Aquata Cove Ch. 31

"H-He's the Adra, right? Adra Merrick?" She nodded again, confirming that. He knows of their world. Who IS this man?!

"He's sick, he's VERY sick! He was swimming in the uh..." The human said, snapping his fingers, "Uh... The oil, he was swimming in oil... Oh!" If Merrick is sick, than Umiato can just heal him-

"The blood of the earth? Cloud of -- No, the Shroud of Death?" Savarna gasped again as her eyes began to water with glittering white tears. "He tells me that there isn't a cure, but please..." That is true... Even with all her power... The Noita is not able...

"Please... Talk to me..." The human persisted. Savarna's eyes stayed locked on the human as he spoke to her, "Is there way to save him? Do you know anything that might help? ANYTHING at all???" She stayed silent, slowly sliding away from the rock, "Please say something-" He took one step, Savarna whirled around, and dove into the water, "NO WAIT!"

SPLASH!

The mermaid waved her burning tail up and down with forced effort. Moaning as she also used her hands and arms to pull herself forward.

"Moh... Mother..." She groaned, "I have to find Mother!" She said as she swam, "She will know what to do!"

If only she could signal sea creatures like mermen, she wouldn't be so sore.

===

'After all I have risked for him...' Savarna thought, 'After everything we have been to each other,' White tears continued to wisp and cloud from her eyes, 'He has turned his back to the sea... He has abandoned the Sea Mother... He has forgotten us!'

As Savarna swam swiftly from the reef, she senses the presence of her mother nearby. He glanced to see the larger mermaid swimming to her, but she tries to ignore her.

"Daughter..." Umiato said after she was close enough to be heard, "Where were you just now?"

"Nowhere." Savarna answered, rather shortly, "I was only observing the sleeping sun."

"... You are lying, Daughter." Umiato replied.

"NOW you know the truth...!" Savarna muttered.

"What was that, Daughter?" The Noita asked sternly.

"NOW," Savarna said in anger as she turned to Umiato, "You know the truth," The young mermaid glared at Umiato with wrath and almost disgust, "Brother has done the forbidden for so long, and NOW you know truth from lies?" The mermaid asked bitterly.

"Ease your tongue from me, Daughter," Noita Umiato said firmly, "Your Brother masked his pain well-"

"You are the Noita, Mother!!" Savarna exclaimed as she turned around to face her, "You could have seen his lies! You could have stopped him! And now he is gone forever!!" The angry Adra snarled at her mother as white wisps came from her eyes.

"Daughter..." Umiato said, wincing from her daughter's outburst.

"He has disappeared from us, Mother! How could you have not see the truth he was hiding?! You could have forbid him from leaving the pod's sight! And now he does not exist anymore-"

"SILENCE!" Umiato snapped. The younger mermaid flinched as a sudden fury overcame Umiato, one she has never seen before on her. The Noita angrily swam up to the Adra, "Your Brother has NOT disappeared! Your Father may refuse his existence, but do not you EVER forsake your Brother!" Savarna gasped as she looked at her mother, "You, who would sacrifice EVERYTHING just to see him again!" Umiato said, "I don't EVER want you to forget that! I NEVER want you to forget when you would trade your life for him!"

"Mother... He does not-"

"Daughter," She put her hand onto the mermaid's cheek, "He did not willingly choose to leave us. The Sacred Laws are absolute. Given the choice, he would have stayed."

"Father... Father said..."

"Your Father does not understand," Umiato said, "He does not realize the importance of circumstance... But you know in your own heart that your Brother will never forget you..."

Savarna whimpered as she drifted to her mother, and held onto her. Umiato put her arms around the young mermaid as well, holding her gently as they floated in the water.

"I want him back, Mother..." Savarna wept, "I want him back..."

