Chapter 24: The Assassin
The moon blazed like a phantasmal sun over the ocean, the swells playing with its shimmering ivory image. A faint breeze rustled the willow and roses in the palace garden, the hissing of leaves interrupted by the whistle of wind through branches. Ripples flowed across the pond surface as though fairies were dancing on it. The birds and people returned to their homes long ago, secure from whatever things roamed the night.
The scene would have been tranquil were it not for the patrolling guards and their lanterns, not just at the palace but throughout Seahaven. All were on high alert after the attack at the marina, and it showed in their jumpiness. The flutter of a shadow or the snap of a twig was enough to make them reach for their swords or raise their crossbows. More than once a pair had startled each other by mistake, nearly raising the alarm before recognizing their compatriots.
Inside the palace was little different. Every hall was patrolled, every entrance under surveillance, and every window locked. The palace guards haunted the halls with lanterns in hand, the other never far from their swords. The other residents of the palace slept blissfully, secure in the belief they were safe within walls that had served dozens of generations.
But not everyone slept.
Lara sat in the alcove window of Melody's room, staring out the window at the sea. She had bathed the gore of the day's battles away, donning her midriff-baring tan top and faded black pants. Her sword lay beside her, the cleaned scabbard streaked with moonlight. She wore her knives for both familiarity and security. Her goggles were draped over her pack at the foot of Melody's bed, within which the princess continued her long sleep. She would not get her shemagh back from washing till tomorrow. Her pendant hand around her neck, disguised as a bloodstone to hide the fire within.
She stretched her arms overhead with a contented groan, arching her spine as she splayed her fingers and bare toes. There was a faint ache in her ribs, but for her pain tolerance it was merely an annoyance instead of the stabbing pain when they were freshly broken. With the meal she ate it was certain the bones would be healed before dawn.
Louis made as good on Ariel's promise of a feast as Carlotta did on her promise to throw Lara in with the rest of the laundry and hang her out to dry if she dripped one drop of bloody seaclops slobber on the palace floor. And what a feast it was! The chef barely heard Lara's stomach growling before he had the stove lit and water boiling. Lara came down from the bath to find the dining hall table piled with food. Scalloped potatoes, beef bourguignon, cordon bleu pasta, lemon glazed chicken, grilled vegetables, and that accidental soup she and Louis had perfected.
Lara turned none of it down. Her body craved nourishment after healing so many times in a row, not to mention the magic she poured into her sword. She kept eating and Louis kept the food coming until she had a noticeable pile of plates around her and a pronounced bulge in her stomach. Andrina teasingly told Arista she would look like that in another few months, something Arista did not find humorous. Lara rubbed her now slimmer middle, smiling as she remembered how good it all tasted. A quick nap afterwards and she was refreshed for the night shift.
She stretched again, letting her eyes wander over the sea. She watched the waves crash onto shore and retreat in their eternal rhythm, as though the tides were the breaths of the ocean. She could see the lights of lanterns at the mangled wharf in the distance, teams of men working through the night to repair the damage and extract the sunken Glowerhaven galleon. If she listened closely, she could hear the sounds of their labor, saws hee-haw-ing through wood beside the tap-tap of hammers on nails.
Normally just the sight of the ocean was enough to make Lara uneasy. But her mind was too busy with other things to worry about her fear of the sea right then.
The pirates, while savage as they were crude, were nothing more than typical seafaring riffraff–undisciplined, arrogant, traitorous, short-tempered, and terrible brawlers. She harbored no pity for their fates or regret for what she did to them. A life spent indulging in violence and sowing misery was doomed to end that way, and in her opinion they deserved worse. But why did they have guns? They were old designs. All ramrods with smooth barrels and hand-rounded balls probably. But the most advanced artillery out here was cannons and crossbows. No one was looking into handheld firearms because no one had a need for them. How did that lot get ahold of them this far west?
And why were they destroyed? She understood killing the pirates after they were defeated. Prisoners could not spill secrets if they were dead. No doubt whoever cast the deadly curse also caused their weapons to self-destruct. But to what end Lara could not understand. It made no sense to give "soldiers" such a large offensive advantage and send them into a battle, only for that advantage to disappear in the middle of the fighting. What did their enemy gain by sabotaging their own men?
The seaclops, however, she did feel for. It had not taken part in the attack willingly. It was taken captive and then beaten into submission till it was scarred all over. Then it was cursed with whatever that abominable enchantment was and forced to fight. How else could such a normally quiet and elusive creature be turned into a rampaging berserker?
She traced the scar over her eye, watching a shooting star streak across the heavens. "It was for the best," she whispered to herself. "You know that. It would've been cruel to let it keep going till the curse killed it. If you didn't it would've gone into Seahaven and…you know what."
She lifted her sword above her, drawing the blade out a few inches to expose the mirror polished steel. It was faint, but she could hear the chatter of metal on scabbard from her trembling hands.
Dok dok dok!
Lara bolted upright, sword ready to draw. "Who's there?"
"It's Alana."
Lara released her sword. "Alana?"
"Mind if I come in?"
"Uh…yeah. I mean, you can," said Lara as she set the sword aside. "The door's open."
She heard the door open and close. The orange glow of candlelight approached with soft footsteps on the rug. Alana entered the bedroom dressed in a purple robe over her nightgown and carrying a small candle. A white bandage was wrapped around her throat and her normally rag curled hair was free, falling in loose curls past her shoulders.
"Hi," she said quietly.
"Hi," Lara replied.
Alana went to Melody, leaning over to brush a few strands of hair from her face. Melody showed no response to the touch, even when Alana laid a hand on her forehead.
"Any change?" Alana asked as she pulled the bed sheets a tad higher on her niece.
Lara shook her head. "Hasn't budged an inch. I don't know what happened down there, but she's been sleeping like a log ever since. I'm surprised you aren't doing the same. I would've thought you'd be asleep after the day you've had."
"I'm too wound up to sleep. I've been trying for hours now. I thought I'd leave Nemo be and check on Melody."
"Nemo?"
"My husband."
"Ah, right. I forgot."
Alana walked around the bed to the window, her free hand fidgeting nervously with her nightgown. "Would you mind some company?"
