Beneath the Waves (Ocean Song Book 1)

Chapter 30: Prisoner of the Mind

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A voice calls her back from her uneasy sleep. "My Lady!" Blue eyes snap open and dart about the room wildly as the remainders of her scream catches in her throat. The first thing her gaze is able to settle on is the concerned face of Aaralyn as she takes notices of the din lighting of her room. Evidently it is still quite dark out, and she quickly comes to the conclusion that it is only the middle of the night.

Her voice is weak as she maintains a vice grip on her sheets. "Aaralyn...?"

Aaralyn looks fit to burst into tears as she breathes an unsteady sigh of relief. "I am most glad that you seem to be unharmed. I heard your screaming and feared that you were being attacked."

Serena shakes her head as she tries to calm her rapidly beating heart and still the quivering of her tightly fisted hands.

"You seemed to have woken most of the inhabitants in this wing, which includes-"

The doors swing open and ran heavily into the walls with an ear-shattering bang. Princess Arcelia comes rushing in with unconcealed worry on her face as she comes to Serena's bedside.

She then asks quite frantically, "I heard you screaming! Are you alright?!"

Serena releases a shaky sigh as she nods. "Yes. It was just a nightmare. Nothing that calls for all this fuss."

However, Aaralyn disagrees as she rapidly shakes her head whilst Princess Arcelia grasps hold of Serena's hands.

Aaralyn quickly says, "You have not seemed well since I saw you this morning! You were worryingly pale upon your return and behaved most strangely."

"Truly, I am fine. You need not work yourselves up!" Serena protests with a growing twinge of annoyance building within.

"Nonsense!" Cries the Princess as she continues, "Aaralyn, I wish for you to summon the healer come morning."

"But-"

"No, ifs', ands', or buts' about it! I can tell that something plagues you, and we will see it remedied as quickly as possible!"

Serena releases a sigh as she gives up any further protests. She is keenly aware of Princess Arcelia's stubbornness and anymore discussion on the matter is going to prove fruitless. In which case, the only choice she has is to allow the princess to do as she pleases.

With everything said and done, Princess Arcelia leaves the room once she's satisfied that her wishes will be met.

And as if to replace her, Rodion enters after five minutes of hovering about the doors.

"Lord Rodion, I was not aware of your presence there," Aaralyn says with a quick bow as Rodion awkwardly rubs his neck; still not quite used to being referred to in such a way or treated in this particular manner. After all the only positive attention he got was of those starry-eyed girls on land while the rest of the time it was the occasional bad attitude from whatever cop he happened to get tangled with.

Rodion simply shakes his head as he replies, "Don't worry about it. Do you mind if I talk to my sister alone, please?"

Aaralyn smiles with a nod of her head, bows, and leaves the room. Though on her way out she quickly comes to a sudden halt as she turns towards the left corridor.

Her eyes widen as she takes in the appearance of Prince Oceanus, who currently wears a displeased expression. Most likely from the sudden awakening he experienced fifteen minutes prior to his coming to the source.

"Your Hi-"

"Silence," he orders quickly after interrupting Aaralyn mid-exclamation. She bows once more and remains that way in silence, waiting for the prince to say something. "What has happened?" He asks quietly as he crosses his arms over his chest with a blank expression on his face.