Ursula waved her hand at the guard's face. He had a sturdy bone helmet over his head, which covered his forehead, nose and mouth. Only his eyes, which were deep blue, were visible.
" Hello? What's your name? " Ursula poked the side of his head.
Morgana inspected her guard carefully. She noticed his eyes were a mix of red and blue, an odd and rare twist. He was tall and stood straight, his dark tentacles alert and steady. Strapped to his back were two sharp swords, which were salvaged from a wreckage. Morgana noticed that he wore a bone bracelet, which had a name carved into it. Nok.
" Your name is Nok? ", Morgana questioned the guard.
The guard bowed his head.
Hearing Morgana say the guard's name, Ursula asked,
" How do you know what his name his? "
Morgana pointed at the other guard's bracelet.
" Your name is Ealios? " Ursula asked the guard.
The guard grinned beneath his helmet.
" Yeah. But my friends call me Eli. "
" Why isn't Nok talking? " Morgana looked at her guard with suspicion.
" He's mute. "
Eli answered.
" Oh. "
" Why weren't you answering when I talked to you? " Ursula continued her questions.
" Its the rules. We aren't to speak or interact with you until you know our name. I've talked to you before, though, but I didn't know I wasn't supposed to. I was new to this stuff, I'd only ever worked to guard the dungeons, and no one told me. Got a beating because of it. "
Eli took off his helmet.
He grinned at Ursula. A dimple appeared on his pale grey-white chin, and his eyes crinkled and grew small. His nose twisted slightly to his left as he grinned. Eli's thick black hair was crazy and wavy, it floated and bobbed around his head.
Ursula scowled, frustrated that he was so annoyingly adorable. She glared at him. Ursula snatched the helmet from his hands and slammed it onto his head.
" Don't take it off again or I'll skin you alive. "
As Ursula and Morgana wandered around the hallways, they decided to get the guards lost.
" Ladies' place. "
Morgana pointed at a door , then swam in after Ursula when the guards nodded. They both searched for a mossy rock with scratches all over it. A disembodied head popped in through the door. Eli's head.
Ursula's blood boiled with shock and annoyance. The nerve! Eli shot her a sloppy grin through his helmet, then ducked as Ursula hurled a rock toward his face.
The rock ricocheted against the hard sand wall and smashed into Eli's head.
Ursula doubled over in laughter as Eli quickly pulled his head out to avoid further injuries.
Morgana pointed to the rock, which was partially hidden because of lumps of sand. Ursula hurried next to Morgana and pushed the rock out of the way. Ursula popped through, and Morgana pulled the rock to cover up the gap. Snickering, the two girls sped through the kitchen and down hallways.
Ursula turned a corner and smashed into Atlantia. She looked at them both and frowned.
" Where are your guards? "
Uncertain and nervous, Ursula muttered,
" Uhh, we lost track of them? "
The corners of Atlantia's lips twitched in amusement. She studied them carefully, then at last said,
" You were instructed to stay with your guards. If you are seen without them again without a good excuse, it will be you two which will get a beating. "
Atlantia swam away.
Morgana stared past her, dumbfounded, and wondered why Atlantia didn't beat them.
Wondering why Atlantia had never harmed them.
" She didn't beat us because she loves us, obviously. " Ursula decided.
Morgana said nothing. She turned around.
" Hey, where are you going? "
" You heard our aunt. If she sees us again without our guards, we will get a beating. "
" Or a whipping. Its been a while since our last whipping. " murmured Ursula.
Morgana continued down the hallway, ducking past a fallen coral.
" You are such a goody-goody. If Atlantia didn't beat us back there, what makes you think she'll beat us if we do it again? She's never even touched us before. "
Ursula glared at Morgana's back.
She followed her, knowing that it was best to return anyway. Eli suddenly smashed into her, appearing breathless. Ursula was knocked off balance, and was about to smash her head into a rock when Eli twisted his tentacles on Ursula's to steady her.
" My apologies, your, uh.. imperialousness? Anyway, are you ok? ". Eli's smiling face was pink with embarrassment, and tripping over his tongue with a hint of concern.
" What's wrong with you? Watch where you're going. " Ursula pulled away her tentacles from his, crossing her arms in annoyance.
" Be fair. You smashed into Atlantia too, when we- ". Morgana snickered as Ursula's face began to turn red.
" Shut up! " Ursula ducked her head and swam past them, arms still crossed.
Eli tipped his head the side to whisper to Morgana,
" Is she always such a hothead? "
" Yeah. " She smirked.
Eli sped up behind Ursula, ready to give her a scare, when she turned around and growled,
" Don't you even. ". She waved a finger at his face, then turned around.
Eli continued,
" I didn't mean to smash into you. "
Ursula ignored him.
" Are you ok? Why aren't you talking? "
Ursula said nothing, just looked straight ahead and kept swimming.
" Your eyes are such a nice color, reminds me of that one sparkly fish I saw one day. "
Ursula whipped around and snapped,
" Don't flatter me. "
Eli was not ready to give up.
" You know, the fish had blue and purple, and your eyes are purple too, and- "
" Thank you for comparing me to a fish, Eli. " she scowled.
" So annoying! "
Flustered and embarrassed, Eli decided to look to his charms for help. He swam in front of her.
" You know you love me! "
He gave her a grin, then winked. Ursula had had enough, she smacked the side of his helmet, sending him careening into a wall.
Morgana was howling behind them with laughter. Nok remained silent, as always, though he was smiling. As Eli continued annoying Ursula, Morgana decided to ask her guard some questions
" How do you comunícate with others? "
Nok swept some bubbles, which formed words. I use bubble lettering.
" Oh. Where will you go when it is time for us to sleep? "
I will keep watch on the door, and Eli outside.
" Huh. Alright. Is Eli normally like this, annoying people? "
Yeah
Nok grinned a bit.
" How old are you and Eli? "
I am 14 and Eli is 13. Age doesn't matter in the army, though. We started training at the ages of 5 and 4.
" Around our ages, then. You're right. I guess being descendants of gods and stuff does have it's perks. " Morgana said quietly.
Yeah. Like aging, it'll be hundreds of years before we are old .
" Yeah. "
Its time for you two to study. We'll escort you to the room. Your aunt will be there.
Eli smashed into Nok, and the two boys hit the sand full force. Ursula was laughing and honking, and she was holding Eli's helmet, which was now bright pink, blue and purple, and said Sweetly Booter Fish.
Nobody noticed Atlantia at the door, exiting the dungeons, and resisting the urge to laugh and smile.