The lone merman was called, Almar. He was chief of his clan and was also
assigned to make sure plans went accordingly.
As Tala approached he smirked at her from his position in the dark shallows of the lake.
ALMAR
She looks happy. I'm hoping she didn't go back on our agreement.
"I take it that you're not regreting any of this?" I queried with a calm, easy voice.
Tala shook her head and reached to her waist pouch."I believe this is yours." She tossed me a small leather pouch. "This land's rarest of spices. Very valuable to an alchemist's apprentice."
A done deal.
"It is much appriciated. I shall see you on the other side." I gave her salute type wave and vanished beneath the dreary, dark, waters of Hogwarts lake.
TALA
"Soon my friend, I'll be making a long visit."
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Tala returned to her village to find no lights on in the huts, no sounds of people doing there late night tasks, or even the laughter of small children playing in the trees. It was silent, and an eery sense came to her. She shethed her dagger and unbutton the whip from her side. As she did, she was confronted by a portly man in a robe.
TALA
What's going on here? What has he done to my heirs?
"Don't worry, young lady. I'm not here to take over or anything. My name is Cornelius Fudge. I'm with the Ministry of Magic. I was hoping to speak with you."
"About what may I ask?" I retorted, still alert and on guard.
"Well...I say...This place is very quiet. Is it always like this?"
"No. Now, what kind of question was that?"
"Obviously, a bad one. But as I was saying. I would like to speak with you. If you don't mind."
Nearly silent sounds came ringing to Tala's ears. She carefully gazed around at the tree tops and found she was being watched by everyone she knew. Taking a deep breath she gave him an answer.
"I'm going to make this very clear. We don't like being treated as Underlings. We're stronger than you will ever be. We will do what we feel is right by our instincts, not by your laws or decrees. Now, Minister. Leave our forest."
Fudge was taken aback, but was smart enough to do as he was told, and left. -------------------------------
Tala returned to the lake and was met by an underwater horse drawing a carriage. She arrived at a large underwater city where she was greeted by mersoldiers.
Meanwhile, in a large blue chamber, the captives began to be untied.
LUNA
"Where the hell are we?" She screamed at one of the soldiers. He gave her a passing glance and left.
The rooms of the city were dry on the inside, but as soon as you came to a doorway, water was the only way out.
"There's no way out!" I paniced. "We're all gonna die! What are we-" Without warning Hermione had struck me in the face, cutting off my sentence.
HERMIONE
Like we can't see we're trapped!
"Shut up. I'm already sick of hearing complaints. We need to be calm."
That worked wonderfully...now what?
Tala enters the chamber with a calm face.
TALA
"Welcome to Frumerk City, home of the merfolk of Hogwart's lake. You've been selected randomly to from the school as compensation. You see, wizards have given us no choice. We are bound to the Dark Forest with no alternative, and our lives depend on our way of life. Your kind has never given us a chance to freely live." I stated calmly gazing at their frightened faces, when I came to a familiar pair of eyes. "Ah, Mr. Malfoy. Here you can't take advantage of my hospotality, because here...I have a lesser authority." As I finished saying this, a mersoldier came into the room with a whip. "Enjoy your stay."
More soldiers came into the room with ropes. Each one took control of a captive, tied their hands and feet, then placed the ropes of the wriggling captive on a hook dangling from the ceiling.
Tala bolted through the water with fins of her own, when she came to a sudden stop as the vibrations of the screaming prisoners peirced the water. She paused in mid-water to hear the satisfying screams.
-----------------------------------------
Tala returned to the village to find Lucius Malfoy stuggling to stay seated in a fur armchair.
TALA
"Did you need something...else?"
He's recovering fairly well. I'll have him escorted back to the school tomorrow.
LUCIUS
"I don't know what the hell you think you're doing, but you can't take captives like this! It's inhumane!"
I'm still too weak to fight. I need some accomplists.
TALA
"I don't know what the hell you think you're doing, but you can't take the lives of inoccent people and then leave the survivers to try and survive in a place like this! As soon as you're well, you'll be taken to the school along with some very specific instructions."
"What makes you think I'll do anything for your kind?"
"Your son's life, perhaps? I know he's your only heir, and I would hope you care enough about him to think more about what you do or say." Lucius was in shock. The cruel reality was hard for him to fully comprehend all at once. But soon it sank in that his son had been kidnapped.
She stepped out her hut to see that the village was bustling with its usual life. The lights of the other huts lite up the tree tops, revealing families and pets enjoying the seclution of the nights in the forest.
Lucius was soon escorted from the hut and taken back to his own, where his treatment was continued.
---------------------------------------
Back in the Frumerk, the beaten prisoners' fresh wounds were being treated.
ALMAR
"This isn't so bad. When I first met her she tried to cut my throat. Of course that was before she was fully trained, and she had no idea how to defend herself properly." I recalled applying a medicine to a blond's back. "So what's your name, lad?"
"Draco." He whimpered through his pain.
"A Malfoy I take it? I recognize that hair as a Malfoy trait." Draco turned as I finished my application.
"How can you have legs? What happened to your bloody fins?" He yelled over his shoulder.
"Below the surface, magics of all kinds have a chance." I could tell by his face he didn't understand. "Tala helps us a lot. I'm an apprentice, and she has taught me more than anyone could ever understand. The construction of Frumerk were her line's plans. But we haven't been able to take on legs until a few years ago."
Almar left the room, and returned to his master, who's time was nearly spent...
--------------------------------
Tala returned to Frumerk City at near light. In the Entrance Hall, she was confronted my Almar.
