The Mer Prince

Chapter 47

XY's POV

Charley is acting dodgy as feather star coral when I swim by. Ursula and him had a chat this morning, and I overheard Ursula saying something like the king was going to die by her hand, and I was rooting for her, but Charley started acting weird immediately afterwards, not staying beside me until breakfast.

For some reason, everyone was gathered together for a morning meal around a flat stone. The Octi King sat with John resting in several of his arms, Charley sat beside John, I sat beside Charley, Ursula sat beside the King, and Cavandan sat in the last space available between me and Ursula. The lights above us are just steadily-bobbing angler fish in a box, giving the room an uncomfortable pale light that does not seem to bother the octi, but I can see Cavandan squirm. The King's droning to servants became the background noise as he ordered out three men to go to Atlantis for spying and retrieval.

Servant octi bring forwards foods that I remember eating as a kid, black meats and squid chunks, and Charley looks towards me with a bit of confusion and a look that tells me he thinks it's gross. To be fair, the meal is disgusting to mers, but I do the best thing I can for him is cut everything up. His smile is my reward, and he even tried to be gracious and stuff his cute cheeks. Though he looked like he wanted to puke immediately after.

"Today I will be off to gather supplies." Ursula breaks the stiffness first, wiping her mouth and having finished her meal. "What I will be concocting requires a fair amount of ingredients that can all be found around here."

"Would you like guards?" Alpha asks, deep and polite.

"A witch can handle herself." Ursula merely huffed, before looking to Charley. "You know what you have to do today. Don't go anywhere without guards." She warned him cryptically, before reaching over the table to ruffle his hair.

"Right." Charley smiles, but everyone can tell he is far from enthusiastic about whatever he has to do. Ursula gives him a nod, before leaving his hair alone and going for the exit.

"What does Charley have to do?" Cavandan voices the question for everyone else at the table. His plate is untouched, his eyes squinting towards Charley.

"None of your business!" Ursula calls behind her, before disappearing. Charley looks a little uncomfortable with Cavandan still staring, so I move between them, blocking my lover from his gauging view.

A soft hand is placed on my shoulder, and I turn to look at Charley. "Can I speak to you?" He asks softly. "In private?"

My eyes trail up behind him towards Alpha, who gestures to the room I shared with Charley. Of course, I nod to Charley's request and take him back. I noticed he had not eaten more than a few bites of his meal, definitely holding something on his mind.

"What is going on?" I ask Charley as we circle one another in the room, before settling on the silt bed, side by side. Charley takes ahold of my arm and presses his soft face to my shoulder. I know something is weighing on him and I use my free hand to gently trace his gentle body, grateful to see him relaxing.

"I need you to do something. But I am scared...." Charley hides his face from me, taking small, panicked breaths.

"Lover, I will do anything for you." I assure him, wanting to gather him in my arms for a hug, but leaving him how he is comfortable. His grip tightens at my words and I can feel him nod.

"That is not the problem. I know you would do anything for me, you have told me before, but I am scared of losing you. Or seeing you hurt because of me." Charley sounds so worried he's close to crying.

My heart feels constricted, and I can't imagine for the life of me what he wants me to do. But I tell him, "I will do anything for you without fail. Whatever you want me to do, just tell me and I will make it so." These are easy truths, and I mean what I say.