Aileen.

The name of the famous princess of the aquatic empire.

The princess had no interest to get married. Which devastated her father. The Emperor of the sea tried many things to convince his maiden daughter to get married. But all was in vain. Bets were made, but all was won by the princess. How cunning.

The princess spent most of her time talking with her maiden and married brothers and sisters. She considered being a maiden for the rest of her immortal life. This angered the emperor and empress, well, it's not exactly anger, but rather worry. Both the rulers of the sea worried that their imperial bloodline would come to an end.

Despite all the things her parents did to convince her to marry, the princess still refused. Saying that she hadn't found the one. Her parents could only wait for their stubborn daughter's decision.

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"Sister Aileen, why won't you marry?" asked Aila, Aileen's younger sister.

"Because she knew she's too ugly to get married, Aila." joked Aidan, Aileen's older brother.

"Shut up for Poseidon's sake, Aidan!" yelled Aileen in annoyance.

"Hahaha haha, but seriously why won't you marry?" asked Aidan, as he worries that his sister would be shunned in this judgmental society of the aquatic empire.

"It's just that.... I don't think any of my suitors truly loved me... " replied Aileen sighing.

"Are you worrying that they only court you for your status?" asked Aila as she braids Aileen's silver hair.

"They only court me for status marriage, Aila. True love exists but it's so rare." replied Aileen. "I don't want to marry someone who doesn't truly love me. I want a marriage like Brother Adair. He looks so happy with his wife."

"Well, Brother Adair and Lady Sabrynn's marriage is goals for young merfolks. They look so adorable together, don't they?" said Aila.

"Yes... *sighs* When will I find a man like that?" sobbed Aileen.

"I don't know." replied Aidan as he fixed his sister's jewelry. "Here you go, Aileen. Your jewelry is ready for the dance."

"Thank you, Brother Aidan." said Aileen with a joyful glee.

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"Please, welcome! His Majesty, Emperor Kaaiy!"

"Please, welcome! Her Majesty, Empress Cordelya!"

"Please, welcome! His Highness, Crown Prince Adair and Her Highness, Crown Princess Sabrynn!"

"Please, welcome! His Highness, Prince Aidan!"

"Please, welcome! Her Highness, Princess Aileen!"

"Please, welcome! Her Highness, Princess Aila!"

"Please, welcome! His Highness, Prince Llyr!"

Please, welcome! Her Highness, Princess Laguna!"

Clapping sounds covered the dance room. Every merfolk there cheered for the imperial family. Smiles were formed. Aileen carefully searched the crowd to see her beloved friend, Lady Amaya.

Lady Amaya is a noble merlady, she's the daughter of the Grand Duke Eldoris. Aileen and Amaya had been friends since childhood, and they see each other as family.

"Amaya!" said Aileen as she swam through the crowd to embrace her darling friend.

"Aileen!" said Amaya as she opens wide her arms to embrace Aileen.

Both the ladies embrace each other for a few moment. And they soon break the warm embrace. The smiles on their faces was warm. Warm enough to be felt in the depths of the cold waters of the ocean.

"So, how are you doing, Aileen?" asked Amaya as she sips her wine.

"Great, how about you, Amaya?" replied Aileen as she takes a bite of the delicacy which was served in the dance. "Holy, this is amazing!"

"Wonderful!" replied Amaya back.

"How is it with my younger brother, Llyr?" teased Aileen with a mischievous grin.

"Sister Aileen, you are flustering Lady Amaya, don't you see?" said Llyr, who was confronting his older sister.

"Oh my, Llyr... Are you defending your darling, huh?" joked Aileen.

"*gasps* Don't say nonsense, Sister Aileen!" said Llyr, who was obviously flustered.

"Don't bother Prince Llyr, would you, Aileen?" said Amaya blushing and covering her face with a flamboyant fan.

"Hahaha, okay okay, I won't bother the two of you. *grins*" laughed Aileen. "Oh, I forgot! I needed to talk with Laguna! See you around!"

Aileen quickly swam through the crowd once again, leaving the two of the flustered merfolks shocked. Aileen quickly swam to find her younger sister, Laguna.

"Laguna! There you are! *smiles*" said Aileen waving through the crowd.

"Sister Aileen!" said Laguna waving back. "You look wonderful!"

"Aww, thank you, Laguna! You look wonderful as well!"

Laguna and Aileen talked for a few hours, until a rival of Aileen came and pick a pointless argument with Aileen. It was something so usual for our princess, she was so unfazed by all the lies her rival speaks of.

