Like Mother, Like Son.

[James Florian]

James didn’t care what the others believed. There was no way in hell that Eli was dead. He was still out there somewhere, alive, and they were going to get him back. The heroes were going to find their friend and bring him home where he belonged rather than in the clutches of those vile monsters. James believed this with all his heart and soul, even after how hopeless he felt after the prom events. However he wasn’t going to lie, after three days of not knowing anything it was kind of hard to hold onto all that hope he found in the beginning. Because time had let a new enemy into Seacombe, but it wasn’t one he couldn’t physically fight like Louis or Ari. Instead it was an invisible force that attacked all their minds, and it’s name would be doubt.

Already it grip it’s hold in the group, and it was starting to stake it’s claim in James’s head. Especially after he heard a group of twelve year olds whispering about why the one of the princes was crying in the gardens. He heard them talking about how they all thought the group was hopeless for still believing they would find Eli alive and instead how anyone with a sensible mind would know he’s dead. His muffled tears had become sobs after hearing those words. That had really been his breaking point. He knew Eli couldn’t be dead. He just couldn’t be. He was alive. He just had to be. He just had to.

However he didn’t know what to do. Ari and Louis weren’t revealing anything, even though everyone knew they did it and a search of the grounds turned up nothing. It seemed as if Eli had just vanished into thin air. It was so confusing and so frustrating. It made his head hurt and he could no longer think straight. So in an attempt to get his mind back, James did what Eli would do in this situation. He decided to go for a swim.

Which is why he stood on the edge of the lake, with his crumpled shirt tossed off to the side in the dirt. He stood there just in his red bathing suit, which was somewhat embarrassing for the prince figuring since he was more modest than a nun at times. He was also kind of scared. He had never been in the lake before, and he didn’t have Eli by his side time to help him if he got into trouble. However yet at the same time a comforting feeling washed over him. Like he somehow knew things would be better and he’d be closer somehow to Eli. This feeling had won out.

So after murmuring a quick prayer for him to not drown under his breath, James moved to the end of a makeshift floating dock someone had put in a while ago. He took a deep breath and he ran from the safe dirt, onto the not so trustworthy floating docks, and dived into the lake all in one seamless motion. He screwed his eyes shut as he hit the water afraid to open them until he reached the lake’s surface taking sputtering breaths of fresh air.

However if he had only opened his eyes, he would have been meant with a comforting, yet at the same time completely terrifying sight. Because his friend was much closer than they all believed, much, much closer.

[Eli Triton]

"You know it could all be yours. You could be a mermaid just like your grandfather and Isla. You could get to see their world through not the eyes of a human. You could spend hour's under the water and never have to come up for air. Eli, you could have your lifelong dream, your deepest desire, and all you have to do is shake my hand."

The words echoed in his ears again and again as he stared into the murky depths of the lake. The sun was shining bright enough to be seen even this far down, tinting his view gold and tempting him out of the nest of reeds he'd been lurking in, feeling sorry for himself. Here at the bottom of the lake the sun didn't hurt him, didn't singe his skin the way it did when he got closer to the surface, he had a feeling it was all to do with how much water was between him and it. At night he could go closer to the surface, but he couldn't lift more than his head out without getting dizzy from lack of oxygen, and nobody was around to hear his shouts.

The splash of the surface above him made him look up, peering up through the gloom and daring to venture just a little closer to the top to get a better look. James. With a flick of his tail he pushed himself urgently in front of the other prince, calling out his name desperately when he realised James had his eyes closed. His shout fell flat, even though it actually worked underwater it didn't carry far enough, and James was already spluttering up towards the air by the time the word left his lips, and he was suddenly struck by the similarity, by the overwhelming knowledge of how his mother must have felt, so close to his father but unable to explain.

Disheartened, he sank to the bottom of the lake again and stared up at the moving figure above him. There had to be a way to let James know he was here...

[James Florian]

As James broke the surface, he swam over to the edge of the dock and pulled himself up and onto it. He turned around to sit on the edge and let his feet dangle into the water as he rubbed the lake water out of the corner of his eyes. It honestly surprised him that he chose to come to the lake rather than go swim in the pool. After all he could barely see the lake bottom from up here because of how murky the water was and just how deep it went. The pool on the other hand was not only crystal clear, but he could also decide how deep he wished to go. Not to mention his irrational fear of sea -err lake- monsters. It was completely stupid, but James couldn’t shake the feeling that while he was in the water, he was being watched. But there was no one around so his mind must be playing tricks on him right?

He stayed there on the dock for a minute or two, just letting the sun’s rays warm him. The raven haired lad had no idea that the same rays were one of the few things keeping his friend trapped in the water below him. If Eli came near the surface, he’d burn like he never burned before. That of course was a little trick designed by everyone’s favorite villain so when there was moments like this, where one of Eli’s friends were in the lake, the fish prince would have to stay tucked out of sight or he’d be in a lot of pain. Unfortunately for everyone involved, it was working. Eli wouldn’t dare go near James because of this and James wouldn’t know that Eli was even there.

