Hello! I've finally finished chapter 4! Sorry it took so long, I lost all my motivation when school restarted. Anyway, it's coming up to exams, so I guess the next update will take a long while as well ^_^; sorry. Good luck to everyone with their exams though
Also in my last chapter I said mermaids were pretty much at the top of the food chain, and a reviewer asked about sharks. So let me explain my little headcanon for a mermaid universe. Basically, I quite like sharks, we kill way more sharks in a year than sharks kill humans and it's usually cos they mistake us for seals anyway. So I don't imagine them attacking mermaids unless they feel threatened or are super freaking hungry. In my headcanon the two species just kinda avoid each other, sure they both prey on the same fish in some areas of the ocean, but they tend to find enough food and so they don't have to compete with one another. So yes, sharks are at the top of the food chain as well, but as an equal predator, they don't attack each other. Mermaids are more peaceful than humans. Hope that makes sense and satisfies your curiosity :D
Hope you enjoy this chapter, please tell me what you think!
"So, Merlin, why are you so different to other mermaids?" After learning Merlin's name Arthur had proceeded to continuously use it, lilting the 'Mer' part of his name in a way that was rather irritating to Merlin.
However, he was learning to cope, and ignored the mocking way Arthur pronounced his name.
"What do you mean?"
"Oh come now Merlin, don't play dumb, you're too good at that when you're not acting."
Merlin smiled, tight-lipped, refusing to reply. The captain really was a prat. And he'd thought they were getting on earlier.
Arthur sighed in exaggerated exasperation when he didn't reply. "Your looks, Merlin. You're very different to most mermaids. Black hair, pale skin, a golden tail."
"Not to mention my eyes."
"Your eyes? What's different about them?"
"They're gold too. Well, when the light is right."
Arthur stood from where he'd been sitting at his desk, making notes while he spoke with the mermaid. He walked over to Merlin, taking hold of his chin and tilting it in different directions, stopping as the light caught Merlin's eyes just right and yes, yes they were golden.
The deep blue melted with the gold and it looked like a molten sunset across the sea.
"Stunning..." Arthur breathed out, not realising he had spoken aloud until Merlin looked up at him with a questioning look on his face.
"Oh, uh. Ahem. I meant interesting. Good information." Arthur returned to his seat, ignoring his embarrassment and returning to the questioning. "So, is there a reason you are so different?"
"Oh...I don't really know, I was just born like this."
"If you're going to lie to me don't bother saying anything at all. You are just far too easy to read. You show all the text book signs of anxiety; you're looking away, fidgeting. It's just too simple."
Merlin continued to look down, staying quiet.
"Alright. How about you tell me about your home? Where is it? How many of you are there?" Arthur spoke the words like they were harmless questions, but Merlin knew they were anything but. He sunk lower in the water, just keeping his chin above the surface, refusing to say a word. He would not allow Arthur to use him to destroy his home and the people in it.
Arthur was clearly getting angry at the lack of replies as his hands drew into fists and his jaw clenched shut. When he spoke his words held a warning tone.
"Merlin. As my hostage you have no right to withhold information, especially since I've been so kind to you. Maybe you'd forgotten, but if I remember correctly I saved your life yesterday. I think that demands some kind of favour in return, don't you think?" His saccharine words were patronising and only managed to increase Merlin's own irritation.
"No, you're wrong, kindness does not leave you in someone's debt, true kindness is selfless and expects nothing in return, if you are saying I owe you then you were not truly showing kindness, and so you're argument is invalid and I owe you nothing."
That was it. Arthur would not take the mermaid talking back to him like that, lecturing him on kindness, as if the creature even knew what kindness was! It wasn't human so it would know nothing of true kindness, how dare it talk to him that way.
Arthur stood from behind his desk and walked over to the crate, his harsh anger showing in the lines of his face.
"Don't you dare talk to me like that, mermaid. You are beneath me and so you will show me the respect I deserve, is that clear?" He sneered, glaring down at the creature.
Oh, so Arthur had resorted to not using his name now, to show how utterly beneath him he was. Well two could play at that game.
