Atlantian Love

[FoxWriter]

Aramithrial sighed as he looked around the Human High-school. It had taken him almost eighteen years to find this place, or rather, one of the students that where hiding within it's walls. He was not human, no matter how much he looked like one. Though the brightness of his green eyes might give him away, he doubted it. Human's didn't seam to notice how very inhuman he was, didn't seam to even ponder the thought. Of course, they lived their lives thinking there was no intelligent life outside of themselves. How wrong they where, but that wasn't important. What was important, was finding the girl, so very important to his, to his entire peoples lives... he had to find her, or he could never go home. Not to mention, the King and Queen would forever be heartbroken that they would never have their Daughter home. They where dead, but their spirits still lived. Aramithrial just couldn't allow that, he had been the personal bodyguard to the king and queen for over three hundred years, they had been his friends, he had to bring their daughter home, even if it took fifty years to find her.

Finally he perked up to watch as students started streaming out of the school, his eyes flicking back and forth rapidly, looking for the girl he had spent her entire life looking for. He hoped he would know her when he saw her, he could only hope that she looked like her parents in some form or another. No one could remember what the little girl had looked like. The Mother and Father had been utterly beautiful... all Atlantian's where beautiful, so perhaps he only had to look for the most beautiful woman there? His eyes picked out a young girl who practically thrummed with energy and he smiled.

Either she was the one... or she was another immortal who didn't belong where she was. He strode forward, approaching the girl and cleared his throat as he pulled out a wallet with a badge inside. “Excuse me, Miss? My name is Aramithrial. I need to have a word with you if I may?” he asked, blinking at her. “i can of course wait until you are at home with your parents if you don't feel comfortable talking to me in private.” he admitted simply, letting her examine the badge, which wasn't like any police badge she may have ever seen. It was perfectly round, with a flashing koi fish stamped on it. Aramirhtial's name, and several numbers where on it. It looked official, but it clearly wasn't anything Local... or even from that country. He was a little wary about talking to her. Did she know she was inhuman? Did she know she was adopted? He hoped to talk to the parents first... if she had any, or was living with them... she would be eighteen now, she would probably have wanted her independence... had she ever had any parents? She would have acted strangely as a child... maybe no one had adopted her... he wasn't sure what to hope for more, each had their pros and their cons. He just hope she didn't run away from him screaming.

 

[TheRageOfJuliet]

He had in fact been talking to the wrong girl. The girl he was looking for was being pushed into a mud puddle, “Aww poor orphan girl still getting picked on?” a bully said and she simply stood and started to walk passing behind the man who was looking for her. The energy from her was almost like an explosion as her inner rage burned but she had a blank expression on her mud covered face. It had been like this as long as she could remember and despite her beauty she never fit in anywhere.

Orphan…her mind flashed back to the first people who thought about adopting her. She was adorable to them but then she was strange and her interest in marine biology at three was something that frightened them. Strange things always seemed to happen when she was near water and thus she often avoided any vacations or trips that would sell her out but today she needed to get to the water. It was the only place that made her feel at peace so instead of heading towards her foster home she started towards the train station where she would buy a ticket to the beach. It was late fall so the chill in the air would turn most people away from the water but not her. The bright green eyes looked at the ground trying her best not to look at anyone as they were something they made fun of her for.

 

[TheRageOfJuliet]

He had in fact been talking to the wrong girl. The girl he was looking for was being pushed into a mud puddle, “Aww poor orphan girl still getting picked on?” a bully said and she simply stood and started to walk passing behind the man who was looking for her. The energy from her was almost like an explosion as her inner rage burned but she had a blank expression on her mud covered face. It had been like this as long as she could remember and despite her beauty she never fit in anywhere.

Orphan…her mind flashed back to the first people who thought about adopting her. She was adorable to them but then she was strange and her interest in marine biology at three was something that frightened them. Strange things always seemed to happen when she was near water and thus she often avoided any vacations or trips that would sell her out but today she needed to get to the water. It was the only place that made her feel at peace so instead of heading towards her foster home she started towards the train station where she would buy a ticket to the beach. It was late fall so the chill in the air would turn most people away from the water but not her. The bright green eyes looked at the ground trying her best not to look at anyone as they were something they made fun of her for.

