Hello all!

Please do not murder me for how long it has taken to get this chapter up. Ngl, ya girl been struggling. For all my griping about college, now that I've graduated and am done with it but not this, in the middle of a pandemic and the world burning around us, writing about two punks falling in love is...like, all I've got haha. So! It's incredibly cheesy, it's incredibly bubbly. For context, I think I wrote the first part of this chapter back in the beginning of the summer. There were so many drafts, so many deleted paragraphs, so many different turns. And we are left with this cluster, which I still like because it's cute, but am going to forever wish was more.

I have been job hunting for a publishing career any time I haven't been banging this chapter with a hammer trying to get it to morph into a nice shape. Not alot of luck, but hopefully things are turning around? I got in contact with some people - idk, I really don't wanna get my hopes up but ooo it'd be so nice! My current job is super easy despite all the racists I deal with, and gross customers, but good lord. How much fun I'm gonna have when I get the dream job?

Oh! Also, I've been really really really REALLY considering moving this story to Ao3. Mostly because of all those nasty hentai ads that literally interrupt your reading and make this website an actual hell when you just wanna read. So, lemme know if you'd follow a move there! (I'm also considering putting it on there and then still updating here, if you'd prefer that please let me know!)

Anyways, I hope you all are staying safe during these uncertain times! I hope you're staying calm, and as productive and happy as you can be! Wear your masks, love yourself, love your works, and all good vibes. Til next time! Remember, review!

The fire crackled, sending out pulses of warmth to the two brothers currently sitting in front of it.

Zen held tight to the cup of hot chocolate in his hands, a blanket tossed over his head and curling around him like a gentle hug. He was full of physical warmth, but inside he still felt cold. Not helping were the stunned silences from his older brother and mom.

The cabin in the middle of the woods in the castle's fortified walls was the only place in the walls Zen could be completely free of his title. Same with Izana, and of course, same with his mother. This was the point, naturally. Zen eyed his mother from where she sat just across from him, leaning forward in her rocking chair, a knitted blanket over her thighs. It ached at him to see the exhaustion lines under her eyes, the way her naturally curly hair was graying. He had almost worried her to death, and for a woman who was allergic to castles but was also the Queen of a country – that was saying something.

Izana took a long sip of his hot chocolate. He had let his hair down, and unbuttoned his shirt to make it even more comfortable. He had a blanket around his shoulders as well, though his rested only on his shoulders instead of his head. That was well enough, as the Prince couldn't stop shaking his head.

Zen bit his lip and resisted the urge to pull the blanket over his eyes. His eyes still burned from so many tears, and his nose felt hot from too many tissues. He wasn't totally sure why the Atlantian body had hurt him so much. He knew he had been out of the castle for too long and the Knights were probably about to have a tantrum – not to mention the scowl Lord Haruka's face would be twisted into. But he needed his family to react to him – tell him he wasn't crazy, believe him, maybe slap him, anything.

Finally, his mother spoke. "I thought I told you to stay away from the Ocean."

This made Izana bark a laugh. "He didn't have a choice, Mom."

Zen's mom crossed her arms and leaned back, sending her feet off the ground just slightly. "I don't care. He was home and he went back."

Zen had to smile. "I was under a spell."

"Excuses."

This finally made Zen's lips crack into a grin, and he laughed. It felt like healing eucalyptus over his chest, numbing the pain just enough to remove the gray from his vision. He rubbed at his eyes with the knuckle of his wrist.

"I wanna meet this Shirayuki." Izana murmured after he had finished. "She sounds interesting."

"She's a mermaid, of course she does." Their mother chastised. She stood. Haruto was tall, but not intimidating. Of course, she was royalty, and Izana got most of his cunning from her. But you would never guess it from the way she smiled, laughed, and slumped her shoulders. Zen liked to think that Izana and Zen were her two sides – her royal persona and her actual personality. "More pressingly, we need to ask her how to properly bury an Atlantian body. I doubt they would have wanted to be buried in the earth, but I don't want to just toss them back into the ocean without the proper fanfare."

Zen sipped his coco. "I'm worried about what she will say when she finds out. She already hates us, I don't want to do anything to make her uncomfortable. Er, moreso than she already is."

