The halls in the palace became alive as maids and butlers hurried from one part of the large castle to the other attending to their daily routines of cleaning rooms and helping the royal family. Kai passed many of them who still paused to give him a proper greeting. Smiles were exchanged quickly.

            “Kai?”

            The prince having been staring at his feet as he walked, looked up at the sound of his name to find Talya approaching him. He would be lying if he said he didn’t find the Queen to be quite beautiful. Her olive skin tone and blonde hair had a nice contrast while her features were defined yet soft, making her looks almost deadly. The similarities between Talya and Sehun could be seen in their noses and eyes, both of their eyes were piercing but soft when they wanted them to be.

            “Your majesty, what are you doing here?” Kai bowed to the woman who chuckled lightly, trying to hide the sadness she always seemed to carry. Patting his shoulder, Talya motioned her head behind her with a sigh, “I had to talk to Taura.”

            “Oh. Is she alright? Did something happen?” Kai stared at the door to the King’s office but his line of sight cut off as Talya stood in front of him. Trying to come with a decent answer that border lined both the truth and a lie, Talya only nodded faintly.

            “She’s just trying to cope with things,” Forming her words carefully, making sure to keep her composure, Talya spoke slowly trying to convince herself of the words she had said.

            “I told her she has to return with me for awhile, to check on things back home that sort of business. I hope that’s alright. I’ll return her when you get to your next destination, I promise.” Talya continued with a more confidence, slightly hinting in her tone that even if Kai were to say no, she would still take Taura with her.

            “Of course. That’s fine.” Kai agreed quickly side stepping Talya to make his way to where was, “I think, I’ll go check on her.”

            Talya nodded and allowed him to pass. She watched him head for the door and felt a pang of sympathy in her heart. Kai’s relationship with Taura interested Talya and he could see the feelings he had for her maybe ran deeper than he allowed himself to admit. He deserved to know, but it was not Talya’s place to reveal the state in which Taura now resided. It would ultimately be up to Taura to admit that she now balanced on the fine line of death and life. Though knowing her, that secret would be kept in her heart until it stopped beating.

            Taura wanted to save those from the heartbreak she had to face, but what she didn’t realize was that if and when she is to die that those she tried to protect will end up dying emotionally along with her.

            Taura sat by the window staring out at the busy streets, trying to block out any form of emotion that would make her unstable. Her nose and eyes red, she finished crying her tears long ago. To keep her eyes dry, she kept her mind blank except for the present tasks that would soon come upon her. She had to go with Talya back home. Then return to Kai. Go through the motions of meeting new people and so on and so forth. In doing so, she could continue living like normal, robotically yes, but at least she’d continue living.

            “Taura? Can I come in?” The soft click of an opening latch and Kai’s deep voice brought the mermaid’s attention to the door where she saw his head peeking in. Sitting up, trying to make herself a little more presentable Taura nodded, “Sure.”

            Kai slipped in with his usual smile. It eased some of Taura’s troubles, seeing how  he carried himself across the room. “I saw Talya.