting the Mermaid Princess of the Pink Pearl, and when he firmly stated he intended to do for the rest of his life, Aqua Regina challenged his uprightness, just the way she did when the two lovers had asked for her blessing in the shrine.

Aqua Regina asked him if he was willing to fight by her Mermaids’ side should the need arise and protect the peace of the Oceans. Kaito responded with no hesitation. And when asked if to honor such words he was to abandon his life on land, he answered he was willing and ready to do so.

Did he love those living on land? Yes, of course.

And those living in the Ocean? Kaito looked at his Princess. He loved Lucia. And loving her, he could not help but love everything that was a part of her. Kaito’s words touched everyone deeply, but most of all Lucia, who couldn’t hold back the tears any longer.

Aqua Regina nodded with satisfaction. The words she pronounced then are still engraved in everyone’s heart and mind, and the meaning behind them changed forever the course of history of the North Pacific and the other Oceans. Some say they can still hear the words of the Goddess echoing within the Palace’s walls:  

"Very well, Kaito. At last, I sense sincerity in your voice and clarity in your heart. Some time ago, you asked to unite your life with that of the Mermaid Princess of the Pink Pearl. If you seek my approval, here is what you must do: you will abandon your life on land and return to the Ocean that gave you life. I will restore to you the Ancient Power of the Panthalassa, which I had to take from your family in the past to preserve the delicate balance of our beloved underwater world. Light and Darkness will merge within you, for one cannot exist without the other, and you will strive to ensure that the latter will not prevail over your heart. You will guard the peace of the Abysses, and your power and authority will be acknowledged and respected throughout the Seven Seas. You will honor your vow to the Mermaid Princess of the North Pacific Ocean and serve by her side as Prince of the Oceans."

Lucia watched as Kaito listened carefully to Aqua Regina, and her heart accelerated its beating when he said he would accept on one condition, that the Mermaid Princess of the North Pacific would accept to have him by her side. He smiled at her, stroking gently her hand as he presented her the engagement ring he had gifted her when he first proposed on the seashore.

It was up to her then. Aqua Regina gave her blessing, Kaito was willing to leave land, and he meant it, and she loved him so, so much that there was no doubt in her heart that she wanted to have him by her side for the rest of her life. Her people were moved. Never had they thought a Panthalassa could love a Mermaid so much. Her friends were crying. Tears of joy, she was sure of it. Yet, something still made her feel uneasy.

What about his friends? His passions? His dreams? What about all that? She didn’t want him to renounce his happiness for her, but Kaito reassured once again. He had spent the last few years trying to understand who he was and where he belonged to. It took a while, but he finally saw it now. The one place he wanted to be in, the one he felt he belonged to, it didn’t matter if on land or at the bottom of the ocean, was by her side.

Lucia couldn’t find it in herself to answer back and let him put the ring back on her finger, where it was meant to be.

Kaito then kneeled in front of Aqua Regina, solemnly accepting her conditions, swearing he would use his powers to protect the peace of the Seven Seas. As the Panthalassa symbol started shining on his forehead, the Goddess gifted him with a new golden scepter, a symbol of his power as Lord of the Panthalassa, and to everyone’s delight, she crowned him Kaito, Prince of the Oceans.

All promises were kept, all conditions were met.

Kaito and Lucia returned briefly on land to celebrate an actual wedding, with both hers and his friends. Then the newlyweds moved to Hawaii, in a small house overlooking the sea, and lived a simple life, away from the spotlight. Or so humans believed.

Unbeknownst to most, the Prince and Princess went back to her Royal Palace in the North Pacific to carry out their noble duties. And when someone asked him if he missed the thrill of his surfing competitions, he answered that in the uninhabited atoll he went surfing now, waves were higher anyway. That was all Kaito needed: the sea, his surfboard, and his greatest supporter, his Princess, his mermaid, his wife, watching and waving at him from the rocky reef.