A Story A Day. Story 307 of 365: Shell (Part III).

Edith was given three days to make a decision. It was long enough to evaluate her options, and short enough to avoid overthinking. The thought of never seeing her grandmother again filled her with dread, yet she knew Adelaide would approve it if she decided to stay. On the third day, she was summoned in front of the King's presence. 

-Have you taken decision?- Áki asked. 

-I have.- Edith aknowledged.- I have decided to stay. 

-Do you understand the implications of this choice? 

-I do. 

-Do you understand that you will never ever be able to go to the surface, and you will never ever see your family again? 

-I do. 

-So be it, then. 

The King provided Edith a manor of her own, where she lived with a tutor who taught her everything she needed to know to become the queen of the sea. Edith had never studied anything and it was very hard for her as she had to learn to write and read. Some days she was about to give up, but then she remembered she couldn't give up. Kai tried to keep her busy, showing her around, and teaching her things about his daily life. Time passed and Edith hrew into a beautiful woman, her skin had become as pale as the rest of inhabitants, but the gold of her hair would always tell her apart from them. Some years after her arrival, it was deemed for her and Kai to marry. A royal wedding was a great festivity, also, under the sea. On her wedding day, three women went to her house to paint Edith's naked body with a thousand of iridiscent scales that would change colors everytime she moved. Such ornamentation made her feel anxious as she was already used at the nakedness. They also decorated her hair with shells of different colors, during all that time under the sea it had become messy and tangled, so making it flowy required lots of pain and effort. When she was done her tutor took her to the palace, where the ceremony was going to be held. Kai was waiting for her on the stairs. He was naked as usual, but someone had braided his green hair, and a crown was laid on top of his brushed ringlets. He smiled at her and took her hand. They climbed the last flight of stairs together. The King was waiting for them at the gates, there was also some other seapeople Edith had never seen. The gates were shut closed and a seaweed rug had been laid in front of it. Áki spoke with a clear voice so all the gathered could hear him. 

-Edith, daughter of the earth, I welcome you to our kingdom under the waters. 

-Áki, King of the sea, I warmly accept your welcome with the hope you will make me feel like the daughter you never had. 

-Edith, daughter of the earth, when you cross these gates that are now closed, you will become of the royal family. Bound forever to my son Prince Kai. 

Kai stepped on the rug and one of the doors opened slowly. He held his hand open towards her. 

-So be it.- Edith said before approaching Kai to cross the gates as husband and wife. 

The feast that followed the ritual was something Edith had never seen. Despite the lack of food sources, the cooks had managed to pull out more than thirty different courses. It was an acquired taste, however, once Edith had got used to the salty taste everything inevitably had, there were thousands of flavors to explore. The entertainment was first class, too, with artists come from all the corners of the sea. The celebration lasted countless hours and, by the end, Edith could feel her fake scales peeling off. 

The times that followed seemed the happiest in her life, her fairytale life had become real. She was a princess and would be a queen, and her prince loved her with all his heart. She couldn't have asked for more. She was happy for the first time in her life, long gone was the girl who picked shells on the beach.