Beneath the Waves (Ocean Song Book 1)

Chapter 32: The Date of the Wedding

"Have you been feeling any form of pain anywhere?"

Serena suppresses a groan as her hands grip tightly onto the edge of Arcelia's bed, that she's been seated on all morning. She fixes the healer with an annoyed look as he studies every inch of her being with bothersome meticulousness. His short brown hair, despite being in water, is neatly done and is barely bothered by any movement he makes. It almost makes her wonder if that's just another form of magic, but she quickly dismisses the thought as a stupid one.

"Again, I feel no pain," she says tiredly as the healer adjusts the glasses on his face. Every now and again, his brown irises will flicker to her face back to the unique colors of her tail. As if his annoying observations weren't enough, it does nothing for her mood to have him study her tail as well.

Princess Arcelia abruptly says, "Something is quite clearly wrong! Your return to the palace was most alarming! You were pale, and hardly heard anything happening around you!" Her pouty red lips are downturned in a frown as her sea green gaze narrows and stares at her fixedly.

To which Serena replies, "You are overacting! I have told you a dozen times that I am fine!"

"You woke the whole east wing with your terrified screaming! The guards nearly bursted into your room thinking you were being attacked!"

At this her cheeks redden slightly as she finds that she can find no response in this exact moment. She hadn't been aware that her nightmares had incited that kind of reaction. Back on land Caspian would already be at her bedside by the time her eyes popped open. Even now, she can hear the soothing baritone of his voice coaxing her into a state of calm with a few gentle words. He would sit beside her until she fell asleep again, and pet her hair to ease her active mind. Such thoughts leave her with a painful feeling in her chest when her mind decides to remind her of his disappearance.

"-more rest and a little less excitement if it can be helped." She rapidly blinks a few times as the healer's voice pierces her thought process. She immediately hones in on the healer preparing his things and Princess Arcelia fussing over any treatments to help her with her ailings.

"Is that really it?!" Princess Arcelia asks, aghast at what she's hearing.

The healer offers her a gentle smile as he replies, "Yes, Your Highness. Peace and rest will serve to calm her mind, and allow herself to recover from the events of the previous days."

"Very well then," she sighs before continuing, "I thank you for your services. You are dismissed."

The healer deeply bows with another soft smile before gathering his things. Afterwards, he quickly leaves the room with a swish of his blue tail.

As soon as the door closes, Princess Arcelia wastes no time in rushing up to Serena. She claims a firm grasp on her hands as she stares at her with a determined look in her eyes. At this point, Serena can only guess what it is the princess is thinking.

Suddenly, she exclaims, "We shall head into the city today!"

However, such a declaration leaves Serena quite confused by her meaning. "What on earth are you saying?" Were it not for the fact that they had a friendship, Serena would never have been allowed to speak to royalty this way.

Princess Arcelia grins. "You have yet to actually get a look at the city, so now is an ideal time for a grand tour." The excitement seems to give her a measure of radiance in her smile as she adds with a mischievous twinkle in her eyes, "Along with some shopping too, of course!"

At this, Serena suppresses a groan. Even the thought of shopping is liable to send her fleeing in the other direction. She never much cared for it on land, since the very activity itself seemed to bore her beyond belief. Zale, more often than not, would spend a good thirty minutes impressing upon her the value of looking good. Even though he and the rest of her brothers would send any guy interested in her running in the opposite direction. Of course she never voiced this contradiction to him, but now that he's missing she finds that she misses such annoying lectures.