The Forgotten Waters.

Chapter Twenty-One: Behind

"How did you get away Penelope?" Aiden couldn't help his curiosity. The male cocked his head. He glanced towards Caspian, who was up ahead with Lana, and the other higher class warriors. Being in open water, no one was really making any noise or even trying to stir. Everything was taken rather seriously at this point. They only had so much time to get from place to place. Initially, getting everyone to go back out into the open water was already difficult. No one wanted to be killed. No one wanted abducted.

Penelope glanced at Aiden before looking away, "You know, I don't know if you would believe me if I told you. Gal didn't even seem to."

"Well I'm NOT Gal. Your grumpy mate should lighten up." Aiden shook his head. The male mumbled. Those orange eyes glistened, shimmering like the sands with almost a golden glow. Aiden looked towards Caspian. He frowned a bit. The merman couldn't help but wish things were alright. He had thought Caspian was so close to opening up. Now, he wasn't sure.

"Gal saved me, Aiden. If he hadn't shoved me out of the way I would had been harpooned. He's my partner. He isn't as bad as what everyone thinks. He's just misunderstood." Penelope without a second thought defended Gal. She always had. "The ones that took me, they were mermaids with the Land Walkers, but when they were taking us away, another group of them attacked and even cut me loose.." Penelope looked at Aiden, "I, I don't think that they're all bad, Aiden. I think that there are some that will help us."

Aiden processed what Penelope said for a moment. He nodded before looking back towards her, "If that's true, then maybe we can get them to help us towards the Forgotten Waters? If we found some, maybe they would help." The male smiled. Truly, he always hoped that there was good in them, but at times that wasn't the case. The merman looked towards Caspian, "I don't know if he would like them to help though."

Penelope shrugged as she flapped her tail, "It scared me. I remember seeing the Land Walkers jump from their boat. They shot their own to protect me. They wore this, I'm not sure, blue sash? All of them. Maybe they're the good ones." She rubbed her chest, "They helped me in the water and I just swam as fast as I could back home, and knowing Caspian, I doubt any Land Walker is welcome around us. We don't even know if we can trust merpeople anymore, Aiden."

Aiden listened. He paid attention to everything she said, even making sure to listen when she mentioned the ones who had rescued her. Caspian wouldn't be keen to letting them around. The mermaid was right. They couldn't even trust outsiders anymore. Everyone was a threat at this point, but he did give a light nodd at the mention of the Land Walkers. His head felt funny. The male brought his hand up and held his forehead. The talk of the blue sash, had seemed to had jogged a memory that Aiden had from long ago. A passing from hands, but that was it.

"Aiden? Hey, Aiden..." Penelope pulled on her friends arm. The girl jumped as the merman pulled back from her quite suddenly. The mermaid jumped, glancing back at the pod, "Come on Aiden. We can't be floating around alone out here. It's dangerous."

Aiden looked at Penelope. His heart felt like it was going to burst from his chest. He reached his hand up and held his chest. The merman's finn's had raised. He swallowed, and nodded, "Yeah, Penelope we shouldn't wait around." He took her hand and gave them a push forward with his tail. The male had gone quiet for the most part. He didn't seem to interested in talking anymore. The male had gone quiet, seeming to be lost in some of his deepest thoughts.

"Aiden, are you alright?" She looked up towards Caspian and then back at Aiden. The small mermaid looked at him for a moment, tilting her head lightly as she pointed at Aiden's neck, "That hurt, huh?" Penelope pointed at her back, "Gal hid mine. I see Caspian made yours pretty, out there."

"What's wrong with that?" Aiden reached up and held his neck, his face darkened as he looked at Penelope and then away suddenly.

"What? Oh nothing, Aiden.. I'm actually jealous. My mother always told me it should be a private thing but, I think it's nice, being able to see it. Gal and I had been in the middle of it when they found us." Penelope sighed softly. It wasn't the best memory for anyone, when it was supposed to be a rather sacred night. It seemed all the good was blocked by the bad. She reached up and rubbed her shoulder, "Aiden, why aren't you up there with Caspian?"

