Deep Sea Creatures

Part 20

Jack turned to watch his mother leave. Leaving him alone in his room. Sighing softly, he leaned back against the stone wall and looked out the window. The lights in the city were starting to turn on. The whole lower city looked like shiny green stars. It was beautiful, but he felt so lonely. There was a whole kingdom of people he grew up with. Yet, none of them were like him. They were happy here. While he could only look out into the open water and wish he was somewhere else. His room lights dimmed down to the same soft green lighting. Jack raised a hand to touch the window again, watching the static ripple across again. As his eyes adjusted to the lighting, he could almost see his life play out in the dark window. 

He had a great childhood. Playing with his brothers and even his dad. Then as he reflected into his teens, he saw himself isolate from everyone. His brothers had kingdoms to rule. His dad was trying to plan out his future. He saw himself swimming with the sharks and breaking the rules a lot. He couldn't even tell if he had done it to get attention or to feel like he was in control. Everything changed when he saw Mark on his visit to the surface. Everything he had done to get to know him... right up to his dad zapping him and leaving him. Jack backed away from the window, feeling just as trapped as he had when he was younger. What had his life become? Taking a deep breath, Jack calmly stated out loud to his room. "Dad? Can you see me? Are you listening..."? There was no answer. So, he sank down to sit down on the floor.

Jack's dad stared at a large crystal globe in his throne room, watching Jack closely. Sighing, he looked away from it and turned it off. Jack's mom swam up a bit closer to put her hands on his bare shoulders, tenderly whispering to him. "Darling? Maybe we should let him go". He moved away from his wife's hands, stating firmly. "No. I won't lose him again"! She followed him back to the throne, saying gently. "You're losing him now. Ya need to think carefully right now, love". The king slipped onto the throne, gripping his trident tightly as he sternly stated out. "Ya baby him too much. He'll never learn to be a ruler if ya are always taking his side". The queen stared at him with glaring eyes, saying firmly. "I'm not. I'm trying to get ya two stubborn gobshites to understand each other. Ya both are always butting heads. Yelling at him isn't going to change how he feels".

The king glared back at her, snapping back. "It worked on me. If he won't respect my wishes as his dad, than he can respect it as his king". The queen swam forward to yank the trident form her husbands hand, snapping back. "Now THAT is ya father's words. NOT yours! You're not his king! Ya are his father! And if ya aren't careful, Darling... You won't even be that to him. He doesn't need to be commanded. He needs his father to guide him. What ya are doing... You're pushing him away". The King shook his head, grumbling out. "Ya wouldn't understand, lass. Men need this to push them to strive for better". The Queen pointed the trident at him, growling back. "Don't tell me what my own son needs! At this point, I know him better than you! Ya can't motivate him like that! He's not like his brothers! He's nothing like your father"!

The King rose off his throne, snapping back. "It's not working, cause ya baby him like this! He needs to learn his place is here"! The Queen lowered the trident, stating much calmer. "Like your place was on that throne? Listen to yourself. Ya know who ya sound like? Are ya raising our son... Or is your father"? The King turned away and she added much softer. "Would it be so bad if ya let him go? He was up there for three years". The King turned back to snap out shakily. "I can't protect him up there if something goes wrong"! The Queen dropped the trident to the floor with a loud 'clang', before telling him in a soft loving voice. "If ya don't let him make his own choices... He'll never live. Maybe we have been doing this all wrong. Ya should have seen him earlier, Love. He was so... passionate and driven to lead in his own way. I don't want my kids to follow tradition. I want them to do what we couldn't".