"I need to get you to Waverly right now!" Tanner exclaims.

"Why? What's going on?" I inquire.

"Do you trust me?" Concern filled every inch of his face, I find myself nodding. He grabs my arms, then closes his eyes. Then something flashes and within a second underneath my feet is the golden white sand of Cali. What! How?

Tanner let's go on my arms and I shiver from the lack of his touch. This is just wrong. This is all wrong. I barely know Tanner and now...

He walks into the water and I hesitate. The waves form on the horizon then brake sending a spray of white water towards us. I clench my fist as my dear takes hold. I hate this! I hate my fear. How can I, someone of the sea be afraid of waves! This just doesn't work.

He turns around, the sun makes his hair and eyes shine. My heart jumps in my chest, "Are you coming?"

"I-I'm afraid."

"You'll be fine," He reassured me. "The people will love you."

"It's not that, I'm afraid of the waves."

He walks towards me and grabs my hands, then his hands closes around my own. I swear, I could have died. I watch our hands for a few seconds before he lets go and touched my cheeks, then his lips are on mine. And I forget everything, the waves, the problems with my father, my brother. Everything, it was just Tanner and I and nothing else. When we finally break apart my head spun. My heart was pumping so fast I thought I would pass out.

He was smiling, "Better?" I nod and I sit down in the waves. I take off my prosthetic and Tanner pulls me up. "I can carry you if you'd like."

My face grows warm remembering the moment I just had with Tanner. I don't answer and look down instead, silver scales cover the length of my stub for a second, then my nerves shock and all I remember is falling.

My eyes shot open, I felt different. Like I was whole. I sit up, my hair following my movements. Fish dart past me in a flood of bubbles. Am I...underwater?

I look around and catch sight of Tanner, he looks like he is pacing. He's wearing a pair of pants of some weird fabric. But no shirt. Great now he's got me staring. God! There is something seriously wrong with me. I look down and I am wearing a weird Greek looking dress. It flows in the current, and looks bright in the dark turquoise of the sea around me.

"How am I wearing a different outfit?" Then I notice, I have two feet. Not just one. What the! I wiggle my toes on both feet. It was like it was before. When I went surfing for the first time in seven years. I was perfectly fine. Tanner swims over to me, and I was to astonished and scared not to look over at him.

"Thank Aquarius you're alive." He was shaking with worry as he hugged me. "I thought I would never see you again."

I couldn't say anything. What was there to say? I just let him hug me, wondering why my leg is back to normal, and how I changed outfits.

*

We had been swimming for hours on end, I hadn't noticed before that in between my fingers and toes was a thin layer of webbing. It helped me swim more, and I wondered about the folk lore stories sailors brought with them. About the beautiful women who sang them songs and brought them to their demise. What if that's what I am. A siren. "Tanner?"

"Hmm?" He turns to look at me.

"Are there like Sirens?" I as

"You mean the mermaids?"

"Yeah, I think. Are they evil." He nods.

"They use the darkest of magic to create themselves as beautiful and make their song intoxicating for the humans who hear it. They try to kill us for our magic so that is why they are our enemies."

I nod, so maybe the folk lore is somewhat true. We make it into the city and swim towards the castle. The castle is covered in different coral reefs and guards stand guard at the castle doors.

"And who might you be to enter the Waverly palace?"

The guard turned to Tanner, who replied in a proud tone, "Prince and heir, Tanner James Isaac Cummings III" The guard, recognizes him immediately but turns to me, "And I dare ask who you must me.

Then, within a fleeting instant, I remember everything. From the day I met Tanner to when I left home, everything. Every room in the palace, the city, the guards with their strange straight faces all the time.

I didn't hesitate when I said my name, "Alana Analise Josephine Buurke, Water Nymph Heiress to the Waverly throne, and I suggest you let the Prince an I in." He was shocked, but let us in. I wonder how many girls pretending they were me, we're let into the palace.

"How did you know your name?" He whispered in my ear.

I turn towards him as we swim through the marble interior of the castle, "TanTan, I remember everything." I used his nickname when we were young. I couldn't say 'Tanner' so I called him TanTan.

