Black Hearted

Part 46

Mark stood tied to the mast, taking all this information in with wide eyes. He knew Sean was special, but this was beyond him. His crime just kept getting worse. First, he had kidnapped a prince, then the future king of Atlantis. Now he was tempting the wraith of a sea god because he had kidnapped his son. His year just kept getting worse. He was starting to think he was cursed deeper than that tattoo. Sighing heavily, he glanced at the kneeling merpeople around him. It appeared everyone had known about Sean... Except for Sean. Sean staggered back a step or two, telling the man that raised him in a shaky voice. "When were you going to tell me?" The Northern king lifted a hand, taking a step toward Sean as he answered gently. "I don't know. I was trying to keep you in the dark, because the more you know... The more danger you put yourself in." Sean huffed, looking at the kneeling merpeople with watery eyes.

The Merking continued to inch closer, comfortingly telling him. "Sean, you must understand. We are safe on our island. In time, you'll learn just as I did that Atlantis isn't a place. It's our people. They need you. You can protect them." Mark gritted his teeth, bitterly shouting out. "Where are MY people?!" The Merking shot him a scowl, but Sean growled out seriously. "Answer him." The Merking rolled his eyes, looking to Sean as he told him dismissively. "We bewitched them off the ship. Left them at that port. They are not important. Sean, have you heard a thing I've said?" Sean shifted on his feet anxiously, muttering out. "I am listening... You want me to hide away on an island and protect our people... But what about what I want?" The Merking reached out to grab Sean's arms, telling him desperately. "Sean... As a prince... We don't get a choice. We must think about our people. Our people need a beacon of hope... and that is YOU. We haven't heard from Poseidon in years... You are the closest thing to him that we have."

Mark watched Sean lock eyes with him, before telling the Merking boldly. "I understand... but I feel Atlantis calling me. I have to go." The Merking grabbed Sean's face, snapping out sternly. "NO! The call you are hearing isn't Atlantis... It's the Sirens trying to lore you home! Atlantis is lost!" Mark saw a few of the merpeople bring the anchor over to him and his heart bolted from his chest. Someone cut him free and before he could run, they grabbed him. They dragged him by his arms to the anchor and he kicked wildly to try to stop them. His grunting and fowl curses drew Sean's attention to him. They shoved him to the anchor and began tying him to it. Sean tried to go to him, only to be stopped by the Merking's firm hand to his chest. Sean swatted the Merking's hand off him, shouting out bitterly. "Let him go!" The Merking shook his head, answering sternly. "No. He killed our people. We don't show them mercy." Sean stared into the Merking's eyes, growling out. "You want me to go back home? Let him and Nate go."

Mark tugged against the ropes, shouting out. "Don't bargain away your freedom!" One of the merpeople started to gag him and he bit their hand. Getting a punch in return, he reluctantly accepted getting gaged. Sean tensed, shouting louder. "Do you want to invoke the wraith of Poseidon by hurting me like this?!" The Merking puffed himself up, answering boldly. "You can't let criminals wonder free. You must set a firm line. He killed our people. He will pay for them with the loss of his own." Sean locked eyes with the Merking, growling out. "How many of their people have you killed? How many of our own? Were you ever held accountable?" The Merking lifted his trident up defensively, uttering out coldly. "What are you implying, Sean? The Elders already judged me for that. I was protecting our people. HE killed them for nothing." Sean stood his ground, stating out loud. "He was protecting his own people too. In his world, they must have things to survive. You'd kill him for protecting HIS people."

The Merking shouted back at Sean. "Their greed is not my problem! They should know better than to kill people for such petty things. A life is worth more than some cold piece of metal!" Sean roared over the Merking. "How can they learn if we don't show them! You can't punish someone who grew up learning to survive that way! If you want them to change, you have to show them another way to live!" The Merking pointed his trident at Mark, yelling out. "THEY abandoned us when WE needed them! Let them suffer! They don't deserve a paradise! They deserve every bit of their pathetic existence!" Sean blinked, telling the Merking in a sudden soft tone. "Do you hear yourself...? You're judging them based on something that happened a lifetime ago... You'd rather hate them your whole life? You'd rather force ME to hate them my whole life? You don't know a person's true nature until you give them a chance to show you. You want me to lead our people? Fine. Let me show you what I've learned."