Hey guys sorry I haven't posted in forever, school is my priority so I've barley had any free time. Here's a little SeaArrow thing I've been working on for a few weeks. I really hope you guys like it. If you haven't noticed already I really like writing AU's. Also I have a Tumblr where I will be taking questions and possibly drabble requests so if you want to check that out the link is in my bio. Enjoy.
Beyond the Sea
Twas a happy scene on a steamy July evening. The old club full to the brim with people who laughed and danced without a single care. The stale air smelled like salt, cigar smoke and whiskey. A sweaty band stood on a dusty wooden stage that sat against the back wall. Kaldur sat quietly with a glass of scotch in the corner away from all the fuss. He wasn't much of a partier, he'd rather spend his time reading the latest novels or exploring the harbor. Though his father would hear none of it. He expected his son to accompany him to all of his business affairs. Manta made it more than clear that he wanted his son to join his less than honest business.
The young man lazily swirled the amber liquid in his glass, losing himself in thought. He didn't even notice the young woman walking towards his table.
"Excuse me. Would you like to dance Mister?" She asked in a smooth voice that could melt any man's heart. Kaldur looked up and his eyes widened. She was a rather tall woman with a slim, athletic frame that fit into her forest green dress perfectly. Her hair resembled spun gold and her exotic eyes were as blue as the evening sea. She took a sip from the martini in her hand and patiently waited for his reply.
"I would love to." Kaldur replied as soon as he could find words. Without another word the blonde swiftly yanked the young man onto the dance floor and before Kaldur knew it she had her arms wrapped around his neck and they began to sway.
"You here for business or pleasure?" The mysterious woman asked, breaking the ice.
"How is that any of your concern?" Kaldur frowned slightly.
Blondie shrugged. "It's not, you just don't look like you're enjoying yourself."
"I will admit tonight has not been they most enjoyable." He replied truthfully, sparing a quick glance at his father across the room.
"Ah, so work then." A smirk tugged at the corners of her cherry red lips.
"You could call it that." Kaldur agreed, rather bitterly. What his father did was definitely not what most would consider work.
"Is there a name that goes with that handsome face of yours?" The curious young woman wondered out loud. She had this feeling that knew him from somewhere.
His icy blue eyes grew wide as he realized he forgot to introduce himself. It had been years since he'd been to a party. "My apologies ma'am. My name's Kaldur'ahm."
His name clicked immediately and the blonde remembered. Mischief sparkled in her grey eye and a satisfied smile rested on her lips. "So you're Manta's so called prodigal son?"
"I am." Kaldur confirmed reluctantly, preparing for her to leave him. He expected that a woman like her wouldn't want to dance with a mobster's son.
Instead she pulled him in closer; her cherry smile grew wider. "Oh Daddy's gonna hate this."
"And your father is?" The young man asked, furrowing his brow.
"Sportsmaster." The blonde spat the name out like poison, making no effort to hide her daddy issues.
"So you're here on 'business' as well?" Kaldur no longer felt like he was the only one at the party who had a problem with what his father did for a living.
"Can you even call what they do business? They're just a bunch of thieves and crooks selling weapons and God only knows what else." She frowned briefly. "The name's Artemis by the way."
"Such a beautiful name that fits a beautiful woman like you perfectly." Kaldur complimented shyly. He blushed ever so slightly.
"You're too kind Kal." Artemis beamed at him with her beautiful, sparkling eyes. She took a quick glance behind her shoulder and leaned in closer to Kaldur. Her hot breath sent shivers down his spine as she whispered, "You want to get out of here?"
He gave her an apologetic frown. "That would be nice but-"
"Lemme guess, you're father wants you here." She groaned.
"Indeed." Kaldur nodded. He noticed a rather large blonde man that leaned against the back wall eyeing him like he was a piece of garbage.
"What a shame." Artemis sighed. "Wouldn't it be nice to escape for a while? Y'know the night is young, we could slip out the back." She suggested. There was something in her tone that told Kaldur things were about to get interesting.
"True, that would be nice. Though Luthor has his men on all exits. I doubt we could make a clean exit unnoticed." The young man shook his head.
She wore a devilish smirk. "You sure about that pretty boy? Follow my lead."
Before Kaldur could even ask Artemis what she was planning her lips crashed into his.
It was a brief, yet wonderful kiss that left them both wanting more, but that would have to wait. As soon as they parted Artemis swung around and tripped Thomas Terror, igniting the brute's temper. Kaldur followed her example and threw of his father's henchmen to the ground. The brawl spread quickly through the room like a wildfire. Out of the corner of his eye he could see a furious Crusher Crock storming his way across the room.
"We have company." He warned the blonde and sent his elbow into Tommy's nose. The fresh, coppery smell of blood filled the air.
After delivering a powerful right hook into Cameron Mahkent's jaw, Artemis pivoted toward the direction her angry father was coming from and cursed under her breath. "Follow me." She ordered, taking Kaldur's arm.
They swiftly skirted their way through the fray towards the unguarded exit. Artemis only stopped to kick Cameron back to the ground. She told Kaldur it was for good measure. It wasn't long before the duo had slipped out the back and into the fresh summer night.
"What was that all about?" Kaldur asked. The duo slowly walked towards the Happy Harbor Marina, Luthor's club faded into the distance.
