“Esteemed merfolk! Thank you all for being present tonight!” Yells Elder Octo over a balcony as guests watch from the ballroom below. Merpeople from several kingdoms dot the crowd, both young and old. While the adults listen patiently, regal in all their colour from a sharply dressed angelfish to a striking blue seahorse, the children run about the ballroom floors without a care in the world. “Allow me to extend my thanks to the citizens of Atlantia,” Elder Octo continues on this heartfelt speech, hoping that this event will bring the merpeople of Atlantia and Coral Reef closer. It’s too bad his own children aren’t listening to him speak, they’re too busy bickering.
“But pa told me you would play with me tonight!” Whined a small and chubby grey whale as she pulled on her brother’s sleeve, “Flowerhorn! C’mon just for a little bit…” She held a bunch of sea flowers in her other hand, intent on braiding them into Flowerhorn’s long sliver hair.
Though the young prince seems to be resisting this, he held tightly onto a drawstring bag in his hand, a convicted look on his face. “Nooo! Sealily I can’t play now, I gotta give these shells to the Princess!”
It was a convenient excuse, he thought. Not that he was fully opposed to playing dress up with his sister, but the last time they did this, three maids had to spend hours detangling Flowerhorn’s precious hair from all the knick knacks that had been woven inside it.
“But I’m the princess!” Whined the spoilt girl.
“I meant Atlantia’s princess,” Retorted flowerhorn as he looked around for the cast of black that Princess Manta was known for. “Pa told me to do it, so I gotta do it okay?”
“But he also told us to stay together!” The ball was a big place for two little fishlets, one wrong corridor and they could very easily get lost.
“Yeah, well… I’ll be back okay? I will just give Princess Manta these shells and I’ll come back, promise!” Flowerhorn wanted his annoying sister off his back as fast as possible.
Sealily sniffed back a few tears of betrayal, but ultimately agreed, letting go of Flowerhorn’s sleeve, she watched him push through the tails in the crowd until she could no longer see him.
Stupid brother Thought Sealily as she waited.
And waited.
And waited…
She stood against the wall where Flowerhorn left her, for what seemed like hours. The guests at the ball began to dwindle, but still, Sealily was determined to play with her brother. It was when she saw the tips of his silvery hair brush by in the crowd that she got excited. Craning her head, she saw her brother being dragged out of the ballroom by someone. Enough waiting, she thought – it was time to check up on him. Plus she was technically listening to pa, they were to stick together!
She ran after Prince Flowerhorn, out of the ballroom and all the way to the mansion’s basement, where the fires of the kitchen warmed her. She peeked into where the furnace burned high, seeing the Prince with a slick black mergirl. It must be princess Manta, she thought, instinctively hiding further behind the doorway. The warmth of the hearth backlit her black fins, matching her short black hair, as she smiled at the Prince, Sealily couldn’t help but admire how pretty she was.
She heard the head chef talk to the Prince, “you got potential kid!” he bellowed as she ruffled her beloved brother’s hair, much to his annoyance. Though through that irritation was a spark of something that Sealily had never seen in his eyes when they played together, a hint of genuine joy. He looked at Atlantia’s princess and laughed with her, making Sealily wish they could have fun times like that too. She took one step into the kitchen, perhaps to join them. But upon hearing another chorus of laughter, she decided against it, for once, her brother was actually having fun. She didn’t want to be the annoying little sister who ruined everything. She looked up at the scene before her, Head Chef Dory was holding Flowerhorn’s hands while they made seaweed pastry. Her lips trembled, was her brother that unhappy with her?
“Hey! You there!”
Sealily turned to see a flurry of stripes and yellow rushing towards her. Afraid, she swam as fast as she could down the dark corridor, dodging servants along the way. Eventually, she took shelter in a wheelbarrow half filled with barrels that stunk of rotten fruit. Pulling the cart’s tarp over her head, she tried to stay as still as possible. She heard footsteps get closer, call her name a few times, before they wandered away.
As Sealily was about to climb out, she felt a thud beneath her, accompanied by the barrels around her creaking as they shuffled from side to side. The cart was being moved, and if Sealily were to get out now she may risk being discovered, and that meant a huge scolding from pa, not something she could handle right now.
