Flounder Boy

Chapter 3 - Perhaps Flight

Kyran darted towards the back doors for the Prince. He could faintly remember the silhouette. The outline of her (whomever she may be).

Her dress flared out at the ankles and had subtle shoulder poofs. From what he could make out from the dark figure, she had fairly short hair. But the vision faded away as it was replaced with curious thoughts about the Prince. Most settling on one question. Why had he left?

However, he could possibly ask himself the same question. For before Kyran could really understand the meaning of his legs, he was upon them. He never believed himself to be adventurous, but perhaps legs were a missing piece to revealing some of his personality. They did feel natural to him, while a mertail always felt a little tight and binding. Maybe legs were required for jumping, dancing… for being his human self again.

He scurried around the stage to a narrow walkway, and… well there was no one there.

Prince Jerick couldn’t have disappeared. Well, he could have… but it just didn’t seem likely. The Prince just didn’t seem of the sort to endorse enchantments.

Anyways, all there was was a wall ornate with pink and blue print running up and down and all around and-- a crease in the wallpaper? He neared. A lift in the wall? He ran his fingers along the ledge. The wall shifted. It was a not-so-much-so-hidden-from-him hidden door.

He entered into a dark space and closed the door behind him. He rubbed his eyes to adjust. They’d prefer not to.

Damn eyes. He felt around the room for some sign of an exit. He crawled on the floor until he spotted a crack of light in the short distance.

After much trippery, he swung the door opened and realized he reached the same looking door he entered through.

Damn door. He stumbled out. Ah, forget it, he thought as he slammed the door closed behind him, which was surprisingly soft sounding and put a slight damper on his ego.

He supposed it didn’t matter. He was fairly concerned with where the Prince had gone, but why would that be more enthralling than knowing who had made him leave in the first place. Perhaps, it was because he’d find out who she was later, and he wouldn’t be able to know why the Prince had left the scene later. Perhaps. But it was just a thought.

Not that it matters anymore. His legs had made the decision. And he was about to see for himself who the Princess of the faraway kingdom was.

He sauntered out expecting to hear a rumble of mumbles. But instead he heard an echo of weaselly voice followed by a wail from another.

Kyran walked around the corner of narrow hall behind the stage to find a ballroom completely void of people. Did everyone just clear out like the plague was upon them? What happened? Is there an epidemic? A crisis?

He averted to the giant doors closing behind someone’s coattail. The doors boomed shut. He ran across the ballroom hoping to find out what had happened.

Instead, as he walked out into the hall he found himself immediately ducking. And there was Prince Jerick in the near distance while Dmitri scuttled after him.

Kyran hid behind an annoying potted fern. He didn’t know how a plant could be so annoying, but it was. As he fumbled to find a break in its leaves, he could see Whiskers running wildly for the Prince. He would be the first to notice that the Prince was gone. What an obsessive little man.

“Sire! Sire!” called out Whiskers.

Kyran crouched down lower as the Prince turned around swaying with a bottle of booze. He couldn’t think how Jerick had come upon a drink so fast, but there he was, wobbling as if he were on a fairly rickety boat.