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The Supernatural characters belong to Kripke Enterprises and the CW, not me. No money is being made from this story. It is for entertainment only.
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By the Deep Blue Sea
Chapter 21
Counting the Sheaves
From Chapter 20
Marduk obeyed and lay in his lover's arms, sweetly submissive. Ashur pushed to open and enter him while the Maids advanced. The lovely Babylonian flushed with pleasure and his markings darkened with desire. Ashur held his lover's arms back at the elbows and presented Marduk to the Maids.
Marduk felt Ashur moving deep within his body while smaller fingers traced his tail, his sides and his chest. Strange lips claimed his and a little hand entered his pouch to extract and exposed his phallus. As Ashur stroked from behind, a warm, gentle mouth took him from in front and there was no way for him to sort out the sensations any longer. He knew he was about to explode and couldn't even tell why. His entire body was on fire. Every nerve ignited; each fighting to bringing a message to his overloaded consciousness. When he climaxed the world flared into light. Spirals of color painted his closed eyelids as he lay back in Ashur's arms, completely content.
Chapter 21
Marduk woke the next day still wrapped in Ashur's arms; at their feet a Maid floated, soundly sleeping. Her body rose and fell with the soft ocean swell. Marduk laughed. It really did look like the remnants of an orgy. He wondered what part she had played.
Untangling himself from his Assyrian lover Marduk made his way to the door, past yet another sleeping Maid, and peeked out. The camp was already alive. Several smiling Maids noticed him and waved. One picked up a bowl from Merina, the camp cook and turned to bring it to him.
He remembered Ashur's words from yesterday: "We like to believe that we are in charge but the truth is that they own us now. Love is what will hold this new world together. I love you and so do they. Give yourself to me and to them."
This was the traditional role of a King in the Mere world. He was owned by his Kingdom and all the inhabitants had a share. Marduk didn't want to be a King. He saw himself at best as perhaps a temporary regent. He would not be free of the responsibilities until the old bloodline was found again. He was sure it was hiding somewhere in the oceans of the World.
The Mere World's concept of Monarchy owed a great deal to the Roman deity Diana and her institution of the rex Nemorensis, Diana's sacerdos (priest) in the Arician wood, who held the position till someone else challenged and killed him in a duel. The Meres adopted the role of the King as a sacrifice but allowed the King to choose. He could fight to the death or could willingly submit to his successor.
The Mere King was owned by his subjects. His life and his body were devoted to them. He listened when they spoke with a single voice and he granted access to all. The succession for centuries had gone unchallenged and each King had submitted to his chosen successor.
Marduk knew that the Witch Queen had challenged the old King but had allowed him to go into exile instead of killing him outright. It was the last instance of mercy the Queen had allowed. It soothed the feelings of the other Lords, now called Shepherds, and let the Queen rule unchallenged. Now Marduk wanted to find the old King and submit to him or his successor. It was the only way the Maids would allow him to abdicate rule.
Accepting the bowl from the smiling Maid, Marduk made his way back to Ashur. Back inside their pleasant hide he slapped at Ashur with his tale until his brother woke and pushed him away.
"I have food, Ashur." Marduk teased. "MMMM, I'm eating it all up while you sleep your life away."
Ashur rolled toward his teasing lover and they chased each other out into the open water. Marduk allowed Ashur to catch him. Smiling and laughing they swam over to the kitchen area. Merina saw them coming and sent a minion with another bowl.
Marduk noticed that Naomi, who seemed to be one of Merina's trainees, was sitting with her rescued lover. Marduk looked around for Alto and her family but didn't see them. He wondered where his entourage was hiding. He knew they would show up shortly. Someone was most likely already on the way to tell Alto that the Lords were awake.
"Ashur," Marduk faced his lover. "Today I would like to go back to our cave. I want you to make some tokens for me to use as rewards and I think you'll need some treasure to work with. I also want to call our human friends. Gabriel Wing and Simon Kettle must be somewhat concerned I think. I don't need Wing calling Bobby Singer to say that we've reneged on our deal. Paul Kenny might even be worried about us. We can't afford to cut all our human ties."
Ashur floated thoughtfully. "I had wondered about that. We went to a lot of trouble setting up your plans for dry land adventures. It would be a shame to let them all go to waste. What about your intention to study the human laws?"
Marduk looked around at the gathering of Maids. "We have much work to do here. I know that this disastrous rule by the Witch Queen was allowed to go on this long due to our carelessness. There are many ruined lives that need our help. I no longer have the luxury of tending only to my dreams. I have a war to fight and a King to find. The human world will just have to wait."
Alto, her sisters and Ander appeared from along the canyon rim and move in to circle Marduk and Ashur. Alto did not have her gold chain and doubloon around her neck. I appeared she had passed it along to Ander. Marduk smiled at her. Alto's heart was in the right place. She was watching over her family and trying to do her best for them.