"I know... I miss him too..."

~~~

"Hey you~" Adam said as he put his arms around Merrick. The blonde smiled as he turned his head and kissed Adam.

"Hi, love," He responded as he put his hands onto Adam's arms as the human leaned on him.

"What're you up to out here all on your own?" He asked. Merrick sighed and moaned quietly as he looked over the sunset.

"It's been almost a year... Since..." Merrick mumbled, feeling a little emotional and shaky.

"Yeah... I know..." Adam said as he glanced at the heart-design mark on the base of Merrick's neck.

"I miss them, Adam..." Merrick said as he gazed longingly onto the yellow-blue sparkling ocean, "I miss the sea, Adam... I long for the times of swimming with my pod through the ocean. We have been through so much adventures, so many memories..." Merrick sniffled as he felt Adam nuzzle him, "I miss hunting with my friend..."

"You mean the one who wanted to be the greatest hunter in the sea?"

"Yes... His name is Brishen... He became my friend so that he can become better at hunting... He was always so rash and reckless... Half the time, I'd have to save him from choosing too strong a beast to hunt..." Merrick's eyes watered as he looked over the ocean, "I wanted to see him bring down mighty foes... Now that I'm gone, I truly hope he has not been hunted by his prey..."

Adam chuckled as he slipped his hands into Merrick's shirt so he could cuddle closer behind him and feel his smooth skin.

"I miss my Mother..."

"I don't doubt that. Even to a human like me, she was very nice," Adam said, "She trusted me with you when you fell ill. Still kinda wondering how she was able to walk, being a mermaid and all."

"She's a Noita. Noitas are very capable of learning many things, even that of outside of their own world..." Merrick said, "My Mother... She is the wisest mermaid I will ever know... She is always so gentle and soft in spirit... Even when I was banished, she wasn't angry with me like Father was..." Merrick wiped his eyes, "I feel that... I let her down most of all..."

"If she loves you as much as you say, then there is no way you could ever let her down, Merrick," Adam said softly, "Parents always want what's best for their children," Merrick whimpered as he lowered his head, "Your mom loves you, Merrick..."

"..." Merrick sighed as he looked back to the ocean, "I even miss my Father..."

"Really." Adam said, "Even him?" Merrick chuckled weakly at that.

"I know... As stern a merman as he was, he has always been able to protect us. I wouldn't be half the merman I am now if he was not my Father. He was ignorant though. He thought he always knew better than anyone else, and would not hear otherwise. The only one he would really listen to is Mother... The way he reacted when he found out about you..." Merrick frowned as he looked over the ocean, "And when I was banished... He looked at me as if I betrayed the sea itself... As if I tried to kill our own kind..."

"That's a little unfair. All you did was fall in love," Adam said as he held Merrick close, "It's not your fault, you know."

"To him, that is as bad as any betrayal. He is very strict and conservative about the idealism of us merfolk," Merrick explained, "But you know what hurts me the most?"

"Hm."

"... My Sister..." Merrick said as he felt a tear roll down his face.

"Ahh... She's the one that attacked me, right?"

"Yes... She... She thought that if she could kill you, I could come back to the pod. She even said that I would find a mermaid to mate with on the next red moon..."

"I take it that wouldn't have worked in any case, would it?" Adam asked. Merrick shook his head.

"No, on both accounts. Once a Coshiton is cast from the pod, there is no going back. And mates of merfolk are for life. If I were to lose you..." Merrick paused and held Adam tighter, "There would be no one else for me..."

"She must really love you, sweetie..." Adam said. Merrick nodded.

"We were so close... There wasn't anything I wouldn't be willing to do for her..."

A pause came by as the two men stood on the small cliff, "I can feel her..." Merrick said, "She's nearby..."

"Your sister?" Adam asked, raising his eyebrows, "She's here???" Merrick nodded.

"I can sense her presence... She's moving away though..."

"Well what you waiting for??" Adam said, "Why don't you go say hi to her??"

Merrick took one step away from Adam. He walked a few steps out, but stopped. He feels so tempted to leap into that ocean, and see his pod again. The very thought of it brings him to tears, to see the family of Piscien merfolk see him once again. To apologize to his Father, to embrace his Mother, to hunt with Brishen once more, to play with Savarna after so long...

Merrick put his foot down, and bowed his head.

"... Merrick? What's wrong? Don't you want to see them again?" Adam asked. He winced as Merrick brought his hands to his face as he started to gasp and cry, "Merrick??" Adam strode up to Merrick, "Heeey, heey, what's wrong??"

"I can't..." Merrick wept as he put his held onto Adam, "I can't go back... I can't see her... I can't see my Sister..."

"Why not??" Adam asked as Merrick became more upset.

"Sister... She's too young... She doesn't understand..." Merrick whimpered, "When I was banished... She begged me not to leave... She tried to keep me there... Hearing her cry and scream is more than I can bear..." He said, "If I go and meet her now, she'll beg me to come back..." Merrick tried to hold back sobbing, "I can't... I can't do it... I can't take it..."

"Alright, Merrick..." Adam said as he rubbed his lover's back, "It's ok... I'm here for you..." Adam said. Merrick composed himself as he felt his man touch and caress him tenderly. He took several deep breaths as he held close to him. He wiped the tears on his face, and sighed.

"... I'm fine now..." Merrick said.

"You sure?" Adam asked with concern, "There's nothing wrong with-"

"It's ok, Adam..." Merrick interjected, "I just need to distract myself..."

"Alright, sweetie," Adam kissed Merrick before back up, "Come on, lets go play some games."

"Right..." Merrick replied. They took a few steps, before Merrick stopped.

The merman felt a wave of heat come over him. He groaned as his surroundings started spinning in his head. His sense of balance toiled away for a moment as a dizzy spell swarmed in his brain.

"Ahhh," He hissed and moaned as he knelt down, feeling a spell of cold AND heat wash over him. He coughed as Merrick experienced a hint of dryness throughout his form. He clenched his eyes shut to stop the spinning and the disorientation, and trying to keep himself steady.

Taking a few deep breaths, Merrick forced this sudden unpleasant sensation out of his state of being. Shaking his head, Merrick looked up, and saw that Adam is way ahead of him. Merrick groaned as he forced himself up, still quivering from the weird sensation, and ran up to catch up with his human.