Savia's Heart [Sequel to Bastian's Song] [HIATUS]

[ 6 ]

[ Lachlan ]

They swam north and the water grew colder and colder around them. Militum did not seem to notice the lack of heat, though his face grew even more grim as they traveled. Lachlan could not help but study the broad-shouldered merman as they moved together.

Militum was a striking specimen of muscle and scar, and his short blonde hair was a shock against the blue of the water. His tail was long and powerful and he moved with a surety of motion that only a warrior could. Every motion was carefully fluid and he gave thought to each flip of his tail, correcting for the currents of the water and to give himself the best view of their surroundings.

Silence followed the pair for a week until Lachlan finally broke. He could only hum songs to himself so long before he needed to converse. "Are we going to pass through Anthemusa on the way?" He'd heard stories about the homeland of the Undine, and a big part of him wanted to see if there was any truth to them.

Militum was silent for a moment. "Yes. Though I'd rather we didn't."

"Why?" Lachlan asked the question as easily as a hatchling. Curiosity had always driven him to learn as much as he could.

For a second, Lachlan didn't think Militum would answer him. Then the big merman sighed the sigh of a beleaguered parent. "It is a long story, little one, and I'm not sure it's even relevant to us. The short of it is that Anthemusa is many wonderful things, but it is not welcoming to outsiders. Which we both would qualify as."

Lachlan made a face of disbelief. "But you were born there, weren't you? And so was Queen Melodia. Surely her family would help us to find her son?" That's what family did. Lachlan knew that as surely as he knew the Moon loved to dance.

Militum's squared his shoulders. "Melodia gave up her clan to marry Augustus." He said the name with a sneer that shocked Lachlan. He'd never heard Militum speak poorly of anyone before, but when he spoke Augustus' name it sounded like a curse. "Bastian is not part of the Undine, and they would give him no thought unless he were present with the power of the Naiads behind him."

Lachlan gaped, his lips opening and closing uselessly as a thousand different thoughts ran through his head. The riotous thoughts finally settled down until one clear thought remained. "Shall we try and sneak past the Undine then? Though I've no ideas for how we would move through their waters unknown."

The blonde merman took a full minute to respond. "Trying to go around them would require us to go several days outside of our intended path and through the Trenches of the Fallen Kings. It would be dangerous."

Lachlan felt panic well up inside of him. His magic was one thing he was sure of, but physical combat did not suit him. Danger was always best avoided in the first place, in his opinion. "Then what are we goi—"

"Enough." Militum cut him off by making a sharp motion with his left hand. "I would rather never swim through the pale coral of Anthemusa again, if I could help it. But we do not have time to waste. We will go through Anthemusa, and the Sirens will lend their aid to us, even if they curse us in the same breath."

The relief Lachlan had been feeling at the news of traveling through a safe city immediately vanished at the mention of cursing. "Why would they help us if they didn't want to?"

"Because, little one," Militum spoke softly, "you are the Jewel of the Triton. You carry his authority with you, and the Sirens will respect it, even if they do not like it. They will lend us food and weapons and something even more important."

Lachlan waited to hear the rest, but Militum remained silent this time. The copper-haired merman swam in front of Militum and held out his hands in a stopping gesture. "Now hold on just a minute, Militum. It's all well and good that you've got a plan worked out, but it doesn't do us any good if you don't explain it to me. I'm your partner on this expedition, in case you forgot, not a witless hatchling for you to guard over."

Militum's stony expression softened as he considered Lachlan. Finally, he smiled the smallest of smiles; barely a turning up of the lips. "Very well, Lachlan. As you say." He rolled a shoulder and met Lachlan's green eyes with seriousness.

"The three Sirens rule the Undine with power and respect, and they do not recognize any other clan's authority within their waters. They are cunning and diplomatic beyond belief. However, when the Undine were caught in war with the Atlanteans many years ago, it was the Triton of the Naiads who came to their aid and gave them the power to sink Atlantis. So the Sirens will honor the word of the Triton when he comes to them for aid." He paused and swallowed hard.

Lachlan marveled that Militum had said so many words at once. It was like a dream that painted him with surprise.

"If you go to them in Bastian's name, as his Jewel, they will entreat with you. If you command of them travel supplies, they will give it to you. And if you demand a gift worthy of the gods, they will bare their fangs as they hand it over. The important part of this is that the Sirens never find out you are not sent to them by Bastian's command. If they discover our deceit, they will bind us and throw us to the viperfish."

Alarm spread through Lachlan. "But won't they know I'm lying the second I say Bastian's name? Everyone knows he is missing!"

A smirk pulled one side of Militum's mouth up into a sarcastic expression that almost knocked Lachlan over. "The Sirens don't keep up with news from other clans. They believe it to be beneath them. They won't know if we don't tell."

Lachlan's tail spasmed with anxiety. "Are you sure about this?"

Militum nodded. "I know the Sirens, Lachlan. I know how they think and how to handle them. Besides, we need a gift. If we do not find something appropriate, the augur might not speak for us. And goddess knows we haven't anything the Sun might want upon us."

That was a point Lachlan had also considered. Among the pair of them, the only things of value they carried were Melodia's vitae gem, the charmed armband Lachlan wore, and...

"What about the Pearl?" Lachlan whispered.

Militum went rigid. "No."

"No? But surely the Sun would not turn it away?"

"It belongs to Bastian," Militum hissed. And he swam around Lachlan, his large tail brushing against the smaller merman's shoulder as he swam.

"It...belonged..." Lachlan shook his head. He lifted his chin and turned to follow Militum into the cold waters of the Undine, with the ghost of his brother trailing them in their wake. 

Checking in with our curly-haired merman is always a delight. I wonder how many of you have read "Under the Sea"? 

If you have, it's going to be a fun visit back to Militum's home, though you may recall it ended less than pleasantly for him last time. Still, there are some characters lurking there that will make the drama of Arsenius look tame. 

If you haven't, that's a-okay. You didn't need to cry today anyway, right? >.>

Thanks for reading, as always!