"You don't seem to understand, if you get me angry I will hurt you and regret it later. I don't want to hurt you!" She wanted to find out why her stomach was acting so strange. Was it because she was so close to him? Or perhaps it was the fact that she was afraid Koyuki would try to run again. It was hard to imagine him not doing so after this first attempt. It was hard to trust him again for that matter.

"If you don't want to hurt me, then prove it by not hurting me. All you need is a strong will to resist the urge. Think about the regret you'll feel, it should help curb some of that violence you want to aim at me." Koyuki had shrugged. "Honestly, I think you secretly enjoy doing such things to me. I mean, why regret, or feel guilty, I just come right back to life. It isn't like you've actually killed me." He was pushing her a bit, almost as if he were testing her. Maybe he was really the one that secretly liked it, he shook his head. "All I ask is that you put forth a lot of effort if what you say really is true."

Her hand tightened upon his arm as he spoke. "But ... What happens if I do manage to kill you? It's scares me a little to think that I might accidentally find the one way of killing you that would stick. Then you wouldn't come back, and no one would be there for me anymore. Everyone else I knew is dead, you're all I have left... I can't lose you." Why did she keep telling him all her fears so easily?

As the trees became more and more dense, she moved her eyes away from them to glance up at Koyuki. She knew the forest like the back of her hand, and could walk trough it easily without getting hurt. If only Koyuki were as easy to understand as her home. Then maybe Bryce wouldn't have felt so very confused every time she thought about him.

Koyuki laughed at her question. "I can't die. You can't kill me permanently. It's impossible, my curse would have to be broken and no one can do that as far as I know. Besides, I'm sure it would involve some sort of ritual, and you haven't performed any rituals over me." He shook his head slightly, the wouldn't loose him to death. Though she still might loose him, death certainly wouldn't be involved. Koyuki was still playing with the idea of running away, more or less. "Lady Bryce, you could always venture out of this forest and try to make new friends in a town." This woman, he never would have thought she could be so vulnerable and insecure. He hadn't thought that running away earlier would hurt her as deeply as it had. "I can't stay with you forever." He spoke those words almost as if they were an afterthought.

She was relieved, though soon enough the green eyed woman felt emotions rushing forth that she did her best to tamp down and control. Bryce was terrified of leaving her forest, she'd stayed there for so long! The man's last sentence had her slipping a sharp, but elegant, dagger from it's sheath and making a quick cut across his arm without a second thought. It wasn't too deep, though it did cut trough flesh and make blood seep trough. Fears were easily replaced by anger it seemed, or perhaps it pushed fears forward.

"Do you actually believe anyone wants to be the friend of the forest sorceress? I doubt it. " They were finally approaching her home once more, though now she was reluctant to enter. Bryce didn't want to risk the chance of trying to kill him again, or the temptation of trying to work a spell to remove his curse. She supposed it was selfish of her to wish that he would actually decide to stay with her for the rest of her days... But it was what she hoped for.

He flinched when she sliced his arm, he really should have expected that. Koyuki sighed softly. "You don't have to tell them your the scary forest sorceress. I'm pretty sure no one would know it unless you told them that anyway." Koyuki had rolled his eyes just a little bit. "Your just looking for an excuse to not go and make friends." He was teasing, just a little bit. It would be so much easier for him to escape if they left this forest. At least he was sure it would be. Maybe. "A woman should be surrounded by female friends and men trying to court her. You can't get any of that here, and don't you think it would be fun? At the very least it would be a new experience. You might learn some things."

"But I don't want to be courted by anyone! As for friends, with my attitude that might be a little difficult. They'd end up dead sooner rather then later. " The sorceress was only half joking as she spoke. Though in the back of her mind she wondered about herself being so reluctant to leave. Perhaps it could be a good idea, but in all probability Koyuki would try to leave again. "I might consider it if I knew you wouldn't leave me stranded. I've no idea how the world has changed." Smoothing her velvet dress, the sorceress contemplated the forest for a few moments as branches snapped under her shuffling feet.

Koyuki couldn't help but laugh a little bit. "I'm sure there are a few people out there you could befriend." He watched her carefully for a few moments, managing to look slightly offended when she spoke of being left stranded. "Lady Bryce, I would never take you to a strange place and just leave you there. Doing something like that is just mean." He sounded sincere, genuine, but Koyuki wasn't really all that sincere. If a good opportunity arose for him to escape he probably wouldn't hesitate, even if it meant leaving her stranded. Koyuki couldn't help but feel like he was toying with this woman's new found emotions, telling her things like that and then doing the opposite of what he said. For a few brief moments he felt a little guilty.

