Palaimon and the Sailor (boyxboy) Short story by L.J Harding

Chapter 4

The response my pod had to the human wasn't a good one. The ripples of their vocal screaming slashed against our skin in absolute uproar. But as quickly as it started, it was torn apart by a strong roar.

"QUIET! THIS IS THE RELUR'S RESPONSIBILITY! LEAVE!" roared the strong words of our Patriarch. The pod dispersed, except for the royal shoal. The Relurs were the ruling merfolk in our pod. Their shoal was the highest of our hierarchy and their word was law.

I shook slightly, being alone with my human before the ruling family wasn't particularly enjoyable. "Palaimon Rekcart, you have brought a human to our world. Speak up, what is the meaning of this offense!" the Patriarch ordered.

I looked at him in astonishment, quickly bowing. "King Poseidon, I did not realise It was an offense? Humans have never been spoken of among our po-" I plead, but I was cut very quickly by the Patriarch's booming voice, "YES AND FOR GOOD REASON, HUMAN'S HUNTED AND KILLED OUR PEOPLE MANY CENTURIES AGO! HAVEN'T YOU BEEN TAUGHT IN THIS AT ALL!?".

I flinched at his words, clearly shaken by the Patriarch's anger. I did not let it get to me, for too long I have wanted to meet a human and learn of the ways of those above. I wasn't going to let anyone stop that.

"The problems between Humans and Merfolk rested a long time ago. I saved this human from a ship that was under attack by the Sirens. As a tracker I have to watch our hunting grounds get filled with ships left sunken by their kind. They're growing more and more persistent and we fear the Sirens just like we fear the Humans. Our pod is weak, King", I barked back.

The Patriarch grew angry by my last comment. "Our pod is alive! That is the main thing!" he said, clearly losing the argument. I quickly shot back, completely confused. "As other pods surely are, we hide in this area like cowards when we should be allowed explore. Earlier today I had the same mind set as you, I feared the dangers of straying too far from our hunting grounds. Then I fought a flock of Sirens and won".

The Patriarch merely shook his head. "You were lucky. I never thought I would have to share this, but no. You are wrong. Other pods aren't alive. Merfolk are a dying race because of humans. You just dragged our worst predator into our land!" spat the Patriarch in utmost outrage.

I smiled sarcastically, "Oh and what is it you would want me to do? Cast him out and leave him for the Sirens to pick apart? We've hidden in fear for centuries, we have no clue what humanity is like nowadays. You are too old!" I spat straight back.

"Merfolk wouldn't exist without the God I was named after, I hold the powers of Poseidon, how dare you insult me!" argued King Poseidon. He was quickly cut off by the Matriarch of our pod.

"Poseidon, what if you are wrong? What if humans have changed? Why don't we put this human boy on a trial. What is one human going to do?", encouraged the Matriarch.

The Patriarch finally gave in, "You have one full moon to change my mind and to prove that Humans have indeed changed. The human cannot live on that air bubble. Come, we must perform a ritual. He may temporarily be graced with the gifts of a Merman".

The human remained silent throughout this, he was not too sure what to say. He simply complied with what was being said, he knew that it was either this or death.

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