Hey guys, I'm back into action! Thanks for waiting and I hope I didn't kill you out of boredom! ^^

"I wonder why Grandfather wants the flower." Reine said as they almost reached the said location. "It's a rare flower, and it looks pretty on drawings… but that can't be all."

"Decoration?" Viv suggested.

"That would be one hella decoration." Reine quipped, before scratching her head in frustration and spinning in frantic circles, like a wheel rolling on a downhill road. "Aaargh! Should've asked Gwen or Leighlee about that before setting off!"

"Why should you know?" Neil asked coldly. "The quest is to get it and give it to him. Period."

"Aren't you curious?" Reine asked back, slightly annoyed by his apparent disinterest. "There must be a reason!"

"Curiosity kills the cat."

"A cat? What's that?"

Oh, yeah, she'd probably never seen a cat in her whole life. Neil reminded himself.

"Is that food?" Reine asked again, her scarlet eyes sparkled with curiosity.

Neil took a good look on Reine, especially on her lower body. "More like… your predator…?"

"A land animal?"

"Yes."

Reine nodded accompanied by a cheery 'hmm' before her head perked up and she turned at him, "Tell me, do you know mermaids exist before meeting me?"

"Hah? Um—in fairy tales, I guess."

"Do you want to know how my tutor used to describe humans?" Reine said with a giggle, "Merfolk with split tail and unbelievably small fins."

After hearing her words, Neil straightened his body and looked at his legs, trying to see the similarities between them and Reine's tail. "It's better than I've imagined." Reine assured him with a cheeky grin.

Neil didn't respond to her and Reine—sensitive as she was—noticed that. She smiled and asked, this time in a softer voice. "Either you don't like me, or you're just not much of a talker."

Caught red-handed, Neil scratched his cheek nervously and averted his eyes from her. "It's okay," she assured him, "Let's just stick to our business and get it done with, eh?"

They continued swimming, but this time there was a sense of awkward lingering awkwardness between them that Viv was tacitly forced to pick the middle spot as they continued swimming.

"There is this… tale among merfolk. About a mermaid who was brought to a magical sea and embarked on a quest with friends she found there. After the quest, she had to go back to her own sea, and she figured that actually, five hundred years had passed and everyone she knew had either become very old or even passed on while she stayed the same thanks to the time in the magical sea being much slower. But she didn't regret it, because she really treasured the memories of her adventure then." Reine recalled. "My point is: you told me mermaids only exist in fairy tales in the world you knew—it doesn't have to be an amazing memory, but I really want you to take the memory back when everything is over because that's all you'll be left with."

After she finished speaking, Reine swam slightly faster to take the lead. It took some moments for Neil to really internalize what the mermaid meant, and when he was done, he forced his legs to propel faster so that he could catch up to Reine.

"Why do you care so much?" he asked in a gentle, genuinely curious tone.

He heard her sighing heavily and Neil found himself wondering whether he had annoyed her, and then wondering why the heck he cared if he did.

"Do I really need a reason to do something nice?" Reine asked back.

Although technically they were prisoners, Allen found out pretty quickly that he and his sister were treated more like guests. When they were given different rooms, Allen thought that was because they were of different genders—and he already thought that it was very generous of them, and when he saw the size of the room he wondered whether he would have to share the room with Neil when he came back, not that he minded. However, one of the princesses—Leighlee, if he got her name correct—finally told him that Neil would be given another room and that they weren't considered as prisoners.

"My grandfather fancies humans—not in a bad way." Leighlee explained, "I am assured that he wants to get to know you more. Please do make yourself feel at home."

"So we are like… his study specimens?"

"If you must put it that way, yes." Leighlee replied, "but you know… I think it's more like you're an… ambassador? You're a prince from the shore, yes?"

"Ah, yes." Allen agreed. "Cultural ambassador? I can deal with that."

Leighlee grinned. "Great! You can just ask me anything about merkind culture—or any of my sisters for that matter, although you might want to exclude Gwen."

"Why? Because she is a seeress?"

The purple mermaid smiled sympathetically, "For many merfolks, the Seeress represents Truth. Ever since her power was awakened, Gwen tries her best to fulfil this expectation—including being neutral to almost anything. That's why she chooses to put a certain distance between herself and the rest of merkind."

"So I am counted as one." Allen retorted.

The mermaid laughed, "Well, technically you're not, but I guess she's already used to being alone." She said, "and honestly, it's amusing that you're so bothered by it—seems like you're not used to be given cold shoulder, eh?"

Leighlee excused herself still with an amused smile on her face as she swam gracefully towards a ginger-haired young merman with bright yellow tail. Not knowing what to do, Allen moved his legs and began to swim himself but in no particular direction.

Honestly speaking, maybe Leighlee did have some point in him not being used to be treated so coldly by women; back in his castle, every time a ball was held, the women surrounded him like ants to sugar and he never had any difficulty in looking for someone to engage in conversation with, yet, in this underwater castle he had no one.

Wait, why don't I approach other mermaids? It's not like she's the only mermaid around! Oh, come on—

"Please, Your Highness!"

The sudden, loud scream jolted Allen back from his thoughts. He turned towards the source of the voice and found a door that—if his memory served him right—led to the Seeress' Chamber (the place where Gwen would allow merkind—or perhaps human, now—to have their future being seen).

"Can't you tell me more?!"

Out of curiosity, Allen went to the door and moved it carefully. Curiously, Gwen's pet dolphin wasn't around (or else he would be standing guard in front of the door), so he was able to peek inside and saw the back view of a merman with imposing figure who leaned over the table and grabbing Gwen's hands.

"There is nothing more." She said calmly.

Hearing her response, the merman pulled her towards himself and she stumbled over the table that stood between them. That moment, Allen burst out from the door and put his hand on the merman's shoulder. "Don't you think that is too much? Is that how you treat a respectable lady?"

The merman turned his head and found Allen's cold steel blue gaze imposed onto him. The merman had wider and more muscular build than Allen, but he was apparently intimidated by Allen's gaze that was—unknowingly to Allen—reminiscent of Triton's stern gaze. The merman immediately let go of the Seeress, mumbled an apology, and left hurriedly. Gwen immediately covered her reddened wrist, trying to conceal it from Allen in vain.

"Are you all right?"

She nodded and he sighed, "Where's your faithful watch-dolphin, anyway? He would've body-slammed that impolite merman. You sure are lucky I happened to be around."

"…sleep." Gwen replied softly.

"Pardon?"

"He hadn't been sleeping for two days. I asked him to."

"I see…" Allen murmured. Seems like she still have some affection in her heart.

Much to his surprise, Gwen extended her hand towards him. "Hm?"

"I can read your future if you let me touch your skin. I never really tried it on humans, but since you're not so different from a merman maybe it can work."

"Why suddenly the generous offer?"

"Didn't you come by for this?"

"Were you listening to me, my lady? I happened to be around."

It took Gwen some moments to finally internalize his words and she took back her hands and nodded. "I see."

Sensing her hesitation, Allen asked. "Do I need a reason to be courteous?"

Gwen's head perked up and her dark blue eyes stared right at his. Finally getting her undivided attention, Allen continued. "I don't think we need reason for basic courtesy, no?"

Beneath the cover given by her veil, Gwen's lips tugged up into a small, but sincere smile. "I suppose not…"

Seems like their relationships are taking a new turn... all four of them.

What will happen next?

Stay tuned to find out! ^^

Thanks for reading! Please rate and review! ^^