Lara answered by scooting up against the alcove wall and crossing her legs, gesturing to the now vacant spot opposite her. Alana nodded graciously and took the seat, hugging her legs close and setting the candle at her feet.
Seconds spent in silence turned into tense minutes. Alana fidgeted with her nightgown while Lara tongued the back of her lip piercing, each trying to find some way of breaking the awkward tension. Lara had a fair idea what Alana wanted to say to her because she was thinking the same thing. Doing it, though, was another matter. What was she supposed to say to someone whom, until mere hours ago, she would not even make eye contact with, much less talk to?
Groans from the bed made them both look to Melody. Her face scrunched up and she made a quiet whimper, discomforted by something in her sleep. Then she relaxed, her face becoming peaceful again.
"I wonder what she's dreaming about," said Alana.
Lara shrugged. "Your guess is as good as mine."
Melody paced around the campfire anxiously wringing her hands. She had no sense of how much time had passed in this black void. It could have been hours, days, or even weeks. However long it was, thinking about it did nothing to ease her anxiety. With every passing moment it grew with her frustration, festering on fears of what could be happening in the waking world.
Her efforts to escape were fruitless. Melody first decided on demanding as loudly as she could to be let out. She even let loose a few choice words that would have made Grimsby swoon. Eventually the strain on her voice and the lack of response forced her to stop.
Next she tried sleeping in the hopes she would wake up, but it proved easier said than done. She was too fraught with worry to even force her eyes shut. After what seemed like an eternity of tossing and turning, she abandoned the bedroll.
She started trying other ways of waking up. First, she ran away from the fire. It seemed to work, but every time she stopped the fire would appear behind her as though were running in place. So, she tried backing away from it so she could watch, but the moment she blinked or looked away the same thing happened.
Then she tried to burn herself awake. It took a few attempts to work up the nerve, but eventually she bit on her nightgown and thrust her hands into the fire. Instead of burning agony she felt gentle warmth like immersing her hand in a bath. Even grasping the burning sticks and glowing embers was no more painful than holding a sun-warmed stone.
From there she tried to harm herself awake, but every tactic was met with a violation of her laws of reality. If she tried to hit the floor it disappeared. If she pinched herself there was no pain. If she held her breath, she could do it as long as she wanted. If she tried falling on her face or back, she went around and around like a windmill (which was quite a dizzying experience). She even tried hitting herself in the head, only to have her entire arm pass harmlessly through. It scared her half to death, but still she remained in the dark.
Thus, she found herself walking countless circles around the fire, wracking her brain for a solution to her imprisonment. Her emotional state was not helping. Thinking about her parents made her even more frantic, which made her stressed, which made it that much harder to think.
"Come on, Melody! Think!" she said, rapping her knuckles on her forehead. "Use your head! You have to get out of here and help mom and dad…oh, and Auntie Alana! They're in danger! Come on! Think your way out of this!"
She stopped her pacing. "But what if it's over already? What if while I've been in here those pirates…?"
Her stomach tightened so fast she thought she would be sick, panic squeezing her heart like a python. She felt light-headed, staggering sideways before catching herself. The mere thought of losing her family was unbearable. She imagined them facedown on the docks, red seeping across their clothes as the pirates laughed with their cruel voices.
She shook her head violently. "Stop it, Melody! Don't think that! Don't you dare think that! You're not losing anyone ever again! You will find a way out and save them! You have to!"
A sound of flapping came from the darkness, distant but approaching fast. She saw an orange light appear, growing brighter and closer as it bobbed in time to the beating of wings. Very large wings.
Memory of the black demon came to Melody, eyes ablaze and mouth aflame. She frantically scanned for anything she could use to protect herself. All she saw was the bedroll and the fire. She doubted a burning stick would do anything to a creature that likely made its home in the Pit, much less her bare hands. She could run, but what good were legs against wings?
Her only option was to hide.
The wing beats were louder now, as was Melody's racing heartbeat. She dove for the bedroll and pulled it over herself, pressing flat as possible against the ground. She clapped a hand to her mouth, afraid even her breathing would draw its attention.
It landed beside the fire, wings fanning the flames as it descended. She heard its clawed feet make sharp click-clacks against the ground with each step, growling faintly as it breathed. She clenched her eyes shut and held her breath. Her heart sounded like a marching drum in her ears. She desperately wished it would slow. How could it not hear that?
It walked towards her, heat coming through the blanket like a desert sun as it approached. She heard it stop in font of her. She could only wait for it to rip the blanket off and seize her now.
Everything went quiet. Melody felt an eternity pass, straining her ears to pick out the slightest sign of the demon's presence. Next to her pounding heart and the crackle of the fire there was nothing.
Slowly she opened her eyes.
The bedroll had vanished, leaving her fully exposed. Inches from her face was a large raven. The bird's body was covered in luminous orange lines, and his four eyes glowed like embers. The bird tilted his head completely upside-down to look at her.
"Good evening, princess," said the raven.
Melody screamed, all but throwing herself backwards to scramble away. It was not the demon, but the semblance was close enough to frighten her.
"Of course you would react this way," said the raven calmly as he righted his head. "It's human to fear what is strange."
Melody's eyes widened. "Your voice…you! You're that demon!"
The raven swept a wing over his chest and bowed. "A pleasure to properly meet you, your highness."
Melody forgot her fear and lunged at the raven. If she could catch him, she could force him to let her out!
At the last second the raven hopped onto her head, leaving her to grab empty air and flop unceremoniously on her stomach. He bounded onto her back, flapping off as she swung an arm around. She scrambled and lunged again, but he merely hopped out of reach.
"So, you wish to play this game as well?" he asked, sounding annoyed by the prospect.
Melody responded by leaping at him again. Instead of dodging the raven remained in place. Her hands were about to close around the bird when he turned into smoke, leaving her to grab soot and ash. She landed hard on the ground, knocking her chin and dazing her. A pair of small clawed feet perched on her head and she looked up to find the raven staring down at her.
"Are you finished?" he asked.
Melody started to rise but found she could not. She was stuck fast to the floor. She grunted with exertion as she tried to push herself up, but some invisible force held her down. Not in one spot, but an even weight spread over her entire body.
