Chapter 37
Totems

Nuffink was pacing back and forth on the bridge, bitting his nails. Selina and Baby Tooth had been gone for hours and there was still no sign of them. It was getting too long.

''They should alreay be back. Something must have happened.''

''Calm down, bro.'' Zephyr grunted while she was just as pissed off as him. ''Your pacing runs on my nerves. For the love of Gods, just sit down and stay still, they'll be back soon.''

''How can you be so calm ?!''

Nuffink breathed in deeply and dropped next to his sister, sitting with his legs crossed. On the other side of the chief's daughter was Birdlegs. Seeing her friend's anguish, she tried to comfort him with her soft voice that know how to enlight other's mood.

''Don't worry. This witch helped Frost once, why would she decline his friends ?''

She may be optimistic, it didn't help the blond viking. He frowned and buried his chin in his palm, ignoring how his elbow just hit his knee.

''Guys !'' Igvid called out from the railing. ''Something's moving underwater !''

Without thinking, all the vikings gathered next to the brunette, looking down in the water to see the beluga breaking the surface. It didn't took long before Selina joined her. There was a wet and moss-covered rope in her hand.

''Care to help ?'' She asked, gesturing to the rope.

Zephyr bent over the railing and took the cord before pulling it and hoist the small nest tied at it. Selina plunged back into the water before jumping out of it and land on the bridge, splashing the vikings around her. Baby Tooth pouted as she couldn't get closer, even less climb onboard.

Selina was starting to choke as she wriggled helplessly on the bridge, much to the vikings' panic. Nuffink wondered why she even had climbed onboard, until she got her hands on her necklace. She opened the small ice box and revealed her totem. Instantly, a flash of light turned her into a young human woman the vikings knew. Her jade skin was back to a pearly pale pink but her hair and eyes were still the same.

They tried to recover from their surprise, and it was thanks to Igvid they actually did, as she pointed to the small nest and asked what it was. Selina sat up in a jolt.

''Don't touch it !'' She yelled.

Zephyr jumped back at the sudden outburst and let go of the nest she had aimed to open. Selina walked to it and carefully opened it without touching what was inside.

''These are totems.'' She explained. ''Edelweiss made them for you, but you can't touch them yet.''

''Why ?'' Sneezelout asked, creeping closer as he wanted to touch them expectially because he had been forbidden to.

''A totem can only be linked to the first person to touch it after its enchantment. Once the bound is made, the totem will only work with that one person. This is why you can only touch one each.''

Astrid knelt down next to the nest and stared at the totems. They didn't look much, it was only sticks, shells and pebbles.

''How does it work, exactly ?'' The chieftess enquired, curious.

''Edelweiss cast a spell on these objects, the magic will be released at first touch with the bearer. For an enchantress, the totem will turn their tail into legs. In your case, it will turn your legs into a tail. But be careful, the spell will be broken once you get appart from your totem, so you must keep it with you or else you'll drown.''

''Got it.'' Sneezelout said, though he sounded anxious.

Astrid picked up a small piece of fossilized wood, the size of a coin, and felt tingling in her fingers. But aside from that, she didn't feel anything. While she was staring at the object, Selina resumer her explanations.

''All you need to turn back into a human is to go on land, even if you're wearing your totem.''

On this point, Selina had to admit she was jealous of these less powerful totems. Merfolk totems were working even underwater, wich forced the merfolk to remove their totem if they wanted to get back to water. Everytime she had to leave her totem behind she had been afraid to loose it for good. That was why she was so thankful to Frost for making her the little magic box.

The other vikings gathered around the nest and each took a totem. Zephyr did like her mother and picked up a small piece of wood. Birdlegs choose a white shell. Sneezelout took a twisted stick that promised to be cumbersome as it was as large as his forearm. Igvid and Nuffink took peebles. The brunette's one was sand-colored and the blond's one was black with a hole in the middle. He made use of it and tied the totem to his necklace, letting it rest with the ice shell Frost had given him.

When Selina saw the shell, she came closer and took to get a closer look, but Nuffink swatted her hand away. This necklace was way too precious for others to touch it.

