Nate stared at the young man, his ear fins perking up as the young man smiled. He wanted the young man to smile at him like that. Leaning on the ship a bit more, Nate giggled watching the animal lick the young man's face. Behind him, Mark tugged on his arm gently, whispering to him seriously. "Nate, we have to go. Now." Nate shrugged Mark off, whispering back breathlessly. "Not yet. Just a few more minutes." Mark squeezed his arm, pleading with him. "Nathan..." Nate wrapped an arm around Mark's neck without looking at him, pulling him closer to look as he told him. "We've never been this close to a human before. Look at them." Mark briefly peeked around to see, then muttered out. "Yes. Fascinating. Can we go now?" Nate released Mark to lean on the vessel's floor, upon sighing out softly. "Mark, we're fine. Just look. Isn't he handsome?" Mark swallowed, looking at Nate as he forced himself to ask. "Who?" Nate pointed, his tail swaying a bit faster as he grinned out. "That one. Did you know that humans can have blue eyes like that?"

Mark peeked around to get a better look at the young man that Nate was vexed with. Seeing a cluster of them, he shrugged and grumbled out. "They all look the same to me. Nathan-" Nate cut him off by grabbing his shoulder and pulling him up against him. Pressing his cheek to his, Nate pointed again and whispered to him. "That one. The one petting the animal. Isn't he cute?" Mark glared at the human, then softened his features as he turned his head to look at Nate with fragile eyes. Nate's full attention was on the human. Licking his lips, Mark whispered back a bit strained. "I've seen better." Nate chuckled lightly, saying distantly. "They don't have guys that look like him back home." Mark's eyes drifted down Nate's body, mumbling out honestly. "No. The ones back home are better looking." Nate rolled his eyes, still not looking at him as he retorted. "Mark, be serious." Mark's heart ached as he mumbled out to himself. "I am..." Nate didn't appear to hear him. He was too distracted by the commotion on the deck now.

Forcing himself to pry his eyes from Nate, he looked for himself as the music stopped. On the deck, an older human quieted everyone down and announced over the softer chatter. "Quiet down everyone! Before we all get too far gone in our frivolities. I'd like the honor of saying a few words." The young man moved to sit on one of the long heavy cylinders, petting his animal with a neutral expression. The old man gestured to the young man, continuing happily. "To our esteemed prince Sean, I'd like to wish you a happy birthday. And I think the crew will agree with me when I say that we wish you many more to come. If your parents were here, I know they would be so proud to see the fine young man that you have become." Nate licked his lips, whispering to himself. "Prince Sean..." Mark locked his jaw at how the name sounded coming from Nate's lips. Their attention was drawn back as the older man gestured to a group of men that were pulling something up from a open hole in the center of the vessel, upon saying proudly. "It is my great pleasure to mark this occasion with a very expensive gift that will be set in the village square back home upon our return. To mark the beginning of your reign."

Prince Sean rose off the cylinder, telling the older man seriously. "I'm flattered Anslo, but you really shouldn't have..." Anslo waved his words off, then beckoned for the group of men to remove the wrapping from the object. With the wrapping removed, Prince Sean stood before it with a face torn up with mixed emotions. The birthday present was a statue carved to look like the young prince. He wore a crown and on his chest was clearly a family crest. Mark snorted to himself. The statue looked so serious compared to the real prince. It was almost comical. He'd seen better statues carved of merfolk. Humans left a lot to be desired if this was their best. Prince Sean circled the statue, before telling Anslo. "It's... It's great, Anslo. But why so... serious?" Anslo puffed himself up, addressing promptly. "Because you want the people to see you as a powerful king, don't you? One who takes his job seriously. And will strike fear into the hearts of those that even think to overthrow you."

Prince Sean began rubbing the base of his neck with his fingers absently, upon replying gently. "I just... I don't want to look like a tyrant... I mean... I'm not crowned the king yet, but you put me in a crown. Won't people think..." Anslo chuckled to himself, then announced bluntly. "Oh, your highness. You don't have to worry. This statue won't go up until AFTER your coronation ceremony. By then, you will be king." Anslo moved closer to the prince to pat him on the back to comfort him. Afterward though, Anslo grumbled out to him. "Although... I had hopped to make this a wedding present." Prince Sean rolled his eyes, moving away from Anslo as he lightly snapped out. "Anslo, don't start with that again." Mark's eyes widened and he grabbed Nate by the back of his neck to pull him away from the opening. The Prince was heading right toward them! Shoving Nate down across the mini vessel, Mark draped himself over Nate to protect him as they stayed low and still. The Prince moved to the railing above them, taking a seat on it as he told Anslo seriously. "I know how important it is. Not just for me but the kingdom. I don't want to rush into anything. I'll happily settle down... when I find the right one."

