
Chapter Twenty-Five: "The Many Forms Of Love"
Flotsam hesitated, his eyes looking at the castle's large glass doors. Jetsam looked away from the beach, asking Flotsam with sudden concern. "Flotsam? What's wrong?" Flotsam licked his dry lips nervously, slowly turning to face Jetsam better as he said softly. "I just... Mother has Sean under her spell now. Can't we just... leave Verlaine out of this?" Jetsam's eyes widened in shock. Grabbing Flotsam's arm, he pulled him off to the side and discreetly told him in a stern voice. "Where is your head at, Flotsam? I've taken care of Anslo. Mother has Sean. YOU need to work over Verlaine and stop screwing around with her! Just like we planned. Nathan could be back soon. We have to work fast." Flotsam pulled his arm from Jetsam's grip, muttering out grimly. "I know, but..." Flotsam couldn't finish his words. Turning away from Jetsam, he started to make his way across the courtyard to the far side of the beach. He only stopped when Jetsam called out in a lighter voice. "Flotsam. What you have with her... It isn't real."
Flotsam opened his mouth to argue but closed it and walked off. He'd never won a fight with Jetsam. Storming off to the dock behind the castle, he sat down and stared into the water at his reflection. Removing his boots, he slowly dipped his bare feet into the water. He'd never felt so divided before. Torn between land and sea. Torn between his new emotions for Verlaine and his family. The lantern on the dock flickered, causing Flotsam to look up. Verlaine was making her way down the ramp of the ship. She smiled warmly at him, and his heart ached. Looking back at the water, he tried to get his emotions under control. He had a job to do, but his heart wasn't in it. Verlaine walked over to him, her voice sweet and caring as she asked him. "Flotsam? Are you ok? Did something happen?" When Flotsam didn't answer, she adjusted her dress to sit gracefully beside him. Feeling her eyes on him, he reluctantly told her. "I'm not sure a woman of your position would understand." Verlaine shrugged, sitting up straight as she said nicely. "I'll try to understand."
Flotsam inhaled slowly, then found himself blurting out. "Have you ever had to do something that people expected you to do... but when the time came. You weren't sure you could go through with it?" Verlaine chuckled very softly, drawing his fragile eyes. Giving him another smile, she admitted openly. "Yes. Arranged marriages are like that. I've always told my father that I would do anything to help the family. Marry well. Keep our people and lands safe... It's easy to say the words. But... trying to stay true to them is much harder. Hearts don't align as swiftly as people." Verlaine's expression turned sad, upon adding anxiously. "It's why I'm here. I have to marry prince Sean... or I'll be forced to marry an older man that I'm not attracted to." Flotsam's heart twisted as her words sank in. Smoothing out the skirt of her dress, she told him shakily. "The more I'm around Sean though... The more I have my own doubts. I can tell that he's not happy... and no matter what I do... I don't think that I'll ever make him happy."
Flotsam's hand shook a little when he reached out to touch hers. He thought she'd pull away, but instead their eyes met. Swallowing, Flotsam told her in a timid honest voice. "If it means anything... You make me happy." Verlaine blushed, glancing around nervously before asking him in a shy whisper. "I do?" Flotsam blushed a little, leaning in a little to whisper back. "I like the way you talk about your books. You have a way of taking me places that I've never been. I know what it's like to be looked over... I wanna get to know you more." Verlaine turned her hand over to hold his hand. Flotsam's heart started racing when she looked down at their hands with a small smile. Her smile faded a bit though as she said grimly. "You're a sweetheart, Flotsam. Any girl would be lucky to have you. If I wasn't a princess... but I am." She pulled her hand away from his, turning her gaze to the dark ocean horizon as she said with a broken heart. "Despite what the stories tell you. Not all princesses live happily ever after. We are bound by duty and not matters of the heart."