Scoffing at his reassurances, Bryce shook her head. "At least I'm honest about the fact that I won't stop hurting you despite the fact that its more ingrained reflex then anything else. The least you could do is be honest about the fact that you want to run." It was so obvious in the way he held himself, and the way his eyes traveled trough the forest in search of some escape. But by now Koyuki probably knew better then to try and run in her domain. Here, Bryce could do nearly anything she wanted. She would have felt naked without that protection. "Why don't you just leave? I won't stop you this time." He wouldn't return ,and she knew it, once he was gone.

Koyuki blinked, she was more observant than he gave her credit for. He frowned deeply and shook his head, that brief moment of guilt had come back. Koyuki sighed, slumping his shoulders a bit, feeling a little defeated. "I'm not going to leave, or run away." He couldn't help it, he was being wishy washy now and he knew it. "You might cry again, and honestly, I don't like knowing that I'm the reason a pretty woman is crying. So I'll stay a while longer." He smiled charmingly at her.

Turning to face Koyuki, Bryce blinked incredulously. Her green eyes sparkled and an almost smile tugged up her lips. "Alright, then I suppose I should actually start trying to help you. Though, I doubt any of my books will be able to help us. So we might have to leave my forest in truth." She was terrified, and would never have considered leaving if Koyuki hadn't said those words. Bryce knew she trusted him a little too much, and it showed in the way she'd been acting so far.

"You don't have to waste time looking, Lady Bryce. I'm almost certain you wouldn't find anything that would help me." Koyuki couldn't help but notice the sparkle in her eyes when she blinked at him and he shrugged slightly. "It would still be good for you to get out of the forest once in a while." The pale haired man smiled at her. He wanted to run away, he wanted to stay. Honestly Koyuki had no idea what he wanted at all.

Andrew Tiverion Delacroix was thirsty and hungry. He was crown prince, heir to the throne of a kingdom nearly a thousand or so miles from this strange land. A realm he had never even visited before. It had taken days to reach this place, and not of his volition either. Two days ago, his kingdom was ecstatic, their prince, their future king had turned 18. His birthday celebration had been a masquerade, though only so his father could choose a bride for him, but still a party was a party. Then the army in black came, they swept over the kingdom like a plague and killed even quicker than any plague.

They moved through the castle and slaughtered every member of the royal family, except him. Mistaken for some lord's son, and one of very few witnesses to the massacre, a spell had been placed over him and the other few witnesses. The mask he wore at the masquerade could not be taken off now, and on the order of the man who now sat in his father's throne as a king, the witnesses were exiled. If they returned they would be killed on sight. Each was put in a different wagon and sent in different directions. Andrew had been dropped here in the midst of this country he knew nothing about, at the edge of a foreboding wood. The wagon driver held two vicious dogs at bay for now.

Exile. Well, that was only if he survived the dogs. The man released the vicious hounds and Andrew bolted into the woods without a moment's hesitation. He knew he couldn't out run the hounds, and if they didn't get him, something else probably would. He could hear them gaining, snarling, always closer to his heels with every running step he took.

Returning his smile, the green eyed woman held out a hand tentatively. She didn't know what made her do it, but Bryce did so want to feel what it might be like to hold another's hand. Besides, there was a good reason for it. "We're back to my caves, hmm. What do you think we'll need? You can pick out what you want.." Her place was full of things left by past travelers and magical items. Somewhere was a corner filled with treasure, but she'd never really bothered with it. Her treasure was books, and they were too precious to take out.

Angelfish, Angel for short, lay on the ground by a river completely exhausted. Flopping around fruitlessly, he passed a hand over his stomach with a worried frown. The storm had made him loose his usually good sense of direction, and now... Now the water, it wasn't salty enough! It was freshwater and it was imperative he find something more salty otherwise he might lose his precious burden. It didn't matter that he hated the person who'd forced him into bearing such a beautiful thing, all that did matter was that it survived. And for that to happen Angel had to do so.

Letting out a small whimper, the pale haired man closed his startlingly bright, warm, amber colored eyes. Clutching his stomach and curling around it protectively, the dark tailed merman tried to find some kind of solution. There had to be way to find safety for them. A safe haven away from that person, from storms and anything else that could bring him harm.

