Dark Mer

3

"Would anyone know about this? You said you had a mentor, right?" She took his hand and he pulled it back in alarm. "Please, I don't want to get locked away again!"

"I..." He looked to the side, hoping for guidance. When she didn't materialize or speak into his mind, he looked back at Rapunzel. "I do...but, she's very picky. She doesn't teach humans, on account of them not being able to breathe underwater."

"Oh. I guess that would be hard, huh?" She gasped. "Wait, you're above water right now!"

"I tried to convince her." He admitted. "It'd be nice to have someone else I can relate to about these powers. But, she seemed strongly against it, even said we were 'natural enemies'."

"Why?" Rapunzel asked.

Varian looked to the side again, and decided that if she wasn't going to stop him, them he'd just tell her. "My power is from the moon." He pointed to it. "And yours is the sun." He rested his hand on his lap with a shrug. "I guess we have to battle or something."

"And who said we have to do that? What if I want to be your friend?" Rapunzel asked.

"Well—" Varian gasped and suddenly yanked her into the water with him, swimming into an underwater cave and coming out on the inside of the, apparently hollow, rock they were just on.

"What—the—what was THAT about?!" Rapunzel asked, spluttering and spitting out water she accidently ingested.

"Sorry." He looked out a hole in the rock wall. "Saw someone I'm supposed to avoid."

"Who?" She swam over to join him.

"Hector. One of the Dark Brotherhood. They serve the King and search for the Moonstone." Varian sank down away from the hole.

"Rapunzel?!" They heard a girl call.

"Cass!" Rapunzel went to the hole. "Shh! There's a scary fish guy around that Varian is hiding from!" She whispered when Cass approached the hole.

"A scary—what?" Cass looked around. "Where?"

"Just go back to the ship, don't let him know we're here!" Rapunzel pleaded quietly.

"Okay...you're okay, right?" Cass asked, frowning.

"Yes, I'm fine. Please!" Rapunzel insisted.

Cass nodded and headed back to the boat. Rapunzel slumped against the wall with a groan.

"Sorry." Varian said, leaning his top half against the rock wall. "And thanks. You're not a bad person."

"Well, I'm glad you know that now." She brushed a strand of hair behind her ear and smiled.

He smiled and looked out again. "He's still there..." He groaned. "If I'm not back by sunrise, dad will know I snuck out...and then I'm gonna be the one locked up for my protection."

Rapunzel frowned. "What if I scared him away?"

"Huh?" Varian looked at her.

"I'll take my boat and charge at him. He'll be so spooked by a human charging at him that he'll—"

"He has killer whales for pets." Varian said flatly.

Rapunzel paled. "Oh."

"Mmhm." Varian nodded. "And other dangerous animals. Not to mention that he'd probably kill you if you charged at him, he is armed."

"Rapunzel?!"

"Rapunzel, where are you?!"

"Hey, who are you?! Hey—get back here, you creep!"