Wrecked

Chapter 7

The chariot pulled up to the front of the castle and the footman rushed to the door. As soon as the princess and Rogers stepped foot on the cobblestones, they were surrounded with armed guards.
"Princess, Captain Rogers, you will come with us."
She turned on the guard that spoke and he flinched, catching a glimpse of the terror of the deep behind her pretty face. "And where exactly are you taking us?"
"Before Prince Rumlow."
They were escorted, not to the throne room but to the private library of the prince. Aria squeezed Steve's hand tightly, her apprehension growing at the memory of the attempted assault the last time she'd been in the room. Though the doors closed behind them, most of the guards stayed with them, forming a phalanx around the couple.
"So you've returned then?"
Aria raised an eyebrow. "We are here, isn't that obvious?"
Rumlow charged her and raised his hand to backhand her but she didn't flinch. Her hand tightened on Steve's to prevent him from reacting. Rumlow rubbed his chin. "So you'd rather have him than me?"
"I returned for our wedding, did I not?"
"If you choose me, you can't have him. Or your little friend with the tail?" He smirked as he finally got a reaction out of her. He saw her lips part. "Your Bucky? Yes, princess, I know about him. There's not a lot I don't know." He motioned the guards to stand by the door, presumably out of earshot. "Your merman is to be killed on sight."
"No!"
"He murdered Lord Rollins." Rumlow's hands flexed. "You're lucky I don't hang or behead the both of you as accomplices." His dark brown, almost black eyes pinned the princess and her lover. "I know you're a mermaid, princess. So tell me. Where is your tail?"
"It is gone."
"Gone? Gone where?"
"I gave it up to have legs."
"How is that possible?"
"You know of the existence of merfolk and yet you ask how something magical is possible?" She tried not to sound incredulous but couldn't.
"Can you get them back?"
"Possibly."
"What do you mean possibly?"
"I have failed to accomplish my end of the bargain. I do not know what the sea witch will do."
"Sea witch?" His laugh was mirthless and cruel. "Princess, I think you're lying. I think you're able to shape shift your legs at will."
"That's ridiculous." Steve paused. "Wait, how can you understand her now?"
Rumlow smirked. He reached behind his desk to a jar. Aria gasped. A chunk of Bucky's flesh floated in the water. "Lock the Princess and Captain Rogers in her room until the wedding tomorrow. They are to have no visitors. And station a pair of guards below the balcony."
"Yes, your highness."

Dr. Banner helped Bucky to sit up. "How do you feel?"
"Heavy."
"It's the effects of gravity on your muscular body, Bucky. As well as your arm."
"My arm...?" He trailed off as he looked at the metal appendage that replaced his own. He flexed it and it moved. It responded to his thoughts. "Incredible."
"You, sir, are incredible. Your body's ability to heal plus Aria's tears, your flesh knit to the metal and circuitry like magic."
"Where is Aria?"
"She had to return to the palace."
"I must go then. She's in danger." He lunged forward but Banner stopped him.
"Steve is with her."
"He is in danger too. Rumlow plans to kill them both."
"We must hurry then."
"Just get me into the ocean. I can manage the swim."
"Alright."
Bucky looked at the sky as Lord Stark's automatons pushed the cart over the bumpy ground. He prayed to Neptune that he made it in time to save his mates.