Koyuki took her outstretched hand. Holding to it firmly but not too tightly, he really wasn't all that eager to go back inside her caves. Still he didn't voice that thought at all, he only shrugged when she asked him about what they might need. "..I dunno.." Really he wasn't all too sure. He didn't need very much in the first place, with that inability to stay dead of his.

Andrew ran, for the sound of running water. A river perhaps, though he was sure he couldn't outrun or outswim the hounds that chased him. If he had his sword he could easily fend them off, as a prince and future king his father had been very strict about him learning the art of sword play. Too bad Andy had no weapon at all. His elegant, regal clothing was torn in places where tree branches and briars had caught and tugged at it. He had lost his coat altogether, with the gilded silver swans on the shoulder plates. Still, clothing was nothing compared to his life, but then, why run? What was his life worth without his family, his kingdom?

Andrew stumbled over a rock, but managed to keep his balance, without his blue coat with gilded swan shoulder plates the prince's speed had picked up some. Though now his upper body was protected only by long sleeved white shirt and blue vest the same color his coat had been and the same color his pants were. Low heeled black boots adorned his feet, but they were uncomfortable, dress boots, not traveling boots. The river came into view, and Andy rushed for it. Tripping and stumbling over a...log? He fallen face first over whatever it was, too soft and squishy to be a log, his arms out to break his fall and make him roll.

He came out of the roll onto his feet and with a long, thick stick in his hands. He turned to face the hounds just as they broke through the underbrush. Duly Andrew noticed that what he had tripped over seemed to be a mer..maid? He wasn't sure the way it was curled around it's like that, and he had no time to think it over. Both dogs were leaping at him, sharp teething wanting to bite his throat. Andy held the stick in both hands and caught the first dog by the throat with it, twisting he used the dogs own momentum to toss it aside where it's body splashed into the river and it's skull banged a bit too hard against a large rock, killing it quickly.

The second dog knocked Andrew down just before the first had landed in the river. The princeling was barely able to block his throat with the stick in time, shoving it into those gaping jaws. Somehow he managed to get a foot under the canine and kicked it from his body, sending the dog sprawling just a few feet away. It was getting up, a bit stunned though, Andy got to his feet first. He clutched that stick tightly in both hands and stood over the dog, he brought his stick down against the creatures skull so hard the stick shattered and splintered. The hound wasn't quite dead though, the blow not hard enough, but it was completely out of it. Grimacing lightly the masked prince kicked the dog repeatedly until he had kicked it into the river. For the current to carry it away and the water to drowned it.

Andrew glanced at the mer person and shrugged. It had nothing to do with him. He knelt down at the edge of the river, cupping the water into his hands and drank deeply of the cool, refreshing liquid.

Letting out a sigh, the sorceress moved forward and tugged Koyuki along. "Alright, I suppose I can manage to figure it out." She moved quickly after dropping his hand to stand in the center of the entrance cavern. Pulling on some of the large stores of energy she'd put aside, the sorceress called out a spell to tug at what she needed for this journey and place it before her. Once that was done, she found a necklace beautiful, simple and elegant. This purple stone, she spelled to fold space within it's depths and make it possible for it to store all she needed. As a safety measure, she did the same think with a rather old and worthless looking copper bracelet with dark stones. That way, she would always have something with her.

Turning to Koyuki, she shrugged a little. "This should be everything."

Letting out a loud whimper, Angel glanced up then closed his eyes tight. There was a scary human with a stick! He was going to die, and along with him his precious gift. No he couldn't let that happen, but the merman couldn't move for fear of those growling things. Whimpering softly with tears falling, Angel pressed his stomach lightly. It wasn't there, he couldn't feel any of the life that had been there moments ago! Panicking he made louder and louder sounds of distress.

Those amber eyes lifted up to look at the human that had so brutally took the lives of those creatures. Twisting around, the merman did everything he could to move closer to the human. Reaching out, he tugged insistently at his, was it a man, clothing. "w-water, salt wat-ter?" He needed salt water or he would loose his little one! The voice he spoke with was so hesitant, so unsure ... It was the first time he'd ever spoken human the only reason he knew it was because of the times he'd followed human ships to port. Angel was sure that his melodious voice had mangled the words.

