Anthony Grayson had been living in his own built solitary confinement eversince the death of his wife five years back with his twin mermaid daughters, Gwendolyn and Jocelyn.
Life hasn't been so fair to him as he has for the past four years been keeping his second daughter Jocelyn who happened to be a capricorn. He knew sooner than later, her horns will grow beyond the veil. And Gwendolyn? She still have a long way to go.
Finding a suitable school for the kids is a coal out of furnace. Most schools rejected the children either due to the color of their iris, purple which is quite unusual or the length of their hair which is at worst almost is touching their feet or probably the length at which they speak which can baffle children of their age status. To Anthony Grayson his children didn't fit in any society, not even a school.
On every second in the new month, the family visit the burial ground of Amelia, the mother. They took flowers there and says their prayers. Exactly when they got home that day, when Gwendolyn and Jocelyn were both seventeen years of age, a school called in ready to have them as their students only if they will accept to stay in a lower class to their age and probably got promoted when they improved academically.
Though, Anthony had a slight hesitation on Jocelyn issue but Gwendolyn wouldn't leave her sister behind. She states, her sister goes anywhere she goes.
"Gwen, you know it could be too dangerous."
He tried persuading his daughter when he had sent Jocelyn to check the shackles.
"Dad, life itself is dangerous but we still survive. We will survive it Dad. We can't always stay in the house like an outcast for the rest of our lives. You know we wouldn't buy that."
And of course, he knows.
Anthony Grayson or better known as Leo in the underworld is the son of the king of one of the seven oceans and Amelia his wife was the daughter of the most powerful king of the ocean, Ezra.
According to history, Ezra's wife Luna did not give birth to an heir, so Ezra made an affair with one of his concubines Riley who later gave birth to Amelia. Ezra's greed for wealth, power and fame led him to seek the power underneath the seal which holds the seven oceans in place since the ancient times. With Ezra's hold on the power of the sea,he wage war against the seven oceans. Anthony Grayson's father, Mateo was defeated and killed by Ezra's men. Riley, Amelia's mother was murdered by Luna and Amelia made a narrow escape through Anthony. They both settled on the earth eversince. Anthony had the privilege of having legs while Amelia didn't. They tried all possible best to make her regain legs all to no avail. Eversince then, Amelia didn't for once go out of the house either with Anthony in or out. She maintained her stand just for their survival.
Three years after, Amelia gave birth to a set of twins,Gwendolyn a mermaid and Jocelyn a capricorn. And of course, they looked human in physical appearance except for their little misgivings.
"Leo,Bouler wouldn't let me check her shackles. Perhaps you can help unless you want me to do it my own way." Jocelyn called.
"You wouldn't try that Jocelyn. Gwen is coming to help." Her father cried out across the house to the pen.
"She better be on her way."
Jocelyn is known for her hot temper. This nature of hers,is what Anthony had been trying to put off eversince he noticed but he hadn't succeeded so far.
Gwendolyn walked down to the pen to meet her sister who happened to still be struggling with Bouler's shackles. Bouler is a cow though.
"You wouldn't want to do it your way Jocelyn." Gwendolyn said.
"It's my new method to make you obey. You can be so obdurate."
"Quite a compliment. I owe you."
Gwendolyn moved close to the cow and within a twinkle of an eye, she loosed the shackles.
"Well, that's cool." Jocelyn retorted.
"Quite fun. I didn't know why Bouler didn't like you."
"Probably because I hate her guts too."
"Bouler is an old friend Jocelyn. "
"Yeah I know and a quite irritating one as such. Kill two birds with one stone. It's my way."
"I see."
"Can you help with the milk too Gwendolyn?"
"You know I am not that nice Jocelyn."
"Not on a good day."
"And you think today is a good day?"
"Of course, hell it is. School is pinned. That's what you want most. Walking around with those skimpy dresses. "
"Your taste?"
"Handsome dudes."
"Great."
"Yeah, it's great."
"So , you are going to behave well. And hide that stupid anger of your."
"What are you doing Gwendolyn? Giving me sermons?"
"No. Just a piece of advice. "
"Thanks anyways. It seems you are going to spend a longer time out there than me when these stupid horns started growing. That's why I wanted some hot dudes to transfer my aggression to."
"Bullshit to the horns."
"Not my fault. "
"I know. I just wish those stupid things are never going to show up. But we can't buy time for that. We could have spent a great time together."
"We can still work it out."
"How?"
"But I think Leo is working something out."
"Probably. We dont even know what they have there down the river. We only know this surface too much. Why are we the one suffering for all these?"