"She doesn't hate you." His mother argued, kneeling next to the fire. Meticulously, she grabbed the poker and began carefully turning logs, sending more heat through the cabin. "And it would be worse to hide it from her. I don't know how many times I've had to tell you boys this, but we are not our ancestors. They made their choices, we accept that." She turned, blue eyes reflecting the flames. "But remember this. We are not our ancestors. We don't know their names, none are hailed as heroes. And blaming ourselves for what our bloodline did will-"

"-Do nothing to cease the hurt." Zen and Izana finished in sync, nodding.

She grinned. "Good boys." She flipped one more log, then put the poker back into its bucket and cupped Zen's face. "Your mermaid knows this by now, surely."

"I have told her." He mused. Multiple times, back when this all started.

His mother kept studying, eyes squinting as she studied him.

"What?" He smiled under her silly gaze.

"I'm so disappointed I didn't get to see you with a tail."

Zen blushed and pushed away from his mom. "Mom!" He complained. "It was terrifying!"

"But pretty?" She persisted. His pulling away had dislodged the blanket from over his head, and his mother reached out to readjust it.

"Sure. Whatever." Zen chuckled.

Izana checked his watch. "This certainly explains why your report was so lame."

"You make me a better one, and we can go with that." Zen nodded.

Izana leaned forward, staring into the fire. Zen and his mother exchanged a knowing look as Izana slipped into his critical thinking position, lifting his intertwined hands to his lips and barely hunching over – for him it was a large curve, for any normal folk his spine was just barely bent. "I wonder though…should we tell our people? From what it sounds like, our ancestor was reluctant to let the records of this past war die." Izana nudged the memoir with his leg. The water had dried a while ago, and once again the book was blank. Zen had already shown them the Aigua, demonstrating the way the book had hidden its secrets. But they had not read through the whole collection just yet – no time. Zen was tempted to leave it to his mother, but he also knew he needed Shirayuki to see it as soon as possible.

"I don't know how we would tell them. There's still so much we don't know about it ourselves."

Zen's mom sighed and knelt next to him, pulling him against her side. She threaded her fingers through his now clean cut hair. "We should wait. No action is needed besides finding a proper way to bury that poor soul. We all need to do some more research – namely reading that book." She nodded to the memoir. Her gaze turned to the fire, and her arm tightened around Zen's shoulders, fingers digging in almost to the point of pain. "And we need to investigate the Bergatt household again."

Izana groaned and ruffled his hair, straightening. "I've had a spy planted on them for about four months now, and his last notice wasn't exactly helpful."

Both Izana's brother and mom directed their gaze expectantly to the Prince.

Izana huffed. "All we've gathered is that they are slowly gaining political power, swaying the people. They've been pressuring the security there to loosen up." He screwed his lips. "So, nothing diabolical yet, but enough to worry about an uprising."

Zen hummed. "Unless the uprising is part of this grande old war."

His mother squeezed his hand. "I wanna know when the next New Moon is, we have to keep you safe. You and your girlfriend."

Zen flushed and yanked his hand away from his mom, nearly spilling his hot chocolate. "She is not-"

"Do you think that the Bergatts could use the New Moon to strike?" Izana interrupted.

Zen paused, and his mother sighed before standing. She clasped her hands together and stared at the fire, the light making her eyes seem golden. "It's possible. Zen had an encounter with the pirates where they used an earthen sword."

The brothers sat silently while the thoughts of their mother crowded the cabin.

Finally, she turned, fast enough that her robes sent a gentle breeze over the fire. "I think the answer is clear. Zen will go to the Bergatts. He'll get to the truth, even if he has to go underground for it." Her eyes darkened. Zen was reminded of the Queen who won the war and saved the kingdom when he was a child.

"I'll go too." Izana put down his hot coco.

"No, you won't." Haruto shook her head. It's hard to be intimidating with a cup of hot chocolate and a knitted blanket over your shoulders, but the Queen silhouetted herself behind the blaze, the fire in her own eyes enough to quell that behind her. "You're going to be covering for Zen, and secretly preparing an elite force for the New Moon. I want not a single slip of the guards' new training. Also, you have homework. I'll help you look into the Atlantian war, and investigate the hidden library. We're tightening security on our family heirlooms."

Izana nodded.

Zen looked up as Haruto turned to him. "Zen, as soon as this Shirayuki is well enough to travel, you will take her to the Bergatt house. Whatever is out there, whatever magic the earth will throw at you, you will need her."

