Aquagirl (Fem. Percy x YJ)

63

"Kaldur'ahm, may I speak to you for a moment?" My king looked over at me.

"Of course my king." I said and followed him towards my room. My steps were heavy, reluctant. Weight settled in my chest.  Every single thing he could want to talk about ran through my mind. Everything ranging from what they did to me, to what I did to Percy, to if my gills will heal. None of the topics were pleasant.

My king stood, gesturing for me to take a seat on my bed. I nodded and sat down. He sighed, running a hand through his hair.

"May I look at your gills?" he asked.

I nodded. He moved towards me, gently touching my gills. My hands curled into fists, nails digging into my palm as I attempted to distract myself from the pain.

"I know it hurts, my son, but they appear to be healing. Whether or not they will function, we must wait and see, but this is a step in the right direction." He sat down. Seconds later he engulfed me in a tight hug.

"My king-" I struggled to pull away from him.

"You need affection. Garth and Ronal have told me how you refuse to hug or accept any other forms they offer. It is a miracle you survived the three months without any. If you go much longer..." he trailed off and tightened his grip on me.

"Why are you being so kind to me?" I whispered, half-hoping it would be too soft for him to hear. Unfortunately, the king has always had a sharp sense of hearing.

"Why wouldn't I be?"

"You know what I did. You have to. There is no way that you do not know what happened. So why haven't you killed me yet?!"

Despite my outburst, the king did not release me. Of course, he pulled me away from him to stare, but his grip on me was too strong to break.

"Kaldur, what are you talking about?"

I swallowed and lifted my chin. I stared my king in the eyes and said, "I was the one who tortured Percy."

What pity resided in his eyes broke. It turned to anger. I ducked my head, doing my best to ignore the tears dripping down my face.

"Why...why would you willingly hurt your sister, the person you are supposed to protect?!" His anger seeped into his voice. My skin icons lit, as a reflex from years of dealing with Percy's outbursts.

"It was better that way."

"I fail to see how hurting her was the better option. She is the stronger of the two of you. You only put her in harm's way."

The more my king scolded and lectured me, the more of his anger came out through his voice. I stopped paying attention, staring at my hand. My eyes fixated on the scar in the middle of my palm where a dagger had been impaled.

Pain surged up my arm. I gritted my teeth, trying not to cry out. Still, despite my hardest attempts a gasp broke through. It was lost among the king's words.

"Give me one solid reason on why I should not put you on trial for treason."

Those words broke my attention away from the scar that would fade in time. I stared up at the king. "My king, please. Do not make me speak of this. I am begging you. I...I do not fare well when it comes to the memories. I do not wish to remember how Percy looked after I hurt her. I can barely look at her anymore, because I know I'll see that same expression. That same terror."

The same terror I'd see on her face as I raised the knife. The same terror I'd see as her blood splashed against me. The same terror I'd see as I forced into water with her gills bound.

I buried my finger in my hair and tugged at it, trying to distract myself.

The same terror I'd see when I'd force poison down her throat. The same terror I'd see as I played the same part day after day, brother turned zealous torturer.

I had to pretend, I had to make it look like I enjoyed what I was doing. If not another dagger would be taken to my gills.

"Kaldur!" Hands pulled my hands away from my gills. I did not realize I had moved them. King Orin stared at me, anger still in his eyes. But now it was coupled with another emotion, worry.

He rested a hand on my shoulder. "Let's not discuss this, my son. Full recovery is not guaranteed, and you damage them again it may never be possible."

I nodded, breathing out. I leaned against the king, curling into his side. Despite the anger still lingering in his eyes, he wrapped an arm around me.

"I am speaking with Mera on possible ways for Lori to visit. Sha'ark wishes to visit as well, but with how prone Percy is to reopening injuries I doubt it would be a good idea." He continued to talk, not truly wishing for my input.

The constant sound of his voice was soothing, a reminder that he had saved me. A reminder that I was safe, that Percy was safe. A small smile appeared on my lips.

"What is that smile for?" No malice was held in his words, he was teasing me, much as he used to before the Team was formed.

"I missed you, my king."

He smiled and tightened his arm around me. "I missed you as well."

Finally got something accomplished today.

Well, besides stuff for a DnD campaign I'm going to run with my cousins (not the ones I normally play with) it's gonna be a fun time.

See yah