It didn't take long though for the Prince to shiver slightly because of the cold lake water drenching him from head to toe. Remembering his first swimming lesson, James knew that it wasn't a smart idea to be wet and dry at the same time. It was either one or the other with, preferably,  no in between. So that's why James suddenly stood and dived right back into the lake water with any irrational fears of Lake monsters and worrisome thoughts of the location of missing friends temporarily shoved aside. Like before, his eyes remained firmly shut as soon as he hit the water and he let his other senses, primarily hearing and touch, guide him instead. For example he could no longer hear his kicks disturb the surface of the water so he was fairly deep in the lake water.

He didn't feel the familiar burn of oxygen eat away at his lungs, so he decided to press on to see just how far down he could go. (Because you know he is Snow White's son. Curiosity is just genetically infused in him.) Although he didn't quite realize it yet, that was a big mistake. 

He then realized that he was at the bottom of the lake when his fingers brushed the weeds and sludge that compromised the lakebed. Also at this point the familiar burn in his lungs began to take hold, so he turned himself around and kicked off the lake floor. Except he didn't shoot to the surface like a rocket like he should have done. Instead he went up two maybe three feet before being roughly pulled back down. Involuntarily his eyes flew open and a startled gasp left his mouth where in little bubbles it floated to surface while water rushed in to fill the space they had previously been.

Instantly James gagged on the incoming water, but he found the common sense to clamp his mouth shut and prevented anymore from coming in. However the damage was already done. He felt the water sting and burn his throat almost as badly as the now spent oxygen did in his lungs. Desperately he tried to kick towards the surface, but again he went nowhere. Then he realized there was something slimy wrapped around his left ankle. No, no, no! This can not be happening!  He screamed in his head as he reached down to free himself from the weeds' grasp. James was trapped feet below the surface of the lake, where no one knew where he was and would not come searching for quite a while. Even so the lake would be the last place they looked. It would be far more likely to find the Prince in the stables or library than the lake. By the time anyone found him however it would be too late. If James couldn't free himself, he'd be dead in minutes. 

So he pulled and tugged at the plants with all his might, but his mind was already foggy. All he could feel was the burn in his lungs, but even that began to wane in favor of a general numbness. He panicked now, thrashing and pulling like a madman trying to do anything to save himself. No! I can't die! No! He thought as he saw his fingers loosing it's strength. His brain kept telling them to fight, but they weren't listening. Dark spots clouded his vision as they gave up entirely, and his thrashing stopped. 

For a terrifying moment he was still aware as his body gave up the fight and accepted what appeared to be his fate. He thought of how unfair it was, how he was going to die and leave everybody behind as they already reeled from the disappearance of Eli. He knew everybody would be upset, but what scared him the most would be how devastated Grove and his mother would be. How would they be able to find themselves again  if he was suddenly snatched from their grasp by death's blind claws. The answer was simple, they wouldn't. James was such an integral part of the two of them that if he were to die here a part of them would die too. He didn't want to be that selfish. He couldn't be.

That's why although it would be seemingly impossible, a small warm tear leaked out of his now barely seeing eyes and with the very last bit of oxygen he had left he said into the water, "I don't want to die." and with that, his eyes closed, his head tipped forward, and his body went limp. He was suspended in the water by his body's natural tendency to float,  but was held at the bottom of the lake by the weeds. It was as if James was some water creature or strange statue. His black tufts of hair stood up straight in the water, bobbing with the motions of no longer responsive head and for once in his life, James was truly a deathly pale.

However not all hope was lost yet, because even in this state James was still alive, but barely just. If he would be allowed to remain under any longer he would die, but there was a tiny sliver of a chance that he would live. That is of course if his lost friend could cut him loose and push him to the surface in time.

Or Seacombe will have lost both of their princes in the lakes murky waters. 

[Eli Triton]

From his spot lurking on the lake bed, Eli couldn't keep his eyes off of the feet dangling beneath the water's surface, lit by the shining sun. His eyesight must be much better than it usually was, probably just another way Louis had come up with of taunting him, allowing him to see so much more clearly through the waters, to see his friend when James couldn't see him. He could almost see the rest of the other prince, wavering with the movement of the water so the image was fractured and repeated and frustratingly unreachable.

It was that thought that made him realise it. Everything becoming ironically clear with that one fractured view. The reason he'd been so confused recently, the emotions that James had stirred up, the reason the prince's unreachable nature was like a more extreme version of a familiar itch. Eli had a crush on James. It was so obvious to him now, watching the darker haired boy from afar and recognising the edge to the desperate need he felt to be closer to his friend.

When James dived back into the water, he felt a sudden swell of pride for how easily he moved, Eli had taught him that, it was because of him that James was now swimming deeper and... and straight towards him.

