Marina POV

We were in front of the exit doors. I felt so much anticipation.

"Excited?" he asked, amused.

A blush came across my face. "Maybe."

"Before we go out, I want to be clear on certain things. When we go out to the ocean, it can be dangerous because of the many sea creatures.

"I understand, but I am curious. Can we go up to the surface?

Trystan became a bit serious. "You could, but I can't. I have repeatedly tried to go up to the surface, but I am pulled back before reaching it."

"Cool, maybe I can try to escape!" I laughed in a joking manner.

When I looked at him, he wasn't laughing. He glared at me.

"I am just kidding. Can't you take a joke?"

"I don't kid around, woman. If you make those comments again, I promise you will not see the light of day."

A slight smile came across my face. "How ironic you are. I hardly see the light of day anyway."

Trystan rolled his eyes. "Annoying woman."

"Hey, I have a name!"

"Whatever you say, woman." His attention went to the doors, and he snapped his fingers. The doors opened, and the ocean waters were shown but did not go inside the palace.

"Why isn't the water going inside the palace?"

"Zeus put a force around my home. I do not know why." He extended his right hand to me; I got a hold of him. Trystan then put his other hand on my chest. A blush came across my face. "W-What are you doing?"

A glow lit up on my chest. I felt my entire body tingling. Trystan then pulled me towards the waters. I felt the intense pressure of the depths of the ocean. 

All of a sudden, I felt my legs coming together! I tried to move them, but they would not budge! I looked down, and my legs turned into fins. I could not believe that I had fins! It was like I was in the movie, The Little Mermaid!

I felt a slight pain in my neck. It was as if the sides of my neck were opening up. Gills. The realization hit me; I was a mermaid.

"How do you like your transformation?"

I looked in front of me. Trystan no longer had all his human features. His shape shifted to a merman; his upper body was exposed; he had a muscular chest, arms, and abs.

I blushed at the sight of him.

He seemed to notice. "Like what you see?"

The fish was testing me!

I moved my head. "I'm not into fish." I glanced at him to see his reaction.

He looked amused. "Really? In retrospect, you are a fish too, water nymph."

I stuck out my tongue. I felt like a child, but I couldn't help it.

He just chuckled. "Follow my lead. It is not difficult to swim in fins," he said as he swam in the waters.

I followed his manner of swimming. I thought it would be easy; I was wrong. I had to use my entire body to swim. I tried, but it seemed impossible; I was getting frustrated. "Damn it! Trystan, I can't do it!"

Trystan stopped and looked at me with his arms crossed, smirking. He was getting entertained while I struggled. That ass!

The more I tried, the more tired I became. The lower part became sore, and I could no longer move. I felt myself going lower within the ocean. However, I felt a strong arm on my waist.

Trystan was close to me. He was touching me! Why am I freaking out!? He is just a man, a very handsome man, holding me! My heartbeat went faster. His green eyes, face, and lips were beautiful; I turned away. I should not have thought of those things. 

"I will teach you. When you moved, your entire body was stiff as a rock. Try to feel comfortable in your body. Be as the ocean waters, free."

He let go and showed me another demonstration. I noticed that his movements were flexible and free. When he moved with the ocean, he seemed majestic.

When I tried to swim, I felt nervous and impatient.

I wanted to swim like him, but I had to control my negative emotions.

Trystan stopped and motioned me to try again.

I took a deep breath and tried again. I relaxed my muscles and began to move my entire body.

I got the hang of it! Happiness overwhelmed me; I felt as free as the ocean! I felt as if I was in another world. "I'm doing it!"

Trystan swam next to me, smirking. "Enjoying yourself?"

"Very! I love it!" I continued swimming while he just floated, his arms crossed.

I stared at him, and something came to my mind. A little mischievous smile formed on my lips. I began to swim towards him; Trystan showed curiosity on his face. When I was in front of him, he eyed me with amusement.

All of a sudden, I tapped him with my right hand. "Tag!" I swam away from him, and when I looked behind, he did not move. "Hey, I tagged you!"

He appeared confused. "What is this 'tag' you speak of?"

My eyes and lips were wide open. I tried to speak, but I couldn't. "You're kidding, right?"

"I don't 'kid' around. What is tag?"

This guy had no life. "You never played tag when you were a kid?"

He shook his head. "I never had true friends. The children I was around were only pretending to be friends. Their fathers wanted their sons to get on my good side, so I could favor them and speak highly of them to my father."

That was very sad. He never had a true friend or family. I guess being royalty was very difficult.

"Well, it's where one person tries to get the other while trying to flee. If the one, who is doing the chasing, touches the person who is running, then that person is it. Simple."

"This is a child's game? Why bother playing such a game?"

I rolled my eyes. This man is complex. I am trying to make him open up a bit. I was so busy with my thoughts; I didn't notice that Trystan poked me on the waist.

"Tag," he said.

I was shocked, but deep down, I was happy.

When I tried to tag him, he moved away. I wanted to get him again, but he moved away quickly. "Come now, my little water nymph. Is it too difficult to get me?"

He was trying to piss me off. I wanted to play it cool, but he did something that annoyed me. Trystan stuck his tongue out at me.

That did it.

I tried repeatedly, but he would move swiftly through the waters; he did it with his arms crossed.

I was getting frustrated. I swam towards him, but he turned his entire body. I went after him, but he swam away from me.

"Come back here!"

Trystan would get away and laugh. "Come and get me; I do love a good chase."

Whenever I chased him, he looked so free, happy. He smiled whenever I tried to get him. He was like a little child. What kind of life did he live?

I got tired and laid upon a pile of rocks.

My hair flowed with the ocean waters; I closed my eyes. The waters felt so relaxing. I never imagined how it would feel to live deep in the ocean; it was like another world.

Suddenly, I felt a strong pair of hands on my face. I opened my eyes. Trystan was in front of me.

Little by little, Trystan came closer to my face. His lips were on mine.

My mind went blank; I couldn't move my body. Part of me was enjoying this. I never kissed a man. Even deep in the ocean, the kiss felt so right. I closed my eyes, put my hands on his head, and pulled his face closer. I put my lips on his.

Our lips were one.