<Back in Moon's bedroom...>

Orion: "Shh!"

Orion covered Moon's mouth to prevent her saying another word.

Maid: "Your highness? Are u asleep? I apologise for disturbing you!"

The princess stepped Orion's foot which made him groan. Now, it was her turn to cover his mouth.

Maid: "Princess? Is there something going on?"

Moon grabbed him arm and dragged him into the bathroom. She immediately locked the door to the bathroom.

Moon: "You may enter!"

The Maid came into the room and bowed with a tray in her hands.

Maid: "These are your medicines, I hope you recovered as soon as possible."

Moon: "Thank you. Just leave it on the table there and you can be on your way."

The Maid obediently did what she was told and left the room quietly.

She looked over at the herb medicines places neatly on the tray. However, beside them, there was a bowl full of weird-looking fruits.

Moon: "What are these?"

Moon picked one up and observed it carefully. Later, she then looked down and noticed a note under the bowl...

Orion: "Hey princess! You are not going to leave me here forever, aren't you?"

The Merman exclaimed from the bathroom, which made Moon kind of annoyed.

Moon: "Well, first of all, what are you doing here? And how did you even get up here?!"

Orion: "I will answer those questions once you let me out."

Moon sighed.

Moon: "Fine fine."

She walked back to the door to the bathroom and unlocked it. As she opened the door, Orion stumbled and unintentionally fell to the ground.

Moon: "H-Hey! Were you leaning on the door?!"

Orion: "Sorry! Ow...that hurts..."

Moon: "You are such an idiot..."

Moon turned around and walked back to her tray of medicines as Orion picked himself back up.

Orion: "Wow, thanks a bunch! You could have just helped me up."

Orion said in a sarcastic tone.

However, the princess was not paying attention to what he was rambling about. She got a hold of the note and read it to herself.

Moon: "Dear Moon, if you are wondering what is inside the bowl, these fruits are called dawn-berries. They are specially grown under the hot sun of dawnville and known to heal a person's sickness. I brought some along with me and I thought about sharing them with you. I hope they will help you feel better. From Aiden."

After reading the note, Moon felt a warm feeling coming from her heart. Without knowing, her lips curled up into a smile.

Orion: "Can this get any cheesy-ier?"

Unexpectedly, Orion appeared behind Moon which made her jumped in surprise.

Moon: "You almost gave me a heart attack!"

Orion: "You are just so easy to scare."

Moon rolled her eyes in annoyance. She grabbed two dawn-berries and gave one to Orion.

Moon: "I hope this can silence that mouth of yours."

Orion: "Seriously?"

Moon: "Yes, I'm serious."

She took a bite of the berry and her eyes grew in shock. It tasted sweet but with a hint a sourness at the end.

Moon: This tastes surprisingly good...

As Moon went for another bite, she asked Orion.

Moon: "So back to my question, how did you get into my room?"

Orion was enjoying the fruit too. He gestured to the window and replied.

Orion: "There was a long rope hanging from your window so I figured it leads to you."

Moon: "If I'm not wrong, I don't think Mermans should know how to climb."

Orion: "Well, you are not wrong. But I had some experience climbing high rock walls on beaches, so don't underestimate me, Princess."

Moon: "*Pouts* Whatever."

Moon pouted after losing another battle. A small smirk emerged from Orion's face.

Orion: "*Chuckles* You never fail to amaze me."

Moon: "And what do you mean by that?"

Orion moved closer to Moon which made her automatically back up. The back of her body hit the hard wall and she found herself a victim to one of his tricks all over again. The fruit she was holding fell to the floor.

He placed his left palm on the wall behind her.

Orion: "Your character amazes me. It makes me doubt whether or not you are a royal or not."

The princess wanted to fight back. But she couldn't help feeling shy as her cheeks reddened.

She glared as her gaze was locked with the Merman's silvery eyes.

Orion: "A princess is stereotyped to be a spoiled and obnoxious woman with high standards, like those in stories..."

Orion noticed Moon clenching her fists but he continued.

Orion: "...However, I see none of those qualities in you..."

Hearing those words, Moon was surprised as she loosened her grips.

Orion: "You don't act rashly, you don't decorate yourself with expensive accessories. Instead...you have an adventurous and a compassionate side to you."

Moon: "Orion, I-"

Orion: "How do I know if you are not fooling me?"

This was the first time Moon saw this side of Orion. But...she understood why he was curious and cautious at the same time.

Moon was not the princess that Orion described and thought she would be. It made him questioned about her.

