War of the Ocean

Chapter 12

As awful as she felt when she manipulated people, it was necessary to complete her mission. That's what Arelena told herself the next day when she changed into a blood red gown the next morning. She had decided that she would get closer to Kaiser in order to get closer to his brother when she had woken earlier that morning. All through breakfast, she had tried to convince herself that she had to do it for the sake of her kingdom and yet it still felt so wrong. Running a comb through her golden hair, she looked at herself in the mirror and took a deep breath. Placing the comb down, she exited her room and saw Kaiser waiting outside her room. She didn't know why he was waiting for her but there was no turning back now, she had to go through with her plan. For the Mer, she reminded herself.

'Good morning, Arelena.'

Giving him a genuine smile, she scribbled down a reply on her notepad. Since the younger prince had given it to her, she had never left her room without it, except for the previous night when she had spied on the inhabitants of the palace.

'I'm well, thank you,' he replied, smiling back at her. 'Would you like to take a walk in the gardens this morning?'

Feeling her smile grow, she nodded enthusiastically. Back in the ocean, she had always loved the underwater palace gardens and although she expected lands gardens to be vastly different, she knew they'd be just as beautiful. Taking his arm, they made their way out of the palace. Once she was outside, she realised just how wrong she was. Land gardens weren't equally beautiful to underwater ones, they were far more colourful and lively. They were exquisite. She could help but stare helplessly at it, amazing by its beauty.

Kaiser chuckled by her side, looking down at her with kind green eyes. 'Gorgeous, aren't they? My mother always took pride in her gardens,' a wistful look crossed his face and she realised that his mother was dead. She did not bother with words, instead she squeezed his arm comfortingly. He sent her a sad smile before the moment faded away and he led her into the gardens.

They walked down gravel paths with rows of green hedges either side of them. Many of the plants were beginning to bloom while some were not quite there yet. Standing beneath a tree which was only just beginning to grow back it's leaves, Kaiser pointed at the wide, bark-covered trunk.

'This one is my favourite,' he told her. 'The tree won't bloom for another few weeks, but when it does it will be spectacular. I'll have to bring you here again when it does.'

Arelena nodded, a grin spreading across her face. But then realised that she wouldn't be on land in a few weeks; she only had six days left on land before her legs would turn back into a tail. Her grin faded but Kaiser didn't notice, he was too busy telling her about his tree. When he turned back to her, face glowing with happiness, she forced herself to smile again, encouraging him to continue talking about it.

'What's wrong? Do you not like trees?' He asked worriedly. 'We can go see the pond if you'd rather.'

Shaking her head, she lifted her pen to the paper of her notepad. I'll have to return to my kingdom soon, she wrote. My people need me.

'Oh,' he sounded disappointed. 'Of course you do. May I ask what it is you do back it your kingdom?'

Doesn't really matter, does it? She used the same code he had when she had asked a similar question the previous day; the code that secretly meant I am royalty.

'No, it doesn't,' he replied, completely oblivious to her true meaning. He looked past her to another part of the garden. 'Would you like to see the tulips?' She nodded, allowing him to escort her to the next part of the garden.

By the time they actually reached the tulips, the pair had forgotten he exchange which occurred beneath the tree and were back to communicating as normal. Or, as normally as they could when one of them couldn't even speak. They didn't leave the gardens until three hours later when they decided that they were too tired to continue. On their way back, Kaiser stopped her to pick a flower. Selecting a small pink blossom which had been growing on the side of the path, not even part of the gardens, he plucked the flower from its stem and presented it to her. Giggling silently, as strange as it looked, Arelena accepted the flower and twirled it around it her fingers.

'Here.' He took it from her and tucked it behind her ear. 'Beautiful,' he breathed, his emerald eyes gazing into her sapphire ones. Sensing that he was beginning to lean in closer, she forced herself to turn her head back to look at the palace, breaking the spell of the moment. She couldn't get too close to the younger prince, she was just using him anyway.

It looks so elegant from here, she wrote.

Out the corner of her eye, she could see that Kaiser was nodding, his eyes studying her face for signs that he had done something wrong. He opened his mouth to say something but a servant came rushing towards them.

'Prince Kaiser! Prince Kaiser!' The boy skidded to a halt on the path in front of them, sending gravel flying. 'His Highness, Prince Reidan, has ordered that both you and your companion are to join him for lunch in the dining hall.'

The prince nodded and the boy scampered away. 'Come, Arelena,' he told her. 'We mustn't keep my brother waiting, he isn't a very patient man.'

As she walked with Kaiser back into the palace and towards the dining room, she noticed a change in him. After the messenger had mentioned his brother he had grown cold and his face had hardened. Since she had discovered that they were siblings, she had realised that the brothers weren't very fond of each other. She wondered what had driven a wedge between them and turned them bitter towards one another. A childhood incident? Or something much more recent, like a fight over a woman? Perhaps she would never know.

When she finally took in her surroundings again, drifting out of her thoughts, she found herself standing with Kaiser before the grand doors of the dining room. The guards pushed them open and stepped aside to allow them through and into the lion's den they went.

Can't wait for the next chapter, some secrets will be revealed then!

I hope you've been enjoying the book so far :)