It was just a few days that was left for Eureal and his family's vacation to elapse.
In the hot afternoon, Eureal and his father went fishing.
They had not caught any fish since they started and because of that, his father got discouraged so he left Eureal for the tent.
Eureal, being the type who likes fishing coupled with the fact that it was really his first fishing adventure, refused to give up.
He remained in the boat that was somewhere in the blue sea and continued fishing and exploring the sea.
At one point, he got tired but still, he didn't leave the sea because he loved the way the breeze that came from that end caressed his skin.
He brought out his smart phone and took some pictures.
As he was going through his gallery while viewing the shots he took, he saw the beautiful face that appeared in one of his pictures.
He zoomed that very picture to see if he could recognize the face but he was not really able to because the lady's face was partly blur and partly clear.
He kept staring at it until he discovered that the face was actually familiar. It was after a while that he managed to recognize from the part that was partly clear that the face was the face of the one who rescued his kite.
He was happy because he had really been praying to see her again at least, to know her name before they would go back to their house.
He quickly faced the direction that he stayed to take that particular picture to see if he could see her.
He kept browsing the area slowly so that he would not miss his sight.
Mira on the other hand was looking out for him. She had wished to see him more often as she was to stay a little bit longer around the surface.
It was really a great opportunity for her to look out for the one he loved and she really maximized it.
It was after a while that their eyes met.
They were so happy that they kept staring at each other for a while before Eureal made a move to meet her.
She was just a few distance away from him.
Just behind one of the biggest rocks just before the bank.
When he finally got there, he was thrilled by her beauty.
Mira on the other hand, could not help but admire his legs and his pointed nose that was well modeled in the middle of his cute face.
"Hey…you again" said Eureal.
Mira didn't say a word other than to smile.
"I didn't get a chance to thank you for rescuing my kite the other day." He continued.
"Thank you so much." He said smiling with his eyes slightly closed.
"Oh, oh! It's ok. I had no other option other than to do what I did." She responded smiling."
"Besides, the kite was so beautiful that I can't allow it to get away just like that." She added.
The sparkling of the glitters from her teeth was damned adorable that it left Eureal in awe. He almost started to wonder if she was really human but he managed to put himself together.
"By the way, my name is Eureal," he introduced himself.
"I am ………."
Sonia's voice interrupted.
"Eureal!!" She called out in a loud voice.
"Where are you? Father wants to see you now!!" Her voice echoed in their ears.
"I should answer my father now," he said and left to answer his call.
This got Mira upset but she couldn't help but to dive into the sea to hide herself.
"At least, I know his name now, I could search for him when I finally become human," she said, swimming a little bit deeper just to get out of sight.
°°°°°°
"Dad…..!" He answered, dropping his fishing net closer to the place his father was sitting.
"I had thought that you would come out with a big fish," his father teased while demonstrating the size of the expected fish with his hands.
"Come off this dad…..I'm tired already and I caught nothing," he said, breathing in a way that portrayed tiredness while he helped himself to sit on the sand that was scattered all over the sea shore.
"It's time for lunch, let's get going," his father said, gathering the fishing net.
They both stood and walked to the tent to meet Sonia and their mother who was already seated, waiting for their arrival.
°°°°°°
Back in the Crums, Princess Bellina and the mother were trying to settle their differences.
"But mom! How do you expect me to do all these things when you pushed the person that was supposed to do them into the prison.
I can't do all of them because they're tedious. I can't mom, I just can't!" She said out of anger and turned to leave but the Empress didn't allow her to go.
"How dare you talk to the Empress in that manner? I can see you have lost some nuts in your head." Thundered her mother with a terrifying frown in her face and some spittle escaping from her mouth.
If you mess up, I would throw you in there and you would go and meet her.
What nonsense?
Better be guided!" She concluded and commanded her to leave her presence instantly while raising her left hand that had the silver staff pointing towards the exit.
This got princess Bellina vexed but because she had no choice, she entered her chamber and locked herself up.
At this point, Sibraa entered.
He was wondering where the noise that seemed like people were fighting was coming from but not until he entered the Empress's abode.
That was when he realized that there was a problem somewhere.
"Long live your majesty!!" He hailed whilst bending in a way that showed his respect to her authority.
"Welcome Sibraa," she said.
"And how may I be of help to you?" She continued.
"What's really happening between you and the princess, your majesty?
What has she done to get my majesty angry to this point?" He asked, adjusting his tail while waiting for a response from the Empress.
"Don't mind that lady. I just realized that in this recent era, our young ones are becoming lazy," she said laughing - ha ha ha!!
Sibraa at this time laughed along with her but while he was about to say something, the Empress cut in immediately.
"Just because I sent Mira to the prison that's why she's fighting that I bring her out when she has not finished serving her punishment just so she would do all the chores in my abode. She has not been doing anything since I sent Mira to prison. All the reasons she gave were that she can't do them. She is not supposed to do them because they are meant for help and not her. Can you imagine that young miss?" She asked, smiling.
"Don't worry your majesty. It's just a matter of time and understanding. When the time comes, you will be the one begging her to rest before she kills herself with work", Sibraa responded and they both laughed out loud.
"But your majesty, I heard you say that Mira is in prison…"
"Yes!" She answered immediately.
"What crime did she commit that made you give her such a punishment?"