"I was making an exit. We needed some sort of distraction." Artemis replied with a shrug. She seemed very pleased with herself.
"I really don't see how kissing me had anything to do with the brawl you started afterward." He lightly teased her. The creaky old dock moaned as the couple strolled across.
Her sweet laughter echoed through the midnight air. "You can't tell me you didn't enjoy that." They both dangled their feet off the end of the dock. The silver light of the full moon sparkled off of the sleepy blue sea. Stars spread out against the black sky like diamonds. The night could not have been more perfect in Kaldur's opinion.
"True, but could we not have slipped out the back unnoticed?" The young man wondered half-heartedly.
"Not my style Kal." Artemis sighed and rested her head on his broad shoulder.
Kaldur chuckled, "I noticed. I have never seen a lady fight like you before."
"Well when you grow up in North Gotham you gotta be tough or you don't make it." Her eyes darkened slightly for a brief moment and something changed in her voice.
"I see." He nodded and dropped the dangerous subject.
They sat there in silence. It was a good kind of silence, the kind when words were not needed to make the moment perfect. Kaldur found his eyes being drawn to the mysterious, captivating blonde. Her cherry red lipstick was smudged, her dress torn, her long golden hair no longer in a bun, a small cut split across her forehead and she was missing an earring. Though he thought she was the most beautiful woman on earth. He could just sit there and marvel at her forever and be perfectly content with himself.
"You ever feel like there was something more for you out there?" Artemis whispered softly. She stared out at the calm sea, her stormy eyes full of wonder. "Like there's something out there just waiting for you just beyond the horizon, but you can't see it because there's something holding you back."
Kaldur nodded, he knew the feeling well. Ever since he'd gotten back from the war he'd been consumed with this restlessness. He too wanted to break free. "Yes." He replied simply.
"For my whole live all I've ever wanted to do was to get out of the life. After my sister left I made a promise to myself that I'd leave when I turned eighteen. I wanted to travel the world and find a new, happy life for myself. Then the war happened." She confessed, finding it strange that she was telling a stranger her story, but she couldn't help herself. Something inside her knew she could trust this man. "Now the war is over and everything has changed."
"It's a brave new world out there." Kaldur agreed and took her hand in his. "Freedom is harder to come by these days." He bitterly thought about his father's request for him to take on the business.
"It seems like everyone is too caught up in their celebrating to see the new threats." The young woman explained. "There's darkness out there, a storm brewing on the horizon. We're never free of this treachery."
"Ignorance is bliss." He supplied quietly, wondering if his upbringing opened his eyes to the evils of the world.
"Do you want out?" Artemis suddenly asked.
It took a moment for Kaldur to realize what she meant. "More than anything. But that won't ever happen. Father never gave me a choice." There was great sadness in his voice.
"My father has had a husband picked out for me for years. He wants me to continue the family business with this man." She said bitterly. Anger burned in her downcast eyes. "No one has ever given me a second glance or thought. I'm just Crusher's daughter. The girl meant to be married off to who they see fits best for the business."
Kaldur knew she was so much more than that. He thought back to the brawl she started earlier that night, remembering the pale blonde man she threw to the ground. He remembered the flash of hatred in her eyes and knew instantly whom she was talking about. Cameron Mahkent was a vile criminal with no regard for the wellbeing of anything.
"Well I think you are a beautiful, smart young woman that's capable of making her own choices." He whispered and watched as a small, lopsided smile briefly replaced her angry frown.
"Could you tell the world that? Because no one else seems to notice." The blonde sighed, and returned her gaze to the horizon.
"Then the world is missing out, my dear." Kaldur replied sweetly.
Artemis looked up at him and smiled again, though sadness remained in her eyes. "The world is a very ignorant place, blind to women like me."
The young man understood what she meant. He knew the feeling of being ignored and looked down upon.
"All I've ever wanted is to be free." She murmured. "I want a chance at new life."
It was in that moment that something inside Kaldur just clicked as he looked out at the sparkling sea. Something that broke the invisible chains that shackled him to this life. He didn't know what it was, but he no longer felt compelled to listen to his father. His desire for freedom finally outweighed his strong sense of loyalty.
Artemis was filled with hope as she saw the epiphany in his teal eyes. "We should go."
"Go where?" He marveled, smiling at the thought of freedom.
"Does it really matter?" The blonde asked, stood up and offered him a hand. She smiled mysteriously and took one more quick glance at the sea. "Let's go find whatever's out there waiting for us, together."
"But how will we know when we find it?" He wondered.
She laughed softly and grasped his hand. "Something tells me we'll know."
"Together?"
"Together."
And like that they were a team on a mission in search of a higher purpose, or was this just their destinies all along? A long and treacherous road lay ahead of them, but neither of them minded. As long as they were together nothing else mattered.
The End.
Sorry for the cheesy ending I just couldn't help myself. I really hoped you liked it. Constructive criticism is welcomed as well as feedback. I'd really like to know what you guys think of it. I tried to be as historically accurate as possible. And if I did slip up please let me know so I can fix it right away. If you are wondering about my other AU series there's info about it on tumblr I usually tag all of my writing things under almighty leprechaun fanfiction so check it out.