Tender Waves - A DreamNotFound Story

Chapter 2: Under The Sea, A Prince Gets Ditched

"Do you understand, sir?" 

"Hmm?" George blinked, coming back to reality.

"Sir," Sam Nook sighed, "you can't keep zoning out. What we're doing here is trying to prepare you for your coronation in a few months. All life of the sea depends on your inherited throne, and your daydreams can't continue to keep drawing you away from what's at hand."

"I'm sorry," George apologized, looking down at his hands. "It's....just boring."

"Understandable, sir," Sam Nook smiled good-naturedly.

"Like, who even uses this stuff?" George ran a hand through his rich brown hair. "I don't need to know about human history from a hundred years ago."

"It could be important when facing a problem," Sam Nook explained patiently, for the sixth time that day. "In this case, discovering an old ship wreckage in our territory could have history be useful, or even mapping out the patterns of human behavior in society on land to protect ourselves."

"Don't see why we'd need to do all that anytime soon," George mumbled.

"It's just my job to get you up to speed, sir," Sam Nook inclined his head. "I know you're feeling tired, so I'll allow you the rest of the day off, but-"

"Really?!" George jerked up, a few pumps of his tail causing him to swim excitedly right to the front of the royal advisor. 

"If you promise to work extra hard tomorrow," Sam Nook tilted his head. 

"Yes! Yes, I will, I will!" George swore profusely, gliding backwards as he attempted to leave the private study room in the castle's library. "Thank you! Thanks! I'll be back tomo-"

George never finished, finally leaving the room and swimming away down the corridor towards the main area of the library. Sam Nook sighed, shaking his head as he collected papers from George's empty desk and textbooks from his table. The man's family had been serving the Davidson family for generations, and it never failed to have each heir detest educational lessons given before wearing the royal crown.

Sam Nook was a green-skinned merman, with a darker green fish-tail and black- tipped fins. His upper torso was human, like all other merfolk, and he wore a golden chestplate with bronze shoulder pads. While an advisor, he was also a prominent warrior, and was currently in the position of the crown prince George's personal teacher. A gold band encircled his head, the royal crest of the Davidson family engraved on the center of the it on his forehead. He had black eyes and a buzz cut of white hair, the man old enough to be considered an elder but spry enough to be seen as a soldier in their prime.

He was an even-tempered man, with understanding and compassion used in everything he did. He was gentle and kind, and nearly raised the young prince as he was growing up. Sam favored and valued George above all else, but it was enough to make him laugh that the soon-to-be-king couldn't sit still for one minute, even though he was no longer a small child.

George, however, was restless as ever. His body was horizontal as he swam away through the library. A few attendants and various nobles were scattered throughout the large space, reading books or partaking in quiet conversations. They all bowed when George passed, and he tried his best to acknowledge their respect, even as he was speedily fleeing the scene of his education.

George Davidson was the eldest son of the royal family, and would soon be crowned king when he came of age. He was a handsome merman, with a lean 5' 7" frame and deep brown eyes to match his thick hair. He had fair skin and with scattered patches of cerulean scales on his shoulders and arms. A dark navy vest of sea silk was buttoned halfway up his torso, black arm-gauntlets pulled up to his elbows and reaching down to partially cover his fingers. He had a beautifully-blue tail, his cyan fins tipped with red, and a gold band similar to Sam's placed around his head. The royal crest was, again, positioned in the middle of the gold band on his forehead, the symbol being a small opal rectangle with a thin redstone border.