Episode: 4
Morris refuses to sleep, calls Talen a liar in his thoughts, and blasts a pillar of fire that burns his bed canopy. Seraya dismisses the noisy shell musicians who try to force him to sleep. When Nyla demands a higher dose of sleeping seaweed powder, Seraya confronts her about the cub's fear of waking up alone. She dims the lights, tucks Morris in, and persuades Talen to stay by the crib and tell a bedtime story.
Morris thrashes around in his crib and mentally calls Talen a liar. The infant prince refuses to fall asleep. Suddenly, a blast of intense fire shoots from the head of the bed, scorching the canopy over his shell crib.
Several merfolk musicians gather in the royal chamber and play shell instruments to force Morris to rest. Seraya steps forward immediately. She puts a stop to the loud, forced hypnotic music and waves all the palace musicians out of the room.
Nyla enters with royal protocol books, insisting on increasing the dose of sleeping seaweed powder for the upcoming ceremony. Seraya confronts her sharply. She explains that Morris resists sleep because he wakes up all alone every night in the dark.
Seraya gently wraps Morris in a warm red blanket. She swims up toward the ceiling and puts out the harsh coral chandelier. The bright underwater chamber turns dim and soothing, creating a peaceful setting to help the baby relax.
Talen stands nearby holding border battle reports. Seraya urges him to stay with his son. Talen gives in and sits beside the shell crib. He asks Seraya what to do, and she playfully teases him to tell a bedtime story.
“The royal protocols clearly state that the dose of sleep-inducing seaweed powder should be increased!”
“Every night you lock him in here all alone. Every time he opens his eyes, everyone he knows is gone. Of course he's afraid to sleep.”
“Just tell me what to do.”
“So even the mighty Sea King who strikes fear across the deep has something he can't do?”
Seraya tells Talen to simply say whatever comes to mind since he does not know any bedtime stories. The two lock eyes at close range in the soft, dimmed light of the bedchamber. Will the feared ruler actually open up and soothe his son, or will palace duty pull him away from Morris?