Chapter Two

                                    

                                          
    Mr. Struis stared at the contents of the tray. The main dish appeared to be tuna, the side looked like soup (He didn't know what it was made of but assumed it to be fish as well), and dessert was pudding (which appeared to be normal, but he couldn't be sure). As he sat up, he immediately felt dizzy. 
    He put his hand to his head, then groaned, "Oh, bad idea," as fiery pain hit him like a million arrows.
    When he recovered, he managed to eat a little salmon, sip the soup, and taste the pudding. As he settled back in contentment, the door creaked open. Mr. Struis shut his eyes to mere slits and waited. And what he saw made his heartbeat faster, and made his pain diminish. 
    A graceful mermaid swam in, her tail casting dancing lights across the room. She crept over to him and, quietly slipping under the dome, began carefully unwinding his bandages. Her cool hands soothed the pain, and he slowly opened his eyes, pretending to have woken.
    "Oh, I am sorry! I woke you," she said.
    Her voice was like the bubbling brook as it laughed in the sun.
    "That's all right. I was already waking up anyway."
    And the two talked. Her name was Ariella. Her father was the emperor of the kingdom. As she answered and asked questions till the clock struck 12:00. So, she left, promising to return. And they did more than meet. In a few months, the two married.
SEVERAL YEARS LATER...
    "Mr. Struis, your son is in the principal's office." 
    The teacher swished her tail in the direction of the office. Mr. Struis nodded and, adjusting his oxygen mask, turned to open the door, but before he even touched the door handle, it swung open, and a boy rushed to greet him. 
    "Dad, you'll never guess what! I'm going into the next grade early!" 
    The tall, black-haired boy looked at his father, his eyes full of excitement. Mr. Struis smiled and said, "I always knew it was in you, son." 
    But he knew there was more. A lot more. The Elite School for Young Royals looked a lot like a palace. Its walls were coral, lockers were giant oysters, and desks were smooth turtle shells. All the buildings had their own oxygen system in case some human happened to fall to their depth. But no one really needed it. Except for Mr. Struis of course. Even his son, David, could breathe underwater. 
    When they reached home, Ariella was waiting for them. 
    "Well, well if it isn't my Davy and Sam. David, wipe your shoes on the seaweed not the sand! And Sam darling, don't leave your oxygen mask on the kitchen table. David, you're tracking algae on the carpet, take your shoes off! Oh, I missed you two!"
    And with that she gave them each a kiss and swept to the kitchen to tell the servants to hurry with food.