Chapter 1
"Prince Achilleus, where are you going this time?" His friend Nathan asked, concern lacing his tone. "You know your father will be upset when he finds out you left the castle once again without an escort."
"Prince Achilleus," Nathan continued, "don't you want to explore further into the kingdom? I mean, it's a vast ocean out there. There's so much to see, even on the surface. Don't you ever wonder what the land dwellers do up there? I've noticed strange contraptions floating on top of the water. It's fascinating."
Achilleus replied with excitement in his voice, "Oh, come on, Nathan. Just a little farther, and then we can turn around."
Nathan sighed, knowing his friend's adventurous spirit all too well. Achilleus had always been the adventurous one, even as a child. His mother, Queen Adelaide, used to struggle to keep him within the castle walls, and his father found him quite disobedient.
Achilleus swam further from the kingdom, savoring the ocean’s beauty as he made his way closer to the surface. The sunlight filtered through the water.
Nathan was hot on his tail, his heart pounding as he glanced around nervously, worried that the king might catch them at any moment.
“Come on, Nathan, lighten up,” Achilleus called back, his voice carrying a note of reassurance. “It isn’t like anything will happen. And don’t worry, we will be careful.” Nathan tried to relax, but the nagging fear of being caught by the king still gnawed at him. He took a deep breath and pushed on, trusting Achilleus’s confidence.
“I don’t know how you do it, Achilleus,” Nathan stated as he followed his prince and best friend. “I don’t know how many times your father has told you the surface world is dangerous for merfolk like us.” He shook his head, a mix of admiration and worry in his eyes. Achilleus merely smiled.
“I don’t know,” Achilleus stated, his eyes reflecting a mix of wonder and defiance. “The surface world just fascinates me.” He glanced back at Nathan, hoping his curiosity would help ease his friend’s fears as they continued their journey upward.