"Let me go, you feather bag!" she demanded. "And get off my head!"
"Not till you and I have a talk, princess," said the raven. "Which I would prefer to do when you have control of yourself."
"You think I'll just sit quietly and listen after you forced me into this place!?" she snapped angrily. "My family's in danger! They need me! Let me out of this place right now or I'll… I'll…!"
She abandoned thinking up a viable threat and focused on muscling herself upright. She did not have any luck, only straining her arms and causing her face to flush.
The raven leapt off her head to face her. The lines on his body flashed and the campfire flared explosively. A fiery hand reached out of the flames, grasping Melody's left wrist and hoisting her into the air. She shrieked in alarm, legs kicking about as she dangled. She swatted at the flame hand but found it as intangible as smoke. Her hand simply passed through it, causing the flames to swirl and reform.
"Put me down!" she shouted.
"Stop your flailing and I will," said the raven. "Or would rather be upside down?"
"You wouldn't!"
The raven gave her the faintest of smirks. "Would I?"
Melody scowled darkly at the bird, thinking very bleak thoughts at him. She kicked out only for the raven to gently lean back so she missed his beak by hair's breadth. His smirk disappeared. She kicked again and missed. "Stupid bird! When I get down from here I'm–!"
The raven's eyes flashed, and a second hand emerged from the fire. He pointed a wing at Melody and the hand slipped into her mouth and down her throat. Hot fingers closed around her voice and pulled the golden orb out before her eyes. Melody clutched her neck in alarm, trying to shout as loud as she could but producing only harsh wheezes. The hand flew to the raven and he swallowed her voice, the orb glowing within his body.
"If I do not release you then you'll do what exactly? You are not in any position to make demands, let alone threats," said the raven flatly. "You may be a princess of Seahaven, but this is not your kingdom. Your crown is metal and stones in here. Your title amounts to words and nothing more. This is my domain. Within here I reign supreme. All are on level ground before me, princess or pauper."
Melody kept trying to speak. She breathed air and her lips moved, but not hearing her voice was frightening. She felt so incomplete, as though part of her being had been ripped out. Was this what her mother felt after she traded her voice for legs?
A strand of fire rose beneath the raven and formed a perch. He rose towards Melody as the hand holding her split in half, seizing her other wrist and pulling it above her head. Her former boldness was gone, suddenly aware of just how true the raven's words were. He was the one in control here.
"Do I have your attention now?" asked the raven.
"Yes," said Melody, but then recalled she had no ability to speak and nodded.
"Then listen because I won't repeat myself. There are two ways we can settle this. You can continue being a rowdy little imp and wasting my time and your breath. Do so and I will keep your voice and leave you here. Or you can demonstrate some patience, in which case I'll speak my part then release you. The decision is yours."
He moved closer to her face, heated eyes locked on hers. "Are we clear?"
Melody quickly nodded again.
"Good," the raven said. Slowly the hands lowered Melody to her feet before disappearing. She stayed put, watching for what the raven would do next.
"In regards to your family…" The raven ruffled his feathers, shedding several sparks as he waved a wing to the fire.
Melody watched the fire rise up to form a large ring. The inside shimmered like water with red and orange then was replaced by an image of her mother and father asleep in bed. Her mother lay on her side, hair fanned out over the pillow she was holding. Her father slept on his back, chest wrapped snugly in bandages.
"Cracked ribs," said the raven. "Painful, but no danger to his life."
The image rippled, transitioning to show Aquata sleeping beside her husband Atlas, nestled in the crook of his arm. The image changed again to show Alana slipping on a robe and then leaving her room.
Melody breathed a sigh of relief. Seeing her family alive released the hold anxiety had on her, removing a tremendous weight from her shoulders. Though not unharmed, somehow they all survived the pirates and seaclops. She hoped everyone else on that wharf was so fortunate.
"I am sure you have questions as to what happened," said the raven. "I could describe it to you, but I believe you'll benefit more from witnessing it for yourself."
His eyes and lines glowed brighter. The fire ring broke into a shower of sparks that flew at Melody and the raven, swarming around them like a cyclone of fireflies. She turned about, worried what could come next. The raven's eyes flashed, and the sparks converged on Melody's eyes and sunk into them.
Melody felt as if her mind was imploding and reconstituting all at once. Sensations stormed through her in a squall of memories that were not her own, as though she were watching through the eyes of a bystander. She saw Lara tackle her as the guns went off. Time slowed to a crawl, revealing bullets that came within inches of hitting them both. She heard Alana screaming as the pirate cut her neck, proving his threat to kill. She saw Lara stall for time as Ariel, Aquata, and Eric readied their makeshift explosive. She saw Lara lay into the pirates with the swiftness and ferocity of a storm. She saw the seaclops' self-destructive transformation turn the tide, sending Lara flying. She saw her bodyguard draw her sword and confront the monster alone, culminating in its final moment when she severed its neck. She saw her father shake Lara's hand and her mother embrace her.
Then it was over. The stream of images disappeared like the last drops of water from a well. Her awareness returned with less ease, more like a brick dropped on cobblestone. She collapsed to her hands and knees gasping for air, pulse thundering in her ears. That and some strong lingering words from a certain golden-eyed brunette.
"Do you have a freakin' death wish!? What were you thinking running off like that!?"
"What were you planning to do, bat your eyelashes and ask nicely for them to give up? You almost got your head blown off!"
Melody sat back on her knees, staring at her empty hands. What had she been thinking when she ran off? Nothing definitive if she was honest. She just needed to help her family. That was all. She had no thoughts on what to do once she found them. There was no plan or strategy. Just emotion and protective instinct compelling her to action.
After seeing what she would have faced, Melody was confronted with the bleak reality there was nothing she could have done. The pirates cut down the sailors like wheat before the scythe. Swords, arrows, and even cannons failed against the witchcraft-enhanced seaclops. Lara almost became its next meal! What could she, a princess that, excluding the trident, had handled nothing sharper than a dinner knife hope to do?