The Prince adjusted to look out at the vast dark sea, adding softly to himself. "I know there is someone out there for me... I just haven't found them yet." Anslo snorted, grumbling out. "Or you just aren't looking hard enough... You can't take people at surface value. Princess Verlaine was by far the best match for you. I just don't-" Prince Sean cut him off to state out nice and quickly. "Believe me, Anslo. I know. She was great... but she just... I'll know when I find the right one." Prince Sean climbed to his feet on the railing, holding onto a strange net that spanned up the side of the vessel as he told Anslo. "When the feeling hits. There will be no doubts. I'll be swept off my feet like a ship tossed about on the waves." Anslo huffed loudly, retorting grimly. "Oh, Highness... That only happens in fairy tales. Pull your head from the clouds and come back down to earth." Prince Sean exhaled heavily, telling Anslo seriously. "That is easy for you to say. Countries align more swiftly than people... But I'm telling you. I will know. When I find the one... It will just hit me... like lightning."

Just then, a sudden strong wind gust slammed into the riggings of the ship. In the distance came the rumble of thunder as dark clouds seemed to materialize from nothing! On the ship, the Captain began to yell out. "STORM SWELL! ALL HANDS ON DECK!" The bells on the ship began to ring out loudly, while people rushed to their stations. Down on the mini vessel, Mark looked out at the horizon with Nate, uttering out over the whistling wind. "Nate, the storm! That's from your dad's trident, isn't it?!" Nate straightened up more, asking curiously. "What is he doing?!" The dark clouds expanded out across the sky quickly, blocking out the starry sky and the bright moon. Lightning began to strike the water as it boomed across the sky. With the stronger wailing winds came a sudden downpour of rain that practically cut the skin as the wind blew it around in an aggressive manner. Mark grabbed Nate's arm, yelling out over the surging waves and wailing winds. "Nate! We've got to go! NOW!" Nate resisted, glancing back at the ship as he yelled back. "What about THEM?!"

Mark grabbed Nate's shoulders firmly, yelling out sternly. "YOU CAN'T HELP THEM! GO! NOW! THE SURFACE IS NOT SAFE!" Nate shook his head, but Mark wrapped his arms around Nate's neck and thrashed off the mini vessel. Nate yelped as they splashed back into the rolling waves. The waves were so wild that they were rolled and tossed about in them. For even as strong a swimmer as Nate was, the waves were stronger. They kept tossing him up and rolling him across the surface. Mark screamed as a wave rolled him into the side of the vessel. Nate used the momentum of the waves to reach Mark, getting caught in the wake of the vessel himself. Mark clawed at the lower half of the vessel desperately to keep from being sucked beneath it. Their fear wasn't in drowning but from getting cut up by the barnacles along the vessel's belly. Clinging to the side of the vessel with his talon nails, Mark screamed out to Nate. "NATHAN! HELP!" Nate struggled to claw his way closer without getting pulled under the vessel too soon.

Reaching out, he grabbed Mark's wrist as the suction began to force Mark under the wild waves, leaving only his hands exposed above the raging current. Nate pulled hard on Mark's wrist to bring him back up, but his own chest was getting cut up from the barnacles along the side. Mark's head came up to the surface to spit a mix of blood and water, before the next crashing wave forced him back under. Nate screamed as his body continued to get scratched and cut up. Terrified that Mark would die, Nate took a deep breath and forced himself to dive down. As the current forced him under the dark water, Nate yanked Mark under him. Holding him close to his chest, Nate propelled himself straight down into the depths... but the barnacles along the belly got their licks in. Slashing his back up with deep cuts, before he was able to break free of the surface current. Laying Mark out safely across the sand below, Nate felt the water vibrate from the loud 'BANG' that came from overhead. Something had happened. There was a bright light over the water now. Mark weakly grabbed his arm, yelling out above the gentle waves that rocked them. "Nate, NO! They can take care of themselves!"

Nate shook his head, starting to swim back to the surface as Mark yelled out desperately. "NATHAN! DON'T! PLEASE!" Nathan fought back through the rough waves to reach the surface. He was farther from the vessel now to avoid getting pulled in beneath it. What he saw stole his breath away. The vessel was rippling with strange bright red light. The air was suffocating, forcing retreating humans to cough and scream out. "ABANDON SHIP! TO THE LONG BOATS! WE'RE GOING DOWN!" Little vessels were trying to brave the surface of the rough waves to get away from the large vessel. A group of humans on the last mini vessel, where yelling out to cut the rigging lines free. The mini vessel seemed stuck to the side of the large vessel. Men were cutting away at the thick lines holding it as thunder raged overhead. The rain made the chaos hard to see through, but Nate scanned quickly for prince Sean. He didn't see him at first, until from the large vessel the animal began to make loud noises. From the stuck mini vessel, prince Sean rose, yelling out. "SAM! COME HERE, BOY!" The animal started to run to the side, until something on the vessel fell and made the animal whine.