He smiled at me, "I can't believe you're back Ana." I smile to but my attention breaks when I hear men arguing about something, Tanner and I both stop to listen.

"No, I will not do that. I know my daughter is still alive!"

Is that? A group of Nymphs come around the corner, all men dressed in long black and red robes, but one stood off From the rest. His hair is graying, he looked the same as the last time I saw him. His golden crown sat on top of his head and I couldn't contain myself. I was seeing my father again! I was about to rush over to hug him but Tanner grabbed my arm. I turned around to ask him what on earth he was doing, but he just shakes his head. He doesn't know who you are, you army the same as you were eleven years ago.

My birthday is tomorrow Tanner, I correct him, He's my father, He should know the difference from an imposter to his own flesh and blood.

Dad turned angrily away from the group he was yelling at and caught sight of me. Recognition hit him so fast he lost all emotion. The room went still and I held my breath. He slowly Sean towards me and placed his hand on my cheek, I leaned into his touch. I had my daddy back.

"My baby." He whispered and he hugged me. I didn't notice I was crying until the tears stung my cheeks. I'm back, and I have a living father back. Everything I've went through had just made me stronger to be a princess, maybe even queen. When dad pulled away there was tears in his eyes, He motioned for a maid to come forward and whispered something in her ear, daddy motioned for me to follow her and we walked through the castle to my room. Guards stood in black gear in every nook and cranny. They were making sure we were safe, not just the royal family, but also the staff.

My room was large, something you only dream up. It had a large bed and across from that Is a large window with a balcony overlooking the city. The walls were a light blue and the floors a soft marble.

"Is there anything I can get you?" The maid asked and I responded by shaking my head, she left a moment after. And I was left to admire the beauty of my new bedroom. I remember that half of the castle was underwater and a part of it was in this watertight bubble. I wonder if they moved the library there, or even the dining and ballroom.

A knock sounded at my door, I turned and was pulled from my thoughts. I wonder if it's Tanner or his twin brother Thomas. I wonder he is and if he has changed since the last time I saw him. Someone opens the door, and I immediately know it's Tanner. He smiled and said, "I'm here to take you to dinner."

I take his outstretched arm and we walk down the hall, but not towards the dining hall of where I remember it at. He opens a door at the end of the hallway we entered and closes the door behind us. Immediately the water that rushed in drains and we are left with a giant air pocket underwater, my hair was wet and dripped as we walked through the castle. When we got to a set of double doors, the guards opened the door for us even though we were completely able to do so.

There was one long table and at the head sat my father, he had shaved and looked up when we entered the room. Next to him was Meridia and Cole; Tanner and Thomas's parents. Speaking of Thomas, he was sitting next to his mother and reading a book, not even looking up at us.

"Mommy!" A little girl screamed. She looked to be about five. Tanner didn't tell me he had a little sister.

"Mom! Can you please tell Tabitha to be quiet, I'm trying to read."

"Honey what is it?" Meridia looked over at her daughter who had food stuck all over her hands. I giggle and everyone looked at me. Great. I ruined the moment. "Alana?"

"Hi Meridia." 

"Oh!" She clasps her hands together, "I can't believe you're back!" She turns to Tanner, "I'll deal with you later, sneaking out in the middle of the night."

"Sorry mom." Tanner said, but his tone had no hint of being sorry,

We make our way to the table and I sit across from Meridia and Tanner sits across his brother. We begin to eat dinner, but I stair at the thousands of forks and spoons set at my plate. What was it my history teacher said? Eat from the outside in. I grab the large soon, is this the soup spoon? It's a little large. I start to eat with it anyways. I wonder how they get the food to the castle when it's thousands of feet underwater.

After I'm finished with dinner, everyone is silent. Thomas had managed to finish his dinner. But it's face had never left his book.

"Thomas?" He doesn't acknowledge his mother. Who sternly takes the book from his grasp. This time he did. "You'll get it back when you learn to participate with the family and meet Thea." Thomas crosses his arms over his chest.

