Chapter 4: Day 3
Thump. Thump. Thump.
The sounds of knocking door burned into her mind like ink to scroll and she was sick of it. For now, she was somewhat glad she was able get away from it. Even though, it made her felt worse for it.
At least she knew where Prince Turtle was. As she had guessed, Prince Turtle had been at Summer Palace. Locking himself away in his writing room and crying. Yesterday, she tried to get him to open the door but only to greet with even louder sobbing on his side. Knocking the door did nothing except making her talons winced in pain.
Rainbow could understand why he would not wish to see anyone right now. But it was her duty was to take care of him. And not eating for the whole day definitely not helping. She had left his food just outside the door before she decided to try again during the night. Only to found out that those food that had left were rotten when she came back.
"So, you went for me for advice? Wise choice." Mako flashed her scales with pride of a shark caught its prey. "After all, my family practically born for these kinds of jobs. For generation, we worked for the Royal family and I think that should say something of us."
Mako was just finishing her salmon fish for lunch before Rainbow approached her. Mako pushed away her salmon bone before flashing.
"But my dear Rainbow, why would you ever want to bother yourself with that - ahem - prince? I'm not sure we should even call him a prince anymore ever since that happened." Mako rolled her eyes before continuing. "Look at him. Even before this happened, he was a weird little dragonet anyway. A normal dragonet would have gone to live his own life with his brothers but him? He just totally obsesses with his mother."
"Have you seen how he tried to get the queen attention all the time when she was at her library? It's pathetic. You would have guessed that a dragonet would learnt by now that his mother is not interested in her sons. But nope. He just continued to stalk her whenever she's writing."
"Creepy if you asked me." Mako finished.
Rainbow did not know how to feel about that. She thought it was normal for a baby dragonet to crave for his mother's love. A mother should be caring for her son too.
"But how? How do you get him to open up?" she asked.
"The door or his heart?" Mako smirked. "It doesn't matter. He just needed time that's all. All the princes are the same. No use trying to barge in. They will open up to you once you spent enough time with them. Eventually. And once they do, you just open your ears and close your snout."
"Even a depressed self-starving dragonet?"
"You could get the door open with your life on the line." Mako shrugged and casually added. "Besides, they said 'time is the best medicine'. Especially true if it was wounded from the inside."
Rainbow would give him the time of eternity to heal his heart. But she was more worried about his body not able to stand the starvation rather than deep wound that never cured. A full-grown dragon could last a month without eating. A growing dragonet otherwise.
"Anyway, breaking news. The council seem to just have a fierce argument among themselves. From what I heard; Commander Shark had wanted to move more guards from Deep Palace to Summer Palace. I assume it was to strengthen the defence of the Summer Palace. But the Queen and King wasn't please with that decision."
With an assassin prowling the Deep Palace, who wouldn't? If an assassin can get through defence of Deep Palace so easily. Imagine what it can do to rest of the royal family.
"But Shark believed that the assassin only came for the eggs. The hatchery is now empty of them so he moved the guards. Seem logical."
"Anyway, I got to go. Prince Hammerhead is expecting me."
Before Mako disappeared from her sight, she flashed.
"A word of advice. Do yourself a favour and picked a more reliable prince. Like mine. Your future self will thank you for it."
Leaving Rainbow alone, continued to ponder in the dining hall.
Once again, Rainbow found herself staring into stone door that blocked her into the Prince Turtle' writing room. On one talon held a seaweed blanket that she had promised while the other gripped tightly was a key to unlock the door. Rainbow had requested the key from Butler Tidal and along with it, an advice.
"The key to open a heart is not barging in forcefully. But to allow other to let you barge in."
Rainbow thought it was really unnecessary poetic for an advice but it rang the same sense of truth given by her friend.
She tucked away the key. Held her breath against the rotten smell coming from a plate of shrimp that was left here this morning. And knocked on the door before she spoke.
"Prince Turtle, I'm here for you. Could you please open the door?"
No response. Her aching talon reminded her fruitless attempt the day before. It was protesting against knocking the door for another whole day.
"I do not know how exactly you caused the death of the princesses but if you wouldn't allow me to take care of you. If anything were to happen to you. The queen might come after me. I might be the next 'Snapper' at the bottom of the sea."
She placed one ear against the door. Nothing. She could not sense any movement or sound behind the wooden door. Then, a familiar click sounded as her talon clutched the key inside her poach. Taking it as her cue, she pushed the creaking door and stepped into the room.