Aria sat in front of the mirror while Steve paced the room. His white suit looked dashing on him. If it wasn't for the guards in the room, outside the room and on the balcony, Aria could imagine it was her wedding to Steve and not Prince Rumlow.
"Princess, you look too sad for it to be your wedding day." The lady in waiting fussed with the finishing touches of her hair and make-up. "Let's get you into your dress."
She stood up, giving Steve a look. He smiled sadly. Without any hesitation, she dropped her robe, in front of Steve and the guards. The lady howled in shock and bent to retrieve it but she batted her away.
Steve sighed. "Just get the dress."
"This is highly inappropriate, Captain." Steve shrugged and the lady tutted as she hurriedly brought the dress over.
"This is ridiculous, Steve. Can't I just kill him now?"
"No, my love."
She huffed and crossed her arms over her chest. "I do not want to marry him."
"It will be fine, Aria."
The lady frowned. "Captain Rogers, I am uncomfortable with your familiarity with the princess."
"I don't care. And neither does the princess." Aria smiled. He crossed the room where the lady was lacing the corset. "You have no idea what I have done for the princess. What I would and will do for her." He cupped her cheek. "You have no idea the depth of my love for this girl." His thumb caressed her cheek.
Aria smiled then kissed his palm before pulling him down into a searing yet loving kiss that made the lady in waiting gasp. "I love you, Steven." Their noses nuzzled each other back and forth. "Were I getting married to you this day, I'd be the happiest woman alive."
"Captain Rogers, this is highly inappropriate. You need to leave."
"I cannot. Prince Rumlow's orders." The lady huffed and Steve couldn't help but chuckle at her indignation.
The lovers were escorted to the docks and a rocking outcropping where the nuptials were presumably to take place. "There's my blushing bride." Rumlow grabbed her arm and yanked her against his body.
Aria felt a sense of dread overcome her as the sun sank below the horizon. A dark shape rocketed through the water then sailed through the air, knocking her and prince to the rocks.
"Bucky!" His jaw unhinged and all his fangs snarled in the Prince's face. Rumlow paled then recovered enough to signal the archers. Aria darted for her merman mate.
"Bucky, look out! Princess!" Steve leapt in front of them both. His body jerked as several arrows hit the trunk of his body.
The Princess screamed in agony. "Steve!" The prince, the priest and the guards covered their ears. The water withdrew as the sun disappeared below the horizon. The first swell crashed into them, sweeping Steve out of her hands. Bucky didn't wait for the command. He leapt into to the water after his lover.
Aria scrambled away from the water in a panic. Either Rumlow didn't notice the receding water or he didn't care. Evening night meant high tide. This was wrong...something was coming. Someone. He growled and tackled her to the rock, pinning her smaller body with his big, heavy one.
"We're not finished, princess."
Pain shot through her feet and legs. Blinding pain that felt so much worse than when her tail separated into legs. She bucked underneath him as she body tried to knit back together. The prince scrambled away in disgust. She clung to his coat tails, dragging him into the water with her at the next swell.
Rumlow fought her beneath the water but she held on as they sank, taking each blow he delivered. Her blood perfumed the water. She saw Bucky and Steve floating near the surface in a cloud of blood.
Steve cupped Bucky's face, smiling sadly. "Protect her."
"I will."
"Love her."
"I do."
"For the both of us."
"I give you my word, my lover." Their lips met in a tender kiss. Steve's body convulsed as the last of the air left his lungs and it fought to breath. Aria shrieked in sorrow, so much more painful than the physical pain of her legs knitting back together. Steve fell still against Bucky's chest.
A bright light swelled around her, blinding Bucky and Rumlow then Aria was whole again. Before she could take off after Rumlow toward the surface, a tentacle wrapped around her fin and yanked her deeper into the inky depths and further out into the water.
"Princess...you have failed."
"I know. But please, witch, grant mercy."
"There will be no mercy here. But I will give you a choice."
"What's that?"
"Kill the prince and I will let you live. With your legs. On land."
"Deal!" Her eager acceptance seemed to throw the sea witch. "I wish to make another deal."
"Careful, princess."
"I will give up my legs, even after I kill the prince, if you will save the human in Bucky's possession."
The witch thought for a moment, her tentacles caressing each other as well as the princess's body. "Very well, deal."
Aria shot through the water, like a torpedo fired at the prince. She struck him hard and fast as he surfaced, knocking him out of the water and onto the sandy beach. "You wanted proof that mermaids exist? Well, here's your proof, prince!" She wrapped her tail around his legs.
"Princess, you can't-" His protests cut off into blood-curdling screams as she drug him back into the water. Blood stained the sand with the next few waves then washed away.