Immediately after the dance, Kai rushed Taura out of the party earning disapproving looks from the older guests. Neither cared, they were both tired of the social interactions and wanted to get away. Kai walked Taura to her room, making sure she was okay. Taura thanked him for the night only earning a small smile in return, “Sleep well, princess.”

            “You too, Kai.” Taura called out to him in a whisper. He turned to her, slightly nodding his head.

            “I’ll try.”

*~*~*~*

             The night drew on much longer to Taura’s dismay as she tossed and turned in her large king sized bed. Every night ended up like this, sometimes even worse depending on whether or not her sleep was ruined by the reoccurring nightmares that caused her to toss and turn in the first place. She feared the night the most because there was never anything to keep her mind preoccupied from the bloody images of her deceased family and friends. Her nights would come down to her sleeping for a few hours after crying out for the nightmares to stop. The silk sheets that covered her were eventually thrown off of her body along with the pillows that rested beside her. She groaned and to her stomach kicking her feet.

            Her room in the palace was much larger than Taura would have liked. The amount of walking she had to do within her room to get from point A to point B was ridiculous. She never understood why she needed so much room.

           The room was dark but she could make out the direction of her door seeing a few streaks of light seep through the small cracks. She debated whether or not to get up. Laying here was pointless.

            Sighing, she swung her feet over the side of her bed and grabbed the blanket she’d thrown to the ground, wrapping it around her.

            She shuffled through the long corridors not knowing where exactly she wanted to go. From the light of the moon that shined through the high windows, Taura studied the paintings that lined the walls just opposite of them. The mermaid had seen paintings similar to these only smaller. She remembered seeing them in shipwrecks and always wondered who the paintings were of. This must be Kai’s family. With each passing picture, the resemblance became apparent between the men in the pictures and Kai. They wore similar attire as well. Black paints with red or white buttoned up coats with gold buttons going down the center. Their left s decorated with medals of Honor for their accomplishments. Their shoulders covered with gold tassels. They certainly look like royalty.

            The final picture caught her attention. In it was a young couple, the woman sat in front of the man while the latter had a single hand on the woman’s left shoulder while the other touched the handle of the sword attached to his waist. She recognized the woman immediately and the young man. Kai and Mira.

            Taura stepped closer to the painting touching the