by C. W. Gray
They had brought Shawn out for a morning swim and found the chair and a gold baby bracelet with light delicate shark-eye shells and small, chocolate pearls. The clasp was a tiny gold octopus.
He ran his fingers over the bracelet and watched Dover and Shawn play in the shallow waters. It was just a little too big for Shawn, but in a few months, it would fit perfectly.
“You’re such a smart baby, aren’t you?” Dover held Shawn’s hands as he swam through the water. “Swimming is much easier than walking isn’t it? Oh, look at the pretty turtle. Ben, we’re catching this turtle and naming him Henry. We’ll need to add onto the fountain.”
Shawn giggled as he reached for the turtle, then made a grumpy face as it swam away.
Ben laughed. “Sorry, baby boy. Henry doesn’t want to live in the fountain.”
Chubber bounded off the rock he’d been sunbathing on and started after the turtle. Maybe we will need to add on to the fountain.
Otis’ head shot up and Rachael glared toward the driveway.
Ben groaned when a familiar limo pulled into the driveway. “Please tell me we don’t have to go to the throne room today.”
“I do around lunch, but you have baby duty,” Dover said, watching the limo. “We need to fix the driveway, don’t we?”
Ben thought of the shocks on his truck. “Yes, we really do.”
The driver got out and opened the back door. A stunning blond woman in a flowing golden sundress got out. She wore an elaborate crown, reminding Ben of the mermaid from The Deep.
Four guards also got out of the car, eyes surveying the area for trouble.
“Mother,” Dover said, voice trembling. His eyes filled with pain. “What the fuck does she want?”
Ben stood up, growling. Late last night, Dover had finally told him what the woman had said. “I’ll find out. You stay with Shawn and find that turtle again.”
Dover gave him a thankful smile. “I’ll be here if she needs anything from me. I just want her to leave.”
“Otis, Rachael, stay,” Ben ordered, then walked up the trail, meeting the Queen halfway. He gave her an awkward bow. “What do you want? Uh, your majesty.”
Queen Kelby arched a brow. “I come to visit my son, and this is the greeting I get?”
Ben glared at her. “I held him for most of the night last night as he cried over what you said. What the fuck do you want?”
The guards immediately turned their backs, giving them as much privacy as possible.
The Queen closed her eyes and looked pained. “I need to talk to him.”
Ben heard Dover’s familiar steps behind him and turned, taking Shawn from his mate. “You don’t have to do anything you don’t want to, love.”
Dover leaned up and kissed his chin. “I know.” He turned to the Queen. “Mother?”
Queen Kelby was quiet for a moment. “Guards, wait for me by the car. I need privacy.”
They bowed, then walked away.
“I’m surprised your ladies aren’t here,” Dover said, looking puzzled. “I’ve never seen you outside of the castle, Mother.”
The Queen stepped forward and cupped Dover’s cheek. “I said some horrible things, Dover. I need you to understand that I didn’t mean them. I can’t bear the idea of you thinking I wanted to abandon you as a baby.”
Dover’s eyes watered and Ben wanted to punch something. “If you didn’t mean them, then why did you say them?” Ben asked.
She met his eyes, then looked down. “When I heard the mating call, so many years ago, I followed it and met my mate. He was another omega and a guppy tail. I fell in love with him, Dover.”
“Why marry Father then? Shauna told me you didn’t even meet Father in person until the day of the wedding,” Dover said, shaking his head.
Queen Kelby gave a broken laugh. “Because I was weak. My parents told me they would disown me and I couldn’t stand up to them. Dover, I was so angry with you because you did what I should have done. You are so brave, my darling guppy prince.”
Dover hugged his mother. “I’m sorry, Mother. I can’t imagine living without Ben.”
She froze for a moment, then wrapped her arms around him. “My decision started me on a very complicated path and at the time I thought I would die. In a better world, we wouldn’t have had to ignore the call out of fear of persecution. I’m truly happy for you, Dover. Even if your mate is human. I suppose he can’t help it.”
Ben looked over his shoulder. “Otis, Rachael, come!”
