Fantasy Kiss of the Sea (Closed)

[mon]

It took the weight of the world to say two simple words and instead of feeling better, she felt worse about her actions. Remorse was a feeling she's almost completely forgotten, lost under the weight of a cold, hardened heart and years of bloodshed out in sea. Even now, her face was impassive to the accusations thrown: a default honed by bitter years. Like reflex, her mind had already started blocking out the pain, numbing and even dulling the gleam in viridian.

She still couldn't bear to look at him. His words, condensed with the pain and betrayal young, naive Isolde bore years ago, was too much for her to take.

She knew if she chose to, she could walk away now and in doing so, she would completely destroy any remaining threads of trust, any possibility of a future, shared with the merman. Stuck between a rock and a hard place, the latter was completely out of the question.

When did Blue start becoming something she couldn't give up?

Her lower lip turned white under the pressure of her teeth. She chewed on it subconsciously as she tried to piece together her words and her thoughts. It was an uncomfortable feeling. It had been far too long since Isolde allowed herself to be vulnerable. Being the Captain of pirate ship with her royal status kept in the dark, she had always been an authoritative figure. Always confident, always stern, always knowing what to do. Even before her life at sea, she had been in charge, looked up to by the eyes of many.

With the burden of the hopes of many, Isolde had never allowed herself to falter or show signs of weakness except before one. One whom she trusted, whom she loved, whom she died for and had died for and now---

It was less of a distant memory and more of a nightmare.

"...I thought you lied to me," she said at last. Voice somber, confession filled with woe. She looked defeated as she sat down before him. Her hands balled in her lap and her shoulders hunched, making her look small and smaller still with her head bowed low like a remorseful child. The sight was so unlike her, it felt wrong to see.

"I thought..."

The words died at her throat and she tasted metal in her mouth. Her teeth had split her lips but it was nothing compared to the crimson which soaked the boards. Realizing that Blue was injured, she winced in guilt. The fancy sash at her waist was quickly but wordlessly tore into strips and she approached Blue carefully to wrap up his bleeding shoulder. His hesitance to let her was granted. She didn't expect his forgiveness, nor his trust or understanding. She knew she didn't deserve it and yet she still chose to hope.

"They took it too far. I failed to protect you," she murmured, troubled and disturbed. The furrow between her brows had been present throughout their whole confrontation.

 

[Draco]

"Why lie?" He stared at her, his anger wavering a bit as he saw her current state. She looked upset. Weak. Defeated. She made a mistake, he realized. But something triggered the violence in her, and he did not like not knowing why. For this reason, he fell further into distrust. Damned humans. He did nothing to warrant her reaction moments ago. He did nothing wrong. The translator had told him that not all humans were bad, as long as he was careful and respectful. He was respectful in these past few weeks. He did his best not to anger the captain, he tolerated the men. He did nothing to cause such punishment. He no longer gave her the benefit of the doubt.

As she approached with the sash, Blue growled deeply in defense. His clawed hand grabbed the front of her shirt, pushing her back at an arm's distance. He refused to let her tend to the wound, his other hand grabbing at the tattered cloth, throwing the fabrics aside. "No." He did not want her touching him, he did not want her near him. He was tired of being hurt, being smacked around. He was tired of being weak, he was tired of being here. "You capture me. Trapped, I no go home." His webbed fingers tightened their grip on her shirt, those aquas looking up to her emeralds, trying to make sense of things, trying to understand her mood swings. "Lie won't help. My truth hurt." His gaze narrowed at her last sentence of her failing to protect, Those sharp teeth glinting in the dim light as he sneered, "Isolde lie. Humans lie."

He pushed her away from him with a short hiss. He was sure his anger reflected on her would warrant some form of punishment. Right now, he was just too upset to care if she did harm him at that moment. He was defenseless on the floor. The gills at his ribs began to rapidly gasp, not having the water to breathe. His scales began to feel uncomfortable as the water dripped away, the dry warm air doing nothing to retain moisture to his skin. He shifted his position to try to get more comfortable, glancing back to the aquarium once again. He did not dare to ask her to go back into the tank. He did not dare ask her to go back to the ocean. She threatened him once when he asked the last time, he did not want to aggravate the situation any further. Instead, he fell quiet, his gaze meeting hers once more to see what her next move would be, bracing himself.

 

[mon]

There was nothing she could do but stare blankly at the ground beneath her as his words pierced, stabbing like daggers. With her strong facade, she had always given off the illusion that she cared little for people's thoughts and words, only for them to learn that that was far from truth.

The wound in Blue's shoulder was gaping and the pike was only suppose to harm should Blue harm first. Whoever had acted out of line would pay but she too, planned to take full responsibility for her own actions. Taking the pike that had fallen, she grabbed the handle, pointing the head to her close proximity. Without any hesitation, she stabbed the pike through her shoulder, mirroring the place where Blue was injured.

An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth. As blood trickled through the wound, she yanked the pike out with a hiss and threw it aside. Blood for blood. Life for life. These were the principles she had drilled into her crew and herself. The stench of metal was heavy in the air yet again and Isolde said nothing as she pulled herself back to her feet. The weakness she had shown earlier melted as she stood and she was once again, domineering and cold. Icily impassive to Blue's discomfort.

"My promise came at a condition. Remain mine and you will remain safe. Betray me and you'll pay for your sins. This time was my mistake," she admitted coolly, "I thought you a liar and sought to end you if you are." Her voice was monotonous, devoid of any emotion. Trauma had blocked out the pain, and she felt oddly empty speaking with him. "But you weren't and for that I am sorry."

The door opened behind her and she heard a gasp and a low curse. Alec had returned and his heavy footsteps told her that he had noticed her self-inflicted wound. Despite the throbbing pain in her arm, her eyes were fixated on the ravenhead merman. His body was drying and the process seemed to an uncomfortable one. His quick glimpse at the aquarium told her he wanted to go back and she granted his wish with a simple command.

"Put him back in the tank. Treat him well," Isolde said, voice tired as she turned to leave.

"But your arm! You should bandage it first before it gets infected!" Alec argued, reaching out only for Isolde to respond in a sharp, "No!"

"If Blue won't get treated, neither will I. Leave me. I will find whoever did this and discipline him the same way. Don't you dare stop me," she glared, walking off with purposeful strides.

Like before, Alec could only watch her retreating figure and sigh. He was strong enough to carry Blue back into the tank by himself but that would require him to carry the merman bridal style, leaving himself vulnerable. It was a good thing that Alec was brave enough to do so.