Sealily decided to be silent, waiting until the cart stopped before getting out and swimming back into the ballroom, hopefully to apologise to Flowerhorn for being such a terrible little sister. The rumble of the wooden planks beneath her became more soothing over time – and she didn’t even mind the smell of that rotting fruit that shared her hiding spot. She thought about what exactly she would say to her brother after the ball. Thoughts turned into fantasies, and fantasies soon turned into dreams. Dreams that would carry the little princess far, far away on a long journey. A journey that would one day bring her back to this very place. Only, it might take a little longer to get there than she initially thought.
Scene 2
It was midnight when the word had gotten around – Sealily was missing. Elder Octo had respectfully waited until all the guests left to rise in a panic, ordering the entire kingdom to search for her. Though as Coral Reef knights combed the kingdom, their search was futile, as the little grey whale was nowhere to be found. Flowerhorn initially rejoiced, finally he didn’t have to deal with that annoying pest of a sibling. He could instead spend his time in the much more charming company of Atlantia’s princess, Manta, or Manny as she likes to call herself. Flowerhorn found Manny way more interesting than Sealily ever was, and way less whiny. Plus, they had a lot in common and became instant friends, who needs a sister anyways.
It was not until Flowerhorn was older that he began to realise the error of his ways on that fateful night. Sealily had only wanted to play, and he wanted nothing more than to get rid of her. It was his only wish that night and be careful what you wish for, as they say. If he had only entertained her for one moment, been a better big brother, then she would not have gotten lost. It was his fault that she was missing, he decided. And with his rock on his shoulders, adolescence was a hard time for the mourning prince.
Elder Octo had insisted they would find Sealily one day, but Flowerhorn had imagined many worse case scenarios, day by day he found himself pushing away the thought that she could be dead – and it would all be his fault. All because he saw the shine of Manta’s smile and got distracted. He thought he was just going off to have fun before turning around years later and realizing he lost the only thing that ever mattered to him.
With a void to fill in his heart, he couldn’t help but continue to return to the kitchen, where Head Chef Dory was always ready to provide some gruff solace. He always had dishes to wash or counters to clean, which Flowerhorn did wordlessly. Soon he graduated to rolling out pastry dough and icing cakes and from there baking those cakes and flavouring the icing he worked with. Before he knew it, Flowerhorn had poured his heart and soul into cooking, as a way to make full use of the opportunity he chose in lieu of his sister – not that this journey would go anywhere. He was a prince after all, and a prince had no place in the kitchen, according to his father at least.
Elder Octo much preferred Flowerhorn to fence, a hobby he enjoyed with his best friend, and now betrothed, Princess Manny. Though as much as it was nice to spend time with her, he couldn’t help thinking about what tonight’s sauce would be for the mussels they were preparing, or whether he had put that icing he made last night in the fridge or freezer by accident. Predictably, he could never beat his future wife at the sport, a fact that disappointed the slightly old fashioned Elder Octo.
“My boy, you really must practice,” Elder Octo lectured one day after watching Flowerhorn lose yet another match to his finance. “We can’t have a future king that cannot hold a sword against his wife (For sport of course)! What a disgrace that would be…”
Flowerhorn ran his fingers through silvery hair, “I understand father, but I have had… thoughts… on my mind recently.”
Elder Octo sighed, knowing enough about his son’s burden to understand what this was about straight away, “Flowerhorn, we must not dwell on the past. She is gone, we know this.”
“But-
“No buts boy. Rulers have to be strong in the face of adversity.” He faced his son solemnly. Seeing the scepticism on Flowerhorn’s face, he added “it is not that I do not care about Sealily, but…” Elder Octo gulped, “We must move on, I have a kingdom to lead, and one day, so will you.”
Flowerhorn nodded meekly, he wanted so badly to find her himself. Strike out one day and not come back until she was found, but he had responsibilities. Being in the kitchen is all he could do for now, and perhaps Elder Octo was right – maybe it was time to let go.
Scene 3
As the great wedding to unite both kingdoms drew closer, more preparations had to be made. Manta went through the motions of cakes and flowers and dresses that altogether weren’t for her – and were more for the people who had to watch this spectacle of a loveless union, hoping it would bring them peace.