From the stuck mini vessel, prince Sean leapt off and pulled himself over the side of the large vessel. The men in the mini vessel, screamed out after him. "HIGHNESS! Get back here! LEAVE HIM!" Nate's heart raced watching Sean scream out across the vessel. "SAM?! Come here, boy! It's ok!" From one of the mini vessels that was sailing away, a man yelled out to the stuck mini vessel. "CUT THE LINES! THE REEF IS COMING!" Nate watched in horror as the lightning flashed to reveal the rocks of the outer reef. The rocks were so dark that they blended in perfectly with the storm cover. Prince Sean raced to the edge of the large vessel, managing to get the animal lowered into the mini vessel. However, as Sean tried to swing over the railing, the ship slammed hard into the rocks of the outer reef and flung him back across the deck of the ship. As the vessel hit the rocks, the mini vessels rigging snapped, dropping the little vessel into the rough water. The largest pillar of the vessel broke, falling down and out across the water, forcing the mini vessel to scramble as it left the large vessel.

From the mini vessels, the men shouted for the prince or called out to him. "GET OFF THE SHIP BEFORE THE FIRE REACHES THE POWDER KEGS!" Nate started to swim closer, when the top of the large vessel exploded! Debris flew out across the wild winds and rain to splash into the dark ocean water. The mini vessels all around screamed and gawked at the sinking large vessel in complete horror. Spurring Nate to swim across the rough waves with the current and through the sinking wreckage. Shoving floating pieces of the vessel and things out of the way, he looked around for the Sean. From the water a few feet away, Sean came up to the surface. He coughed and weakly tried to drag something over to hold onto to keep from sinking back under the rising waves that threatened to slam him into the reef rocks. Diving, Nate swam as fast as he could toward him. From the large vessel behind him, another loud 'BANG' rang out through the air and water. The blast shoved Nate into a roll beneath the waves, while seeming to knock Sean unconscious as he sank into the water.

Diving deeper to chase after Sean, Nate reached him and wrapped his arms around him. Swimming farther from the outer reef a bit, Nate pulled Sean to the surface. The waves crashed over Nate's shoulders and over Sean, while the large vessel made more colorful stars rain from the sky. The loud bangs mixing with the roar of the wind and thunder. Feeling like the place wasn't safe anymore, Nate stayed on the surface as he retreated to Mermaid Island with Sean in his arms. Nate knew that he couldn't take him to the safe moonpool. So, he took him to the farthest and safest cove that he knew of on the far side of the island. Approaching the shore, the rough waves slammed him out over the sandy beach. Nate yelped loudly in pain as his back hit the beach, but he was more worried about Sean. Adjusting to lay Sean out across his back, Nate leaned over him to block the heavy rain from pelting Sean's face. Panting heavily, Nate told Sean's unconscious body. "Oh, please tell me that you're alright. Sean...?" Nate touched Sean's cheek tenderly. He didn't know what to do to help him. Sean felt so cold. So, he just waited with him. Protecting him from the rain as best he could.

As fast as the storm had come in, the storm faded away. Revealing the dawn of the new day through the fading dark clouds. Nate rested beside Sean, his hand stroking his chest with a worried face. Sean hadn't moved even a little and it was beginning to make him fear the worst. Had he not done enough? What more could he do? The waves lapped the shore gently, bringing tears to Nate's eyes. Then from the water, Nate heard Mark ask him in breathless horror. "Nate...? What have you done?!" Nate jerked his head to look at Mark, pleading out to him. "Mark, help! I don't know what to do!" Mark shook his head, backing up into the waves, until Nate's voice cracked out. "Mark! PLEASE! I'll go home with you, I promise! Just help me save him!" Mark's shoulders slumped with a heavy sigh, but he reluctantly crawled up over the shore. Getting up beside him, Mark put a hand across Sean's face. Nate tensed up, asking him hopefully. "Is he alive?" Mark moved his hand away, answering honestly. "I don't know. I can't tell if he's breathing..."

Mark's hands moved to Sean's chest, slipping his hands under the strange material to touch his bare skin. Closing his eyes, Mark told him after a minute. "He's got water in his lungs... I'm going to have too-" Mark stopped talking upon opening his eyes to see Nate cupping Sean's face and bring his lips to Sean's. Nate parted Sean's lips with his thumb and inhaled through his mouth to slowly draw the water from Sean's lungs. As the last of the water was drawn out of his lungs, Sean arched and began to cough. Nate turned his head to spit the sea water he'd drawn out, looking to Mark with a grin. Mark scooted back toward the water, mumbling out. "I had other means to do that... but whatever. He's alive. Let's go now." Nate leaned back over Sean, cupping his face as he looked down at him. Nate's tail swayed happily across the sand, his ear fins falling back as he started to sing a slow soft melody to him. Nate didn't want to leave him. He wanted to stay. He wanted to hear his voice and see his ocean blue eyes again. He'd never had a reason to sing... until now.

Merfolk only sang to attract mates or protect themselves by lowering the guard of their prey. Nate loved to sing when he was alone, but now he felt like singing to Sean. Every part of him wanted him. Sean took a few calming breaths, before slowly opening his eyes. Nate smiled down at him, stroking his cheek as he finished humming the song. Sean's hand reached up to touch Nate's cheek, his eyes narrowing on him as he asked gruffly. "Who are you?" Nate opened his mouth, when a female voice from the land called out. "Sean! Prince Sean!" Jerking back, Nate reluctantly rushed back into the water. Diving in, just as a woman reached Sean and dropped down to look him over. To Be Continued...