Ariella (Princesses Uncovered #3)

Chapter 6

Tobias swam through the city, not really taking anything in. His father hadn’t woken yet, and neither had any of the guards who were supposed to escort him. He always did this, so he didn’t understand why they didn’t catch on. But apparently, the guards assigned to him weren’t too bright.

He was headed for the spot where he’d met Ariella two days back. It was very early, so he didn’t expect her to be there when he reached the spot, but he liked that particular area of the ocean because of the brilliant corals. So it wasn’t as though he minded hanging out there. Anyway, it was a good place to hide.

Hide. Tobias had been doing that all his life.

His father never had the time to talk with his son, and no one else really cared to hang out with Tobias. It wasn’t that he was cruel or anything. But he had a quiet, sort of sad demeanor, and most Nereid didn’t like that type of person. His people tended to be the happy, welcoming type. He was unusual.

He swam faster, heading towards the rays of light where it wasn’t so dark.

His city had many brilliant, phosphorescent plants to illuminate even the darkest corners, but it was deep down in the ocean where land-dwellers wouldn’t be able to see it if they simply looked down from their bulky, wooden ships. And that meant that despite all the bright lights the plants provided, the city still got dark. Most of the Nereid didn’t care.

But Tobias did. He hated the dark. The sunshine’s warmth attracted him as a moth was drawn to a flame.  

He smiled as he reached the upper reaches of the ocean and sun began to strike his torso and face in brilliant rays. He did a few loops and cartwheels through the water, enjoying the lazy feeling that the sun’s warmth sent trickling through his bones.

Laughing, he swam towards a small school of yellow and red fish, startling them into flight. He felt free up here. Even when, down in the city, he was ignored by his father and left to his own devices by everyone else, up here, he could forget that all. He could be himself.

Sobering slightly, he swam to where he had hidden his small magic tin whistle. His father didn’t approve of his need for music, so Tobias was careful to be far away from his father when he played the instrument. It had been his mother’s before she died, and he treasured it most out of everything he owned. Not that Father understands. But at least he hasn’t forbidden me to play it. He smiled wryly. Actually, he hasn’t forbidden me to play because I haven’t played it around him or asked. He'd been playing secretly since his mother died when he was ten, eight years ago. His father still didn't know his son played the whistle. And Tobias wasn't about to tell him. 

He sighed, his good mood evaporating. Pulling the enchanted instrument out of the little crook in a rock formation, he held it firmly in his hand as he resumed his swim towards the spot where he’d first met Ariella.

***

Ariella looked down at her tattered shirt. It wasn’t enough to cover her modestly. She needed something else. Looking around, she found a large patch of smooth, slippery seaweed. Well, it’s better than nothing. And I’m not going to meet Tobias looking like this. She pulled long strands of the seaweed up and wrapped them around herself, tying them with strips of cloth that she yanked from her torn undershirt. Finally, she had something that resembled a shirt, and she swam off, heading towards the place where she’d first met Tobias.

He was going to be shocked to say the least. Maybe even angry. But she hoped he wouldn’t be mad at her. Please, please, please… Let him just be shocked or worried. Don’t be angry with me, Tobias…

***

Tobias settled onto the sand and began to play, sliding his fingers over the whistle’s holes to produce a lilting, haunting sound that vibrated through the waves. He closed his eyes, losing himself in the lilting air his fingers and breath produced. It was the first complex song he’d ever learned. And it had been his mother’s favorite. So it was his as well.

Whenever he was upset or aching with his father’s continual disregard towards him, Tobias came to this spot and played his whistle, letting the music float him to another place where the pain was expressible and bearable.

Today was one of those days for him.

***

Ariella heard the music rushing through the waves before she saw him.

The song was so full of sadness and heartache that she felt her own heart breaking for the flautist. She felt warmth against her cheeks and realized she was crying. She hadn’t realized that she could feel that. But when she reached up to touch her cheeks, they were wet.

Frowning, she noticed for the first time that the water did not touch her face. It was just as though she were swimming again with a bubble around her. Only the rest of her body could feel the water brushing against and around her. It was just her face that was covered in a mask-like bubble to let her breath.

She wanted to smile, but the music was tugging at her heart again, so sad and haunting that she couldn’t smile, but could only weep.

She watched Tobias play for a while, not revealing herself. He was leaning up against a bare rock structure where no coral grew, his eyes closed, fingers flying across the whistle’s holes to produce the echoing, vibrating tune.

The song ended, and Tobias’s silver eyes with their blue flecks opened slowly. He sighed, looking down at the whistle and playing with it absently between his long fingers.

Ariella chose that moment to reveal herself. “Tobias?”

His head shot up, and he smiled at her. But the smile disappeared when he saw her tail. His eyes looked both shocked and sad. “What did you do?” He whispered, his voice flowing into her ears with the last haunting strands of his song.