“I’m sorry; my husband always opened them for me. I don’t have the strength you do.”
Midori took it and cracked it open and pulled out the meat and handed it to her.
Lana noticed that he also looked to the mermaid; as he did as in to say, that she better not tell anyone.
The mermaid gave a slight smile and then took away the shell of the lobster.
“So why do you hate your job?” she asked as she chewed on the meat of the lobster.
“I did not know that you could read our thoughts.” He was now concerned.
“Don’t worry; I know how to guard my thoughts pretty good.” She popped the last morsel into her mouth.”
“Yes you do,” he chuckled. “Because I am different from the other guards, I am given the least desired job. It was not always that way, there was once a Prince who had befriended me and helped me to rise among the ranks. He was murdered by your King, in fact, that was his sister Seturus that brought you your food.”
“Oh, I see. Was he killed in the battle?”
“No, just before when he had chased after a mermaid and her parents that had escaped.”
“Are you talking about Prince Tristan?” Lana could hardly believe it might be the same.
“Yes, how did you hear of him?”
“He wasn’t killed, only her parents, but it was your guys who did it. Prince Tristan and Sirene are married and have three children. They have twins, Teneo and Tenera and then little Tendo…”
“You say Tristan is alive!”
Lana was nearly throne back as Midori rushed to the bars with excitement.
“Yeah, they’re doing really good. King Titan even named him a Prince among Torbist after he helped to win the battle and killed Damon as he tried to kill my husband.”
“Who is your husband?” Midori now asked with a tinge of fear.
“He is Prince Titus, from the long line of grandsons of King Titan.”
Now Midori was even more concerned that it might be discovered that he had spoken to the mate of Prince Titus.
“How do you know my husband?”
“After the battle, many have talked about the fierce warrior Prince Titus and our King Thaddaeus has a great hatred of him; no wonder you were brought here.”
Just then Lana and Midori sensed someone coming and he quickly turned his back to her and she pretended to be asleep.
King Thaddaeus swam down into the dungeon and glared at Midori, “Leave us alone,” he spoke gruffly.
“Yes, my King,” Midori bowed and swam from the dungeon.
“Do not pretend with me Princess Lana, I know you are awake,” he practically hissed the words to her.
She decided to open her eyes and boldly face him. Lana saw that he was still wearing his heavy gold crown with many jewels ranging from rubies, sapphires, emeralds and even diamonds encircling the crown.
“I have forgotten how lovely you are, you most definitely deserve to be my Queen and wear such a crown yourself.”
Lana swam closer to the bars where he was and said, “I will never be your Queen and I would never wear such a ridiculous crown! I am a Princess and mate to Prince Titus, grandson of the great and mighty King Titan!”
Now King Thaddaeus had a sliver of a smile and said, “No my dear, at present you are a Queen, but to the wrong King! Do not worry, I shall render that soon enough when I remove his head!” he let out a slight chuckle.
“What are you talking about?” Lana wasn’t really sure if she heard him right or if he just got some things mixed up.
“The not so great and the not so mighty King Titan lives no more, as for your husband, I am certain that in a short while he shall be coming to rescue you and I will be more than willing to meet with him when he does.”
“What, I don’t believe you!” she screamed.
“Yes you see, he quite angered the mate of Darious and she was always begging me to allow her to return and so I finally agreed. I myself saw her hidden inside the home of the King just before we resealed your city. She was waiting with a most marvelous gift for him.”
“NO!” Lana screamed and grabbed the bars of her cell and tried to shake them, but they wouldn’t budge.
King Thaddaeus took the opportunity and placed his hands on top of hers.
Lana quickly withdrew them. “You will never have me or my husband!” She swam back to the far side of the cell and bent over with her sorrow as she cried for the possible death of her King.
“Yes I shall; it is only a matter of time,” he winked with a sickening smile that gave Lana the creeps and then he swam from the dungeon.
~~~
On the third night, Titus swam from King Titan’s home and noticed the thing he was trying to avoid. It was the throne of Horaios who now seemed to mock him. It was a bittersweet moment; Titus knew King Titan was with his Queen once more, but it was still too much to bear. Tristan had told him that it was the King’s wish, but of course he could not have known that their enemy had kidnapped Lana.
He swam to the throne and ran his fingers along the back and felt the cold texture. Then he ran his fingers along the back of King Titan’s throne and laid his forehead down upon it and wept. He made a vow, “I shall not sit upon this throne until my Queen sits upon hers beside me! Oh Grandfather, I was not prepared for this, not this.”
