Hey everyone! This story was written for Demonology: Asmodeus assignment, Insane Prompt List, Ultimate Battle Competition, To All the Characters I've Loved Before, Crazy Cone Contraptions, Wacky Wandmakers, and Supernatural Fanclub Merfolk on Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

Demonology: Asmodeus assignment: Task 3 - Write about royalty (whether literal or someone being treated like royalty.)

Insane Prompt List: 419. (romantic pairing) Harry/Kingsley

Ultimate Battle Competition: Poseidon's Trident Price 800 words, Mermaid!AU

To All the Characters I've Loved Before: Finnick O'Dair (word) handsome, and (trait) devoted

Crazy Cone Contraptions: Banging Broccoli Surprise (emotion) disgust

Wacky Wandmakers: Laurel Wood Wand (trait) honorable, and Unicorn Hair Core (word) mysterious

Supernatural Fanclub Merfolk: Triton (AU) Merman

Warning for Merman/Mermaid!AU, Kidnapped!AU, and slight mentions of homophobia. Word count is 3,467 words. I hope you all enjoy Taken.

Kingsley sighed as he floated outside the door of the palace throne room. He'd been summoned by King James, he just didn't know why. Then again it wasn't in King James's nature to just summon him for no reason.

The sound of raised voice piqued his interest. The King and Prince were arguing yet again over whatever they usually argued about. Kingsley didn't really like to listen in on these sort of things. It was his job to watch over the royal family of Atlantis and not to eavesdrop on them whenever he felt like it.

"I don't see the need for that," young Prince Harry said, throwing the throne room doors open and spotting Kingsley waiting there. "Plus, you know how…"

"I won't hear any more against it," King James said in that stern no nonsense voice of his. He folded his arms over his chest and held his son's gaze long enough to convey his meaning. The dark-haired, hazel-eyed man was usually jovial but today something seemed very off. "Your bodyguard will be going with you everywhere from now on. Do you hear me, Harry?"

"I hear you," the green-eyed merman said, also folding his arms over his chest. "I don't like it but I hear you."

"Good. Now wait here while I explain everything to Kingsley. We'll only be a few minutes tops and then you can go and see your friends."

Harry nodded sullenly and took Kingsley's place floating near the door. He looked so much the petulant child that one would never assume he was a grown adult. Kingsley gave Harry a reassuring smile as he swam past and received a confused look in return.

Kingsley had kept a secret for some time now from his employers, his royal employers, and that was his true feelings for Prince Harry. He had felt this way since he'd first seen the prince as a young man. But he was professional enough not to let his feelings get in the way of doing his job.

"Kingsley," King James sighed, sitting on his throne, tail twitching in annoyance, "how long have you been working for my family?"

"As long as I can remember, sire, why?" Kingsley asked. The king had never acted this mysterious before.

"I can trust you, right?"

Kingsley nodded. "I think of myself as a very honorable, loyal soldier in your army, sir. I'm confused about what is bringing this on."

King James sighed. "It would seem that we have a traitor in our midst, Kingsley," he said, sounding more hollow than Kingsley had ever heard him in his entire life. "A threat has been made against my wife, son, and self."

Kingsley looked around and noticed for the first time since entering that Sirius, the king's best friend and bodyguard, was trying to keep a low profile near the back of the room. "Do we know who is making this threat against your Majesty and his family?"

"Sirius has an inkling of who it might be but until that inkling is confirmed I would very much appreciate it you would keep a closer eye on Harry. Keep close over him to make sure that no one can get their hands on my son."

"Sir, wouldn't my abilities be best used…."

"I trust no one else with the safety of my old child but you."

"That's kind of you," Kingsley fumbled out, the thought of being close to the handsome prince and being devoted solely to him making him more nervous than ever.

"It's nothing more than you deserve, Kingsley." King James smiled at the praise he had just given his son's bodyguard, not knowing the butterflies that being left alone with his charge were spreading through Kingsley like wildfire. "Off you go," he said, giving his tail another flick to indicate that the meeting was over.

"Yes, sire." Kingsley bowed as he swam backwards towards the door. He had a job to and he had to figure out how to stop feeling like a schoolchild with a crush in order to do said job.

