Aqua Woman (Aquaman)

9 years to Training

I was nine years old when my life got weirder than anything. It's been years since I knew my mother left me, and it's been years since I realised I was different.

It all started when I was on a school trip to the aquarium and I was standing at the big fish tank with the fish and the sharks and other sea creatures, ever since I could walk and talk I realised I could talk to them.

"All life came from the sea, so if we want to understand ourselves we must journey to where we began. Now today, we have better maps of Mars than we do of our own sea floor."

"Come on! Come on! One on fishy!" Boys said tapping the glass and I knew the sea life didn't like that and it agitated me slightly but I just shook it off and looked to the fish that gathered around me. "Come over here."

"Boys!" The teacher said to the boys. "Stop that. Come on."

"Hi. Hi, fishy. My names Amy. What's yours?" I asked them. "You guys hungry?"

"Check it out." An older boy said to that and I sighed internally.

"Me too." I said to the fish that were hungry.

"Amy is talking to the fish. You're such a freak Amy." The boys began to push me against the glass as I tried to fight back.

"Ah! Stop!"

"What are you gonna do about it? Hah?"

"Freak!"

Suddenly a shark had enough and rammed the glass making the boy's step back. I heard the shark shouting about leaving me alone as he kept ramming the glass actually managing to crack it. I turned to the shark holding out my hand to calm it as pulses fang through my hand as others watched with shock but I didn't care, I knew my father will learn about this anyways.

As I turned around with closed eyes I opened them as they glowed gold as fish came around me and I knew from this day on...I knew I had a lot of work to do.

..........

At thirteen years old, my teacher Vulko came to me for training about my Atlantean blood. I was unsure if I even wanted to learn however my father, wanted me to know this encase I'm in danger.

And so Vulko trained me, he kept making up tasks, teaching me how to swim into the sea by using my Atlantean blood that's inside of me. He would tell me that I would see my mother when I am ready. But I knew he had to be hiding something from me.

But he is always the one that seems to reassure me, even when things get tough, even when my father finds it difficult to handle me, Vulko seems to know just what to do. How, I don't know.

And so it was again my training session with Vulko as he passed me a fork.

"So, what's with the big fork?" I said to him confused.

"It's a trident." Vulko informed as his hair was in a tight knot as he had his black suit on. "Now defend yourself." He said to me and I looked to him. How do I even use this?

I watched as Vulko struck a blow as I wasn't confident with the trident as I blocked his attacks when I left my back open, Vulko attacked and I winced.

Vulko suddenly did his move with spinning the trident. Show off. I thought as I watched with awe but as I tried to strike it repelled me.

"What the hell is this?" I asked with shock.

"I'll teach you this movement when you've mastered the trident." Vulko said with a small smirk and I knew he was testing me.

I tried again but was sent to the sand. "It's not fair. This thing is so big and awkward. Why can't I use a sword?" I asked as I was better at handling swords.

"That's your mothers trident. A traditional weapon of royalty. You'll never be a true princess until you've mastered it." Vulko said as I glared to him for that.

"Why'd she never come to see me, hah?" I asked him wanting to know the truth.

"I told you, when your ready." Vulko said sternly but his features softened.

"Stop lying to me!" I shouted with anger. "I've done everything you ever asked. And every time I pass a test, you make up another one. When am I gonna be good enough? Did she not love me?" I asked him with heartbreak.

"Your mother loves you very much, more than anything in the world. But she had to return to Atlantis to keep you safe." Vulko said to me. "Her marriage to king Orvax was arranged a long time ago so she had to marry him and bear him a son, Prince Orm." Vulko said to me softly. "When Orvax eventually found out about you, he became overwhelmed with jealousy and sacrificed her to the creatures of the trench." Vulko said and I looked to him.

"Are you saying they executed her?" I asked Vulko. "Because she had me?" I asked with horror as Vulko looked down and I got it confirmed...she died because of me. She died due to I was born.

I looked down as I had it confirmed when I felt arms encircle around me, holding me tight.

"It's not your fault." Vulko informed strongly as he held me.

"It is. If mum didn't have me..." I started to say with a slight crack in my tone. My mother could still of lived.

"Don't, Amy, without you there would be no hope for Atlantis or the surface. Without you..." Vulko said trailing off as he looked to me.

"Without me what?" I asked as he looked to me and he sighed.

"Prince Orm or not you are legally the next ruler of Atlantis. You are the next Queen." Vulko said.

"But I'm not a queen, Vulko. I'm not worthy of something like that." I said as he looked to me. "Don't look at me like that."

"I'm the Kings advisor and I was your mothers friend. When you take the throne I'll be your advisor." Vulko said and I looked to him...yeah, an advisor. "And I know you are worthy for the throne."

"Vulko..." I said but he stopped me with a look. I knew I'd never get to change his mind. "And what if you get caught helping me?" I dreaded the answer.

"Then I will be sacrificed to the trench and gladly so." Vulko said with determination he had to be stubborn!

"Vulko..." I said and groaned as I didn't want that. "I don't want what happened to my mother happen to you! I'm to Atlantis a Half Breed Mongrel and you know that. I'm not.." I said but he stopped me.

"Don't ever call yourself that, you are your mothers daughter no matter if your half Atlantean." Vulko said to me and I nodded as he chuckled. "Now, let's carry on training."

.....

Through my training with Vulko things changed. As I got older and stronger, I learned how to defend myself against him, I learned on how to fight with the trident and Atlantis's ways as he smiled at me in welcoming and was always patient with me if I needed more time to learn...it just seemed perfect...too perfect to last.

I knew this day would come but I didn't know it would end so soon, due to he had to return to Atlantis to be by King Orvax. His duty was to be an advisor and hopefully he'll stay alive with the knowledge that the king doesn't know he trained me.

When he left though, it was the hardest day of my entire life, I never knew it could hurt so much to see someone leave, especially when he was supposed to be just a teacher. But I knew though, that in my heart...he was something more even if I wanted to deny it...I couldn't. Even though I lived on the land, I knew somehow, I would see him again.