The night was going better than Clay expected. He had met this really handsome guy. Clay was wondering what his name is, but he is very kind.
Right now the merman is showing him the palace gardens. Clay had never seen such an amazing sight, so many different plants and sea flower of all different colors.
The merman said he lived here at the palace. Clay wondered why? Maybe he is a man servant? No he's dressed way to fancy for that. He is wearing a crown on his head, maybe he's royalty. No that couldn't be possible, no one of royal standing would talk to him, much less take him on a stroll through the gardens.
The man held Clay's hand as they made their way through the garden. "May I ask your name." the merman asked Clay, as they turned into an alcove.
He was about to answer him when he heard a chime from the clock tower. Clay gasped in surprise and let go of the man's hand. The merman looked at clay with a worried expression. "Is everything alright?"
"No...I mean yes everything's fine, thank you, now I must be going" Clay turned around fast, but the merman was fast as well and quickly grabbed on to Clay's hand. Clay harshly tugged his hand away from the man and hurriedly made his way back to the palace and out the doors.
He could hear yelling behind him telling him to stop, but he didn't listen. He was almost halfway home when he noticed his clothing start to become worn and torn again.
Not looking where he was going Clay smashed into some of the coral and rocks near the side of the road. Letting out a yelp of pain Clay slowly sunk down on the road grasping his arm and shoulder. In the distance Clay could hear the sound of people coming closer.
He tried to move away, however the pain in his arm prevented it. "Sir are you ok" Clay heard a voice ask behind him. Clay slowly made his way up.
"Yes, I just swam in the rocks accidentally." The man looked sceptical, but didn't say anything about it. "Have you seen anyone come through here within the last few minutes."
Clay pretended to think for a second then shrugged his shoulders, no not that I can think of." "Ok thank you for your your help." The man then, went back to the group that Clay didn't notice behind him.
The merman looked at Clay one last time before heading on his way with the others down a different road. Clay sighed in relief, they hadn't discovered him. Quickly Caly made his way back home and up into his bedroom.
Once he had taken his old torn shirt off and and put it away he heard the front door slam open and his stepmother and stepsisters arguing about something.
He slowly made his way down the stairs and noticed them all standing there angry looks on their faces. "What's wrong?" Clay asked without even thinking. His stepmother sneered at him. "Well if you must know, we weren't able to see or dance with the price"
"I heard that he was out in the gardens all night with someone, probably some whore." Taylor said.
"Well I heard he was with another merman, can you believe that." Hannah said in disgust.
Clay just stood shocked where he was standing. He was out in the gardens all night. That must have been the prince he was talking to. Oh how he made such a fool of himself.
"I'm sorry to hear that sisters" Clay said in an almost monotone voice.
Clay turned around and headed back to his room. He was so focused on other things he didn't see his stepmother giving him a strange look. Once in his room Clay thought back to the merman in the garden.
Well he did say it was his mother's garden, but never in a million years did he think the young handsome man was the prince.
Clay swam over to his window looking out into the vast oceans that lay before him.
All he thought about was the prince and how he would treasure the memories of this one night forever.
................................
Ash POV
He was gone, my mate was gone. It had been perfect, the perfect moment, then just like that he was gone. I tried to go after him , but I lost him in the crowd.
So I sent the guards and my most faithful men after him. Maybe they would have better luck than I. The ball soon ended, but I never went back to focused on my mate.
The guards had returned not long ago with news that they had found no trace of him.
"HE DID NOT JUST APPEAR OUT OF NOWHERE." I had been yelling at the guards for the past five minutes, eventually my father had to come in and calm me down.
"Son we will find him, but we can't do that tonight, there is too much commotion and we have tried all we can for now." I just glared at my father he didn't understand what I was going though. When he found mom, she didn't just swim away from him.
I couldn't give up looking. "Fine everyone go to bed, we'll start the search again tomorrow." All the guards nodded and headed off. My father gave me a worried look. "It'll be ok son get some rest. With those words I headed to my room. Adam was waiting for me when I opened the door. "Well, how did it go?"
"The guards couldn't find anything" I huffed. "It'll be ok, now let's not dwell or worry right now, tell me about him I want to know about the merman who stole your heart." Adam grinned widely.
Before I knew what I was doing I started spitting out everything I knew and loved about my mate. "Oh, Adam he's perfect, he had beautiful white hair.
It sparkled. Literally sparkled. He was slim, high cheekbones and his eyes, oh his eyes were violet. Adam I have never seen such amazing eyes."
Adam just jiggled at me as went on with my charade. I just ignored him though, he didn't understand what I was going through.
Later that night I couldn't sleep, I just layed in bed, my thoughts kept drifting to my mate. I swam over to my window and looked down onto the gardens, that's where my mate and I last stood together.
Without thinking about what I was doing I opened my window and swam down under the alcove where I last held his hand. I almost wanted to cry, the loss was getting to me and it had only been a few hours.
I let out a small sigh and looked down hanging my head, how could I let him get away from me. Just when I was about to lift my head again, I noticed something shiny shimmering in the moonlight. I quickly made my way over to it.
It was a ring, pure silver. It must have been my mates. An idea suddenly popped into my head and I raced back to my room. I will find my mate no matter what the cost.
