Saltwater Kisses: His Merman Prince

Chapter 2: Kai Neridia

HOURS EARLIER

NERIDIA KINGDOM

PRINCE KAI

"Are you ready?" Father asked, to which my brother and I enthusiastically responded we were. This was the day we had been waiting for, and we were ecstatic. We were about to venture to the surface, to Silverglade Academy, to be exact, where we would study for the next two years.

We had grown up and spent our entire lives in the ocean, as future kings, constantly under the scrutiny of our parents and the general public.

Although we enjoyed our lives, there were moments when we felt overburdened, and this was our chance to alleviate some of that stress.

Father reminded us that my brother and I had to wear contact lenses constantly as part of our disguise in order to conceal our distinctive golden eyes. Other than that, we looked human, though taller than the typical human, but it was not a problem.

We also went by Kai and Aalto Neridia because we were required to have a last name. Merpeople did not have last names, but humans did, and it would be strange to be without one, so we used our kingdom's name as our last name.

Every prince's journey included making his way to the surface and learning human customs. According to the ancient custom, we had to complete two years of study in the human world after graduating from the kingdom's royal academy under the sea. The purpose of this centuries-old decree was to broaden the knowledge of future rulers.

Silverglade Academy was established for this exact purpose. The academy's founder, Nathaniel Crest, was descended from an ancient seafaring family. The Sea King struck a deal with Nathaniel's family generations ago, entrusting them with the merfolk's secret.

In exchange for their loyalty and discretion, the Crest family was granted safe passage to the underwater realm, access to our resources such as gold, and the gift of a long life. Merfolk lived ten times longer than humans.

Despite being built for merfolk royalty, the institution did not cater solely to merfolk, so there were specialized courses tailored to the individual needs of each student. It was safer to make things appear as normal as possible.

We took courses in diplomacy, peacekeeping, negotiation, and economics among others. However, there were also lessons in the fine art of blending in, such as how to move undetected through human society, interpret their customs, and adapt to their ever-changing technology.

The experience was exhilarating and overwhelming. We also had a second off-campus housing unit where our security detail lived.

My father asked us to sit for a moment, and we did. Mother walked in and sat next to Father, smiling.

"Your mother and I want you to know how proud we are of you and how deeply we love you. You have grown into fine young mermen, and it is with great joy we see you embark on this new journey of your lives.” He paused, taking a deep breath before continuing.

“As you know, being the son of a king comes with certain responsibilities and expectations. Your identity may not be known by the world, but the gods know, and whatever you start there will end here. So, you have a responsibility to always behave in a kingly manner and set an example for others to follow. Your actions will reflect not just on you but also on our family and our kingdom,” he added, looking at us both sternly.

He continued, reminding us of our dos and don'ts, beginning with not being allowed to mate with humans. Our mates had already been chosen for us, and when the time came, we would be bonded, and only then would we be allowed to have s*x, as it is known in the human world, on the night of our confluence.

I despised this rule, and so did my brother, but there was nothing we could do.

“Kai, are you listening?” My father jolted me out of my horny haze and made me realize I had zoned out. I quickly composed myself and apologized.

“Listen, I know that this may be difficult for you both, but I implore you to understand the gravity of your position. You are not just any young mermen; you are the future rulers of our kingdom, and that entails sacrifice and restraint," he explained, and we both agreed.

"Okay, let's get going," he said, and we all stood up and hugged our parents. Our carriage was waiting to take us to the boat, where we would begin our journey.

Our journey was beginning, but my brother and I had been to the surface several times before. We needed to familiarize ourselves so that when the time came, we would not struggle to fit in. So after we turned sixteen and got our legs, we began our surface visits.

•••

TWENTY HOURS LATER

The trip to Silverglade Academy was smooth and quick, with the guards expertly navigating the unfamiliar city streets. We went to our penthouse first, followed by the institution's accommodations. Our guards had arrived ahead of us and prepared everything for us.

We were reminded of our identities again as we arrived at our accommodations, and I heard my brother sigh as he looked at the reporters taking photos of the students as they arrived.

A guide came out to greet us and direct us to our dorm. We chose to have two separate rooms next to each other, with an adjoining door. So we entered through one room. They were identical, so I went with the first one.

Before leaving us alone, our guards helped us get settled, and I sat down, asking my brother what he wanted to do, suddenly unsure what to do with myself. He was about to say, "We must check the place out," when I heard a knock on my door. I headed to it and yanked it open to find two guys.

"Good afternoon," said a man dressed in formal attire. He introduced himself and extended an invitation to tonight's first-year student party. I thanked him and he wished me a good afternoon and left.

This would be our first time freely attending a party, let alone outside of the ocean. Back home, we had to sneak out, and the last time we were caught, Father nearly killed us.

"So, are you ready?" Aalto asked with a mischievous smirk, and I said hell yes. I was beyond excited and he chuckled, expressing the same sentiment. It was time to explore the human world.