"I do believe in myself Gwendolyn. We can do these together. We can make ourselves permanent as human beings." Jocelyn puts in.
"Probably Jocelyn. But I really like swimming down the river with my tails."
"Quite a tail you've got Gwendolyn. "
Gwendolyn moved close to the cow and started squashing the breast.
"You know that's irritating Gwen."
"That's the only way."
"No, I don't think that's the only way to get the milk out of the cow." She frowned her face.
"Thre is no other way Miss Grayson. "
"Thanks for the title though. I'm off."
Jocelyn left Gwendolyn at the cow pen and headed to the house to help their father with the lunch. Anthony Grayson was squeezing the juice out of the oranges when Jocelyn walked in.
"Hey, Leo. What did you got there.?" She asked sitting on the table opposite where Anthony was squeezing the juice.
"I didn't call my father by name Jocelyn. "
"That's because your father was a king. You dare not call him by name."
"But I am a Prince little girl. I think I deserve some respect. "
"You might be a Prince to Gwendolyn who usually believe in respect is reciprocal. As for me, you are nowhere near Prince, you are just Leo. Anthony Grayson Leo, Gwendolyn and Jocelyn's father."
"Thanks for the introduction Ma'am."
"You are welcome Leo. Now, how can I help?"
"By stepping down from the table. I really need to spread the maize."
"That's embarrassing."
"Respect is reciprocal." Anthony said and chuckled as Jocelyn jumped down from the table frowning her face.
"Have you talked about the school with your sister?"
"Of course. She is so much in love with those skimpy dresses. As for me, I would love to have some handsome guys at my disposal."
"You're a hit."
"Of course. I took after Mum. Mum was hot when she was alive."
Anthony dropped his knife on the table exhaustedly and stared straight at her.
"Who told you Amelia was hot?"
"I know. I mean........ she should be. You know? You love hot stuff and you are not hot and not Gwendolyn too. But Mum was, that's why I took after her."
"Do you actually think you need to go to school?"
"Why not?"
"You can beat a teacher down with those theories."
"I owe you for that. Thanks for the compliments."
Anthony Grayson looked straight into her daughter's eyes holding her shoulders.
"Promise me Jocelyn."
"Don't Leo. I know what you are about to say."
"Of course you do."
"Don't worry. I will not get into trouble. But you have to warn them to keep off my tracks."
"That's not possible Jocelyn. No matter how had you tried to avoid them, they will provoke the shit out of you......"
"Then, that shouldn't be a problem. If they provoked me and I retaliated that's not a big deal. It's reciprocity "
"And that is what I don't want Jocelyn."
"What? You want me to stare into your eyes and winced when they provoked me? Or probably run down home to seek shelter from you? No way." Jocelyn declined.
"Jocelyn please. If you do that, you're obviously selling us and your Mum wouldn't like it."
"Don't drag Mum into this Leo."
"Amelia wouldn't have liked it. She wouldn't like to see you getting into........"
"Alright Leo. That's okay. I promised."
"Don't promise me Jocelyn, promise your Mum."
"You wouldn't want me to do that?"
"Of course I will. "
Joyce stared into his eyes and hesitated for a minute.
"Alright. I promise Mum." She said and Leo heaved satisfactorily.
Anthony know the only way to get Jocelyn do something is to make her swear or promise on her mother. Jocelyn is believed to hold her mother in high esteem which neither Grayson nor Gwendolyn understands why. But you can make Jocelyn do anything if it involves Amelia their mother.
"So Leo, what's the plan?"
"Plan?what plan?"
"About my yet to grow irritating horns." She said touching the tiny little holes beneath her hair.
"It will still take like three years for it to come into full view."
"Whaoo! I can't make it through college. Have you found out something about it?"
"Not close. That's one of the reasons why you have to be educated to learn about your natures and how to tackle it. The humans know much about us."
"Well, that should be fun."
"No playing around Jocelyn."
"Of course not."
The door slightly opened and Gwendolyn walked in.
"Grayson and Jocelyn, two heads that make one." Gwendolyn teases.
"Is that an abuse Gwen?"
"It's ...... pretty cool words, Dad?"
"Too bad Gwendolyn. You smell like shit. Bouler's shit." Jocelyn retorted covering her nostrils as she rushed down to the toilet to vomit.
"Thanks for the lunch Jocelyn." Gwendolyn called out.
"If you eat my lunch you are dead Gwendolyn." She fired back.
