208 Annoying Protocol

CHAPTER 208

"What are your names?"

All heads turned to the side. It was the first mermaid who spoke. Swimming closer to them, she placed a hand on her comrade's shoulder, stopping her from saying or doing anything stupid.

"Coralia and she is Naida."

Immediately, the first mermaid's eyes lit up at the sudden realization. "Yes, I remember you. Her highness mentioned your name a while ago when she was speaking with the others. Ria," she turned her head to look at the second mermaid, "Let them pass. The princess is expecting them."

"Are you sure, Mia?" Ria asked her, her brows furrowing deeper.

"Yes," she responded to her and moved her spear to the side. Seeing her comrade dropping her guard, Ria frowned but finally did the same.

"Thank you," Coralia said with a faint smile, happy to have passed the hassle.

"No, sorry about earlier, we are just doing our jobs," Ria said, mirroring the faint smile on Coralia's face.

"It is okay, we understand."

"Come, I would take you to her."

Ria moved to the side, spreading her left hand along with her, gesturing for them to come in.

Immediately the two mermaids swam passed them, Ria gave a nod to Mia and swam towards the others, before leading them to where Princess Marin was.

By the time they got there, two other mermaids stood guard outside a bend. Both of them turned facing each other, with their spears crossed against the other.

Upon noticing their arrival, they frowned at the new faces but relaxed a fraction when they saw Ria.

"They need to meet with her highness," Ria explained when she saw the frown on their faces.

"Princess Marin didn't inform us of any such guests," the brown-haired mermaid said.

"Great, another roadblock. Might I warn them that the longer they take in letting us through, the more time the hybrid has in getting away," Naida whispered to Coralia by her side.

"It is protocol."

No sooner had Coralia replied, than they heard a voice. "Let them in."

Everyone became still at the calm, soft, cool yet authoritative voice they heard. It could only mean one thing, it was the Princess, Marin, sister to the mer queen.

"Yes, Princess." 

The two warrior dressed mermaids replied her at the same time and separated their spears, parting the way for them. 

Without waiting another second, all three of them swam through, moving past the guard and taking the bend. 

In no time they came to an opening inside the water and were greeted by several pairs of eyes. 

Straight at the middle of the gathering was a dark blue and purple coloured haired mermaid. The color of her hair matched her fins with golden sparkle on it, giving it a shiny hue in the water. 

Her head was adorned with golden coloured beads that hung low from behind, adorning her waist long hair. 

Everyone knew she was beautiful, but not many knew to what extent as they usually didn't see her. 

The next minute she moved, swimming up with both hands spread a fraction at her side as she moved above the other mermaid and swam in their direction. 

"Your highness!" Ria greeted her with a bow. 

"Ria!"

She gestured for her to raise her head and her gaze went back to the two innocent looking mermaids. 

It was then Ria found out they didn't greet Marin, rather they stared at her wide eyed. 

Quickly, she used the tail of her spear to nudge Coralia and Naida's tail, breaking her from whatever trance she found herself. 

"My apologies, your highness," both of them apologized quickly with a bow. 

Although she was dressed simply, Princess Marin was one heck of a beauty. One deserving of her title. 

The funny thing was that no one rivalled her in battle and so she led the army, while her senior sister, Queen Marceline ruled the kingdom. 

Rather than get angry, Marin smiled at them and gestured for them to rise. 

She was already used to getting stares and seeing people stunned upon seeing her. 

Although she assigned these two to lookout near the valley, she never met them or assigned the task to them directly. She had Doris do so and was only told their names and how they looked. 

In one swift move, she turned around and swam away to her seat. 

Every other mermaid present averted their gaze back to her, ignoring the two strangers. 

Marin took her seat and then moved her gaze to Coralia. 

"You are Coralia, right?"

"Yes, princess."

"What news have you for me?"

As if getting herself back and the reason why she was there, Coralia swam forward abut and relayed her message in a hurry. 

"Your highness, indeed we spotted the hybrid."

Immediately, murmurs arose from the other mermaids around. 

"It can't be."

"True, the hynrid was to take through this route."

"How come our soldiers haven't sighted her yet, but they have?"

"Where were they assigned to watch?"

Marin narrowed her eyes at the scene before raising her hands to hush the murmuring. "Where?" 

"By a cave outside the Valley of lost souls, your highness." 

"What!"

"How is that possible?"

The mermaids were all in a state of confusion about the whole thing they heard. 

They never expected that the hybrid they all laid wait for, somehow escaped and passed them without their knowledge. 

"How is that possible?" Another mermaid spoke up, swimming forward stopping in front of Marin. 

"It shouldn't be unless... "

"We saw her with our own eyes. Just like the description that was given about her. She was bathing in the water," Coralia informed them. 

"She was alone and already in the water, that was an advantage, why didn't you attack?" Doris asked Coralia, her face changing into a deep frown. 

It was not that she didn't believe them, she frowned because Coralia wasted a perfectly good opportunity and instead ran hear to inform them.

"She couldn't!"