Tender Waves - A DreamNotFound Story

Chapter 4: Boxed Him Like A Fish

Uh, long chapter, look out-

The sea was nearly pitch-black, to any normal eye, but to merfolk, it was just dark. Their sight was nocturnal in ways, and the absence of what little natural light there was didn't come as a big shock to them. Nevertheless, George lay awake in his bed, waiting for the right time to leave in the night.

He had skipped dinner, not really wanting to interact with his family. His father would ask about his education, like always, and he didn't want to rat out Sam by saying he took the rest of the day off. His mother then proceed to probably ask about his friends, assuming he spent his free moments with them, hinting heavily around the prospect of suitors all the while. His younger siblings would only make fun of him getting picked on in subtle ways the entire time, or launch into their own stories about how terrific their day was with their own friends.

Well, forget that, George turned his head to the space opening out to his view. I'm going to have my own fun with my friends, finally. It's been forever since we've hung out, and a surprise is going to make it even better.

After sending the guards who came to fetch him for the evening meal away, he was greeted by a maid swimming in with a food tray moments later. His parents probably didn't mind too much about him missing a meal, and the servant-mermaid set it gently on the sea-wood table in the middle of his room before hurrying back out. He tried to at least greet her, but he was too groggy from just waking up from his nap, and she was too fast to be talked to.

The prince glanced behind him at the untouched food on the tray. A bed of seaweed held unopened oysters and scattered sea cucumbers, along with fillets of eel. While normally appetizing, George wasn't hungry. He merely sat up and continued to stare out of his window, watching the dark sea before him and waiting for the right moment.

A sudden flashing light appeared at the bottom of his vision minutes later. He squinted at the strange thing before grinning. It was Ponk, waving a portable sea-lamp light above his head to get George's attention.

Without another thought, George practically dove off of his bed out of his window, eagerly swimming down as gravity did most of the work in sinking him. It was a long way down the castle wall from his bedroom window, but he had snuck out many times before years ago, and even though this was his first time in a long time it still felt natural. He whipped up his tail and launched himself off of the sandy ground before he could hit it, shooting off towards Ponk's figure just as he reached a good distance from the ocean floor. His momentum gave him speed and force, easily doing what he wanted.

"It always looks cool when you do that, although I still expect you to break your neck," Ponk chuckled when the prince got close enough.

"That'd be a definite surprise to last the entire night," George grinned. "Are you my escort?"

"You bet," Ponk winked.

The male had ditched his classic jacket from before, a similarly-colored niqaab-like headscarf on his face now. The only other items with him was the sea-lamp light from a minute ago. He had been minimalistic in his appearance tonight.

"Put your clothes beneath that rock there," Ponk motioned.

"Funny way to ask me to strip," George complied regardless, unfastening his vest and stowing it beneath the large stone near their figures. 

"The gauntlets, too," Ponk added, seeing George begin to back away from the rock, the prince now bare-chested like him. "You won't really need them where we're going, and Sam says that they may react with.....you know what? Never mind."

"Sam?" George repeated.

"Put the gauntlets with the vest, George," Ponk waite.

"Am I being robbed?" the prince slid off his arm protections, almost laughing. "Is this a robbery? Are you going to take my stuff and run? The vest's not worth much, but maybe the gauntlets.....You need my circlet, too, or-"