LOVE CASTLE

CHAPTER 1 – PRINCESS LOTUS

QUENSHI PALACE, HAN RIVER

"All hail his majesty!" The palace guards said in unison and everyone bowed as king Watergire swam majestically into the palace in his usual stern appearance.

The water calmed and the wind stopped, the fishes stopped moving around and the seashells halted their movements.

Immediately he swam in, bright shiny red lights came on and the palace became even more beautiful.

He's holding his golden amulet and his golden crown is sitting regally in his head.

Everyone remained bowing till he took his seat beside his queen...Aqua...

The king's officials are all present and the sons of the great people of the kingdom; one of them includes Sage...son of the closest man to the king.

The princesses entered and all the males present turned their attention to them, it's a hard task to not look at them anytime they're sighted, they're enchanting.

Sage was disappointed when he didn't see princess Lotus, only Cleo and Mul came.

"Where's Lotus?" Queen Aqua asked when the two settled beside her.

"She's not in the palace presently," Mul replied.

"How could she not be in the palace when the king specially called everyone" Otis said

Otis is Sage's father.

"Probably out in the city, doing her worthless magic again" Cleo said hatefully.

"Stop hating her for nothing Cleo" Mul defended.

"I'm just speaking my mind!" Cleo snapped.

"Enough!" Watergire cautioned and they both bowed as a short turbulence happened in the water, the young fishes ran into hiding.

"We can still go on without her, tell me the news about the preparations" he continued.

Otis stood.

"It's all set like you ordered your majesty, the festival is ready to kick off" he said.

"When?"

"Tomorrow" Otis replied

👥I can't wait!

👥 Gosh tomorrow should come fast!

👥 Who is singing!

👥 I guess princess Mul

👥 No she sang last year already

👥 It should be princess Cleo this year.

👥 I want it to be princess Lotus.

Cleo held her breath and Sage smiled, knowing the chosen one already.

"It's up to you to choose the princess that'll sing so I'll finalize the preparations your majesty" Otis bowed.

"Lotus is singing" Watergire said and Cleo sprained up, her tail shaking in anger.

"Lotus sang for the last three years, she sang two years ago too! Mul sang last year, I wanna sing this year too! Aren't I a princess too?Stop treating me like an outcast!" She cried out and Watergire folded his fist angrily.

Cleo's voice immediately seized and when she spoke, she couldn't.

"Cleo!" Queen Aqua rushed to get her.

"Her voice won't be back till two hours; no one defies me even as my princess! I'm still Watergire! The king of QUENSHI! My words are final!Lotus is singing!" He said and a great turbulence happened as he swam out of the palace angrily.

Everyone had to hide behind the waves and it took close to five minutes before the water calmed.

"You shouldn't have shouted at his majesty that way, now your voice is gone" queen Aqua rebuked.

Cleo left the palace angrily too without showing any sign of soberness.

"She'll always remain the same," Mul said.

Sage left the palace too and sneaked to the princess’s chamber and he peeked at Cleo's room through the window and saw her busy breaking the treasures in her room in anger.

"Pathetic" he said and she stopped, looking back at him.

She started walking meanly to him.

"It's great to see the great Cleo break her room treasures cos of jealousy" he mocked and immediately she got to him, she held his face and tried kissing him but he pushed her away.

"I can never be for you Cleo, try loving Lotus like a sister, then we'll be friends" he said and swam away.

Cleo returned to breaking the treasures.

In another part of the river, mermaids and mermen gathered around, forming a circle.

A soothing tune is playing and the water waves are carrying it everywhere as it plays.

A tiny voice is singing loudly.

The backside of a girl came to view and her long hair reached her waist as she sat, she's the one playing the violin, singing along

🎵 Take me take me to the land of ecstasy...

🎵 Take me! Take me! Take me!!!!!!.....

🎵 Ecstasy ecstasy ecstasy!

🎵 Take my hands!!!!

🎵 My hands... take my hands…

🎵 My heart and soul...

🎵 My soul my soul my heart!

🎵 My heart and soul, will follow you!!!! .....

Her face finally came to view when she stopped singing.

👥 Princess Lotus marry me!

👥 She's too beautiful!

👥 The voice!

👥 I wish I can just be for her

👥 I wish I have that kind of voice

👥 I want the hair.

👥 I Was feeling sick before but now I'm fine, her voice really heals

She smiled, hearing sweet comments from people as she stood.

Her long hair flew with the waves, making her look more beautiful.

"Three guidelines to living?" She said

"Honesty, loyalty, love" the people chorused and she smiled again

"Your highness!" A woman swam into the circle with her baby in her arms.

"What's wrong?" Lotus asked quickly.

"He got scratched mistakenly by an ancient shell, I think he's gonna perish because he has been bleeding, please save my son!" She said quickly.

Lotus swam to her and touched the baby's forehead with her pointer finger.

She removed it after two minutes then she opened her mouth, different colors of flames came out and hit the baby's face.

"AriiAriiMannassarri" she said the magic words and the bleeding stopped immediately, the baby opened his eyes.

"It's fine now," Lotus said.

"Thanks your highness, your kindness will always earn you goodness" the woman said and Lotus smiled.

"Take care of him please"

"Of course your highness" she replied and Lotus started leaving.

Everyone bowed respectfully as she left the circle.

She was about to vanish when Sage appeared.

"What again?" She asked, not looking at him.

"You're always so mean to me, you'll soon become my betrothed" he said.

"Keep dreaming Sage" she replied and swam far away from him.