Chapter 372: A whale of a tale
The sweet sound of feminine laughter filled the air, waking Eric. He'd fallen asleep after several hours of pacing and card play. Eric's brows furrowed and he sat forward in shock as the young girl converse with Anderson with excited ease. "Well, Anderson? What is she saying? What is she speaking?"
Anderson stilled his laughter, clearing his throat as he righted his tie. He couldn't hide the amazement in his voice as he replied. "It is ancient Greek, Sire." He nodded toward her. "If you'd like to converse with her, it is very similar to Latin. She shall be able to understand most of what you're saying." He turned back to her, excitement giving emphasis to his words as he repeated what he'd just said to Eric in her tongue.
Eric approached them, studying her in curiosity as she replied to Anderson. He thought back on his Latin lessons and found himself to be quite rusty. "What is it she's saying now?"
Anderson's animated smile fell. "Oh… well, Sire, she says that she has just said how excited she is to be here." He glanced back her way as she continued to speak in rapid fire. "Apparently, the two of you have met before."
Eric arched a brow as he rubbed his chin. "I believe I would remember such an encounter. Where does she say she is from?"
Anderson frowned, realizing he was going to be stuck playing mediator. "Sire, if you would only recall your Latin lessons, I assure you, you would not have any difficulty conversing with her yourself."
Eric glared at the man. "And perhaps you should recall who pays your wages."
Anderson let out an exasperated huff. "Very well, Sire… Though I'd say that wage would be better earned elsewhere." He muttered the last bit as he turned his attention back to the girl. "Where are you from? And how is it that you have met the prince before?"
"I'm from the sea! I first met Eric a few months ago when the ship he was on caught fire. I found him unresponsive in the water. My friend and I brought him to shore not far from the wreckage." Ariel answered, doing her best to adapt to the language the other man was using.
Eric tapped his foot impatiently as he looked from the girl to Anderson, only picking up a few of the words she'd said this time. "Well?"
Anderson furrowed his brows in uncertainty. "She says she came across you the first time when your ship went down a few months back… that she and a fried rescued you… and that she is from… the sea, Sire."
"Well yes, I caught as much. What was the rest?! Which sea?" He did his best to repeat his question in Latin. "Qaysi dengiz?"
A new level of excitement filled Ariel as he spoke the first words that she could understand. "Okeanus saroyi."
"Palace? Palace!" Eric repeated the only word he recognized as he leaned over Anderson's shoulder. "What was the other part? Where would that be?" He patted Anderson's shoulder. "Send for a map. Perhaps she would be able to show us." He gave Anderson's shoulder a good shake. "Can you imagine? Perhaps it's a wealthy land; and they, perhaps, swayable enough to provide a finder's fee." He sent Anderson a wink before shoving him out of the seat. He moved around to take the man's place, crossing his legs and arms as he stared back at the young girl.
"But, Sire we're not even sure if she is of worth for such a fee." Anderson argued as he rubbed his now sore arm.
Eric brushed him away. "It shan't matter if she is not from a prosperous land." He narrowed his eyes before barking out his orders. "Now retrieve a map, man! I don't have all day."
Anderson bowed begrudgingly before sending Ariel an apologetic glance then fleeing the room. Eric watched as the man disappeared from the room. With a displeased shake of his head, he turned his attention back to the girl. He rubbed his chin as he thought over all Anderson had said earlier. "You rescued me? Saqlangan?"
She nodded.
"That was off the coast of Balearic Island, Spain… Then you must be from Palma… You're not among any of the nobility I've met from that castle…" When she didn't seem to recognize any of the words he'd said, he frowned. "Okeanus…" He thought over the word, repeating it over and over until a thought came to him. "Oceanus? Perhaps that is what you mean… but it couldn't be, right?" To his surprise, she clapped and nodded in excitement. He sprang up from the chair and made haste to the bookshelf. He rummaged through the books until the door to the room opened once again. He looked up to see Anderson. "I need you to retrieve all the volumes we have in the library on Greek gods… Namely the older ones. I believe she is speaking of the palace of Oceanus… You know what that means? Not only can I finally clear my name and banish all the rumors of my loss of sanity, but if I could locate the palace itself, I'd be bloody rich!" He nodded toward Anderson with certainty. "About damned time too! Go! Quickly!"
Anderson blew out an exasperated breath. "But wait, Sire. Should we not verify this first before I spend the better part of the rest of the day dredging up old books? Perhaps, if the information is correct, it would be easier to bring her to the library?"
Eric frowned. "Well of course it would be! What are you waiting for, Anderson? Stop wasting time and get to asking her!"