I lean over and whisper into Tanner's ear, "Who's Thea?" Tanner whispers back, "She is the Emerald Kingdom's heiress, she's engaged to Thomas." Oh. "She's coming tomorrow but Thomas refuses to meet her. Mom has been getting anxious."

"If I was in an arranged marriage, which I am," I eye Tanner with a playful smile, "I would be scared to meet that person."

"Yeah, but you've known me for years." A smile tugged at his lips.

"Only one year." I correct.

"There is going to be a ball for your birthday." Tanner says. It's in two days. How can there be a ball even though I just got here. "The Elders can see the future, that's how they know."

"Oh, but I don't know how to dance."

"I can teach you." He said.

"But I don't want to go." I whine.

"Well you have to." I glare at him and he laughs. So much for holding my ground.

The waiters take our plates and I stand, and grab Tanner's arm. "I'm gonna go now. Goodnight everyone."

"Wait!" Tabitha yells and jumps from her chair and crawls under the table towards me. "I wanna go wit you." Her English was gibberish and made her even more cute.

"How about I clean you up and you can stay in my room." I look over at Meridia, "Is that okay with you?"

"Sure, you should get to know her. She's been wanting to know you ever since we told her." I smile and grab Tabitha's sticky hands and Tanner leads me to the kitchen.

I set her on a chair as the cooks continue to clean the kitchen. I grab a washcloth and wipe down Tabitha's sticky hands and arms. I wipe her face and every skin covered in her dinner. "All clean, let's go to your room and change you out of that dress."

You'd be a good mom.

We aren't even married. Stop prying I'm still getting used to everything.

We walk in a group to Tabitha's room, I change her into her pajamas and we swim into my room. Tabitha has a giggle fit for some odd reason then when she hits my bed matters she is fast asleep. I change into my pajama silk dress and climb under the covers next to Tabitha. I fall straight to sleep.

*

The next morning, Tabitha was screaming at me to wake up. Talking about something I didn't understand. I opened my eyes and say up.

"What's wrong?" I ask Tabitha.

"We go eat breakfast." She replied.

"Are you dressed?" She nods, "Okay, well, I need to change." I go and grab a dress and change in the bathroom. Once I leave the bathroom we make our way to the dining hall. But when we get there, there was a four new faces.

"Alana!" My dad said as he saw Tabitha and I enter.

"Ah," The foreigner man with a crown different but the same as my father's stands, "You must he the infamous Princess Alana." I incline my head and sit down next to Tanner.

I am King Louie of The Emerald kingdom, My twin daughters Princesses Thea and Isabelle." They both nod to me and I return their movement, behind their smiles I can tell they have a secret. One only the royal family of the Emerald knows. "And my son Ezra." The princesses looked to be about Tanner and I'd age and Ezra maybe Tabitha's. "We have a marriage and an engagement to announce. Of course I'm sure you already know this."

"Yes, Thea is to marry Thomas." The king nods. "And Isabelle?"

"We have yet to find someone suitable for her." He shrugs his shoulders like it was nothing, this is her future we are talking about.

But all I can say is, "I see."

"Now, Thea, how about you go get ready for your date with Thomas." She doesn't say anything, just rises from her seat and walks out the door. Isabelle's eyes say what I'm thinking, they both don't want to be married, maybe as much as I don't. I'm not sure what I want.

"Well, I was wondering if you are attending the ball tomorrow."

You are really good at this. Tanner says, Where did you learn your manners.

I read a lot of books, I pick up a few things.

"Of course, now, how is the preparations for your announcement?" The king asked with a curious eye.

"It will be tomorrow right after we announce Alana's return and then the coronation and wedding in two weeks."

Two weeks!

I'm as shocked as you are.

"Excuse me, two weeks." I said appalled.

"That's right" The king affirmed.

Hesitating I reply, "I don't think that can be done."

"Isabelle can teach you, if you except."

"I would love her help." I agreed.

The king smiled, "Excellent."

How can I possibly learn everything in two weeks? Especially, I have to learn to be queen and get to know Tanner before I have to marry him. Oh no, I will be a married woman in two weeks. And I have no idea what to do.