Water Love

Cap. 2 Prince

Edward had always been a happy dude, and how couldn't he be? He was the prince after all. He would have succeeded his dad in some years, he had a beautiful fiancé and a loving family. His reign had been hidden at humans for centuries thanks to the coral hedge all around the city. All perfect right? Hem, not quite.

Don't get him wrong he loved his life but somethings made him feel out of water sometimes, and one in particular was the representative of all of them: he didn't choose who to love, his parents chosen for him.

This was his biggest issue with his life. Not being able to say no to his parents decisions made for him. He had to wake up at that hour, eating what he was said to eat, do what he was told to do and love who he was said to love. It was suffocating and for a creature that lived in water it was pretty paradoxical.

He was neither 27 when his life changed forever.

It was the usual meeting with Jane, the usual lunch together and the usual swim around. But still, something didn't click with her. He could have spent hundreds of years with her without feeling something that went beyond affection. She was not a bad person, she was nice, funny and really able in a lot of marine activities such as hunting jellyfishes or fencing with the swordfishes. She was one of the brightest people around the seven seas and she was fantastic with kids. She was literally the perfect match but Eddy couldn't bring himself to love her.

She approached the same coral spot where Eddy always waited for her on the white seashell carriage. She was beautiful as ever in her blue seashell bra and marine starts as hair clips. Nothing new. They ate their delicious meal, made especially for them and swam hand in hand near the coral bay.

Eddy: "So, how was your week?"

He asked drily without turning to watch at her

Jane: "You're asking because you care or because you have to?"

Eddy: "I'll let you chose, but I guess that this can go faster if we talk a little bit"

Jane: "You're right...so I basically did the same stuff as the last week: fencing, hunting..."

Eddy: "Wow so much effort..."

Jane: "Sorry 'honey' but my weeks are not that exciting since I'm practically obliged to date you"

Eddy: "Yeah I guess you're right..."

Jane: "We simply both know that we won't be faithful with each other in this so I don't see why pretend that we are a real couple"

Eddy: "Yeah..."

Jane: "What is that?"

She suddenly asked turning her head to look over the coral bay. Eddy turned his eyes in the same direction. It took him some seconds to finally focus: some kind of machine he would have sworn, egg looking, all white and with some lights on top pointing directly at them.

It happened all so fast after: a web thrown at them, Eddy pushing Jane on the side to dodge it, he being trapped instead with some pieces of coral that the web had broke while thrown at them, Jane being trapped in another web, something pungent in his neck and all went dark.

He could have slept for days or for just few hours that it would have been the same with the wrecking headache that welcomed him the moment he opened his eyes.

Where was he? It didn't look at all like one of his father's castle rooms. It was all so grey and lighted. The water was cold and the spot where he was lying down was far from being soft. Some chocked voices arrived his years but he couldn't see where they came from. With a huge effort he was able to raise his torso and sitting in a sort of way. He took another look around and from that position he could see two white figures watching at him from his left.