Flotsam's heart leapt from his chest, causing him to reach out to touch her cheek. Turning her face to look at him with gentle fingers, he leaned in to press his lips to hers. Verlaine tensed and he recoiled from her, whispering out breathlessly. "I'm sorry... I shouldn't have..." Flotsam lowered his eyes. He felt so stupid for doing that. What was wrong with him? Reaching up, he pulled the earring from his ear to set it on the dock. He wanted to flee into the water before he started to cry. He shifted closer to the edge of the dock, when she surprised him by grabbing his neck and pressing her lips to his. He froze, savoring her kiss. Her kiss was sweeter and made his heart swell with pure bliss. A tear rolled down his cheek as he wrapped his arms around her. She put her hands on his chest, leaning into him more as their kiss continued. Flotsam wanted to kiss her like this forever, until he felt his body shift too far off the dock. Breaking the kiss, he gasped and fell off the dock. Since she was leaning on him, she fell in with him.
Without his earring, the moment he splashed into the water, he transformed. Verlaine's eyes widened in shock as his ear fins began to glow a soft blue in the dark water. Terrified, he released her and swam away to coil himself around the post of the dock. Verlaine sank to the bottom, pulled down by the weight of her layered dress. She tried to swim up but wasn't able to make any ground. As much as his instincts told him to flee, he swam away from the post and toward her. Treading water in front of her, he timidly extended out his webbed hand toward her. She leaned away from him a bit but reached out to take his hand. Swimming up against her, he wrapped an arm around her and held her close as he swam up to the surface. The dress made her heavy, but it wasn't anything he couldn't handle. Bringing her up slowly, he broke the surface and grabbed the dock. She coughed and grabbed the dock too, but he didn't let her go in case she sank again. Pushing her hair away from her face, she looked at him with wide and worried eyes.
Through a shaky breathless voice, she blurted out. "You're a...?!" Flotsam's ear fins fell back as his fear rose within him. Sinking in the water until he was barely above the surface, he told her scarcely. "Ya... Do I scare you?" Verlaine spit water that washed over her in the gentle waves, her eyes locked on him. After a minute, she shook her head and told him in a whisper. "No... You haven't hurt me. I just... I've only heard stories." Flotsam blushed, mumbling out over the water. "You can't tell anyone..." Verlaine huffed, blushing as she replied through a soft giggle. "Who would believe me?" Verlaine released the dock to wrap her arms around Flotsam's shoulders, slowly bringing her lips closer to his. He parted his lips a little to show her his sharp teeth, but she only hesitated a second or two. When her lips pressed against his, his ear fins perked up. She giggled into the kiss, whispering to him happily. "I knew there was something about you. No human has eyes like yours."
Flotsam chuckled, admitting guiltily. "It's hard for me to make you believe anything different." She smirked and he helped her out of the water. She got comfortable on the edge of the dock, then reached down to grab his wrist. He moved closer to her, holding onto the dock as he looked up at her with gentle eyes. She smiled down at him, and he pulled himself up to her level to kiss her again. He just couldn't help himself. He felt drawn to her. His heart wouldn't sit still around her. She brushed his long bangs away from his eyes, cupping his jaw as she kissed him tenderly. When their lips parted, Flotsam stared into her eyes and realized what he was feeling. He was falling in love with her. He grinned brightly, until his smile faded. Verlaine followed his eyes to something over her shoulder and screamed. Jetsam was kneeling behind her and when she looked at him, he hissed angrily as a misty illusion showed her his true merman face. She fell back across the dock, falling unconscious from the shock.
Jetsam reached out for her, but Flotsam flung himself onto the dock and swatted Jetsam back from her with his tail. Flotsam hissed at Jetsam, causing Jetsam to snap out. "What have you done?! If mother finds out about this-! Flotsam raised a hand to keep Jetsam back, pleading out. "Please, brother. Don't tell her! I'll do what she wants, just don't hurt Verlaine!" Jetsam shook his head in disbelief, but Flotsam pleaded with him desperately. "Please, Jetsam? Promise me...?" Jetsam looked back over his shoulder to make sure no one was around, before reluctantly telling him. "I won't tell her. But if you think you can hide this from her for long... You're fooling yourself. Now get her up. Mother wants to make sure everything is in place." Flotsam nodded, then picked up his earring to put it back into his ear, turning him back into a human. Jetsam left him, allowing Flotsam to lay over Verlaine. Stroking her cheek, he whispered to her. "I'm sorry. Forgive me." Taking a straggled breath, he started to hum to her.
