Under The Sea

Chapter Forty-One

The sky grew more grey with each passing day. As if the world knew what was to come. A war of some sorts was headed our way. Mother nature might have been in a dour mood, but I wouldn't allow myself, or anyone for that matter to act the same way. I was not a plastering fake smile on my face but a real, genuine one, for my friends, for my mate.

My mate, lay next to me sleeping soundly. I beamed at his presence. He was neither training nor studying, he was here. With me.

My body craved the steaming water each bath brought, I could already feel the satisfaction of shifting. The first pinkish rays of the sun told me it was quite early, much too early to wake anyone. Today I would get a head start, perhaps attempt to make breakfast. I had learned a few tips and tricks from watching Aran cook so often in the kitchen.

I made to crawl over Aran's large form as swiftly as I could, but I slipped on the silky sheets and slumped across his torso. He groaned and placed his large hand onto my side of the bed, feeling for where I was. I watched his brows burrow as the most adorable frown tilted his lips. I grabbed his outstretched arm in the hopes that he would stay asleep. His face relaxed and a sigh of relief exhaled from his slightly parted lips. I almost laughed out loud at how adorable he was as he slept, but I held in my chuckles and continued climbing over him until my feet were successfully planted on the very, very cold ground. My shivers only made me crave the warm bath water more.

The human world was much more easier to understand now that I had spent a significant amount of time learning its ups and downs. Everything was just so.....structured. Everything - everything - had a purpose, a place. It was so different from Atlandria. Under the sea, there was no sense of time, there was only the swish of my tail and the current that might sashay up against me and sweep me away. We slept when we were tired, it didn't have to be when the sun went down or when the little digital box read 9:00 pm. I was not used to danger, but in the human world you were surrounded by it.

The beds were high enough to fall a long way down, one must never leave the oven on, lest they have an intent to burn their house down. Not to mention the sharp edges that were everywhere. Tables, dressers, desks, chairs. It was all so new to me.

My thoughts were cut short when the shift finally came. A breath of satisfaction passed through my lips, pushing the milky steam away. My tail flip flopped up and down spraying droplets of water across every surface in the bathroom.

If sitting in a tub full of water wasn't already weird, using soap was exponentially weird. I enjoyed watching bubbles appear, but I did not enjoy the tedious process of a body wash.

My body belonged in the ocean, but my heart belonged right where I was, with him.

⏺⏺⏺

"I want to train." I said to Aran after exiting the bathing room to find him awake and tapping away on his cell phone.

His thumbs halted mid-tap and his eyes slowly met mine from across the room. His gaze was piercing and suspicious but there was also a hint of surprise.

Say yes say yes say yes please say yes "Alright, but I wouldn't be the one doing it. It'd be my general, James. Are you okay with that?" He raised his eyebrows expectantly.

I felt like a fish out of water, standing there with my lips parted in surprise and no words to say in response. Well, technically I was a fish out of water. I did not expect him to say yes.

"Forest? Why are you so surprised?"

I swallowed, "as a princess, I was never allowed to train, I wasn't really allowed to do anything for myself. Let alone train."