Zen nodded. "I'll take Mitsuhide and Kiki. We can go under the guise of checking on the knights' training." He lifted his cup in a mock salute. "I have a lot of sway with them." He took a sip, then frowned. "If King Edgard has anything to say about the powers that be, I'll find out." He pulled the book towards him again with his foot. "I'm gonna be up late tonight."

His mother twisted her mouth slightly, but Izana nodded. "Meet with me tomorrow to discuss it."

Zen sighed and pushed his hand through his hair, feeling uncomfortable at how little he could actually pull before it simply ended. "I will." He gulped down the rest of his hot chocolate. He looked to his brother, and to his mother, who knelt by him again. "This…this is the scariest thing that we will ever face. We can't fight the Earth."

"No," Izana agreed after a pause; "but we can fight the Bergatts."

His mom lifted a finger. "Eroihel Lake is right next to the knight's base. Why don't you guys spend the night there? He couldn't hurt you on the water."

Zen grabbed his mom's hand. "But he could hurt you. Or the castle. Or the civilizations. No, I think it's better he keep his attention on us."

Izana sighed. "We'll cross that bridge when it comes to it."

His mom nodded. "You're right. For now, go ask your girlfriend what to do with that poor soul in the basement."

"We aren't dating!"

"Well you should be." She scoffed and gently thumped him on the back of the head. "I didn't raise you to be clueless." She yanked the prince into a hug before he could protest again. "I'm so, so glad you're alright." She hissed, holding him tight.

Zen let his arms wrap around his mom, squeezing the blanket tight in his hands. He blinked back the tears. She shifted and opened her arm to Izana, who sighed and leaned his head on her shoulder with a small smile.

"I hate my own inability. But believe me, I know you boys. You have your father's spirit, and you are my family. We are the strongest blood in the Clarines kingdom, and we will make sure our country is safe from any enemy, be the primordial god or not."

That got a snicker out of Zen, and Izana huffed.

"I love you both." Haruto murmured.

"Love you, too." The boys echoed.

Shirayuki was thoroughly caught up in the world of the Above Surface plants. As much as part of her wanted to hate it, she couldn't help but admire the colors, the uses, and the smells. She was kneeling next to the led pharmacist, Garack, when a man with a scarf around his head burst through the door. She shivered at the cool air as she turned, hands dripping a deliciously soft soil.

"Yatsufusa?" Garack questioned. She stood, brushing her hands off on her smock. "What can I do for you?"

"Have you seen the Princes'?" He asked, slightly out of breath.

Shirayuki straightened, her side aching slightly. But it didn't stop her. Zen's healing hymn had really begun to kick in from that morning, and she felt very little pain to move. True, not perfect yet, but she could get to her feet in only a few seconds. "Zen, too?"

Yatsufusa studied her, but nodded. "Yes. He left his aids standing outside of Izana's office, and they refuse to explain why no one is in there anymore."

Garack shook her head, baffled. "I've heard of Prince Zen running away in his youth, but I thought he was over that little phase."

"He's probably with his mom." Shirayuki thought aloud. She jumped when she realized Garack and Yatsufusa were staring at her. "I-I mean, I would guess. If I had to. Um." She cleared her throat and put her hands behind her back sheepishly.

Garack shrugged. "I have heard that the Queen lives within the walls, but not always. Strange for them to not tell anyone of their plans, however."

Yatsufusa, who Shirayuki was quickly realizing was very tall, hummed. "I can tell the guard who came looking. Thanks, uh-"

"Shirayuki." The ex-mermaid supplied. "Good to meet you."

He nodded. "You as well. Are you training to be a pharmacist?"

Before Shirayuki could take a breath, Garack jumped in. "Yatsufusa, you wouldn't believe how talented Shirayuki is. She knows plants so well – they just mold to her touch! That one Queen Ann's Lace patch that we couldn't get to bloom? She did it! She figured out that they were too close to the Prickle Spouts, and within seconds of moving they're blooming like they've been there for years!" Garack pointed with a stained sleeve to the small box of Lace, a happy little mesh meld of white cotton filling almost the whole box.

Shirayuki wanted to argue, but she had just sung a little bit of an encouraging hum to the plants on instinct. It wasn't an insane amount of magic, just enough to give the Lace a head start.

Yatsufusa hummed. "Well, with that kind of skill, you'll get the job in no time."

Shirayuki managed a smile. "Thank you, that's very kind."

Garack looked around, and jumped. "Oh, goodness. What time is it? How long have we been in here?"