Koyuki came along as she tugged him onwards. Then she had dropped his hand and was saying some spells. He watched with interest as she gathered the things she would need with her spells, and as she spelled some items to fold space and be able to hold a lot of things. For a brief moment Koyuki wondered what would happen if he tumbled into that folded space. Would it kill him? Surely it would, there probably wasn't any oxygen in there, and if his body remained in that place would he stay dead? Maybe. He was nearly tempted to try it, though he decided that would be foolish, as he found that the more real the possibility of him staying dead came, the less he seemed to want it.

Andrew gulped down a few more mouthfuls of the fresh water. It was so refreshing, but what would he do for food. When the mer-person grabbed him, he blinked, looking down at the pitiful creature for a moment. For a few moments he eyed that fish tail and wondered if it was edible, would he be a cannibal if he only ate the fish part, and did it even taste like fish? The prince shook those thoughts from his head and watched the creature. Was it dying? It seemed to be in pain, and it asked for salt water. Andrew frowned, looking this way and that, he wasn't sure which direction or how far the ocean was from this place.

Perhaps he could help a little though. For two days he had traveled in that carriage, and for a long while he had run through this forest. Then he had fought those dogs. His white shirt was soaked through with his sweat, and he knew for a fact that humans had salt in their bodies, that human sweat was basically salt water with maybe a few chemicals here and there released by the brain. Andrew had paid attention to his tutors. "Mayhaps this will help you..uh..good sir?"

He stood, and removed his vest, some sweat had soaked through to it, so he held it over the merperson and wrung it out a bit. Letting small droplets of the sweat fall onto the creatures tail and abdomen. When he was certain he'd gotten all he could from the garment he tossed it aside and hastily unbuttoned his shirt. Holding it over the other male, he wrung pieces of that out as well, then he laid the still mostly damp shirt over the merperson waist so it lay over part of his tail and stomach. Hoping that maybe the man's skin or scales could absorb the liquid left in the shirt. Still he thought things looked rather grim for the other.

Andrew had never met a merperson before, but he had heard tales. His father's knights would often tell tales of seeing mermaids and the like one long seafaring journeys. He watched the creature almost expectantly.

He wasn't sure what the man was doing, taking off those silly clothes. Maybe he was finally coming to his senses? Then he was placing it on his abdomen, and it felt so blessedly good! Quickly Angel flopped awkwardly a bit so that his fins were in the freshwater and made sure that the precious salt water from the human's clothing remained on his stomach. Placing his hands upon the area to make sure nothing made the cloth move, Angel let his head fall back and relaxed slightly. At least the immediate danger was gone and he could feel the little one, if only a little.

"T-thank you? Child ... Stomach? Alone ... Salt w-water." Angel was so hesitant and unsure. He didn't even know if his words made any sense. There were things humans were not supposed to know about his people, but at the moment the long haired merman just wanted to survive with his little one safe and sound.

Moving to Koyuki, she glanced up at him a little worriedly. "Are you alright? We can leave now you know." The way he had looked at the jewels worried her. Bryce wouldn't have put it past the man to try and seek death within their unhospitable environment. It made her pull away and a little even as she wanted to place a hand upon his arm to guide him out of her home.

Other than what he had just done, Andrew had no idea how else to help this obviously suffering creature. Though the creature's words puzzled him the slightest bit. He understood the merperson was all alone here, that was rather obvious, and the creature obviously needed salt water, but what had he meant by those other words. Child. Stomach. Andrew pondered this for a moment, then blinked and stared openly at the mercreature. This male creature was...pregnant?

It could be possible, the masked prince reasoned with himself. After all, what did humans really know of merpeople. Most thought them myth, but his father and his father's knights had often assured the princeling that such creatures did exist. Perhaps that was why he hadn't been too surprised when he found one. Mostly he was surprised that it was so far from the ocean. Then again, Andrew had no idea where the ocean was in relation to his own location. He kept his eyes on the merperson. "Do you mean that you are with child?" The prince wasn't hesitant with his words, they even held that underlying tone of command. The tone of a ruler. Or a ruler in training.

He could just walk off and leave this creature to die or live on it's own, but Andrew had already gotten involved and his honor would not let him do such a thing. The masked prince looked this way and that, though he knew he wouldn't find anything helpful. Still, he did try.

