Chapter 11

Fleeing the Scene

All was slient, you could only hear the sound of bubbles popping from the sound of Sebastian swimming madly catching up to the King. I was shaking and Ariel looked petrified. The King begins to speak in a firm tone "I consider myself a reasonable merman. I set certain rules and i expect those rules to be obeyed!", "But, Daddy!" Ariel answers back to him.

King Triton had spotted me, the look on his face was a mixture of disappointment and angry-ness. He firmly orders me to leave "Urchin, leave i'll be speaking with you later!", "Eep!" i cry before quickly swimming out of the Grotto. I soon fell a slight prick on my tail fin and noticed that Sebastian had clipped himself on to me "I'm not stickin around!" he says.

As was leaving i heard King Triton continue the conversation with this daughter "Is it true you rescued a human from drowing?" he asks, "Daddy, i had to" Ariel answers. I felt awful leaving Ariel on her own. As Sebastian and i made it out of the Grotto, we soon find that Flounder was not far behind "Guys wait for me!" he yells. He was heading straight for me and i manage to catch him in my arms.

"Thanks Urchin!" Flounder says as he thanks me "Don't mention it!" i say to the little fish. Sebastian who had un-clipped himself from my tail fin floated down to a small rock. Myself and Flounder immediately confronted him to see, how on earth King Triton knew about the secret Grotto and about the rescue. Sebastian was bitting his claw and was looking very guilty "I panicked and was summoned to see the King, I didn't mean to tell it was an accident!" he informs us.

I had problems of my own and now the King wants to see me most likely for a servere punishment for lying, keeping secrets and dishonesty. I could not handle all this so i decide to flee leaving Sebastian and Flounder behind "Wait where are you going?" cries Sebastian "Urchin, WAIT!" cries Flounder. Totally ignoring them even ingnoring smashing noises that began to occur in the background.

I was swimming as fast as my fins would carry me, not even paying attention to the two suspecious eels that were lurking in the darkness, i didn't care we i ended up. If i head home, King Triton would notably look for me there and couldn't go anywhere near the palace, one or all of Ariel's sisters migtht blow my cover. I swim through Altantica and soon find myself on a route to no where.

I stop to sit on a reef to catch my breath. Nothing was going to mend my heart now, it was breaking but i am going to continue to fight for her! How can a mermaid and a human fall in love?. The sound of a mermaid going out with a human really creeps me out. Merpeople cannot live on the land and humans cannot live beneath the waves.

I look around and was unsure were i was. It didn't seem familiar to me. It was cold and quiet, it almost felt like the water temperture had changed. I begin to shiver and look over towards were i orginally came from. I could see Altantica's city towers and the palace in the distance. At i gazed back at Altantica i begin to think about what would King Triton do to me if i faced him. He certainly wouldn't be in a good mood.

Am i going to be vanished to a place like this cold, dark and lonely (mind you i've been living on my own for years now) or am i going to prison or worse sentenced to death!?. A million thoughts are swimming through my head "Urchin?" i suddenly hear a voice, it sounded familiar. I look up and noticed a pink tail brighting the area. It was Gabriella and Ollie!.

"You seem down Urchin, are you ok?" Ollie asks, I lift my tail up to my chest and place my arms around it while letting out a breath. Gabriella sits next to me "Its ok, if you don't want to talk about it, just thought you might need a friend or two right now" she gentley says in sign with Ollie interpreting. Having her and Ollie present actually began to make me feel better but i still remained slient. They had always stuck by me esspecially lately as good friends should.

"We can sit here in slience as long as we like!" says Ollie with a big warm smile, i look at him and Gabriella i really started to appreciate their company. They really are true friends, particularlly Gabriella. I then felt confident to tell him about what had happened including how my heart broke when Ariel told me that she was in love with a human prince.

Gabriella's face expressions kept changing while she was listening to me speak. Each expression matched each part of my story with complete eye contact with her big brown eyes "Oh Urchin! No wonder you are like this and you tried so hard! I envy that!" she tells me in sign.

"So this is why your hiding out here? To avoid facing King Triton?" asks Ollie, "Yep!" i carefully say back. "You'll have to face your fears at some point Urchin!" Gabriella says to me in sign "Yes but do you mind if we just stay here for a bit?" i quietly ask her and Ollie. They both agreed but i could tell by their faces that i shouldn't be hiding from the King for too long. I am determined to make things right!.

Time had passed and all three of us began could hear voices calling out a name. "What do you think is going on?" asks Ollie in concern "I don't know, what is going on?" says Gabriella in sign. The voices got louder as they could closer. My thought was that maybe King Triton sent out a search party to look for me as i hadn't gone to see him yet and was fed up with waiting.

Ollie and i listened again. However i suddenly realised that the name they were yelling out was Ariel's!. "They are calling out Ariel's name!" i tell Ollie and say to Gabriella with same broken sign language. Gabriella didn't even have to correct me as she knew what i was trying to say "Has Ariel gone missing?" she asks in sign.