Nathan's anger boiled over at Jetsam's words. Shoving Jetsam back away from him, he swung out to punch him in the face. Only Jetsam blocked his punch with his arm, before smacking one of Nathan's legs. The pain shot up his leg, forcing Nate weakly down to his knees. Standing menacingly over him, Jetsam grabbed his throat to force his head back. Glaring down at him, Jetsam sneered out in a low threatening tone of voice. "You're in no condition to fight me, little prince. Besides... you're wasting time. The fishermen will be heading out to check their nets soon... and if you don't hurry, they'll find Mark. And do you know what they do to merfolk in these parts?" Nathan swallowed, his body shaking from either fear or pain, he couldn't tell. Jetsam leaned over him more to whisper over his lips smugly. "They'll cut off his tail and eat him... because Merfolk flesh prolongs a human's life. And our blood cures disease." Jetsam shoved Nate to the floor, laughing darkly. Nathan rolled over to bang on Sean's door, but Jetsam moved to lean on the wall as he coolly informed him. "Ooooh, sorry. The prince is busy. He was rushed off to an important meeting about the port town. You're on your own. As you've always been."

Nathan took a deep breath and climbed up onto his feet. Jetsam looked him over so calmly, before asking him softly. "I'm curious. Your friend has always put his life on the line for you... but how much does he really mean to you?" Nathan looked out the window to see the sky was starting to brighten up. Soon the sun would be rising over the water. Making up his mind, he smacked Jetsam in the face without warning and bolted down the hallway toward the stairs. Jetsam's laughter rang out in the halls, but Nathan ignored him. Running down the steps two at a time, he rushed out the castle doors. Servants jumped and barely moved out of his way in time. Some yelled at him, while others just uttered out in shock. "Goodness, gracious! Where is the fire, lad?" Running down the steps into the courtyard, Nathan's eyes swelled with tears. His legs were burning. He'd never reach him in time with his legs giving him so much trouble. Bowing his head, he internally prayed that he'd make it and ran toward the castle gates through the pain.

Just as he reached the castle gates. He signaled for the guard to open the gate. The guard looked around for a reason not to, before shrugging and pulling the lever to open the gate. Nathan started to run out, then stumbled. His feet were bleeding. Shaking his head, he straightened himself to start running again, when a horse let out a wild whinny from the stables. Nathan looked back to see the bay stallion kicking and bucking its way out of the stables. The stable boy ran out after the horse, yelling out. "GRAB THAT HORSE!" The horse slid across the cobblestones as people tried to surround it, causing it to turn and bolt straight toward him! The guard at the gate, rushed out to grab the horse's holster rope but the horse ran him down as it charged through the open gate. Nathan pressed himself to the railing of the covered bridge. He didn't want to end up like the guard. As the horse reached him, it reared and whined loudly. Nathan flinched, until he saw the horse was soaked from head to hoof. It pawed the wood anxiously and snorted water that didn't seem possible for a horse on land.

Nathan panted, not sure what was happening to him. The horse calmed down, glancing back at servants that were approaching slowly to try reclaiming the horse. Nathan followed the horse's eyes to them, then locked eyes with it. The moment their eyes met; Nathan saw a symbol reflect in its eye. The symbol translated to one word. Heard. Nathan gasped, mouthing out without a sound. "Poseidon?" The horse snorted, starting to sidestep with unease as the people drew close. Without needing more of a hint than that, he rushed up and swung himself onto the horse. The horse whinnied, bolting across the bridge as the servants yelled out. "Wait!" Nate laid over the horse, holding on tightly to its long mane. The horse thundered over the road at full speed, its body practically glistening with water. Nathan had never met his grandfather and to his knowledge had never heard of him helping anyone. Not since his father took the throne. He had so many questions that he wanted to ask. Yet, he couldn't let it distract him. If his grandfather had sent the horse, then it meant he was still watching. That he was giving him all he needed and nothing more.