His chicken ran as fast as she could, but Otis reached them first, Chubber on his back. Ben’s dog sniffed the Queen’s skirts, then sat at her feet and waited to be petted. Damn it. By the time Rachael got there, Otis had already determined there was no danger, so his chicken turned her back and pecked at the grass.
The Queen smirked at him as if she knew what he was trying to do. Her eyes fell on Shawn. “I suppose this is the child I’ve heard so much about?”
“How have you heard about him?” Dover asked, frowning.
“Everyone knows your mate took in a tentacle tail,” the Queen said, lips forming a delicate moue. “Expect to be called to the throne room soon.”
Ben kissed the baby’s soft blond hair. “This is Shawn, our son. He’s not just some tentacle tailed stranger.”
She watched the boy for a moment in silence. “I’ll let you boys get back to your day.” She turned and started toward the car. “Eugenia and I are planning the wedding and it will take place at the castle. Accept it and move on. Oh, and for the goddess’ sake, pave your driveway. It’s horrible.”
Dover watched her go. “Damn it, I don’t want you two to have to attend court.”
“We’ll do what we need to,” Ben said and pulled Dover into a kiss. “Shawn needs a diaper. I’m kinda disappointed he peed down my arm and didn’t spray your mother.”
Dover laughed hard enough he snorted. “You didn’t say anything!”
“You two were having a heart to heart,” Ben said wrinkling his nose. “We should keep a storage box down at the creek with diapers and clothes.”
Dover cooed. “Come on, baby boy. Let’s go get you cleaned up. Are you hungry?”
Shawn chewed his fist and grinned.
“You’re starving, aren’t you, baby? Daddy will make it all better,” Dover said and pulled Shawn away from Ben. “Your other daddy needs to take a shower. He smells like pee.”
After a quick shower and breakfast, Ben sat with Dover and Shawn on the porch and watched Otis and Chubber run from Rachael.
Dover giggled when Rachael jumped on Otis’ back and started clucking. He sat up straight and gave Ben a guilty look. “I forgot to show you what Shauna did for me yesterday.”
“What did she do?”
Dover smiled shyly. “Come look.”
Ben stood up and cuddled Shawn close. He followed Dover up the stairs and past Shawn’s nursery to one of the back bedrooms.
“I haven’t been in this room yet,” Ben said and walked in behind Dover.
“Shauna worked on it while you were helping Eloise stake out where they’re going to build the house.” Dover had given Eloise and Nami a few acres on the other side of his creek, and Eloise was determined to build their home herself.
Dover waved around the room. “This is your workshop.”
“Dover,” Ben said, voice cracking. A sturdy wooden worktable sat in front of the windows and shelves lined the walls, filled with all the treasures he had gathered over the last year and many bits and pieces he had never seen before. All his tools were unpacked and ready to use.
In the corner, a playpen was set up for Shawn alongside a dog bed for Otis. The crown Fergus had left him sat on the top of one of the shelves.
“Thank you, Dover. I need to let Shauna know how much I appreciate this.” He rubbed a hand over his springy hair. “It’s hard to believe we’ve been here less than a week. It feels like home.”
The ping of a text interrupted them. Dover frowned and looked at his phone.
Ben still thought it strange Dover carried one around now. He hadn’t brought one with him to South Carolina and he had never kept one on him while they lived at the beach house. Now that he was determined to be a good prince, he carried it everywhere.
Dover swore. “Kai says we’ve been ordered to Father’s throne room. Now. He’s sending the limo.”
“We’ll deal with it, alright?” Ben took his hand and squeezed it. “Should I wear the crown?”
Dover nodded. “Yeah. Let’s put Shawn’s bracelet on him too. Maybe it will remind them that you two are part of the royal family. Damn it, I need to find my own crown. Chubber! Where is it?”
They dressed quickly and Ben packed Shawn’s diaper bag. They made it down stairs right when the limo pulled up.
“We could just take my truck,” Ben mumbled.
“We don’t have a car seat for Shawn,” Dover said, gasping. “We’re the worse parents ever.”
The driver cleared his throat. “Pardon me, your highness. I took the liberty of getting a car seat for your little one.”