''Where did you get this ?'' The mermaid asked, genuinely curious.

''It's a gift from Frost.'' He growled, he was defensive even if he didn't intend to be harsh. ''Why ?''

She hold back a chuckle, amused by his reaction, then smiled teasingly.

''You don't know what it is, do you ?''

''He said it was a lucky charm.''

''You can say that, yes. it's a protection charm. Frost must really care for you to make you one, on it seemed pretty powerful since he did it with his powers.''

''His powers ?'' Zephyr asked, confused.

Nuffink had to admit he was confused too. Selina was pulled out of her reverie.

''As I told you before, enchantresses has magic. We can wield air, water or ice, depends on the merfolk. Our former queen and the princess had ice powers, and the princess had the most powerful of all the clan. It's no surprise Frost had inherited it.''

''Frost has ice powers ?'' Nuffink hesitated.

That was something he didn't know about Frost, and he wondered why his boyfriend had not talked about it.

''How did you think he had made your necklace ?'' Selina chuckled.

While she was laughing, the viking looked down at the ice shell. When Frost had given it to him, he indeed had wondered which material it was made of and had indeed compared it to ice, but he had never really thought it was actual ice.

He gently wrapped his fingers around the small shell, feeling his heart pound faster. Knowing this object was magical and had been entirely made by Frost, it made it even more precious. He still wondered why the boy had not talked about his powers whereas he had shared everything else with him. That's when he recalled that time when Frost had told him about a disastrous day he had spent at Santaklaussen. He remembered Frost had mentionned powers, and the fact Cörail hated hearing about it. Was it why Frost had not talked about it ? Did his brothers, somehow, had made him ashamed of his magic ?

His thoughts died out as he heard his sister question the jade mermaid.

''Do you have powers too, Selina ?''

''Some, but they aren't much. I can form some current on the water, but that's pretty all. Nothing much impressive. It helps swim faster.''

She hold back a snort when she saw Sneezelout shaking and biting in his totem, as if trying to make it work.

''So ?'' The mermaid chirped. ''What are you waiting for ? Plunge !''

She closed her magic box on her own totem and jumped over the rail. Light flashed at the same time the vikings heard splashes.

Nuffink sighed and was the first one to follow. He hold back his breath and closed his eyes. Strangely, he could feel the water on his skin, but not the cold. He slowly opened his eyes and found a teasing look on Selian's face while he was slowly sinking.

''Breath. You're a merman, now.''

It didn't phase him to hear Selina's voice perfectly, without the usual water deformation. He hesitated for a moment, then took the risk to breath in. He didn't choke nore drown.

He was breathing, and it helped him relax. The feeling of water going in by his gills, on his neck and ribs, was quite unusual and tickled him. He looked down at himself and gawked at his new appearance. Though being naked embarrassed him at firs,t he quickly realised there was nothing to hide. He didn't have nipples anymore and his intimacy was hidden under a scaly membrane.

He wondered seeing his scales were the exact same color as his hair, the same golden blond and his fins were a lighter blond, translucent. They were shiny but not glistening nor sparkling like Frost and Selina. Much to his surprise, his scales didn't affect his tattoo, the red marks covering his body as if they had been painted on the scaled.

''Funny…'' Selina mused, staring at him too. ''Your fins are nothing like thoses from Sinterklass and Santaklaussen.''

He got a closer look and noticed that, indeed, his fins were a complete different shape from Selina and Frost. His were perfectly smooth and a bit sharp. He had four thin fins on the hips, four others at knee level, with what looked like antennas, then a double-shaped fin at calve-level. At the end of his tail, unlike Selina and Frost's two fins, he had only one adorned with branches that almost looked like a starfish. Though the starfish had nine branches instead of five.

He also had two fins on the back, on coming from shoulder blade to his mid-back, and the other behind his tights… or tight ? Could he still call that body part a tight ? Feeling the water brishing each of his fins, and feeling them move, was kind of baffling and disconcerting, but nothing was more new and weird than the sensation of his tail.

