We both paused outside the archway just out of sight. The angry voice continued.

“Why can’t you behave more like Irene, she’s not a great example but at least she has some decency to remain composed? Go and study and there shall be no more of your shenanigans.” He boomed followed by a chorus of ‘yes father’.  The mopey six, left through another archway further down the corridor. I hadn’t noticed but Sebastian has moved us into the shadows had me pressed up against the wall with his back slightly in front of me. “Sebastian, I see you found her,” the voice soften, Sebastian gave my hand a little squeeze and brought me through the archway into the large room, I had been taken on my first night as a mer. I had inched my way behind Sebastian and quickly glanced up at the king before shying away further behind his back. “Still a bit of an introvert I see,” he mused.

“I wouldn’t say that,” Sebastian said smugly. I felt tempted to flick his ear, but that would be a repeat of the last time. So instead I poked him in the ticklish spot under the ribs, making him coil as he tried to suppress a laugh. The king however let out a hearty laugh surprising the both of us.

“You two are a hilarious couple. So Aubrey, how you liking Sebastian?” the king asked placing his head in his hand and peered down at me.

“He’s good,” I squeak back, peering over Sebastian’s shoulder. He nodded in agreement.

“Did he take you to any place nice?” he smiled giving me all his full attention, as his white beard flowed gracefully with the subliminal currents.

“We went to Australia,” I said smiling a little before I remembered the disappointing reason why we went in the first place.

“I take it wasn’t an entirely successful trip,” he concluded, my face probably giving it away. I nodded slowly. Sebastian stretched his arm back and took me by the waist and brought me to his side where he wrapped his protective arms around me. “You got to try a bit harder lover boy. You’re very lucky she even accepted that minyorni. You’re disgracing the tradition with that tacky piece,” he chuckled pointing at my neck with his truck tire of a finger.

“Yes I’m very lucky,” he whispered for me to hear but I wouldn’t be surprised if the giant heard it.

“Honestly mate, take her out to dinner or something, I bet she’s already cooking for you, because she’s tired of eating your second rate grub.” I was shocked at the way this guy was talking, he was royalty, right? I struggled to stifle my laugh, as it was more or less true.

“You traitor. You’re supposed to back me up,”” Sebastian whined, playfully poking my sides making me laugh even harder along with the king.

“You had it coming, you are terrible at cooking. I didn’t want to be mean, but…,” I couldn’t stop laughing when he looked at me in disbelief. I forced a straight face and looked at him. “I would love to go out for dinner, thanks for asking,” I grinned my effort vanishing. It was about time he started acting like the boyfriend. I had never been on a date before, but judging from all the movies and overhearing some of the girls at school, it would be fun. Though I think dinner might have been a bit to higher level to start with, even if we had already skipped to being ‘engaged’.

“Oh Sebastian, you better do what the missus asks or you’ll be in hot water,” the giant laughed. “Have the day off. Oh I almost forgot, I’m sorry for my daughter’s behaviour earlier, they should know better, than to play hide and seek at this age.”

“Maybe Aubrey should teach them ‘Eels and Portals’,” suggested Sebastian. I almost wanted to throttle him. That game was even more childish than, hide and seek.

“Eels and Portals? Sound most intriguing, a Topside invention?” he asked.

“Yes, it certainly is fascinating, though I do believe the game originated under another name, what was it again Aubrey?” he turned to me who had quieten down and slipped behind him again.

“Snakes and ladders,” I whispered.

“You must bring it here sometime, for us to play. Now off you go, I hear Rondo’s is a nice joint.” There was no way this guy was a king. Sebastian smiled and nodded before he led me out of the room through one of the archways.

We remained silent the entire way out of the palace, him keeping me close under his arm. I looked out to the blue city.  Schools of fish swam around the city’s homes and ruins.  There was a pair of stingrays hovering on the ocean floor kicking up the sand while a bluish crab skipped nimbly over the rocks. I felt Sebastian rub his face in my drifting hair as he took a ‘breath’ of it in.  Resting his head on mine, my head fitted neatly in the crook of his neck, as if it was made just for me. He wrapped his arms over my shoulders nibbled at my ear, tickling me.

“I was worried when you disappeared,” he whispered in my ear. I was gone, what, like ten, fifteen minutes? “After an hour I sent out a couple of the guards to search for you.” Hour? I was gone that long?

“You overreact too much,” I mumbled looking down at his robust arms.