 

[FoxWriter]

Aramithrial paused as he felt the flash of power, the rage, the strength. he turned, shocked as he looked for the source of power, glancing at the girl he'd been talking to. "sorry Miss... wrong girl." he stated, his bright emerald eyes looking around as he tried to focus on where the blast of power had come from. he had to find her! he knew the taste of that magic, it was her! HER! he had found her! the Little Lost Princess... the New Queen! he had to find her! he felt his heart slamming in his chest as he looked around, pushing his way past person after person as he reached out to the remnant power, and hooked onto it, like a fishing line.. all he had to do was follow it... but it was so crowded that for a moment all he could do was try to avoid being trampled.

he followed her to the beach, hitchhiking a ride on the Train so he wouldn't get caught without a ticket, and when he felt his little 'fishing line' tug he followed her off the train... for a moment, all he could do was stare. she was the only person who had gotten off the train... and she was gorgeous... so beautiful, just like her mother with that soft blue hair.. but she had her Fathers sea-foam eyes. he took a deep breath to steady himself, and then strode towards her, trying to force himself to calm down. "excuse me miss? my name is Aramithrial." he introduced himself, his head tilted as he studied her. "would you mind if i had a word with you?... about your parents." he showed her his badge, blinking at her. "about your birth parents." he admitted blinking at her with his emerald eyes, letting her feel his power as he let it out, wrapping it around her as if enveloping her in a comforting hug.

 

[TheRageOfJuliet]

Taking a step back she gave him a look…she could feel him…She had no idea what that meant or why but all her life she could feel people. It made knowing bad people from good people kind of easy once she learned the sort of energy that came off of them but no one before had felt like her. Even the man in front of her looked a little different than everyone else like her but wasn’t exactly like her. Her eyes seemed innocent and pure as she looked at his badge and somehow it looked familiar, but all at the same time it had nothing on it she had seen before. “Look if this is some kind of joke it isn’t funny. I don’t have parents and who ever sent you to do this to me knows that and the joke….well its just cruel.” Tears started to swell in her eyes and she could take no more.

She went towards the water turning her back on him before getting close enough to let the water kiss her feet that were now shed of her winter boots. The water was freezing but she didn’t care. It was the sort of thing that just soothed her. It felt like home and she would take freezing water over ice cold sheets any day. It had been her hope to be alone and sing to herself as she enjoyed the water on her feet but she dared not while he was there and she could feel him. His energy actually felt like it was reaching for her and that was something she had never felt before. The more she felt it the more she felt like he actually had been looking for her. It was like he wanted her for something or some reason but not in a frightening way. He felt familiar.. She turned to look at him curiously, “Have we ever met before?”

 

[FoxWriter]

he looked a little shocked when he saw the tears and shame locked his voice. he hadn't meant to upset his Queen! he hadn't realized that she'd never been adopted... "this is no Joke Miss." he assured her softly. "to joke about something like that is indeed cruel." he admitted softly before he smiled at her question. "yes we have, though i doubt you would remember me... i was there when you where born." he admitted softly. "and i've spent the last eighteen years trying to find you." he admitted softly. "i was your fathers best freind." he admitted simply, blinking at her. "you can sing, if you want to." he admitted simply. "i will even join you, if you'd like." he offered, settling his feet into th water with a small sigh. "there's nothing better, than the feel of the ocean, is there? it's so calming and soothing, as if it's where we belong." he admitted, smiling at her. "i know, who you are, who you really are." he admitted softly. "i know why you could never make freinds here... why your so fascinated by the sea... why you dream of being under the water, as if it is holding you in a tight hug, offering you comfort."

how could he know these things!? how!? was he spying on her?... wouldn't she have noticed someone as... strange, as him? "i know how you can sing so beautifully, that the world falls still and silent around you... just like your mother." he admitted, blinking at her. "she was just as beautiful as you are, both of you, as beautiful as the Sea that you where born in." he admitted, smiling at her softly, offering her his hand. "let me show you, tell you who you really are... let me take you home to where you really belong, Princess." if nothing else caught her attention, that sure as hell would... after all, what little girl didn't want to be a princess? not that she was a little girl, she really was as beautiful as the sea, while he looked like the 'Serpent' he really was. though really, a Sea Serpent wasn't a serpent at all, he was a mammal of course... but, that was for another time.

