The heavy coral doors burst open, and with the force of the King's presence, a rush of water swept into the chamber, unraveling Shui Yi's seaweed braids.
He stood at the entrance, his armor gleaming with golden markings, glowing faintly in the bioluminescent light. Ancient coral walls shimmered with an ethereal pulse, casting ghostly shadows.
His nostrils flared as he stepped into the chamber, his jaw clenched. His eyes, usually steady and composed, were now burning with frustration. His hand tightened around the hilt of his trident, the weapon pulsing with an ominous luster.
The weight of his role as both a father and a sovereign crushed him, forcing him to maintain composure. For a moment, his towering figure seemed to hesitate, the painful struggle to control his irritation.
The deafening silence was the cue for the subordinates to flee from the scene. Their monarch wanted to have a private conversation with his daughter.
"Tell me," he spoke finally.
"Who did you give your sacred pearl to?"
Shui Yi had never feared her father, but tonight was the most furious she had ever seen him, and it shook her to her core. Her hands balled into fists at her sides, her pulse quickening. The knot in her stomach tightened with each word.
How had it come to this? She thought saving someone's life was the right thing to do. She had always believed her actions, though impulsive, were done out of kindness—out of a need to help. But now, a deep sense of dread settled over her. Was she doing the right thing or was it false compassion?
"I didn't give my sacred pearl to anyone... I don't carry it with me," she replied, forcing herself to meet his gaze. Her voice trembled, but she masked the fear clawing at her chest.
Her father inhaled deeply, nostrils still flaring as his gaze locked onto her. His hands curled into tight fists, trembling with barely contained outrage. The ocean around them rippled; its calm surface shuddered, reflecting the storm brewing inside him.
"Do you know where you keep your sacred pearl?"
"Yes," she answered quickly, a nervous lump forming in her throat. "In my jewelry box..."
His eyes widened. He shook his head in disbelief, a hand rubbed his temples.
"Child, do you even know what a sacred pearl is?"
She stared at the floor, her throat constricting as she could no longer keep up the facade. "I... I don't..."
He exhaled, a long, weary sigh that betrayed more than just anger—it was disappointment.
"Your white hair is a sign that you no longer have the sacred pearl within you."
"What?" Her fingers instinctively reached for her hair. She clung to any excuse she could grasp, any hope that this wasn't real, that she had misinterpreted.
He cleared his throat, his voice breaking with restraint.
"Shui Yi, did you give someone something precious to you?"
Trying to follow his prompt, she muttered, "I gave it to a wounded merfolk..."
The room darkened, the water's reflection growing tumultuous mirroring his rising temper.
"Child, do not lie to me."
She flinched.
Her breath caught in her chest, and she stammered, "I—I only wanted to help..."
"Help?!"
The currents swirl violently around them.
"You are a princess of the sea," he grated, advancing through the water.
His towering body cast a long, imposing shadow over her. "Your sacred pearl is not something you give away like a trinket."
She gulped, eyes cast down, shoulders slumped.
"Then... explain it to me."
A long silence echoed. He closed his eyes, and let out a deep breath as he tried to control the rage surging through him. The water around them continued to ripple, reflecting his internal conflict.
When he finally spoke again, his voice had lowered, tinged with concern. "The sacred pearl is not just a symbol of your lineage. It is not just a part of you."
His voice softened, raw emotion seeping through. "It is your very essence. Your life force."
Her lips parted, but no sound came out. The consequence of her actions was crashing over her, and she couldn't utter a word to defend herself.
"You did not help a wounded merfolk. You have tethered your life to theirs."
Shui Yi felt the blood drain from her face, the truth sinking in. Tethered... her life? She recalled how her body had weakened after she tried to resuscitate the mysterious stranger who transformed into an eel. How could that act of kindness change her life?
The concerned father attentively studied her reaction. For the first time, she looked shaken, and he could see the dawning realization in her downcast eyes. His expression softened, as he watched his daughter grapple with the truth.
"If your mother were here..." he faltered, briefly lost his composure, then steadied.
"She would have taught you these things."
Her chest ached with the mutual understanding. She wished, more than anything, that she had the chance to meet her mother. That void in her heart had never been filled, and this moment deepened the wound; her mother's absence had left her in the dark about so many things her father was unable to share.
She couldn't meet his gaze, her body heavy with realization.
"Father, I'm sorry... I didn't know," she whispered, her voice breaking.
"No," his tone now resigned, weary. "You wouldn't have known."
He took a step back, his regal posture returning as the ruler of the sea. The burden of the sovereign clashed with his protective nature. There was no other choice. His daughter had made a grave mistake, but he loved her dearly.
"That is why I must fix this."
"Fix...?"
His expression toughened, the burden of his decision settling on his shoulders. His gaze softened slightly as he looked at her, though the pain in his eyes was evident. There was no turning back now. The bond between them—so fragile, so precious—had been torn. It was his duty, as a father and a king, to mend it, no matter the cost.
He lifted his trident, the ancient weapon engraved with the symbols of their lineage, pulsing with a radiant light.
"We must get your sacred pearl back."
Her stomach churned.
The trident trembled, its energy expanding. The King raised his arm high. Power surged from the trident, and the princess gasped as the currents stirred, twisting and spiraling outward from the golden tip. His eyes glowed with the intensity of the magic he invoked, the weapon levitating from his grip.
"Let the ocean guide me to the bond that has been forged. Lead me to the carrier of my daughter's sacred pearl."
"No..." she whispered, shaking her head in desperate pleading. "Please, Father, I beg you. Don't do this."
But he had made his decision, and there was no room for mercy.
The trident hovered, then flew across the chamber, pausing mid-water before coming to a sudden halt. Its tip slowly lowered, pointing directly at the unassuming eel resting by her bedside.