Tick-Tock

It was far easier to convince her people to board the ship this time around; only requiring an explanation of their voyage and the brief threat of gathering the people of the kingdom yet again. The counsel-men discussed preparations as well as food rations and amount to pack before going their separate ways. Unable to relax, Emily began to check, re-check, and re-re-check the boat, crew, counsel, rations, and anything else she could find to distract her thoughts from the tidal wave of worry and guilt that threatened them. Many of her people urged her to rest, but she would wave them off with assurance that she would sleep once her friend was safe.

Everything was in place by the time the boat had left the shore with the counsel throwing their stomachs over the sides. Emily paced the deck as she search the distance for the rock-cropping Sebastian was to meet them at and hoped beyond anything that he was able to do his part. With only a moment or so left to spare, the humans reached the location, but they were alone. It wasn't long before the men began to complain and question their princess, but she simply explained that it was not as easy to tell time under the surface since they could not see the sun; the merfolk were only a bit later than expected. They believed her instantly. She only wished she could believe it herself as anxiety built up within her.

Where were they?

It was morning by the time Sebastian reached the kingdom, but he wasted no time on decencies as he entered the palace as quickly as his fins would take him. After the king's initial outburst, the guard asked him to call for his daughters due to an emergency of sorts. It took far too long to convince him, but he eventually obliged, leaving the two mermen to wait in heavy silence until they arrived. More time passed by as they slowly entered the room, but Sebastian immediately rushed to explain his discoveries and plan to the family of his charge to make up for it.

As expected, Triton bellowed in rage, but to the guard's surprise, the king calmed instantly when met with a tight-lipped glare of disappointment from his eldest daughter. Evidently there was something going on between the two of them. Sighing, the monarch calmly attempted to veer his guard off of his alliance with the humans; claiming that this had nothing to do with them. Attina surprised him once again by arguing heatedly with her father until he understood that they needed any help they could get. Sebastian was unable to ignore the passing seconds as the two went back and forth with their opinions, but- finally -the king agreed and they began to throw their options into the open to discuss any possible way to void the contract.

Time flew by as they debated; only breaking for meals and sleep, but still nothing came without a loophole that Uriah was sure to spot. It was only then that Sebastian noticed the time of day and all but scolded himself for not paying attention. From there, it was only a matter of a hours before the guards, monarchs, and able merfolk were gathered and lead to the surface by their king and his top guard.

Emily sighed in relief as soon as she spotted Sebastian's head break the surface, but nothing could compare to her heart's clench at the sheer amount of merfolk willing to meet them under such circumstances.

Calming the humans, the princess worked with Sebastian to explain the situation and their desired outcome as well as the odds against them. As soon as the problem was out in the open, multiple voices wasted no time in raising their own thoughts above others until different possibilities were brought up, discussed, and shot down only to be replaced by another. Hours passed with this vicious cycle as their anticipation began to heighten and they began to fear there was no way out; that is, until one voice spoke an idea that warranted no argument. Scenarios tested this theory again and again as it proved to be a possible was out.

Hope shine through their hearts and before anyone could recall how, a plan was set into fruition. Ideas and options were passed around to anyone willing to play a part in this. All too soon, however, the sun set on the horizon and they had to part ways. With assignments placed on all those able to help, everyone was abuzz with excitement at the prospect of their returned prince/friend. The plan, unfortunately would take time; time they knew they didn't have to waste.

The clock was ticking.

Uriah had come for two more visits. Both times he brought food, waited for Aaron to eat, and left without saying a word.

If he had to guess, the last was close to a day ago. He was being starved; not just of food, but also of company and more space than this small cove had to offer. It was obvious that Uriah was trying to mold him back into the reliant slave he had been before he visited Atlantica, but even with the knowledge it was becoming harder to fight the pull. He could feel the resistance he had built up being torn down by each lonely moment as hunger and claustrophobia ate away at his will; it wasn't going to hold out much longer.

There was little left to distract him from his situation. The first few days did not impact him as harshly due to his wandering thoughts, but he had long since run out. There were only so many times he could replay his freedom before the images began to blur. After running out of memories to reflect on, Aaron began to create scenarios of the escape he could stage. He decided that he would- should he ever be let out of this room -as soon as Uriah's back was turned, sneak into the contract room. Destroying his written bond with the creature should be enough to set him free, but he would wait to leave the caverns until Uriah didn't suspected anything. He would slip out when he was sent to bring in a customer or he would find a potion that could temporarily incapacitate his captor long enough for him to reach the safety of Atlantica.

More options flooded his mind as he let the thought run rampant, but there was always that whispering voice in that denied their success due to the contract. Destroying it would do nothing for him nor would stealing it, hiding it, or rewriting it. He was, by all intents and purposes, trapped on that scroll.

Sleep did not come easy with hopelessness running through his veins; then again it hadn't come easy since he was chained to the wall. Unable to properly lie down, he was forced to lean against the uneven stone covered in sharp protrusions of rock that seemed to bit at him at his every move. He surprised himself on multiple occasions when he would actually reach for the chain's place in the wall as if he was going to disconnect it, but he was always either shot down by fear or reminded that it was fastened with magic that he could not undo.

Soon, however, those attempts ceased as did his thoughts of escape along with any other thought he had once occupied himself with. It got to a point that he would be just as silent as Uriah when it came time to eat. He no longer inhaled his small servings nor did he feel the slightest bit of emotion toward the creature after the 'door' was back in place. By the fifth or six meal (he had lost the desire to count) he simply sat quietly as he was passed his plate, ate without any sign of his mounting hunger, and return the dish to his master whose smirk slowly began to grow on his face at the sight of his humbled prisoner.

It had been just under two weeks when the boy's bright blue eyes began to dim into the darkness around him. His resistance and hope had faded away, leaving him as empty as he was before Sebastian's discovery. Uriah had seen this and grinned wickedly. The wait would soon be over and the lost prince would revert back into the mindless slave he had once been.

His time was running out.