The horse turned quickly to race down the road to the beach. Nathan recognized this side of the beach. It was the path that Sean had rode with him on. Only instead of turning up onto the hill to the broken road, the horse kept running along the beach. Nathan was thankful that the horse knew where he was going... because Nathan didn't. Nathan's heart almost stopped when he saw a group of fishermen arriving in a small boat. They looked tired and were climbing out to head to a small cluster of docks where slightly larger fishing boats were anchored. The horse whinnied wildly as it skidded across the sand, causing sand to puff into the air, before bolting out across one of the small docks. Nathan could hear the fisherman starting to call out to him. "WHOA! Rein him in boy! Hold on! NOT THAT WAY!" The horse tried to stop on the dock, going into a sitting position, but the wet dock made him keep sliding to the end. At the end, the horse gave up trying to stop and leapt out into the sea! The fishermen dropped their gear and ran toward the dock, yelling out in a panic. "OH, SHITE! MIND THE NET!"

Nate screamed as he splashed into the water with the horse. The horse sank deep, causing Nate to be suctioned down with him. While under, Nathan adjusted himself to see that a fishing net had been laid out before the dock. Parts of it had holes that the fisherman were probably trying to fix, but it was such a large net that as the horse sank, its legs became tangled. Nathan started to help the horse, but the horse's head knocked him away from him. Able to keep its head out of the water, it thrashed and bellowed out screams that drew the fishermen. Nathan swam back from the horse as the fishermen jumped into the water to save the horse. Quickly turning around, Nathan swam through the pain of the saltwater burning his open wounds. He wasn't sure where to look, but he didn't have to look for very long. One of the fishing boats had a net that was tangled up and caught up on the side of it. It was like someone had pulled a net from the boat and used it to capture something. Seeing the rainbow tail, Nathan knew exactly what it was. Mark. Swimming up to him, Nathan touched Mark's tail, but he didn't move.

Breaking the surface to get air, Nathan reached over the little boat to pull the rest of the net free from it. Sinking back into the water, Nathan untangled the net from everything it was caught on beneath the water, then had to come back up for air. Only this time when he came up, he found himself staring at a burly man with markings on his skin. He'd faintly remembered seeing this man before, during the storm he'd saved Sean in. The man glanced at the other fisherman briefly, then looked back at him with suspicion. Nathan shook his head at him in desperation. The man leaned out over the dock more cautiously. Nathan's heart sank. Mark's tail stood out in the water. Even if the man didn't know exactly what he was looking at, he'd know it was a large fish. Nate thought about trying to flee with Mark but was afraid of hurting him if the net caught on anything. The burly man swallowed, then looked out at the ocean with weary eyes. Talking almost to himself, he mumbled out softly. "Oh, I'm being tested... I just know it..."

The fishermen managed to get the horse free and were trying to pull it safely to shore. The horse kept thrashing and tugging, forcing all the fishermen to push and pull the horse to help it out. One of the fishermen pulling on the horse called out. "Captain Callahan?! Have you found the kid?!" Callahan narrowed his eyes on Nathan, before calling out to the others. "Not yet! I'm gonna check farther down! Take the lads and return the horse to the castle. They might give us a small reward for returning one of their horses." The group of men chuckled, before one stated aloud. "Ornery nag, isn't he?! I hope the lad is alright." The men tugged and coaxed the horse back down the beach. When they were out of earshot, Callahan removed a knife from his boot and flipped it in his hand to give to Nathan. Nathan accepted it with a confused look. Did this human know what was going on or not? Callahan scoffed, jumping into the water with him, before grumbling out. "Don't give me that look, Lad. He's not my first Merfolk and he won't be my last... you mark my words. Poseidon is punishing me good for past crimes... I can feel it."

Nathan raised an eyebrow but didn't question it. Taking a breath, he ducked under the water with him. Nathan watched Callahan pull on parts of the net around Mark's upper body. Nathan didn't know what he was looking for, but he didn't waste time, he just started cutting the net in any place he could. He just started at the bottom and hoped to cut his way up to get him out of it. When they both came up for air, Callahan reached out for his knife as he told him quickly. "Give me that! It's wrapped around his neck!" Nathan handed the knife off, ducking under with him. Nathan moved up to help Callahan anyway he could. Pulling bits of net away to let Callahan cut faster. Nathan's heart raced. He could see where the net was thickly wrapped around Mark's neck now. Nathan touched Mark's cheek, but he was unresponsive. After cutting the strands around Mark's neck, Callahan started cutting the net himself and stopped as his eyes noticed something. Nathan followed his eyes and yelled in horror, making bubbles ripple the water. Jetsam had impaled a large fishing hook into Mark's shoulder, and it was tangled in the net.