Dover groaned in relief. “Thank you so much, Leon.”
The merman flushed and smiled. “No problem, your highness.”
A short drive later, they made it to the castle and Leon helped Ben unstrap Shawn. The merman leaned close. “You have the full support of all the guppy tails, Prince Ben. What you’re doing with little Shawn is admirable. It makes all of us wish we would have taken a stand for the innocent long before now.”
Ben smiled, but tried to figure out what the man meant. Taking a stand for the innocent?
They didn’t have time to talk. Six guards hustled them through the castle halls and into the throne room. Today, the Queen had joined them and sat in smaller throne next to King Ren’s. Talia stood behind them and looked furious.
The room seemed even fuller than before.
“Ow,” Dover said, rubbing his head. “Fucking buzzing.”
Ben frowned. “Are you okay, love?”
“There they are,” Lord Eades said, voice full of disgust. “They even brought the creature with them.”
Several older lords moved to stand around Ben and Dover, and Ben really wished he had asked Eloise or Romeu to come with him.
Ben arched a brow and rubbed Shawn’s back. “I know you aren’t calling our son a creature.”
Lord Eades snarled. “You have no respect for our traditions. Your human arrogance is an insult to our kingdom and the royal family whom you are trying to take advantage of.”
Ben couldn’t help it. He started laughing. “Are you serious? Do you really want to argue that arrogance is a human trait?”
He looked at the King, but the man remained emotionless even as the younger lords and ladies started fidgeting in their seats, clearly agitated.
The Queen exchanged a worried look with Talia and gestured for the guards to move closer.
“How is Ben disrespecting our traditions?” Dover asked, voice frustrated.
Lord Eades pointed at Shawn, a look of triumph on his face. “The tentacle tailed mers belong in The Deep. You interfered in our accepted customs and will be punished.”
“He’s a baby,” Ben said, shaking his head. “Someone left him alone on a strip of land and he’s only five months old at the most. How is this acceptable?”
“He is tentacle tailed,” Lord Eades repeated, voice rising.
“He’s tentacle tailed,” Ben agreed, trying not to shout himself. “Prince Kai is tiger shark tailed. My mate is guppy tailed. Prince Kit is clownfish tailed. I’m black and a human. What the fuck does it matter? It just is. It doesn’t mean we’re good or bad. It’s just part of us. Shawn is just a baby. He eats, sleeps, and pees and poops. His merform is adorable and just part of who he is becoming.”
“You don’t understand,” Lord Eades said.
“Lord Eades, there is no law concerning the tentacle tailed mers in our kingdom,” Talia said. “Traditions and customs are not laws!”
The hate in the older mer’s eyes sent a shiver down Ben’s spine. “You know nothing, princess. Even a generation ago this would be unacceptable behavior. We noble merfolk have standards and this is beyond the pale. It is time someone took a stand to preserve our way of life.”
Lord Eades looked around the room. “I call for a motion to banish the human and the tentacle tailed creature from the Southern Silver Isles and to terminate Prince Dover’s pregnancy so he does not bring disgrace to his bloodline.”
Queen Kelby gasped and the room erupted in noise as the rest of the lords and ladies started to speak. Ben noted the younger lords and ladies looked appalled while the older generation seemed split. Some kept quiet and sank down in their seats while others nodded, pleased with Eades’ plan.
Talia held her hands up. “That’s enough! What the hell are you thinking, Eades?”
The King watched the room impassively, and the Queen started crying. The crowd just got louder.
“That’s too far, Lord Eades,” a young man said from the back.
“It’s our sacred duty to protect the kingdom,” an older man said.
“This is the only way to preserve the royal bloodline,” Lady Belinda said, glaring at Dover. “Perhaps we should consider if Prince Dover should be allowed to breed at all.”
Several mers pushed in around them and Ben snarled. He handed Shawn to Dover before pushing them behind him. “You stay the fuck away from my mate and child.”
Dover’s whimper about killed Ben and he suddenly wished he had brought his knife. Shawn started wailing and the voices in the room got louder.