 

[TheRageOfJuliet]

How did he know these things?! He must have been stalking her and that though scared her to death. “Stay away from me! I don’t know what kind of freak you are but I am so done with this conversation.” She went to walk away but then a wave crashed over her. A huge wave like she had never seen and pulled her under the water and she could not seem to get free. She was struggling trying to swim parallel with the shore but the wave had knocked the wind out of her and she started flailing. She was drowning in the very things where she once found peace. The world went dark and her body went limp.

Her body took over then and the sea around her came to life. Creatures started moving towards her and her long blue hair started to glow like metal in the moonlight. She was sinking fast and in a never before seen phenomena where the fish, predators and prey alike, carrying her along the ocean as if a road leading her home. Her body began to breath even if under the water and thought to be impossible. Her lungs were part of an evolutionary strain that was ancient where her lungs even as they were flooded pulled the oxygen from the water and even with minimal oxygen flow her body could survive with ease. It was not the sort of breathing she was use to so her body slept as she was drifting away.

 

[FoxWriter]

he blinked, astonished at her as she yelled at him. "wait!" he pleaded, moving after her, cringing as the waves took her. "oh damn..." but he didn't look too worried. he sighed a little as he shook his head and moved after her, sinking into the water as well as he watched her go Limp and her powers kick in. the fish carried her, and he followed, shifting into his own massive form, swimming along side her as she slept. he hoped she'd forgive him for scaring her... and effectively kidnapping her... well, technically the fish where kidnapping her, but that was besides the point. he eased her into the city of Atlantis, making sure that her people didn't see her, that was the last thing they needed. he took her into the large palace in the middle of the underwater city, which was protected by Water Magic so that humans couldn't find it. the Palace, and many of the homes around it where wrapped in a large bubble of air, giving her a chance to clear the water out of her lungs as he turned into human form once more, and carried her inside.

when she woke, she was in a massive room, laying on a bed so soft there was no way it was made of springs or feathers. there was a massive bathroom, that looked more like a pool attached to the room, and her window was attached to the outside, so when she looked out of the window, that took up an entire wall, she would see fish, and whales, sharks and eels, and all sorts of amazing Coral Creatures. there was a small sitting area over in the corner, and a small library in another corner, there was a desk, and a walk in closet so large it could have doubled as another room. there was even a table for entertaining guests. all of it made of the finest material, it was clear that whoever lived there was rich beyond the wildest of imaginations. "oh! your awake... good i was worried you where going to sleep forever." Aramithrial admitted, setting a tray of piping hot food, mostly fish and other sea creatures. "please.. i didn't mean to frighten you before.. it's not my intention to harm you..."

 

[TheRageOfJuliet]

The water flowed around her and her body had the NERVE to dream. The dream was pleasant though with a soft sound of a woman singing. Soft harmonies joined her and as the sound grew louder the image her mind was trying to show her because clear; a woman and two twin girls playing dress up. It was a dream of her first foster home where she thought for sure she would be adopted. She was eight at the time and the twins were four and perfectly happy with being ballerina’s with ‘mommy’ but not her…no she wanted to be a mermaid. She had always been a great swimmer and had an amazing ability to hold her breath when all the other kids would run out of air. That was what had kept her from being adopted this time.

“Come on. It will be fun we can swim all the way to the bottom of the lake. It is really easy!” But the one twin declined she knew better but her sister was a proud girl who always wanted to be the winner of any challenge. That twin would have made a great female leader but she would never get the chance. Instead of admitting her limits she pushed herself to go deeper even though she did not have enough air and too late she started flailing and trying to get to the surface. The twin was behind her as she swam so when she noticed her it was already too late no matter how fast she swam to the surface. The death was ruled accidental but that didn’t matter she was blamed, the other twin kept, and she was sent to the group home again.