"I need to carry you to put you back into the tank. I'd appreciate it if you don't tear out my jugular as I do," Alec said to Blue, before picking him up.

 

[Draco]

Blue was about to say something when Isolde took up the pike and stabbed herself. It happened all too quick, he didn't have time to react or try to grab for the pike. "No!" Too late, she was just too quick. He winced as she pulled the pike out with a sickening sound. He was shocked at her actions, unexpected at all. He didn't know what to say, what to do. If he said one thing, she won't be happy. If she said another, would it mean further punishment? He was not sure how he felt about what just transpired, seeing the blood drip from her shoulders, soaking her top.

"Do not punish yourself." He finally said as he he reached over towards her, towards her wound, but she was already on her feet. He glanced over to Alec as he came in, the brief conversation between the two of them.

"Isolde, wait." Too late. Again. she was out of the room after she gave her orders to Alec.

Blue looked to the man, eyes narrowing in warning, "No touch me." He hissed quietly, flashing those incisors. He still did not like the man, not one bit, but he did his best to try to remain tolerant, for Isolde's sake. His hand went up to Alec's strong arms, pushing him away. "Care for Isolde. Heal her. She confused, she not know." His voice trailed off, his anger washing away to guilt. Even though he was not the one who wield that pike into her arm, he felt as if he did. His guilt over-rode the want for him to get back into the tank, no matter how dry he felt. Like Isolde, he felt the need of self-punishment.

He looked up to Alec, studying the man for a moment, curiously, "What she want? What.." He winced, curling his tail in as his hand rubbed a section of it. An odd jab pulsed down- it wasn't painful, it felt like the nerves twitching along the length of his fins. He chose to ignore that sensation before looking back to Alec.

"What she want..." Again his words cut off, but this time with a gasp. The gills at his ribs sealed off, forcing him to breath through his mouth. It took a few gasps, a few deep breaths for him to adjust to the change. One hand reflexively grabbed Alex's arm. His claws dug into the flesh and as it did, those sharp claws dulled, rounded off. The webbing melted away. He gripped harder. No, he wasn't in pain, he felt, numb.

"Alec.." Panic rose in Blue's voice. What was going on? His aquas looked up to Alec, sheer panic and confusion. His hand tightened even more on Alec, "Water, put me.." A pained shout escaped his lips as a ripple of a shudder ran down his body. His tail all the center began to split like a pair of too tight pants. The frills of the fins at his hips fell away, the frills of his flukes shredded and melted away. The shimmering deep blues dulled and faded to a pinkish skin tone.

The whole process was fast, all happened within two minutes. He was no longer looking at his long beautiful merman tail, but a pair of.. legs.

 

[mon]

Alec was troubled. He was never one to disobey a command from his Captain but he was also a gentleman (as odd as it may seem, a chivalrous pirate is laughable). He didn't make another attempt to pick the merman up, at least, not until he was ready. It would be troublesome if he were to dry out in the middle of the deck and in the worst case scenario, he really would have to hull the mer-creature up by net. The last thing he wanted was for the merman to really dry up and die from lack of water (that was how the merfolk worked, he thought).

Isolde would certainly have his head---and not just his head, but probably his whole family executed, if that happened. Try as she might, it was evidently clear to him that she treasured the merman dearly, going as far as to punish her own men for any wrongdoings towards him. From the start, he had her captivated. When she had saw how the ropes bound tightly into his fins and wrists, she did the same to every man who tied the ropes. Snake-like imprints can still be found coiled around a few of their ankles and wrists. Alec himself bore a fading mark at the base of his legs.

"What does she want, I wonder," Alec couldn't help but echo, wearing a look of exasperation and chagrin. When Blue began to express pain, a rising panic (more for his own well-being than Blue's) rushed him to carry the merman once again. It was a struggle, considering how Blue was clinging to his forearms. His nails dug into his arm and he yelled in surprise and pain.

"Hey, what's wrong with you? Oh, no. Don't tell me you're dying. Oh, fuck, don't die!" He shouted, hurriedly grabbing the merman and yanking him in the direction of the stairs which lead to the top of the tank. "Hey, hey. Stay with me man. You can't die. She'd kill us both if you do. Blue!" Alec was freaking out and his panic reached the apex when Blue's tail split in two.

His mind swam as he tried to register what just happened. Like Isolde, he had no idea the merfolk could grow human legs so simply! Yes, he's seen the translator but he had thought her to be some obsessive mermaid researcher who picked up the language over time. How in blazes was he going to explain this to Isolde?!

"You..." he gasped, dropping Blue at the base of the steps. He was staring blatantly at the had-been tail. "What the actual fuck."

It was fortunate that Isolde had came in (alarmed by Alec's loud shouting) just as the pirate threw his coat over the merman's indecency. The wooden door slammed open and Isolde looked rather disheveled, having heard the words "don't" and "die" in the same sentence.

"What..." she started, wincing as she had opened the door with her injured arm. Upon seeing Blue's legs and Alec's alarm, she calmed considerably. Her worried expression froze over in a mask of indifference.

"Oh."

She asked casually, "You still haven't placed him back?"

 

[Draco]

Blue settled at the bottom of the steps, despite all of Alec's frantic efforts to try to get him back into the tank. Blue was in just too much panic to let Blue handle him properly. His eyes were filled with tears. Perhaps from pain, perhaps from shock.. but mostly upset with what has just happened to him. These legs.. No. He did not want them. He did not want to be human.

The tingling feelings in his body faded away, leaving behind a phantom tail sensation. He finally released his vise like grip on Alec. Shivering, he was naked. Unfortunately clothes did not carry over to cover his important parts. Then again, clothes was the last thing on his mind. Merfolk did not need clothes. Apparently Alec felt Blue needed cover as he felt the warmth of the coat fall over his waist. He glanced up to Alec curiously.

Then the door slammed open, Isolde stormed in. Blue flinched slightly, this is not good. He curled his legs as best as he could under the coat, hiding them from sight. No one look at this monstrosity, this deformity. Maybe it was embarrassment, maybe he was just shy, or disgusted by what had replaced his beautiful tail. There were still hints of blue shimmer embedded among his flesh like tiny glittering droplets of blue sapphires, the only clue he was not human.