Shirayuki looked outside. The glass walls gave a perfect view of the sinking sun, which had slanted the light and tinted it orange. It wasn't touching the surface by a long shot. Shirayuki guessed they had about an hour and a half of daylight left. Which meant – "Oh Seas." She murmured. She turned and finished her work quickly, careful to avoid any of the iron gardening tools as she slipped in the plastic ones into the bucket. She shook out the soil from her hands, brushing a leaf with her finger softly. She untied her apron. "I should be getting back." She paused. Could she get back to Zen's room safely? Without a guide? Just trying to remember the route Kiki had explained gave her a headache.

"No rush." Garack soothed. She untied her own apron, expertly folding it into a roll and sliding it into the bucket with the other garden supplies. "Why don't you come back with us into the sorting room? We'll show you were to put all we collected, and I think you need to wait for your escort, correct?"

"Uh, yes. Thank you." Shirayuki bit her lip. Garack took her apron and folded it in the same way. Shirayuki had been dodging too-personal conversations all day. She had managed to convince the ever intelligent Garack that she lived out by the sea, and wasn't from Clarines. She had told Garack she was brought to the castle by a knight, and she was staying in temporary housing on account of her family needing some extra money. It was a flimsy and weak story, and didn't explain much – like why she would need a knightly escort. But what else could she do?

They had just exited the door, Yatsufusa carrying Shirayuki's load for her on account of her injury, but they only made it two steps before stopping again.

"Oh, there you are!" Garack said.

Zen smiled and bowed politely. His hair was hideously cut, short and trim – and it framed his face well, but Shirayuki already missed his curls. "Garack, Yatsufusa, I owe you so much." He straightened, and tilted his head. "I thought it would be best to come thank you personally, and reward you for your efforts."

Shirayuki's heart thumped. Zen's eyes glimmered, and his posture was perfect. His heels touched, his hands stayed casual but tight. Under his left arm, he had tucked a very old looking book. He looked every bit the part of the Prince of Clarines Kingdom. She tightened her hands around themselves. He was gorgeous, and intimidating, and Shirayuki wasn't sure she could keep looking at him.

"Ah, and two birds with one stone, I can pick up Miss Shirayuki as well and walk her home for the night."

Shirayuki had to bit back a snort, and she gave him a look.

He smirked at her, then turned back to Garack, who put down her load and rushed to embrace him. To Shirayuki's relief, Zen grinned and hugged the pharmacist tightly. He wasn't the first to let go, and instead lifted his arm to embrace Yatsufusa as well.

"We were so worried! We were certain you died!" Garack exclaimed.

Yatsufusa huffed. "Garack looked through all of her stocks from top to bottom after you ran off. She was sure she accidentally poisoned you."

"I had reason to believe that!"

The trio laughed, and finally the medical pharmacists let the Prince go. "Thank you for your help. Come on. What can I carry? Let me explain everything on the way."

"Her." Garack grumbled, pointing so sharply to Shirayuki she jumped.

"M-Me?" She half laughed, pressing her fingers on her chest.

"You've been on your feet all day, and I don't know how your wound hasn't reopened because of the strain, but I'm not accepting it any longer."

Zen gave Shirayuki an eyebrow raised look – a look that clearly read as Are you alright?

Shirayuki sighed and shifted her weight. "I'm a little sore, but not so much that I need to be carried."

"At least let me be your crutch." Zen offered, stepping past the pharmacists and standing next to Shirayuki.

She sighed and pursed her lips for a second, but relenting. She slung her arm around Zen and he held under her weight. I'll go along with you, but only because I don't want to cause more suspicion.

He cast her a look. I know.

They moved towards the office, Garack and Yatsufusa talking excitedly about how well Izana had treated them, and how they were being nailed by what felt like everyone else except him on Zen's location. Zen laughed and offered a few short answers, saving the full explanation for the office.

Shirayuki wondered as they walked. How well did she know Zen, exactly? She didn't know where his mother was actually, she hadn't seen him all day – but she knew he was with his mom? And what on earth was that body language conversation they had just had? More importantly than how well she knew him, how well did he know her?

In the office, Shirayuki sat and watched as the trio put their herbs away. In her lap, she held the ragged book. She gave it a temporary flip through, and didn't understand what was so special about it. The paper was all ragged and crumpled, and it was entirely blank. But as Zen finally explained, his story was almost outrageous as the truth, she lost interest in it's blank binding.