When her sea foam eyes opened and she heard him she was startled and somehow she was sure she was still in a dream. “Wake up Ceto…this is just a super bad dream.” Then taking her finger nails she pinched herself and kept doing so with vein hope the pain didn’t mean she was awake. Then she opened her eyes and still saw him with his plate full of fish that he offered her, “No thank you I am not hungry.” Getting up from the bed a little shaky Ceto grabbed onto the bed in order to keep stead until she got her legs to work right and she went to the window just in time to see a huge sea creature she had never even heard of pass by, “Holy cow! What was that thing?!” She was seeing many things in the depth of the sea pass by that even science had not discovered but it was beautiful and she was in awe. If this was a dream her imagination had gotten super charged.

 

[FoxWriter]

he smiled a little as he walked into the room, his head tilted a little. "your not dreaming Miss." he admitted simply. "this is where you belong... this is the very room you where born in." he admitted smiling as he ruffled through a drawer, handing her a picture. it was a little baby, with a shock of bright blue hair, and a woman with eyes like sea foam, and hair like starlight. "that's your mother." he admitted, smiling at her. "and that's you." he admitted grinning as he looked out to see the Giant Ray Fish. "it's just a Giant Ray... you know, like a Sting Ray? only that one doesn't have a Stinger... it's about fifty feet long from wing to wing. they carry us sometimes if we treat them very nicely." he admitted, turning to look at her. "i wasn't sure where else to take you... and the ocean was pretty insistent. a few of the fish that carried you here snapped at me." he admitted, sulking a little as he shook his head. "please... let me show you around?" he offered, smiling at her. "there's no one else in the palace..."

he offered her his hand, his eyes pleading with her. "i promise. it's not a joke... your not dreaming... this is where you where meant to be, this is your home..." he sighed. "i only wish your parents where here to see this... they'd be sobbing all over you." he admitted softly as he gently led her through the echoingly empty halls. "back when you where here, this place was filled with people." he admitted, smiling at her. "all kinds of people, Atlantians... yes, Atlantis is real. your in it.." he admitted, smiling. "we're in one of the deepest parts of the sea right now, but normal humans can't find it because of ocean currents and... other various protections we have set up. mostly repelling magic, and invisibility." he admitted as he stopped in front of a painting in the middle of a sitting room. "the King and Queen, your mother and father." the King had hair, just like hers, as blue as the sea and shining in the light. the mother was just like the picture before, and both of them where smiling down at her, Aramithrial watching her curiously. "your a Princess you know..."

 

[TheRageOfJuliet]

Holding up a hand she was asking him to pause, “Slow down. Let’s say I do believe you…How did I end up where I ended up and where are all the people? Magic and whatever aside for now let’s just focus on the people. When did my parents die?” She looked up at them and there was no way to question that she looked like their child. Moving on from the painting she left the room heading for a window to look down at all the surroundings, “I thought the lost city was meant to be a treasure trove where life was abundant and everyone had what they need. An Eden, a utopia, but what is a land of plentiful wonder if there is no one to enjoy it.” Turning to look at him her heart felt heavy as an obligation sat there before her that she should have been spending the 18 years of her life learning how to deal with it.

But this was what she was given and at least no one was shoving her around. She was looking at her clothing and then his, “How should I dress when I face the people here. I don’t even know how to be a princess or if I could walk around with that kind of clout when I have been letting them down for years.” She had no home to return to and no family so why not play pretend for a while. What orphan didn’t want to find out she was a long lost princess…then the thought of the movie Anastasia came to her mind and she smiled. When she was a girl she always said she wanted to be just like the girl in that movie but her situation was so much better. Princess of Russia or a long lost city under the sea? This was way better.

 

[FoxWriter]

he hesitated a little and then sighed. "there was an issue..." he explained. "just after you where born... people began to notice you where... a little different." he admitted, blinking at her. "you didn't have gills, or fins... you didn't have scales or... anything... some, thought you weren't a pure Atlantian, that maybe one of your parent's... weren't the King, or Queen..." he explained. "some thought your mother had an affair with a human, and that was why you looked like one... others thought you where the Water Goddess reborn... the Chosen Child of some ridiculous prophecy that's mostly been forgotten..." he shook his head. "the two halves of the Atlantians... split... and began to fight. Your father sent you and your mother to a safe house... and went to stop the fighting... he was killed during a fight between the two halves..." he admitted softly. "your mother was killed when people broke into the Safe house, wanting to remove you from royalty..." he glanced at her. "she killed them all but one..." he admitted. "that person found they couldn't kill an innocent, harmless baby... and sent you to the surface, left you in a boat where humans would find you, and abandoned you there."

