Dancing On Ice

Strangers in Our Midst

The following morning was chaos. The missing merman caused uproar. Dalton was distraught. Guards were sent out to search as far as they could go – within reason of the fact that they were only looking for a missing pet – as everyone called him, except Dalton as it turned out.

And while the search was on, Kazimir was 'found' by Perry and some of the crew, floating on wreckage near their anchored ship. He was rushed abroad to be looked at by the ship's doctor and Perry eventually suggested that he was perhaps from the same wreck as the girl he'd met in the palace.

With Cole nowhere to be found, Perry took the initiative and carted Kazimir all the way from the ship to the palace. With Dalton distracted, he wasn't interested in meeting another shipwreck victim so, to Perry's surprise, it was Dalton's cousin that stepped in to help.

"Is this him?" Jazz asked softly as he walked in, glancing at Perry and then to the stranger.

Kazimir was bundled up in blankets by a fire, looking for all the world like he had barely escaped the reaches of Death.

Perry nodded. "We found him early this morning."

"It's a miracle he's still alive given the temperature in the sea this time of year," Jazz said.

"You're telling me, the doc is convinced he's the living dead," Perry replied.

Jazz smiled. "Can he understand us?"

Perry nodded and Jazz walked towards the fire.

"Excuse me," he said, leaning down. Kazimir's eyes flicked up but he didn't move. "My name is James," Jazz continued, "How are you feeling?"

Kazimir looked at him for a moment, then looked away and didn't answer.

"What the hell are you doing?!" Perry snarled at Kazimir, "that's a prince you're ignoring!"

Kazimir didn't even answer his thoughts.

"I understand you were aboard a pirate ship that was sunk off our coast. Was anyone else with you?"

Kazimir didn't reply, just turned his face away. Perry inched closer to get a look at him and try and figure out what the guy was playing at and his eyes widened.

Kazimir had tears in his eyes. He looked genuinely heartbroken. He looked devastated. Like his world had crashed around him.

Perry gaped at him. He knew Aeralie was alive and safe and well somewhere in the palace and yet he could pull off such an expression. He knew merfolk were masters of trickery but it was something else to see one manipulate everyone without a second thought. Even Perry caught himself thinking something had happened to Aeralie that he didn't know about, before he slammed a lid down on the thought.

"I only ask," Jazz said gently, "because we had another shipwreck victim wash up a few days before... a princess, or so she claims."

Kazimir froze. His eyes widened and he slowly looked up at Jazz.

That shock looked real. Not perfectly faked, but honestly shocked.

"She said she was a princess?"

Kazimir's voice made Perry jump.

"That's what I heard."

"She..." Kazimir's voice was hoarse as he spoke, like he had swallowed too much sea water. "She..."

He reached forwards, catching Jazz's arms, squeezing tightly until Jazz winced. The guards moved forwards but a quick look from Jazz made them stop. He looked down at Kazimir, who stared up at him, his eyes desperate.