Hearing her response to Alec, Blue's hand moved to Alec's foot just behind him, "Not Alec's fault." No, Alec did not deserved to be punished for this. Alec tried- Blue was just too much of a deadweight for Alec to get him back into the tank in time. His fingers gripped the base of Alec's pants almost protectively. Even though he hated the man still, he did not want the man to be punished for this.

Blue looked to Isolde, then lowered his gaze, unable to keep contact for long. "I no know.." He said apologetically, looking to his toes that peeked out from beneath the coat. Such ugly toes, at least ugly to him. He really had no idea. He felt ashamed. Ashamed that he did not know. Ashamed to have these human things sticking from his pelvis.

 

[mon]

Her gaze softened. Blue's shame was not too far different from that of a kicked puppy. It tugged at her heartstrings and urged her to comfort, but their fight from earlier still had her weary and on edge. She was hurt by his words, hurt by her actions, and resentful at how old memories still haunt her, mocking her from the shadows. It was a mental battle which had worry winning over pride and concern over fear.

She exhaled through her nose. A sigh to show her displeasure.

Meanwhile, Alec was standing next to Blue, tan face paled as he gestured wildly at the pair of legs hiding under his coat. His mouth bobbed soundlessly, unable to articulate his words. He was clearly in shocked at what just happened.

Isolde frowned at this.

"If you have something to say, then say it. You look like a brainless goldfish," she criticized with a disapproving glare.

Alec straightened at this, "Your Hig-- Captain, did you know he was capable of growing legs?"

Instead of replying, Isolde turned her attention to Blue who looked devastated at the revelation. Her heart sank at his crestfallen expression and it was then she knew, her wish for him to walk the lands with her would only ever be just that: a wish. With a heavy heart, she crossed the deck, kneeling before Blue once again. She couldn't meet his eye. The skies in them were too stormy, heavy with rain on the verge of spilling. She wouldn't know what to do if he cried.

"Do you not like this part of you?" Isolde asked softly, like one would to console a child.

(Bonus / Alec's POV: The tug at his pants had him looking down and shock turned to horror as Alec feared that Blue wanted to take his pants too. As though his coat wasn't enough! He wasn't going to strip his dignity for Isolde's pet lover, but he feared she would command it all the same.

He silently thanked the heavens when she didn't and realized, perhaps in his own way, Blue was looking out for him too.)

 

[Draco]

Blue was silent when Isolde and Alec conversed. Brainless goldfish. What did that mean? Why did he feel he should be insulted by that? He tucked the term to memory to ask the translator later on.

When she moved down before him, he slowly raised his gaze to look at her. He looked over her face, trying to figure out what she was thinking, how she was feeling. Her voice was soft, held a hint of concern, sympathy maybe? He had to search for the words. What could he say? He did not want to make the tension between them any more worse than it is. His hands came up, cupping her cheeks to turn her gaze to his own.

He sighed quietly.. such a strange feeling to sigh from his throat and not the ribs. This whole new way of breathing.. somehow the air felt more comfortable, soothing to breathe now in comparison when he had his tail and gills. He wasn't sure if he would ever get used to it.

"I not human." His fingers lightly trailed along her cheeks, down her jaws just beneath her ears. His voice was quiet, trying to keep her calm, trying not to let things get out of proportions again. His legs slowly moved from beneath the coat. He stretched them out on either side of her own legs, giving his toes a little wiggle. His brain worked the movements naturally, instead of one limb, he had two.

He had no idea how he should tell her how he felt. He couldn't put them into words. Just as he was getting frustrated, unable to form the words, the mousy translator appeared by the doorway. She had heard the commotion and wanted to make sure no further harm was coming.

The girl, we'll call her Alerys, quietly stepped forward. Her small hand moved to Isolde's shoulder, glancing to Blue. She spoke in the language of the mermaids, and Blue gratefully communicated back with her. They spoke in that strange language, in tongues impossible for humans to master.

Alerys nodded to Blue before looking to Isolde, "He isn't comfortable with the legs. He says they don't belong to him, it's not who he is." She pushed her glasses up the bridge of her nose, glancing to Blue as he spoke again. "With his experience with humans in these past few weeks, it's difficult for him to accept." She spoke carefully, treading because she knew Blue's words could be hard for Isolde to hear. She knew of Isolde's quick temper.

"He says give him time. He wants to walk with you. He needs to adjust.. and he does not know how long it'll take." She stepped from Isolde to Blue, her hand moving over Blue's powerful shoulders. She's grown fond of the merman as well with these past few weeks. Finding another merfolk was rare these days, many of them getting killed off or deeply hidden out of sight. "Let me have some time with him, let me teach him to accept."

 

[mon]

She stiffened visibly when his hand went to her cheek. Her body tensed as he traced her features with his hands and her throat tightened, threatening to collapse. Alec himself, was surprised. His own eyes widened at the sight before him. Having been by Isolde's side since... and knowing the circumstances she went through, the vulnerability meant more than words could ever convey.

"Does he even realize," Alec thought with fear and disgust, "how much power he has over her?"

His voice was beautiful but his words were laced with a deep melancholy.

"I'm not human."

Was she relieved? Disappointed? It was a truth she had already accepted and yet, seeing him now made it so much harder to let go of her hope. Hope fanned desire and Isolde's desires had always been deeper than the seas, darker than the night. Needy, possessive and selfish. That is who she was, that is who she is.

Even now, she knew that if she were to look into swimming cerulean, she would succumb to her desires, closing her mouth on his, possessing what shouldn't be possessed, taking what shouldn't be taken. Disregarding feelings and rationality, she would've readily taught him the ways of man. And because she knew this, she didn't---couldn't look him in the eye.

Alerys' words kept her grounded. Each negative served as a reminder that Blue, despite being a merman, had a mind, a soul, a heart like any other human; and Isolde, in spite of her cruelty and iron-fist rule, was not to overlook his feelings. However, when Alerys explained on how Blue wanted time, her head whipped up in surprise and Alerys went on, confirming that what she heard wasn't an imagination.

Then, and only then, did Isolde finally look at Blue, full in the eye, lips split into a relieved, broken smile, "You wish to walk with me?" She asked, voice tinted with hope. It lasted for a breath, before being devoured by skepticism. Her smile dropped then and her brows furrowed. Her hand closed over the hand which caressed her cheek, pulling it down gently.

"You don't... you don't have to. I won't command you to," she looked down again, knowing that her word was the only thing keeping him here now. To the translator, she said sternly, "Alerys, tell him he does not have to force it. When I chose to keep him, I wanted a companion, not a slave."