he sighed. "the Atlantians have been fighting ever since, about who should go on the Throne." he admitted, blinking at her. "recently... things changed... they... realized they where dying... they weren't breeding, they weren't raising children, they where just slaughtering each other. so they came to an agreement." he admitted. "but... they couldn't agree on who got to go on the throne." he smiled a little. "i spent the last years of your life... ever since you where hidden away, looking for you, because the King and Queen where my freinds." he admitted. "and bad things happen when Atlantians end up in the hands of humans." he admitted simply. "the stories are never pretty. and i can imagine your life was very hard." he admitted, blinking at her. "i couldn't let that happen... but days turned into years... and i fount no hint of you..." he admitted with a sigh. "but now that your here... you can take the throne, or you can give it up. it's your choice now." he admitted softly. "the throne is yours by blood. and no one can dispute that. but you are, as you said, new to all of this... you don't know how to be a princess." he smiled. "and you didn't let them down. they let you down Princess. i can teach you, everything you need to know. but only if you want to."

 

[TheRageOfJuliet]

She looked at him..the sea goddess reborn? “This prophecy would explain why I am not like them? I mean what about you. You look just as human ass I do.” Her shoulders went back and she knew that her chance to change the world had come, “I will take the throne. I am sure I can learn exactly what to do if I have the right teacher. You were my father’s best friend. Show me where to dress and I will talk to the people as soon as I can….” She moved into Royal mode fast. IT was in her blood and she would prove to these people that she would bring their people back to what they once were. Life would again be abundant and she looked out again at a giant Ray. “I will need to make an entrance. How will I make them respect me?” Then her eyes look up at him and she took a deep breath, “You protected my family and searched for me my whole life. Please, if you will, continue as my guard?” Then thought came to her again, “What was your name?”

 

[FoxWriter]

he smiled a little. "yes, i look human now. but as a baby i certainly didn't!" he admitted with a snicker. "i looked like a furry worm actually." he admitted with a chuckle as he turned to a photo book, flipping it open before pointing to something. "this is when i first met your mother." he admitted, indicating the picture before handing it to her. it was her mother as a young girl, about the same age as the Princess was now... there was really no telling what he was, but it was clear his massive body was very strong, and very big. "i'm much bigger now. i was about the same age as her in this picture. she was like you. raised by humans." he admitted. "but she was as Atlantian as any of us.. it's in our blood."

he"you don't have to talk to the people right away you know. they don't even know your here yet." he admitted simply as he turned to the Giant Rays. "they react to Kind Hearts." he admitted with a smile at her. "if you are friendly, ask nicely, and politely, they will carry you." he promised, smiling as he turned and led the way back to the bedroom, opening the closet. "these where your mothers things... i hope they fit, or we'll have to bring in a Tailor to make you all new clothes." he admitted, letting her see the hundreds of dresses, shirts, pants, anything and everything. "wear anything you want." he ordered calmly, smiling a little as he turned to the window, his head tilted. "if you want to greet your people right away, i'll go and gather them." he offered, smiling at her as he watched her. "your parents would be proud of you..." he admitted, blinking at her. "your such a strong soul.."

 

[TheRageOfJuliet]

Her eyes widened at the picture and she looked up at him. He wasn’t human at all. She did not feel like she belonged here, “So you are really just another creature. Were my parents creatures as well? I am not. I was never a fur covered sea beat. I mean I am never going to love it here but at least here people can’t push me around.” Her eyes were down cast now and she handed him back the picture that both horrified and allured her.

“Well thank you but that doesn’t mean much to me. I will address them at a formal meeting when I will be shown as their new ruler. In that time day in and out you need to show me the ropes. I want nothing about my being here said until that night. They betrayed my family and sent me to that hell. They will see me when I am to a standard where I can be viewed as their rules.” She looked through the clothing and then got a light dress to wear, “This place has running water I assume?”