Across the ocean, back in the depths of the Trench kingdom. King Triton was more restless than he had ever been. Swimming the width of his throne room over and over, his hands shook as he wrapped a woven rope of seaweed around his hand. His mind was tormented with horrible thoughts and guilt. From the entranceway, a merman dressed in royal shell armor slowly swam into the room. Triton stopped short as the man bowed, rushing out in a commanding voice. "Well?! Any news?! Have you found him?!" The merman shook his head grimly, answering reluctantly. "No, Your highness. We've searched everywhere. There is no sign of Nathan or Mark." King Triton forced himself to swallow as his fear grew more unbearable. Straightening up, he commanded loudly. "Well, don't just tread there! Go! Find them! I want every guard and every citizen looking for them! No one rests until we find them!" The merman bowed, answering a bit tired but loyally. "Right away, Your Highness."
After the merman left, Triton turned to face his throne chair with a heavy heart. Moving up to it, he lifted one of the decorated shells that lined the back of it. One of the little shells had a painted picture of Nathan as a small child. Tears mixed with sea water as Triton banged his fist on the throne chair and uttered out helplessly. "What have I done...? This is all my fault..." Sinking to the floor before the throne chair, Triton slumped forward and stated allowed. "Father... Please. Watch over him. Wherever he is... Please, let him be safe. This is all my fault... I'm trying to be a good king like you wanted. But I just... I need you, Dad. I can't do this on my own!" Looking up, his heart sank at the sight of the empty throne. Straightening up, he yelled out in desperation. "DAD! Please! I know you can hear me! I NEED YOUR GUIDANCE! What can I do?! You know Ursel is going to kill him! DAD?!" Triton rose to his full height, staring up at the ceiling as he shouted out like the wounded father he was. "DAD! ANSWER ME! HE'S YOUR GRANDSON!"
Triton's voice broke when he pleaded out in a softer tone. "Please... Give me a sign... something. Anything... Dad, he's my son. Give me a sign and I'll get him myself... I'm begging you. I shouldn't have done what I did. I regret it! Let me fix my family before it's too late. Dad? Are you listening...?" Triton sank to the floor to rest on his tail, feeling helpless and alone. From the entranceway, his daughters all watched him with heartbroken expressions. Triton leaned forward to drop his head into his hands as he cried. Triton wondered if his dad even cared anymore. It had been so long since his dad had seen or talked to him. Was he being punished for fighting with his dad? Was this a test? Did his dad want him to shun Nathan as he had done to Ursel? He couldn't do that. No matter who Nathan loved or what he'd become... he was his son. He loved him more than life itself. Hurting Nathan had destroyed him, and he wanted to do anything to fix it. Sniffling, Triton heard commotion behind him and turned around.
His daughters parted away from the door as guards rushed in with Mark in their arms. The guards were covered in blood and Mark was unconscious. Triton rushed over, yelling out. "What happened?!" One of the guards panted heavily but told him as quickly as he could. "Riptide. We was chasing him on one of our hippocampi. The smell of blood made Riptide go crazy... He's injured. Looks like he was hooked. We fought Riptide off... but he collapsed..." Triton had them lay Mark across the floor, before yelling out sternly. "Bring me our best healer! Quickly!" The guards rushed off and Triton put his hand to Mark's wound to stop the blood from leaking out. Mark jerked awake at his touch, grabbing his wrist tightly. The poor guy was in shock, he could tell by the primal look in his eyes. Putting a hand to Mark's head to lay him back, he told him calmly. "Easy. Easy. You're safe now. You're home." Mark relaxed, but his grip only tightened more as he told him breathlessly. "Nathan... Ursel. Sunset..." Mark passed out again and Triton tensed up. It didn't give him much to work with.
As the healer rushed in, Triton told her in a calm voice. "Give him whatever he needs. When he is awake. You let me know at once. I need him to find my son." The healer nodded, telling him respectfully. "Understood, Your highness. I'll take good care of him." Triton got up as the healer called back the guards to help her move him somewhere more comfortable. Swimming to the throne, Triton ran a hand across his chest and bowed as he said softly. "Thank you, Father." It was a huge relief to know his father had not abandoned him. Even if he didn't show himself. He was still watching, and it gave him hope that Nathan was still alive. To Be Continued...
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