But Lara had been amazing. Disturbing, savage, bloody, but amazing nonetheless. Melody never imagined she could be so powerful or quick. She knocked out the seaclops with one kick! And the way she crippled all those pirates with nothing but bare hands and that wooden sword, not to mention her skill with a real blade! She was like a hurricane, blowing down all who dared to stand in her path. But she did more than outright battering and slashing. Her quick thinking and bold planning in the face of danger was, dare she say it, impressive. Melody was sure she would not have been daring enough to employ fireworks as a distraction or use Alana's life as a bluff. She was not able to keep her own wits about her once the gunfire started.
The raven's fire perch disappeared, and he glided to the ground. "It is not a fault to care for or wish to protect others. But I don't hold the same belief for reckless courage. Bravery without guidance from foresight or skill is no better than rash impulse."
The raven turned to the campfire. It relit and the flames created a ring of fire again, this time showing Lara up close as she fought the pirates. She yelled and shouted as she kicked, punched, and slashed her way through their numbers. Melody cringed and looked away as Lara broke a man's arm before driving her knee into his chest and then his chin, knocking several teeth loose.
"Tell me, your highness," said the raven, still watching the battle. "What is the difference between you and Lara?"
Melody looked over her shoulder at the raven, sending him a look as though asking if he really wanted an answer to that when she had no voice.
"I am not speaking of your personalities or bodies," said the raven as he turned to her. "You two are more alike than you realize. She wishes to protect innocents and those she holds dear, even at great risk to herself. And like you they give her the drive and courage to do so. But there is a stark contrast between you, and one you are dangerously ignorant of. Do you know what I speak of?"
Melody gently chewed the inside of her cheek as she thought, but finding no answer shook her head.
Suddenly the raven burst into a bonfire, blasting Melody with heat. She screamed silently and scrambled away as the blaze grew hot and bright. She was barely onto her feet when the demon dashed out, roaring with his furnace mouth wide and her voice glowing in his chest. He drew an arm back and struck, clawed fingers straight out like a spear. Melody quickly covered her head, body tensing in anticipation.
Instead of an impaling blow she felt something tickling her side. She opened her eyes and lowered her arms. The demon's claws had pierced though the nightgown like needles, tips just short of her vulnerable skin below. He had pulled his strike.
"This is your difference," said the demon as he withdrew his hand, folding his arms together. "Experience."
The demon spread a wing, gesturing towards the fire where Lara could still be seen fighting. "Lara is not a warrior by birth. No one is. Like their weapons, warriors are forged from raw material. Their talents and instincts are honed by effort and practice, and Lara is no exception. Training and experience are her true weapons, and today's events will sharpen them further. Every moment she spends fighting or training will only strengthen her in body and mind. And from them she has gained confidence in her abilities and wisdom in how and when to apply them. When to run. When to fight. When to stand fast. When to seek cover. When to attack. When to defend. Her actions today speak well to this, and you would be wise to trust and heed her if you find yourself in danger again. Your mother does, and she is one of the soundest judges of character I've encountered in my long years."
Melody's hands unconsciously tightened into fists. She suspected Ariel trusted Lara even before today. But to hear it confirmed was unsettling, like another piece of her world had been moved out of place.
The demon folded his wing in, the fire ring going out with a lingering circle of white smoke. "You are not a warrior. You have neither the training nor experience of one, much less the instincts. Your life till now has been one of peace and luxury. Seahaven contains little of the harsher realities of this world. Till now the threat of mortal danger to yourself and others has rarely arisen, and as such you are unprepared when it appears. It shows in your naiveté towards it. And your lack of awareness."
Something tapped on Melody's shoulder. She turned and saw the bladed tip of the demon's tail pointing at her eye. She quickly stepped away, eyes following the tail down to the floor and back to the demon. He must have moved it while talking. She did not see it happen even with the demon right in front of her.
"You are a gambler, princess," continued the demon. "Your trust in luck and happenstance. You rush in and rely on fate's benevolence to win the day. The sea wall, Morgana, the sharkanian assassins, the wharf. In all instances it is luck that protected you."
The demon held out a hand. A rod of flame grew from his palm, lengthening and coalescing till it became a glowing orange javelin. The demon merely lifted his hand and the javelin shot up into the air, becoming a pinprick against the black.
"But luck is not infinite," he continued. "Act as you always have, in blind faith things will go as you wish, and eventually you will find yourself in Death's jaws once more. And when your luck runs out–and it will run out–all she has to do to claim you…"
Suddenly the javelin came plummeting back down, passing within an inch of Melody's nose and sending her heart racing. She froze stiff, slowly following the shaft down to where it pierced through her nightgown and stuck between her feet.
"…Is bite," finished the demon.
Melody swallowed, eyes locked on the javelin till the demon dismissed it with a wave of his hand. He approached her, clawed feet making that same unnerving clacking against the ground. She shifted nervously, unable to break away from his piercing gaze as he stopped before her.
"This is not one of your mother's stories or some fairy tale, princess," he said, hot smoky breath washing over her face. "There is no promise of 'happily ever after' or good triumphing over evil in this world. Do not think your victory is assured simply because your enemies embrace evil. Or that the threat will vanish with Morgana or Ursula's deaths. Or that they will be satisfied with your death alone. Even if all of Seahaven were to perish, they would keep marching. Unlike you and yours, they are willing to kill and will use that against you. Do not make it so easy for them. I am sure Lara will protect you, even if you continue to shun her. It's in her nature to defend the vulnerable. But she will be hard pressed to do so if you continue to blindly charge into danger. Do you understand?"
Melody clutched her nightgown tightly, biting the inside of her lip as she looked down. She did not want to hear this. She wanted her voice back to tell the demon he was wrong. That she could look after herself without a bodyguard. That her father and grandfather would put an end to the sea witches soon and everything would go back to normal. That evil would never defeat those on the side of good, just like in those fairy tales he dismissed so easily.
"Do you understand?" repeated the demon.
All she gave was a small nod.
Alana and Lara watched as Melody winced again, shifting under the covers. It seemed she was about to wake up, but then she sighed and settled back into slumber.
"Whatever she's dreaming about doesn't look nice," said Lara.
Alana only gave an agreeing nod. She looked back to the window, but the motion made her bandage rub against her cut. She hissed sharply, clapping a hand to her neck.