"Let's get this day over with," Harry sighed as Kingsley emerged from the throne room. The raven-haired prince looked like he was more annoyed than his father was. Probably annoyed at his father.

"I think we should lay out some ground rules here, Prince Harry," Kingsley said, trying to sound stern but in his mind failing epically. "First off, everywhere you go, I go too." He held up a hand as Harry started to protest. "A threat has been made against your family and I and your father are taking it very seriously."

"You don't think I am too?" snapped Harry, his face heating up in his anger. "I'm the one who this is affecting the most. Don't you see that?"

Kingsley sighed and decided to ignore that comment. "Second rule, anyone visiting the palace must be cleared through myself, your parents, and palace security first."

"That's going too far," cried the prince indignantly. "I had plans with my best mate Ron later on today. What am I supposed to do cancel on them?"

"No. Clear it with the palace security and your parents first."

"You're being unreasonable, Shacklebolt."

"No. I'm trying to keep you safe."

"Whatever."

"Last rule and most important. You do as I say when I say it. Is that clear?"

Kingsley watched as the green-eyes went wide with rage. The arms crossed over the well toned and muscled chest. Harry was seething. His nostril flared in a way that sent shivers down Kingsley's spine. Harry swam off towards his room and Kingsley followed after him. He had been tasked with keeping the young prince safe after all.

Meanwhile, a most ignoble creature was lying in wait for the young prince. The once friend of King James, turned enemy overnight, Peter Pettigrew had been plotting for months on end on how to capture the king's young son. Capture the son and you had the father in palm of your hands.

"God, Kingsley, you worry too much," came the young prince's voice from the other side of the door. "Nothing is going to happen to me in my room."

"Then you won't mind my having a look around," a voice Peter had only heard in passing said. Kingsley Shacklebolt wasn't someone that Peter was in a hurry to mess with. The merman was huge. Taller than most normal mermen his age. His dark skin was the color of night and the stories of how it got that way chilled even Peter to the bones. The dark eyes that could from laughing one minute and murderous the next were even more scary than the skin tone and it's stories. Peter prayed that the boy would be insistent on keeping Shacklebolt out. If the boy unknowingly played his part then Peter could pull his plan off without a hitch.

"Kingsley, really?" Harry asked with annoyance clear in his voice. "Are you going to interrogate my books and stuff too now?"

"Just a quick look to be on the safe side, alright?"

"Fine," sighed Harry.

The doorknob turned and Peter mentally cursed and dove for cover in the one spot that he knew Harry wouldn't want Kingsley looking. He knew that the royal family held a few skeletons in their closet but none like this.

He almost breathed a sigh of relief that he had been caught until the doorknob of the closet he was in turned slightly. The blond merman was sure that he was caught for good this time. He kept quiet working on the right lie in case he was discovered. He could tell them that James asked him to help Kingsley. But the need for a plan was soon defused by the prince.

"There's nothing in there except old books, Kingsley," Harry said, trying to make himself sound less nervous than he was.

It must have worked because the doorknob stopped turning and the sounds of voices moved towards the exit. Peter looked around the closet he'd found himself in. True to Harry's word the closet was filled with books from the world above. But the contents of the books were what was most shocking to Peter.

Peter picked one of the books up and opened it. His eyes widened in shock at what he found in the pages of the tome. So engrossed in the words and description was he that he didn't hear the door open.

"What are you doing here?" asked the prince hurriedly grabbing for the book, a blush climbing his cheeks.

Peter chuckled, knowing he had the prince right where he wanted him now. "No," he said, quickly knocking the prince unconscious. "The question, my dear Prince, is what are you doing here?"

"I need to talk to my son," King James said, swimming frantically over to Kingsley as he floated outside the prince's door. "Now!"

Kingsley nodded and went to open the door. The door opened perfectly fine which should have been the first signal that something was off in the room. Harry had threatened to lock the door if Kingsley so much as sneezed on it. But the door wasn't locked.

Swimming further into the room Kingsley could see a sign that someone else had been in the room. Maybe Harry had been upset enough to have invited his friends over anyway? Maybe they had all gone out and nothing was wrong at all? But if that was the case why was the king so upset?

"Where is my son, Kingsley?" King James asked, anger filling his voice. Kingsley could feel the anger coming off of the king waves and knew that this must be how people who invoked this merman's wrath must feel.

