Under The Surface

Chapter 4

            "Go away I don't want to practice with you today," Eridan said obstinately and turned to swim away.

"I'm afraid I can't let you go, Your Highness," Equius responded with as much firmness as he could muster when speaking to the Prince of the Atlantic. Eridan turned back around and glared at his guard-turned-combat instructor. Equius grew nervous under Eridan's stern gaze despite the Prince being an eight year old child and the guard being nearly a decade older.

"I would much rather do anythin' else," Eridan crossed his arms over his chest.

"The King has ordered me to instruct you in the ways of combat therefore it is my duty to not let you leave here until your spear handling has improved," Equius held his ground. Eridan tried to maintain his defiant stance but soon realized that his only other choice was to face the wrath of his father for disobeying. That was one bite he was hoping to avoid. He dropped his arms loosely to his sides and dejectedly swam over to pick up a spear.

"Fine. Let's get this over with," the small Prince grumbled and took his stance as Equius readied his own spear. The two were motionless for a few beats before Equius made the first strike. Eridan countered just barely and within seconds his spear was knocked from his hands and Equius was at his throat, his mangled teeth poised to bite.

"You would be dead, Your Highness," the guard stated. He backed up and allowed Eridan to retrieve his weapon. Equius struck again and Eridan countered successfully then dodged another jab but was caught off guard by the teen's caudal fin slamming into his side. He was sent hurtling a few feet away but when he regained his senses he charged angrily towards the guard.

"Never let your emotions get the better of you while in battle," Equius told the Prince while easily dodging the attack. "It decreases your accuracy." Eridan glanced at the other sea dweller, breathing heavily from exertion.

"So I'm just supposed to be okay with you practically knockin' me all the way to the Southern Kingdom?" the child spat.

"No, Prince Eridan," Equius said calmly. "I expect you to learn combat, become skilled, and knock me all the way to the Southern Kingdom." He positioned himself into a fighting stance. "Again," he prompted.

Most days Eridan spent hours with various tutors learning basic schoolfeeding in addition to all there was to know about the politics of all five of the kingdoms. He learned the lineages of the royal families and the various cultural differences between each kingdom. For example, never refuse food given to you in the Indian Kingdom. Also, in the Pacific Kingdom it is common to hear puns relating to the ocean being used in speech. Whenever he wasn't being tutored as a typical child would his guard was tutoring him in combat. Eridan found that he had very little time to himself.

There was word of two more guards killing themselves over the course of just one week. One night at dinner Eridan seemed to be playing with his food more than actually eating it.

"Somethin' on your mind, chief?" Eridan looked across the table at his cousin, Cronus, who had spoken and he shrugged. "Well it's gotta be somethin' because I know for a fact you love tuna and I ain't even seen you take a bite," Cronus said. Eridan groaned and took a bite of the piece of fish in front of him. He made a point of maintaining eye contact with his older cousin as he chewed exaggeratedly.

"Are you happy now?" Eridan questioned with his mouth full.

"Yeesh, what's gnawing on your fins?" Cronus huffed and took a bite of his own meal.