Chapter 14

Triton POV

I couldn't sleep much last night, I am sure Helena didn't either, I wanted to go see her, I did, but I know she needs her space. And I know more things too, one, I didn't want to get married to Nakida even after our conversation last night, and two, I liked Helena more than how a friend should. But it's not like I can act on it, the queen would give me a million reasons why I can't, the main reason is that she isn't my mate, but neither was Nakida. Sighing loudly, I forced my eyes shut, thinking. My mind was still on the oracle, and as I said before something was very different about her, ask me what is it, I don't know. Why did she allow me to embarrass myself like that, telling me that crap many years ago, leading me to think that I will find my mate and we will live happily ever after, and when I have found the perfect one, grew to know her and like her for the past couple of weeks, only to be disappointed in the end that she wasn't the one?

And how does that make me feel? I don't know— this is going to be shocking but, deep down— I still feel connected to her somehow, a part of me still wants her to be my mate, but there is another part wanting to be her friend as well. I know... I wasn't making any sense, but that's how I felt, but now it's too late, I will never get the chance to tell her or show her at least.

"Prince Triton," I heard a knocking on my door, a voice I have heard for a long time, but I was too lazy to move and deep in my thoughts to care,

"I can hear you breathing from here,"

Groaning under my breath, I sighed into my pillow,

"Come in," I muttered,

"I wonder what's keeping the prince locked in," he stood at the doorway smirking at me,

"Can you please close the door behind you William," I rolled my eyes in disdain,

"What of course, Prince Triton," he slammed the door shut with his foot,

William is a guard, he and never really got along, according to him, I stole his friend, which also happens to be Nakida. Truth is, I did steal his friend, they both were warriors, and I was prince, but if you knew the Nakida back, you would love her too. I don't know what Nakida sees in him, she is the only reason I keep him around because I know they share a long history, but one of these days, my patience is going to run out, William was walking on a thin line here and he knew it,

"I wanted to congratulate you in person,"

"For what exactly?"

"I have heard a few whispers down by the maid quarters... Rumor has it that you thought Lady Helena was your mate and last night at the queen's dinner some interesting things happened," he chuckled,

Some interesting things did happen, which nudges me towards the queen wounding her, she knows she can face a great penalty, but Helena has not been elected to the council seat yet, so my mother was right she is just Helena, a half-blood in her eyes. But I have a gut feeling that if Helena stays around, a lot of changes would be made, and that is why when she brings up wanting to talk to the council, I find a way to distract her.

"If that all?" I eyed him,

"So, you are getting to Nakida?"

"Listen, William, she only sees you as a friend you know that right,"

"A friend," he chuckled leaning against the door, rubbing his nose with the back of his hand,

"Is that what she told you, or is that you talking? Because I was there when she lost her parents, me." I sat up in my bed, listening to him keenly as he stared at nothing, lost in his whole world,

"My family was the ones who took her in with open arms, and she would come around us, the boys, me— begging us to train her, at first we would laugh until we saw how determined she was, so we did it... We trained her, and she started to kick our butts," he chuckled hanging his head low,

"But becoming a warrior was probably the worst mistake she made because she met you..."

"I—" I stuttered, I mean I did feel bad for the guy but, Nakida didn't tell me any of this, she told me they go way back, I didn't think she meant that way back,

"I didn't know any of this," I finally spoke, "and I am sorry if marrying Nakida is causing your family any pain— causing you any pain, I am sorry, this wedding is really out of my hands,"

"Pain? You think you marry me— her... has cost me and my family pain?" I figured that was a rhetorical question and didn't need an answer,

"I am here on the behalf of my family, to grant you both blessings, since the... Future queen and here are having a feud, I hope you will pass on the news... Oh," he turned to leave,

"Tell her that... Mama misses her, it has been a while," he left the room,

It clear as day that he was in love with her, Nakida told me so too, but she claims they were never involved, she even swore on a tip of a swordfish's sprout, but this... This was different, this was not just obsession, he was heartbroken, I could see in his eyes.

Well, I have surely lost my appetite to stay in bed all day, now I want to get out there and get some fresh air in my lungs, but my chances of running into Helena are slim, but the Queen, I wasn't so sure, and I didn't want to deal with her today, or any at all, I thought. Slipping a shirt on, I marched through the halls, taking a deep breath as I ambled out in the garden. Strolling towards it was Helena, she either didn't see me or she was pretending like she didn't,

"Helena," I called out to her as walked past, she was in a hurry to go somewhere,

"Not now Triton," she hissed,

She was obviously in a bad mood, but that drove me, even more, to find out what's wrong,

"Wait," I shuffled behind her, "What's going on?"

"My mother— she..." She stopped in her tracks, we were meters away from the moon pool,

"I can't..." She continued,

"I can't tell you," she mumbled, looking away,

Fixing my gaze on her, I narrowed my eyes into slits what does she mean she can't tell me,

"What— what you mean you can't tell me?"

"It means— I can't tell you... Just like how you kept that whole mate thing to yourself,"

"Helena, I am really sorry about that and I will do anything for you to trust me again, at least I help you with whatever secret mission you are on,"

"To be honest Triton I care very little for your apologies, if we are done here, I am afraid I will now have to leave you, Prince Triton," she bowed,

What was she doing? And— why was she referring to me as Prince Triton,

"Helena—"

Our talk was disrupted by the loud blows of a trumpet, the queen was calling for me,

"You better get going, Prince Triton..."

"Please— stop calling me that," I pleaded, feeling my chest tightens each time she said, Prince,

"Well either way duty calls and I have to go for a swim," she dived into the moon pool,

Whatever is going on, I need to know. Apart from the time she told me she fell into the moon pool, Helena hasn't been in the water. She was afraid of the ocean, and she told me why. Now, she has gone for a swim, and I am not convinced that she got inspired overnight. Something was wrong. Looking over my shoulders, I listened to the trumpet still, I was in a tough situation, I should go see the Queen and what she needs, but Helena needs me, she was more important. Diving in after her, I swam past her dress that was too heavy to float but too light to sink, my heart pounding faster until the transformation was completed, it calmed down. Swimming out of the tunnel's opening, my eyes danced around, searching for her. Spotting her tail flickering down, my eyes widened, the current was strong down there, and it was also a rocky terrace, she could hurt herself,

"Helena, wait!" I send her a mind link, but she didn't stop, it sent her swimming faster,

Swimming as fast I could, I finally caught up to her, she was sitting between two rocks, looking down at something in her palm,

"Hey, what's wrong?" I channeled another mind link, but she only looked at me, alarmed and sad,

"Use your mind, not your lips, think about it... Anything you want to tell me, and I'll hear it," I mind linked again, I figure she didn't know that we can't speak with our mouths in the water,

"Triton is a such a scumbag," I heard her mind link,

"Oh!" She widened her eyes, "I— I am sorry mean..."

"It's okay," and It was, I probably deserve it,

"Look," she opened her palm, revealing to me what's in it,

"This is mother's wedding ring."