Between Scylla and Charybdis

Chapter 27.

"No."

There wasn't really any need to look at her mother. Scylla knew what she would find. A disappointed scowl at best, but way more likely was the face of sheer and utter disgust.

"No daughter of mine will be mated to such a creature." The sound of Agathis' voice rumbled with all of the authority a Mer Matron could possess, infused with just a fraction of her magic to top it off. The very rock would tremble and grovel before her if it were possible. Not that the cave needed any more rumbling...

Braving her mother when she was like this never ended well, but Scylla had to try, because backing away meant giving in. And giving in meant losing. If Agathis wanted Scylla to be matron, then standing up to her really wasn't optional anymore. As if sensing Scylla's anger spike, Charybdis stilled at her back. If only she could look back at him, and draw whatever courage she lacked to fully stand up to her mother.

"I invoke the law of Exceptions." The older female growled with a desperate finality.

Scylla drew in a deep breath while processing her mothers words. The law of exceptions? Feeling every cell in her body go cold, Scylla couldn't believe what she'd just heard.

"The law of Exceptions? What's the law of Exceptions?" Charybdis hissed, his tail swept across the floor in short agitated strokes. Merfolk didn't have a great deal of laws or rules, but the few they had were as unbending as stone. Every pod has to be ruled by a Matron. Loyalty to your pod is paramount. Everyone looks out for pups. A mating bond is forever...Those were a few of the obvious ones. Breaking any of those could get a mer tossed out of their pod or worse.

Invoking the law of Exceptions was something only a Matron could do, and it basically meant those rules could be broken without repercussion.

Midas appeared by Scylla's side, his head and fins lowered in a submissive posture.

"Mother..., perhaps that is a bit harsh. The two of you should at least talk this through."

If Scylla wasn't still recovering from the shock, she would have embraced her poor brother. He looked positively terrified, standing up to mother never was his strong suit, but he tried so damned hard. Alas, the beating of her own heart caused her to be blind to the attempts to soothe their mother, as well as Charybdis' ever increasing agitation. The commotion in the caves sounded so very far away at this point.

What will you do, Little female? Breaking a mating bond will rend you apart. She knows this too.

Then it all came crashing back, bouldering and screaming, causing her scales to ripple with malicious intent.

"I've been mated for all of two minutes, and you already wish to break my mating bond?" Even her own voice had a foreign ring about it. Soft and squeamish. "You'd rather sink your claws into my soul, than just let me be happy?"

Charybdis stirred slightly, filling the hall with a low growl.

"That's not what she is saying! Right?" Midas interjected, placing himself in the crossfire. "Let's all lower our claws and try to discuss this..."

True to form, mother blatantly ignored Midas, her gaze softening ever so slightly as she honed in on her daughter. Scylla reckoned that, at least in her mothers eyes, she was a poor, vulnerable, distraught, heartbroken female. That wasn't at all how Scylla really felt though, but she'd play along for a bit.

"All a mother wants is for her pups to be happy." Agathis sighed, using the word 'pups', to cruelly include Midas into the conversation, which provoked the tiniest imperceivable shudder in him. Scylla only noticed, because she'd learned to look for his tells.

"But this, whatever this is..." she pointed between Scylla and Charybdis. "Isn't happiness. It's a trick. He'll use you for what you're worth and then toss you aside like a broken toy. You can't truly be this daft, girl?"

Daft little girl. Made poor decisions and now has to face the consequences.

Scylla lowered her head, trying to shut out those paralyzing thoughts.

A laugh broke through her numbed state. Scylla turned, only to see Charybdis right next to her, close enough to touch.

"As fun as it is to have a female fight my battles, I'm afraid I draw the line at having my mate insulted by a dirty old crone right in front of me." Charybdis didn't really have fins in this form, but Scylla could picture them raising. It was absolutely glorious.

"Something will break alright, but it won't be us two." Watching her mate bare his fangs at her mother sent a strange thrill through Scylla. The corner of her mouth curled up slightly. Not really the time for that though.... Especially because her poor brother would still aid his mother if it came down to a fight. No, this needed to be resolved without bloodshed.

"I refuse the law of Exceptions." Scylla pushed back against Charybdis. Tracing a palm down his arm, the male let out a low uncharacteristic purr and allowed himself to lurk back. When Scylla turned to face her mother again, her mind was made up.

"Either we both stay, or we both leave." Seeing her mothers face sour, she quickly added. "I really don't prefer one way over the other."

Silly female, thinking she's all grown up now. Mother's angry. Oh, so angry.

Annoyed at the ever present self doubt, Scylla didn't wait for her mother to come up with a response. She merely grabbed her mate's arm and turned to leave, but before she could, something tugged at her tail. This time it was Midas who stopped her, his mouth hung open while staring at the black void in the center of the chamber.

"This isn't just me, you all heard that voice too this time, right?"

A tickle of recognition nibbled at the back of Scylla's mind as everyone slowly turned towards the blackness. A rumbling low snicker wafted up from the void below, followed by a voice as thundering and oppressive as a thunderstorm.

Took you pests long enough.