Hidden Messages [Klance AU]

22: Only Human

"I didn't expect that. I was just, so quiznaking angry at him that I didn't realize he could be affected by what I said. I didn't realize he was human too." All the mers stopped to stare at Lance.

"Uhh, I think you mean mer," Ezor said, "You've spent way too much time on the surface."

"Right." Lance sighed. He missed the surface. It had been a week, and he wondered what Keith was doing without him. Did he still miss him? Was he worried about Lance? Or did he not care at all? Intrusive thoughts were beginning to escape from the Tartarus of Lance's heart.

No, Lance. Don't let yourself do this right now. Think of something else to distract you. Anything. The mer tried to move his thoughts away from hating himself. He thought of Lotor, and what just happened with the prince. He broke quickly after Lance began yelling at him— it only showed more how much he was actually hurting. The more pain that's on the surface, the quicker it is to break through the ice.

Curiosity swelled inside Lance. Lotor was scared of his own father. Did that imply what Lance thought it meant?

"You seem distressed."

Lance glanced up at Ignatius and forced a smile, "Yeah, I suppose I am a bit."

"Well," the red-scaled mer leaned against the bars, "Do you want to talk about it?" Lance shrugged, averted his eyes, then nodded.

"Well right now it's about Lotor. I'm thinking about what he meant with what he said. I also maybe feel a little... guilty about it."

"Don't feel guilty," Ignatius said through a toothy smile, "It's not your fault you're angry. He did terrible things, and not only to you. To all of us. It's a surprise none of us have lashed out at him sooner." Lance nodded, but still wasn't convinced.

"Most of the things he does are because he doesn't want repercussions from his father. King Zadok is pretty tyrannical. He doesn't care who gets hurt, only as long as things go his way. And a part of that is making sure that no mer goes on the land." A part of Lance's brain clicked. He thought back to what Alfor had told him about their true history.

"But why doesn't he want mers to go on land? It doesn't make any sense." Ignatius shook his head and opened his mouth to speak.

"No one knows," Krolia interrupted, "They tell us that humans are monsters who are not to be trusted, but they aren't. I would know, and it seems to me that you know what I mean as well."

Lance lifted an eyebrow. "Did you go to the surface too? Is that why you're here?" The Galra shrugged.

"Sort of. Before I became imprisoned, I was a part of a group of Galra who worked to stop the things that Zadok was doing to the environment. He is strangely obsessed with harvesting quintessence— that is all I can say— and it was my mission to protect wildlife from being harvested for their energy. I never meant to meet a human, but I did, and we grew close. Eventually Lotor tracked us down, killed him, and trapped me down here." Krolia smiled, but it was encapsed with sadness. "We had two sons before Lotor came. I don't know what became of them, but it's most likely that his men killed them."

Oh. Lance wasn't sure how to respond to that.

"I- um, I'm sorry," He stammered out before Krolia interrupted him..

"Don't worry," she said, "I've learned to move past it. It was a long time ago."

Lance nodded. He saw Ignatius still looking at him, curious to hear about the mer's hardships. Lance didn't really feel like talking anymore, though. He was tired. It was getting late anyway.