Colors of the Sea (A DNF Fanfiction)

Chapter 52: You have a son?

"Hey, are you okay?", the mermaid with the white hair asked. "You're shivering."

George wasn't listening. Could his disappearance actually have caused this catastrophe? Was all this his fault...? And if he made it back in time, would he be able to stop this?

"I-I... I gotta go", he mumbled. He had to find Dream and go after those soldiers!

"Hey, wait", the merman called out to him. "Do you even know in which direction to swim?" "Uh... yeah... sort of", George answered. "Let me lead you out, then I can show you the way. Oh, I'm Puffy, by the way and this is Phil", she pointed at the merman. "I'd say nice to meet you", George said, "but you kinda ruined that part earlier." "Yeah, sorry about that again", Phil apologized. "Puffy can be a bit paranoid."

"So, you and your friend", Puffy said as she showed George the way out. "Why do you want to go fight? I don't get it."
"It's not about the fighting." George decided he'd tell her the truth. "I think... I think the war is my fault."

Puffy scoffed. "I don't believe that. Unless the rumors are true and you're the prince. But honestly I don't think anyone really caused this."
George felt awkward, knowing he was the prince.

She sighed. "We've been at war for centuries, I guess it had to happen one day. I'm just worried about the people. My son-" Puffy stopped, realizing what she had just said.

"You have a son?" George's curiosity was awakened. "...Yeah." She looked down at her tail. Her mood had completely changed and George realized she didn't like talking about it. He couldn't help but wonder why.

"Did he... Is he... dead?" She sighed. "I don't know, I don't think so. But", she raised her chin and straightened her posture, "I left him and his father behind a long time ago. I figured it was the best for everyone involved."

"How could you believe it would be better for a child to grow up without a mother? If his father was a bad person, you could have left together!"

Puffy stopped, her face was turned away from him. "You judge my choices without knowing the full picture", she said. "That's why Phil and I want nothing to do with people like you."