Aiden was distant, seeming to shrug it off, "Caspian is upset about Drake. I'd, I'd rather not bother him right now. Not just that but I'm still nervous. I hardly know how to act around him, and what if I don't cycle? He's a prince, he won't have a heir." Aiden spoke quietly. That seemed to still weigh so heavy.

"Aiden.." She reached over and took his hand, "You're healthy. You're vibrant. There's no doubt you'll get pregnant. You'll be able to complete the bond I'm sure. Besides, you're special. I'll have to hurt him if he doesn't take care of you."

Aiden laughed a bit as he reached up and rubbed his stomach, "I suppose you're right, but I don't think this is a good time to, you know.." He flushed. Aiden brought his hand up and held his cheek with his free hand. Aiden could hardly even talk about his and Caspian's time. It made him nervous, but excited all at once. Talking about his time with Caspian was hard. Aiden was quite modest in that regard, "Did you two get any further then the mark?" Aiden was quick to change subject. The male grinned, seeming to relax as he looked at Penelope, "What about that, hmm?"

The female's face flushed. She brought her hands back and crossed her arms, "Hey, I asked you first. I told you. We didn't finish, but we got pretty far." The girl giggled softly, but she simply shrugged her shoulders, doing her best to play it off like she wasn't to modest to talk about it, "He almost put it-"

"Penelope..!" Aiden poked her cheek, "I think you saw the furthest we've gotten when you just popped in when we were leaving." The male mumbled, his face darkened, "Nothing has happened other then this." He pointed at the mark, "And after that, he's probably afraid to be seen with me.." Aiden sighed softly as he looked forward. He and Caspian had stayed clothed, even seeming to show restraints when it came to going further, "Maybe, maybe I should talk to him."

"That's a great id-"

"After we get somewhere private."

_____

Lana though in the front, occasionally glanced back at the group. They had been swimming for some time now, but she wasn't always looking forward. The queen was always looking around them, observing the open waters. The mermaid glanced towards her people, Caspian, Aiden. The female had caught Aiden's odd display, the way he had seemed to just, freeze. The female knew immediately something was wrong, but she simply turned forward, and spoke to Caspian, "Caspian, when the sun is nearly set, we swim down. If we keep this pace, we should make it to the shell caves for the night. It has separate quarters."

The queen swam forward and wrapped her arms around his bicep. Lana hugged herself to him. She leaned up and kissed Caspian's cheek, "My son, if Aiden is to be the mother of my grandchildren, your queen, he shouldn't be in the back of the pod." Lana pressed her cheek to his. The mermaid was always openly affectionate unlike Caspian and Drake. She was never bothered by it like they were, "Your father was the same way you know. When we first courted, Drake wouldn't even hold my hand." Lana moved back to her spot as she continued to swim, "He learned that I needed to be by his side. Not behind him, my son." The queen was a loving mermaid. Elegant, and always calm. Even in danger, she seemed to hold a rather strong front, "Don't close like a clam because you're upset, Caspian. Aiden needs you too. The two of you marked I see? That's special my dear. I'm sorry if we interrupted like-"

"Mother..." Caspian didn't say much else. He never showed affection around anyone. Aiden had really been the first to see any displays himself, but it was already seeming to be a struggle to show who Aiden belonged to. Even with the mark, Caspian was keeping a distance from Aiden. It's what he was used to, but he nodded, "We had done it last night before those lights appeared."

"Why didn't you complete your bond?" Lana frowned. The woman was one of tradition and always had been.

"Do I really need to explain why we didn't, mother?" Caspian and Lana whispered back and forth. The queen was forward at times. Truly, the prince assumed his mother was distracting her mind. What else could she do after what had happened to Drake?

Lana frowned, seeming to chuckle a bit though after a moment, "You should take time with Aiden. Rest, bond! I want little one's swimming around when we get to these waters." The queen smiled sadly before looking back at Aiden, "You should appreciate every moment you have with Aiden. Trust me when I say it's a true treasure to have, Caspian." Lana patted his hand softly, "Don't waste it all looking forward. Sometimes looking right next to you is all it takes to forget. Don't leave him behind."

'Not again..'