(no subject)
Title: A Mermaid’s Tale
Rating: T
Pairing: Klaine with small mentions of others.
Word Count: 19,000~
Summary: One vacation suggested by Rachel, finds Kurt in the middle of something he never expected. Mermaids, a battle for the throne of Atlantis, betrayal, love? It was a fine way to end his summer vacation, if he came out alive.
Disclaimer: As per usual. I do not own Glee, or any of it’s characters.
Authors Note: Well, yeah, I decided to write this thanks to the lovely art by lylith_st so this is dedicated to her. I’ve seen many The Little Mermaid fics so I decided to go with something a bit different and long winded but I hope everyone will enjoy this epically long fic. Oh and the song they sing later in this fic is a Japanese song (I used the English translation in this story) that can be found on youtube. It’s a very beautiful song, that always brings tears to my eyes. Anyways, on to the epically long mermaid fic, and I hope you all enjoy. Thank you for your time. ^_^
-o-o-o-
“It’s so endless,” Kurt mused, staring up at the sky as he skimmed across the top of the water.
“I love it,” Blaine answered, his tail splashing gently atop the water. “Wait till your eyes adjust and you can see under the water. You see how clear it is here?”
“It’s really amazing. Where are we anyways?”
“Not sure exactly, but if I ventured a guess at least 300 miles or so from where we started. I don’t really think about it, I just swim.”
“Where is Atlantis from here?”
“Mm, not to far actually. About 150 miles or so to the southeast, and about 2 miles under the water. You won’t be able to see it till you change.”
Kurt chuckled lightly. “I never expected Atlantis to be real, then again mermaids aren’t supposed to be either.”
“It’s not like how Plato theorized it. There’s no lost people living under water, or a secret passage like so many think. There’s not even a Leviathan, I guess the closest thing we have is a Giant Squid we call Teddy but he’s not Atlantis’ guardian or anything, he just hangs around.”
“Blaine?”
“Hm?”
“What’s your mom like?”
“My mom? I don’t remember her, I was five when Marianna found me. She adopted me, raised me, taught me, but I’ve never really considered her my mother. I searched for a long time to find my real mother, even gave up ever going to shore. When I realized it was hopeless I found a new dream, finding you. Marianna, she promised that if I found you we could wed, you and I. Elizabeth promised a similar thing, saying her son would need a protector, a strong partner. I think she knew you’d be partial to other mermen,” Blaine winked.
“Neither one of us really knew our mothers. My last memory of my mom was her in the ocean with me, she was showing me a sea-shell and then we were pulled under by a wave. Dad pulled me out and mom was never found. Guess I know why now.”
“Elizabeth loves you, you know, she never stopped loving you. She talks about you all the time and how she can’t wait to see you again and hold you in her arms.”
Kurt smiled up at the clouds, sighing wistfully. “I want to see her again too. Knowing my mother is still out there. Wants to see me it makes me….”
“Watch out,” a small voice yelled before something came flying over Kurt’s head, making him fall under. Blaine immediately grabbed his arm, pulling him back above the water. “I’m sorry,” the voice from before said. Kurt spun around to see a small dolphin staring at him. “I was trying to jump like my daddy does and I guess I over-shot. I didn’t mean to,” he squeaked.
“No, it’s alright,” Kurt waved, smiling at the cute mammal that Brittany had once dubbed a ‘gay shark’.
“I’m CC,” it smiled.
“I’m Kurt, this is Blaine.”
“HI!” CC squeaked excitedly. “You’re both mermen? Why don’t you have a tail, Kurt? Did you lose it? Can a merman lose his tail? Can I lose my tail?”
“Nothing like that CC,” Blaine jumped in. “Kurt just has to find his special stone so he can become a merman.”
“Special stone? What kind of stone?”
“I’m not sure exactly,” Kurt admitted.
“It’s probably a seashell, possibly pink with an unnatural shimmer to it, on a gold chain.”
Kurt looked at his traveling companion thoroughly confused on how he knew what the stone looked like. Then again it could very well be common knowledge among Atlantis.
“A sea-shell? Hey, I saw something like that once. I was born near the Bahamas and swam around that area a lot. I think I saw a human wearing something like that. She worked in a marina and was one of those humans that liked to train dolphins for riding. She was really nice.”
“How long ago was that?” Blaine asked.
“Umm…five years ago, I think. I don’t know where the necklace went after that. I think it broke off and one of the dolphins swam off with it. But if you’d like I can go and ask my mommy, she’s just down below.”
“Kurt, do you mind staying here for a moment?”
“Alone?!” he asked in disbelief.
“Pavarotti will stay with you, I’ll be back in two shakes of a fin, alright?” Kurt hesitantly nodded, Blaine diving under the water with the dolphin and disappearing.
“Don’t worry,” Pavarotti called. “He’ll be back, mer-people swim fast.”
“That’s not very settling. If you haven’t noticed we are in the middle of the ocean, where there’s sharks, whales, and god knows what else.”
“There’s ME!” a whispy voice sang before a blonde woman popped out from the water. “Dear nephew, look at you, you like exactly like Elizabeth. You’ll probably have her colors too.”
“D-do I know you?” Kurt stuttered, slowly drifting back away from her.
“I’m Atala, your mother’s sister. Middle child, frivolous one as I’ve been called. You’re Kurt right? That’s what Lizzy said she named you.”
“Yes, my name is Kurt,” he dumbly replied.
“So, Kurt, what are you doing out here all alone? Ocean is a dangerous place. No doubt you’re looking for Lizzy’s shell to break Anna’s curse.”
