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“Me either.” Valda finished her breakfast leaning back on her chair and whipping her hands on her pants.

Unable to tell if Valda wanted to continue the conversation, Maris grew quiet as she ate her oatmeal, making as much noise as she could with her bowl, emphasizing her desire to eat instead of talking about her past, and the topic of mates.

“Well?” Valda’s booming voice interrupted the short-lived silence. “Do you want to go to the pools or not?”

The pools! “Of course, I do!” She leapt uncharacteristically from her seat, but the mere thought of dipping her foot in Sealian waters called to her as if she had never even seen a drop of water in her life.

“Let’s go then, I am tired of sitting around.”

Maris quickly grabbed hold of Valda’s arm and led her out of the room. As they walked down the grand hall, Valda described the route to the interior pools. Ignoring the entertained gazes of the guards by the door, Maris dragged the queen along.

After a couple of twists and turns, they made it to the pools. Maris pushed open the grand crystal doors, and her breath caught as she stepped into the hidden chamber. It was a veritable underwater wonderland, with walls adorned in iridescent seashells that shimmered like scales. The floor was paved with smooth, snowy rocks, reminiscent of a beach.

At the far end of the chamber, a small waterfall cascaded from a rocky ledge. The sound of the waterfall was a soothing melody which left goosebumps on Maris’s skin.

The waterfall emptied into a large rectangular pool that stretched out, taking up most of the room. The water was a crystal-clear turquoise, and it was surrounded by meticulously arranged seashells, coral, and driftwood, creating a naturalistic ambience.

On the right corner of the room, a smaller circular pool beckoned with its heated waters. The steam rising from the pool carried a hint of briny salt. Maris could imagine herself sinking into the heated pool, the tension melting from her muscles as she gazed up at the star-shaped skylight above.

“If you want, we can start with the smaller pool. I wouldn’t want you to drown.”

“Valda! Don’t start!” Maris pouted and slipped her hand away from Valda’s grasp as the taller woman laughed.

“Lock the doors.”

Maris took a deep breath and glanced at Valda and then at the crystal doors. Before she could ask what the use was, Valda explained how they would fog up as soon as they were locked. No one could look inside the room. Maris was relieved that she wouldn’t make a fool of herself in front of any passersby or castle guards.

As the doors locked with a loud click, she turned to see Valda removing her yellow blouse. Her chest wraps were white as well as the undergarment. As Maris took in Valda’s body again, the queen’s voice echoed inside the chamber.

“Take your clothes off.”

It was an order Maris couldn’t quite deny. “All of it?” she asked, seeing Valda still wearing her undergarment.

Valda turned her face towards Maris’s voice and shrugged. “Your choice.”

Maris turned away from Valda and slipped her dress off, leaving her dark chest wraps and underwear, matching Valda. Then, she folded the dress neatly and placed it on a small table next to the doors.

“I need your help. Take me to the smaller waterfall. It has been a long time since I’ve been here, and I don’t quite remember where everything is.”

“Of course!” Maris scurried to Valda’s side, grabbed her calloused hand, and slowly dragged her to the waterfalls. Valda got under the steady stream, her white undergarment stuck to her body, revealing everything to Maris’s hungry eyes.

Maris stared, unable to peel her eyes away from Valda, who dragged her fingers through her hair, wetting it completely.

“If I am not mistaken, on the left side is the shallow part and there are some steps. Right?”

Maris turned to confirm. “Yes. Should I take you there?”

“If you may.”

Maris nodded, grabbed Valda’s hand again before making her way towards the white steps of the pool. Valda was the first one to step in. Maris made sure that the queen didn’t stumble on her feet or slip. When Valda was finally in the pool, the water reached her up to her waist.

“Come in.”

The water in the pool looked pristine, clear, and clean. If it weren’t for the ripples on its surface when Valda moved, Maris would’ve thought that there was nothing there.

Taking a sharp breath, she walked down the steps with wobbly knees. Come on, Maris. You want this, you can do this. She took a second step, and her foot touched the water, then she took another and another and another.

Her shaking hand grabbed hold of Valda’s firm one, and she sobbed. This was something that she had wanted to experience ever since her parents told her about her adoption. When they told her that she came from the Sea Kingdom, and that it was natural for her to crave being near water. This was surreal, and she couldn’t bring herself to grab hold of her emotions like she usually did. She couldn’t.