"You alright?" asked Lara.
"I'm fine," said Alana. "It just hurts when I move."
A faint red stain started to form on the cloth. Alana felt the damp under her fingers and removed her hand, seeing the flecks of blood on them.
"Not again," she muttered, both annoyed and resigned.
Lara craned her neck to get a better view. "Is it doing that a lot?"
Alana nodded but quickly regretted it as the motion aggravated the injury further.
"Hold on," said Lara as she swung her legs off the alcove. She went to her pack and began pulling out clothes, string, rags, coin purses, and an assortment of odds and ends. Soon the surrounding floor was littered with her belongings. Alana was amazed to see the number of items the pack was producing considering its size and slack.
"I know it's in here somewhere," muttered Lara, almost sticking her whole head in the pack as she rummaged. "Where did I put…a-ha!" She produced a small wooden bottle with a corked top from her pack. "Found you!"
"What's that?" asked Alana.
"Something an associate of mine mixed up for me. If it does what he said…" Lara went and sat in front of Alana, sliding the candle aside. "It should stop the bleeding and the pain."
She started to reach for the bandage but stopped when Alana shrunk back. "Um…may I?"
Alana paused, considering whether or not to allow Lara so close to her throat. For a moment she considered denying her request. But then she lowered her legs and lifted her chin, exposing more of her neck.
Taking it as permission Lara carefully pulled down the cloth to reveal the cut. She had seen worse, but in terms of location it had the potential to be fatal. It lay right along the furrow of her neck. Being close to a major vein it was no wonder it bled so easily. Alana had no idea how lucky she was. If that pirate pressed any harder, she could have bled out in minutes.
The intense expression on Lara's face worried Alana. "Lara?"
Lara glanced up at her. "Hmm?"
"Is it worse?"
"No, it's fine." Lara uncorked the bottle and poured a droplet of thick brown goop onto her fingertips. It smelled earthy and rich–or at least what Alana imagined earthy would smell like. Being under the ocean all her life she was more familiar with sand than dirt.
"This might sting," said Lara as she rubbed her fingers together. "But try not to move."
Sure enough, there was a harsh stinging sensation the moment Lara applied the concoction. Alana drew a sharp breath, tensing with hands clenched tight.
"Sorry," said Lara. Carefully she applied the rest of the salve to the cut, dabbing as gently as she could. Alana grit her teeth at the intense stinging, but then it quickly gave way to a tingling followed by a pleasant numbness that seeped into her skin. The pain vanished, leaving her with a strangely cool sensation on her neck.
"All done," said Lara, wiping the excess on her pants as she put the bandage back to Alana's neck. "That should help for a while, and stop it from getting infected." She went to put the salve away but stopped, then tossed it to Alana. She fumbled but managed to catch it. "Hold onto that till it's healed. You need it more than I do."
Alana arched her brow in surprise as Lara returned to her seat. "Are you sure? I mean, you must be hurt as well after that monster knocked you around like a sponge ball."
Lara arched a confused brow. "A sponge what?"
"You know, a sponge ball? You kick it around with your fins–I mean, feet!" corrected Alana, catching herself before she gave away her true nature. The blank stare Lara gave her said she had absolutely no idea what Alana was talking about. "Never mind. But are you really sure it's okay?"
Lara nodded, turning her gaze to the ocean outside. "I'm sure."
Alana turned the container over in her hands. As grateful as she was for the painkiller, she felt guilty for accepting it with things as they were. She had such ill thoughts about Lara when she first saw her, and they only grew worse after their spat. Now she had not only saved her life and protected Seahaven, but also treated her wound out of concern. She hardly felt deserving of it.
"Lara?"
"Hm?" said Lara, still looking at the sea.
"Thank you."
Lara looked back at Alana. "For what?"
"For saving my life today," said Alana as she set the salve aside. "When you told that pirate to kill me, I thought that, after what I said about your mother…well, almost said really. But still, I thought you…that you wanted him to…"
"You thought I wanted him to kill you because of that?" asked Lara.
Alana nodded.
Lara frowned disappointedly. "You really pissed me off back then. But you think I'm so petty I'd get you killed over it?"
Alana's chest constricted as she cast her eyes down in shame. That was exactly what she thought. "I'm sorry," she mumbled.
Lara sighed, tapping her lip piercing thoughtfully. Then a playful smile crossed her lips. "Well… if you really want to apologize, there is something you can do."
Alana perked up immediately. "What is it?"
Suddenly Lara reached out and gently flicked the tip of Alana's nose. She flinched back, clutching her nose more out of reflex than any pain. "Hey!"
"There! All's forgiven!" said Lara with that crooked grin only she could do.
"What? Just like that?" asked Alana.
"Just like that." Lara leaned closer to Alana. "Now it's your turn."
The corners of Alana's mouth slowly rose into a mischievous smile of her own. Quick as she could she reached out and returned the gesture.
One thing neither had considered, and Lara was unaware of, is that despite being in human form Alana was still a mermaid. One can be forgiven for thinking mermaids are delicate effeminate beings because of their slender forms and great beauty. This is not so. Mermaids are stronger than average humans due to a life spent in water. Strength is inevitable from a life spent moving through liquid. Out of water that strength becomes much more apparent, as anyone foolish enough to catch a mermaid without caution has discovered.
So instead of a light flick Alana gave Lara a very sharp snap on the nose.
"Yow!" Lara recoiled back, clutching her nose tightly as her eyes watered.
"Oh no! I'm sorry! I didn't mean to do it so hard!" apologized Alana, worried she just ruined her chance at reconciliation.
Lara pulled her hands away, revealing a red nose and an impish grin. "Gotcha!"
Alana stared at her in bewilderment, confused by how nose flicking could be considered a form of forgiveness. Then she broke into a fit of giggles, covering her mouth lest she woke Melody. Lara soon joined her, laughing quietly but happily alongside the princess.
Their giggling was interrupted when they heard the door open and close.
"Who's there?" called Lara.
A guard walked into the room. He appeared to be in his mid to late twenties with a thick mustache complimented by curly brown hair that poked out beneath his blue beret. He carried a short sword on his hip characteristic of the palace guard, and his blue tabard bore the silver hem signifying his rank as sergeant.