"I thought that I had to go to the ocean to stop the pain." Zen laughed, rubbing the back of his neck, apparently sheepish. "Then a fisherman picked me up and dragged me kicking and swimming back to shore. After the storm, I got sent home via hay carriage. Can you believe that?" He laughed, as if the story was just as outrageous to him.

Shirayuki wasn't fooled in the slightest. Zen was a horrible liar.

But Garack and Yatsufusa were astounded, and completely buying into it.

Shirayuki shook her head softly in the lowering light, baffled.

Soon enough, the topic changed to her, and her progress in the day. Zen winked at her with a knowing smile after Garack praised her ability with the Lace. "That so?"

Shirayuki hated how her ears reddened and she bit on her tongue to keep from sticking it out at him.

Finally, everything was sorted, and it was time to go back to Zen's study.

When out of sight of the couple, Zen let Shirayuki take her arm back. "How's the wound, really?" He asked, voice sounding more relaxed now that he wasn't playing Prince.

"About as good as the hair." She had to mock.

He scoffed and ran his hands through the do. "Shut up. I can't help it my barber held me hostage."

She snorted and crossed her arms. They were alone in the hallway, which seemed strange to Shirayuki. "Where are all the guards? Now that they know you're here."

"Ah, you doubt me so." He faked looking wounded. "I know all of the guard's stations, we're purposefully dodging them so they don't ask me about you."

"Oh yeah, I forgot you're paranoid."

"Desperate." Zen corrected, elbowing her in the arm. "I'm desperate. Castle life is suffocating."

Shirayuki looked at the redness in Zen's eyes. "Clearly. You gave quite the poor story to Garack and Yatsufusa."

"Hey, I did great!"

"You're a terrible liar."

"No, you just see through my lies because you're one of the lucky ones who actually know me."

Shirayuki blinked at that. She thought back to the non-verbal conversation they had, and let out a surprised sound.

Zen cast her a look.

"I guess you're right." Shirayuki muttered. She shook her head. "So, what did you do with your day? Besides be attacked by a barber." She grinned as Zen scowled and looked forward, stuffing his hands into his pockets.

"A lot." He sighed.

Shirayuki let her smile fall. "What's wrong?"

Zen turned to face her, stopping. "I found some…some stuff." He bit his lower lip, studying her eyes.

Shirayuki touched his elbow. "Zen. Whatever it is I won't hate you for it." She murmured.

He blinked. "How did you-"

"I don't know." She cut off with a shrug. "But it's been happening a lot."

Zen sighed and reached over to touch her hand. "I need to show you something."

Shirayuki turned her wrist and took the Prince's hand. "Okay." She murmured. "But can we go see River first?"

That, at least, made Zen grin. "Yes, ma'am."

The stalls were beautiful in the slanted, golden light. River was far too excited to stay in his stall at the sight of Shirayuki, so Zen lead River and Thunder out to an indoor pasture. The horses frolicked, kicking out with their back legs and whinnying as loud as they could. Shirayuki sat in a pile of hay next to Zen, who stuck a piece in his mouth to chew. Thunder trotted up often just to snort in his hair and then gallop away when he sat up in mock anger.

Shirayuki was so relieved to see him relax, and even more relieved to see River. One normal thing she had learned to like and rely on Above Surface. He kept nudging and sniffling at her, and turning his back to see if she would climb on.

"Please?" Shirayuki asked Zen for the third time.

"No." He swatted her thigh. "Don't even think about it." He tossed a handful of hay at River, who tossed his head in mock offense and ran around the ring to expend the joy. "You, too!"

"Don't throw hay at my horse!" Shirayuki gathered pile of the slightly scratchy food source and current chair; and dumped it on Zen's face.

The Prince sputtered and sat up, spitting strands and rapidly rubbing his scalp to get it off. "Hey!"

She snickered and looked up as River ran back towards her. The horse stomped and put his head down, and she happily rubbed her nails around his face. He leaned into it, and eventually stilled enough for Shirayuki to reach back and touch his mane. Silky and smooth after the bath the royal groomsman had given him. And no reports of lightning flashes.

"We should really get around to asking the Moon if she knows what's up with River." Zen said aloud, reading her mind.

