From the Depths

Kiren walked the halls of the all too familiar castle with a heavy sigh. “Uncle Henry, is this really necessary?”

“You have just been crowned King, it is more than necessary. The council-”

“I don’t care for the council! They are nothing but a bunch of stuck-up snobs who only care for power. It’s nothing but a waste of time!” Kiren racked his hand through his firey red hair, his emerald green eyes staring daggers at the Knight. “Listening to them wine will amount to nothing-”

Henry chuckled beside him causing him to stop mid-sentence. “The older you get the more alike you become.”

His heart clenched at the mention of his mother. He’d never met her, though his grandmother and Henry told him many tales. The one reason he continued on this path was because of her and her ideals.

She’d sacrificed so much to give him a chance at life, perhaps was still fighting even now, no one knew. So, he fought in his own way every single day. His one and only goal was to unite the human world with the others that were hidden in the shadows.

Though it would benefit him and his secret, being half-human, he wanted more than anything to give her a safe place to return home to.

“You’ve had this planned for months, best you tell them in person or they will lash out at the people, don't let them blame others for their own mistakes.” Henry pointed out.

Letting out a disgruntled groan he righted himself, fixing his collared shirt and proceeded to enter the meeting room. All heads turned to take in the newcomer. Many realising who he was stood and paid respects while others remained seated with disgusted smirks. Many on the council had been loyal to Haith, the former King, and still remain so, or at least to his ideals.

Kiren took his seat while Sir Henry stood at his side, his arms linked behind his back. There was no point in forcing the arrogant men to stand and bow, besides he didn’t want to rule that way.

“Late as always.” It was Lord Jeffery from the east. A high-ranking aristocrat who ‘helped’ the king run the region.

A smirk crept across Kiren’s lips. “I was merely taking the time to clean up your mess.”

The man shot up from his chair. “Are you calling me incompetent!?”

“What else would you call a man who turned a blind eye to the collapse of the copper mines in his own backyard.” Kiren placed his elbows on the table, clasping his hands together as he leaned forward to stare at the man from across the room. “You left men buried alive down there.”

Jeffery waved his hand in the air and tsked as though it were nothing. “A small loss, I admit. But one can’t deny that there are dangers to mining that a young King like yourself wouldn’t understand.”

“I heard it was the King who led the charge to extract the men.” A woman’s voice joined the conversation. “While the lord of the region sat on his riches and laughed.”

“Nonsense! I would never!” Jeffery placed a hand to his heart and looked utterly offended.

Murmurs rose in the room at the mention of the King travelling to different regions within the kingdom. ‘Surely he wouldn’t have time’. ‘There’s no way a King would care about a minor incident like that’.

“The men were overworked, underpaid and many were forced to prostitute their daughters to your household.” Kiren shook his head. “Of course, none of them would go on file for fear of their lives.”

Jeffery couldn’t hide his gleeful grin at the mention of no witnesses.

“So, I had to resort to something rather drastic.” Kiren Continued.

His smirk fell as the King’s emerald eyes bore into him. “M-My Lord?”

“A crime against my people is a crime against me.” Kiren firmly stated.

The man’s shoulder stiffened and he reflexly took a step back. “I am but a loyal servant to the crown!” He protested.

“I beg to differ.” Everyone’s attention except the King’s shot to the women who spoke up again. She was seated next to the King on his right side. She wore a hooded cloak covering her hair, though her face was clearly visible under the fabric. She had beautifully defined features with high cheekbones, she looked foreign and out of place at the table.

“Your loyalty lies in your wealth, you trod on those below you to get your way and show a blatant disregard for the subjects under your care.” Kiren pointed out.

The room was silent as they watched and waited, many of the men that the King disliked were visibly swallowing with fear as they glanced between Sir Henry and Kiren.

Henry hadn’t aged a day since the previous king had passed, the people had spread a rumour that he had been blessed by the mermaid for helping to save her life.

The truth, Ren had tied his life to Kirea's. A bond of some sort that they didn't understand but the elves did. Though they said it was incomplete and only one-sided. Claiming that the person who had done it had not used the incantation to complete it. The only downside was that he often experienced phantom pains, of which he hid well.

“This Kingdom is due for a change. I intend to bring about that change. You can all stand in my way or you can join me in making our home a better place.” Kiren looked around the room, taking a moment to eye each individual.

“My lord, I understand where you are coming from, but if the people do not work we do not have enough resources, we barely have enough as it is. The land is barren and only growing worse!” It was Lord Hammond who spoke this time, a man in charge of the North.

“So you see it fit to beat the men into submission instead of helping them? You would rather have men die to lessen the burden on your land, rather than work with the people to fix it.” Again the women spoke up.

“Who is the woman who keeps interrupting the men? She does not belong!” Lord Jeffery was on his high horse again.

The woman scoffed crossing her arms across her chest and sitting back in her chair. Clearly displeased with the comment.

“She is to take your place in the East,” Kiren stated plainly. “I will not stand for insubordination, your cruel ways under the name of Haith will cease as of today!”

“INSUBORDINATION! You DARE!” Jeferry was angry, spitting as he shouted. “YOU! A mere boy who was named king by a bunch of magical people! We will not follow you!” Looking around the table he eagerly smiled at the men. “Rise up! Rise up with me and let us take his throne!”