Everything seem to be the way it was since her last visit. The writing desk splatted with black ink. Scrolls and torn paper all over the place. Seaweed strands scattered and a tiny hill of it sitting at the corner of the room with a green tail protruding out of it. The little prince and his usual hiding spot.
"I brought you a new blanket so you can cover your tail while you sleep."
Without waiting for his response, she went over and place the blanket beside him. Over at the table, the strange trinkets collection was there plus couple of new things. A waterproof poaches which must be the prince possession, a piece of coral and a pile of torn papers. She tried to make sense of this bizarre collection but nothing came out of it.
She picked one piece of the papers up and read it. The handwriting was beautifully written. As though the author has inked every single letter with precise movement and strength behind it.
It was a story about a dragon stood before the palace defending against his enemies. One talon gripping a narwhal spear against a horde of dragons. Behind him was the Deep Palace, where his family lies there hiding. He was the last line of defence. If he failed, the kingdom of the Sea will fall.
The piece of paper ended with the dragon rushed straight into the horde of army. Not knowing what will the outcome be. The rest must had been ripped to pieces and scattered all around in this room.
"This is pretty well written." Rainbow prompted. "I haven't read it anywhere else. Did you write them?"
The pile of seaweed gave a little shudder but no reply.
"You must have admired your mother's writing. I can see part of her writing in it. She must be so proud of you. Her little prince being the next writer in the royal family."
"I'm no prince." A voice from the pile of seaweed croaked. "I'm not worthy of being called a prince. Not after what I did."
Not sure I could too.
She refrained herself from thinking aloud. But if a dragon felt so guilty about his action could not be evil right? Could it be like what her grandpa had said: It was all just an accident?
"So how did the story end? I couldn't find the next piece." She asked.
A long pause before a voice from the pile of seaweed croaked.
"It didn't end. I haven't finished it. And it will never end."
When Rainbow asked for a reason, the prince just wagged his tail sideway as a reply. So, she started stacking the papers on the floor and cleaning the desk.
"Please leave. Leave them be." Prince Turtle said.
"You can't live like this, Prince Turtle. No one can." She replied.
"Maybe but I deserved this." He said. "And don't called me a prince. Just Turtle. I don't deserve that-"
A loud growl came from the seaweed interrupted them.
"I will just leave these snacks here. Please take care of yourself." Rainbow pulled out a talonful of shrimp and placed it on the desk. "Also, I'm supposed to tell you that there will be a royal family dinner gathering two days from now. Everyone will be there and it will be good for your health to get out sometimes."
Before she left the room, she added.
"I hope I can see you there, Prince Turtle."
"Turtle. It's just Turtle…"
His voice slowly faded into the background as she closed the door behind her. Feeling content of event that had turned out just fine.
Not long after Rainbow left the prince's room and out of the Summer Palace, she came back to the palace with a plate with a lid on one of her talons, filled with best food the kingdom could have offer. She would be ecstatic to see these foods IF they were meant for her.
Instead, she was ordered to carry them to a cave closer to top. One which was not easily seen by the eyes of public. It was said that this cave contained the most despicable criminal in all Kingdom of Sea. To hold them, they would have designed the place as such escaping it would prove to be impossible.
The Electric Eel Prison.
The name itself sent waves of jellyfish-stings from tip of her wings to her tail. They said once you were sent here, the only way out was death itself.
If the criminals here deserved to be placed in such a vile place, then why in the name of Sea was she ordered to carry one of the most luxurious plate of food down here? But she had not been ordered by any authority above. In fact, it was forced into her hand by other servants, who probably heard the dreadful things happened in here many times through rumours of the palace.
"Rainbow. Order from above. This food is to be sent to prison cave. Cell number 23. Time's ticking."
Before she could protest, the servant dove into the water and swam away. She heaved a sigh for being such as pushover. What she could have done was to grab the servant back and shove it right into her snout. That would teach the other servant not to mess with her schedule.
But once again, she had to resign herself to complete the task that someone else should had done. With one talon holding on to the food, she flew upwards toward the level which the prison was held.
"Stop!" One of guard stood before the prison entrance spoke. "State your intent."
"Oh. Was it for us? That plate looks huge." The other guard said.
"Herring! May I remind you that we are still in guard duty?" The first guard spoke.
"Sorry. It just that we are expecting our food to arrive by now." Herring replied and turned to Rainbow. "Erm... Yes. What is your purpose of visit?"
"I'm to bring this food to one of the prisoners in here. It's held at cell 23."
Both of the guard looked at each other and nodded.
"You may pass. Pretend you never saw us."
