5,7

Exactly 34 minutes later then requested, a small boy and his father hurriedly strode into the grand hall of the King. Their footsteps interrupted the lovely laughter that filled the room; three small girls spun in a corner, with a tall, smiling woman sitting beside them.

"Ah, Theon, there you are! I was beginning to worry." Rumbled a man that the boy could not see, his eyes fixed on the ground. The father, Theon, quickly knelt, forcing his son to the ground beside him. Theon kept his sight on the polished granite under him, but his son quickly grew too curious and lifted his head up to flicker his gaze around the hall. There was a man sitting on a humble wooden throne, wearing a worn golden crown. The woman from before kept her warm gaze on the man, her husband. The boy recognized them both: Queen Eda, the caring Mother of All, and His Majesty Alden, the Father of All, who was known for his mercy in battle. The three princesses danced beside their mother, never sparing a glance to the boy and his father. The boy dearly wished he knew more than just their names and petty rumors.

"Forgive me, your Majesty, the gate guards did not recognize me." Theon gave the boy another weak nudge, and the boy returned his gaze to the floor.

"Humble me and rise, dear friend. I haven't seen you in ages! Your little boy is no longer so little, either..." His Majesty stood, lifting Theon up into a hug, and then gave the boy a gentle pat on the head to signal him to rise. The boy obediently shuffled to his feet.

"He begins his training as a page next week, to Sir Alan." His Majesty gave a broad grin, leading Theon towards another, more private, room. The son stumbled, but managed to follow.

"Amazing. Is he excited?"

"Yes. Tamotsu may be timid, but he cannot hide his excitement for long. The moment he found out he was packing his bags, a smile on his face! Just like my father, I say, filled with emotion and glee..." As they left, Tamotsu took a chance to glance at the youngest princess, Mist. She still had not noticed him, but he smiled all the same.

8,10 (Late spring)

She cowered as the court's priest analyzed the marks on her back, his face void of emotion. Mist resisted the urge to hold her father's hand any tighter. Both her and her father winced as the priest moved away from her bare back, turning to face them both. "Yes, I'm afraid these are blessings." Her father uttered a soft curse, and she watched as his browed furrowed. Mist decided to stay silent.

"What gods?"

"Venis, Form, and Aniqe." The shudder of her father shook her petite frame, and she swore she saw tears in his eyes

"Venis... Do you think the townspeople will react the same way they reacted to my Aunt?"

The priest shrugged simply, grasping for a good response. "I dearly hope not. She holds herself as a leader." The priest stood. "I am more worried about Aniqe's presence. I hope he has nothing plans." Mist felt her father sag behind her. The soft, warm arms of her father quickly wrapped around her waist. She hugged him back, trying to comfort him as he held back a few tears. Only later would she learn that Aniqe was the God of war.

Afterwards, the marks were covered with pale enchanted paste every night. No one was ever told, not even her eldest sister, Lily, or her other older sister, Katie. Mist was forced to continue on with a peaceful castle life, knowing something would happen to take it all away, no matter how hard she tried.

8, 10 (Mid-summer)

In the woods, she was free.

She never had to worry about the greedy eyes gleefully scanning her, spreading rumors about the smudges of makeup that were always covering her marks, picking out every detail of her skin, trying to find something to mingle about. The woods were liberating; she happily accepted the embrace of the whistling wind, which curled around her gently, singing pretty songs into her ears. She wandered the woods for hours and hours on end, not caring about returning home for a meal. The woods seemed to place bushes of blueberries next to her if she ever needed a snack, and led her to the river if she ever became thirsty. Sometimes, she, the youngest princess of Balia, wished she could live there, a magical and comforting place.

Her little adventure soon lead her to the beginning of the river, a grand waterfall that cascaded down in graceful bursts. A small path led behind the waterfall, and the princess Mist decided there was nothing better to do than follow it. Traveling with confidence, the little Mist stumbled up the path and behind the waterfall, ignoring the water as it dug into her skin like cold needles. She wandered into a dark cave, her skin prickling from the stale magic radiating throughout the place. She touched the walls of the cave, gasping as they sprung to life, glowing in warm yellows and oranges, then to blues and violets, until finally deciding on a haunting shade of red.