 

[Draco]

Blue studied Isolde's expression as Alerys translated for him. He could barely make out the shifts of her emotions with each word spoken, but he was relieved that there was no anger or resentment shown towards him at his honesty. Why should he lie? Merfolks never lied to one another.

"You wish to walk with me?" She asked. To this he gave a nod. A single affirmative nod. He was just about to offer a smile seeing her own small one, his first ever smile since he's been pulled up from the deep blue waters, but the smile never came when she lost hers. Her voice no longer soft, but firm when she used it again. While he got the gist of what she was saying, Alerys confirmed it, translating Isolde's words to make sure he understood.

"Blue, you are not a slave. You are not forced to do what you don't want to do. She wants a pet." Alerys spoke in the merfolk language, her voice had a singsong tune that came with the otherworldly language.

A pet? Is that all he is to her? A pet? Sure, even merfolks had pets. A crab, or even an octopus made great pets to love and hold. Jellyfish can be taught not to sting, squishy jellyfish. But the most loyal companions were the dolphins. Blue understood the companionship that a pet can offer another.. but.. a pet? He pulled his hands away from Isolde's as she lowered them. He spoke to Alerys, his voice soft with almost a musical quality as he rambled on.

"Your majesty.." Alerys began, "He doesn't want to be a pet. He wants to be a friend. And he can't be a friend trapped in the aquarium all the time. He needs freedom." She paused, letting Blue speak again. She nodded with an uh huh as Blue spoke. "Now that he knows he can walk, that he's capable of having legs, there's nothing holding him back. He can escape. He wants to know if you plan on locking him up with chains to prevent this, or do you trust him to stay close to the ship?"

Blue kept his eyes on Isolde, letting Alerys speak his voice for him.

Alerys voice lowered to a whisper as she leaned closer to Isolde, not letting Blue hear her words, "Ma'am, Mermen of his kind is extremely loyal to one another, especially to the lady-kind. I believe in his own way he's pledging loyalty to you."

 

[mon]

Isolde considered her words in thoughtful silence. A low flame of shame crept like a heat from the back of her neck. Pet was quite an accurate term, despite the blonde having said companion. After all, she had treated him no different from one and had originally kept him with the thought of him being a trophy prize. Over weeks, he had proved to grow on her and she was quickly taken by his empathetic, almost-obedient side.

The mention of his escape had her darkening in mood. She feared for this more than anything else and because of that fear, she had kept him bound, perhaps not tightly, but just enough for her to rein him back should she need to. The land was vast and the seas were even greater. If he truly did attempt to slip between her fingers, she would only tighten her grip more. Her trust grew from his lack of attempts to escape, but hearing him mention home, for the first time since his capture, shattered the false illusion that maybe, just maybe he had wanted to stay.

I won't let him leave, she thought possessively as she stared into the skies in his eyes. Clear and cloudless, reflecting her own.

She didn't look away when Alerys whispered in her ear and but relaxed at the implication of her words. It was difficult to trust again but for Blue, perhaps it wasn't too late to try.

"Is this really what you want?" Isolde asked, studying him as though it was the first time she's seen him. His confirmation sent her into another silence, but this time it was rounded and almost warm. Not frigid or sharp, with tension enough to cut. Her hand slid up to his cheeks and her fingers curled at the wet locks gathered near his ear. And then, very slowly but all too quickly, she leaned down and pressed a soft kiss to his lips: her own personal, unspoken vow (which had Alec choking and Alerys looking away, beet red).

"Don't betray me," she uttered between a plea and a command. The gentle hand at his cheeks slid to the back of his head, grabbing a firm fistful of hair---not enough to hurt, but enough force to make her point, "If you leave me, I'll find you. I'll hunt the corners of the earth for you." Her eyes were dim, yet alight with a tartarean flame, flickering with possessive dominance.

Her forehead pressed against his as she claimed with wicked delight, "You are mine." Her words were quiet but there was a roaring ferocity in her claim, which had her smirking as she pulled back, standing upright.

"Remember that, Blue," she said to him, before speaking with Alerys, "Teach him whatever he needs to know. His well-being will be in your care." And then, lowly, for Alerys' ears only, "If I find that he's escaped under your watch, or hear that you've been feeding him foolish thoughts, I will have your head. Do I make myself clear?" From the corner of her eye, she sees Alerys gulp and quickly bobbed her head. Satisfied, Isolde stepped away from the girl and looked down at Blue's still gaping wound. The sight of it still made her frown.

"And do convince him to get his injury treated. I'd prefer to restrain from using force to keep him alive."

 

[Draco]

Blue's human hands, which did not feel like his own without the claws and webs, moved to her wrists as she touched his face, fingers hooked around the base of her hands. The blues met the greens as he waited with baited breath to find out whether the bounds would tighten, or would he be free? He could see the darkness in her eyes, the greed. That same greed he saw in the past on the first day with her. She wasn't going to let him go, he saw that. He could feel his heart hurting, he was going to live the rest of his life in that tank with a rope firmly attached to his tail.

He closed his eyes hiding a sigh. He did not want her to see his disappointment. He knew he was not allowed to speak of home since she told him not to say it. He had to try again, and he failed. He'd had no choice but to plot his esca... Wait, what touched his lips? Opening his eyes in surprise, he realized Isolde had given him a kiss. Soft and sweet her small lips tasted, and yet over too quick. Alec's coughing got him a bit confused. What did it mean? Did a kiss mean the same as the merfolk among the humans? Or did it mean something else? He had to admit, he liked the way she tasted.

Tension rose along his spine when she grabbed his hair suddenly. His fingers defensively gripped her arms, even though it did not hurt. He was used to being battered and abused on this ship, why would this be any different. Wait, he can run now. Somehow, that thought of having the ability to skitter on the decks, on dry land, gave him a confident boost. He was not defenseless anymore, he had a fighting chance. His hands slid down her arms to her hands at the back of his head. Fingers pried her hands from his hair and he pulled them away. Not releasing her hands, he pressed her palm over his chest, over his beating heart. A strange rhythm his heart had, almost as if he had two hearts beating out of sync, but it was the way of the merfolk. "I won't leave." He confirmed firmly as their foreheads touched. His gaze never left hers.

His voice held little emotion as he pressed her fingers into his chest, "I'm yours." For that moment, his heart became a steady musical rhythm, just for a few seconds before releasing her hand. This was the custom of the deep-sea merfolks, the way they pledge their promises, one that should never be broken. An unspoken loyalty. If Blue should break this promise to her, it would mean Isolde had the right to destroy him as she sees fit and he would allow it without complaint. Unless Alerys tells her what this meant to the merfolk, she may be unaware of the power she had over him.