Rainbow wrinkled her snout but withheld her question. She strode into the cave and marvelled at the architecture of it. It was a huge round atrium consist of pools and pools of water continue until far to the end of the cave. In the centre of the pool there was a platform of various size. Some can only hold a single prisoner while others can fit up to ten full-grown dragons.
But strangest things were the cages. There were none. None that she could make out of. But instead, those cells that contain the prisoners had huge waves of water poured down from the top of the cave. And the waters. Those were not normal water. It glowed with aura of aqua blue with an occasion of crackling sound. Each time it cracked the prisoner in it shuffled a little inward to the centre of the platform. Their eyes filled with fear.
As she approached the cell number 23, a flicker of shadow in the water caught the corner of her eye and she leaned forward. There was the reason that kept the prisoner in.
The electric eels.
Squirming around the pool of water, flicking their tail here and there expectantly. As if they were expecting the prisoner finally gave in and dump themselves into the water to be electrified. She hopped back a step. Realizing that all it took was one missed step and she would down there, sleeping with the eels.
"Need anything?"
It was Herring. His silent footstep caught her off guard. Startling her already unsteady footing.
"I'm supposed to deliver the food to this prisoner." Rainbow pointed across the cell. Between the channels of waters, there was shimmering of blue and silvery scales. Was it a SeaWing in there?
The guard nodded and flew to the side and there release a chain that was hung along the wall. A loud clank and the channels of water surrounding the SeaWing gradually lessen until there were no trace of water came down.
"Make it quick." The guard hushed.
Rainbow nodded in gratitude. She grabbed the food in on talon and leapt into the rock platform. Steadied herself and realized the gravity of her action.
Did I just leap into a prison cell knowing that there might be terrible criminal waiting for me?
Her eyes slowly traced the ground towards the prisoner. Web talons with pale blue and silvery under scales all across his body. A scar appeared to be at the side of his neck that looks like it had healed recently. And his face…
"Abalone?" Rainbow almost gave cried out. "Was it you Abalone?"
The SeaWing prisoner lift his head. His eyes were dull and lifeless. Just as both of their eyes met, he scrambled himself upright and backpedal all the way to edge of the platform. His wings flared out against his back.
"Are you here to finish me?" Abalone cried.
"What are you talking about? I'm just here to deliver the food." Rainbow replied in shock.
He took one glance at plate then back at her. She saw the panic rose in eyes like the rising tides and he screamed.
"What's going on?" Herring's voice came from across the pool.
"It's her!" Abalone gasped in dismay. "She's the one who delivered the poisoned food to me. The one made me ill during my shift."
Before she could reply, Herring flew up and landed himself between Abalone and her. His eyes fixed on her. Doubtful but not menacingly. Rainbow quickly straighten herself and said.
"I'm a servant from the Deep Palace. I'm just following order to deliver food."
"Even food that were poisoned?" Abalone spat.
"No! I mean. I didn't even know they were poisoned." She replied. Then puzzled in shock. "Why they were poisoned?"
"To make Abalone leave the Royal hatchery." Herring explained. "So that the assassin could sneak in and kill the eggs."
"But I stayed." Abalone continued. "I stayed because I knew the assassin would come if I ever to leave the hatchery. But that accursed food made my neck grow a lump. It made me difficulty to breath." He pointed towards the scar at side of his neck. "It was only fortunate that King Gill found me before I had gone unconscious."
"Not fortunate enough to stop the assassin though." Herring continued. "It was said that the king went looking for help. When he brought the healers back to the hatchery…"
"The eggs were murdered." Rainbow finished.
Both of them nodded in unison. Their postures were more relax and their tone softer.
"So, poisoned food? Abalone? Dead dragonets? I guess you have no idea." Herring said.
Rainbow shook her head. Oblivious of the connection between them until now.
She tried to remember the day where she brought the food to the head of Dragonet care, Abalone and his deputy, Snapper. It was like any other day that she was doing her duty. She went into the kitchen and wait for the food to be prepared then carry the food to its destination. Only, that day she remembered someone calling out for her and she had a small discussion with a senior servant just outside of the waiting room. As she exited the waiting area, someone had entered it. She paid no attention to it but now. Now she could only vaguely remember that someone was from the members of the SeaWing council. But she could not recall who it was.
"I don't see any tiny little green things over it..." Abalone was pointing at silver plate. "But I still wouldn't trust that."
"Oh? Which means it's time for food tasting." Herring grinned, went over to her side and took the lid off the plate. "Don't mind me." And scooped a talon of caviar and slide them in his snout.
"What do you mean 'little green things'?" Rainbow asked.
"The poison." Abalone answered. "I'm fairly sure that was what cause my gill all puffed up like a lump in white. Almost cost my life. At least, that was what the healer and the king said."