Then he remembered something that Micah had mentioned before, “Oh mighty Arius, please hear my cry. My Grandfather has been savagely murdered and my Queen has been stolen from me. Micah has told me that You have an invisible guard that watches day and night and does your bidding. Please Arius, please keep Lana safe and surround her with your guardsmen. Prevent our enemy from having any further advantage over us and please help her to be freed soon so that she may rule beside me.”
Prince Makoa swam to give King Titus a report, “My King we have doubled our guard and the men of Kaloki Island also help to guard the waters. You must rest, for now all is well.”
“All is Well?” Titus yelled. “My King is dead and my mate has been stolen and you say all is well!”
“Forgive me King Titus, I did not mean an offense to the Queen or….”
“No, forgive me my friend, you and I need not be so formal Makoa. It is I who should ask your forgiveness.” Titus was ashamed of his outburst and knew that King Titan would not want him to act in such a way. He held his arm out to Makoa.
Makoa grasped his arm with his own and then they embraced and Titus wept once more.
~~~~~
CHAPTER 15
THE WAITING
It had been three days since Lana was imprisoned within the dungeon of Tiselius. She had only two guards that took turns guarding her; one in the day and never spoke once to her. Midori was the other at night and he cautiously spoke to her when he thought it was safe.
Lana slept well in the evenings because of Midori and she could sense he was truly watching over her. In the day, she was wrought with fear. She hoped Titus wouldn’t come after her, but each day she wondered if he would and her fear only grew that he might be harmed. She also knew King Thaddaeus wouldn’t wait forever to take her and make her his own. She could only pray for a miracle and try to eat to keep up her energy and conceal her thoughts as best as she could from everyone.
Seturus tried to bring a lobster or a crab each day even though she had to conceal it and told Lana to eat it quickly. She could not believe that her brother Tristan was alive when Lana told her and that he married Sirene and had three children. She prayed he would be safe and thought that her prayer was unanswered; now she was thankful Arius did hear and answer the prayer she prayed so long ago.
When the first guard left and Midori switched places with him, Seturus brought Lana another lobster.
Lana scarfed it down as quickly as she could after Midori broke it open for her. “Thank you for bringing me special foods, I know you’ve been helping me and I mean both of you,” Lana told them as she felt refreshed.
“You are welcome Princess Lan
a, I will do all I can to help the friend of my brother.” Seturus gave a slight smile.
Midori only looked to her and gave a slight bow of his head and then turned his back once more.
“So why do you serve here in the dungeons Seturus?” Lana asked confused by it, knowing her to be one of the granddaughters in the line of the former King.
“Before Tristan left, I was sent to live in the King’s house after I had turned the age of twelve, which is the custom for our mermaids. I wasn’t permitted to see Tristan very often. Then, as my hair began to turn, the King had died and King Thaddaeus took his father’s place. I was sent to his chamber to be mated with him. I never saw Tristan after that.”
“You mean he wanted to marry you before your time had come?” Lana asked in shock; Seturus’ hair was not completely white even now and she seemed about the age of her daughter Rose.
“In our Kingdom a King does not have to marry you and he has as many mates as he desires. Because I refused him, he sent me to the dungeons to work and no one has ever been allowed to mate with me until the day I agree to mate with the King. I was told that Tristan had been killed by your King and I resigned myself to live a bitter life ever since. Even my name mocks me.” Seturus lowered her head.
Lana thought about her name and knew some Greek and realized it meant safe, secure, unworried. “If there’s ever a way to repay you for your kindness, then you’ll have that kind of life among my people and you also Midori.” Lana looked to them both.
Seturus said, “thank you Princess Lana, if they are anything like you, then may it be so.”
Midori gave a slight smile and another bow of his head in agreement with Seturus and then turned with his back to Lana once more.
“Until then, we must all pray that Arius will protect us and bring us our freedom.” Lana smiled.
~~~
Cole had received a phone call from Micah telling him all that had transpired with King Titan and his daughter Lana. He was beside himself with worry and knew none of it had to be easy for Titus and the kids. He prayed for Lana’s safety and that Titus would try and save her; Cole knew there was nothing he could do, but wished he could.
He tried not thinking of it so much, but it seemed to open up old wounds from when he lost his first wife and her parents, also his best friend Tarrock. He tried to guard his thoughts around the rest of the family, but he seemed to be drifting into some sort of depression. He had to leave the house often. He used the excuse of work, but his wife Rose knew him all too well and no matter how hard he tried to not think about it, she still knew by the look on his face.
He decided to go down to the Harbor and fish off of the pavilion; even that reminded him of Lana’s first dance when they held her prom there.
All Cole could do was pray and guard his thoughts; he knew even he and his family must be under watch of the others. He didn’t want to give them anything to report about.
Rose couldn’t take another minute of this complete shut-out and she knew it wasn’t the best thing for Cole either, so she went down to the Harbor to find him. Finally she spotted him under the pavilion.