At that moment, felt like a child being granted permission to pick out any candy in the candy shop. He couldn't help that smile- that first sincere smile since he was netted. He was excited about seeing the ocean again- it felt like forever ago since he was even outside, being trapped inside four walls for many weeks. He wanted to get to the ocean right away, to see the sun, to get to where he called home. Blue did his best to keep his excitement from showing, to try to remain a neutral tone.

Letting Isolde move away to stand, he glanced up as she spoke to Alerys, seeing the mousy girl cowering away at Isolde's threats. There his smile faded to a frown. What exactly did Isolde threaten her with? He will have to ask the mermaid later. Gripping the stairs behind him, bending his legs up, he pushed himself to stand as Alec's coat fell away - he did not care (Alerys hid her gaze away, not looking). He had to steady himself by pressing his hands to the side of the aquarium. He was quite tall of nearly 6'3", his legs long as was his tail. His legs were strong, his tail was strong with all the swimming he's done in powerful currents, naturally he had strong legs. But strength did not make up for the lack of knowledge on how to use the damned limbs. He's studied the humans long enough to know that one foot goes in front of the other. Though as he moved one foot forward, he forgot to move the other. He stumbled forward, arms catching Isolde as she was closest to him, letting her prevent him from falling like a drunken idiot. One arm wrapped around her waist, steadying himself on his feet once more, trusting her to help him keep his balance. Maybe running away on those legs will take longer than he realized.

He peered down to Isolde, leaning a bit against her help keep balance. "Take me to ocean. I will heal there. Then you go heal"

 

[mon]

Trust clearly did not come naturally to the blonde, proving to be a hurdle which bested her time and time again. She's ignored her trust issues before, allowing the molehills to grow into mountains, and from the mountains the shadow of fear loomed over her in a laughingly mocking manner. Even now, as she took her first, baby step towards her Everest, her doubts clung at her heels, letting unwanted memories bubble to surface. The thoughts were shoved aside to the recesses of her mind, only fully leaving at the sight of Blue's genuine smile.

It was short-lasted but it was enough to push Isolde in the right direction. Something akin to satisfied bliss came over her as she studied the beautiful turn of his lips. And that enough had made everything seem worth it.

Her arm still throbbed with pain, aching dully as she pointedly ignored the gaping hole in her shoulder. She should knew she was risking infection but her skewed sense of justice had her stubborn in treating her wounds before Blue's.

She had turned to leave, not expecting Blue to attempt walking now. So naturally when an arm had suddenly hooked around her waist, she grabbed at the limb, ready to fling the prepritator over. It was fortunate that she caught on quickly, surprise overtaking her as her grip on Blue eased.

"Blue, what are you---" Her sentence cut short and she instinctively looked down. Her face immediately whipping back up 0.2 seconds later with a very odd, very stiff expression.

He was bigger than she expected.

She could feel heat emanating from her cheeks and at a loss for words, she glared at Alec almost in a telepathic, non-verbal shout to get Blue some damn clothes. Not that she minded, but decency was something which needed to be kept on her ship.

Despite being a head taller than most women, when standing next to Blue, she was almost petite in size. His large frame and tall build had her feeling warm and the fact that she had to exert some of her strength to keep him supported had her lips curling.

Get a grip, Isolde Carmenda Bermain, she mentally scolded herself, You're stronger than this.

Her brows furrowed as her face twisted into a look of indignance. When Alec returned with a set of clothes, she was more than relieved and cleared her throat.

"You should put something on first," she said haughtily, but then paused and thought about his suggestion. The crease between her brows deepened at the mention of the ocean. It was inevitable that he would mention it again but the topic still rose waves of discomfort she was not ready to confront.

"Can you not heal here?" she asked quietly, her hand closing on top of the hand around her waist. She held it there for comfort, not wanting to hear his answer.
Between the choices of leaving her wound untreated and setting Blue to sea, she would always choose the former in a heartbeat.

Screw the pain. She'd sooner die from infection than be foolish enough---vow or no vow---to let him go. (For what's in a vow? To humans, but a promise turned lie when broken; her understanding of the merfolk's vows were limited by her experiences with human ones.)

 

[Draco]

The merman took note of Isolde's fierce blush, watching her face turn all shades of pink and reds. He glanced down to himself.. what was it that caused her to lose her voice? He looked like any other male.. he had two legs, an extra limb, he had 10 toes, a pair of knees, what was wrong with him? He had no idea why, was it the fact he was touching her? Was his arm around her waist inappropriate for humans? He had seen them hug on land through the porthole. It must me something else. Clothes was something merfolk did not wear. Scales secretly covered their most private parts. Even the females did not wear sea-shell bras, their bodies was nothing to be ashamed of, and nothing that needs to be hidden from sight. He would've laughed if he knew why she was in that state of shock for those few seconds.

He looked stupidly at Alec when he came back with clothes, almost as if Alec had suddenly grown three heads. What was he supposed to do with these fabrics? He reached over, lifting a shirt from the sleeve. Looking over it, he gave a little disapproving grunt before dropping it back in Alec's hands. Ignoring the clothes offered he back to Isolde as her hand came over his own at her waist.

Just like her, Blue's shoulder was also painful. He dared not let the pain show, for how he was bred and raised in the deep ocean, any signs of showing pain is weakness. If you are weak, the sharks will easily hunt you down. Whales can smell weak merfolk and will be on your trail. Hearing her query whether or not he can heal here, instead of the ocean, he felt his excitement diminish. She did not trust him. He did not blame her, he wasn't sure if he could entirely trust her either. Turning his cerulean gaze from her, not letting her see his disappointment.

He considered her question, though it seemed more of a request than a question, taking his time formulating a response. "Ocean water will heal." His voice was quiet, just a touch above a whisper. As much as he wanted to go in the ocean, he needed her to trust him first. He did not need any resentment formed. His free hand moved up to her shoulder, pushing aside the neckline of her shirt to get a better look at her wound. It was deep, deeper than his own. If his wound was painful, he can only imagine hers being worse.

"Come with me in tank. I heal you too." His voice became sharp with authority. He wasn't going to take no for an answer on this one. Releasing her shirt, releasing his hold on her waist, he looked to Alec, his hand moving to Alec's strong arms. "Help me in tank?"

