Beauties and Beasts Pt 2

Chapter 167

Shorter chapter this time but we finally get introduced to a real life Merman who... immediately gets his butt handed to him three ways to Tuesday. Sorry, Blue Pool, Orson's gotta hit somebody and first hired.... well, you understand.

"Unhand me, I will speak to my Queen!" The group heard the shrill voice long before they saw the speaker, carried in front of Tony like a sacrifice, hands and feet bound with one hand. Fresh scratches oozed on the Bear's face, not obscuring the wide smile.

"Neara! I caught the Fish guy!"

"Merman! I am a mer man!" He enunciated each syllable with a shriek. He twisted and writhed so much it was hard to see his face, but there was no mistaking his silky blue hair dragging in the dirt.

"It's that one guy." Recognition hit Neara like a truck and while she was relieved he wasn't dead... she wasn't sure she was, actually.

"Ah yes, that one guy. Different than the other one guys."

"Nobody's impressed, Orson." Ethel untied her skirt from between her legs and fluffed it out, dragging Benedict behind her. "So who's that one guy?"

"I... don't remember his name."

"Blue Pool."

The group turned slightly to stare at Willem, casually dangling while the merman writhed and jerked against Tony's tight grasp.

"His name is Blue Pool. He's of the Merman Clan and thinks you are his Queen, kidnapped long ago. Their kingdom is shrinking and without her producing more eggs, they'll disappear in a few short years."

Blue Pool's eyes widened and he thrashed even more. "How could you know... our numbers far outnumber yours, sunless whalefall!" He pursed his lips and blew, which probably would have produced bubbles underwater, but on land just looked ridiculous. He didn't seem to achieve the effect he was going for, so he shrunk into himself, ashamed.

"It's not hard to eavesdrop on those who dwell near the surface. They're so full of themselves and thinking they're the only dangerous creature in the ocean, they don't think about looking down." Willem's voice, with biting words, was surprisingly monotone, as if he were just narrating a documentary instead of commenting on a volatile situation in which he was a captive. The sudden thought of Willem on NatGeo a la David Attenborough made her smile.

"Also, they can only hold one thought at a time, and currently their halibut mind is focused on finding their Queen," he continued.

"Queen?" She turned to look at Blue Pool, who suddenly blushed and looked away. "You think I'm your queen?"

Orson's face hit his hand so hard it caused a small wind to blast through the group. "For the love of gods, who doesn't think you're some magical woman in charge of saving everybody?"

"Shay." The sudden thought pricked her skin and she shivered. Shay couldn't know these mermen were here or her mates would freak. Shay told them everything, obviously a good thing and a sign of trust, but it meant if Neara wanted to get the mermen to stop harassing their shores... she'd need one of them alive to act as ambassador. "Nobody tell Shay or her mates that Willem and Blue Pool are here, ok?"

"Yes, because we obviously talk to them all the time. I was just talking to Parker a few minutes ago; we're real buddy-buddy. Of course, it's all just a ruse to get closer to Muir... mmm, those shoulders." Benedict rubbed his hands together and made a noise like he was licking his lips though there was no tongue in sight.

Ethel smacked Benedict, saving Neara the trouble of doing it herself.

"I have returned with proper tribute, Prophesied One!"