• • •

Downstairs I found Mera in the living room. Her bright red hair was glistening in the low light of the early morning. I had woken up to the smell of bacon and to a small but fleeting moment that was peaceful. Mera looked at me and smiled, her eyes bright. As she took in my appearance and lacked thereof clothing, I was still in Arthur's oversized sweater and socks, her smile fell into a grimace.

Sighing, I smiled at her and decided to be nice, "Good morning, Mera."

"Human."

I pressed my lips together, "My name is Ingrid Clary."

Her eyebrow cocked up, and she stood up, taking my extended hand. She was tall like Arthur, and as I looked up at her, I had to remind myself that she was visiting.

"I am Mera." Her voice rose again as if she was going to say more, but she sat back down instead.

"Oh, wow." I breathed.

"Something funny, Ingrid?" The way my name sounded on her lips made me want to slap her. There was no respect.

"Nothing." I sidestepped around her and mumbled, "Surprised, you didn't keep talking."

She stood up in a flash, "You have no respect!"

I just turned to her.

"You humans are all the same. Always assume you're entitled to everything, always speaking your mind like you have no mutual respect for anybody else. I served the Queen, and you will give me the respect I am due." Her eyes glared at me, and her body was rigid with anger.

"That doesn't mean a thing on land. Up here the Queen is nothing. Just a title." I explained to her as quickly as I could immediately knowing that my words were poorly chosen.

"You disrespect my Queen? You're just like Arthur. He has no respect for his mother."

"Respect goes both ways. I'm not getting into this with you, Mera. I need to speak to Arthur." I motioned to move around her, but the look in her eyes made me pause, "What?"

"He cares for you that is evident, but you seem to be holding back?" Her blue eyes studied me, "Is it because of your miscarriage? The loss of his son?"

I stared up at her, "I don't want to talk to you about this, Mera. I don't know you."

"It wouldn't have happened if he fathered a child with me. Our bodies share the same mutation, unlike your human uterus ours are built to hold an Atlantean child."

"Arthur is half human." I shot back.

"And yet here we are."

Anger flashed across my face, "Arthur!" I hollered.

He lumbered out of the kitchen his feet heavy against the wood floors as he briskly made his way over to us. Immediately, he took in my anger stricken face and came up to me. He positioned himself between Mera and me, his arm around my shoulders as he steered me towards the kitchen, away from her.

We haven't spoken since last night, and even then we didn't speak. He had come up hours after I closed my eyes for the night, I feigned sleep and heard him speak softly to me as he tucked me in.

"I just want you safe."

Now I watched him as he got me a glass of water before turning back to his task. He was washing dishes. I sipped the water and sat back in the worn wooden chair watching him. His hair was half up, half down and the red sleeves of his sweater were rolled up. Water splashed as he scrubbed at a bowl. My eyes shifted to the hem of his sweater. A loose string caught my attention until a loud crash of porcelain against glass caused me to look up.

"Arthur?"

He was braced against the counter, his shoulders were shaking, and his head was bowed, long dark hair obscuring his face. My legs moved before my mind could tell them not to. I was by his side, a hand on his shoulder, his shaking shoulder.

Red and wet dark eyes met mine, and he choked out a sob before wrapping his arms around me, his head laid on my shoulder and I held him as best I could. My legs shook with nerves as I strained on top toes. In my shoulder, the vibrations of his voice greeted me before his words did.

"I'm sorry." He pulled back standing at his full height, wiping his eyes, "None of this should have happened to you. You were right; you don't deserve any of this."

Arthur's eyes dropped to my midsection, and I saw his hand move like he was to touch me.

"It's my fault. The baby, losing it." Arthur struggled with his words, and he grunted pinching his eyes as they pricked with tears, "There haven't been many Atlantean babies born to human women, and it's because they never make it. I, uh, know that we didn't plan on this and that this is new, but I would have helped you raise our child. I wouldn't have flaked like my mother..."

He was rambling now, and I smiled at him, "Arthur, thank you." A small smile appeared across his lips, "But you said it yourself, I sought you out. I could have just walked away, but I didn't want to. I'm also sorry for how I spoke to you that day. I lashed out and shouldn't have...you helped me, and I'm sorry."

The thought of him being there for me during the pregnancy left a hollow feeling in my chest because either way, we'd be baby-less. He means well, and I'm happy he's not taking the coward way out, and I should be pleased with this conversation, it's progress, but I still felt empty and cold.

His brow furrowed, "The beating and the miscarriage wasn't your fault, it was hers, and I'm going to make her pay." Anger flashed in his eyes, and he reached for me. I tensed at the thought of him touching me, my chest tightened, and I stiffened. Either Arthur couldn't tell I was uncomfortable or he didn't care because he pulled me against his body. His strong arms circling my waist and my face pressed against his chest as he rubbed my back.

