The Mer

Chapter 3

Ten Years Later

Arthur stared down at his mother's broken trident. The last thing he had of hers, just gone... He didn't bother to look up as Orm lifted his own trident to finish the deed. At least he would see Savirah again.

But the blow never came. There was a lightning-fast blur, and Orm was wrapped in a long, serpent like tail... a navy blue tail with a powerful fin at the end. The crowd fell silent as their king struggled against the coils of the Mer. Arthur could hardly believe his eyes.

"Savirah?"

She looked back at him, very much alive, a determined expression written across her face. "Arthur... we need to go, now. I--"

Just then, it seemed Orm had recovered from the shock of what had just happened.

"Impossible! A Mer?" He continued struggling, to no avail. "They don't exist..."

Savirah gave him a look, then glanced up at Arthur, her inky black hair billowing behind her. "Are you sure you're related?"

Arthur snorted. "What was that about needing to go now?"

She rolled her eyes in response and, with a flick of her powerful tail, threw Orm all the way across the arena with such force that the stone behind him cracked on impact. The spectators gasped, and he shook himself off, clearly disoriented.

"Capture the creature!" his voice boomed. "I will finish the contender."

"Not happening..." Savirah muttered.

"Say, uh, how were you planning on getting us out of here?"

Orm was swimming their way.

"Swim over the walls, of course. That's how I got in."

Arthur looked at her incredulously. "Past the hydra guns?"

"I cloaked myself!" she said impatiently, grabbing him by the arm as his brother barreled closer.

Just before Orm could reach them, a great swirl of water practically tore into him.

"Is that you?" Arthur asked.

"No..." Savirah replied, looking at something over his shoulder. "I think it's her."

He followed her gaze. Mera.

"Go, get in, quick."

Even though the vessel was only meant for two, Savirah managed to curl her tail small enough that she could settle in Arthur's lap.

"You didn't say you knew a Mer," Mera said, steering them at full speed towards the wall.

Arthur simply shrugged. "I thought she was dead... Besides, would you have believed me if I told you?"

"Good point..." she muttered.

Mera instantly started to berate him for his rash decisions, but Arthur barely heard her. He responded offhandedly, but he was more focused on the Mer in his lap. She smiled at him, just like old times, and the next thing Arthur knew, he was summoning a whale to hide them. Right... Focus. Catch up when the coast is clear.

As their new whale friend carried them towards the Sahara, Arthur finally had a chance to talk to Savirah, and to introduce her to Mera, who was still in awe at the fact that Mer existed.

"So..." Arthur began.

"So?"

"You're not dead."

"No, I'm not." She watched him carefully, like she was just waiting for him to ask.

"So did your husband choose to let you live, or...?"

He expected this to be more of a serious matter, but instead, Savirah smirked.

"What husband?" she asked coyly.

Arthur's brow furrowed in confusion. "But..."

She flicked her tail, looking rather pleased with herself. "Each time they brought me a suitor to force me to be with, I killed him. Don't worry, they were all horrible, greedy Mermen," she assured at Mera's look of concern. "My father couldn't stop me. Living on the surface taught me many things... made me more powerful, in a way. So I offered him and his councilmen a deal... I would do what they want... as long as I chose who I would marry."

"And they accepted?" Mera asked. "Who did you choose?"

Savirah looked to Arthur the way she used to look at him when they held each other.

"I said I would only marry the True King of Atlantis."

Arthur's eyebrows shot up. "The Tr- me?"

"Well I certainly hope it's you," she teased him.

Mera grinned, seeming to quickly throw her support to Savirah. "He has to be..."

Arthur sighed, then shrugged. "That seems to be the general consensus. But how did you get here? They wouldn't have just let you go..."

Savirah hook her head. "But they did."

"How did you manage that?" Mera questioned.

"Well obviously, at first they didn't want to agree to my terms. They said that it could be eons before the True King takes the throne, and by then it would be too late. But I told them I knew who it was..." She smiled at Arthur. "And eventually, we all concluded that I should help put the True King on the throne so that the deal can proceed."

"You're very clever," Mera remarked.

"Thank you..."

If these two ever decided to team up against him, Arthur would be finished for sure.