Visions flashed on the rock around the palm of her hand, a familiar face leading her away, down flights of dark crumbling steps, her mother leading her into a pitch black abyss, where are we going mother? She asks, but she cannot hear her own words. Her mother, leading, taken, sudden jerks as the black abyss is now a field, the field in front of her home, the castle, but the grass is red; Is that Alan, her only guard, wandering in the shadows? Where is his arm? The grass is red, her hands are red, the sword she now holds in her small, fragile arms is red, but are her arms still so fragile? Child, listen to me, we are always with you, do not fear depending on-

Mist hesitantly stepped away from the wall, stricken with panic. She tried to recall what she had just seen, but the vision quickly faded from her mind. After trying to shake off her nervousness, the stone still glowing an intimidating red, she continued her travels into the cave. As she took step after step, the caves echoed sounds of splashes and laughter, heavenly and filled with carefree mirth. Excited again, with her fear erased, the young princess dashed through the rest of the damp cave, forgetting about how the long blue dress she wore dragged on the mossy ground; she cared little for her clothes, and was too ecstatic to care. Something interesting besides crumbling wood for once! She stumbled into a massive cavern that glowed faintly of blue, only now noticing that the only sounds were her footsteps forever repeating, even though her movement had stopped. Her fear returning, Mist his behind a pile of stones, peering over it to look at the contents of the cavern.

A glistening pool of clear water was in the center of the cavern, the water moving in soft waves, as if something had moved in it moments before. A hushed whisper, a frightened response; a head covered in wet, neatly brushed hair slowly poked from the water. "Hello?" A woman's voice. The sight of a human head didn't scare Mist as much as it should have. With courage and a moment of hesitation, Mist silently crawled over to the woman, her dress dragging in puddles.

"Who are you? Why are you in water?" The woman, backing away slightly, took a moment to take Mist in, a child wearing a dirty blue lace dress that had sticks stuck in the fabric and jewels dangling from her waist, the mark of royalty resting on her chest. The woman in the water smiled, sad and serene, and gazed at Mist's face with dark, slitted eyes.

"You're the princess, aren't you? It's been a while since someone like you has visited..."

"Visited? Do you live here? Doesn't seem like a nice place to live."

"Oh, I assure you, it is a very nice place. Very warm."

"But it's freezing-" The woman merely smiled and held out a small bottle filled with a violet liquid.

"Drink this."

"Mother says I shouldn't take things from strangers."

"I am not a stranger. I know your mother very well. Is her name Eda?" Mist nodded and giggled, giving the woman a strange look.

"Everyone knows my mother's name." The woman just laughs.

"Your mother visited this place when she was young and as wild as you. Did you know that I gave her the blue pendant necklace she always wears?" The woman's eyes became wistful and sorrowful, glancing back at the walls of the cavern. Mist pretended not to notice, and went on to wonder how this woman knew of the necklace her mother always hid under her dress. Did this weird water woman really know her own mother? Mist took the bottle from the woman and drank it before she could doubt herself again.

Her breath suddenly vanished, and she gasped, clutching her throat. Faintly, she felt arms wrap around her and pull her into the water. The water was warm and welcoming, and as her head sunk under, her throat filled with oxygen. Her lungs took quick breaths through her nose, her eyes widening in wonder as she gazed around herself. Her excitement grew as she turned to face the woman, who had sunk underwater with her. The woman's torso was covered with flowing thin fabric, thick enchanted leather covering her modest chest. As Mist eyes moved lower, she was surprised to find that the woman had a icy tail, adorned with the same flowing fabric and lacy fins. The woman noticed her area of interest, and chuckled softly, taking Mist's hand.

"My name is Una, dear princess. I, as you can see, am a merfolk that resides in the wooded area of the castle gardens. Come with me, I have much to show you."

Una led Mist around the watery depths of the glimmering pool. Brightly lit with the stones she remembers from before, the place seemed cheerful. Mist was led to a small stone structure at the bottom of the depths, similar to a house, Una introduced her to another mer, Ostia, and together the two mer dressed Mist in similar clothes they themselves wore, although more modest. They introduced her to the foods the mer ate, and gave her gifts from the ocean their pool was connected to. They soon urged her to return home, inviting her to come again at any time she wanted. After forcing her to drink a blue liquid, they lifted Mist out of the water and wished her goodnight. Tightly, in her small hand, Mist gripped a small blue pendant necklace, and made her way back to the castle. She ignored the looked she received from the staff members and visitors to the court, instead rushing straight to her mother. As she described the place she had found with great inspiration and excitement, her mother smiled and hugged her close. Her eyes were filled with bitter regret and small slips of love.

"I'm very glad you had fun today, my lovely. Aren't the mermaids such kind creatures? I always loved visiting them as a child...." Mist nodded and nuzzled into the lap of her mother. "Yeah, they're nice. It looked like they missed you." Her mother quietly rocked her, sighing softly.

"I miss them too." Mist gave her mother a strange look, before noticing the bitterness clinging to her eyes, and decided to ask why her mother didn't just visit them. Instead, she showed off her pretty pendant, and pretended not to notice the page boy watching in wonder from the doorway.

Tamotsu was left wondering that day how the princess could be so pretty with dirt covering her clothes and skin.