“What was that?” he asked daring me to say it again. I felt his warm breath on the right side of my neck tickling the hairs, making my arm go goosebumpy. Annoyingly Sebastian noticed and held my left arm up and breathed on the matching side of my neck making a new set of goosebumps appear. “Oh this will be fun in the future,” he grinned at himself filing the little info away.

“Leave my goosebumps alone,” I said rubbing my arms to warm them up so they would disappear.

“But I just learnt something new about you, and it’s funny,” he breathed on my right side again causing a shiver to run down my spine and setting my goosebumps alive again.

“It’s not funny,” I said whacking him across the arm. He ignored me and chuckled. “Hurry up and take me to dinner or something.” I pulled my hair to the front so it covered my neck.

“You were actually serious?” he asked surprised. I looked at him to see if he was kidding me only to find him doing the same. “It’s only just passed twelve,” he explained.

“Then take me out to lunch somewhere, I’m not sure how things work here but I’m pretty sure you’re supposed to at least go on a date. Unless it was an arranged marriage, then that would suck. Wait this is more or less an arranged marriage,” I glanced nervously at Sebastian, my words pouring out faster. “Meaning I don’t have a choice in the matter and hence, why I’m being wed at such a young age. But don’t the parents choose their child’s partner? But my parents don’t even know you exist. But with arranged marriages, isn’t there usually an exchanged of money and gifts when they give up their daughter? And my parents are money grabbers. Does that mean, they ‘do’ know and sold me to you, knowing there was no way for me to leave you? Or they still don’t know that mers exist, because they would probably have sold you to some wacked out scientists. Oh this is so confusing, never mind, forgot what I said about going on dates,” I said as my mind raced around in circles, digging me into six foot deep hole.

Sebastian gently cupped my face in his hands and hushed me making me look at his trusting gorgeous blue eyes.

“Aubrey, would you like to go out with me for some lunch?” he asked slowly, worried by my sudden splurge of chatter. I nodded; scared if I opened my mouth, I would go off on another rant. He smiled, kissed me lightly on the lips and took my hand and led me into the city. “You’re family still doesn’t know I exist, by the way.” He mentioned as we headed down the street.

“Don’t you think they will be worried that I’ve disappeared?” I asked.

“You are only thinking about that now? Its been almost three weeks” he asked in disbelief. What? It’s not like my parents had been a major part in recent my life. “Well lucky for you I had thought of it before hand, and had sent a letter telling them you were spending time with your dear fiancé, in some random place in the Bahamas.”

“You wrote what? You actually wrote I was your fiancé? Why the Bahamas?” my mind was doing somersaults again.

“Yeah, I chose the Bahamas as I thought it would be a hard place to track you if they went searching.” He explained calmly while I was flipping out. My parents were control freaks, despite their noticeable absence.

“So you really did kidnap me?” I was shocked. I had only just got over that idea and now I was back onto it.

“You are talking a lot today.” He motioned to a store on the side of the street. I peered at the window and was presented with the most wonderfully decorated pastries in the world. “You want to try some?” he asked knowing full well I did. I nodded. He opened the door for me, the little bell above the door tinkled joyfully

The patisserie was painted in sweet pastel colours while the display cabinet was dotted with rich brightly decorated treats.

“Hi, how can I help you?” smiled the shop assistant. She was about to say something else when she suddenly paused when she looked at us. “O-M-G you’re really here,” she squealed with joy. “You’re Aubrey Bulla and your Sebastian Vischer. The real thing!”

“Yes and your Taylor Mintel. How is your brother Toby doing?” Sebastian asked.

“O-M-G its true! You do know everyone’s name. Oh Toby! He’s doing great.”  He knew everybody’s name? I’m sure he mentioned it before but I never really thought about it. So did that mean he knew everybody in Atlantis or the whole ocean or the whole world? “O-M-G the girls are never going to believe that I actually met the couple of the century!” she cheered.

If there was a limited edition collectable ‘Sebastian & Aubrey’ range of merchandise, she was defiantly the fan girl who had at least two completed sets. Sebastian turned to me and nodded towards the display case.

“Chose one,” he smiled. I drifted over and gazed out over the delicacies. How could I possibly chose just one.

________________

Now we add a little personality to the king with a dollop of freaky fan girl, the with teaspoon of essences of forgetting family and a sprinkle of Confusing chatter till we get goosebumps (actually seriously happens to me). Bake together till city blue and leave to cool. Serve with anticipation for the chapter.

I'm not sure I adding Aubrey's sputter of arranged marriages and scientists was wise.  Or if it made any sense....

But I think ya'll gonna love the next chapter if the above comment is a not a dead give away already.