Diamond and Ari floated before the empty throne, their long curly hair drifting like banners in the silent water. The echoes of their father’s laughter seemed to haunt the marble halls. In the quiet, Ari brushed a tear from her cheek, her pink tail shimmering softly in the dim light.
"Do you think he’s watching over us?"
"I hope so, Ari. We must be strong—for him, for everyone," Diamond replied, her gaze settling on the royal crown, now resting quietly atop a coral pedestal.
Diamond sat upright, her posture regal yet nervous, as a council of wise dolphins and elder merfolk awaited her word. Ari hovered at her side, clutching a scroll of royal decrees.
"We must ensure every creature is safe, especially with Nathaniel leading the army afar,"
"Let’s visit the kelp fields and check on the seahorse herds ourselves," Ari suggested, determination lighting her eyes.
Diamond greeted the workers in the kelp fields, offering gentle words and encouragement. Ari knelt down to free a tiny crab caught in a net of sea vines.
"Thank you, Princess Diamond!" a turtle called, bobbing in the current.
"We’re here for you all. Our family protects every creature, great and small," Ari replied, her smile warming the hearts around her.
Diamond tightened her grip on her pearl-tipped staff. Ari hovered close, her pink tail flicking anxiously.
"We can’t let them frighten our people,"
"Let’s show them that the royal sisters are not to be underestimated,"
Diamond addresses the kingdom, her voice clear and steady.
"We are stronger together. As long as we stand by each other, no shadow can overcome us,"
"You heard our princess! Let’s protect our home—side by side," Ari calls, and the creatures surge forward, sending the eels fleeing into the gloom.
Diamond took Ari’s hand, the weight of loss eased by the bonds of love and duty.
"Father would be proud of us, Ari,"
"And when Nathaniel returns, he’ll see we kept the kingdom safe and bright,"
As laughter and music filled the halls, the mermaid sisters knew that, together, they could face any storm.
