Bella Marina

Chapter 2

**Royal's Point of View**

When Royal tells Tristan that he can come for the second month of the trip, his face lights up.

"Really, I can go? King Waters allowed it?" Tristan asks, with a big grin plastered onto his face.

Yeah," Royal started, "he did. It was a surprise to me, too," he says, shrugging. "Sorry I couldn't tell you when I first found out, My father made me finish preparing. He even had someone go to the human world and buy me these lander swim trunks," Royal says, gesuring down at his black trunks.

"Cool," Tristan says, looking off into the water. "Well, looks like it's time for you to go. I'll see you when I come in a month!" he says happily, smacking his friend on the back.

"Okay, Tristan. See ya," Royal says, and swims off, back to the palace. He knew that Tristan would find a way to make it there earlier than a month. 

When he arrives, his father is waiting for him. "Ah, Royal, just in time!" He says. "Let's swim to the portal, shall we? It's a bit of a lengthy journey," he says, as they set off.

They swim for quite a while, without talking. Royal doesn't find the silence awkward, but more peaceful.  Royal just looks at the open, blue water. Finally, they come to a portal. If humans somehow find away to get this deep, they can't find the land of the Marina, because they have to go through this portal first. Nothing special happens, but when you step through it, you're in the ocean humans see, not that of the Marina. The portal just looks like a slightly different colored patch of water, but you have to strain to see it. His father turns to him.

"So, Royal, you remember the conversation we had last night, right?" he says.

"Yes, father. I remember," Royal says, looking at the portal with wonder.

"Alright, son, you may go through," his father says. He seems to think for a second before saying, "I love you, Royal."

"I love you too, father," Royal says, and hugs his dad. After they release, he goes to the portal. With one last look back at his father, he steps through. 

When he emerges on the other side, nothing looks that different. He looks around, then remembers he is going to land. So, naturally, the only direction he can swim is up. 

He swims up for a while, and finally breaks the surface. He is surprised to find that he can just barely see the beach. He starts swimming towards the sand and the landers.

After what feels like forever, Royal collapses onto the sand. He did it. He is in the human world. He smiles to himself at this, thinking about what the humans might be like. He knows that he can't fall in love with one, but he has no worry of that. He stares out to sea for a while, when he senses something. A warm, tingly feeling is sent through his body. It is unlike anything he has ever felt before. He almost feels pulled to its source. It was the strangest feeling. He scans the beach, looking for anything that might indicate why he felt this sensation. Suddenly, he sees it. Not it, her. It was obviously a human girl, and she is walking towards him. As she gets closer, he sees that she is beautiful. She has shiny blond-chestnut hair that has lighter blond streaks in it, and it is pulled back with some blue thing at the back of her head. What is it called...something about a horse? Horsetail? Something like that. As she gets closer, he sees that her eyes are a dark, chocolate brown. They accent nicely with her golden hair. Her face is just striking, with flawless skin save for a few freckles splashed across her nose. When she reaches him, she sits at a safe distance away from him. She says something about this town, and not having seen him before, but all he can do is stare. She talks with a drip of sarcasm, which makes him smile inside. "Okay, dude. You're a guy I've just met and you're staring at me. It's kinda creeping me out. Do you speak English?" she asks, looking at him. He slowly nods, still looking at her. He knows that he probably does look creepy, but he couldn't really tear his eyes away. There is a pause, and she looks away. "Are you here for summer? Are you on vacation? she asks. He knew he couldn't tell her what he was, but if he got to know her better, and somehow got her to fall in love with him, then he would tell her. Finally, he decides on what to answer.