Rainbow didn't know what to say to that. She had unknowing delivered a tray of poison into a council member's talon and almost cost him his life! And now, sitting in front of him made her wanted find the deepest trench and dove head first into it.
"So" Abalone prompted to catch her attention. "Is there… Any news?"
"Still no clue about the assassin. I'm sorry." She said.
He gave an audible sighed before saying.
"I was hoping they caught the assassin so that I might be forgiven. But at this rate, I might be the lamb."
Rainbow had thought that Abalone had already ended up like Snapper. Dead. With his teeth all plucked out. But of all places, she would not imagine herself to have a conversation with him in here. Didn't Prince Hammerhead announce his and Snapper death just two days ago? How had he survived that?
"About that, was it true that Prince Turtle had neglected his duty that cause the death of two dragonet?" she asked.
"Prince who?"
Rainbow found herself not surprise that even the head of 'Dragonet Care' have trouble remembering the prince.
"Prince Turtle. Ah yes. That one. Born with two of his brothers. Two clutches before this." Abalone remembered. "He's an odd little fella. Always wanting his mother attention. He spent most of his time reading his mother's work. A good little dragonet though. Hadn't cause any trouble as far as I remembered."
"Neglected his duty? Did you mean..." He continued. She saw in his eyes that pieces of puzzles seem to slow fit in to places. "So that's what the King meant when he said 'Help is coming'. His majesty had sought help from Prince Turtle and I can probably guess that he was supposed to find Snapper. What did they say about him?"
"That he fooled around the palace and played in the reef." Rainbow shrugged. She told him the announcement made from Prince Hammerhead, the assassin and Prince Turtle's Punishment.
"I'm not exactly in a good place to receive the latest news." He replied. "All I knew is that Snapper never came for me. The next thing I knew. I woke up in the Garden of Wounded tended by the healers."
"Snapper. She…" Abalone's eyes felled on her at the mention of the name. "I'm sorry. She had been executed by the queen. I had stumbled upon her body on coral reef."
She saw a gleam reflected off his eyes, scales of distressed lit up but he managed to pushed himself up and straighten his posture.
"Thanks for telling me that. It's a shame." Then furrowed his eyes and said. "Coral reef? Do you mean that Snapper wasn't in the Deep Palace?"
Rainbow shook her head.
"What?! That's impossible. She wouldn't never leave the palace without telling anyone. Why would she do that? Was it why Prince Turtle wasn't able to find her?" Abalone said.
"That's all I heard about her. I don't know the detail myself." She pulled out Snapper's jewellery, the ruby which she found from her body and displayed it in her talon. "Do you recognize this?"
Abalone shook his head. Before he could answer, Herring interrupted him.
"Hey Abalone. Want to try some salmon roe? Deep palace really does have some of the best food around the world." Herring brought the place over and placed in front of them. "Oh, just letting you know. I don't think it was poisoned. I don't feel any funny. Can you help me check whether my neck had grown something weird?"
Abalone shook his head and took a lobster from the plate.
Splat! Splat!
Sound of web talons approaching from the entrance cave. Both Herring and Abalone shot a look at each other.
"Hide." Abalone whispered to Rainbow.
Herring hastily pulled her aside and pointed to one of the empty cells. He tried led her down into the pool but she refused the offer. Remembering those repulsive electric eels with their deadpan eyes lurking under. But a hard shove behind her made her fell head first into the water.
Rainbow braced herself from the electric shock but they did not come. Her open her eyes to found herself alone in the water. Slowly she crept back above the water, revealing only her eyes and snout.
"Was it feeding time?" A voice from above called.
"Oh uhm… Yes." Herring called after. "They need food too. After all, not all prisoners threw themselves to the eels, right?"
The words hung in the air for what she felt like a taste of eternity.
"Anyway. I brought the food for both of- Is that a huge plate over there?"
"Oh t-that one." Rainbow could hear him stumbling over his own words. "It's was for the eels. They like their food fresh, you know?"
"Oh? Really? What's-"
"You don't want to look at it." Herring said firmly. "Nasty stuff."
Clever. Rainbow thought. He put the lid back on the plate before someone else see them. Herring was not as simple as he appeared.
"So anyway, I brought your food and some news." The other voice said.
"News regarding the assassin?" Herring asked hopefully.
"No. It's about Abalone" The voice lowered before continuing. "Queen Coral is still furious about it. She said something about 'Wanting everyone to know the gravity of the situation' and 'Everyone is not taking serious about it' of the sort…
The queen planning to execute Abalone in few days."