Merlin sunk down lower, taking in a mouthful of water before coming back up and spraying it into the captain's face like a little fountain. Arthur was now soaked. He didn't react for a second, just stared at Merlin with a look of complete and utter shock on his face, his eyes wide and his mouth hanging open. Merlin failed to hold in a snigger, and that seemed to knock the captain out of his shock. Arthur surged forwards, leaning one hand on the side of the crate and grabbing Merlin's pendant in his other hand, pulling Merlin up towards him. He was positively livid, he was snarling and the veins in his neck throbbed as blood pulsed through them.
Merlin's eyes widened and his breathing became shallow as a stab of fear pulsed through him and he looked up at the captain.
"You cretin! You think you could get away with that?!" he pulled harder on the chord of Merlin's pendant, making it uncomfortable for Merlin as the chord bit into the skin on the back of his neck.
"Wait, Arthur, stop!" Merlin cried out, fearful of the furious man in front of him and what he would do.
Arthur let out a growl, "That's 'Captain' to you! And you can't tell me what to do Merlin, you're just a pathetic mermaid and I am a pirate captain." He tugged once more on the pendant when an audible snap was heard and Merlin fell back into the water with a splash as the pendant's chord broke and released Merlin from its hold.
Merlin resurfaced to see Arthur inspecting the pendant, holding it up and letting the light reflect in the two rubies, his anger seemed to have simmered down slightly, and instead the captain now seemed smug.
"You know Merlin, this is a marvellous carving, I'm sure it would be expensive too, how about you let me keep this, and in return I'll forgive you for your complete lack of respect today?"
"Give it back! It's not yours!"
"Ah, that's where you're wrong Merlin. I took it, and now it's mine. That is the code of pirates after all." Arthur pointed out, throwing the pendant in the air and catching it before dropping it into his shirt pocket, sauntering towards the door.
"Please! My Mother gave it to me..." Merlin's voice cracked as he leant out of the crate towards the captain, desperation clear in his eyes.
Arthur faltered for a second, hearing the distress in Merlin's voice, but he strengthened his resolve and carried on towards the door, pulling it open as he spoke over his shoulder "don't be such a girl, Merlin. It's just a pendant."
He stepped out, glancing back to see a look of betrayal in Merlin's eyes as he shut and locked the door behind him.
He turned to see Gwaine looking at him with a frown on his face, but Arthur didn't question him as he strode past towards the bow of the ship where Percival and Elyan were fixing the foremast as Leon supervised from on deck.
"Nearly done?" Arthur asked Leon as he joined him.
"Shouldn't be long captain, give us five minutes and we'll be ready to set sail."
"Thank you Leon, keep up the good work." Arthur turned on his heel and walked towards the stern of the boat, checking the ropes of the sails were ready to be untied as he passed.
He moved towards the railing at the back of the ship, leaning over it as he took the pendant out of his pocket, holding it out in front of him to inspect it.
It was a spectacular carving of a kraken, a true masterpiece. The amount of detail was remarkable, especially for such a small carving, it must have taken an incredibly steady hand to craft it. Arthur let out a low whistle as the sunlight reflected off the ruby eyes, the beauty of it striking him. It really would be worth a lot. Not that he actually planned to sell it, of course, he'd just taken it to teach the mermaid a lesson, to put him in his place.
Arthur thought back to when he left the cabin. He'd caught Merlin looking betrayed as he shut the door. But why would he feel betrayed? There was no trust between them to be betrayed, so why had Merlin looked at him like that? With such anger and sorrow swirling in those molten eyes. It made no sense. Surely the mermaid knew he was only using him, surely Merlin realised he was a prisoner and couldn't just form friendships with the pirate captain? Mermaids couldn't form friendships with humans full stop. Then why on Earth would he feel betrayed?
"Captain, we're ready when you are. The foremast is fully repaired and Gwaine has checked over the rest of the ship." Arthur snapped out of his musings as Leon addressed him.
"Right, let's go then." Arthur stepped to the helm, dropping the pendant back in his pocket before taking control of the ship while Leon went down on deck and called out orders. The anchor was pulled up and the sails released and slowly but surely Arthur steered them out to sea.
