What the Little Mermaid Sang

Chapter Eight

Enjoy! Sorry it took a few days, school is tough right now!

When we reached land, Silas helped me hop off the boat and onto the dock. Immediately people swarmed over Victor, fussing about him. As I looked around, most of the boys looked amused at Victor's discomfort. He began to walk through them, the rest of us quickly fallowing behind. We went out to a carriage that we all piled into, me sitting next to the window.

"So is this your fist time here?" Victor asked. At my nod, he continued. "Welcome to Sunnyvale, Princess," Victor said while gesturing to the land around us.

As I looked around I saw the village market. Vendors were yelling out deals and kids were running loose everywhere. I had never been allowed out much so this was all new to me. Of course our town had things similar, but I had been too young to remember it last time I visited.

"Oy, will you stop being cute? Your nose is smudging the window. My god, you're worse than a puppy," Gabriel said to me, making me blush.

"Hey, this is her first time, she's going to be interested," Kota defended me as I looked down at the carriage floor.

"Thats where were going," Victor says and points out the window to a castle on a hill. It was beautiful. It had white stonework and was accented with red rooftops. As we drew closer to it, I took in its massive size and grandeur. I also took in the guards at the exits who would make escaping difficult. And I knew I couldn't stay here. I had less than three days to live before I was turned back. I knew that I had to be in the water by then else I chance exposure and I would dry out and die. How to get these men to let me leave? Looking out the window again, I noticed we were going through the gates.

"Welcome back, Prince Victor," was called through the air by various voices. I noticed a grimace appear for a second on Victor's face before it was replaced with a tense smile as he greeted the passerby.

Eventually we reached the front entrance and unloaded from the carriage. As I got out and looked to the gates, North stepped in front of me, with a look on his face that said he knew I was thinking of a way to get out, and that he wasn't going to allow it.

"This way, Pookie," Sean said with an easy smile, seemingly oblivious to the tension between North and I. All of the boys following, but Gabriel.

As we walked into the castle, I was led down a series of hallways and up staircases. We finally came to a hallway with ten doors and walked to the middle. I had no idea where we were when we stopped, but Victor gestured to a door that was quickly opened.

"This is your room, Princess," Victor announced. As I walked in, I knew my jaw must be on the floor. I turned back around and stared at the boys in shock.

"Oy, trouble. I got you something," Gabriel called out, returning to the group. He thrust a whiteboard and marker at me. "So you can talk to all of us," he said.

"Thanks," I wrote out.

"No problem," Gabriel said back.

"If you need anything at all, knock on any door in this hallway. Mine is across from yours, and all the others are theirs," Victor said gesturing to the other doors in the hall.

I was in the middle of them all. Somehow I think Victor was onto the same thinking as North. Question is, why do they all care if I leave? Why literally surround me at all times? I thought about all this as the boys stood in my doorway, acting almost like a barricade to keep me in.