Tidepool (A Klance Surfer AU)

At the Mercy of the Enemy (Chapter 23)

Hey guys, I'm back, and I promise, the end is coming soon. For now, please keep reading, and please comment, and hope you enjoy!

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Wherever Lance woke up at, it was a bit cold, and dark. He couldn't even tell if he had opened his eyes or not, and he just floated there, in the black, inky nothingness.

Great, I died... the Haggarium killed me.

But, he did eventually see something. A light, a shiny, small, distant orb, glimmering like a faint beacon through the blackness.

"Oceania," it called. It was a raspy, older woman's voice. Definitely one Lance didn't recognize.

Lance reached out to it, before he was blinded in light.

--

Man, that was a weird dream. Lance sat up with a groan, the sick feeling still there but notably subdued. He guards outside his cell must've had a little Haggarium on them.

Oh right, Lance's cell. Well, it was nothing rather luxurious, or hardly even hospitable at that. It was just a rocky, barren room, the cell door was barred and made from metal and strong coral fused together.

Lance's wrists and arms were tied too, did he mention that? Well, it was very strong rope, and very uncomfortable.

Lance yawned before realizing he already had visitors. One was the Locust guy-- no wait, Lo-tor, yeah, that's it. One was the Lotor guy, the other, some robed old lady Lance hadn't seen before in his life, and good thing too.

Lotor grinned down at him. Lance smirked back with a glare.

"Glad your finally awake, Oceania," Lotor cooed. "I wanted my toy to be awake when I played with him."

"Ugh, games?" Lance retorted with mild sarcasm. "I hate games. Can I call a rain check?" He honestly did hate games. There was no point in them, except maybe making you tired and passing time.

"Cute and funny," Lotor smiled with a chuckle. "You keep growing more and more attractive--"

"Enough, Lotor," the female beside him sighed. Clearly she was sickened by the prince. She wasn't the only one. "You'll have time for your shenanigans with the prisoner later. Zarkon wishes to speak to the Oceania face to face."

"Haggar, you always have to ruin my fun," Lotor grumbled back as he stepped forward and snatched Lance's face again.

Those blue orbs that glared angrily back at Lotor, they truly were beautiful, as if they held entire oceans. The anger in them was obvious, but what Lotor really liked, what the Oceania was hiding deep inside, was the fear and sadness that formed grey specks in the blue, making his eyes even more beautiful. 

Yes, Lotor would enjoy playing with him later, and bringing that fear and sadness to the surface.

Lotor released him and turned away as two guards entered and hauled Lance to his feet, shoving him after Lotor and Haggar as the procession moved through many identical corridors.

Lotor and Haggar rounded a corner, before Lotor abruptly came to a stop. "Wait," he grinned. Lance really distrusted the sick smile twisted on the prince's face. "Why don't we make this more memorable for the Oceania? I think he's a little too satisfied with his current situation."

"Fine, make it fast," Haggar sighed. She really hated Lotor and his childish whims that she had to carry out.

"This way," Lotor motioned, and Haggar watched as Lotor and the Oceania proceeded down the rows of prison cells. She knew what he was doing, and it was admittedly smart, but still, they had Zarkon waiting on them, and he wasn't a very patient emperor.

Lance knew what Lotor was doing too, and he hated the Prince even more for it. "Where is he, Lotor?"

"Now, is that any way to speak to a prince?" Lotor pouted. "Call this a gift, but I wanted to test a theory."

Lotor then stopped, turned, and smiled at a cell's occupant on his right. Lance reluctantly stepped forward. He froze when he saw the prisoner inside, the one he had gotten captured. The mer he was kidnapped by in the beginning, the one who was by his side ever since, despite his crazy notions and ideas.

"Keith!"

The boy that was curled up in the corner of the floor jerked up as he recognized the beautiful voice.

"Lance!"

The two dove towards each other, but with both of their arms tied behind their backs, they couldn't comfort each other except for resting their foreheads together through the bars. It was then that Lance spotted the bloody gashes and bruises littering Keith's pale skin.

"Keith, I'm so sorry, it's my fault you're in here and hurt--"

"This is nothing, I've taken worse. But are you okay? I swear if they hurt you--"

"I'm fine, but I don't know for how much longer. They're taking me to Zarkon," Lance informed before he was pulled away. Keith's eyes widened. 

No way, no way, no way...! No wonder the Galra hadn't touched Lance yet, or interrogated him like they had tried to do to Keith. Zarkon wanted Lance healthy and strong before he annihilated the Oceania, the only threat to his empire.

The two struggled to be back together, but Lance's thrashing was futile as Lotor led him away.

He was right. This would make his time with the Oceania way more interesting.

"No! Lance! Lance!!" Keith cried as he watched Lance disappear around the corner. Keith slammed himself against the bars, again and again.

Lance bit back tears as the echoes of Keith's cries and banging slowly faded out of earshot. A few silent minutes later, the group rejoined with Haggar, paused at a pair of massive doors.

Haggar gave a single knock.

"What is it?"

"Emperor, we brought him."

It was silent on the other side. Only for a few moments, but in those short moments, Lance could sense what was beyond the doors. The most vile, evil, conniving mer in all of the seas.

Zarkon...

And Lance couldn't imagine what Zarkon would do to him. If it scared Keith, then Lance was definitely terrified. Lance's fear spiked when a deep, gravelly voice answered.

"Enter."