There are lots about his life that he isn't telling them. Alot that at times he always felt the weigh on his head. The death of their mother, what they did to have them as children with legs and some other hidden secrets in his innermost are what he dare not reveal to them. Judging by what he knew about his children they are probably better off without knowing any of what he had compiled in his brain. He know very soon, when everything is clear to them or when they are old enough to ask why he had buried their mother on earth and not in sea? Or perhaps why he had chose to make them have legs and why exactly he is so keen on keeping their memory con for the past six years? He knew sooner than later, those questions will be threw at his face.
But for now, he only wanted them to explore the earth and probably never return to the sea even when sea starts to call which he knew fully sure that it will. Now, he is declining in age and he strongly wants to see what his daughters would become. Either when the prophecised second war of the seas is knocking for them to come home. Both of them are the descendants of the sea anyways. But he feared what Jocelyn will become the most.


TWO

Gwendolyn and Jocelyn first day at Sebastian Aiden Memorial Schools(SAMS).Anthony Grayson walked them down to the Principal's office to get the registration done and to sort them into class of choice. The Principal is a middle aged woman probably in her early fifties. She brightens up when the family walked in.
"You can have your seat Mr Anthony Grayson?"
She offered smiling broadly.
"Yes of course. Thanks." Anthony said sitting while Gwendolyn and Jocelyn stand beside him.
"We're glad you made it."
"It's my pleasure Ma'am."
"We really know the value of getting children educated and how much stress you've gone through to get them in. We value your obsession for education. It's quite understandable. So,we decided to look into it."
"Thank you very much Ma'am. My kids and I really appreciate."
"So, as stated in the letter, we will choose the class for them now. If they can cope with the children there without scaring them off then we will know what to do. Whether to promote them or make them stay."
"And you think we will accept that Mrs......?" Jocelyn queried trying to read the name on the plate on her table.
"Mrs Joyce Weston." Gwendolyn puts in.
"And why wouldn't you?"Joyce Weston asked.
"Because we actually want to be tested to check our level of intelligence." Gwendolyn puts in.
Joyce Weston look from Anthony down to his two children.
"Ladies, you dont know that the fact that we accepted you into this school is a privilege.
"We wouldn't want to be tagged as that Mrs Weston. We don't want to look like those helpless kids seeking shelter under privilege. We wanted to stand heads up like every other students. Not some under privilege urchins of some sort."Gwendolyn said rather persuading.
"So, what do you get?" Joyce Weston asked.
"Well, a little story. Sebastian Aiden was once a military man sincerely serving his country when he became KIA in 1989. This school was built in his memory in early nineties to remember his brave support to his country." Jocelyn explained.
"And to add to that Jocelyn, the school admits three hundred students minimum every year. Also,the school had recorded the number of their passed out right from 1992 up till date as one million, six hundred and sixty seven. Actually, it ought to be two million six hundred and seventy two,but some issues that ensued back then with some students made some dropped out. And also.........." Gwendolyn didn't finish her explanation before Joyce Weston cuts in.
"You should stop by now." She said.
"Okay." Both chorused as Anthony almost left his mouth agape. He had never heard them talked about it before.
"Knowing the history of the school doesn't make you a champion." Joyce bellowed.
"Of course. We also know you're born on the 14th of September 1962 during the time when the first asteroid knocked the earth. Your mother, Evelyn Weston gave birth to you prematurely due to the panick and chaos the asteroid caused." Gwendolyn highlighted.
"And she died afterwards. Your father,Joshua Weston took it upon himself to raise you up until he died when you're almost out of the college at age twenty three...........should we continue?" Jocelyn asked.
"This is so annoying!" Joyce Weston said angrily.
"Do you have any problem with us? Jocelyn asked .
Joyce Weston angrily tap on her desk phone and call upon Mrs Tristan. Some seconds later, Mrs Tristan entered the office.
"Ma?" She asked as she stepped in.
"They are yours." She said.
Mrs Tristan face the Grayson's and almost laughed.
"Are they really for this school?" She asked mockingly.
"Don't play with their intelligence Mrs Tristan. " Mrs Joyce Weston warned.
"Well, that sounds like a warning. Follow me." She beckoned to them.
Anthony Grayson shook his hands with the Principal and followed them outside the office.
"Joce? Gwen? Did you take the memory con?" He whispered immediately they were out of the office as Mrs Tristan took the lead.
"You can't rip us off our memory forever Leo." Jocelyn whispered back.
Anthony Grayson had removed the memory con of his children when they were ten. The memory con allows them to access the data of anyone they look at. The memory con is like a scan in the eyes and that was what they used for Mrs Joyce Weston. And what Anthony Grayson is avoiding is about to hit him in the face. He didn't want the children to be recognised for anything. He only wants them to get educated,feel among humans and never for once think of going back to the sea.
