Bastian's Song [Complete--Editing]

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"Lies!" Arsenius roared at Varya. "How can you say something as...as...as stupid as that when I saw the letter with my own eyes?"

"If I may?" The gentle female voice interrupted the shock that was still circulating the room. Bastian shifted to look at the Atlantean ambassador, who was apparently a woman, and tried his best to reel his mind back to the present. He nodded for her to speak. 

"There is a possibility that the Selach speaks the truth." 

Arsenius opened his mouth immediately to retort, but Bastian cleared his throat. "Please, ambassador, explain yourself." He said while he eyed his uncle with what he hoped was a quelling stare.

"Thank you, Triton." The ink cloud that was the ambassador pivoted to face Varya. "If what you say is truth, and your people cannot write or read, then it would explain why you came to Nereus unarmed. You would have no other way of getting your message to us." 

Varya nodded and the ambassador continued. "Yet you also say your people do not parley. Why would you say you are here to make peace if such a thing is not the will of your people?"

Melodia hissed at that and turned her bared fangs towards Varya. "She raises a good question, Selach." Her voice rang through the room with power and Militum drew his weapon without making a noise.

Despite the obviously threatening act, Varya remained calm as she replied. "I do not come to you as a representative of my people." Her single violet eye met Bastian's with resolve. "I come to you as someone who has also suffered because of the brutality between our clans." She bit her bottom lip and fell quiet for a brief moment.

"I lost my mother in the last skirmish before your father died." Varya's eye shone bright with moisture, yet there was no gentleness in her voice. Even so, Militum slowly lowered his weapon as though he sensed no danger from her. 

"I know what it means for me to come to your territory, Naiad, and I am not stupid. I would not come all this way over treacherous territory if I did not have a way to end this. You may choose not to believe me, but I hope you will."

Again, the Atlantean spoke. "If you do not come at the behest of your people, won't you at least tell us how you intend to make peace?"

Varya shook her head. "That is something I will only say to the Triton. To reveal it to anyone else would be to risk the safety of my entire clan." 

Arsenius was trembling, his face red and his hands still clenched at his sides. "Are we done with this charade? Clearly, this little shark has been sent here to lull out the Triton, just like the letter was sent to tempt Augustus. We should kill her and send her head back to her people on a stick."

Melodia's face scrunched up as though she had just licked something extremely sour. "For once, I think I might agree with Prince Arsenius. It is too dangerous to trust this Selach." 

"I think it is worth hearing her out." Said the Atlantean. "If she is telling the truth, this could be a peaceful end to a long and drawn out war. Haven't your people suffered enough?"

All of them turned their gazes on Bastian. It seemed to him that the crown on his head grew heavier with the weight of their stares. 

A peaceful end to the war was never an option before now. All his life, he had been prepared to lead his people into a great battle that would demolish the Selachs and put a stop to their destructive tendencies. Zareb had trained beside him as a warrior and Lachlan had honed his voice to protect himself and his family on their trading journeys.

What if there really were another way? A chance to cease the bloodshed without having to sacrifice lives? All it would take is him being alone with a single Selach for an indeterminate amount of time.

Bastian's eyes traveled over Varya's chains and then over her head to meet Militum's gaze. He wanted very badly to ask for his carrier's opinion, but this was his decision now. What would Augustus have done? Bastian squared his shoulders. 

Augustus had already shown what he would have done. It had cost him his life in the end, but he had known that was a risk and he'd been willing to take it. Even though he'd had a wife and an egg waiting at home for him, he'd swam into the depths of the ocean for a slim chance at peace.

Bastian was his father's son.

"I will listen to Varya, alone. All of you, leave me."

A collective gasp went through the room at his decision. Arsenius could take no more of this. He moved forward and stood before Bastian, his eyes a bright gold. "You are making a mistake. Clearly, you are not ready for something as serious as the crown."

Melodia swam forward. "Arsenius, what are-"

Arsenius raised his voice. "Since you are not able to make the right choices for our people, then I will have to do so in your stead. Bastian, son of Augustus, I challenge your right to rule."

Melodia cried out and grabbed Arsenius' arm, spinning him to face her. "You cannot." Her claws dug into the skin of his arm, but he did not even flinch. "You made a vow, Arsenius, and I will not let you break it!" 

Bastian looked between them. "What-"

Arsenius smiled as he cut off his nephew. "I made a vow to never harm your child, Melodia." His eyes slid to Bastian. "And I see no child before me." The merman tugged his arm out of her grip. "As a descendant of Triton, I have the right to challenge the current Triton at any time. And I am choosing to exercise that right."

He glared at Bastian. "You and I shall fight under the light of the moon this very evening. And when I win, and become Triton, then this clan will go to war. We will destroy every last Selach." Then he turned and swam out of the hall, leaving everyone behind. It was too much shock in too short a time. 

Bastian lifted a hand to cover his face as his head began to pound. He had only been Triton for an hour.