"Oh…pardon the intrusion, your majesty," said the man, giving a short bow to them. "Miss Anclagon."
"No problem, captain. What's going on?" asked Lara.
"I was sent by her majesty the queen to relieve you for the night, milady."
Lara arched a curious brow. "Ariel sent you here?"
The sergeant nodded. "Yes. She wishes to give you a night to rest after your efforts today. Six more of my men will be here shortly. If you wish, we will keep an eye on her majesty for you tonight."
Lara thumbed her lip piercing, considering the sergeant's offer before she rose. "Sounds great, captain. I could use the sleep. Thanks for the offer."
The sergeant saluted her. "It's the least we can do, milady. If I may say so, Seahaven owes you a debt of gratitude."
Lara waved a hand dismissively. "Don't worry about it, captain. Just doing my job. Alana, I'm heading to the kitchens for a bit. Want me to bring you anything back?"
The princess shook her head. "I'm fine. But thank you."
"And you, captain?" asked Lara.
The man scratched under his cap as he debated taking her up on the offer. "No need. I ate earlier."
Lara nodded. "I bet."
Without warning Lara snatched her sword, planted a foot on the alcove edge and launched herself at the guard. He barely got his hands up before she spun and kicked him in the side, sending him flying into Melody's vanity screen. It broke to pieces as he hit the wall, slumping down to the floor. He started to get up until Lara planted a foot on his chest and pushed him back down, whipping the point of her sword at his face. Her hair was bristling and her eyes were hard as stone, face twisted in anger.
"I'd be full too if I ate a whole person!" Lara snarled.
The demon suddenly looked up as though he heard something. Melody followed his gaze to see whatever drew his attention, but all she saw was black.
"It's started already." His eyes narrowed to slits and then opened again. "Seems Lara will be earning her keep this night. And saving your lives once more."
Melody's eyes widened. Saving their lives? From what? What was happening outside this place? She tried to speak, but without her voice it was just air.
"You have questions," said the demon, his body starting to crack and chip. "But our time is up."
The demon's chest crumbled away, releasing Melody's voice. It darted to her, slipping past her lips and down into her throat. She clasped her neck in panic as she felt it regain its rightful place. A strong tickling sensation swept through her throat as though countless ants were crawling about. Melody coughed heavily, already hearing the difference with her voice back.
"As promised, I have returned your voice," said the demon. He closed his eyes and collapsed on himself like a dying star, drawn in tighter and tighter till he was a small orb of flame. He flickered and ascended rapidly into the dark.
"Heed my words, princess!" he called down. "You have trusted in luck, but now you must trust in Lara! You will need her to survive what's coming!"
"Wait!" called Melody, still coughing between words. "What's *cough* what's coming!? What's going to *cough cough* happen!?"
No answer came. The light flickered, then like a snuffed candle it vanished. With it went the campfire, plunging Melody into total darkness.
The sergeant looked up at Lara with wide, confused eyes. "Wh-what are you talking about!?"
"Arms straight out! Now!" ordered Lara, bringing the sword point against the man's throat as she pressed harder on his chest. He quickly spread his arms out, shrinking away from her.
Alana shot to her feet, almost knocking the candle over. "What are you doing!?"
"My job, again!" said Lara, not taking her eyes off the sergeant. "Take Melody and go get the guards! I'll hold this thing here!"
The sergeant shifted slightly, stilled when Lara pressed the sword harder into his neck. "One more move, and I'll give you a new breathing hole!" she warned, shifting her right palm onto the pommel of her sword.
"I-I don't understand! What did I do?" the sergeant asked fearfully.
"Don't even try it!" hissed Lara, baring her teeth. "I know what you are! You fooled everyone else with this getup, but don't think for a second I'm falling for it! Alana, get going now!"
"She's insane, princess! You must run!" pleaded the sergeant.
Lara pressed the sword harder, causing the man to lean further back. "Shut up!"
Alana hurried to Melody's side, gathering her close but making no effort to rouse her. "Lara, what is going on!?"
"This isn't one of the guards!" said Lara. "It's not even human!"
Alana's eyes widened. "What? But he looks–!"
"Yeah, it looks human!" interrupted Lara, her eyes glued on the sergeant. "Trust me, it's anything but!"
"How can you know?"
Lara moved the sword to the sergeant's chest, pressing firmly against his heart. "You were clever to get this far, but you're sloppy! You didn't spend any time learning about this place, did you? Because if you had then you'd know a few things!"
The sergeant's jaw trembled. "I…I…"
"I called you captain four times just now, but that's a sergeant's uniform you're in," said Lara, not waiting for his answer. "You never corrected me either, so I'm betting you didn't know that. And there isn't a guard in this palace that'll enter royal chambers without permission. But you just waltzed right in here without even knocking. Not even a greenhorn fresh out of training would make that mistake. Then there's Ariel. She asked me earlier if I wanted guards to watch Melody for tonight and I turned her down twice."
She shifted her weight, pressing the air out of him in a wheeze. She twisted her foot against him, feeling his bones underneath. "If you were a human that kick would've broken your ribs! You're not even dazed, and these don't feel broken much less human! And if you're really a human…"
A cloud passed over the moon, casting the room in shade. Lara whipped her sword across the man's face. His head whipped aside to avoid it but she nicked his cheek, making a thin cut.
"Why is your blood black!?" said Lara, pointing the sword back at his face.
The cloud moved on, allowing the moonlight to return. A line of blood was seeping from the cut, running down the sergeant's neck in a thin rivulet. It may have been dim, but even from a distance Alana could tell it was black as ink.
The sergeant stared up at Lara, confusion and fear lathered across his features. Then his expression shifted into confident smugness, a cruel smirk pulling at his lips as he snorted. "Not bad."
The hairs on Alana's neck stood up as the man cricked his neck. His voice changed completely as he spoke.
The sergeant licked his lips with a pointed red tongue, his eyes turning black as his blood. "You found me out, monkey."
Slowly Melody opened her eyes. The world was blurry and muted, but she could hear Lara and Alana talking. Someone was holding her tight, their arms trembling and breathing in short panicky gasps. There was someone by her vanity screen as well, talking down to a third person.
