Chapter 14

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But it can't be. He's meant to be dead, Ondine thought with a panic as she stared at her very-much-alive father before her. She desperately wanted to speak; a number of questions had flooded into her mind, each of them stumbling over each other to be the first to be asked. She was unable utter a single word.

Her father, Calder, stepped forwards, leaning against his desk. Ondine tried not to stare too hard at the deformed side of his face; it looked as though he had been burned and had healed badly. His skin was teal, discoloured in the places where his scars were. His hair and beard were the same seaweed-green; the former nearly reached his shoulders and the latter ended in a point just below his chin. They were both peppered with grey and white - the years had not been kind to him.

"You've grown so much, my little wave." King Calder said with smile. But instead of it making Ondine happy, the smile only increased her feeling of uneasiness.

He had referred to the meaning of her name, what he had always called her when she was a child. Ondine had not seen her father for 7 years - not since she was the equivalent of 11 in human years. He looked very different to how she remembered him. His cornflower-blue eyes did not contain the same kindness that Ondine remembered them to have. The ones he was looking at her with now were cold and lifeless.

Perhaps it was the time that had warped her memories of them together, or his injuries, but something was off about him. That and the fact that he was King of Lune.

"I assume you have many questions for me," King Calder continued when he did not get a worded response from Ondine. "And I would be happy to answer them."

He waited again for Ondine to speak, and when she yet again said nothing, his gaze hardened. The sound of his fist slamming against the dark wood of his desk made both Ondine and Junto, the kappa, jump.

"Speak, child!" He shouted.

Ondine's eyes widened in fright, her mouth opening, but it was as if her tongue had swollen three times its normal size.

"If I may, sir - " Junto interjected, causing the King's head to turn to him angrily. The kappa cowered, his eyes lowering to the ground. "I was just going to suggest to Your Highness that perhaps the child feels overwhelmed. This is, after all, very big news that her father is alive."

Junto did not dare to meet Calder's stare. Ondine's forest-green eyes darted instinctively towards the doors. How quick would she have to be to get through before the other two could stop her?

"I think you are right, Junto," King Calder replied in a suddenly-calm voice. "My apologies, Ondine."

Ondine felt her stomach drop at his name. It did not sound natural to be coming from someone like that. She clenched her hands tightly in her lap.

"It's fine." She said quietly, for she was afraid to anger him further if she did not answer him for a fourth time.

She was angry at herself for not shouting at him, for not showing him that she was unafraid. But she was afraid. She wished that her sister was by her side. Being with Alara would've made her feel a whole lot less scared.

King Calder shook his head, his long hair moving gently. "It's not okay. I did not mean to frighten you. I would never do anything to harm you, little wave. It's just, my temper..." He brought his hands together in a clasp. Ondine noticed that the right one was gloved - this was the same side his injuries were. "Being here, in Lune, has changed me. It does not help that many of my subordinates are completely useless. Please forgive me for shouting."

Ondine merely nodded. She did not forgive him, but she didn't dare express this.

"Please, I would love nothing better than to answer any questions you may have," Calder continued. "I will be patient. Junto here will make sure of it."

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