After another thirty minutes, all their suspicions were answered. Eric clasped Anderson's arm and dragged the man out of the room. He leaned in and whispered as he pulled the bedroom door closed. "We shall not let her out of our site for the time being. She herself should be worth a small fortune not to mention any of her people who happen to come after her. Perhaps if we play our cards right, she will even lead us to the palace and the treasures herself."
"But Sire-"
"No, no… She is a real enough person so the palace must be as well."
"But Sire, you're forgetting one very important part. If you are correct and your memories of your parents' shipwreck were correct, you shall be up against a monstrous beast!"
Eric's eyes narrowed. "She is flesh and blood enough at the moment, thus they must share a vulnerable form as well… We simply need to devise a plan to get them to lower their guard."
Anderson was almost afraid to ask when a sly smile curved the prince's lips. "Sire, hopefully, you are not planning anything too sinister?"
His smile widened. "Sinister? Not even in the least, Anderson. Why would you think such a thing? I was thinking quite the opposite really."
"The… the opposite, Sire?"
Eric clasped both his shoulders. "Yes, dear Anderson… the opposite, being love…" His almost manic eyes reflected his excitement. "Love… You said it yourself; the girl is smitten with me. I shall convince her that I too share in her affections. I shall court her and plan our wedding, at which point when she has gathered her family and friends, I shall take them all down and claim their treasures as my own! It's genius really, wouldn't you agree?"
Anderson rubbed his sore arms. "I… suppose, Sire… but what of her father? She said he is a king… Surely, he shall not be so easily fooled…"
"Psh, I shall not be swayed on this. The man must be human enough…" He waved to one of the maids who had remained close while the two men had questioned the girl. "Ready the girl. See that she is bathed and dressed in a way fitting to tour the palace and grounds… But not too comfortably." A wicked smile curved his lips. "I shall need her breathless by the time we reach the outer markers."
"Sire, I do not question your plans or intelligence… but is it advisable to venture that far away from the palace if you are unable to properly conversate with the girl?"
A smirk curved his lips. "Love needs no words. There are plenty of other ways to woo a lady."
***
Ursula swallowed hard. Her knuckles where white with the strain of her tight fists as she listened to Sabastian's story. Yuri would surely be devastated to hear her daughter has ran away… and Triton… Triton would be furious! She grasped Sebastian's hands. "You must go back and stay with her, keep her safe for now… until I can devise a plan…"
"But I can't shift! I told you already!"
Her eyes moved frantically around her quarters. She darted to a shelf. "I have a way… I can cast a spell… it will be short lasting… three days at best…" She began grabbing bottles from the shelf. "But it should give you the ability to walk on land…" She pulled out a large shell bowl and began pouring various amounts of each of the bottles into it.
"Wait… You know what you're doing right? You… you've done it before… right?"
"Yeah… Of course…" Ursula muttered as she remained focused on her spell. She chanted the words over the brew as she mixed it.
"I don't need to sing, or anything do I?"
"No… just stop interrupting…" She continued to chant and mix causing it to change colors and glow. Smoke from the mix clouded the water around them before it finally exploded sending sound rippling through the room. She glanced around them nervously before scooping out a ladle full and holding it out to him. "Drink quickly. You'll only have a short time to drink this and get to the surface. Understand?"
He stared questionably down at the mix. "Then shouldn't I wait until I'm closer to the surface to drink it?"
She shook her head as she pushed the ladle out toward him more. "No, I need to make sure the right effects happen or else the spell could be a failure!"
He winced as he stared down at the volatile mix. "Are… are you sure it's safe?"
"Do you want to help her or not?! Drink!" She shoved the ladle to his lips and clasped the back of his head with the other hand. "Drink, damn you!"
Sabastian choked on the burning liquid as it seared a path down his throat and into his stomach. Within a short time of emptying the ladle, he began to feel a tingling in his hands and feet. He sent Ursula a worried look. "What… what now?"
"Swim! Get to the surface as quickly as you can! It's beginning to work!"
He didn't waste any time as he darted for the window, pushing it open and swimming through. He swam frantically toward the surface as the odd sensation began moving through his entire body. He could feel a shifting and… shrinking?!... of his body, but he pushed on holding his breath as he did. Finally, his head broke the surface of the sea, and he gasped in a large breath of air. He lifted his hands and screamed… but was even more surprised when his voice came out distorted and tiny. "I'm a crab! A flipping crab!!!" His eyes moved around the air and water, but he couldn't see anything only water and clouds. "How am I supposed to help her like this?!"
CREATORS' THOUGHTS 
Jacquia_comics
Jacquia_comics Sorry, there was no chapter Friday. After the hurricane, the allergens have been on super-charge, and I ended up with a sinus infection, migraines, and asthma attacks. Not fun... I feel mostly better now after sleep and meds. So hopefully, I can get things back on schedule this week.
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