Merlin was alone in the locked cabin, his emotions churning inside him. It felt like someone was pushing down on his chest forcing him to take fast, shallow breaths as he battled with the rage and sorrow that threatened to consume him. How dare the man take his pendant, one of only two possessions he owned while he now travelled the seas, something obviously precious to him. The betrayal stung, he'd hoped the captain would set aside their differences and they could learn from each other through sharing information, but it appeared the man only wanted to use him for his own selfish gain.
But Merlin wasn't just going to sit here and mope about it, he would get his pendant back no matter what. He pushed down his misery and let his determination spur him on, hauling himself over the edge of the crate and landing in a heap on the floor; mermaids weren't exactly built to move with grace on land. He dragged himself over to the door first of all, twisting the handle to see if it was locked. As he'd thought, it was. Although he couldn't really do much on deck anyway, considering there were five pirates out there who would probably notice him as soon as he opened the door, he wasn't exactly inconspicuous, what, with the golden tail and all.
Well maybe the captain's desk would hold some useful information, or a spare key he could use when the captain was sleeping. He pulled himself towards the desk, leaving a damp trail behind him where his tail dragged on the floor. He heaved himself up into the plush chair, making it slightly damp, something he was sure the captain wouldn't approve of, and looked down at the scattered papers and items on Arthur's desk. The main item that drew his attention was the simple black journal that lay open on the page Arthur had recently made notes on. There was a diagram of a mermaid tail along with notes he'd made on their previous conversation about his eating habits.
Merlin couldn't stop himself as he reached forward and ripped the page out of the journal, letting his anger get the best of him. He was not a specimen to be observed, he was not a lesser being and he would not be treated as such. He continued flicking back through the journal ripping out important looking pages, crumpling them in his fist and throwing them across the room and then when he'd gone the whole way through he picked up the book and threw it into the corner, breathing heavily as his anger coursed through him.
He sat there for a few minutes, letting his breath even out and return to normal, letting his anger slip away. He looked around at the scattered paper and bit his lip. It probably hadn't been a good idea to act so impulsively and destroy his captor's possessions, but Merlin did tend to act before thinking about the consequences of his actions. Merlin looked towards the door nervously, certain the captain would somehow know of his actions and come storming in demanding an explanation. A few seconds passed however, and as it became clear that the man wasn't psychic, Merlin relaxed slightly.
He reached down to the desk's drawers, pulling the top left one open to investigate its contents. Merlin decided there wasn't much of any interest as he rifled through the many sheets of paper, a few pots of ink and a white feathery quill. He quickly searched through the other drawers, finding similar objects and a few trinkets. He reached for the last drawer, expecting the drawer to open and show more paper and navigation devices, but as he pulled on the handle the drawer resisted and refused to open. Merlin frowned and pulled again, the exact same thing happening. He realised it was locked and his eyes widened in excitement, wondering what interesting items the drawer held that caused the captain to lock them away.
He searched the desk again, hoping to find a key, but he had no such luck. He didn't see any places around the room where it may be hidden, and he decided not to look right this second, it was hard work dragging himself around and the key might not even be here, it could be on the captain's person or hidden away in another room. Maybe he could get it from the captain while he was sleeping, if the captain had it of course.
Merlin slid to the floor and started picking up the crumpled paper strewn around the room, planning to hide the evidence of his anger. He collected all the torn parts together and shoved the loose paper back into the book, leaving it behind the crate so Arthur wouldn't see it, before he climbed back into the crate. He'd left the desk in much the same condition as he found it, bar the missing journal, so he hoped the captain wouldn't notice for a little while at least. Merlin let out a burdened sigh. Now that his anger had simmered down he was starting to feel slightly lonely. He missed his Mother. Without the pendant he truly felt that they were lost to one another. He missed Will too, and as he thought of his friend his hand reached up to touch the earring, the smooth surface calming him.
He sank down into the water, wrapping his arms around himself to provide comfort. How could he have been so mistaken about humans? He'd never realised how cruel some of them were. He'd just wanted to go out and explore the ocean, how had he managed to get into this mess? Merlin curled up even tighter as he lost himself in his thoughts, shutting his eyes to the world around him.