"Sir, the last time I checked he was right here," Kingsley said, looking around the room for any clue what could have happened to the prince. "Sulking about his plans that had to be canceled. Maybe he went and met up with Ron without telling us?"

"You were supposed to be watching him," the king angrily pointed out. "You were supposed to be guarding my son."

Queen Lily put her arms around King James to comfort him. Before she led the king away, she looked straight at Kingsley. "Get my little boy back, please," she said pleadingly. "This will destroy him if you don't."

"I will find him," Kinsley said to himself, being the only one in the room. "I will find him and bring him home safe." He caught sight of something he hadn't noticed earlier when he'd followed the prince into the room to make sure he was safe.

"What's this?" Kingsley swam over to the younger merman's bed to find a book lying open on the bed. A blush creeped up Kingsley's cheeks as he scanned over the pictures in the book. They were very graphic and Kingsley had only ever thought about the things they portrayed. Never in his life would he have guessed the prince would be into something like what was shone in this book.

Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed something more disturbing than the prince's choice of reading material. There were evident signs of a struggle on the bed. The prince's glasses which he needed to see were flung carelessly on the floor and the lens shattered.

Only someone close enough to the family would know and who knew their habits would know about Harry's glasses. Only someone close enough to the family would know about where Harry hid things he didn't want anyone to see and Kingsley was sure that Harry wouldn't want anyone to see the book he'd been reading.

Swimming quickly to the throne room he knew he had to talk to King James. King James would be the only who would be able to answer the questions he had.

"Why aren't you out looking for my son?" the king asked swimming back and forth agitatedly. "You should be…"

"Where is Peter Pettigrew?" Kingsley asked.

"What does he have to do with this?"

"Think about it, Your Majesty. It had to be someone close to you and your family. Someone who knows your habits well enough to know when Harry wasn't going to be in the room. Someone close enough to know that Harry needs his glasses to see at the best of times. Someone close enough to know the places Harry hides things he doesn't want anyone else to find."

"You think Peter is that close to us all?"

"It makes sense. I know Sirius has been here with you all day. Remus having been assigned to guard Lily was a given. They get along that well. Which only leaves Peter."

"Are you saying that Peter Pettigrew, a man who has been a friend to me since I was a child has kidnapped my son?"

Kingsley nodded. "There were signs of a struggle so we know that Harry didn't go with Peter willingly." Kingsley sighed. "Do you know of any places that Peter would feel safe going to? Any places that he would consider home?"

Harry opened his eyes and scanned the room he was in. The dark-haired prince was pretty sure that he wasn't at home any more. He was pretty sure he needed to find out where he was and quickly.

A blond merman swam into sight of him. He realized who the blond was immediately and thanked his lucky stars.

"Uncle Peter," he said happily. "I've never been more happy to see you in my entire life. You have to help me get home."

Peter shook his head sympathetically. "I'm sorry, dear Harry," he said. "I can't do that for you. I've been hired to kidnap you by some very powerful people. The sort of people you don't want to find out your little secret."

"But you're one of my father's friends…."

"And do you see how he and your mother treat me? I get no respect for anything I've helped them do within the past more than eighteen years."

"That's not true."

"That's not true," Peter micmicked Harry's frightened voice. "Of course, it's true. Do you really think that James could come up with all those plans?"

Harry bit his lip knowing he had to keep the man talking. He had to figure out what the plan was and try to get a message to Kingsley somehow. "Where did you hide while my bodyguard was checking the room?" he asked.

"Were all the things you don't want to be found go, Harry," Peter said, smiling. "Your reading choices are very revealing about certain aspects of you." The blond leaned forward and whispered against the shell of Harry's ear, "I was surprised I didn't find anyone in that closet already."

The green eyes went wider than Harry suspected that they'd ever been in his life. This wasn't how he had wanted to come out to his family. Not having his stash of smut books found by this traitorous rat.

"Touched a nerve, have I?" Peter asked rather coldly. "Don't worry though. I've been order not to harm a hair on the prince's head."

Harry felt a shiver of revulsion go through him at the look Peter turned on him. Harry couldn't believe this was happening. That someone who he'd known since the day he was born was turning on him like that. It wasn't fair.