The negative emotions came crashing down on him and Eli propelled himself away with a desperate flick of his tail. How could he let James see him like this? It was embarrassing enough to think about seeing him when he'd just realised his crush, but to have to admit to his friend that he'd been stupid enough to make a deal with Louis? That he'd left all his friends worried and probably hunting for him and here he was stuck beneath the lake because he'd made such a stupid decision... the shame of it was overwhelming.
Maybe they weren't even looking for him, maybe they were just glad to be rid of him. James was here swimming, not looking for him! ...He stopped himself. That was unfair, he couldn't possibly expect his friends to be spending every minute of every day looking for him, they had to take a break sometimes.

He'd got quite far by the time he heard the sounds of the thrashing, lost in his own melancholy thoughts, and he turned slowly, assuming it was just James swimming around above him. When he saw the dim figure of James struggling against some weeds, he didn't even think twice about it. He sped through the water as fast as he could, James movements already slowing by the time Eli reached him.

He tore desperately at the weeds, finding it much easier than James had with the oxygen not being an issue, he tugged James free and wrapped his arms tightly around him, flicking his tail urgently as he drove them up towards the surface. He half-threw James onto the dock, already feeling the burning light of the sun on his skin, lungs fighting the longer he was in the air. He punched at the other prince's back to try and force the water out of his lungs in one desperate bid before the air and the sun became too much and he had to dive back under the water, hiding himself under the docks and 'breathing' deeply, wincing at his reddened skin.

[James Florian]

In his unconscious state, James had no idea that he was being rescued from a horrid watery grave. He was just a limp, still mass that seemed to have no signs of life coming from it. He appeared to be dead, he didn't react to sudden rush of air as Eli practically threw him on the dock and he barely moved when Eli hit him on the back in an attempt to rid his lungs of the water sloshing around in them. As Eli was forced to retreat back into the water, it seemed to be as if it was too late. James had been down there too long, there would be very little hope and nature seemed to realize it too. As everything hushed as they anxiously watched for signs of life. The breeze stilled, the bugs stopped buzzing, and the birds stopped chirping. Was he..? Would he..?

Live. The thought suddenly rushed into James' mind as his eyes flew open and he began to cough violently. He was alive! Eli had saved him! James of course, being the ignorant little fool he is, would likely never know this. However that wasn't what was currently on his mind, because frankly after nearly drowning the first priority would be making sure there wasn't any water in left in you. So as he coughed and coughed all he could think was, I'm alive! I'm alive! 

As the coughing began to subside and James just laid there catching his breath he couldn't help, but wonder how? After all he had been alone in the lake and he didn't think anyone would have had enough time to spot him in the water, dive down to the bottom, untangle the weeds, and get the both of them above the water before they both were in serious trouble. It just wasn't theoretically in his mind. Besides if that was even possible wouldn't have they stuck around to see if he was okay or not? However at the same time he didn't really care, he was alive so that was basically all that mattered. After all if there was anything this experience just taught him, it was that life was a precious gift that shouldn't be wasted on stupid questions. 

That's when it dawned on him as to what it could have been, after all life was a gift and there was only one person he could think of that could give that to him, besides his parents, and that of course was his god. He shakily sat up as he came to this startling conclusion and he cautiously looked around again convinced he was about to see some divine being. An angel must have saved me. He thought with a look of awe on his face. Of course the religious boy would come to this conclusion, in his mind it was the only way it could have happened and it would explain the thought telling him to live, which now that he thought about it didn't seem like his own. To him this was far more plausible than my best friend who was kidnapped is now a fish and he was the one to save me. After all that plot line sounded crazy. 

So believing his savior was above him rather than below him he looked up to the sky to say a quiet, "Thank you." Before unsteadily climbing to his feet and with his legs trembling he made his way off the dock where he grabbed his dejected shirt lay and pulled it over his head not caring about how wrinkled it was. James then headed in the direction of the infirmary to make sure that there was nothing seriously wrong with him after that near death encounter. 

Though he did pause for a second to look back at the lake before going too far away. Although the memory was a bit fuzzy for some reason he couldn't help thinking that for some reason right before he had blacked out he had seen a fish. A really big fish. 

[Eli Triton]

Eli waited in the cool safety under the docks, straining his ears for any sound on the wood above him. Had he been too late? Was James lying there, still unconscious, drowning in the water left in his lungs? Was there anything Eli could do to help him.

The sound of coughing and movement above him made him start breathing again, barely realising he'd been holding it under the water while he waited for what had seemed an eternity. He dared move a little closer to the surface, still listening to James moving about. He heard the quiet thank you and murmured a response, but of course it was muffled by the water and James was already getting to his feet and wobbling off back towards the school.

Eli wished he didn't have to go, but he could hardly call him back, the sound of his voice above the water would probably just scare him off faster. He moved to the very edge of the shadows under the docks, risking lifting his eyes above the water to try and catch a glimpse of him as he walked away.

Turning away, he dipped under the surface again, swimming out from under the dock and diving down back into the depths with a flick of his shining tail briefly breaking the surface.