See the first chapter for acknowledgments and major canon divergences.

This chapter was a beast to write, not only because these scene's aren't present in the film, but also because I basically had to cram all the character development these two had from the 1st film up to their meeting in the 2nd film into one chapter.

Hope you enjoy reading it and thanks again to everyone leaving kudo's and comments (they brighten my day :)).

Chapter 3

Orm sighed as he made his way over to the prison cells. Almost two hours ago he had received word that a dark-haired Atlantean dressed in surface garbs had been arrested in a safehouse near the Old City. He immediately knew this had to be his older half-brother. Why did Arthur have to come here now, of all times? Orm thought. Right when Atlantis is on the brink of a war with the surface and my claim to the throne has to be secure? When he finally reached the correct cell door, Orm nodded to the guard standing next to it. The guard turned and entered a code on the keypad attached to the wall, causing the door slid open.

He did not know exactly what to expect inside. He had often wondered what his brother would be like. During his younger years he had always wanted to have a sibling. When it turned out his wish had actually been granted, it came at the terrible cost of his mother's life. Ever since then, Orm had resented Arthur. His father had fed that resentment and had told him to kill his brother should he ever come to Atlantis. But now that Arthur was here, Orm felt hesitant.

The King of Atlantis crossed the threshold and the door slid shut behind him. On the cot attached to the opposite wall sat a tall man with long dark brown hair and a short beard. His tanned skin, where it wasn't covered up by human clothing, seemed to be lithered with tattoos. He looked up at the noise the door had made, giving Orm a view of his unusual eyes. They weren't deep blue, like their mother's had been, but were golden and almost seemed to glow. Despite the difference in color, they still contained the brightness and depth of emotion that Orm remembered of Atlanna. Orm had to blink to prevent himself from getting lost in them. "Hello, Arthur." "Orm," his brother greeted back. They regarded each other in silence for a moment.

"Why are you here?" Orm finally asked. Arthur hesitated for a moment. "To prevent a war between Atlantis and the surface." Orm could not detect a lie in his voice.

"Hmmm. And how do you plan to do that? How are you going to stop the atrocities that the surface has committed for over a century? They have polluted our waters, poisoned our children, left the skies burning, and the seas boiling. The way I see it, the surface dwellers started the war a long time ago."

"That is not war," Arthur shot back. Orm raised an eyebrow. "The humans don't even know you exist. For them, Atlantis is but myths and legends. Yes, they have harmed the oceans. But you cannot accuse them of consciously starting a war against you. Nor can you expect them to be accommodating towards you if you are but a fairytale in their minds."

Orm ignored the small part of his brain that told him Arthur might have a point. "So you would take their side against your own kind?"

Arthur sighed, seemingly frustrated. "There are no sides in a war like this."

"What is your plan, then? Would you invoke the Combat of the Kings and challenge me?" Despite his father's words, Orm did not truly wish to fight his half-brother. Arthur was the only living family he had left and the only remaining link to their mother.

Arthur seemed to consider his question carefully. "If that is what it would take to stop this war, then yes," he finally responded. "But I do not wish to fight you. When I first found out you existed, I wanted nothing more than to meet my little brother and get to know him. Let him know that he wasn't alone and that we were in it together."

Something in Orm's chest clenched. The words sounded so similar to what he himself had thought when he'd first heard about Arthur. "You were the reason our mother was executed, and I have hated you for it ever since. But I do not want to kill you either, Arthur. I'm going to give you a chance. Go home and do not ever come back to Atlantis." The offer was a lot more generous than it probably should have been, and if his father had been here, he would have slapped Orm for 'being weak and sentimental'. "A war is coming to the surface whether you like it or not," he continued.

"You know I cannot let that happen."

"I know."

2 days later.

Arthur stared up at the white ceiling above him as he laid on top of the cot in his cell. He kept mulling over the conversation he'd had with his brother. Orm wanted to wage war upon the surface, for which he needed to have a strong claim on the throne. But Arthur wanted to prevent said war, for which he himself would need to claim the throne, and neither one of them wanted to kill the other. Surely there must be a more peaceful way to decide this than the Combat of the Kings?

Arthur was still lost in his thoughts when the cell doors opened again and his brother entered, wearing the same silver armor, black cape, and golden crown as last time. "Have you made a decision?"

Suddenly, an idea popped into Arthur's head. "What about a compromise?" "A compromise?" Orm sounded suspicious yet intrigued. Arthur nodded and sat up. "We go find the Lost Trident of Atlan." Orm huffed. "Have you gone mad? The Trident is a myth, lost to time."

"No it's not," Arthur replied. He considered for a moment how he could leave Vulko's name out of the conversation before continuing. "When I entered the city, I heard some Atlanteans talking about a cylinder dating back to the first dynasty that has been found during a archaeological dig. They thought it contained the final message of King Atlan to his people and the location of the Trident." Arthur noticed Orm seemed to be considering his words, so he pressed on. "Well, the Trident can only be wielded by the true King of Atlantis, right? So we can use it to decide between us who should have the throne. If it chooses you, you will have an undeniable claim to the throne. I will never return to Atlantis and you can have your war. But if chooses me, the war is finished."

Orm regarded him thoughtfully. He then turned on his heels and left the cell without speaking a word. Arthur's shoulders slumped. Well, it had been worth a shot…

The next day.

Arthur heard the familiar sound of the sliding door opening. Once again his brother entered the cell. This time, however, he was wearing a simple blue suit instead of a full set of armor. He was also holding the cylinder Vulko had shown him four days ago. "There is a ship with supplies waiting on the docks." Arthur stood up. It seemed he had managed to convince the Atlantean after all.

Orm stepped aside to let him exit his cell and Arthur made his way over to the door. Before he could cross the threshold, however, he was stopped by a hand on his arm. "This changes nothing between us."

Arthur grinned. "If you say so, little brother."

"Do not call me brother."

Hope you enjoyed! Next chapter will be posted next Sunday (10-3-2024).