Throne of Atlantis// Aquaman

Chapter Thirty-Nine: Heritage

As the ritual came to an end, Mera stepped closer to Camille's frozen form. "You okay? Sometimes the procedure can make you feel nauseous."

All she could do was nod. If she spoke, her lie would have been obvious. Thankfully, Mera accepted this response and finally moved to take the future king from the Gurlan. He was wrapped in the same string of magic that had helped Camille in the birthing process. These would stabilise him and keep his neck from moving too severely in the water. Atlantean babies were, typically, born with more muscle control and strength than human ones...but this child was half. So, he required extra care during his infancy.

Mera's eyes lit up like pristine starlight, and her lips fell into the most awe-inspired smile that Camille had ever seen on the woman. "He looks very mighty, just like his father."

Camille could only assume that this was the equivalent of a human saying that a child was 'beautiful'. It had to be, because the look on Mera's face could mean nothing else. It was an adoration that could fool any outsider into believing that she was the real mother.

"Do you want to hold him, my queen?"

Camille shook her head wordlessly and Mera's expression shifted to one of heartache. She could see the conflict on Camille's face, no matter how hard she tried to hide it. She was about to insist that she take the baby, but before she could, King Orin rushed into the room. He looked positively exhausted, maybe even more so than Camille herself. He had been returning from a meeting in Xebel when he received the news of his wife's labour, and had swam so fast to get to her that he felt mere moments away from passing out.

That lost energy seemed to rejuvenate when he heard the cries of his son. Without even bothering to wait for Mera to notice him, Arthur scooped the bundle out of her arms; causing quite a loud yelp from the redhead. Camille watched his expression. The hard, deep lines that permanently resided on his face slowly faded away. His shoulders, that were always tense with the weight of his city, relaxed. There was no singular way to describe the sheer amount of affection that became evident on his face. Maybe because there truly was no word. 'Unconditional love' just didn't seem strong enough.

Upon seeing the product of his bond with Camille, the impact on his soul was that of the highest magnitude of earthquakes, those that occur every hundred years, say, or every thousand. The old shell that he called himself cracked and was swallowed by a sudden crevasse, and just as suddenly was lost in the commotion of Mera ushering everyone out of the room.

Arthur's gaze wandered back to his wife, and the emotion he displayed in that one glance was almost too much to bare. It was like he had developed another tier of respect for her. She was suddenly more beautiful than ever before. Her body, and its capability to create something so amazing, was beyond comprehension. He drifted beside her, reaching his free hand out to hold hers. "He's incredible."

Camille could spare him a smile, but nothing more. Even as his tender words continued, she couldn't will herself to reply.

Arthur noticed her silence, and the look that he gave her was enough to tear her heart in two. He lifted his hand and grazed it against her soft cheek. With his index finger he gently flicked the tip of Camille's nose and smirked. "He has your nose."

Camille rubbed her nose with a huff, but still said nothing.

"And Deborah's ears." Arthur continued, rocking the baby rhythmically until his sobbing started to cease.

This time Camille's eyes glanced at the newborn curiously. "H-He does?"

"Why don't you take a look for yourself?" Arthur leaned down to show her the child, but her eyes fluttered away as if she were afraid to see him. Arthur frowned. "What's wrong?"