"Find that boy!" The queen threw a vase on the floor. "You must not return if you don't find him!"
"Yes, mother."
Her three sons bowed to her before they left the Mansion, changed into their mer form, and swam to the shore to seek their prodigal brother.
"He needs to be found!" the queen narrowed her eyes. "He can't be allowed to leave!"
The king glanced at his wife as she paced the floors of the palace with her three tentacles-like feet.
"He will return." The king was sure of that, "you don't have to bother about him."
"Do you think he will come back on his own?" The Queen scoffed, "I highly doubt that he will. The son I know won't return of his volition. He needs to be brought back here!" She stamped her feet in anger. "Yes, we have to get him back here!"
"Where can he go from here? He knows nowhere in the world." The king relaxed on his throne.
"Let's hope he returns, as you said." The Queen sighed.
Yet, she never believed he was going to come back if he was not forced back.
No caged bird returned after it was set free, even if it was put in a golden cage.
When he goes out to the world and sees the beauty around him, he continues to stay out there.
"Hmm." The king placed a hand on his jaws, "have Veryn returned?" He asked of Lyre's immediate brother.
"No. I've not seen him." The Queen shook her head.
"Hmm."
"What's wrong?" The queen turned to him, with her eyes furrowed.
"It's odd. He should have been aware of his brother's escape. Why isn't he here yet?"
"He might have gone out to search for him. With the four princes, I don't think Lyre will be in hiding for long." The queen smiled as she imagined all the things she was going to do to her last son when he was caught.
She planned to make him regret his decision of ever leaving this place.
*********
"The patient is awake. You can go in and see him." The nurse said to the two humans who knocked Lyre down.
"Really? Oh my God!" Before the man can react, his wife was already way across the hall.
She dashed into the room, startling Lyre, who was curiously glancing around.
His wounds have been bandaged, and the small wounds he got from his family have been treated.
"You are awake?" She closed the distance between them and tried to touch him, but he flinched.
"Oh!" She instantly withdrew her hands and glanced at the husband for help.
"Do you know who you are?" The husband asked as he came close. However, he stood at a distance to avoid making the boy flinch.
Lyre didn't reply to their words as he glanced around the place.
He knew the people in front of him were humans, however, he didn't understand why they brought him to a place like this.
"Don't be afraid, we brought you here after we em—" The man nervously scratched his hair, "we brought you here after we knocked you down with our vehicle. We apologize for that, although the fault wasn't entirely ours. You ran into—"
"Shut up!" His wife snapped at him. "Must you be murmuring rubbish?" She narrowed her eyes at the husband.
"That's what—"
"Don't mind him, darling." The wife beamed at Lyre, who was frowning at them.
The merman was wondering what they were speaking about with how invested they seemed.
Yet, he dared not speak.
It was as if the beatings he got from his mother were now working as perfectly as she wanted them to be.
"Don't be afraid. We mean you no harm." She beamed at him. "We apologize for what happened, and hope you don't bear a grudge against us." She said hoping he will reply, but he didn't do that.
Lyre only moped at them as he wondered how to leave this place.
The woman blinked when she got no response from the handsome boy. "oh, poor boy. Where did you come from? There was nothing on you when we knocked you down, so we have no way of contacting your parents."
At the mention of his parents, Lyre glanced around in alarm. His heartbeat sped up at the thought of seeing his parents here, especially his mother and her righteous preachings.
The woman exchanged glances with the husband when she saw his expression.
Without asking him, she was able to join two and two together, to know the wounds on his body might have been inflicted on him by his family.
The alarmed expression on his face said it all.
"Okay, don't fret. We are not taking you back to your parents." She tried to calm him down, but Lyre wasn't about to be calmed down.
His eyes darted around, for fear of his parents appearing to take him back to the kingdom.
He wanted nothing that will take him back to the kingdom he escaped from.
"So, what's your name?" The mother asked with a smile.
She figured they can identify him with his name. Since this is a small town, it won't be difficult for them to find his family and know why he ran away.
This was the last night of their holiday here, and they planned to leave the next morning.
But with this current situation, it will take them the whole of the next day, to find out all they need to know about him.
Lyre only glanced at them before he focused his attention on the door.
"Are you mute?" The woman inquired when she figured out another thing that might be his problem.
If he was mute, then it means they are in for one hell of a journey.
Lyre frowned at them but didn't say a word.
"Poor child."
The woman placed her palm on her chest.
She felt nothing but pity for the poor boy, who was handsome but mute.
"The world hasn't been fair to you, has it?" She asked as a tear slipped from her eye.