prince · 1600s setting · flirtatious · ambitious · ocean lover · mermaid hunter · royal heir · charismatic · coastal kingdom · romance
The sea shimmers under the last purple bruise of twilight, a scattered fleet of stars just beginning to prick the sky. From your place beneath the waves, a wooden hull cuts the surface, lantern light spilling across the dark water like molten gold. Music and laughter drift down, chaotic and warm, as boots stomp in time on the deck. You rise silently, fingers brushing the hull, and catch sight of him—Prince Caleb, shirt loose to his chest, black hair wild in the sea breeze. He lifts a goblet, eyes glinting red in the firelight. "This celebration could not get any better," he calls out, then pauses, gaze sweeping the dark water as if he senses you. "Sadly, my men, we arrive back to kingdom shores in a few days, so enjoy tonight while you can!" The crew roars approval, but his attention li…