Shirayuki sighed against River's forehead, before he pulled up sharply and called to Thunder. The two promptly began to race in a lazy, crazed gallop across the ring. She leaned against the hay pile and studied Zen. The Prince still had a piece of hay sticking out of the collar of his ridiculous shirt. The light caught his shorter hair, giving it a fuzzy affect that made it hard to see where it ended. He looked physically relaxed, but he had creases in his forehead that betrayed the turmoil in his thoughts. She resisted the urge to reach over and touch his cheek, but couldn't control the action of pulling the piece of stray from his collar. He hummed in thanks, and she flicked it away. "How was visiting your mom?"

He blinked at her – his eyes made her so homesick. "How'd you know?"

She shrugged. "I figured that's where you'd go."

He let out a small chuckle, gaze never leaving hers. "Good guess."

She poked him in the shoulder. "Just tell me already!"

He laughed again, but sighed. "It was alright. I hope you don't mind – I told her everything."

Shirayuki turned her gaze to the horses, who were now standing still and nipping playfully at each other in a weird turn based game. "I don't mind. If she can help us."

He nodded. "Which is why we really need to get back to my office."

"I'm guessing it's the book, right?"

He sat up with a sigh. "We can start there."

Fishing through the haystack, he cursed softly until he pulled out the blank book Shirayuki had flipped through idly while he helped store the herbs. "So, in my family's secret library-"

"Your family has a secret library?"

He blinked at her.

She lifted her hand. "Okay, okay. Sorry. Continue."

Zen sighed and opened the book. "I found this secret passage – it's a room full of artifacts from the war with Atlantis."

Shirayuki bit her lip. "Oh."

Zen closed the book and passed it to her. She let her hands rest on the rough, warm leather. Faintly, she felt the thrum of magic tingle on her fingerprints. It felt so haunted though – so saddened. She pulled her hands back with a wince. She had heard a saying in some pirates' songs as a child – time heals all wounds. Clearly, that wasn't true, as magic casted in sadness would be sad forever. Time was not a healing presence, just a forgetful one.

She shook her head. "That's a powerful spell." She understated.

Zen hummed. He watched the horses as they kicked their back legs with shivers and tail flicks. "It's some sort of ocean magic. You can only read the words when wet."

"Never heard of that before." Shirayuki distractedly turned to the back of the book, before opening it. She flicked through the empty pages, crinkled yellow with age. "To be fair though, we don't have paper underwater."

"Yep, I'm aware. I was there."

Shirayuki turned to Zen, only to find him looking at her. "Do you miss it?" He asked.

"Oh, no, not at all. Totally have fallen in love with walking and breathing air and being stabbed and also –"

"I get it!" Zen shoved her in the shoulder with a laugh.

The horses, hearing them play, turned and trotted towards them. River put his head against Shirayuki's leg and nudged it hard enough to nearly push her over. Thunder sneezed on Zen, who gasped and scrubbed hay stalks on his face to wipe the spit. He grasped for Thunder's face, and upon scratching under her eye, she stilled and lowered it for him to properly love on her.

Shirayuki rested her hand on the soft spot of fur between River's nose and his cheeks, smiling at Zen.

The Prince pushed his forehead against his horse's, huffing out a long breath Thunder inhaled. His profile was blocking the ray of the sun just slightly, blocking some of the color from his clothing. His hair still shone like a halo, and where the sun could it emphasized the shape of his face. From his gently sloping nose, to the slightly little pucker of his lips. The gentle furrow in his eyebrows as the day's turmoil still clearly whirled inside of him. He tutted, softly whispering to the horse with only a slightly splash of matching white touching Zen's white hair. Thunder huffed out a long breath and Zen was quick to inhale it as well. She rocked slightly, leaning closer to him only to slightly pull back.

Shirayuki was jolted from her staring thanks to River lifting his head out of her hands, annoyed. She tsked at herself and lifted her hands imploringly to him. "Sorry, sorry, I'm sorry."

He lowered his head again, and she took extra care to scrub around his eyes in the way he liked. River muttered something in a barely there whinny, and she responded with an appropriate; "Ohhhhh." She giggled and reached up with one hand to gently pull on his ears, brushing her thumb along the rim. River shook once to remove her finger and she returned her hand to stroking the soft fur of his nose.

She noticed how his beautiful brown eyes caught the light, staring straight at her. Then glancing to either Thunder or Zen.

Finally, Thunder pulled away first, and River was quick to follow.

Shirayuki sighed and she and Zen grinned at each other.

The Prince got to his feet, brushing his back and bottom off. "I needed this."