He decided that Ashur would have to make her something special. Ashur had spare Badges of Authority with him to give her now but Marduk envisioned a circlet with hanging crystal drops and gems for her to wear in her now short curly hair. It would be lovely dangling against her clear skin.
"Alto,' Marduk said. "I have a job for Ander if he thinks he can succeed. I have a plan to allow Meres to attend human schools. Perhaps Ander can make inquiries among his contemporaries if any would be interested in doing something like that?"
Marduk turned and looked at Ander. "What do you think, Ander?" Marduk was thinking specifically about the young, healthy Meres just released from the brothel but did not want to push choices on his Mere folk. That was too much like what the Witch Queen had done with her efforts to control all aspects of the Meres' lives. He waited for Ander to consider the task. The boy nodded once, a sufficient answer Marduk decided. He didn't want to scare the youngster.
"Ashur and I have decided to make a trip to our sea cave on San Miguel. We have business to attend to before we take on Deep Water. I assume you will want to follow us there uless, of course, you can't leave just yet."
Alto answered. "Of course we go where ever you go now, Lord Marduk. It is our primary tasks to watch over you. I have competent seconds to take over here. Currently we are only gathering materials for the upcoming Witch trials. It is almost a perfect time for a trip to your home."
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Marduk, Ashur and their entourage along with a couple of spare soldiers that Alto added 'just in case' took off for San Miguel after breakfast. Along the way they were joined by Ashur's Orca friend Maydong, although how the Orca knew they were moving Marduk had no idea.
He was pleased to see the Clan Mother's son join them. The bond between the Orcas and the Meres needed tending after years of neglect and sometimes outright hostility from the Witch Queen.
The trope moved along sinuously through the water; the Meres with the variegated markings on their silvery tales and the bold black and white mottling of the Orca made a parade that attracted the interest of other sea creatures. Smaller fish escorted them along territorial boundaries and even a butterfly ray was interested enough to pull itself off the bottom and flutter along below for quite a distance. The ray's eyes were on top of its body so it had an excellent view of the passing cavalcade
When they finally arrived Marduk and Ashur were pleased to see that their squid guards were still on the job and seem to have settled in nicely. Ashur had to tell Maydong to stay at the surface to avoid another attack by the squid but peace was maintained. Alto had been told about the squid and had gathered fish along the way to throw to the guards.
Once safely down the tunnel and into the pool Marduk and Ashur quickly pulled themselves from the water, formed legs and appeared human again. Turning Marduk saw that everyone else was staying in the pool and it was a crowded stew of pretty Meres. He realized that some of these Meres had never had an opportunity to transform even once in their lives and those that had transformed had perhaps only done it once or twice. He couldn't even remember what his first time had been like and turned to Alto for advice.
"Don't worry, My Lord," Alto smiled up at his obvious concern. "I have had some practice in the art and I'll coach the young ones along. We should be up walking around nd invading your home in short order." Leaving Alto to her task Marduk immediately headed for his work table.
When they had left for the Mere camp Marduk had carefully placed the solar powered cell phone on the table where the morning sun poured down from the skylight. Consequently her found a fully charged piece of technology and used it to check in with his human allies.
The lawyer Simon Kettle was pleased to hear from Marduk, or Sam as he knew him, and said that their account was doing well. The lawyer's staff was looking at a few ocean adjacent homes but had not found one they wanted to have Sam look at yet. Sam warned Simon that he might be out of touch for a few weeks but assured the lawyer that their association might become even more interesting in the future. Sam smiled to himself but decided not to tell Kettle that he might become the lawyer to the King of the Meres.
Sam asked to talk to Paul Kenny next and when the associate came on the line Sam said he might get calls from some young Meres that Sam wanted Paul to integrate into the school systems on land. Paul was interested and enthusiastic. He was eager to meet any Mere and make friends.
Gabriel Wing and Dean had become, if not friends exactly, at least partners during Wing's transition from cop to Park Ranger and over the long period of Wing's training on Santa Rosa. One by one certain human luxury items had appeared in the cave. Dean evidently had some mechanical ability and Wing had taught Dean about the electrical grid. From that point on Dan became inventive. In exchange for the funds to buy him some amenities for his somewhat stark Ranger station Wing had agreed to buy things two at a time; one for him and one for Dean.
During the call with the lawyers Sam had heard some giggling behind him and when he put the phone down he turned and found Meres with their newly discovered legs all over his rooms. Dean walked among them showing off the caves' riches and unusual furnishings like a human bed, a kitchen with appliances and a microwave and that complete wonder, a television. Dean had turned on the Discovery Channel and at least four of the Meres were frozen in place watching a show called "The Deserts of the Earth".
Sam was grateful Dean had not selected The Nightly News.