Alec looked disgusted at the thought of touching a naked man. He would've insisted on Blue getting dressed first, or at least covering up, but he also realized that would mean these perfectly clean clothes would get soiled by the salt water. Passing the clothes to Alerys, Alec assisted Blue up the steps to the tank, being extremely mindful of where he placed his hands. Damnit, why must this mermaid outshine him, in more ways than one?

Once to the top deck of the tank, Blue peered down into it. Give it a little longer.. he will get himself back in the big blue sea. He sighed, taking his hands off Alec, he slipped into the water. As soon as he made contact with the cold salt water, his fins instantly grew. His legs joined together as one, scales wrapping about the limbs to form his beautiful tail, those frilled flukes flowing in the water current. He gave a quick gasp of shock as his gills tore, his breathing reverting to underwater breathing methods. Oh gods it felt so good to be back in the water, it would've felt even more amazing if it was the ocean and not in a glass box.

Surfacing, he peered over to Isolde to see if she was coming into the tank at his request or not.

 

[mon]

To her great dismay, Blue had out-rightly refused the clothes, and Isolde sent pointed looks at Alerys (who was still beet red and looking away) and Alec (who merely shrugged, unable to help). You useless bunch, she couldn't help but think, subconsciously gnawing on her lower lip. When her teeth dug into the cut she split earlier she flinched and stopped her worrying habit.

Her face fell when Blue turned away from her, a second time that day. She knew she had disappointed him. It didn't take a genius to figure that out, but she did not feel remorse for her decision. Her shame was for her own weakness and inability to trust him. She did not regret denying him the sea.

This was evident when he turned, reaching out towards the direction of her wound. Fearing the worst, she had reflexively grabbing his wrist, stopping him from getting closer. No one had dared to touch her before, let alone pull at her clothes. Her shock and confusion was granted, and her cheeks flamed at his actions.

"What are you trying to do?" she asked, flustered and glaring.

When he answered that he wanted to heal her, her anger and embarrassment melted to confusion and she shot a perplexed, questioning look in Alerys' direction. Healing? Did the merfolk have healing abilities? Why has she never heard of this before?

Curiosity had her agreeing on whim. The worse case scenario was that he can't heal and her wound would hurt like mad from the salt content in the water; best case scenario, she gets healed. The risk wasn't too bad, she decided (and would regret later on).

Alec looked disturbed at having to carry Blue--who was a few inches taller than him, up to the tank. Isolde in response could only shrug and waved her hand to get him to hurry.

"Can we like, I don't know, get his tail back before we do? This is humiliating," he complained.

"Don't waste time, Alec," Isolde answered, lips twitching a fraction in dry amusement.

He complied in the end, grumbling as he walked up the steps, "I'm never going to hear the end of this if the crew finds out."

Isolde dismissed Alerys and Alec once Blue was back in the tank. She did however, keep the set of clothes Alec brought, in case Blue wanted to roam around in his human form. The clothes were neatly folded and set at the top of the steps and the blonde made a mental reminder to teach him---er, well, maybe it was best to have Alec teach him---how to dress himself later.

"I'll call you in when needed," Isolde said to the two and with a bow, they left.

Isolde watched as they left, only ascending the steps to the tank once they were gone. She was wondering what he meant, but didn't jump into the tank immediately. Her boots were stripped off first and she laid them aside before rolling the ends of her pants up. Her legs dipped into the tank and she sat at the edge, watching curiously how Blue intended to heal himself.

 

[Draco]

Alerys had shrugged slightly when Isolde looked to her. Every mermfolk was different. Each race of mermaids had their own unique power. Maybe Blue had something she did not have, and vice versa. She glanced briefly to Blue as he restored himself back to the mermaid before walking out with Alec.

Blue took a moment to stretch out in the tank. Not the kind of stretching he'd like to do.. he'd like to bullet-speed through the water to truly stretch out, but size restrictions forbade any sort of speed. Glancing over as Alec and Alerys left the room, he peered over to Isolde, watching her settle at the end of the deck, her bare feet in the water. She made no efforts to get into the water. Did she not trust him? Sure, he could easily drown her, he was powerful in the water. Perhaps if he did, then he'll be able to be set free.. but not without a fight from her men.

No, Blue was not a murderer. He pushed the thought away. No, he would not consider killing her for freedom, its not the honor he believed in. Swimming up to the surface near her, he moved his hands to the deck besides her and hoisted himself up out of the water and settled down next to her. His tail remained in the water, gently swaying. Whether she'd stop him again or not, his hand moved up to her wounded shoulder, pulling at the neckline of her shirt to expose the wound. Dipping his other hand in the water, pooling the liquid within his webbed palm, he raised it to her wound and trickled the water over it. Sure, it may sting, however, saltwater was nature's best medicine to clean wounds from bacteria and infection ((OK, not entirely true in RL, but this is fantasy)).

As the water dripped over her wound, he began to sing. His voice soft twisted in his merman language. The strange syllables were melodious, sweet sounding, almost haunting. Such a sweet yet powerful voice traveled, resounding gently against the walls, bringing forth a calming sensation through out all that hears. His fingers lightly pressed over the wound, the pain Isolde feels should fade away to nothing, leaving behind a small tingling sensation. While he did not possess the ability to heal, he was able to clean and calm the wound to promote much faster healing time, twice as fast healing time.

Removing his touch on her wound, his fingers came up to Isolde's jaw, turning her gaze to him, turning those emerald greens to his blues. The tune to his song changed slightly, softer. Beautifully eerie sounding. Those unknown lyrics serenaded to her, the harmony embedding itself within her mind. The more he vocalized, the deeper it went, wrapping around her very soul in such a way she did not even realize it was happening, he was slowly seizing control of her.

His song slowly ended into a hum before silence, lowering his hand away from her. He said nothing, allowing the silence to hold onto her trance.

 

[mon]

Isolde had expected to see him heal his own wounds, not really wanting nor deserving his help. She was only up on the deck because she hadn't been able to refuse when he had called her. It was the first she's ever heard such a commanding tone used on her, and it was ironic to see that the command came from her captive.

She tilted her head when she saw that he wasn't doing much, instead waiting for her to enter the tank. At this she rose a brow, "Aren't you going to heal yourself?" she asked, shifting her body to face him as he sat himself next to her. When he reached for her wound a second time, she kept herself from instinctively stopping him. Her hands balled at her side and she winced, hissing loudly as saltwater fell over the injury. It burned, searing its way into her blood like acid. This time, she couldn't hide pain. Her face contorted to the stinging agony but with her teeth grit, she kept her suffering silent, as she always had time and time again.