Cole sensed her presence and turned and smiled to her, but his misty eyes gave even more of a reason for her to be concerned.
“Honey, I know how much you’re hurting and I know you’re trying to protect us from your thoughts, but it really isn’t fair. We are all thinking the worse anyways, so why not support each other at a time like this.”
“I’m sorry Rose, I have been trying to protect all of you from my thoughts,” Cole said with ragged breath.
“I know Sweetheart, but you’re withdrawing yourself from us. It’s starting to remind me of the years after you and Lana moved back to Safe Harbor. I need you Cole, we all need you,” Rose said with tears beginning to fill her own eyes.
“I’m sorry honey; I’ll try and do better. I hear you,” he chuckled and sniffed and wiped his nose from a tissue he had placed within his pocket. “Let’s go home,” he said and started putting away his fishing gear.
Rose waited until it was all put away and then took his hand into her own, “Thank you Cole, I love you so much.” She smiled.
“I love you too.” He leaned down and kissed the top of her head and then they walked hand in hand back to the Keeper’s house.
~~~
Titus sent word for Prince Tristan to join him in the King’s home where he was now staying.
Tristan swam as quickly as he could, “You have called for me my King?”
“Yes, I wish to talk with you about your former Kingdom,” Titus said with a slight grin.
“You wish to rescue the Queen?” Tristan was filled with hope.
“Yes, but not to avenge King Titan; only to rescue the Queen with as little guardsmen as possible. I’m not sure if King Thaddaeus would expect that?”
“Not in a thousand winters! I will tell you all I know of how to reach the dungeon without going into the city itself.” Tristan grinned.
“We must do it quickly and I have thought on the best plan of escape.” Titus gave a wide grin.
~~~
King Titus swam to the home of Prince Makoa so that he might speak with him of all he was planning. He was grateful that he was there and hoped he would agree to his request.
“Hello my King, I did not expect to see you here.” Makoa greeted him at the door.
“May I come in and speak with you about a matter.”
“Yes, of course,” Makoa said, but also knew that he had never done so before.
“Prince Makoa, I know you will not like what I have to say, but it is for our people that I am here.”
“Yes my King, please speak it.” Makoa nodded.
“I have been talking with Prince Tristan and we have decided to take a small group of guardsmen, only six or so to rescue the Queen….”
“Yes, I thought you were never going to ask…”
“Prince Makoa, I am not asking you to join us, but to stay behind and look after our people as well as my family, especially Rose.” Titus looked sternly at him.
Prince Makoa grew angry, “No, you will not do this to me again; I am no longer the merboy you once told to stay behind! I am a merman and not the true heir of your Kingdom. Prince Tarrock is now heir and it is he that should reign in your stead with Prince Terrance as his regent until he is of age. Rose does not think of me other than an uncle and I will no longer stay behind for her. I can serve you better by helping you to rescue the Queen!” Makoa realized he had let out all of the pent up anger from the last battle until now that he was never able to bring himself to speak of before. Now he worried that he might have offended King Titus.
“It is well Prince Makoa, I have lost one brother and never wanted to lose another, but you are right; you are no longer a merboy,” Titus chuckled.
“Forgive me my King…”
“You were right to say such to me, are we not old friends?” Titus grinned.
“Yes my King and my brother.” Makoa also grinned and grasped Titus’ arm as he offered it.
~~~
Rose was swimming in the gardens of Tullius and could not help but to swim beside the statue of Queen Horaios much like the one in Torbist. She had the image of her own mother and Rose was both comforted and saddened to look upon it.
Prince Titus found her there and he knew this would be a hard day for Rose. He swam beside her and smiled lovingly to her.
“Hello father, I cannot help but to look at it.” She looked to the statue once more.
“I know daughter, neither can I.” Titus tried not to look at the statue at all, for it broke his heart to do so.
“What is it father?” Rose asked knowing he had something important to tell her.
“Rose, I must go and bring your mother back to us.”
“Oh father, I am so fearful for you to do so; I do not wish to lose both of my parents.”
“Rose, it is the only way.”
“Oh father.” Rose went to him and nestled into
his shoulder as he hugged her.
He ran his fingers down her hair. “You are so much like her Rose. There is more….”
Rose sensed it before he said it, “Not Makoa! Please father, you would not take him away from me also. Who will be left to rule among us?” She swam out of his arms.
“It was not my choice Rose, he would not stay behind. Your grandfather will stay behind and rule as regent until Tarrock is of age if I should not return.”
“Oh father, how can I bare it, how can we?” She began to cry.
Legend of the Mer II THE NEW GUARDIAN Page 14