Hunted

Chapter Six- Luseal

Luseal Ling was a quiet girl. She chose to spend most of her time down at the stables talking mindlessly to the dolphins and seahorses. Her father had never let Luseal ride the creatures as they were for "proper rides'' only. Other than talking to sea creatures Luseal would often sit on the kelp stack and watch dreamily out the window at the looming castle that towered above the stables; she had always dreamed to inhabit the castle but some part of her drew towards the stables. Luseal had short dark brown hair that the seahorses would often mistake for food and her khaki green eyes would glow in the darkness of the stable's dim lights. Not only did Luseal dream about riding the dolphins, but she could also talk to them. An old war dolphin called Q was her favourite. She would banter on and on with him about royalty and boys and how the fact that Luseal's dad was a grump.

The stables were a mess today as Luseal woke up on the cobbled floor, she had had a pretty good sleep hence the dolphins whinnying all night. Seagrass was strewn across the tack and the seahorse's dinner was scattered across the walls of the feed room. She woke up and greeted the day as rays of the sun cascaded down into the water's depths. She peered out the glass window lined with seashells and gazed at the grand castle purely out of curiosity. But what she saw was not what she expected. Two mermaids were swimming towards her, a boy and a girl most likely a few years older than Luseal. The boy was wearing armour that looked like it'd been put on in a hurry, whilst the girl was wearing an expensive-looking champagne-coloured dress. Luseal didn't notice another mermaid in the boy's arms until they were closer.

Luseal's heart skipped a beat as she noticed the unconscious form of Princess Diana in the boy's arms. Her mind raced with questions and concern, but she knew she had to act quickly. She rushed to the entrance of the stables, her khaki green eyes fixed on the approaching mermaids. As they drew nearer, Luseal could see the worry etched on the girl's face and the sense of urgency in the boy's movements. Without hesitation, Luseal stepped forward to meet them.

"What happened?" she asked, her voice steady despite the fear rising inside her. "Is Princess Diana alright?"

The boy exchanged a quick glance with the girl before answering.

"She's hurt," he said, his voice revealing a hint of vulnerability beneath his icy demeanor. "We need to get her help, and we need it fast."

Luseal's heart went out to the unconscious princess, and she knew she had to assist them. "Follow me," she said, leading them towards the stables. "I have a secret passage that leads to a hidden healing chamber."

The boy looked surprised but didn't hesitate to follow Luseal's lead, carrying Diana with him. The three of them entered the stables, where Q, the old war dolphin, greeted them with a gentle nudge.

Written by Lucia