 

[FoxWriter]

he smiled a little and nodded. "yes, i'm a beast." he admitted simply. "your Father was sort of an animal, he could grow a tail... like the Little Mermaid in your human world." he admitted. "your mother couldn't though, many Atlantians can't." he admitted simply. "only about Half are Beasts like i am." he admitted, smiling a little, her head tilted a little. "you are more powerful in Magic... water magic." he admitted simply. "the Sea responds to your call... when you where swept into the water, you where carried here by hundreds of fish." he admitted. "your power called to them." he admitted with a smile. "that is all the proof anyone will need, that you are the Heir, and owner of the Throne." he admitted simply as he nodded.

"and technically... only half of them betrayed your parents..." he admitted, looking amused. "but nothing will be said Your highness. i will keep you a secrete until you feel that you are ready." he promised. "and yes, we have running water." he assured her with a chuckle as he led her into the bathroom. "you wish to bathe right?" he asked, showing her how to work the bath, which was all fresh water. the Atlantians filtered it themselves, though Aramithrial admitted to not knowing how that was done. he left her to bathe, and went to gather some supplies to help her learn a few manners that would be needed to greet her fellow Atlantians.

 

[TheRageOfJuliet]

When she returned her hair was brushed and she had on a soft sun dress white and pure like she was. She had time to think about all he had said and it explained a lot why she somehow had not been eaten by a shark or swallowed by a whale. “Alright. So shall we begin?” Standing tall she had a book in her hand she had found in a library where she found a huge book on Atlantian history that covered all the way to her parent’s start over the Atlantians as king and queen. Days she spent buried in books at the library and what she could not learn from a book she hoped to learn from him. She learned to flare her energy and why her body was a conduit for magic by birth she even learned how to manipulate water fairly easily but it was the task of taming sea beasts that would prove a challenge.

Her life back on earth was now a story of tragedy. People believed she had killed herself because of being bullied and the people responsible were being charged for their actions. Expulsion was the least of their worries. But life was easier for the princess now as she worked hard to become worthy of her mother’s title. She read biographies of her parents and diaries from their lives that she had found in what was once their room. Her eyes looked up from her books and she thought about something…how was she going to decide on a king?

 

[FoxWriter]

Aramithrial helped her with everything that couldn't be learned in a book. he showed her the different ways to bow and curtsey, how to insult someone without seaming like an insult. he taught her how to address her people, and how to wave, and how to preform royal duties. he also found her any book she wanted, and offered her comfort and company and advice. he also turned out to be a complete vegetarian, and only ate seaweed, sea grasses, and the occasional piece of Coral when he wanted something a little different. despite this, he was an excellent cook, and could make her anything she wanted, from fish stew, to sushi, and he even made sure to go 'up surface' to gather more exotic things like beef and chicken for her. he smiled as he walked in where she was reading about her parent's, his head tilted a little. "ah, i know that book. that's when your Father first met your mother." he chirped, smiling a little. "i'd just brought her back from the human City... she'd been to the beach for a school field trip." he shook his head. "it took her almost a month to get back to full health. the humans she was living with starved her." he admitted, scowling a little. "she was so thin you could count her ribs... he was so furious that she'd been treated in such a way, that he completely flooded the city." he admitted, looking amused again.

"come on, no more studying, we are going to do something fun." he ordered, taking the book from her, marking the page with a book mark, closing it, and setting it on the table before taking both of her hands, and tugging her to her feet. they'd been working on her underwater breathing skills, so she could go in and out of the city as she pleased. as they stepped out into the water, he smiled as he let her see what she was looking at. four dolphins, each with harnesses on, and two carriages floating behind them, like ancient Trojan battle carriages, only in the water with Dolphins. "i thought you might like to experience one of the Atlantians favorite sports." he admitted smirking. "it's just like a race." he admitted with a grin as he pointed down to a massive track made of corals. "the dolphins know the way, trust them." he promised smiling as he settled her into the carriage and settled into his nose, unleashing a loud squeal... and then they where off, Aramithrial laughing as they zipped quickly, effortlessly down to the track and around in the circles, enjoying the speed as he glanced over at her, making sure she was alright.