Her life felt restricted, for she knew Flowerhorn had too much on his mind to think about love. She herself, well… she had a different set of problems. Problems wrapped up in a soft smile and even softer features. Problems that stemmed from a calming voice and gentle hands Ones that would make her heart beat faster every time she saw her again and today just so happened to be one of those days.
She opened her bedroom door to find the root of all her problems standing there, a mass of white tulle in her hands. “good afternoon Manta,” greeted her Chambermaid, Grey. A beautiful grey whale merwoman about her age, adorned with her signature pearl necklace and tiara. Drooping down her ears. “are you ready for you fitting?”
Manta sighed in remorse, “as ready as I’ll ever be.”
As Grey helped Manta into a preliminary version of her wedding dress, other servants came in and out to provide various bits and pieces. An anglerfish came to bring a fresh vase of flowers and towels, while a squid servant brought the veil that Manta also had to try on. The squid passed the veil to Grey.
Grey placed the veil over Manta as the servants left them alone to change. She pushed the lace over her head, Manta giggled, making the grey whale blush.
Manta’s giggled evolved into an awkward laugh, but it wasn’t until she snorted that Grey found herself stifling laughter as well. “hahahaha… hahaha…” Grey turned away to laugh. “I didn’t know you… you snort when you laugh…” she said in between her own giggles.
Manta eventually recovered, “Ahh why are you turned, it’s okay to laugh in front of me you know…” she placed her hands on Grey’s shoulders, turning her around to see her watery eyes sparkling with happiness, sending a metaphorical arrow straight through her heart.
“But… But princess Manta I…” Grey panted as she tried to calm down, “It’s disrespectful to laugh…”
Plaufully, Manta shook the chambermaid’s shoulders, “C’mon Grey, we’re friends, no need to address me so formally.” She winked, “we can laugh at each other sometimes right?”
Grey reddened, nodding meekly, “Um… if you wish, though… it’s difficult sometimes.” She admitted, “I want to call myself good friend with you,” she explained, twiddling her thumbs in the cutest way, “but… ahh I cannot ignore the different in rank between us.”
Manta’s face fell into concern.
“I would almost prefer it if…” Grey took hold of Manta’s hands in both of hers, “if we were both just people, instead of you being my princess.”
“I…” Manta found her voice caught in her throat from Grey’s sincere charm, “I would want that too…”
“Imagine a world, if you will,” Grey was shy, but through her soft voice to a friend she trusted, she could say “Where there are no kings or queens, no conflict… only us. Only people, who were free to love and do what they wanted, without having to worry about…” she smiled sheepishly, “without having to worry about stupid things like the consequences for laughing at your princess. What if you threw me in the choker?”
Manta’s worried expression melted into an easy smile, “I would never do that Grey, you know that.”
“But you could…” Grey fluttered her eyelashes innocently, “ah… even if I did something horrible?”
“I don’t think I could do it…” Manta whispered earnestly as they both inched closer to each other.
“Maybe you aren’t fit to be a royal then…” Grey pestered playfully, not realising she was still holding onto Manta’s hands.
“Maybe so… but I’d still be yours regardless.” There was that smoothness got Grey on her knees, covering her face from a profusive blush that rose up to her ears.
It was then when another servant burst through the door, “I’m sorry to interrupt by Princess but, flowerhorn has gone missing!”
“What… where is he?” Manta demanded, snapping back to being the princess she was raised to be.
“We… we don’t know Princess. Elder Octo has sent out scouts to search for him. He pleas for us to look as well.”
Grey uncovers her red face, staring at Manta’s shocked expression, her face hardens uncharacteristically, causing Manta to take a step back.
“Grey… are you-
She didn’t get to finish her sentence before Grey sprang to her feet attempting a clumsy curtsy before rushing out the door.
Scene 4
Grey had rushed her way to Coral Reef with hopes of helping find the prince, as part of Elder Octo’s call for aid. If the prince was missing, neither Atlantia nor Coral Reef could benefit from the joint wedding. Grey wasn’t the only staff sent to Coral Reef to help with the search, though she was the only one in her own carriage, borrowed from Atlantia’s groundskeeper when he heard her plea.