"I know."

He cast her a look, then offered her a hand.

She slapped the book in his palm, then got up herself. She brushed the hay off of her best she could, though it was a little difficult on her left side due to how her back stretched painfully around the wound. Zen grunted at her and she turned, pulling her hair to the side and picking out hay stocks from it as she did. Zen's hands were gentle as he brushed over her upper back, carefully picking the hay off with two fingers around her wound. "Clear." He said.

She turned and plucked the hay that had been sticking out of his collar out with a smile. He blinked, then smiled.

She handed him the book. "Ready to tell me what's this all about now?"

Zen sighed and took the book, his smile still there – but muted. "I guess." He watched the sun, then just let the words out in a breath of air. "There's a skeleton in the library."

"A skeleton?" Shirayuki repeated.

Zen met her eyes, his pained. "A skeleton. Someone – an Atlantian, it looks like, was left to hand by their wrists in our family library for who knows how long."

Shirayuki shivered. "That's…that's disgusting."

Zen nodded in agreement. His hand lifted, then dropped again, fingers closing over nothing.

Shirayuki frowned at it, and without another thought grasped it. She squirmed her fingers past his, and he relented quickly. "It's not your fault, Zen."

"No." Zen agreed. "It just really freaked me out."

The horses whinnied loudly, and Zen turned to watch.

They were nodding their heads up and down at each other, like a very exaggerated nod.

Zen snorted, and shook himself. "Anyways, there's nothing I can do about what happened to them. I was wondering if you knew the right way to bury them. Or-or dispose of his skeleton. Like a funeral or rites or something we can do to honor them."

Shirayuki stared at her feet, wishing they were a singular fin. "Um, well – I'm not totally sure? The Atlanteans were our ancestors, they don't exactly do it like we do it." She groaned and lifted her head up. "I know we know what they did, but I don't really remember all that well?"

Zen winced sympathetically. "So…what should we do?"

Shirayuki hummed. "We can ask the Moon. Or maybe the book might say? I know it was something about being casted into the ocean one way or another…gosh, I don't know."

"What do you do currently?" Zen asked. "I know with the mers who got eaten by the monster they were honored and sung about, but the bodies-"

"We would let their bodies go to the sharks." Shirayuki nodded. "You saw it. We don't really believe the body is important after someone's died. It's about their spirits."

"Is there anything we can do for that person's spirit?"

Shirayuki rubbed her arms, suddenly chilled. "I-I don't know. Honestly, Zen. We need to know about them. Even their names or something."

Zen sighed. "So, we read the book."

Shirayuki squeezed his hand. "You read the book. I know some written English. Not enough for a whole book."

Zen nodded. "Okay." He ran his hands through his hair. "Let's do it then."

Shirayuki nodded to their horses. "First we need to catch those maniacs."

To her relief, Zen smiled again. "Okay." He repeated.

By the time they got back to his room and changed, Shirayuki's side was hurting, and the maids had rushed through with renewed vigor. The entire place smelled like some sort of cleaning product that had her sneezing until they opened the windows. They also provided some more clothes – including a long sleeved nightgown with a fabric so irresistible to Shirayuki she tossed it on almost immediately. The bedroom had been cleaned, much to Zen's chagrin– as he couldn't find the shawl he had hide himself in on the past journey to the castle.

Shirayuki was lying on the mattress, counting her fingers while Zen paced. "How long until moonrise again?" He asked.

Shirayuki turned her head to study the clock. "About five minutes. Can you just – sit down!" She reached an arm out haphazardly to stop him. The Prince walked right into it, grasping her wrist and pushing it back towards her after barely pausing.

"Shush. I'm allowed to be nervous. Let me pace."

"You'll make a rut in the floor."

"Wouldn't be the first time."

Shirayuki scoffed and sat up stiffly, wincing as she had to slow for the end of the rise. That got Zen to stop, and watch her worriedly. She rolled her eyes at him. "I'm fine."

"Do you need another song?"

Her cheeks warmed and she looked away o the windows sharply. "No, I'm fine." Her traitorous eyes dragged to the pillows of the bed. Immediately, memories swirled around her head of the morning and Zen's absolutely addicting alto. How it felt like a set of warm hands – his warm hands, just gently tracing her skin and making her sleepy on memory alone.

"Alright. But before bed, okay?"

She cleared her throat and turned back to him with a sly smile. "You're going to be reading to me all night, you will literally not have the voice."