As Tala approached he smirked at her from his position in the dark shallows of the lake.
ALMAR
She looks happy. I'm hoping she didn't go back on our agreement.
"I take it that you're not regreting any of this?" I queried with a calm, easy voice.
Tala shook her head and reached to her waist pouch."I believe this is yours." She tossed me a small leather pouch. "This land's rarest of spices. Very valuable to an alchemist's apprentice."
A done deal.
"It is much appriciated. I shall see you on the other side." I gave her salute type wave and vanished beneath the dreary, dark, waters of Hogwarts lake.
TALA
"Soon my friend, I'll be making a long visit."
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Tala returned to her village to find no lights on in the huts, no sounds of people doing there late night tasks, or even the laughter of small children playing in the trees. It was silent, and an eery sense came to her. She shethed her dagger and unbutton the whip from her side. As she did, she was confronted by a portly man in a robe.
TALA
What's going on here? What has he done to my heirs?
"Don't worry, young lady. I'm not here to take over or anything. My name is Cornelius Fudge. I'm with the Ministry of Magic. I was hoping to speak with you."
"About what may I ask?" I retorted, still alert and on guard.
"Well...I say...This place is very quiet. Is it always like this?"
"No. Now, what kind of question was that?"
"Obviously, a bad one. But as I was saying. I would like to speak with you. If you don't mind."
Nearly silent sounds came ringing to Tala's ears. She carefully gazed around at the tree tops and found she was being watched by everyone she knew. Taking a deep breath she gave him an answer.
"I'm going to make this very clear. We don't like being treated as Underlings. We're stronger than you will ever be. We will do what we feel is right by our instincts, not by your laws or decrees. Now, Minister. Leave our forest."
Fudge was taken aback, but was smart enough to do as he was told, and left. -------------------------------
Tala returned to the lake and was met by an underwater horse drawing a carriage. She arrived at a large underwater city where she was greeted by mersoldiers.
Meanwhile, in a large blue chamber, the captives began to be untied.
LUNA
"Where the hell are we?" She screamed at one of the soldiers. He gave her a passing glance and left.
The rooms of the city were dry on the inside, but as soon as you came to a doorway, water was the only way out.
"There's no way out!" I paniced. "We're all gonna die! What are we-" Without warning Hermione had struck me in the face, cutting off my sentence.
HERMIONE
Like we can't see we're trapped!
"Shut up. I'm already sick of hearing complaints. We need to be calm."
That worked wonderfully...now what?
Tala enters the chamber with a calm face.
TALA
"Welcome to Frumerk City, home of the merfolk of Hogwart's lake. You've been selected randomly to from the school as compensation. You see, wizards have given us no choice. We are bound to the Dark Forest with no alternative, and our lives depend on our way of life. Your kind has never given us a chance to freely live." I stated calmly gazing at their frightened faces, when I came to a familiar pair of eyes. "Ah, Mr. Malfoy. Here you can't take advantage of my hospotality, because here...I have a lesser authority." As I finished saying this, a mersoldier came into the room with a whip. "Enjoy your stay."
More soldiers came into the room with ropes. Each one took control of a captive, tied their hands and feet, then placed the ropes of the wriggling captive on a hook dangling from the ceiling.
Tala bolted through the water with fins of her own, when she came to a sudden stop as the vibrations of the screaming prisoners peirced the water. She paused in mid-water to hear the satisfying screams.
-----------------------------------------
Tala returned to the village to find Lucius Malfoy stuggling to stay seated in a fur armchair.
TALA
"Did you need something...else?"
He's recovering fairly well. I'll have him escorted back to the school tomorrow.
LUCIUS
"I don't know what the hell you think you're doing, but you can't take captives like this! It's inhumane!"
I'm still too weak to fight. I need some accomplists.
TALA
"I don't know what the hell you think you're doing, but you can't take the lives of inoccent people and then leave the survivers to try and survive in a place like this! As soon as you're well, you'll be taken to the school along with some very specific instructions."
"What makes you think I'll do anything for your kind?"
"Your son's life, perhaps? I know he's your only heir, and I would hope you care enough about him to think more about what you do or say." Lucius was in shock. The cruel reality was hard for him to fully comprehend all at once. But soon it sank in that his son had been kidnapped.
She stepped out her hut to see that the village was bustling with its usual life. The lights of the other huts lite up the tree tops, revealing families and pets enjoying the seclution of the nights in the forest.
Lucius was soon escorted from the hut and taken back to his own, where his treatment was continued.
---------------------------------------
Back in the Frumerk, the beaten prisoners' fresh wounds were being treated.
ALMAR
"This isn't so bad. When I first met her she tried to cut my throat. Of course that was before she was fully trained, and she had no idea how to defend herself properly." I recalled applying a medicine to a blond's back. "So what's your name, lad?"
"Draco." He whimpered through his pain.
"A Malfoy I take it? I recognize that hair as a Malfoy trait." Draco turned as I finished my application.
"How can you have legs? What happened to your bloody fins?" He yelled over his shoulder.
"Below the surface, magics of all kinds have a chance." I could tell by his face he didn't understand. "Tala helps us a lot. I'm an apprentice, and she has taught me more than anyone could ever understand. The construction of Frumerk were her line's plans. But we haven't been able to take on legs until a few years ago."
Almar left the room, and returned to his master, who's time was nearly spent...
--------------------------------
Tala returned to Frumerk City at near light. In the Entrance Hall, she was confronted my Almar.