The leader of a coastal polity must renew a marriage alliance with the merfolk kingdom. Except he believes he has no daughter to offer. And so the leader’s youngest child must imbibe a transformative potion to wed the undersea prince. However, the intended bride seems upbeat at the prospect, for she is eager for the chance of changing into a more fitting form… -- Deathshead419
Ynsmuth had to renew its treaty with the merfolk in the deeps near their harbour. Part arranged marriage, part hostage exchange, part trading deal. A daughter for the shore, a daughter for the deeps, this time. Last time, it was a son each.
The problem being that King Laronnai Ynsmuth III had only sired sons. A baker's dozen of them, until his Lady wife put her foot down and announced that enough was enough. Each prince raised with all the best that Ynsmuth could give. And since he was loyal to his lady, there weren't any less-than-legitimate princesses to gift to the sea.
That was a potential offering, thanks to earlier negotiations.
His eldest, Laronnai the fourth, was very pleased with his ocean-born bride. The courting was going apace with the maiden in question undergoing a procedure to help her walk on land. However... the prince of the undersea polity of Daegun was growing anxious. Waiting by the shoreline with the corresponding potion.
Laronnai the third went from son to son to son. Explaining the treaty. Looking for one who might find the young merprince an amenable mate. One willing to change their feet for fins and keep the agreement willingly.
Wars had begun because of the 'unwillingly' problem.
It was the youngest, who preferred to hide from the public eye and participated in mandatory princely activities under protest, who emerged from the latest tome with enthusiasm.
The first question, "It'll turn me into a girl merperson?"
With a jolt, Laronnai realised something important about his last child. "You... didn't tell me you were my daughter?"
Again, they youngest shrank inwards. Jigo mumbled, "I didn't want to say. You might have thought I thought I had to?"
Laronnai fell to his knees. "Forgive me for putting you through a lifetime of torment? I didn't want you to believe you had to stay as you were born."
Jigo went through two transformations. First, into the young woman she knew she was, and the other to change her legs to a tail, all the better to join her prince under the sea.
It was also a very good thing that they got along well, so they could live happily ever after.
[Photo by Richard Sagredo on Unsplash]
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