The carriage was driven by a stripy angelfish, focused on getting her there fast. So fast that Grey had to hang onto her seat to keep from flying out the window. However, as they neared the mansion, the angelfish took a sharp turn.
“where are we going?” Asked Grey, confused as the angelfish banked around the corner to the back of the mansion.
“If the prince has gone missing, he is unlikely to be in the mansion itself. He’s probably escaped out the back,” The coachman yelled to Grey in the carriage.
“How do you know??” Yelled back Grey.
“I just… have a feeling!” The coachman skidded to a stop behind the mansion, down a long and empty alleyway that had had been untouched by guards thus far.
Grey stepped out more than a little carsick onto the cobbled road. There were a few doors to its side, leading into the staff wings of the mansion.
“If anyone wanted to sneak out past the guards, they would do it here.” Explained the coachman, “this is the last place they would check.”
“How do you know so much about the Coral Reef mansion?” asked Grey,
“I used to work here…” admitted the coachman, scratching the back of his neck awkwardly, “I’ve… moved jobs a lot in my life.”
Grey nodded at him, fulling believing that explanation as she checked the alleyway, opening doors where she could, she found them leading to boiler rooms, sculleries and one room in particular that struck her.
It was located at the ends of the kitchens, where they kept empty sacks of potatoes, used pots and empty casks of fruit wine.
Wine that stunk up the entire room with a very familiar smell.
As Grey stood in the doorway, stunned by the nostalgia that she couldn’t quite place. She saw a hooded figure enter from the kitchen.
“You, wait! Stop there!” She called to them. “show yourself! Do you know where the prince is?”
The figure stood up tall, tendrils of silver hair falling from their hood as they pulled it back to reveal the handsome face of the prince himself.
Grey was shocked, “wh-wha… your highness,” She curtseied on reflex. He had to be the prince, the man in front of her fit the descriptions of him perfectly. And yet… there was something about him she couldn’t quite place.
The prince walked towards her, “and who might you be?” He asked, his voice seemed dead, tired. As he approached grey saw he had dark circles around puffy eyes, like he had been crying.
“Well I-I’m Grey… Princess Manta’s Chambermaid sir…” she stuttered, “the… the entire kingdom is looking for you, they thought you’ve… run away you see and-
“I have,” replied the prince, pain in his expression, “or at least. Was about to.”
Curiously, he examined her. And she, with the scent of old wine filling her nose, did the same. Why did he look so familiar… Surely she had never met this man. In her awkwardness, she lifted a hand to adjust her necklace, it’s central pearl gleaming as light bounced off the engraving of a lily.
The prince was stunned.
“Where… did you get that necklace miss? If I may ask,” he reached out a hand, seeming nervous.
Grey was taken aback. “Well I… I don’t know actually,” she looked down at it, “the nuns in the convent told me I had been wearing it when they found me,” perhaps there could be a remedy for the prince’s confused expression, “ah… I was an orphan you see. The family that couldn’t afford to keep me must have left it as a keepsake of some sort. It is common these days in the working class of Atlantia.” She didn’t mean to make Atlantia’s economy sound grim, but there was a large proportion who could barely feed themselves, let alone children.
“No, I didn’t mean…” The prince struggled to explain himself, placing a hand over his eyes in exasperation, “Urgh… I’m just seeing things, loss often makes people see things, as father says, there’s no way, you can’t be…”
“Loss?”
“Coral Reef’s kitchen staff were found dead yesterday night…” he explained, getting choked up, “Head Chef Dory, Sous Chef Eel… the others… all of them… just… gone.”
Grey’s eyes widened, “oh your highness I am so sorry I-
The prince held out a hand, “no, no don’t come nearer, you… you remind me of her… she…”
“She…”
“My sister…”
“You have a sister… but that would mean-
“Yes, that once upon a time, there was a princess to Coral Reef, but I… in my foolishness during a ball, I lost her…”
A ball, thought the Chambermaid. Not that she ever attended one, and yet she had this floating memory, bits and pieces she couldn’t quite place. “A colourful ball, with a tower of food…”
The prince looked up from his sorrow expectantly.