"How about that, princess?!" asked Bay, a merlady. Bay hated Aileen due to Aileen speaking with Caspian. Little did she know, Caspian is Aileen's cousin.

"Why do you hate me, Lady Bay? Did I ever mistreat you?" asked Aileen.

"You talked with the person I loved!" shouted Bay furious.

"Who? Caspian? He's my cousin." said Aileen.

"Y-your cousin?!" shouted Bay shocked.

"That is no way to treat an imperial princess!" said Adair, who was making his way through the crowd with his wife, Sabrynn.

"Your Imperial Highness!" greeted Bay as she bows in shame and of course, fear.

Adair was known to be a great sea commander of the Aquatic Imperial Soldiers Association. He led ferocious wars with other empires in cold blood. Due to that, every merfolk was always intimidated by him.

"Brother." said both Aileen and Laguna while doing curtsies.

"Lady Bay, you have no right to be so rude to an imperial descendant. That's vert unladylike of you." said Sabrynn as she walks towards Aileen and Laguna to check if they're alright.

"My deepest apologies, Y-Your Imperial Highnesses. I let my personal emotions took c-control of me." stuttered Bay.

"You need to learn a lesson for being incredibly rude to an imperial family member." said Adair.

"P-please have mercy! Your Imperial Highness!" shouted Bay as she was dragged out by the guards.

"Tch. How rude." said Adair. "Are you okay, Laguna? Aileen?"

"Yes, Imperial Brother. Thank you." said both the young mermaids at the same time.

"Wonderful!" said Sabrynn joyfully. "Come, young ladies! Let us have a wonderful time together!"

"Of course!"

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At the land.

"Hey! Alistair!"

"Oh! Hey, Yun!" greeted Alistair, a painter.

"What are you going to paint now?" asked Yun.

"I'm not quite sure... " replied Alistair. "But! Yesterday, I dreamt of a mermaid!"

"Holy! Are you going to paint the mermaid?" asked Yun as he takes a bite of his bread.

"Maybe... "

"Well! Good luck with your painting! I need to go, my sister is going to beat me up if I'm late again!" said Yun as he runs to his sister's shop while waving his hand. "See you soon, Alistair!"

"Bye!" shouted Alistair.

Alistair picked up a paintbrush and started to paint the mermaid he dreamt of. Her sparking tail, and her silver hair were drawn perfectly by Alistair. The ocean background was full of beautiful details, shining seashells, small fishes, and other things that is required. Alistair was satisfied with his newly finished work.

"Nice!"

Soon, Alistair picked up his art supplies, he went back home. As he walks through the crowd. He suddenly felt a belonging sense to the nearby seaside. It's as if he longed for someone he truly loved. But he ignored it.

Alistair arrived at his home.

"I'm home." said Alistair as he takes off his shoes.

No one replied him.

Quite obvious.

He lived alone after all. No one was there to greet him home. Alistair loved this silence, but at the same time, he despised it.

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"Where are we going, Lady Sabrynn?" asked both princesses.

"To our garden, of course!" replied Sabrynn as she twirls around in excitement. "I'd like to show you my seashell collection!"

The ladies had arrived. It was an exquisite sight. Shimmering seashells, beautiful trinkets are everywhere. You couldn't compare any jewels to this garden. The beauty is beyond compare.

"How beautiful!" exclaimed Aileen while cupping her face with both her hands.

"Yes!" giggled Laguna while swimming towards the seashells. "You have a lot of seashells, Lady Sabrynn!"

"I know! Feel free to collect them, Adair said I collected too many seashells, haha." said Sabrynn while picking up some seashells to give it to the princesses.

"Thank you!!"

The three of them chatted through the ball. They're laughing and giggling about the mermen in their life.

"Aileen, what's your type?" asked Sabrynn chuckling.

"I'm not sure, but he should be kind... and caring towards the elders and children." said Aileen. "And he should always be respectful and loyal!"

"Your type is quite similar to mine!" said Sabrynn. "Your brother is indeed a respectful and loyal merfolk!"

"What about you, Laguna?" asked Aileen.

"I'm not interested in marriage, I wish to be single for the rest of my life..." sighed Laguna. "The mermen here isn't really my preference. Maybe vowing to be a maiden is a great idea... "

"Whatever you chose, We'll support you, Laguna!" giggled Sabrynn.

"Thank you... " mumbled Laguna smiling.