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Chapter Text

When I first fell from my ship, all I could focus on were the brilliant reds and dazzling oranges of the fire. Next came the shock once the freezing water enveloped my body. My hands, already starting to become numb from the temperature, try to unbuckle my belt which carries heavy weapons. What use is a trusted weapon when you're fighting against something that does not bleed? My air starts to run out because of my panicked movements and my arms slow down increasingly , as well as my legs. I sink, the bright light of the fire on the surface fading away. My mouth opens in a futile attempt to cry for help, air bubbles rising to the surface and displaying the loss of the little air I have left. My vision becomes blurry and then dark at the edges as my lungs burned agonisingly slow, craving oxygen. 

Something touches my face, but I cannot respond to the contact. The sensation goes away, only to wrap around my right bicep. It tugs and I feel the water moving around me. I force my eyes open to try and see what could possibly be pulling me through the dark space of the ocean. It becomes increasingly difficult to focus, but I make out the vague shapes of reef sharks as well as a fluther of moon jellyfish. My eyes soon close once again, the tugging from the unknown source becoming more urgent. The burning in my lungs stop - am I dying? Am I already dead? 

Something cold touches my lips. I wouldn't have felt anything if I were dead, right? A burst of air fills my lungs and my body responds accordingly by coughing up every drop of water I inhaled. It hurts, but it felt good to finally be able to breathe again. A few more hacking coughs and I am allowed to inhale and exhale with ease. I open my eyes cautiously, finding a dimly lit light roof above me. Roof is the incorrect word for what I see, actually. A dark dome of glistening rocks stretches over me, dew-like drops falling to the smooth rock bedding on which I am lying on. My dark coloured eyes sway to my left. The dark stone wall merges with the floor, effectively creating a fishbowl shape. I turn my head to the right. I may have been in too much shock to scream, but my eyes lock onto something I have only ever dreamed of. 

A mermaid. Well, to be specific, a merman. He has deep blue eyes which practically reflect the waters that surround him. Dark brown hair, which drips with water, is plastered to his forehead. I expected his skin to be milky white but instead it's an exotic tanned brown. Ears are replaced with extensions of the ear cartilage and joined by a thin, blue webbing. His fingers are also joined by the same blue webbing. The first six vertebrae on his back seem to extend into cartilage-like fins for streamlining. His lower body is hidden from sight, since he's half submerged in the water. 

Speaking of the water, I could swear that it is glowing. I try to lift my head to look at the mysterious light, but a piercing headache stops me and leaves me groaning in agony. 

"Try and be still," the merman suddenly speaks. I shift my gaze to him once again - he's leaning on his elbows and watching me intently with those beautiful blue eyes. A scowl forms on my face as I look away quickly, ignoring all following thoughts on the creature's looks. "What do the surface dwellers call you?" Once again, my dark eyes snap back to the merman. It's like he has me under some spell - his voice is alluring and captivating. 

"Keith Kogane," I breathe out. This siren is probably going to reel me in with that dazzling smile he's showing now and then drown me. He's going to feed my corpse to his pet shark and I'll disappear from this Earth and- 

"In your language, my name would be pronounced as 'Lance'." My thoughts are stopped by his smooth voice again. Why couldn't I have gotten such a velvety voice? Mother always said that a  deep and rough voice is all the craze for women - the sound of Lance's voice is much more appealing to me. The merman leans forward and swipes my hair out of my face, feeling my temperature. "Well, you're not dying, that's for sure." 

How come my face feels so hot now? Am I going into shock? Shouldn't I be cold, then? "I feel like I'm in heaven, though," I say before I could stop myself. The merman stops, looking at me intensely. Oh dear Mody Dick, did I just scare off the most darling creature I've ever met? Here I am, a feared pirate on all the seven seas, and I blush like a maiden meeting the King of England. I am supposed to take the merman like he belongs to me in the first place! 

Then why am I not? Because he saved my life? Because he's so mythical and gorgeous? His tanned skin is absolutely flawless, and his torso is well muscled because of such vigorous swimmimg his entire life. I catch sight of his tail - a sparkling array of blues and purples, and the fins are swaying with his elegant movements and -- Davy Jones have mercy on my soul. 

"I guess the sunken ship brought me sunken treasure as well," Lance replies. He has a smug look on his face, his head leaning on his webbed hand. I slowly attempt to sit up, my head much clearer now that it was before. Our eyes, a dangerously dark and brilliant blue pair, examine the other male in front of us. Sunken treasure, ey? 

Looks like I might be able to have this merman for myself after all. 

Chapter Text

The dome of the cave reflects the glow of the jellyfish perfectly, making me wonder if some kind of jewel rests on the cave's top. My fingers itch with the urge to find out, but the splash of water draws my attention. I look over, seeing that Lance has returned from his quick journey. In his webbed hand is a piece of broken coral. I raise a sceptical eyebrow at the offering.

"Come on, eat it! I swear it doesn't taste bad!" he says with a reassuring grin. "This is what we give to Surface Dwellers to allow them to breathe underwater." He holds his hand out closer to me. I frown at the offering, but I take it anyway. In the time Lance was underwater, my clothes have dried and now only my hair drips a bit. The coral feels wet in my palm and I take a hesitant bite out of it. The texture is like wet bread and the taste like a barrel of rotten fruit left in the sun. I spit it out and cry out in disgust, all the while listening to Lance tear up with laughter.

"You slimy fish!" I curse and try to hit the merman's head, but he ducks into the glowing water. His head is half submerged and his glowing white teeth shines as he grins at me.