Koyuki blinked when Bryce spoke, and he gave her an easy smile. "I was just thinking about something. Nothing important though." He reached out and quickly clasped her hand in his. "Lead the way, my beautiful lady." He let the compliment slid easily past his lips as he looked to her expectantly. He was eager to get started, get out of this forest. It really was a creepy place, being in it for a long time really couldn't be good for one's state of mind or their spirit.

Angel nodded his head vigorously when the young man spoke about him being with child. Yes, difficult as it might have been for the man to understand. Squirming lightly, he moved so that his lower scaly half was nearly all submerged in the water with relief, but he was very careful to keep his stomach well out of the freshwater. That could be devastating for his little one. "With child ... Alone salt water." Pointing insistently to his stomach then to the fresh water, he shook his head for no, then pointed to the shirt and nodded with a small smile. Hopefully that worked.

Blushing at the compliment, the sorceress moved out of the cave and walked quickly towards a pair of arching trees. She still didn't believe him about the fact that his thoughts had been about nothing, but oh well. "Am I your lady?" Still tugging Koyuki along lightly, they stepped trough the trees and out of the forest. And oh what a strange thing it was for Bryce! It was all so open with so many fields everywhere. Moving to cling to Koyuki, the sorceress felt far too out of her depth. She just wanted to go back into her home.

It didn't take long for Andrew to piece something together. Mostly from the way the merperson kept moving in the fresh water but not letting it touch his stomach and the way he kept Andy's sweat soaked shirt exclusively over his stomach. Also it probably had something to do with the repetition of 'alone saltwater'. It didn't take very long, but it still took a few thoughtful minutes as Andrew watched the merperson. "Alone...saltwater.." Andrew murmured softly and frowned. His brow creasing a bit behind the mask that hid the upper half of his face. "Of course. The child needs to be only in salt water. The fresh water would kill it."

Andrew couldn't help but feel a little proud of himself for figuring that out. Though that was short lived. "I am terribly sorry, but there is no more salt water here. I haven't any idea which way will take us to the ocean, nor do I know how far we would need to go. I fear I will not be able to help you return to the ocean." Andrew ran a hand through his black hair, black hair that seemed to shine blue sometimes. The prince was still thinking though. Wracking his brain for some solution. Sadly, he could come up with absolutely nothing.

"I see no other lady for me to call mine or beautiful." He smiled brightly at Bryce, holding to her hand firmly but not too tightly. His smile turned to a wide grin when they stepped through the trees and came out of the forest. He let his eyes roam over open fields and he inhaled deeply. Even the air felt lighter here, less oppressive than in that forest. It smelled sweet and he slipped an arm around her when she clung to him. "Do you see, my lady? It's nice to step outside once in a while." He held her close for a moment, then released her. "Go on, enjoy the feel of it, the sight of it the sounds with every fiber of your being." He gave her a very gentle push.

The merman glanced up at the strange faced person with a small smile. Nodding his head Angel tried to make sure he got the message across. The human was right in what he said. Squirming around, he reached out to try and see what that strange layer on his face was. It looked so very shiny! What a distraction, a pleasant one.

Though the human's next words caused a series of whimpers to leave Angel. Curling carefully around his stomach, the merman looked up at his savior helplessly. There had to be a way to save his little one. "No ... help?" It seemed like th man wanted to do so ... But from what Angel could understand, the masked person couldn't.

She couldn't enjoy it. Everything was far too open. Bryce had gotten used to living under the protection of the trees, with barely a sight of the sky. This was frightening, there was so much blue! So she concentrated on Koyuki. "Stop flattering me like that. At least, stop it if you don't mean it. I'm in too horrid a mood to deal with that." Horrible mood was right, all she wanted to do was run back into her home. The only reason the dark haired woman didn't do so was Koyuki.

Andrew was frowning very deeply as he knelt down next to the merperson. "Can't you turn into a human? Aren't mermaids and mermen able to do something like that?" The prince blinked, maybe that had been a stupid question, even if the creature could do that it might affect the unborn child in a negative way. Andrew sighed softly, he was so useless. Useless at being a prince and defending his family and throne, and now he was useless to help this pitiful creature. He reached up and grabbed the mask on his face, tugging at it uselessly. What good was he to anyone? Well, at least he could somewhat be there for this creature, even if his being there wasn't really all that helpful.