Kiren rolled his eyes, a desperate move by a desperate man. The woman beside him having completely ignored the outburst was looking to the King with a joyful expression.

“Does this mean that you are to accept Lady Riku’s proposal?” The woman removed her hood, revealing her elongated ears to the rest of the room, she was an elf.

He nodded. “Yes, I am accepting. We will unit the Kingdoms of that of Human and Magic.”

“It’s called essence, My King.”

Before any of them could discern who had just spoken, Jeffery screamed as he was slammed into the table. His arms were pinned to his back and bound with ropes.

A black-haired tattooed female elf stood firmly behind the once Lord of the East as she ‘arrested’ him for his crimes. She held a power about her that crackled through the very air around them. It was as though she had appeared from thin air.

“Priestess!” The elf beside Kiren rose to her feet and bowed. “I hadn’t expected you for another day. Had I known I would have allowed you to take my place in today’s meeting.”

“It’s quite alright Lesley.” The newest elf handed off the man to the guards stationed by the door. “Have I missed much?”

“Lady Riku, welcome-” Kiren was cut off as the warning horns bellowed in the distance.

An invasion?

The room filled with tension as many eyes flicked to the King and hands rested on blades. If a rebellion was to happen now was the time.

“Metting adjourned, for now.” Kiren stood abruptly and exited the room. Henry and the two elves close on his heels. What timing was this, right when he was about to rearrange the leaders of the lands?

He headed straight for the tower where the horn had sounded. Whatever it was he needed to see it for himself. No words were spoken as the King walked to the man who had blown the monstrous horn. The man pointed to the sealine with a pale expression.

“The-They have come.” He managed to mutter.

Following the man’s fearful expression Kiren looked to the ocean, down on the beach a grave number of figures could be seen emerging from the water and strumbling onto land.

“It’s her.” Henry breathed the words, he was utterly stunned. Before Kiren could ask what he meant the Knight was running back down the spiral staircase the fastest he had ever seen him move.

Leading the people onto the sand was a woman with long red hair, it was hard to miss. She stood out the most amongst the others. It was the same colour as his hair, his eyes widened, it couldn’t be.

Henry was leagues in front of him and already across the beach by the time he, Riku and the rest of the Knights made it down to the sandy area.

Closer now to the figures he had seen from so far away, he could see that they were all naked, many appearing to be injured or looking worse for wear. The majority of them were male with the odd female helping the men to walk.

“Orders my Lord?” A knight asked as he glanced nervously between the approaching horde and the King.

“Standdown men.” Kiren smiled as he soon realised what was happening. “Bring clothing, blankets and medical supplies! Every ablebody that you can find that is willing to help the merfolk!”

“Yes, at once my Lord!” The men scattered in serval directions, some back to the castle, others to town and lastly some to help the people coming ashore.

Kiren slowly approached Henry and the woman with red hair. They were standing staring at each other, a well of emotions reflecting in their eyes. She opened her arms as a tear slid down her cheek.

“I’m home.” Her voice was harsh as though she hadn’t used it in quite some time.

Henry burst out laughing as he embraced her, spinning her around and hugging her close.

Kiren took another step closer, his hands were beginning to shake.

“You haven’t aged a day!?” She said as she cupped the Knights face giving it a gentle squeeze once the man placed her back down on her unsteady feet.

Henry appeared to be quite speechless for once, it was astonishing. Kiren had never seen the Knight be this affectionate with anyone besides himself and his grandmother.

“Kirea!” Speaking of his grandmother, he heard her call out the name that only confirmed his suspicions.

The elderly woman hobbled and wobbled her way to the mysterious red-haired woman. When his grandmother nearly fell on the sand Kiren was there to help her retain her balance.

“I need a place for the freed to stay, the waters are still in turmoil, but change has happened, it has begun.” She explained gleefully.

“You couldn’t have come at a better moment, we are on the verge of joining our two worlds. You and your kind are welcome here, you’re safe here.” Henry finally spoke.

Kiren was mere inches away from the woman now, he knew who she was and yet no words would leave his mouth. He didn’t know what to say or where to begin. He’d dreamed about this day so many times as a child and now that it was happening, his throat was frozen.

Henry had torn off the cape that was attached to his shoulder piece and wrapped it around her as his grandmother practically lunged herself into the woman’s arms. She laughed happily as the women returned the embrace tenfold.

The woman was patting his grandmother’s hair when her eyes opened and locked with his. Her jaw fell slack, the smile fading as she took him in. Catching the reaction Henry and his grandmother stepped aside, allowing the two to fully take each other in.

Though the material of the cape had wrapped around her form, the many scars of undersea battles were present on her skin. He could tell she'd been through hell and back.

She was looking at him as though she had seen a ghost.

And he, he was shaking like a leaf in utter disbelief.

Her expression suddenly turned to sorrow and grief as her face scrunched up and she fought back tears. “How long?”

He felt his own eyes betray him as his nose grew itchy, emotions running rampant within.

“18 years.” It was Henry who spoke as he still couldn’t.

He took another shaky step forward as she reached for him.

When her fingers brushed the side of his face all the fear he had been holding inside evaporated to nothing. He clasped hold of her hand and leaned into her touch allowing himself to let go of the tears in his eyes.

“Welcome home, Mom.”

The End.