Free the Skies

Caspian dove into the rocky cove, his tail flicking back and forth behind him. Breathing heavily, he pressed his body against a few rocks and looked down at the glowing orange stars hanging from his tail. They were a birthday gift from his mother when he had turned 13 and she’d crafted them to glow in the dark. He gently pressed his paws against the stars, watching as the light faded from them.

At least I can turn these things on and off. He thought wryly to himself. If they didn’t, then Caspian could’ve probably kissed goodbye to any chance of winning a long time ago. Suddenly, he heard the giggle of small children outside and his ears went down.

“Caspian, where are youuuu,” his younger brother, Bahari, said in a singy voice. “Come out, come out wherever you areee.” He kept on repeating the phrase over and over again, with more and more of Bahari’s friends joining in to form a loud, screechy symphony.

He tried to calm his breathing down, only taking shallow breaths in and out, slowly and gently. Caspian’s brother was a master at hide and seek, which was what they were playing right now. Every single time they played and Bahari was the seeker, he always managed to find everyone in half an hour. No matter how good your hiding spot was it was never enough to escape his observant eyes and if you did try to move and swim away, well he’d just chase you and swim faster than you.

But not this time. This time Caspian was sure he’d win. He already evaded Bahari not once, not twice, but three times. Of course it did take a few cuts here and there and a near miss with death but it’d be all worth it afterwards. But then again the hiding place Caspian was in right now wasn’t all that great. It was the only cove around this part of the ocean and he was sure to check it soon.

And speak of the devil, the sound of water swishing and swooshing around filled his ears and Capsian didn't have to look around to know exactly what was going on. He stopped breathing all together and prayed that he’d be able to make it out alive.

“He’s not over here.” a small voice called out.

“Maybe he’s over here.” Caspian heard their voices fade a bit as they moved to one of the corners of the cove.

Alright, three, two, one. He counted down in his head and took a deep breath before leaping out behind the rocks and out of the cove, paddling his paws in the water as fast as he could.

“GET HIM.” roared Bahari and Caspian moved his arms even faster, the cool water moving past his sleek fur at a rapid pace. He twisted his head around in various directions, frantically searched for another hiding spot. He probably had around 5 mercats and dogs chasing him but he didn’t dare peek behind him.

I can probably get a few off my tail if I keep on swimming long enough. He thought to himself. The kingdom’s nearby and if I can get over there Bahari will have to forfeit since it’s nearly dinner time. And I’ll finally win. He grinned and swam harder and faster, the stars hanging on his tail bouncing up and down against it. He could tell by the temperature change that he was nearing his kingdom, Pelagos. It was the largest kingdom in the sea, home to all sorts of creatures. It was also known for having an insanely large population of merdogs and mercats, normal ‘on land’ creatures that had fish tails instead of back legs. Caspian himself had never seen any of the ‘on land’ creatures and a lot of the kingdom doubted that they even exist and that they were the first of their own kind, not some version of another species. However, that’s what the king and queen said would be taught in schools and so that's how his species came to be, even if it was most likely wrong.

Caspian saw the gold and pearl decorated gates of his kingdom and swiftly swam through them, passing a few guards who had shocked looks on their faces. He laughed and kept on swimming towards the castle, ducking and swerving around all the buildings. Caspian passed a few villages and many many merdogs and mercats, all of whom stopped to wave or bow at him. He twisted and turned his body to get between and around the stands of one of the biggest markets in the kingdom as the wonderful smell of fish filled his nose. He suddenly realized just how hungry he was and how much his paws and arms were aching. Caspian took a quick look behind him and saw Bahari and his best friend, Periwinkle, a few feet away from him. He looked back in front of him and saw a magician’s stand straight ahead, quickly thrusting his body upwards so he wouldn’t crash into it.

That was a close one. Father wouldn’t be very proud of me if he found out that I broke another merchant’s stand again. Caspian made a sharp left and neared the castle. Despite having seen it his whole life, it still never ceased to amaze him just how big it was. The spiraling towers that each had Pelagos’s flag waving onto it as the ocean currents pushed and pulled the water. The blue bricked walls that towered over the entire kingdom as long, silk banners draped its walls showing the royal family emblem, an octopus holding a harpoon(he always thought that the image was silly until his mother explained to him just how smart and cunning octopi were, despite the amount of slander it gets.) But the roofs were Caspian’s personal favorite part of the castle exterior, each of them sculpted carefully by Pelagos’s best artists showing the history of the kingdom. Caspian loved to swim up to them and lay on top of the roof and run his paws over the tiles. He also loved to read and reread them and found it a lot more interesting than the history books in his family's library.