"You promised your mother Jocelyn. " He whispered behind her.
"I didn't break the promise Leo. We didn't get into trouble. Or did we Gwen?"
"Not a slightest one." Gwendolyn answered winkling at Anthony who exhaled tiredly.
Mrs Tristan stopped in front of a class and face Anthony Grayson.
"You have to path with the girls here Mr Grayson." She said.
"Of course Mrs Tristan."
Anthony Grayson bent down and stared straight into their eyes.
"Gwen, Joce, you remember your names right?"
"Of course why not?" Both chorused.
"Please, we can't afford to get people's focus on ourselves. What you just did back then at the Principal's office, don't you ever repeat it." He said strictly.
"You're sounding serious Leo." Joce interrupted.
"That's because I am. Gwen, please look after Joce."
"Now, that hurts." Joce retorted.
"We promised Dad. That will never happen again."
"You go ahead promising Gwen, but I don't." Joce said.
"But remember you promised your Mother.."
"I will Leo. Thanks. Now, can we go?"
Jocelyn demanded not waiting for an answer as she headed towards the classroom door where Mrs Tristan was waiting .
"Gwen,you didn't portray a good sign back in there and I must say that I'm very disappointed. That's not who you are."
"Pardon me father. "
"Ok. That's fine. Deal?" He asked staring into her eyes and raising a finger high up.
"Deal. Be of good behaviour." Gwendolyn said holding her father's raised finger.
Anthony Grayson kissed Gwendolyn's forehead. He walked up to the entrance and kissed Joce forehead too.
"Bye ladies."
"Bye Dad." Gwendolyn said.
"See you in the afternoon Leo. Cook my favourite. " Jocelyn said.
"Alŕight Princess."
Anthony Grayson waited and watched as they walked into the classroom then left.
Mrs Tristan made them stand in front of the class for proper introduction.
"Hello everyone. We have new intakes admist us today." She said and all the students stared at them. Some were pointing to their eyes. They've coiled their hair up and Jocelyn out on her hat.
"Hi, I'm Gwendolyn Grayson."
"Jocelyn Grayson."
"Oh my God! Look at the iris, purple." One boy pointed out.
"You look the same age are you twin?" Another girl asked.
"Yes we are." Jocelyn answered.
"Whao! Look at that black coiled hair. That's much of a hair you've got there twinny."
"That's enough class. Please can you provide space for them to sit?"
"Of course. Come over here Jocelyn. I'm Olivia." She called out. Jocelyn walked down to occupy the desk beside Olivia.
"You can come and pair here Miss Grayson Gwendolyn. I am Layla."
"Hi Layla!" Gwendolyn greeted as she sits besides Layla.
"That's very cool of you, Layla and Olivia. " Mrs Tristan acknowledged.
"So,as you all know the school club registration is starting tomorrow,you have to register your name so the game could begin. Now let's get down to work." She said as she took the marker and face the board.
"Will you like to participate in the game?" Olivia asked.
"Why dont you just concentrate on the board?" Jocelyn snobbed.
"That hurts." Olivia said as she tried to concentrate as told.
"Hi Layla!" Gwendolyn greeted again.
"Yeah. I really don't like appreciation. If you wanted to appreciate me for giving you space, you better think otherwise. "Layla highlighted.
"Not really. I wanted to ask about the game."
"I am not interested in the game Miss Grayson. I hope you didn't mind?"
"Of course not." She answered smiling disappointedly.
According to Gwendolyn's memory con, Layla is the only child of Inspector Noah William. Not more than two months ago, Noah William was accused of killing a fellow cop and was sentenced to twenty five years imprisonment. Eversince then, Layla has been living with her grandmother after so many attempts she made as a child to prove her father's innocence.
"Sorry about your father Layla. "
"You don't need to be sorry. Everybody knows about him. All the kids in the school knows about him."
"I know he is innocent. He isn't a bent." Gwen said.
"Well, that's too late now. He will probably die in the prison before his sentence ends. His life is ruined already. No need crying over spilt milk."
Gwendolyn can sense the sadness beneath her words and she wished instantly she can help. But, she can not break her promise to her father.
".........yes Mitchell?"
Gwendolyn looked up to stare at the so called Mitchell. She marveled. How handsome!
"Who is he?" Jocelyn asked Olivia.
"You actually asked me to face the board remember?"
"I took that back."
Olivia looked at Jocelyn's serious face and almost laughed.
© PHOENIX