"Alright, alright, I'll stop my joking," Lance says once he lifts his head. "You'll have to dive in so I can perform my magic." With that, he disappears into the water below. I have to look at the water for a while before I gain enough courage to even consider plunging into the cold again. A pirate lives side by side with the ocean, so water is second nature to me. Yet, after the crash of my ship, I seem to be hesitant of the ocean. I dip my hand into the water, biting my lip.

How long have I been with the ocean? Most probably all of my life. Even as a young lad, I can remember sneaking away into the night to steal my own mountain of treasure - it only accumulated to a small chest full. I laugh at the pride that I once felt, since the amount of gold alone that I collect nowadays is equal to the King's rich inventory. In the span of ten years, I have conquered the sea and made her my loyal mistress. Starting from the age of ten, I have clawed my way to the top and am the most feared pirate - the youngest to ever rule the seven seas at the age of twenty.

With that in mind, I suck in a breath of air and dive into the water. I try to open my eyes, but the saltwater burns and forces me to close them again. A gentle hand touches my cheek soon after - it feels cold. I open my eyes once I recognise the sensation and I breathe in the new air around me. It looks like a large bubble is enveloping my head, with rainbow colours reflecting every now and then. I blink rapidly in response to Lance suddenly appearing in front of me. He gives me a toothy grin.

"How?" is all I can say.

"Magic," is Lance's simplified answer. "The surface of the bubble extracts the oxygen in the water around you and dissolves the carbond dioxide. Distortion of light is also corrected as well as the difference in speed of sound." I have no idea what Lance is talking about, but he seems to know what he's saying so I have to nod in fake agreement. Lance holds out his webbed hand and I take it with only a little hesitation lurking at the back of my mind. His fingers curl around my hand tightly, a grin spreading on his face. Without any warning, Lance uses his powerful tail to launch forward and swims away from the cave with speeds equal to hurricane winds. I swallow a scream of surprise, not wanting another laugh from the merman. Instead, I just grip his hand as tightly as I can, squeezing my eyes shut. I feel the rush of water against my skin and the way my clothes flow with the movement. My stomach flips from adrenaline and it reminds me of the first time I ever boarded a boat - with uncertainty flowing through my veins and the knot in my stomach. I take a chance and open my eyes, only seeing bubbles rush past my protective dome. The bright colours of coral flash by me, catching my attention. The scenery makes me gasp in awe; delicate buildings of coral decorate the blue canvas of the ocean, accompanied by an array of beautifully dressed fish. The fish scatter once Lance swims closer, yet they float back to their daily doings the moment we pass. I recognize many fish species from a book I once stole and I cannot help but recite their names quietly. In the distance, I notice the blurry silhouette of a shark lazily cruising with the stream, so no reason for panic. Sea urchins poke out of the crevices in rock formations every now and then, one slowly sliding over a piece of shredded prey. Star fish scatter across the surfaces and act like the night sky's stars. The world beneath the waves is absolutely mesmerising - to a pirate especially, since he has only known the surface of the water. Tiny orange fish swim upside down underneath a rock overhang and an Angel fish casually flaunts its wardrobe, swimming past Lance and me.

"If you think this is nice, wait until you see the City of Pearls," Lance calls out to me as he continues to swim across the coral with rapid speed. I blink a few times, tilting my head. I make the assumption that the 'City of Pearls' could maybe be where Lance stays. Yet, why would Lance need an entire city? My internal question is answered - Lance is most definitely not the only one in the City of Pearls. Ahead of us is the most glorious of buildings I have ever seen. Towers made of shimmering marble sprout from the coralbed beneath like stalagmites, colourful fish swimming at the bottom peacefully. They aren't the only things that are swimming in between the awe-inspiring buildings - more creatures alike to Lance move from tower to tower, powerful fins propelling them forward. Just like Lance, their scales are a beautiful array of colours - as if they belong with the tropical fish. A few stop and wave at Lance and others cast weary glances at me. I can't blame them - I must be the only thing with legs for miles.

So, why did Lance bring me to his home? Is he not afraid of my treason? My thoughts are swept away by the rush of water and the chill through my bones as Lance approaches the biggest tower in the centre of the city. I see the reason for the name, for the centre tower is adorned with pearls in a beautiful pattern of swirls. Heavy fabrics drape over the entrance to the tower, weighed down by many pearls. Lance moves them out of the way and greet two guards situated at the entrance - they glance at me momentarily before watching the front once more.

"Allura!" Lance calls out and my heart suddenly starts to beat rapidly. Lance wants to introduce me to someone? The last time that happened, I was banned from the town and my face made an appearance on a 'wanted' poster. This is bad. I have to escape. Return to the surface. I have to- "Please tell me you haven't brought in another stray shark," a crisp and confident voice says. I look up, my eyes following a flight of stairs. I assume that the stairs are only there for aesthetic purposes. At the top is a throne with an open clam at the back (again, I assume for aesthetic purposes), but the throne is empty. To the side emerges a figure with white flowing hair. Her skin is the same tanned complexion as Lance's, and her eyes hold the same blue intensity. Her fin is an elegant array of pinks and whites and light blues. Like Lance, her ears extend to strange fin-like things and her first few vertebrae act as streamlining fins. Yet, even with their strange attributes, Lance and the woman in front of me - as well as all the other creatures I have seen - are the most beautiful figures I have ever laid my eyes on. And I have been all around the world. Curvaceous Brazilians and posh French women have touched my skin; pompous British girls and shy Native Americans alike have boarded my ship for various reasons. Yet, these beings seem to take the cake in appearance. They must be as civilized as they are beautiful...

"Not another human," the woman in front scowls.

They're going to eat me. This woman is going to deem me unworthy and then she will eat me and that will be the end of Keith Kogane, youngest pirate to ever conquer the seas.