"You found me out, monkey."
Melody blinked rapidly, bringing her room into focus. Alana was the one holding her, face brimming with terrified confusion. Lara was standing over a sergeant with her sword at his face, pinning him against her trashed vanity screen with one foot. It provided the perfect amounts of shock, disbelief, and utter confusion to jolt her awake.
"Lara!? What are you doing!?" she exclaimed as she sat upright.
Lara instinctively turned in Melody's direction, attention diverted by her alarmed voice. It was little more than a twitch before she caught herself, but the mistake was made and the "sergeant" exploited it completely.
Foot-long claws like filet knives erupted from his fingertips. He swatted Lara's sword aside and slashed at her leg. She darted back as the tips grazed her thigh, shredding through her pants like tissue paper. The sergeant sprang upright and lunged, stabbing at her stomach. Lara swung her sword to parry the claws, but the guard spun and brought the other one up and over to slash at her neck. Lara jerked away so quickly she lost balance and fell flat on her back.
The sergeant let loose a hissing shriek and pounced like a cat, claws outstretched for the kill. Lara threw herself into a spin on the floor, batting the claws away with her sword before she swung around and whipped a heel into the right side of his face. He tumbled away and smacked into the entryway, smearing black blood on the wall.
Lara spun onto her feet and jumped to Melody's bedside, putting herself between the imposter and the princesses. Alana and Melody quickly scrambled to the opposite side of the bed, holding tight to each other. The sergeant's back was to them as he sunk his claws into the wall, pulling himself upright.
"Heh heh. That stung."
Melody's mouth fell open as a chill ran through her body. He sounded just like her, only far more sinister and predatory. Lara took the sword in both hands as she set her stance.
"You hit hard for an ape," said the sergeant as he turned around.
If there was any remaining doubt that the guard was not human, it vanished the moment they saw his face. The left side was normal, his mouth pulled in an evil smirk that squinted his eye. But his right side was grotesquely contorted, as though the skin was twisted out of alignment.
"Don't worry," he hissed, clicking his claws together as he licked his lips with a bright red tongue. "You won't be scared for much longer!"
Alana and Melody screamed as he leapt again, Lara raising her sword to meet him.
Ariel could not asleep.
The queen lay in bed listening to the distant waves and Eric's steady breathing, hoping it would lull her to sleep like always. But her mind was too busy, filled with thoughts flitting from one to the next like hummingbirds between flowers. Sleep would not come so easily tonight, and she was starting to believe it would not come at all.
She rolled onto her other side, looking out the window at the moon. She pulled a lock of hair over her shoulder, running her fingers through the fine strands. She willed her heart to slow down, assuring herself the danger had passed and tomorrow would see them all rise safe and sound with the sun.
She stopped finger combing her hair. Safe? Who was she trying to fool except herself? A pirate crew and a seaclops appeared in the middle of the marina. What was to keep Morgana or Ursula from doing the same thing tomorrow? Eric had broken ribs. Alana almost had her throat slit. Melody and Aquata were nearly shot. And she herself almost got shot as well as crushed. It was a miracle more people had not died in the attack. At least, more on their side. Some of those Filipe led in the charge had not survived the pirate's weapons. Only fortune, quick action, and the skilled doctors at the hospital prevented anyone else from departing before their time.
Ariel held a hand up to her face, eyes tracing the lines in her palm. She had done much in her life with her hands. She saved Atlantica multiple times from those who wished to claim or topple it. She pulled a drowning prince from the ocean. She signed her voice away in exchange for legs. She held Eric's hand while they gave their wedding vows, and then again as she brought their daughter into the world. Yet that morning her hands were useless. Against pirates, an enraged seaclops, and those things Lara called guns, they were weak flesh and bone.
A tear born of despairing helplessness slipped from her eye, rolling down into the bed before she could wipe it away. For the first time in her life Ariel felt utterly powerless to do anything, and it scared her. She was the queen of Seahaven, tasked with keeping her people safe and happy. They looked to her and Eric for guidance and protection. But how could she protect a kingdom when she could not even protect herself, much less her daughter? What hope could she give them when she could not even be a shield?
She rolled over, pressing herself close to Eric and interlacing her fingers with his. Even asleep he responded to her touch, giving her hand a squeeze. She rested her head against his shoulder, relishing the calm such simple contact gave her. She started feeling drowsy at last, letting herself sink into sleep like water.
"AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!"
Ariel was out of bed and on her feet so quickly it made her head spin. Eric shot upright to full alertness, only to collapse back with a cry at the blinding pain in his chest.
"Eric! Are you all right?" asked Ariel as she rushed to his side, helping him sit up.
"I'm okay!" His face was screwed up in anguish as he tried to make his breathing as shallow as possible. "What's going on?"
"AAAAAAAHHHH!"
King and queen felt terror grip their hearts at the unmistakable sound of Melody screaming at the top of her lungs, followed by clashing metal and a ghoulish shriek that was not of this world.
The door to their room flew open. In rushed Grimsby dressed in hideous bright violet pajamas with a floppy matching cap, holding a candelabrum in hand. "I heard the screaming, sire! What's happening!?"
"Call the guards!" hissed Eric through his teeth as he got up, clutching his ribs tight as he leaned on the bedpost. "Get to Melody's room now!"
Another shriek sounded, followed by breaking wood and an enraged shout that could only be Lara.
Ariel blew past Grimsby and out the door before she knew she was running, sprinting for Melody's room with all haste and more. She did not hear Eric and Grimsby shouting for her to stop. She did not hear her feet pounding over the floor, or her own labored breaths in between her shouts for the guards. She barely saw her sisters and their husbands leave their rooms, asking her what was happening or telling their children to stay inside. All she could think about was her daughter's screams and whatever could be causing them.
Something was wrong. The lamps and candles should be lit at this time of night, but the only illumination in the halls was the moonlight. The lights had been snuffed recently as well. She could smell and see the smoke lingering on the air.
And where were the guards? She should have encountered one of the night patrols by now, or at least had them run past her. There was no possible way they did not hear the commotion. Yet she met no one as she ran. Not even so much as a head peeked out from a cracked door. She chanced a quick glance out a window to the gardens below, expecting to see guards come running into the palace. It was empty. It was as though they had vanished.