“Guards,” Lord Eades yelled, voice full of glee. “Restrain the human.”
Chapter 18
Dover’s head pounded and he could barely hear what was going on. He cuddled Shawn close and tried to hush the baby’s crying.
“Guards, restrain the human.” Lord Eades’ voice cut through the buzzing.
“No,” Dover yelled, standing up straight and moving from behind his mate. “You have no right to make such decisions, Eades. You have no right!”
“We are the backbone of this kingdom,” an older lord said, standing up. “We have every right.”
“You’re wrong,” Eugenia said, voice shaking as she pushed through the ring of mers surrounding them. “The noble families are part of our kingdom, but only part of it. You will not harm my brother.”
“You’ve gone too far, Eades,” Kai said, moving to stand beside Ben. “The guards aren’t yours to command.” He looked at Lady Belinda. “How can you possibly think you have a right to decide if my brother has children?”
“It is necessary to keep the royal family pure,” Lady Belinda said. More ladies and lords gathered behind her. “It is for the good of our people.”
Kit pushed through and came to stand with Dover. “You don’t know what’s best for our kingdom. All you think about is what is best for you.”
A younger lady pushed toward the front. “Their highnesses are right.”
Lady Belinda growled and smacked the girl. “Diana, sit down.”
That one act of violence was enough to ignite the room. The nobles’ bickering took a physical turn and Dover covered Shawn’s head, hoping the boy wouldn’t see the adults fighting.
Kai, Ben, and Kit surrounded Dover, Shawn, and Eugenia, trying to keep them from being pulled into the brawling crowd.
“Enough,” Talia yelled, moving from behind the thrones. “I said, enough!”
No one heard her. The guards spread out in the room, trying to end the fighting without resorting to violence themselves. Fergus, his parents’ personal servant moved to stand in front of Queen Kelby, protecting her from shards of glass when someone threw a juice glass.
Lord Eades waved his arms in the air. “This is what the human has caused, Princess Talia. He’s led our younger generation astray. Look at us fight amongst ourselves. We must move now.” He looked to the King. “Your majesty, we have talked about this. Now is the time.”
Dove
r looked around the crowded room of arguing people, then back at his father. King Ren’s face was solid stone and the buzzing was back, louder than ever. Dover understood it now. The Sea Witch’s curse.
He could see it unfold. His father would order Dover’s mate and son sent to The Deep, then order Dover to have a hysterectomy. Talia and the others would stand up against him. They would fight and Talia would win. His father would die and the curse would continue.
“No,” he said, shaking his head. “We’re better than this. We can fight it together.”
The door to the throne room slammed against the wall, and people streamed into the room. Dover recognized Ervin and Owin at the front. They were followed by several guppy tailed castle servants, as well as Nami, Eloise, and Romeu.
The mers surrounding Dover’s group were pushed back and the guppy tailed mers set up a ring of protection around them.
A warm hand on his shoulder had him holding back a sob. Shauna kissed his cheek and took Shawn and his diaper bag from Dover and handed him to Joy. “We’ll let her get him out of here. He doesn’t need to see this. She’ll keep him safe with own pups, bluetail.”
Dover grabbed Ben’s hand. “I don’t want Father to die.” He knew he didn’t make any sense, but he knew what would happen.
Ben’s eyes were on Fergus. “Love, I think I get it.”
“You do?” Dover wiped his eyes.
As the room filled with Dover’s friends, the nobility calmed down, looking around in bewilderment.
“Your majesty,” Ervin said, bowing. “We will be heard. The guppy tailed merfolk have followed you proudly for many years. You stood up against your own father for our very lives. Now, we are here to stand up for you. Please don’t take give in to the wishes of the close minded bigots in your court. You’ve given them so much already.”
“What are you talking about?” Lord Eades sniffed. “We honor the King and Queen by guiding their lives and behavior. I suppose a guppy tail wouldn’t understand that.”
Ervin ignored him. “Prince Dover and Prince Ben are wonderful young men, your majesty, and Lord Eades and his followers will ruin your kingdom. A kingdom you already paid a heavy price for.”