Beneath the Waves (Ocean Song Book 1)

Chapter 25: Meeting of the Princes

(Had to re-upload this. There was a bit of a situation, but here it is so enjoy!)

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Two weeks have passed since the arrival of Prince Alankar of Mandara. Naturally, his sudden arrival sparked quite an uproar amongst the servants as they raced about to prepare suitable accommodations. However, Prince Alankar didn't care in the least. As far as he was concerned, he fulfilled his obligations and simply waited for a response to the message he bore. Now, the only thing he seems to care about is...

"Is...there any particular reason that you come seeking me out each and every day?"

He flashes a smile and proceeds to swim closer until he is swimming beside her. "Lovely Serena, do I need a reason to gaze upon your beauteous visage whensoever I please?" Again, she is thrown off by his blunt flirtations and it is clear as to how vastly unfamiliar she is with such treatment. When everyone treats you like the plague like those in high school or possesses a personality like Prince Oceanus's when they first met, you tend not to know how to handle it when someone openly flirts with you and desires your undivided attention. As far as she's concerned, this is uncharted territory that seems dangerous to traverse with as little knowledge of it as she seems to have.

"Again, is there a reason that you come seeking me out every day?" She tries her best to ignore her current situation as she keeps to her present destination.

Prince Alankar sighs as he swims into her peripheral vision. He pushes his dark hair from his face, somehow managing to make even that action seem almost sexual. "I am drawn to you. Your presence alone stirs my innermost desires into a frenzy that leaves me with naught save thoughts of you." Serena rolls her eyes as she turns the corner to pass through an empty corridor illuminated by magic glowing balls of light.

Another turn has her in the hallway containing the portraits of the royal family. She passes the portrait of Prince Oceanus's and Princess Arcelia's mother to proceed into the Queen's Chamber of Stars. Any effort she made to try and shake off the Mandaran Prince ended in failure which left her little choice but to bear his presence in order to keep to her timed meeting with the Aquarian Prince.

"You are late," he says impatiently as he turns to her with a sharp look in his eyes, but that lasts for but a few seconds before his gaze focuses on the intruder that followed her into this room. "And you are not supposed to be here." His tone is sharp and clearly displeased as he glares at Prince Alankar with irritation evident within his stone gaze.

"I merely wished to keep company with this lovely Siren. Had I known she was to meet with you, well..." He trails off as he flashes the irritated prince a mischievous smirk. "I would have taken her elsewhere to sing songs of love." Though he's clearly amused, the same cannot be said of the Aquarian Prince as he struggles to maintain a calm façade in the face of another kingdom's Prince.

"I would ask that you leave Alankar. This place is forbidden to those not of the Aquarian royal family."

Prince Alankar's eyes widen in mock surprise at this as his voice takes on a dramatically surprised tone. "Is that right? Then am I to believe that this sea flower is Aquarian royalty?"

Prince Oceanus's gaze suddenly turns to ice that causes a shiver to run up Serena's spine as though the very air around her had suddenly grown cold. "She has my permission to be in this room. You do not," he says coldly as Prince Alankar puts his hands up in surrender with a sigh slipping past his lips that are still upturned in that ever-present smile of his.

"Very well, Prince of Aquaria. I did not come to worsen relations between our kingdoms so I shall leave in respect of the royal family of Aquaria. Though, once outside of this room, the Siren is fair game, yes?" He asks with a grin as Prince Oceanus scowls and flashes an irritated look in the Mandaran Prince's direction. "Fine, fine. I shall be leaving your company now my dear Siren, but know that I shall see you later. Hopefully in more...cheerful company." And with that, he leaves the room before Prince Oceanus can say anything further. Not that he's going to, seeing as he's contented himself with inward seething over having to deal with such a womanizing merman.