Koyuki grinned at Bryce. "You seem to always be in some kind of horrid mood." He clasped her hand tightly and began to run, dragging her along with him. His pale eyes were bright with mirth, and he was laughing as he rushed down a hill. Then he stumbled, and letting go of her hand, Koyuki fell and rolled down the hill. Laughing as he went. When he reached the bottom he rolled onto his back. Still laughing. Honestly, he wasn't sure when the last time he had enjoyed nature like this was. But rolling down hills were always fun. Especially ones blanketed with soft grass and wildflowers. His eyes were on the blue sky, watching the fluffy clouds as they lazily drifted by.

Glancing up at the human, Angel let out a deep breath. Now what were the words he needed to say? Ah yes, now the merman remembered. 'No. Choice." And there really wasn't. It was the only chance he had, though it was rather chancey at best. Struggling up to his elbows, the young merman crushed his eyes closed. It wasn't working all that well, making him grimace. So, he would need to test out that old fish tale. Reaching out desperately he grabbed the masked man's arm and bit it lightly, nibbling on it lightly to take off some of the old skin there. That was all he needed really.

Scrunching up his eyes again, Angel could feel the pain from his tail separating into two very awkward appendages. Something akin to knives being plunged over and over again, that's what it felt like. Angel whimpered softly and clung to the human without thinking about it. The moment his transformation was done, a hand went to his stomach to see if any life remained there. It was so difficult to tell with the pain flying trough his limbs...

Stumbling unexpectedly as she was dragged along, the sorceress fell to the hill and began rolling with a yell. Wrapping her arms around herself tightly she closed her eyes. This was making her dizzy, having her head spinning round and round. It was a disorienting experience. Then she was stopping with a small umph against Koyuki. Flopping down, Bryce let out a deep breath to try and calm herself down and ease the dizziness she felt.

Andrew had lowered his hand from tugging that mask uselessly. His blue eyes seeming just a little bit haunted. He was tired of watching people die, and this mercreature counted as a people too. When the male grabbed his arm and brought it to his mouth, Andrew just watched. He wasn't sure what this creature was doing, but he didn't pull away. Curiosity prevented him from doing that. Besides, this person hadn't hurt him, not really.

A few moments later, the merperson was clinging to him. Andrew wasn't really sure what was happening for those first few moments, but he put his arms gently around this creature in pain and ran a hand soothingly through it's hair. Without even thinking about it, Andrew began to sing softly, a song his mother used to sing him whenever he got hurt or was sick when he was just a child. Those days seemed so very long ago now.

Koyuki was laughing hysterically and when Bryce thumped into him, his arms went around her and he pulled her close. Practically on top of him. His fingers tangling in her hair gently, and he brought her head to his. Face to face, he captured her lips. He wasn't really sure why he did it, probably from the energy of this moment. The exuberance and the want to show this woman how much there was to enjoy outside of her forest. It had been so long since Koyuki had actually enjoyed being alive. But here, in this moment, he was enjoying it to it's fullest. He pulled away, breaking the kiss. A bit breathless, a grin on his lips. "Wasn't that the best feeling in the world? Like flying without ever leaving the ground."

She'd just begun to calm her beating heart when Koyuki pulled her against him. Feeling the man's hands in her hair had Bryce's eyes opening wide. All his actions did. Then suddenly his lips were pressed against hers, making her want to squirm and smile and giggle in a way she hadn't know for a century. The sorceress clutched Koyuki tightly, wrapping her arms around his neck. An involuntary sound of disappointment left the woman when he pulled back. "What are you talking about, the kiss or that dreadful downhill fall?" Trying to cover how much she'd enjoyed the kiss, and the feelings it had evoked, Bryce shook her head slightly. "Koyuki if you don't kiss me again I'll kill you." She didn't mean it, and couldn't bear the thought of putting him trough that again ... But he didn't know that, and probably still thought she was a monster. So why had he kissed her? No matter really, because he had.

The soothing voice reminded him of home. The naked man curled himself closer into the prince and began singing along softly with the enchanting voice of a siren. It was more like humming, but it didn't really matter. It didn't matter because for a few moments Angel nearly forgot about the imminent loss of his child, of his precious gift. If he hadn't already lost the little one. Such a tiny being had been growing inside him, and it had only just begun to wake. Sniffling lightly, the merman closed his mouth to bury his face in the neck of this human stranger. At least he wasn't running after him like th others always had, like the little one's parent had. A prince... The memory brought a shudder to Angel. He hated the royals!