Callahan grabbed Nate to pull him up to the surface. Giving him the knife, he told him seriously. "Here! Start cutting the net. I'll handle the hook." Nathan started to cry and signed out that Mark might be dead, and it was his fault. He was getting overwhelmed. To his surprise, Callahan smacked him and snapped out. "He's not dead! His body is in shock! Now do what I said, or he will be dead!" Nathan nodded, trying to calm himself down. Callahan took a breath and sank below the water. Nate started to take a breath, then stopped. Callahan had understood him? How? Shrugging it off, Nathan sank down to focus on Mark. Callahan pointed to where he wanted him to cut, then grabbed the large hook. Tilting the hook slightly, Callahan waited on Nathan to finish cutting the last of the netting from Mark, then carefully twisted and pulled the hook out. The second it was pulled out, Mark jerked awake with an inhuman screech and started lashing out like a wild animal!

Nathan knew not to make any sudden movements... but Callahan fled to the surface, triggering Mark to lunge for him. Grabbing him by his shirt, Mark dragged him down to the seafloor and hissed aggressively. Nathan swam up to Mark, wrapping his arms around his neck to keep Mark from sinking his teeth into Callahan's throat. Instead, Mark sank his teeth into Nathan's arm. Nathan screamed, but didn't release Mark. Mark's tail thrashed and Nathan could feel his body shaking in fear. Mark's aggression didn't last though. It was like a burst of adrenaline before his body went limp again. Mark was exhausted and terrified. Callahan fled as Mark's grip loosened on him. While Nathan winced and pulled Mark up to the surface with him with his good arm. Dragging Mark to the shore, Nathan coughed out water and tried to catch his breath. Callahan sat on the shore farther up from the water, rubbing his neck as he panted out. "Fuck... You ok?" Nathan nodded, then leaned over Mark to look him over.

He was covered in cuts and bruises. His body was shaking slightly like he'd seen some fish suffer from after being shocked by eels or jellyfish. The body just couldn't stop tensing. Nathan sniffled, feeling horrible. While Callahan uttered out dryly. "At least he's not in shock anymore. Give him a bit and he'll come around. They always do." Nathan lifted his head to look at him with a curious expression. Which prompted Callahan to tell him softly. "Merfolk are like fish. They get tangled up. They stress themselves out until they go into shock. It's like a mercy killing. If they don't get revived by changing their condition... they just... die. I should know... I used to hunt them." Nate straightened up more, gripping the knife tighter in response. Callahan noticed how tense he was, before telling him seriously. "Relax, Lad. I don't do that anymore. Not since... Not since I saw what Poseidon did to Captain Jones for it." Nathan raised a hand to sign out curiously. "You saw Poseidon? You understand... me?"

Callahan nodded, telling him seriously. "Aye. I was one of the survivors. Hired by the king to help Captain Jones find and capture the mermaid that he claimed cursed his son with illness." Callahan removed a flask from his pocket, taking a quick swig like the memory unsettled him. Then added gruffly. "The king captured Captain Jones' wife. Wanted to force a trade. His wife... for the mermaid that he wanted. We captured many Mermaids... only one fit the description. The king took her... but not before we all saw the sea god himself... and that is a memory that will haunt me forever. See... there were only three survivors after that night. The mermaid, the king, and I." Callahan coughed, taking another swing before pointing to Mark and telling Nathan coolly. "Ever since that night... I can still her singing in my head. They call me crazy... but I'm hoping by saving him... Poseidon will forgive me and free me of whatever is vexing me." Climbing to his feet, he told Nathan with a small smile. "She taught me how to sign like that... I was charged with watching her for a while. I think she trusted me because I was kid... She had a... a motherly way about her."

Callahan cleared his throat, telling him swiftly as he looked around. "You should get him somewhere safe. They'll be back soon and if not them... the pirates will." Nathan nodded, trying to process all this. Just as Callahan was leaving, he did a sudden double take to look at Nate, asking a little curiously. "Wait... Have I seen you someplace before? You look... familiar somehow." Nathan shrugged; he didn't want to reveal that he might have seen him as a merman. Callahan licked his lips like he'd suddenly seen a ghost before walking away. Nathan then turned his attention to Mark. Pulling him up into one of the fishing boats. He planned to take him to Weeping Isle. It was the only safe place that he could think of right now. To Be Continued...