Chapter 1 : Childhood memories- part 1

The dark mass of the swirling water surrounded him as he dived deeper into the ocean, where the lost creatures of Trench inhabited.

Orm once had tried to go there in search of his mother. On the day before his twelfth birthday, when instead of receiving a gift from her like previous years, he was faced with the news of her banishment; he made a decision, one he truly hadn't had the time to think over before putting it into action.

He didn't know the reason but all he thought about was that they never even had a proper goodbye and he was furious at his father for that. King Orvax broke the news to him at the breakfast table casually, like he was merely talking about the weather.

"Where's mother?" Orm finally asked when he saw no sight of her in the dining hall that day.

"The traitor was banished to the Trench at dawn for her betrayal and crimes against the laws of Atlantis." Orvax responded reluctantly, "She's no longer amongst us." his voice held no emotion as he dug his fork into the plate of shellfish, chewing calmly while keeping his cold bright blue eyes fixed on Orm, waiting for a reaction, for any kind of emotion to seep out from him, any sign of weakness, like he was itching to see how the young boy would break from the news.

Orm, however, did not move, didn't even blink or breathe. He held it all in, both shocked and confused; he tried to think it over, afraid to ask again, to press it more. He knew his father and the variety of masks he wore, it fooled anyone into thinking that he was indeed reasonable and composed but gods knew he was none of that. One wrong look to his way and he would wreak havoc on everybody and everything. So Orm waited, not even looking at the stiff shape of the royal vizier Vulko, until his father finished his meal and stood up from the table.

"I leave you to Vulko for the training today, I have other matters to attend today. " Orvax announced monotonously, "Tomorrow there will be a celebration for your 12th birthday, there's a list of guests and politicians that are going to attend so do not exhaust yourself that much." Not waiting for any response before turning away, his hands clasped on his back, as he swam out of the dining hall, leaving Orm, Vulko and few of the servants in the deadly silence of the room.

It was an unusual thing for Atlanteans to feel like choking under the water yet Orm felt like he was suffocating, his chest tightened as he tried to breathe, still seated at the table, he felt pain. Literal pain, physical pain piercing his heart and it got warmer and warmer by second like it was bleeding, was he bleeding? He had to check twice, touching his chest, clutching at his robe but there was no penetration, no real wound, no blood, he was intact, apparently only, apparently…

"My prince—" He looked up to see Vulko, not standing far away, trouble folding his brow, a mixture of concern and what Orm deduced as sadness perhaps coloring his pale face, he was his mother's most trusted councilor after all but soon his face twisted into a grimace and he took a leap further to him like he was genuinely worried about his health but Orm was okay. Even though he was panting and clenching and unclenching his hands.

She must be in her chambers; she was there alright last night, when she read the last sentence of Hamlet by the surface-dweller poet Shakespeare, reminding him over and over with a motherly scold that it wasn't a children's book but Orm wasn't a child anymore, he now trained with men, great warriors and he would best them all in every way, he could handle a tragic play like that and she would smile at that cuddling him further because, in his mother's presence, Orm didn't have to hide his true nature, he could love unconditionally and he could laugh with delight, he didn't have to wear a mask.

Orm was certain she was still there, perhaps brushing her hair, braiding them like always, smiling into the mirror as he tip-toed into the room. He got up from the table, hands shaking, and eyes blurry and unfocused, breaths coming short and shallow, he had to go and find her and find that his father was only joking. But King Orvax never joked. It was a nightmare then, it had to be.

"My prince, are you feeling alright?" Vulko called uncertainly as he raised a hand to stop Vulko from coming closer, not able to say a word, even though he hadn't eaten anything he felt like if he'd talk he would throw up. Then slowly backing up, lips pressed together into a thin line, frowning trying hard… oh trying so hard to keep the mask, to not look weak for his father had eyes and ears everywhere and he didn't plan to get in trouble for showing emotion, not now.

He left the halls, swimming fast between the columns of the glassy palace, passing rooms and chambers, passing the counseling hall, not hesitating, entering the long corridors where her chambers supposed to be, staring at the white and gold adored doubled-door, still unable to breathe, still feeling like drowning as he came to a halt in front of her door.

Heart beating fast. He looked around, no one was there. Not even a single servant as he knocked on the door.

One knock. No response. Two knocks. Still no answer, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten… it felt like it lasted for eternity as the knocks became harder, faster, more urgent with each passing second, still the door stayed closed and the room remained silent. It was a lie. It was a nightmare. Orm remembered her mother's kiss the previous night, bidding him good night and… that was really it. Without any preparation or goodbye and she was now just… gone.

