There’s a knock at the door. “Come in.”

The maids come in, bowing their heads in greeting. “Your Majesty, we have brought you the clothes for tonight.”

You sigh as you eye the dress one maid holds in her arms wearily. “Alright.”

They help you undress, holding up the new dress for you to step into. The cotton feel more comfortable and breathable against your skin than your previous dresses. It’s also surprisingly light and easy to move in.

Thankfully, it doesn’t have a bazillion strings to tie. You’re sure you can even wear this yourself.

The maids sit you down, drying your hair, wet from your bath. They curl it before tying it so that it’s half up and half down. Pearls are added as decoration.

Pearls are a luxury here, but are quite common in the Ocean. You used to always wear them as accessories, so it gives a touch of home you’re grateful for.

You know it’s an important event when they add makeup. You wore it for your wedding, but you can firmly say you hate makeup. It feels weird against your skin, like you’re wearing another layer and you don’t like it. Why embellish yourself?

Ah, but then again, who would accept you as you are?

“We’re done, Your Majesty.” The maids say, bowing their heads again. “His Majesty, the King is waiting for you outside.”

“Understood.” You answer, waving them away. “You are dismissed.” They leave quietly. You stare at your reflection for a moment, drinking it in.

You as a queen. A human queen.

You touch the cool surface of the mirror, staring at yourself and letting out a bitter smile. Only your appearance looks human right now. Nothing else about you is human.

But you’re not even fully Mer.

You rise, heading towards the door. The heels still hurt, but you put on a calm façade, composing yourself. When you open the door, you’re greeted by Jongin. He looks at you wish surprise, taking in your appearance.

“You look beautiful. The dress,” Jongin seems oddly pleased, his smile wide like a child’s. “Just as I thought, it looks good on you.”

You your head at him. “Are you saying you chose this dress?”

His cheeks flush slightly as he looks down in embarrassment. “I—Well, yes. I tried to choose a more comfortable dress. I hope you like it.”

Ah, no wonder. You allow yourself to smile, curtsying. “Thank you, Your Majesty.”

Jongin beams at you warmly, holding out his arm for you. “Shall we, my Queen?”

You take his arm, letting him lead you to the ballroom. You hear the soft, elegant sound of the violin, the gentle melody of the piano. The room is filled with people, quiet chatter in the air. A multitude of colors fill your vision as people dance, their movements smooth and beautiful as they glide across the floor.

You’re aware that you will probably have to dance tonight. Though Jongin hired a dance instructor to teach you, one week is certainly not enough to dance as beautifully as the other nobles who learned it all their lives.

“Ah, Your Majesty.” A lord comes over, a glass of champagne in his hand. He bows in respect, a polite smile on his face. “Good evening. And congratulations on your wedding. I was quite surprised when I heard.”

“Good evening to you as well.” Jongin smiles pleasantly. “Yes, the wedding was quite sudden.”

You feel very uncomfortable as the lord’s eyes glance at you. His smile becomes more scornful. “Yes…I heard it was for a peace treaty. Still, it’s hard to believe that our dear King has married such a…creature.”

People have stopped to look this way. They are listening, whispering foully amongst themselves, agreeing with the lord’s words.

You clench your jaw tightly, holding your tongue. You try not to look down, to keep your head held up. Pride is all you have left.

Jongin removes his arm from your hold, and you feel your heart drop, your soul shattering.

But then he wraps his arm around your shoulders, pulling you close. You look up at him in surprise, seeing the anger burning in his eyes, though the polite smile is still there.

“My lord,” he starts, voice dripping with venom. “I ask for you not to speak that way to my dear wife. Yes, this marriage is partly for the peace treaty, but the main reason is because I love her.”

Gasps and murmurs erupt in the room. Your eyes widen at his words, confused and surprised.

“Y-Your Majesty?” The lord stutters in disbelief, eyes flashing towards you again. “Did you say you l-love her? This…mermaid?”

“That’s right.” Jongin says, tone stern and leaves no area for discussion.