He quickly moved his tail up and down, swimming near the castle doors where two guards stood. The guards recognized him and gave him a quick bow before opening up the doors. Unfortunately for him, the gates were opening up extremely slowly because of how big they were.

That’s what she said. He thought, giggling a bit. Looking behind him, he saw Bahari and Periwinkle getting closer and closer to the castle. In fact, a bit too close for his liking. Quickly turning his head back towards the gates, Caspian looked at the two guards.

“Good afternoon to the both of you,” he said briskly. “When I go through there make sure to close the gates.”

“But sir what about Pri-”

“Don’t care. Just close the door on him.”

“But sir, why.”

“Very important royal business that I can’t tell you about. Now if you’ll excuse me,” he flicked his eyes towards the small-but-getting-bigger crack between the doors and heaved his body forwards, diving through the crack and out the other end into the castle. He looked behind him and watched the doors get shut slowly.

Bahari probably won’t be able to get through tha- his thoughts were cut off as a large indigo body shot through and landed on the dark blue carpet. Caspian yelped and jumped up, flicking his tail. Bahari was right below him, growling.

“I can’t believe you did that!” he said

Caspian blinked. Note to self, run when you have the chance instead of just WAITING THERE like an IDIOT.

“Did what?”

“What do you mean ‘did what?’ You know exactly what you did.”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

“I got a cut on my tail because YOU were like ‘oh hey close the doors on my dear lovely brother because I absolutely despise him.’” he said, his voice dripping with sarcasm and dislike.

Caspian blinked again and looked at Bahari’s tail very closely. There was a small sized cut on his tail, probably around half the size of his paw and it didn’t look very deep.

“It’s not even that bad thou-”

Bahari leaped and pounced as Caspian quickly darted in the other direction and went straight towards the throne room as fast as he could, where he knew his mother would be lounging in. He heard his brother whine a lot in pain and yell, “Get back over here I’m not done with you yet!”

He quickly got to the doors and pushed them open, revealing a large room with high ceilings and a glowing chandelier. At the end were four thrones, each for the members in the royal family, although there were noticeable marks on the floor where a fifth one once sat. The two in the middle were the biggest and reserved for the king and the queen. And in the king’s seat was his father, King Niram, sitting up right and casting a glare in Caspian’s direction with his mother, Queen Amaya, nowhere to be found.

“Father! I am very very glad to see you. Isn’t it ti-”

“Father?” he asked icily, raising an eyebrow.

Caspian winced a bit and looked around, slowly realizing that the throne room was full of merdogs and cats, some he recognized to be well respected generals and nobles. He forgot that he wasn’t allowed to call King Niram ‘father’ in front of company unless it was royalty. Then it’d be considered ‘charming’ and ‘lovely’ instead of ‘childish’ and ‘immature’.

“Sorry, your majesty,” he quickly bowed down. “But isn't it time for dinner now?”

His father eyed him up and down before saying, “What are you, some sort of servant? And a really bad one at that.” Caspian heard a few giggles coming from the audience before he continued.

“You and I both know that dinner was going to be held an hour later and that it’s not simply a dinner but a ball Caspian. A ball.” King Niram put a lot of emphasis on the word ball and tapped the throne’s armrest each time he said it. “And you also know better than to barge in without knocking. Where are your manners?”

Caspian cursed at himself inwardly for not remembering, and fidgeted with his paws. He started to speak, making sure to use very ‘princely’ language that was fit for ‘young lads like him’.

“I’m very sorry your majesty. I promise not to forget next time.”

“That’s exactly what you said last time.”

“Well, I solemnly swear I won’t forget next time. And if I do,” he bit his lip and thought about it for a moment before going on. “And if I do, you can lock me up in my room for two days.”

Caspian looked up at his father who had a pleased look on his face. I’m going to regret saying that.aren’t I?

“Very well then. For now you can go to your room and stay there until the ball starts.”

“Thank you, your majesty.”

Not bad. I can probably survive that. He thought to himself as he swam away from the thrones and out of the room, knowing that everyone in there was staring at him in disapproval. Suddenly he felt a sharp tap on his shoulder and twisted his head around.

“Hey,” Bahari said, smirking. He squeezed Caspian’s shoulder with enough force to make him wince. “Found you.”