"Don't be afraid," Peter said. "If you're a good boy and do as you're told, you won't get hurt too badly." Peter's hands stroked down Harry's sides stopping just above his tail.

"The boss wants you, Wormtail," said a cold commanding voice, making the small rat like merman jump out of his skin. "Now!"

Giving Harry a look that would make any normal person feel like their skin was crawling, Peter swam out of the room.

When he was sure the blond merman was gone the person who had spoken swam over to the frightened prince and undid his bounds. "Your Highness," said the greasy-haired merman in front of him, "we must get you out of here as soon as possible. Your parents are probably worried about you by now."

Harry rubbed his wrists as the man undid his bonds. He'd never been happier to see anyone in his entire life than he was to see Severus Snape at that moment. He was very sure that his parents had sent the hook nosed man to find him. Either his parents or Kingsley.

"Did my parent send you?" Harry asked hopefully.

Severus shook his head.

"Kingsley?"

"Your bodyguard was pretty convinced that your father's friend Peter Pettigrew had joined this Lord Voldemort's circle. It was he who sent me undercover to see if Pettigrew had been the one to kidnap you after all. It turns out he knows more about Pettigrew than your father does."

Harry noticed Peter's return and he had someone else in tow. Shaking his head to warn Severus of the newcomers to the room, he found himself too late.

The dark-haired merman sprawled unconscious to the floor of the room that Harry was being held in. A dark chuckle was heard from the merman that accompanied Peter Pettigrew. He sawm closer to Harry stroking the younger merman's face gently.

"Send the ransom note," he said, before dramatically turning and swimming from the room.

A few days after Harry's kidnapping and Kingsley still hadn't heard a word from Severus. He'd sent the man after Harry immediately. He knew that Severus should have either caught up to them or been on his way back by now. Something bad must have happened.

A knock sounded on the door breaking him free of his thoughts and plans to rescue Harry from his captors. "Enter," Kingsley called. He heard the door open and the approach of footsteps but still couldn't pull himself away from the problem at hand.

"This just arrived for the king and queen," Remus said, a mixture of fear and concern coloring his usually calm and rational voice. He held out an envelope that had clearly been opened already. "What do you make of it?"

"This is for the king and queen's eyes," Kingsley stated numbly. "They should have been the first to read what it said."

"They were. They want to know what you think."

Kingsley took the envelope and pulled the letter out of it. Scanning it over a couple of times to get the cadence of what the letter writer was saying. It was your basic ransom note that read as follows:

We have your son, Harry. If you don't want any harm to come to him you willingly join our cause against the Selkie people. We give you until the next full moon to decide on your answer. If we don't hear back from you by then, dear Harry, will suffer the consequences.

The note wasn't signed. The handwriting on the note was most definitely Peter Pettigrew's. He knew from years of seeing it giving directions to him from the king. But the words were definitely not Peter's

Anyone who knew Peter, or had watched Peter interact with the king or son would know that Peter wouldn't harm a hair on Harry's head. Everyone knew that Peter had had a crush on the king from a young age. They also knew that when the young prince started to look more like his father that Peter would take a liking to him as well. He wouldn't hurt Harry in any way besides one and Kingsley was sure that that wasn't an option for Peter. He would rather have Harry's love than fear.

"What do you make of it?" Remus asked again, as Sirius strode up from behind them.

"I'm not sure what to make of it." He scanned the note for any sign of where it was written from. A grain of sand which could point him in the right direction. A stain of a certain ink from a certain part of the underwater city. Anything that could lead him to his precious prince.

"I think you broke Kingsley," Sirius joked, poking Kingsley in the shoulder.

Kingsley ignored him and stared closer at the letter. There it was. Tiny and imperceptible unless you were looking for it. Right near the word consequences was smudge of turtle poop that was only found in one place.

"I think I know where to start looking for Harry," Kingsley told the other, as he raced off to give the king and queen the happy news. He would find his prince and get him back home, hopefully soon. Then he'd tell Harry exactly how he felt about the younger merman. He'd tell Harry how he felt and then he'd ask for the younger merman's hand. But first he had to find him.

I hope you all enjoyed the first chapter of Taken as much as I enjoyed writing it.