“A ball with a corridor beneath, a corridor with barrels smelling like rotten fruit…” Grey recalled, she placed her hand atop one of the barrels, “empty barrels that thud along the crickety floor of a wheelbarrow… on a long… long journey to say I was sorry.”
“Sorry to…” Grey scrunched up her face as she struggled to remember, “A brother… who didn’t want me to braid his hair…” She looked up and realised the prince was watching her with an expression that looked like one of pure horror. She suddenly blushed and bowed profusely, “oh my I’m so sorry, I got caught up in my thoughts I didn’t mean to get lost in them It’s just that… this room reminded me a lot of a dream I had once, excuse me your highness.”
“No,” The prince rushed forward, grabbing the grey whale by her shoulders, “Sealily, it’s really you!”
“Excuse me?” Grey froze up at the touch, but the prince was insistent as he pointed to her necklace.
“You are the long lost princess!” he exclaimed, “That’s her necklace, it’s one of a kind from our great grandmother, it must be you,” He started to tear up, “everything from your eyes to your memory of a terrible brother with long hair it must be the memory of that night, you must be Sealily… Coral Reef’s Sealily!”
The prince shook her shoulders, but Grey was too shocked to process this information. “There’s no way I am… or I could… I’m not a princess sir,” she attempted, “I am merely an orphan, one of Atlantia at that.”
“But yet you are a princess, you must be!” exerted the prince. “I thought all hope was lost and yet here you are! The heavens must have sent you back to Coral Reef, to rule in my stead.”
As The prince tried to convince her, Grey started to buy into this idea. The room did feel strikingly familiar, and the more the prince talked, the more memory she regained. Getting lost at a ball, and being wheeled off into the night, dreaming of a time where she could apologise for being a brat. It was all coming back to her now. But there was still one thing that stuck out like a sore thumb.
“Rule in your stead?”
The prince looked sheepish. “I am not fit to be a royal, Sealily.” He admitted, “And the death of my dear friends in the kitchen is the last straw… I must go, before the guilt consumes me.”
“But… with all due respect my Prince, I cannot rule! I know nothing about ruling.”
“Please. Call me flowerhorn, Sealily. And do not worry about being a good queen, you may not know how – but Princess Manta does.” It was here that Grey’s train of thought stopped short. That’s right, in a day or so… Flowerhorn was supposed to be married to none other than…
“The love of your life, no?”
“How did you…”
“Anyone who knows Manta knows that she is head over heels for you. You are all she talks about when she’s alone. And it’s no secret that love is requited.”
Grey blushed despite the situation, she did not know her expressions were that obvious.
“Please…” The prince got down on both knees in front of the Chambermaid turned princess. He was defeated. “I cannot take the throne, not after what I have done, to my friends, and to you. I cannot rule with a clean heart knowing that I am responsible.”
“But you have done nothing Flowerhorn!”
“But I have!” He exclaims, “By simply being part of the royal family, rebels like the Chef and his staff die. I am spoilt and idealistic. Let me repent for my sins Grey, let me take your place, and you take mine…”
The Prince started to cry, both out of mourning for those that taught him the only happiness he ever knew, and for the crimes he had committed against his own family. If he had to leave like the coward he was, at least Grey should be allowed to enjoy the luxuries she rightfully deserved, and was deprived of in her childhood.
Grey, or Sealily, rather, in all her kindness, knelt down to give her brother a hug. “If it means that much to you Flowerhorn, it would be… an honour. I will try my best, on one condition.”
“Anything.”
“Please. Don’t leave until you have attended the wedding, even in disguise.”
Flowerhorn smiled, supposing she must be scared to go up to the altar all alone, “of course. I promise. I will be there.” He stands up, putting his hood back on.
“Trust me, sister. I will not abandon you again.” And with that. He disappears out into the alleyway.
Scene 5
It was soon agreed between Sealily, now returned, and Elder Octo, that the wedding shall proceed. Manta, having received correspondence to know that her best friend had not been harmed, was ecstatic as Sealily’s serendipitous position, though she kept calling her Grey out of habit, not that Sealily minded.
The day of the wedding came, held outdoors with special seating for palace guests. Behind iron fences, civilians stood, excitedly awaiting the arrival of what they thought was going to be a bride and groom.