"Is that a challenge?"

"Absolutely not."

"You're on."

Shirayuki groaned and pulled on the blankets of the ridiculously made bed. She covered her head and slumped – hiding her blush and trying to block out Zen's absolutely gorgeous laugh.

Zen's laugh trailed off as something shifted in the room. It became tenser, the feeling of the warmth in the blanket fading slightly under Shirayuki's fingers. She pushed the blanket off of her and looked towards the windows.

The Moon stepped through the glass like it was nothing. Her pale foot brushes over the hard floor of Zen's room before her dress swishes and covers it. Shirayuki didn't mean to stare, but after a minute she realized she was waiting to see the other. Then she lifted her gaze, and realized with a start why she couldn't.

The Moon was literally only half of herself. Her left half was the same as always, brilliant white with shades of blue and yellow decorating her skin and dress. She moved as if there was another half of her, but almost exactly at the tip of her nose, Shirayuki couldn't see anything.

"I have avoided revealing myself to you for this reason." She murmured, her voice distant. Her eye looked away, almost sheepishly.

"Sorry, I don't mean to stare." Zen shook himself.

The Moon smiled, but with only half a mouth it was a little strange to see. She turned to Shirayuki. "The rites of passing for the Atlanteans were similar to yours. Their bodies floated, however. As they breathed both air and water, they would rest on the surface to be decomposed. They sang for the lost spirits."

"So…the skeleton will float?" Shirayuki tried to imagine it.

The Moon shook her head. "At this point, it would be best to put the skeleton to use to honor it. Burn the bones, create something with the ashes."

Zen nodded. "Okay, I will."

The Moon hummed. She stared around the bedroom with her one eye. "I am less powerful every day. And the Earth will find you soon."

On a hunch, Shirayuki pulled her sleeve up and stared at the moon's phases. They glowed strongly, but when she dropped the sleeve again – the glow couldn't been seen through the fabric like it had so easily before. "What will we do?"

"Return to the Sea?" Zen offered, half joking.

The Moon sighed. "It is not that simple."

"What will He do to us?" Shirayuki asked.

The Moon shook her head. She leaned against the door, the window fogging as She did to show the outline of her other half. "I do not know. When will you be able to find the human cause?"

Zen sighed. "Not until Shirayuki's healed."

The Moon nodded. "Soon, with the Ocean's powers." She stood straight again. "I cannot guide you in the ways you wish. I am far, far from your earthly affairs. My protection has shielded you thus far, but when I fade-"

"We know." Zen cut off. Shirayuki glanced at him. His posture was straight, his jaw level. His blue eyes glowed with power – every bit a ready Prince, a warring general. No doubt, the anxieties pushed aside like nothing. "We have to get to the Bergatts before that."

The Moon smiled slightly at his bravado. She turned to Shirayuki. "Take River. I do not know how, but he has the Sea's blessing. Do not be without him."

Shirayuki nodded.

The deity closed her one eye, sighing greatly. "I feel the Earth pushing against my wards every day and night. I loathe my weakness in moments, but without it I do not know who I would be."

Zen pursed his lips. "Do you have any clues of how we can avoid the Earth's power?"

"Pray to another deity." The Moon offered, her tone light – like she was joking. "I do not know. Subdue his pawn before then, and we shall see." Her form began to fade. "Learn, Prince and mermaid, and rest. The journey has only just begun."

As she shimmered away, the pressure left with a quiet hush. Shirayuki shivered and re-wrapped herself in blankets. "Helpful." She commented.

Zen exhaled. He turned and jumped on the bed next to Shirayuki – in a similar way he had when they first arrived to Above Surface.

Shirayuki giggled at his antics, then poked him in the back of his head as he refused to move. "Zen."

"Mm." He mumbled into the pillow.

"Zen." She poked him again.

He turned. "What?"

Shirayuki pulled the memoir from under the sheets, and dropped it on his back. "Read me a bedtime story."

Zen groaned, but pulled the book from around him and sat up. Shirayuki followed him as he moved up towards the pillows, propping himself against it. "It's not gonna be a happy one." He warned.

Shirayuki hummed. After a bit of hesitation, she leaned against his shoulder and looked at the book. She told herself it was so she could read along.

Zen took a deep, steadying breath. She reached down and squeezed his knee.

The Prince of Clarines opened the book, revealing the words of his long forgotten ancestor.