The Little Merman

Chapter Twenty-Eight: "Mothers"

Nathan gave Smee the slightest of understanding nods. Smee then looked to the council room door, before leaning around him to cut his hands free. The rope fell free of Nate's wrists and Smee backed up from him with a nervous expression. Was he expecting him to attack him anyway? Smee turned the dagger over to offer him the handle as he gestured with it and informed him softly. "Go that way. I'm going to count to thirty and then I have to tell Hook. That's all I can do for you. The rest is up to you." Nate quickly signed to him with a worried face. "Why are you doing this for me?" Smee smirked a little, telling him in a warm honest voice. "Let's just say that... I have a sweet spot for Mermaids. Especially mothers. And I owe yours a debt." Nate forced himself up onto his aching legs, accepting the dagger from him. Nate started to move away, but Smee grabbed his arm to stop him. Nate looked back at him a little worried, until Smee reluctantly told him. "One more thing. Hit me."

Nate shook his head, but Smee told him firmly. "Hook won't believe my story unless you hit me. Right here." Smee pointed to his cheek and took a breath to brace himself. Nathan didn't want to hit him. Smee smirked when he realized that Nathan couldn't bring himself to do it. So, he told Nathan with a sudden flawless and smug grin. "I kissed you mother." In that moment, Nathan had no trouble punching Smee hard across the face. Smee was knocked off his feet from the blow but gave him a thumbs up and waved him off as he groaned in pain on the floor. Nathan didn't waste time. He turned and began to run down the hallway. He really hoped that Smee had been lying about that. He didn't like the idea of his mom kissing anyone other than his dad... and even if she did. It was a comfort to think that she did it to kill them and not because she liked it. Running out into the study, Nate tripped as his leg gave out. Tumbling over the carpet, he winced and looked at his legs. The tops of his feet were covered in fresh blood. His legs felt so stiff, and pain was making it hard to bend them.

Tears of pain fell from his eyes as he pushed himself into getting up on all fours. His time was running out. Groaning sharply in pain, he forced himself to stand back up through the pain. Stumbling to the balcony doors, he unlocked them and shoved them open, but fell again. Grabbing his thigh, he tried to collect his fleeting breath as he felt his pants soaking. Lifting his hand, he saw the blood and whined a little. The cuts were opening farther up his legs now. From the main hall, a pirate called out as he noticed him. "HEY! Where do you think you are going?!" Nathan cursed; he didn't have the strength for this. The pirate drew his sword and stomped up to him, yelling out. "PRISONER ESCAPE!" The pirate grabbed Nathan's ankle, dragging him back into the castle. Nathan clawed the floor, whining in breathless bursts of pain. Nathan rolled over, trying to claw at the pirate's hand to keep him from dragging him. The strain on his leg was too much pain for Nathan to handle. Just as he scratched the pirate's hand, Nathan gasped as blood speckled over his face. A spear had burst through the pirate's chest!

The pirate's body fell to the floor, revealing his mother. She pulled the decorative spear from the pirate, turning on her human legs to see a group of pirates rush into the room with swords at the ready. Seeing her naked body, they skidded to halt with growing lusty expressions. At least until they saw the dead pirate behind her. Nathan raised a hand and started to sign something out to her. He felt helpless. Although, his mother was anything EXCEPT helpless. Facing them, she moved fast. Lifting her spear to lunge it out to stab a pirate in the throat like she was just giving him a lethal sting. Then pulling it back, she slashed the throat of another pirate and blocked the swords from two others. Tilting the spear to make their swords slid down one side, she impaled the spear into the floor and brought her legs up to kick the two back. They fell back on their asses as she swung around the spear and landed gracefully on her knees. Breaking the spear into two pieces, she picked them up and threw them into the chests of the two pirates as they got to their feet.