"I think that she deserves to be punished in that manner and I believe that it will teach her the lesson she has refused to learn in a hard way and hey…. don't ask me any more silly questions, else!...." She paused, already wanting to get angry.
"No more questions, your majesty. I just came around to check up on you and know how you are fairing and nothing more." He responded in a low note, shivering in fear.
"….and now that you know that I am ok, can you leave now so that my daughter and I can settle our issues?"
"Of course your majesty." He responded and hailed her in a light manner before taking his leave.
He was so touched to hear that beautiful Mira is in the prison and probably she might not have done really anything so bad to be thrown into the prison just like they would do to a criminal.
So, he went straight to the prison and saw that every nook and cranny of the prison were so locked that no jailer could escape. He also noticed that you could hardly see through the inside.
He looked towards his left direction and also towards his right direction. He turned to check from behind to make sure that no being was watching.
He then climbed to the prison top. He looked from there into the prison but he could not find Mira. He looked carefully to see if he could see her but he didn't see anyone.
"But she said that Mira is here. Who knows if she's really telling the truth?" He said, climbing down quietly in a way that would not cause any noise.
"I pray that the moon goddess will see her through in that stuffy place", he concluded and hurried to his friend's chambers.
"Liamb!!"
He called out.
Liamb then came out to see his friend.
"Welcome to my abode he said", smiling.
"It has been a long time since we talked", he continued.
"I hardly have time for myself these days" responded Sibraa who was trying to adjust himself in a way that would make him more comfortable.
"You're coming from somewhere and you decided to branch, I guess?"
"Exactly, Liamb! I am coming from the throne. I just spoke with the empress and it got to my notice that Mira is in prison."
"Really!" Shouted Liamb in a low note and in a way that showed that the news surprised him.
"What has she done that made her to be punished like a criminal?" Questioned Liamb who was still surprised.
"Who knows if she really committed any crime." Said Sibraa.
"But that's not actually why I am here.
I came to see your face and know how you're doing because it has been a long time since we saw each other and I am so happy to see you in good health." He continued.
"I'm actually in a hurry; so I will be on my way now, '' he added.
"Oh! Thank you so much for dropping by, my good friend. I did not and would never take this visit for granted," said Liamb who was already happy to hear from his friend.
"Do take care and stay well, '' he told Sibraa, who was already getting ready to take his leave.
"Bye!" They both said.
Liamb had wanted to go to the surface before Sibraa swam in.
So he went inside and finished up what he was doing before his friend's visit interrupted him.
He left to the surface immediately he was done with what he was doing.
°°°°°°
Princess Bellina locked herself up in her chamber for a very long while.
All that her mother did for her to unlock herself was like pouring water on a rock.
She told her mother that not until she brings Mira out from the prison before she would unlock herself that she can't be working like a help in her own house.
Time went on and on and she meant her words. She remained in her chamber and didn't show her face.
This got her mother worried and at last, she decided to bring Mira out because within her, she never wanted to see her daughter in such a mood talk more of locking herself up for such a long time.
She kept contemplating and struggling within herself to make a decision that won't mar them but benefit them, instead.
Mira on the other side was looking out for Eureal.
She kept believing that he would show up again just so that they could talk better.
She almost wanted to start murmuring when Eureal came around.
Her heart melted at the sound of his voice.
"Hey…! Why are you always in the water and at this very spot?" He asked as he drew closer to her.
"That's because I love water and I like swimming," she responded, displaying her enchanting dentition and smiles.
They kept smiling and staring at each other for a while.
There was silence between them as the moment lasted.
They drew closer and closer and closer to each other to the point that they closed their eyes gently and started kissing themselves.
The kiss lasted within just three seconds when Eureal's smartphone rang and it interrupted the kissing.
It was his father calling.
He needed to pick the call.
"Hello, dad." He answered.
"I need to see you now. We're set to take the pictures and you're the only one missing.
Hurry up," he concluded and hung up the call.
Eureal could not help but to go and join in the pictures.
So, he made Mira understand that he would come back for her. That even if it's not then that definitely, he would come someday.
He waved her goodbye and left for the pictures.
While he walked away, his bangle escaped his wrist and fell into the water.
Mira caught the bangle and called out for Eureal so that she could give it to him but he had gone a distance already. He was unable to hear her while she called.
She didn't know what to do. So, she kept it with her and proposed in her heart that she would hand it over to him when next they would see each other.
Within a while, she heard a terrible noise from under the sea. As if someone was coming from Crums to the surface.
It was Liamb. He had come to the surface also to feel the ecstatic touch of the beautiful sun and to watch the humans.
She tried to hide herself immediately when she saw Liamb but she wasn't fast enough.
Liamb had seen her earlier even before she saw him.
It was exactly when she heard him scream her name that the sound of a gunshot followed the echoes of his voice immediately.
This got Mira scared and she hid herself by the rock side.
She could not manage her fears so she quietly went a little deeper in the water.
It was after this move that she heard another gunshot.
She couldn't help herself and not even Liamb because danger was already written all over.
Although, the place she hid herself was really safe. No one could see her but she was still shivering.
She quickly murmured some words of prayers to the moon goddess so that she would save her from the danger.
Not quite too long, a group of persons who were searching and browsing the water came around the area she was hiding.
They really browsed that area in search of the being that they shot but they didn't find anything so they left in their ship.
At this point. Mira heaved a sigh of relief and rested her back on the rock that was closer to her.