Between Scylla and Charybdis

Chapter 8. The second Trial (part 2)

The disapproving glances her mother so kindly offered Scylla were no surprise. If anything, Scylla expected her to be used to the disappointment by now. But no, mother was nothing if not persistent. As she swam over, she braved her mothers glares and nestled down by her side on the elevated dais overlooking the pit. As its depths stretched out before her, a similar void turned her stomach.

Several fights were already underway, Scylla watched pairs of mer circling each other, their movements often resembling a sort of dangerous dance. Until one of them lunged and drew blood, that is...

'You're late.' Her mother growled. Scylla was supposed to lead by example, her continued tardiness was as much a stain on herself as her mother.

'I was held up.' Scylla couldn't hide the bitterness in her voice. 'Scython seemed to have some expectations regarding today.'

Scylla's mother looked at her daughter with a skeptical expression, raising one eyebrow. 'Oh? Did the two of you get along?' Of course that would be her mothers primary concern.

'He is a maniac!' Scylla spat.

With a short eyeroll, her mother dismissed her statement. 'Perhaps he's just determined? That's not a bad thing, is it? ' Alarm bells rang inside of Scylla's head. Her mother had to have seen the mark on Scython's chest by now, yet she wasn't even mentioning it. Something was off.

'Scython doesn't interest me.' she stated, in a matter-of-fact way.

Her mother grinned wide, it was enough to send a shiver of discomfort down Scylla's neck.

'Come now, Scylla,' She exclaimed in a shrewd fashion. 'I heard you say on multiple occasions that you found his appearance' she paused, seemingly looking for the appropriate word,'agreeable.' Continuing her train of thought, mother glanced over at the competitors.'On top of that, he's strong, clever, and a good fighter. What has changed?'

'Just because something looks nice, doesn't mean I want to be tied to it for the rest of my life!' She exclaimed. 'Sure, in theory he's agreeable, but look at you and father!' Mother visibly tensed.

'He was a fine mer too. You chose him and yet, I can't recall a single time when the two of you actually liked being in each other's presence.' Scylla stated.

The Matron gazed back in silence, melancholy creeping onto her face. Her lips pressed into a thin line.

'What Sylas and I had wasn't perfect, but I loved your father. In my own way.' She responded quietly.

Talking about father was hard for the both of them. They usually avoided the topic at all costs. Mother acknowledging him caught Scylla completely off-guard in this moment until she spoke once more,

'-But trust me when I say this, you can't rule on your own.' The words had a sad weight to them. 'What kind of partner do you want by your side when things get difficult? One that crumbles under pressure or one that can bolster you? One that can fight against the currents or one that gets swept away by them?'

She had a point, but at what cost? Scylla frowned. This wasn't what she wanted to hear and although she didn't want to admit it, her mother was making sense.

'Remember sweetheart. Once your mate gets swept away,--- it's just you out there.' Her mother leans in and quietly adds, 'You need to choose wisely.'

Indeed, mother had chosen wisely, and father still died. Scylla bit her lip in thought. If a matron really wanted to, she could outlive several generations of her pod. So what was the sense in getting attached to someone, if they'd get taken away regardless?