Dangers of the Sea || Byler Story ||

2 - The Royal Prince

Third Person POV:

"Will!" Jane says, running to catch up with her brother. "How are you?"

The brunette turned back to look at her. "I'm good, what about you? I heard your private teacher is having you work on a project?" He questions.

"Yes, it shall be about fairy tales," Jane says. "My professor says I must write my own."

Will smiles. "Sounds fun," He says, and the two siblings start walking down the hallway. "I was going to meet with Mother and Father."

"What about?" Jane questions, then an idea popped into her head. "Jonathan is abroad, and he hasn't sent me many letters. Could you tell them so?"

"Don't worry, I will," Will says. "But what I was going to tell them, the pirates are trying to fish in our bay again. They need to be notified," He explains. Then he sighs. "Those pirates never know what's good for them."

Jane smiles. "Well, I don't want to keep you," She says, before bowing. "See you soon."

Will smiles and nods as Jane runs off, her heels clicking against the wood floor. Will continues down the hallway until he arrives at the throne room.

The guards at the throne room door give him a bow before opening, and his mother and father stop talking and look at him. "Ah, Will, my baby," Joyce says, giving him a beaming smile. "What has you come here?"

"Good morning your majesties," Will says, bowing. "I've noticed the pirates are trying to fish in our waters again. I've come to ask if you've spoken or come to an agreement on the matter?"

Joyce and Hopper exchange a glance.

"No, we have not," Hopper says, his deep voice echoing through the room. "I will schedule an audience with the Captain soon."

Will nods. "Is that all you need?" Joyce questions. Will nods again. "Then you are free to go."

The brunette gives another bow before swiftly leaving the room. He walks back to his quarters, but takes a quick stop at the palace kitchens.

"Will! How are you?" A curly haired boy says, approaching the prince.

The brunette smiles. "I'm good, Dustin, but.." He let out a groan. "My back is sore, I haven't practiced my posture for a bit and had to speak with Mother and Father just a moment ago."

Dustin clicks his tongue. "Yikes," He says, then a shorter girl walks up to him and hands him a platter.

"What's this?" Will asks as Dustin sets it on a table and pulls the top off.

"Bluefin tuna on a plate of lettuce, celery, and basil, drizzled with golden honey flower syrup and topped with glow tree sap," Dustin says proudly, gesturing to it. Will raised an eyebrow, it smelled delicious. "It's a new dish I've been working on."

Dustin hands Will a fork and Will takes a bite. After a moment, he nods. "It's amazing," He says. "But now I gotta go, see you later?" Dustin nods.

Will runs off, actually going back to his quarters. He changed into a comfortable outfit instead of the multiple layered prince uniform. He was grinning the entire time as he left the room and his personal guard sighs.

"Can we go now?" Will asks excitedly. "Please?"

The guard sighs again. "Fine, but this is the last time I do this," He says. "Your parents will have my head if they find out I'm letting you do this."

"I'd convince them not to, don't worry, Steve," He says.

Steve rolls his eyes, but walks down the hallway and Will follows. They leave the castle from the back door, and Steve guards Will as he walks through a path. Soon, they arrived at the beach. Will's smile brightened and he rushed to the water.

"Hey, be careful!" He says. "There could be mermaids around."

Will rolls his eyes. "There aren't any mermaids, look how clear the water is," he says, pointing at the waves that were slowly rolling onto the sand. "I still don't know why everyone hates them. Do we have any proof they 'murder everyone'," Will holds quotation marks and rolled his eyes again.

"Yes, yes we do," Steve says. It was the millionth time they've had this same conversation. "You know the reasons we are wary about those.. creatures.."

"Don't call them creatures," Will says, glaring at him. "Some might be nice."

Steve raises an eyebrow at him. Will pulls up his pants to his knees and walks into the water. "Still," Steve says. "Why don't you have fun with your friends like a normal teenager?"

"I do hang out with my friends.." Will says. "I just like the sea."

A strange humming sound came from out in the sea, making Will turn. "No, no, no," Steve says, grabbing Will's arm and pulling him away from the water. "We're leaving now."

As they go back to the forest line, Will frowns. "What?" he questions.

"First it's a hum, then it's a song, then the prince is killed and I get beheaded," Steve says, pulling Will with him as he walks back down the path to the palace. "I am not taking that chance."

Will's frown deepens, but he stays quiet until they get back to the castle.

Once the prince was back in his room, Will grabbed a book and plopped down on the bed, flipping the pages to get to the one he wanted.

Mermaids.

"Magical underwater creature that poises as half-human.." Will mumbles. "Uses siren abilities.. Here!" He exclaims finding the passage. "Many sailors describe the creatures as beautiful majestic things, with flowing hair and perfect skin," Will reads aloud. He sighs dreamily, resting his head in his hand.

I wonder what they really look like. Will thinks.

There was a drawn image in the book, a woman with long wavy hair and a tail that was almost twice the size of her human part. Her chest was uncovered, making Will cringe and look back at the text.

"Mermaids? Again?" Jane suddenly says, startling Will. "You're obsessed. I don't see the appeal."

Will rolled his eyes at his sister. "Imagine, the perfect person, as beautiful as can be, and there's a beautiful shimmering tail to match they're features," Will says, sitting up and gesturing at the air.

Jane stares at him. "And don't forget the power siren ability to lure sailors and humans to their deaths," She says, wiggling her fingers. "OooOoOoOoooOo!"

"Very funny, haha," Will says, looking back at his book.

Jane just shrugs. "They're scary, brother," She says, sitting on the bed next to him. "I wouldn't like to die that way."

"Me neither, and I won't," Will says.

The two converse for a while before Jane leaves to go to her room, and Will continues to dream about the magical creatures.

<^> To Be Continued

(1.1k words)

Hmmm. I wonder what the gender of mermaid Will is thinking of.. :D