On the day, free food was also passed out to all who attended, cooked up by those of the royal kitchen themselves, though strangely, none of them were at the wedding itself. The dessert allegedly made by Coral Reef’s famous royal chefs were called ‘Decadent Creams’. Quaint little sandwich cookies in the royal colours of tie dye, yellow, blue and purple. It was refreshingly dry, keeping people dehydrated on the very wet wait outside palace doors. Many people had also spotted the presence of two thrones instead of one. A mummer spread through the crowd, would the elusive king of Atlantia finally be in the public eye? Some older folk remember seeing him in his prime, some 20 years ago, but he hasn’t been in public since… the incident.
The crowd quieted down as it was time for the wedding to begin, first, the high ranking court officials entered, followed by Elder Octo, who took his place at his throne. Finally, the King of Atlantia, an elderly yet sharp man with a long blue cloak and the tail of a blue whale, swam into view, taking his place on the throne next to Octo. Even the Elder was surprised to see him, unable to wipe the look of shock off his face until the King turned to offer him a small smile.
Manta was next to arrive at the palace’s main doors, walking down the aisle, the crowd saw she wasn’t alone, but with someone who was distinctly not Flowerhorn. In a fluffy cute gown was a grey whale, a veil matched Princess Manta’s hid a string of pearls around her neck. Elder Octo stood up as they reached the end of the red carpet. “Esteemed Merfolk, we are gathered here today to witness a lawful union, but not one that any of us, including me, expected.”
Grey lifted her veil, in the glory of her shimmering makeup and regal dress, there was no question she was royalty.
“The stars have aligned and in a twist of fate, brought back our lost princess to us. May I present Princess Sealily, of coral reef!”
The crowd cheers until Elder Octo talks once more.
“You see, Under the alias of Grey, the Princess has been slaving away in the palace of Atlantia, unknown for decades until today… where she will take her rightful place on the throne!”
The bold statement, inciting applause, was instead met with a curious mummer over the crowd. People in the back rows were craning their heads, trying to gleam a sight of this alleged princess. Others were shooting dirty looks at the royals beyond the fence when the Elder described their honest work as ‘slaving’ away. Unfortunately though, no one was bold enough to say anything – there were a few pushes amongst the younger members of the audience, where they perhaps exchanged revolutionary ideals under hushed tones, but no one speaks up.
“Thank you so much father,” Sealily bowed to Elder Octo, “it would be an honour to take the throne, but even more so, to marry the love of my life…” She turned to Princess Manta, who beamed in return. “I would want nothing more,” cooed the manta ray princess, before announcing, “to marry you, maid or princess. It matters not to me where your lineage lies Gr- I mean, Sealily. Only that we are together in the end.”
A loud ‘awww’ echoes through the crowd as Sealily and Manta nuzzle their noses together. Loud enough to dampen the few voices whispering that perhaps, this is a sign that Manta doesn’t care for royalty either.
“I now ask the approval of both our fathers,” she turns to the two thrones, Elder Octo and Atlantia’s King, Blue, sitting side by side, “If they would so kindly bless this union, it would mean everything to me…” She bows deeply. Elder Octo turns to nod at Atlantia’s mysterious king, who stands up.
“Princess Manta. You have always been the pride of our kingdom – May your union be a beacon of hope, and of peace, between Coral Reef and Atlantia. May it show the people that we are flourishing, not as neighbouring kingdoms but as partners in this vast ocean. Partners that will now be stronger than ever – thanks to your fruitful marriage. I wish you both prosperity and fertility, you have my blessing.”
Again. Applause would have seemed appropriate here, but there is nothing but bubbling silence. The royal court may as well have been playing out this wedding to themselves. The faces of the people at large do not look convinced, by the sudden reveal of this ‘princess’, by the convenience that she and Atlantia’s princess are in love. The royals can really do whatever they want in this world huh?
Manta bowed, for her wrap dress was too tight to curtsy. She turned back to Sealily, giving the merpreist a nod to start the ceremony.
The wedding goes off without a hitch, the vows were exchanged with the greatest sincerity, Manta almost tears up at one point. As they are finished, the two share a kiss, earning the first great applause of the day from the audience, genuinely cheering on a happy marriage.