Orm bit down his bottom lip; no… she was taken away from him. Swollen blue eyes now gazing at the closed door, his fingers clenched into a tight fist as he recalled his parents' recent arguments that turned into ugly fights and left Orvax angrier and more unstable than before. Whatever they were, he was sure now that they were the cause of her exile. His cruel father finally did it, taking the one person he truly loved with his heart away from him. Atlanna was never a traitor, what did she even do? She had dedicated all her life to Atlantis, this was simply a false accusation. Without any trial, his father surely had acted on pure sentiment and yes Orm had learned from many fatherly encounters that how emotionally unstable and abusive that man was.

He turned then, leaning against the door, still not crying, not even going to do so. He felt flames of fury burning inside his chest as he dashed to his own chambers. Careful, even in sadness not to be seen by anyone as he locked the doors behind and started to wear his armors, hopefully, his father had been considerate enough not to plan out anything for him today. Orvax had left him to Vulko and he had never done that before but Vulko of all people would understand he needed time for grief, of course, he did but he didn't want to waste his time on that, being weak. He wasn't and that was why he had decided to go after her. If she was exiled at dawn then he still had time, she was a strong woman, the strongest in all Atlantis and she surely had kept herself alive.

Picking up a couple of knives he had found months ago with Mera scavenging the old sunken ships, he stopped in his track, swallowing a knot in his throat, she had to be alive. Orm stood in front of a silver sword that was secured in a glass box on the top of his bed. It was a gift from his mother; the sword belonged to his grandfather, gifted to him a year ago. He never planned on using it then but now it was the only weapon he had if he wanted to wield something else he had to go to the armory and he didn't want to raise suspicion by doing so.

He found himself now in front of a mirror in his silver and blue scale armor. Glassy blue eyes stared back at him, he looked the same and that was a good thing, that meant that he had finally mastered the stoic look of his father, to seem unfazed, emotionless and cold, it hid the storm inside well, it masked the feelings of vulnerability, of being lost and getting lonely, of a boy… who had just lost a mother by his own father's hands. But no… Orm look at his own image, shaking his head, she wasn't gone yet, she was in the Trench, yes but still fighting, still believing to return to him… he was her only son, wasn't he? He was the only one she had like he was the only one he ever had, right?

Full of doubts, Orm knew he'd made his own mind as he sheathed the sword and secured the knives and swam to the doors, but before he could open them, a knock ceased him.

"Are you in there, your highness?" It was Vulko. Damn it, Orm wasn't planning to meet him too soon. Another knock followed. "Do you think perhaps you'd want to talk to someone?—" Orm's hand gripped the hilt tightly, while his other, pressed the door unconsciously. He couldn't believe his mother's most trusted counselor had so little faith in her, thinking that she was truly dead, that her only son needed someone to comfort him for this new-found grief clutching at his heart. Orm was more furious than sorry or sad as the vizier continued, "Considering how close you were to your mother—"But his words soon hang in the water as Orm flung the door open.

Looking in the man's dark eyes, he let a deep frown crawl on his young forehead. "I do not need nor want anyone to talk to, Vulko." These were the first words he spoke that day, sounding confidence just like his father taught him to.

The vizier soon cast down his head in a low bow, "Of course but perhaps you should—"

"I'd like to train alone today." He said it like he was stating a fact, rather than asking. Training alone meant going directly against the king's wish but Orm was willing to take that much measure today.

Vulko blinked for a few times, his eyes still widened with confusion but the old man was good at keeping his composure "I was going to say that perhaps you should go easy today, your father specifically instructed that you don't push yourself too much since tomorrow's ceremony is going to be a huge one."

His mother was trapped in the gods-forsaken Trench and all the king thought about was the stupid ceremony? Orm had enough of this nonsense, pushing past Vulko yet swimming not too fast away from him. "The ceremony doesn't matter to me, I am going to train today as much as I want and I don't want any disturbance." He uttered sternly, without so much as look over his shoulder.

"But what am I to tell your father, if you're going to do as you please?"

"Tell him whatever you want."

"He wouldn't be too happy to hear that, your highness."

Turning back to his Vulko's cold but true words, Orm looked him in the eye as he raised his chin. "I don't care." That meant a death sentence for him if the king or any of his closer counselors were around but Orm honestly didn't care. He had the right to be angry at the king and what if he'd beat him to death because of that? It only added more fuel to the bonfire in his soul.