It was even more flexible than his back and he felt dislocated. He was wriggling it helplessly, trying to comprehend how to move it and slightly panicking at how foreign it felt. While he was struggling, he realised why Frost had been so lost with his legs at first. Well, he thought he had understand him back then, but now he was living it too.

''Wheeeeee !'' Sneezelout laughed.

A silhouette dipping in blinding light poppe dup next to them when it jumped in the water. The light vanished quickly and reveiled the viking. Much to Nuffink's surprise, his fins were exactly like his, save from the colors. The scales were the same dark brown as Sneezelout's hair. Nuffink also noticed that, unlike the merfolk who had skin color assorted to their scaled, the vikings still had the same carnation, pale pink or sunkissed skin.

The viking tried to hold back a giggle seeing his friend's dreadlock float all around his head. Sneezelout panicked too and wriggled his tail even faster than Nuffink, panicking even more and screaming at the top of his lungs… Huh lungs ? Did they still had lungs in this form ? Nuffink wasn't sure about that. Selina laughed at the brown-scaled merviking and swam closer.

''Calm down, Sneezelout. Look, it's easy, move your tail like me.''

She twisted her tail slowly to show him, swirling around him. Nuffink also mimicked her, but it was easier said than done. It felt so foreign and unnatural, he could have never been able to flex his legs like this… if 'flex' legs was even possible. The other dove in and also needed some time of adjustment. Zephyr and Birdlegs had the same reflex to hide their breast when they noticed their clothes were gone, but it was before seeing the other three mermaids. Astrid, Igvid and Selina all had scales covering their breast, which somehow dressed them. Moreover, mermaids and mermen didn't have nipples at all.

Nuffink wondered if this was why Frost liked to play with the viking's when they made love. He suddenly felt like he was learning much more about mermaids now than when he had first met Frost. Granted they had spent way much time in human form at Berk than at the frozen lands of the north. They had known each other for two weeks when Frost was a merman, and it had been two months and a half at Berk.

Just like Nuffink and Sneezelout, the other vikings' scales where the same color as their hair. Dark brown for Igvid, auburn-ginger for Zephyr – that looked almost bronze for her scales – blond for Astrid and dark-blond for Birdlegs. Selina laughed at how they were wriggling and trying to swim, though she realised she had to take some time to teach them if they wanted to help Frost.

So the lesson began. The young enchantress tried to be patient with them, she reminded herself of how it had been difficult learning to walk with legs, though Sneezelout's carelessness didn't help much. Her most serious students were the Haddocks. Igvid was spending her time scolding her brother and Birdlegs couldn't get rid of the feeling of being naked.

Baby Tooth helped Selina at first, but the vikings still couldn't understand her. The jade mermaid could only find one explanation, the totems' magic was not strong enough, or rather, as Edelweiss had said it herself, humans were less sensible to magic. Thought they wouldn't complain, they still had managed to give them tails and fins.

After several hours of training, impatience and annoyment were mixing up in their mind and hearts. All of them knew they needed to learn how to use their new appendages for their rescue mission to work out, but they also knew they couldn't wait too long. Seeing Selina was handling the vikings fine on her own, Baby Tooth decided to left so she could pay a visit to the reef castle. Even if it had been months since she had last come, she had used the secret pathway for five long years, so she knew it by heart.

She wanted to see her best friend, make sure he was alright, and also tell him they were coming for him. However, when she finally reached his bedroom's window, she was horrified to see the bars that blocked it. It looked like a window from the jails. She swam closer and peered inside. There, laying on the bed, she saw a familiar frame that made her smile. Completely forgetting about the bars, overwhelmed by her emotions and habit, she wanted to rush in but ramed into the reef bars.

Frost jolted at the sound and turned around in panic, only to recognize the small beluga shaking her head and trying to rub her big snout, not to avail.

''Baby Tooth… ?'' He gasped.

''Hey !'' She beamed.

He swamed to the window and slipped his arms between the barrels, hugging her despite of the obstacle.

''Oh Baby Tooth, I thought I would never see you again !''

''But I promised I would find you… And I ket my word ! I brought reinforcements, a lot of reinforcements !''

''You did ?'' He asked, letting go of her.