What that union means though, feels a little more uncertain. As the merpreist finishes, both royal courts have an opportunity to raise a toast to the new couple. One merman in particular stands up, he looks to be in an Atlantian guard uniform with short brown hair, but he had a glimmer in his eye that Sealily, and only Sealily recognised, she tried to hide her smile as the man spoke.
“I would just like to say, if I may as a humble palace guard,” he started, “that your marriage Sealily, has given me hope. Hope not only in your happiness but that your happiness will permeate throughout the kingdom. It has certainly reached me, and if I may be so bold I wish that it will reach all people far and wide.”
There is a hesitant clap amongst the crowd as Manta responds, “thank you so much sir, we will try our best to live up to those shining expectations, won’t we Sealily?”
Sealily manages a shy smile and a nod, “Yes – may our marriage bring hope to the new monarchy, and with me having lived a life as a peasant, I hope to be able to understand your struggles better through my rule. Trust that with me finally in the royal court that the working class will never be forgotten.”
The royals attending the wedding erupt into applause, overshadowing the caution of the people outside the fences.
Another member of staff pipes up, his gleaming blue seahorse tail catching the eyes of all royals, as he stands up far in the back “I must say I agree with my fellow staff,” he adds, “that your wedding, as much as it is a symbol of happiness, is also a symbol of hope in the order that our kingdoms both depend on so dearly, even if we don’t notice it.”
There is a distant noise, it almost sounds like a boo, but it is quickly cut off by the clanking of metal and a thud.
“May you both bring fresh ideas to the people of both Atlantia and Coral Reef,” the groundskeeper continues, “I for one very much appreciate how your youth may add a new take on the archaic system of monarchy, with Sealily’s experience and Manta’s wisdom, I am confident you will be able to listen to the ideas of us commoners, which is all that we want.”
There was a wave of nods amongst the crowd, starting to agree with what the seahorse was saying. They did seem to want to be heard, and what he said makes sense. These young rulers, with one being from the masses, were more likely to listen to their worries than the old, jaded Elder and a king that never shows up to the party.
As the seahorse makes several valid points and gets the crowd thinking, Sealily pulls a card out of her pocket, grasping it in her hand and squeezing it in a fist until she feels the handle of a microphone take form. Raising it to her lips, her gentle voice can be heard all the way to the back of the commoner crowd beyond the fences. “Thank you for all your kind comments, though I, as a commoner once, am aware that not all is perfect in both our kingdoms.”
Pin drop silence, Elder Octo widens his eyes, and the King of Atlantia stiffens in his chair.
“The monarchy is not a perfect system, and never will be – here in my position, I hope to be able to change that. Kingdoms are nothing without rulers, but I can see even now that our rulers are flawed, in how they have treated all of you.” Grey gains confidence with every word into her mic, Manta’s hand squeezes hers, but she hasn’t time to look if it’s out of worry or encouragement.
The crowd gets louder, there is even one cheer, which is quickly and messily silenced by a guard’s intimidating stare.
“I hope that my position here, beyond ruling the kingdom is to be a voice for the people within the royal family.”
Whispers, once more. “wait… didn’t she say she would be a good ruler just minutes ago?”
“Is this wedding scripted?”
“Maybe they have her hands tied… she’s saying what they want her to say…”
“Poor girl, maybe they just kidnapped her, and are using her as a puppet to appease us.”
These small mumblings are quickly silenced, there is even one woman who is taken away in handcuffs, though he looks off to Sealily with hope in her eyes.
“I do not seek violence, for there is no need.” The crowd looks up to her in hope, “all we need is change – and you can rest assured that the distruption of the old monarchy will start with me…” she looks to Manta, who smiles proudly at her,
“no, with us.”
For the first time in the entire event, the crowd outside the fence cheers. But the royals inside looked panicked, thankful for the wrought iron bars separating the two. Elder Octo looks sternly on at Sealily, and the King of Atlantia shakes his head slowly.
The guards quell the rowdiest of the crowd, there are a few upstanding people, but with no central voice, their thoughts go unheard, with only the hope of their 'new' monarchy to guide them. Happy or not, this seems to be a fate they are forced to accept.