Fortunately, Vulko didn't say anything else, leaving him with his thoughts alone, as he swam outside the palace's gates, supposedly doing his solo training today outside the fields.

Orm couldn't help but compare the darkness of the Trench with his own state of mind. Just like those monsters burning of the cold black water, his insides were in chaos. A mess. He hadn't had found his mother. His shouts and screams not reaching anywhere. No one was here but the unknown bloodthirsty creatures and there were so many of them, and as painful and pathetic as it was, Orm couldn't fool himself into thinking that he could defeat them all though at least one thought comforted him, he was going to die knowing he would see his mother again.

"What are you doing here?"

He had never been this jumpy then again he had never tried to sneak out of his kingdom before. The voice was snarky and feminine and Orm knew too damn well who it belonged to. Great! He had sneaked passed the most intelligent and well-trained guards and soldiers without being noticed just to be caught by this nosy red-head. A flash of crimson passed before his eyes and from behind the wreckage of an old ship he saw her, Mera.Had she been scavenging again?

"I should ask you the same," Orm responded reluctantly, he wasn't in the mood today.

Princess Mera was the boldest and the most straightforward girl he knew in all the kingdom which of course sometimes was considered as being rude or inconsiderate but then again it wasn't like that Orm knew too many girls, he only came to become close to her through his mother. She was the one who started to teach them both lessons of ancient books. It wasn't that Orm liked Mera, he just didn't despise her as much he thought he would. She never pretended to like Orm or act too formal around him too and perhaps that mutual feeling made them form some sort of a bond. She was obsessed with ancient artifacts and scavenging surface-dwellers interesting inventions both from the deepest parts of the ocean and close to the dry land and even though she had been confronted enormous times by her father, she never really stopped. Orm had always known that she was too stubborn and fierce to follow the rules that sometimes even made him frustrated.

Mera only shrugged in response, fixing the bag on her shoulder. Orm could say that she had already squeezed a bunch of trash in there. "Not surprising for me to stray too far but for you on the other hand—" she said, swimming closer to him with her arms crossed over her chest as she noticed the weapons he carried. "Is there a war zone around here that I'm not aware of, your highness?"

Orm would normally banter but his mind was too occupied right now, "I don't suppose I should answer to you. "

"Well I don't suppose you should either but— "she put her hands on her hip, pointing at his face lightly," You don't seem to be … very well. Is everything alright?"

"Yes," Flustered, Orm replied before turning his back to her again. "Now leave!"

"Well, gee! Aren't you a little grumpy today?" She raised a red eyebrow, before clicking her tongue as she watched Orm leave, "hey wait up!" The blond boy let out a frustrated sigh, before turning. Mera smiled sheepishly as she scratched the bridge of her nose and pulled something out of her bag. It was a pearl necklace, nothing too valuable for the people of Atlantis but obviously something that she had found lost within the ocean.

"I was planning to give this to the Queen," That perked Orm's interest as he scooted closer," She gave me some vague description of an ordinary pearl necklace made by a surface-dweller, something that belonged to her but she'd lost a long time ago, so I found this… I know it's nothing special but I had to give it to her, I stopped by this morning but they told me that she was gone." Orm's eyes widened, looking back and forth between her green eyes and the necklace, but her curious eyes too were fixed on his face, searching curiously as he muttered the next words carefully, "Do you… happen to know… where she might be?"

No answer came, instead Orm's eyes remained on the necklace, it was casually made by non-professional hands, nothing extraordinary, nothing befitting of a queen of course. Yet her mother had asked for it? Perhaps it wasn't the necklace she sought, perhaps Mera was simply wrong but… a necklace made by a surface-dweller nonetheless… the pieces were beginning to sit well with each other as Orm remembered his parents' arguments,

" – you sold your Atlantean pride to a surface-dweller—having a bastard son with him—"

"—I love them—"

"—you treacherous whore!"

"Orm! What's wrong?" Mera's voice felt like a slap to his face as he was dragged back to the reality. No… it wasn't true. His mother never had a family on the surface. It was just a made-up story by her. She loved stories, didn't she? but was this why his father called her a traitor? All because of a surface-dweller? He had to find her; he had to ask her, himself. He had to know the truth, the reason why—

"Orm, you're shaking," Mera said worriedly.

He swam backward, shaking his head. "I have to go," he whispered, turning and swimming away.

"You do know the path you're taking, ventures to the Trench?" He was too far now, deaf to her shouts as both horror and realization gingerly dawned on her. " Oh, gods… no. "

to be continued...