She beamed and swirled.

''Yes, I did ! You'll see, we'll get you out of here ! We're just thinking up a plan, we don't know how to get to you without being noticed.''

''That shouldn't be too difficult, Father wanted to let you in as often as you want. I just have to tell him you're back.''

She swirled around again but quickly lost her smile.

''But what about the others ?''

''Who exactly did you brought with you ?''

''Everyone ! Nuff, his mommy and sister, the dragon riders you told me about, and Selina. They brought their dragons too.''

''Oh… Wow, I… I wasn't expecting all of them to come… Not after what had happened to the chief.''

''They know it's not your fault, Frost. Even the mean girl came.''

The mean girl ? Frost frowned in confusion, trying to determine who she was talking about, though the answer soon became obvious.

''The mean girl ? Igvid ?''

''I think that's her name, yes. The one with dark brown hair. Anyway, Edelweiss gave them totems, they are learning how to swim. And believe me, it's a shame you are missing it, this is hilarious !''

She laughed at it, and Frost smirked too. He could easily picture the scene. Then Baby Tooth's smile dropped and she became serious, which was pretty uncharacteristic of her.

''I'll get back there to tell them you're fine. We'll find a plan.''

''I think I have an idea. Limönn sent fishers to hunt the narval for diner. You'd just have to wait until they came back, the guard will be too busy with them to notice intruders. You can use the pathway from the library to get in but you'll have to come all the way here since I can't meet you there.''

''Why ? Why can't you go to the library ?''

Frost let out a nervous chuckle and rubbed his nape, averting his eyes.

''Heh… I got into a fight with Cörail. He locked me in because I already tried to escape… twice.''

Baby Tooth snorted, she was not even surprised he did.

''Hold on just a little while longer, we'll get you you out of here in no time.'' She assured.

He smiled and passed his arms between the bars to hug her once again.

''Thank you, sweet tooth. I'm really happy to see you again.''

''Me too ! And it's so nice to see your cute fins again !''

She swirled in delight before zipping away, back to the others to tell them the news. She knew everyone would be relieved to know Frost was fine. The white merman looked at her leaving, a broad smile on his face. He coudln't say how long he stayed there, but it didn't matter to him.

He was brought out of his thoughts in a jolt when he heard voices. He looked to the right and saw three merfolk who wasn't supposed to be here. He wondered how they even passed the guards and were roaming alongside the castle's side. It wa seven more worrisome seeing they were from Sinterklass. There was no doubt in that. Granted the enchantresses looked nothing like the reef merfolk.

Mermaids and mermen from Santaklaussen all had broad bodies, smooth fins and really warm and colorful scales the exact same color than their hair. Mermen and mermaids from Sinterklass had slimmer bodies, longer tail and larger fins which texture ressembled seaweed. Their skin and scales had lighter and colder colors, and these hues were different from their hair – all in blond hue with a color gradient of blue, purple, mauve or greenish-blue, all cold colors.

It was only then Frost became perfectly aware of his father's fear. In the middle of these color ballet, it was obvious Frost was a mixture of both species. Just one look was enough to tell.

Indeed, Frost had a slim silhouette like an enchantress, along with the cold color of his scales and skin, and the crystal clear color of his eyes yet his hair was the same color as his scales, like reef merfolk. His fins were a proof all by itself, too. The texture was like Sinterklass at the top and became as smooth as Santaklaussen by the tip. Those on his hips looked more like Sinterklass but weren't as large, he also had Santaklaussen's knee-level fins but also the ribbon-like form Sinterklass.

Realisation slapped him in the face, though he had to pull himself together as the oustider merfolks were getting closer. He coudl even hear what they were saying.

''Are we done yet ?'' One voice grunted.

''No, we have to check out if what Selina said is true.''

Hearing his friend's name, Frost froze. Why were they talking about Selina ? He recalled what his father had told him, but he refused to believe it. Selina wouldn't have tell them about him, she wouldn't… And when ? He froze once more as he remembered she had left Berk for a travel byt the time of his first dragin racing. She had left for ten days, it would have been plenty enough to a go and back from the frozen lands of the north. Did she really had betrayed him ?

