Everything I Am - Orm Marius/Ocean Master

Chapter Ten - Challenged

She was back in the Royal Archives - something about their earlier research kept tugging at her brain. Something had happened in Ancient times, she was certain of it, she just couldn't figure out what. 

It was a lot of repetition,  but maybe, just maybe, they had missed something. However, as the hours dragged on, that seemed less and less likely.

Needing a change of scenery she grabbed a handful of scrolls and tablets and carried them with her to Orm's lab. She was missing him like crazy, as was Opal, and felt a little bit closer to him being in here. 

Late into the night, Atlanna came into the archives to find her daughter slumped over the table, asleep on top of a pile of scrolls. 

She smiled and gently awoke her. "Come on Aurelia, let's get you into bed." 

Groggily, and leaning on her mum for support, Aurelia left the room. It might have just been her sleepy state, but when they passed by the screen where Orm's tracker appeared, she could have sworn the screen was dark.

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The screen was  dark.

When she returned to the lab the next morning after a good night's sleep to retrieve the scrolls and tablets, she found that the tracker screen was indeed dark. 

She wouldn't call herself overly tech savvy - that was Orm's department - but no matter what she tried she couldn't get it to turn back on. 

She recruited the help of her mother and Mera, but neither of them were having any luck either. 

"Hmm," Mera hummed thoughtfully.  "It's like his tracker just  stopped. He's gone dark."

A twinge of panic filled Aurelia, but she tried not to jump to conclusions. "Could he have done that on purpose?" Yes, he could have, but she knew he would have informed them first.

"How long has it been dark like that?" Atlanna asked.

"That's just it, I don't know." Again, that panic was creeping in again. It had been a few days since they had communicated last, his mission stretching on and on with little success. 

They tried again and again, but nothing they did would reboot the system.

"I'm going to try contacting him." She grabbed the nearest tablet and called him. It rang and rang. Come on, Baby, pick up, pick up. 

Nothing. 

What was going on? 

"Okay, I'm getting really worried now."

"There's no need for us to jump to conclusions," Atlanna advised, but Aurelia could tell her mother and friend were also becoming worried. 

Their pondering was interrupted as two guards suddenly burst in then. "My Queen, you are needed urgently in the Council Chamber - there is an incoming transmission from the Deserter Kingdom."

The Deserter Kingdom? She wasn't aware there was still anyone there - or there hadn't been a few years ago when she and Mera had visited on their mission together. 

  An ill feeling was forming in her gut - something was wrong, very wrong.

She turned to her mother and friend, only to find them equally as confused. 

Mera and Atlanna followed her to the Council Chamber where the Council Members were already seated.

"What is this about a transmission from the Deserter Kingdom?" she demanded.

Instead of answering, everyone turned to one of the giant, tall screens which suddenly lit up with live footage and came alive. 

There were the ruins of the Deserter Kingdom, only now they weren't empty as they had been when she and Mera had ventured there before. Now, hulking warriors in long robes and holding weapons prowled the grounds, growling and snarling. They appeared skeletal, and were honestly terrifying. They were gathered around something - no, not something, someone. They all parted, seemingly deliberately, to reveal-

Orm. 

There  he was, stripped down to the waist and wearing a pair of loose pants. He appeared thinner, his long hair wild, and a beard starting to grow across his jaw. 

How long had he been there for? 

"Baby!"

"Aurelia - AHHH!" One of the warriors jabbed the weapon he was holding into Orm's side, shocking him. 

Aurelia jumped forward, as if she could dive right through the screen and into the awful scene. "Orm!"

"Aurelia - it's a trap!" he managed to get out before he was kicked in the gut, sending him crashing down hard to the rocks below. The Deserters howled, which sounded a lot like sick laughter. Then they dragged him away - literally. 

One guard stayed behind and came right up to the screen, his terrifying face filling it. He gave a howl and then the whole screen went dark. 

Her heart clenched, as did her fists, and her jaw.  

So her panic had been warranted - something was indeed very wrong: Orm was a prisoner. 

"Oh my God," she cried, mind racing.  "They captured him while he was out on his mission - but why, why would they do that?" She didn't wait for answers. "That's it - I'm going after him-" She turned to leave the Chamber. 

And jumped back. All the Council Members were suddenly up out of their seats, standing around her. 

"Outta my way," she commanded. "Orm's gone - I have to find him."

The Council was remarkably calm - too calm, she realized. And no one moved so Aurelia could go around them. That ill feeling now settled in her gut only grew. "You know something about this." It wasn't a question, it was a demand. Oh, they knew. 

Karshon, always the voice of the Council, spoke. "A treaty has been forged with the Fishermen Kingdom."

"A treaty? Without my input?" 

"It has been written up in an effort to stop any more damage on our oceans from the Surface. The Deserters have been ordered to take the King as their prisoner until an ultimatum can be reached. That is where you come in, My Queen: will you choose your beloved Surface, or you beloved husband?" 

She saw red - and she launched herself at them.

Atlanna was quicker though, and grabbed her and held her back while Aurelia screamed profanities. "FUCK YOU! THAT'S MY HUSBAND YOU BASTARDS! THIS IS AN ABUSE OF POWER!"

Now Mera joined Atlanna and they dragged her, kicking and screaming, out of the Council Chamber.

(Switching things up a little in the movie timeline! The rescue is one of my favourites! ;) 

Thank you so much for reading and I hope you enjoyed! :))