This is stupid, she thought, as the sudden desire to leave overcame her. What am I doing?

It felt like a petty revenge ploy and Isolde was ashamed to have fell for it. She was just about to pull away and run off, when Blue opened his mouth. A mellifluous note falling from plump lips, filling the air with an almost tangible ambiance. The abruptness of his action had her alerted and danger sirens (heh) rang in her head, quickly silenced as she fell prey to the haunting melody. Her body had jolted, spurred to action, only to slack again as pain eased out from her body. Everything seemed to melt from there, like tension slipping after a good massage. The fire in her shoulder quenched, cooling under the merman's palm. The effect of his song had greater effect given their vicinity.

The song was strange, if not unfathomable; unable to trace the beginning and the end. Even Isolde couldn't recall how it started, only knowing that it was here and now, and she desired for it to last forever.

(No. You don't wish that, something inside her argued. She wasn't listening.)

Thoughts echoed dully in her mind, but they were faint and distant. Like shouts from a place far, faraway. It was too easy to give in when coaxed so softly. And even if she were to realize what was happening, she was powerless to stop. The once fiery emeralds glazed over in a dull glean of green.

 

[Draco]

He could see the shift in her eyes, the clouds that diluted the fires. His lips curled into a very faint smile, the first time he used his song on a human, and it appears it may have worked. Usually he practiced his song on whales or dolphins to help him with various tasks, he did not think it would actually have an effect on a human.

He leaned in, his lips pressed against her her cheek, just shy from the corner of her lips. His wet cheek brushed lightly against her own, snuggling his face towards her neck, allowing his affections break down her barrier even more. His voice was quiet, just a touch over a whisper, daring not to break that trance with sudden loud sounds, "You release me in ocean tonight?" Though his voice projected more of a command than a question, his warm breath lightly coasting over her throat.

Slowly pulling back, he peered down to her, "Alec will help me to ocean tonight. Alerys come too." No, he did not want the translator to stay on this ship. She's been under too many threats from this captain, the last thing Blue wanted was to see Alerys hurt because of him. She was like him, and merfolk look out for each other, no matter where they were from. Alerys deserved her freedom to live her live without fears of being whipped.

With a gentle melodic hum, he slowly pulled her from her trance, his request still fresh in her mind.

Shifting slightly, he allowed himself to slip back into the water. Now that he knows he can sprout legs, he did not wish to be out of the water for so long. Dipping under briefly with a twirl under water, he resurfaced next to her. Curling his arms on the deck besides her, he peered up to her, "Feel better?"

 

[mon]

The signs of enchantment were evident. Isolde was strangely docile and openly receptive to whatever Blue had done. Her eyes had closed when he pressed a gentle kiss to her cheek and when they opened, she was looking at him with quiet expectancy. Her gaze never strayed, remaining fixed on him but she shivered when words were uttered lowly, his breath sending delicious tingles down her spine. Wet raven locks tickled at the base of her neck and she nodded, uncharacteristically obedient at his command.

"Mmn," she reacted, more than responded.

Her mind processed the word 'ocean'. It was filed as something bad, something not to be associated with Blue; and yet she felt no disgust, nor aversion at the idea. If anything, it was the opposite. His words sounded right, sounded like good things to do which Isolde now wished to do. Thoroughly convinced, she nodded once more, leaning in towards the merman when he pulled away. Despite them being merely a breath apart, the distance still felt too great.

Instead of closing the distance, she waited for what he was to say next. Her eyes peered up at him with a sort of vulnerability which had her almost looking innocent. If one didn't know better, they would think she was waiting for Blue to kiss her again. She was.

But the trance had ended and her expression shattered as she blinked. Confusion overwrote as the fogginess in her brain lifted. Hadn't Blue been beside her just a second ago? When did he slip back into the water?

She realized then that her shoulder was no longer in as much pain as before. It seemed to be somewhat cleaned by seawater and she vaguely recalls Blue doing something to aid with the treatment. What he did however, she could not pinpoint, nor does she have any desire to want to.

"Uh," she started (how very graceful), inspecting her wound and readjusting her shirt to cover it. Feeling particularly tongue-tied, she merely nodded and then debated whether she should ask what he did to help her. In the end, she decided against it and chose to ask something else.

"Thank you, but," this time she frowned, staring at Blue's own injured shoulder, "What about you?"

 

[Draco]

His hand brushed over his own shoulder. His wound still hurt, he actually did nothing for himself. Like a cat, he was excellent at hiding his physical pains, especially one minor as this. He was bred and raised as a warrior, he cannot show weakness of injuries. "I will heal." He gave a single affirmative nod.

Moving over closer to her, his arms folded over her thighs, allowing himself to relax against her. He did not care if he was getting her pants soaked, though she probably would. He peered up to her, his tail swishing in the water to help keep him afloat. "Why do you not trust me?" He asked, that one burning question that has been on his mind. He truly wanted to know why she refuses to release him. Was he just that, a trophy to be mounted on a wall? A prized rare animal that would fetch millions on the black market, fueling her greed? "Why do you hold me tight?"

His fingers absently stroking the fabrics of her pants. It was actually the first time he'd paid any attention to clothes, he found he like how it felt beneath the pads of his touch. Curiosity grew however. If the fabrics felt this nice, how did a human skin really feel? Releasing one arm from her lap, dropping it into the water, his claws gingerly touched her toes, gliding over the bottom of her foot. Human feet were such odd things.. toes of different sizes, the strange arch, even the bones within was odd to him. His fingers slowly massaged their way up the back of her ankle, caressing the soft warm flesh

 

[mon]

Something stirred in Isolde's gut which only served to deepen her frown. The fact that she was treated while Blue wasn't didn't sit well with her and she was stubborn to press on.

"Should I bring you medicine to be treated? Is seawater enough for it to be healed?" she asked, palms pressed against the edge of the tank, supporting her as she leaned forward.

His question had her startling. It seemed like today's surprises were ceaseless and she was somewhat disappointed in herself for being jumpier than usual (courtesy of Blue). She fell silent as she mulled over his words. It was an uncomfortable subject to talk about and the root of the problem was something she had locked away, shut tight and left abandoned. If she allowed herself to talk about it, the memories would start creeping in. Just the thought of them made her skin crawl and her arms subconsciously moved, crossing over herself in a defensive position.