She opened her mouth to speak but no words came out. She still didn't had the answer.

Moon: "Orion...how would I know if you are not the one fooling me?"

Orion was taken aback by Moon. He didn't expect her to shoot that question back at him.

Moon: "I barely even know you. I only meet a few days ago. So, how can I have the right to trust you?"

His hand slides off the wall and fell back down beside him. Moon knew her words did struck him hard.

Orion: "I-I...I guess you are right..."

Orion let out a long sigh as he turned away and placed his hands on his waist.

Orion: "...The reason I lack trust is because...I was adopted, Moon."

Moon's eyes widened.

Moon: "W-wait...you're adopted? I'm so sorry, I...didn't know that..."

Orion: "Well, it's not a big deal actually. I never knew who my parents were. I do have a foster mother though, but with her, I had never experienced true motherly love before..."

It definitely took a lot of courage saying that and Moon felt really bad. She could also feel her heart aching with sadness.

Moon: "Are you both...not close?"

Orion: "We're close, only because we live under the same roof. But I don't really talk to her often since she is always busy."

Moon: "My parents are always caught up with their duties too."

Curious, Orion looked back at Moon.

Orion: "So are you saying your parents don't spend time with you?"

Moon: "No, they do. Well...at least they try to. However, there're times when I do feel lonely being the only child."

Orion: "Wow, I guess we are equal."

Moon: "It seems like it."

Moon gave him a reassuring smile.

Orion smiled back. Then he continued.

Orion: "It's getting late, I don't want to keep you up, you better go to bed."

Moon: "What about you?"

Orion: "Me? Going back to the ocean, of course. It's probably going to stop raining soon."

Orion walked to the window when he felt someone gently pulling onto his seaweed wrapped shirt.

Moon: "Orion..."

Orion: "What is it, princess?"

Moon: "Can you stay until I fall asleep...?"

Orion: "What-"

Orion's cheeks became bright red. Moon immediately shook both of her hands.

Moon: "No! No! I am not intending anything! I just don't want to feel alone..."

Moon looked down at the ground with her face flushing with embarrassment. That was when she felt his hand caressing her head.

Orion: "*Laughs* You really amaze me, Moon."

Moon: "Still... I wasn't intending anything..."

Orion: "Alright, alright, now go to bed."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Orion's POV

<We are now switching over to Orion's point of view>

Times passed, and Moon had already fallen into a deep slumber. Orion grabbed the edge of her covers and pull it slightly closer to her.

Orion: She's sleeping so peacefully...

Orion quietly got up to his feet and he noticed Moon's note left on the table. He strolled over to it and brought it close to him.

Orion: "This 'Aiden' guy probably cares about her a lot..."

Orion turned his head back to Moon.

Orion: "But I'm not surprised."

Moon is one of the most unique person/'mermaid' he had ever meet. It was not surprising that another man could fall for her.

Orion: But...why do so I feel...painful inside?

Orion brought his hand up to heart and gripped tightly onto his shirt. He felt a warmth and pain disturbing right on the spot he is touching.

Orion: "Am I sick?"

Both mystery and confusion clouded his mind. But all he could see...was emptiness.

Orion: "What did you do to me, Moon?"

Orion walked back to the princess laying in bed, hoping he would find his answer.

However, what he was feeling just now only grew even stronger.

Orion: "What am I thinking? Of course there will be nothing!"

Afraid, Orion quickly opened the window and climbed on top. He was about to climb down when he realised something.

Orion: "Wait, what am I running from? This is not like me."

Orion couldn't understand anything at all. What he was thinking and what he was feeling. He just don't understand.

Orion: "Was I running from her?"

The sight of Moon only made him weird inside and the unknown words roaming his mind was forever going to be unspoken.

Orion: "There is one thing for sure."

Orion declared as he made his way down and landed onto the rough sand.

He stared at the window once again.

Orion: Merfolks and Humans were never met to be together...

To be continued...

Author's notes:

Hello everyone, it's me Chewy! I know it has been so long since I last updated and I really really apologise for that. As some of you know, I am now caught up with my studies and didn't have the time to write and update. Bad news is that the next chapter may not be out soon. However, please don't lose faith! I promise I will published it once I am free from my schoolwork!

Artworks

I want to thank parklyrin16 for hard work for these amazing drawings!! ❤️Please go follow her and vote for her other artworks because they are just mind blowing!!!

((She is also the artist who create the book cover for my first book of 'The Legend of the Mermaid'! ))

Okay, see you next time! Love ya ❤️