Elaina's POV

I looked over Nyla's body to see a dark figure swim past.

"Llyr!" I screamed. Llyr's head immediately whipped to me as a look of alarm passed over his features.

He swam over to me in record speed as his eyes darted around me, probably checking for injuries.

"What's wrong?" He asked.

"There's something in the water," I whispered as I pointed down.

He looked worried before he ordered me to stay put while he dived under to go look who was swimming about.

I held Nyla tighter and then Cody and Rory came next to me, nudging me softly as if to calm me down.

The water was still and I couldn't help the feeling of foreboding creeping up on me.

Suddenly there was a great splash and Llyr resurfaced, but he was not alone. Another merman resurfaced behind him.

This merman had dark hair with blue eyes and his tail was a dark blue.

The man noticed me staring and he waved at me awkwardly before he and Llyr came closer.

"Elaina I want to introduce you to the head of my guard and my best friend, Myx," he said and I held out my hand towards him.

He looked at it perplexed before Llyr told him that he had to shake it. He shook it just the way Llyr did the day we first met. Before he took my hand and kissed my knuckles softly.

"It's a pleasure to finally meet you, Llyr has told me a lot about you," Myx said with a smug grin.

"I hope only good things," I said. My arms started to cramp, maybe because of all the tension or of holding onto Nyla so long but my hold slipped and Llyr noticed immediately. He rushed over to me, before picking me up like my brothers do.

"Someone's tired," Llyr observed.

"Just a little bit," I said, but Llyr was having none of that.

"Time to dock," he said as he made a clicking noise and told Myx to follow us. Rhixton was sitting at the docks when we got there. Llyr gentle placed me on the dock and Rhixton placed a towel around me.

"Who's this?" Rhixton asked and Llyr introduced Myx and Rhixton. I was listening with a half a mind because of my extreme tiredness.

"Why are you here?" Llyr asked curiously.

"Your father was looking for you," Myx replied.

Llyr nodded before he turned to me, "I need to go."

I nodded and he gave me a small smile before he nodded to Rhixton and dived into the deep followed by Myx. I hoped it wasn't anything serious.

***
Llyr's POV

Myx and I swam back to the palace as fast as we could.

"She is very beautiful," he said.

"She is," I replied and the rest of the swim was in silence. Two guards were stationed outside the throne chamber and they nodded at us before opening the huge shell doors for us.

"Ah there you are," my father's boomed sending small waves.

"You were looking for me father?" I asked.

"Yes, I went to Primbroock, but he said he sent you out to an assignment so Myx agreed to go look for you," I swam closer.

"Why were you looking for me?"

"I decided to hold you coronation at the end of this month, and with your coronation you need to choose your queen. If you don't have a more suitable choice, then princess Olga would be chosen for you," he said and his voice held a finality that leaved no room for disagreement.

"I see, I will go to Primbroock to inform him that I only have a month left to assist him," I said. I was overwhelmed with grief when I realised that I had a month left of seeing Elaina, I don't know why I had these feelings for her but during the last few days I started to develop stronger feelings.

"What are you going to do?" Myx asked once we were outside the record room.

"Enjoy the last time I have with her," I said before I opened the door and Myx wished me goodbye.

Primbroock was waiting for me in his office with a glum look on his face.

"I guess you haven't found anything," I said as I closed the shells behind me.

"No, my prince. Nothing at all," he said.

"It doesn't matter anymore, I'll be crowned at the end of the month and my father expects me to marry Olga," I said.

"Might be, but you can't deny the feelings you have," Primbroock said, "you're mother would've wanted you to follow you're heart."

"Sometimes duty comes before love," I said. I bid him goodbye after that. I wanted to see Elaina, but I had a feeling I wouldn't be good company and decided to see her tomorrow. I needed to tell her that I would be leaving in a months time, but I didn't know why.

***
Elaina's POV

It was the next morning and after a healthy breakfast Rhixton took me to the dock. Llyr wasn't there and we both found it strange because he usually waited for us. Rhixton wanted to wait, but I told him I would wait for Llyr and call him if I needed him. After a lot of persuasion, he finally left.

I was busy doodling when I felt a nudge. A happy smile crossed my features when I saw Llyr breaking through the ocean's surface. He had dark circles around his eyes and he looked he hadn't slept at all.

"Are you okay?" I asked worried as I grabbed his hand which was holding on to the dock.

"I'll be fine. Do you want to go somewhere with me?" He asked after a moments' silence.

"Where?" I asked.

"Anywhere," he said and I could see he had a lot on his mind.

"I'll just let Rhixton know," I said before I called Rhixton.

A few minutes later Rhixton was running down the dock. He bent down as he tried to catch his breath while he checked me up and down to ensure I was unharmed.

"I'm fine, I just wanted to tell you that Llyr and I are going for a swim," I said with a look that said 'don't even disagree with me on this one.'

"If you promise to take care of her and return her unharmed she may go," Rhixton said to Llyr and Llyr agreed. Luckily I decided to wear some of my brother's breeches so I was more comfortable to swim in them.

"Good, then I'll see you later," Llyr picked me up by my waist and I placed my hands on his shoulders for support. He lifted me into the water before he nodded at Rhixton and then we swam off to an unknown destination.

The whole way there was absolute silence between us. Llyr swam faster than usual and I wanted to ask him to slow down, but I had I feeling he wouldn't hear me. He was too lost in thought to notice anything around him and I wondered if his meeting with his father had anything to do with it.

I knew from experience that the heir to the throne had more stress on them and I used to threaten Ethan to unburden himself by talking to me. I knew I couldn't offer him much, but I could listen.

Llyr suddenly stopped and I was shocked to see a very small island in front of us. It had a small beach and the waves quickly pushed us on the beach. Llyr helped me to sit upright and once we were both comfortable we stared out into the horizon.

"Is it okay for you to be out of the water?" I asked curiously.

"As long as I don't stay here for too long with out getting water on my tail, I'll be fine," he said and I felt better. I didn't want him to burn in the sun.  I had natural tan skin, so the sun didn't burn me that much. Maybe that was my power.

I looked over to Llyr and I saw the troubled look on his face. It hurt me seeing him so troubled, but I didn't understand why it did.

I placed my hand on his and he gave me a small smile, a smile that conveyed more words than a long speech would. A smile that said that 'I'll be okay...'