He almost convinced himself of this but dimissed the idea as he also recalled his father saying merfolk from Sinterklass had to obey their queen, because they had cruel traditions. He didn't know what it was and wondered what his friend was risking if she disobeyed. Did she even had a choice ?

''There ! There's something !'' A voice from outside said.

Frost jumped when the outsiders reached his window. The three merfolks gathered there and it startled him so much he backed. Big mistake, he was showing them his entire unique appearance.

''Oh my…'' One of them gasped.

They were three, two boys and a girl. All were so young, the smaller seemed to be ten years old and the girl, the older one, was barely older than Frost. The threesome looked intently at the inwardly panicking white merman, eyes wide in wonder for the younger one. Frost found himself petrified while the other were scrutinizing him from head to fins.

''Wow.'' The older boy said. ''Looks like snow.''

''Hi, are you alone here ?'' The girl asked, she sounded friendly.

Frost hesitated. He wasn't sure he had to be careful with them. Sure they were scouts from Sinterklass, but they were so young, they were only children. But maybe that was exactly a scheme to numb his cautiousness ? The girl seemed nice and friendly, and the color of her dark-blond and blue hair combined with her calm reminded him of Birdlegs.

She outstretched an arm between the bars, as if wanting to shake his hand, and smiled.

''My name's Nimina. What's yours ?''

Frost didn't move. He know he had to be careful, and he certainly knew he mustn't give them his name. While he was staying silent, he started to feel some strange current pushing him towards the window.

He barely had the time to register this he found himself in the mermaid's reach, and the girl suddenly grabbed his arm and planted her tiny – dark ? – sharp teeth in his skin. Frost jolted at the sudden pain and, in pure defensive instinct, let loose of his powers. His startled and pained yelp was mixed with a submarine explosion of ice that blocked out his window.

He backed as he heared a loud hiss of pain. Visibly, he had blocked the mermaid in his ice, but his panic only rose up as he heard guards yell from outside.

''Intruders ! Seize them !''

''Enchantresses !''

A buggle roared and alerted the whole guard while voices screamed again and again, mixing with one another and making it impossible to decipher.

Frost didn't pay attention to it as the pain was burning in his arm. He looked down at the bite on his forearm and noticed the wound was deep and drooling some strange black fluid. It was so painful, it felt like his arm was on fire up to his elbow, and it felt like it was spreading towards his upper arm. He pressed his free hand on the bite and fled out of his room. He bumped open the door but crashed on the wall on the other side of the corridor, where he saw Cörail and Limönn swim in a hurry towards him.

''Fröstkel !'' Limönn asked with panic. ''Are you alright ?''

''Enchantresses are attacking the palace, we have to get you to safety.''

''They were here…'' Frost panted, his voice weeker than he thought it was.

Why was everything bluring around him ? Why was his head spining suddenly ? Why did it felt like something was sucking out his strength ? Why was his body shivering ? He could feel his heart pounding with fear, filling his ears with unpleasant buzzing sound. It reminded him a bit of his allergic reaction to pollen, but it was even worst. Cörail didn't seem to notice and grabbed his shoulders, frowning.

''Did they see you ?!''

Frost couldn't speak a single word, being shaken but the blue merman increased his spinning head. He felt like puking and staggered, worrying both merman in front of him.

''Hey, what's wrong with you ?''

''Brother, look !'' Limönn gasped.

The blue-green merman took the white one's forearm and showed the wound to his brother. Seeing the black liquid pouring out of it, and the way the boy's veins were black and swollen, Cörail hissed loudly in panic.

When the young prince staggered, the blue warrior caught him and noticed how his face was paling.

''I can't believe it ! For all he looks like these demons, he couldn't be immuned to enchantresses' venom ?!''

''He needs medical attention, now !''

''Go tell the king, I'll bring the brat to the healer !''

They spread up without hesitation while a terrible fight was going on outside, echoing within the walls of the palace. They could hear countless voices screaming but didn't know what was going on exactly. It sounded like an entire army had just fell on the castle to attack it. Was it the enchantresses striking ?