Another shriek, even louder now that she was closer, and then she heard what could only be a sword striking something.
"You son of a–!" came Lara's voice from down the hall.
CRACK!
Ariel slid around the corner to see Melody's door explode in a shower of splinters as a palace guard flew out and smacked into the opposite wall. A second later he rolled away as Lara shot across the hall with sword drawn and slammed her bare heel where his head had been, cracking the wall. The guard continued to roll away as she chased him and swept the same foot around in a hook kick at his head. He dodged that and then again when she slashed at his face. He lunged for her legs, but Lara hopped and spun in midair, nailing him in the forehead with a kick. He went rolling for a good forty feet before stopping in a patch of moonlight, clutching his head with one hand.
"You're not getting away from me!" growled Lara as she started after him.
"Lara!" called Ariel as she ran to her.
The bodyguard stopped in her tracks and turned around. "Ariel!?"
"What's happening!?" asked Ariel. "Where's Melody!? I heard the screams and–!"
She saw the guard more clearly as he stood. His fingers were tipped with long thin claws. His entire face was twisted up like a poorly fitted mask, as though Lara's kick had dislodged his skin. He spat, his saliva tinged black.
Ariel hit the brakes so hard she skidded and fell, giving her heels a mild friction burn. "Wh-wh-what is that!?"
"It came here for Melody!" shouted Lara, moving back to the queen as she watched the fake guard. "And it's not human either!"
Ariel swallowed hard. "Not human!?"
"Mom!"
Melody ran out of her room and into Ariel's arms.
"Melody!" Ariel held her tight, utterly relieved to see her awake and unharmed. "You're awake! Are you okay? I heard screaming and then…!"
"I'm okay!" assured Melody. "But that thing is…I don't know what, but it came after me!"
Lara chanced a quick glance behind to see Alana and the rest of her sisters join them, some with their husbands present or following behind. Sebastian must have been sleeping in Arista's room because he was now trying to free himself from her hair while complaining about "always getting tangled up in dese messes, mon." Grimsby was following an obviously pained Eric, a sword in the king's hands. For the briefest moment the family shared in the joy that Melody was finally awake.
Which was cut short when the sergeant started chuckling in a most chilling way.
"How convenient," he said, his voice raspy and thin as he pulled his face back down. "All the mice gathered in one place."
He rolled his neck, giving off several loud cracks as his face shifted into a rough semblance of normalcy. He pointed a claw at Lara, causing everyone but her to move back. "You're unusually strong for a human. Especially a female."
Lara scowled, irked by his insinuation. "Can't say the same for you. You're sloppy to get caught like this. Your siblings were a lot harder to sniff out." She glanced down at her pants. "Claws were longer, too."
The sergeant narrowed his eyes. "Watch your words, monkey! You talk like you've seen my kind before!"
"I have…nyctophile."
Whatever Lara said must have been alarming because the sergeant stiffened visibly. "How do you know that name?"
"This isn't the first time I've met one. You're the fourth I've had the displeasure of running into," said Lara, widening her stance further. "And if you don't leave right now, I'll make you the third I've killed."
"Third you've killed? Ha ha…ha ha! A-ha ha ha!" The sergeant threw his head back and laughed, his voice continuously changing. Young, old, man, woman, low, high, quiet, loud–it made Ariel's skin crawl it sounded so wrong.
Suddenly he snapped his head down, face in an angry twisted snarl. "You arrogant hairless rat! You expect me to believe a mere human–a woman–could ever kill one of us!? Don't make me laugh!"
"I just did," said Lara.
The sergeant glared at her, snarling with feral animalistic sounds. Then his snarl turned into a smirk, his claws retreating into his fingers till they were minute sharp points.
"So you did, monkey. So you did." He looked past her to the confused and fearful faces of the others. "I planned to shed this after I killed the royals, but I think we can agree there's no point keeping up appearances anymore. So, I'll give you all a show before you die."
With that he removed his cap, reached behind his head, grabbed his skin, and pulled.
It was like something out of Ariel's worst nightmares. In one wrenching motion the sergeant tore the skin from his head in a single piece, sliding it off like the peel of a rotted banana. It dangled in his hand like a leather mask, eyes and mouth empty and dark. Yet there was no blood, no gore, and no awful screaming as any human would make from such an act.
Which was because there was nothing remotely human underneath.
The creature had a face, if Ariel could call it that. Its skin was sickly pale and furrowed with deep scar-like marks, as though it had been horribly burned in the past. There was no nose, lips, or ears. Its teeth were densely packed points that made a barracuda look like a teething puppy. Its mouth was inhumanly wide, lined with red as though the gums had been abraded off. Its claws grew back out, spearing through the discarded skin.
But worst of all were the eyes. Ariel wanted to look away from them, but she was frozen by their gaze. They were jet black and empty as a shadow. Its skin seemed to be growing over them, like roots slowly engulfing an ancient ruin. It felt like it was seeing through her skin.
Melody squeezed her mother so close it hurt Ariel, although she was too scared to notice. She clapped a hand to her mouth to keep from screaming, her sisters more than making up for it with their shrieks and cries. Eric and Grimsby wanted to call for every guard in the palace and beyond, but their voices were petrified.
It was Sebastian who voiced the singular though everyone shared. "What in de name of de seven seas is dat!?"
The creature opened its mouth to an inhuman angle, craning its head back as it held the empty face above. Its tongue shot out like a chameleon, snagging the skin and pulling it in. It chewed vigorously and swallowed, a satisfied hiss leaving its throat as the red tongue licked over its teeth.
"That…" Lara tightened her grip on her sword. "Is a skinner."
A/N: Even after a day of near-death experiences evil takes no rest. A peaceful night is shattered by the arrival of the Master's newest fiend: the nefarious and man-eating skinner, a creature straight out of mankind's worst nightmares. Two lives have already been claimed by it, and now it seeks to add Melody to the toll. How will they fare against this newest threat?
DISCLAIMER: I do not own "The Little Mermaid," Disney, or any of its associated characters and intellectual property. Everything else, however, is mine =)