The second one was easier to answer. At this she looked at him, brows furrowed and speaking like it was the most obvious thing in the world, "If I don't, I'd lose you." Her words were squeezed out in a breath. She was mentally squirming at prospect, clearly not wanting to dwell on the possibility.

Her discomfort was brought to a screeching halt as something grazed against her toe. This time, she squeaked aloud, back straightening at the weird sensation. That same foot was quickly yanked out of the water and folded against her chest. She blushed, not having been tickled since she was a child.

"Blue!" she scolded lightly, no venom in her words, "That tickles."

She was embarrassed for the sound she made and how her guard so lowered so greatly around the merman. If he had sought to harm her, she would've certainly been dead by now.

Her other leg remained in the water and she looked at him questioning. Was he curious about human anatomy? Did Alerys not teach him that already?

"You should ask before you touch," she said carefully, curious to how Blue would respond.

 

[Draco]

Blue listened to her response. She'll lose him the more she held him captive. The longer he's in this tank without freedom, the unhappier he knew he'll become. Depression does not do good things to the merfolk. He noticed she avoided answer his first question about trust. He decided not to press on that, he seemed she was battling her own demons and he did not need to release them.

He moved away when she yanked her foot out of the water suddenly. He did not want to accidentally get kicked by her quick movements. He looked up to her, hearing her squeak, then the scold. Tickles? He had no idea what that word meant. Another to ask Alerys about later on. Alerys had been so focused on getting his vocabulary up at his request, she did not delve much into the human nature and anatomy. He still had much to learn about humans. He studied her for a moment, then a small grin came to his lips, realizing what he had done. Mermaids were ticklish too and reacted the same way.

"Is this tickle?" He reached over to her other foot, his fingers gliding along the padding of her sole as he's done with the first foot. His touch was light and brief, curious to her reaction. He wanted to hear her laugh, he wanted to ease the tension between the two of them. He also wanted to show her that he had no intentions of harming her.

Letting his hand fall away from her, he looked back to her, "Can you swim?" he gestured to the tank, suggesting for her to join him in the water.

 

[mon]

Instead of laughing, she bit down on her lip to suppress a bubbling giggle. Her body squirmed and she moved that foot away too. Her eyes were glaring at him weakly but it looked more like a childish pout than something menacing.

"What did I say about asking?" Isolde sallied, wagging a finger at him as her legs pulled so that she could sit crisscrossed. She considered his question, knowing his implications but better judgement had her refusing to act. She looked down at her injured shoulder and decided against it. The earlier sting of saltwater was still fresh in her mind.

"I can but---" she was cut off by a knock on the door. Another sailor had came in and saluted at the threshold.

"Captain, you're needed on deck," he said, breaking whatever private mood she shared with the merman. That meant it was time to go back to work.

With a soft sigh, she got back to her feet. Her pants were rolled back down and her boots were thrown on, but before she descended the steps to leave, a wicked thought came to mind, which had her lips curling. Leaning down, she motioned Blue to come closer and when he was just close enough, she placed a quick peck on his cheek, brushing the corner of his lips: a collocation to what he had done earlier.

"I'll see you later," she said, pulling back with a smug grin. And like a whirlwind she was gone.

 

[Draco]

He glanced over as a man came in to call Isolde away. With her kiss, the next thing he knew, he was alone again trapped in this box. Not much longer.. he'll be out of these glass walls. At least until Alerys came into the room, the door firmly locked behind her by orders of the Captain- now that Blue had another means to escape, extra precautions were added to prevent him from doing so.

Alerys was sent to help him adjust to the use of legs. They spent the next few hours teaching Blue how to walk, how to properly use those legs. Alerys even taught Blue how to put on pants, though he was not accepting of shoes or shirt yet. He had only allowed the pants due to Alerys' explanation of the human anatomy and all privates should be hidden. She even went as far to explain why Isolde had her reaction as she did earlier that morning. Blue was surprised at the reasoning, but he was highly amused, chuckling.

While Blue was still not pleased with these limbs, with preference of being in the water, he decided they will be useful tools and learning to use them would be crucial. The sun has just about set, the ship moved from land and back out into the ocean. By the time the sun sank beyond the ocean horizon, he became well adept at the use of his legs. Simple things humans took for granted.. sitting and standing, rising on toes, he learned it all.

Alerys was excited to see the progress Blue made. She was sure Isolde would be greatly pleased. Isolde will get her wish to have this merman walk with her on land. She decided to spruce up Blue by pulling his long hair into a low pony tail, tied with a leather thong. She assisted in shaving, neatly trimming his goatee. Those trousers, he was presentable, easily passable as a rather handsome large human being with prince-like stance.

Blue then became curious to see if his siren song will hold firm on Isolde. She was a strong, stubborn woman, it was possible she could break the spell. Any moment now, he'll find out whether she'll grant him the freedom to the ocean or not. If not, he'll have to figure out another way.

 

[mon]

The flame on the candlewick flickered and dance, casting shadows in Isolde's room. With dusk falling and dinner eaten, people were starting to turn in for the night and the only thing which accompanied the blonde was the sound of gliding ink on parchment and the low lull of the waves outside. Documents had to be sorted and oddly, her vision blurred from time to time as she studied the words on the paper. By 10 PM they were swimming and the pen her in hands stopped, carefully set down in mid-word.

"Alec," she called out, voice clear but devoid of her usual arrogance. Her face was still as she moved from her seat, the nagging reminder that she had to set Blue free growing per second. Her eyes were glazed over, the same way they had been when she was under a trance but this time there was no song, no haunting melody to spur her on.

She had gathered Alec and Alerys, giving them their commands. In their confusion they followed her to tank and throughout it all, Isolde was uncharacteristically quiet; almost as though she was in a dazed stupor if not for her serious, but blank expression. Throughout the whole process, the blonde was vaguely aware of what was happening. She saw what she was doing and knew the consequences of her actions; yet the trance had cut off her emotions. Her actions were merely that: simple tasks, lacking fear, lacking consequence.

She was a strong, stubborn woman and had she tried, she could've stopped herself. But when it came to Blue her defenses had always been low, both physically and mentally. Even if she tried to stop, would she really want to? They say when you love someone, the desire to give into their whims become stronger than your own needs and wishes.

"Get up," Alec said to Blue, when he approached the top of the steps. "Captain wants me to carry you somewhere." There was light irritation in his voice, displeasure at having to carry a grown man twice in one day.