"I don't mean to be rude, but we have things to discuss, Arthur." Her voice cut into the moment and as I rolled my eyes and tensed. Arthur had groaned and muttered under his breath but pulled away.

The dishes still sat in the sink, "I'll let you two talk. I'll finish these."

"No." Arthur grabbed my hand, intertwining our fingers. "This involves you just as much as it does me,"

I gave me a tense smile and pulled my hand away.

• • •

I munched on bacon as Mera pulled an extra seat to the table and Arthur finished the dishes.

"We know who Yvette is," Mera stated calmly.

My eyes snapped to her, "What?"

"Who is she?" Arthur asked leaning against the sink.

"Her Atlantean name is Bre. She was a Noble of Atlantis back when The King was young. She's a sorceress, and after her coup attempt she was banished."

"She told me that she was looking for Atlantis again, said it was hard because they wipe your memory," I explained.

"She's the one who perfected the spell we still use."

"Hell, she got zapped by her spell?" Arthur chuckled to himself, "Why is she back now?"

"She wants the Crown."

"Why did she wait this long even to try to go back to Atlantis? Or steal the Crown, are you sure that is what she wants?" Arthur asked Mera.

"You think she doesn't want the Crown?" I looked up at Arthur confused.

"She's waited hundreds of years to start searching and why does she need me so badly? I'm a nobody in Atlantis." Arthurs brows furrowed.

"Arthur, you're the rightful heir to the Throne. You are somebody..." Mera's voice trailed off as her eyes lingered on Arthur. He and I looked at each other waiting for her to speak.

"With you being the first born you have every right to the throne." She finally said.

"Not that I want it." Arthur grumbled and I shooshed him, "I still don't think she's back for just the Crown."

"Did she say anything to you?" Arthur asked turning to me, "Anything about...anything?"

I shook my head, "No, nothing...she told me that she knew my pain...nothing else. I did find it odd though that none of her men, except one, came after me when she leaped into the water. I think he didn't like me much. One thing does stand out though."

Arthur motioned for me to elaborate further, "Right before he attacked me." Mera sucked in a breath, and I kept my eyes on Arthur, "I had returned to where they held me because they had threatened me with a pipe and I wanted it as a weapon. I was tied to a chair, and that's where I bled...out...I noticed that some of the blood had been smeared like somebody had wiped a portion of it away or something, but left the rest." My body shivered at the memory and the pain I felt while tied to the chair.

"It's alright." Arthur softly said as he placed a warm hand on my shoulder and gently squeezed. I urged not to shake it off. Even though we had told our peace and came to terms with the incident, I was still hurting mentally and physically. I couldn't just jump back into whatever he and I had as nothing had happened.

"Wait. That's it. The miscarriage!" Mera boasted a slight smile on her face proudly, "Not that anyone should be this happy over your miscarriage, but it's the key. That fetus had your blood and your DNA. She used Ingrid in hopes you'd rescue her, but when she started to bleed, she didn't need you. That's why they let you go, Ingrid. The had what they wanted. Your miscarriage gave them the key to wield the Trident and to enter Atlantis undetected." Her voice almost sounded like it was accusing me, but I ignored her.

"Can you stop saying miscarriage," I mumbled wrapping my arms around my torso.

"What Trident?" Arthur inquired.

"The Trident is passed down to every firstborn in your family. It's a powerful weapon solely for your bloodline. No one else can wield it. We have to figure out what she's searching for, the vault that holds the Trident hasn't been accessed yet." Mera was moving quickly now, up from her seat in seconds and walking out the kitchen.

"What the hell is she talking about?" I asked following behind Arthur.

"This is the first time I'm hearing of any family heirloom," Arthur said looking back at me as we exited the back door. Mera was ahead of us now her body half submerged in the icy waters of the bay.

"We need to go before the King and your half-brother. Tell them what we know and find Bre." Mera told Arthur who looked back at me while I stood watching from the doorway.

"Mera, I can't. Not this soon."

"What? Why do you hesitate? We need to help our people find this sorceress sooner rather than later, Arthur! You'd risk the safety of your people for her? A human?"

"Yes, for now, I'll be here. I'll go to Atlantis tomorrow." Arthur turned around and walked away from a seething Mera. His eyes stayed locked on me as he walked away from her and the tightness in my chest came back. I averted my eyes to watch Mera disappear under the waves before I backed up and walked away from him as he reached the doorway, a puzzling look on his face.

The tightness in my chest only got worse when I heard the click of the door shutting behind me.

He made a mistake putting me before his people. They needed his help more than I did.