“You know about that?”
“We all do,” she giggled, flipping her tale of purple and pink above the water. “So, out here all alone?”
“No, I am with Blaine. He followed a dolphin that had a lead on mom’s shell.”
“Blaine?” Atala questioned, laughter in her tone. “He’s Anna’s lap dog, you’ll die for sure if it’s his hands you’re in. Only way you could be in more trouble is if you had that son of Shira’s with you, Wesley I think his name is. OH! Marco’s son too. Marco raised his boys to be firm supporters of Anna, they’d want you dead.”
“What?”
“My dear, don’t you know anything? Blaine asked Anna to be betrothed to you, it worked in her plans for a while but then she feared he’d actually fall in love you. Couldn’t have that, puts a damper things, so she made him an offer, your life for the life of his mother’s. If he assured your death, his mother would live. From what I know he took that offer. I’m mutual really, I don’t care about politics, doesn’t matter to me who takes the throne. But Anna, she’ll see you dead,” Atala told him as she swam around him. “No doubt he’s been leading you towards Florida, by the time you got there, you’d spend days searching for the stone. Then months, and then it would be to late and you would die,” she sang-song. “Then again, if it was still there, he’d hide it from you. Actually, come to think of it, he already is.”
“What do you mean?”
“Anna can be a bit oblivious but she’s not stupid, my Brittany no doubt has the shell. She won’t know what it is of course, but she has it, Anna would have found a way to give it to her.”
“Brittany? Brittany who?”
“My daughter, silly. You see 16 years ago I went to shore and met this really wonderful surfer. We spent an amazing night together under the stars and nine months later I had Brittany. Of course you were already born then but I had her and gave her up. Anna knew and I told her I’d keep it a secret since I didn’t want the throne and Brittany wouldn’t return to the ocean till she was 18. Even then there was no guarantee she’d find me. Since not even Lizzy knows about Brittany, I’m guessing Anna would have made sure the shell got to her. Not sure how but I’m sure that’s where it is. No doubt in my mind.”
She dove under the water before remerging spitting playfully at him.
“Oh, I see a cruise ship in the distance. Well, I’ll see around nephew, if you live. Bye,” she waved.
“Wait! Brittany’s father, who was he?”
“Hmm? Oh! His name was Pierce. Aaron Pierce. Bye,” with that she dove under the water, swimming rapidly towards the blaring cruise ship.
“Kurt!” Blaine called, remerging from the sea, pushing his curls back. “Wonderful news, the dolphin said that the shell stayed around the Bahamas, possibly on shore. She said if we get there we’ll no doubt find it.”
“LIAR!” Pavarotti yelled instead of Kurt. “I knew there was always something to perfect about you.”
“Back down Pavarotti, I’m just telling you what the dolphin told me. We can meet up with Wes and David in about 105 miles and then….”
“What? Kill me?”
“What? No, of course not,” Blaine denied. “Kurt I’m trying to save you.”
“LIAR!” Pavarotti yelled again. “Liar! Liar! Liar!”
“You knew Brittany had it, didn’t you? You knew I was ten feet away from it so you lied to be and brought me out here. By the time I figured it out it would be to late wouldn’t it?”
“Kurt! No! I didn’t know!”
“I die you get your mother back, right? That’s the deal right?” Kurt yelled, pushing Blaine hard.
“My mother? What does she have to do with this?”
“My life for hers, RIGHT?!”
“Kurt I would NEVER do that. If my mother was still alive she’d never allow it.”
“Stop lying to me!” Kurt yelled, trying to stop the tears already falling. “TELL ME THE TRUTH!”
“Kurt, I promise you, the truth,” Blaine panted. “I-Marianna ordered me to take you to the stone. After that she’d take it from you and cast it off on land so you’d never find it in time. But I’m not going to let that happen, I was going to stop her and rescue you and Parker myself. She’s not been dangling my mother over me it’s my brother. She promised if I did this she’d let Parker return to the ocean. He’s a kid Kurt. I was going to change you myself, transferring my life to you and then take to land and find Parker and my own stone, I swear to you I never intended for you to die.”
“Yes, you did. That shell is the only I can turn, that’s what you told me. You think Marianan would let you attempt to ‘save me’? You’ve been using me,” Kurt despaired.
“No!” Blaine denied, pulling Kurt to him and kissing him hard. Kurt immediately pushed away from him falling under the water for a moment before regaining his buoyancy. “Kurt, I’ve loved you since before I met you.”
Kurt stared at him in disbelief and shock. “You’re a liar, now I have to……”
“Kurt, please!”
“Stay away from me!” Kurt shouted. “Pavarotti, do you know the way back?”
“Yeah, I’ll show you,” the rainbow fish nodded, swimming off with Kurt behind him. All Blaine could do was stare in disbelief as the boy swam rapidly away. How did things go so wrong so quickly?
-o-o-o-
“I played my role as you asked, Anna, now you’ll leave Brittany out of this as I requested.”
“But of course, dear little sister. I know you have no aspirations to sit on the throne so as promised Brittany can join us at 18. However, you will never return to Atlantis, you understand? You may have no aspirations but father will surely de-throne me knowing both my sisters have bore children.”
“We’ll never return. We’ll go to the Pacific Ocean and join the merpeople there. I have already spoken with their king and he has graciously allowed me to join them,” Atala informed her.
“Perfect. That will be the first thing I do rid of; breeding with humans. It’s disgraceful. We were not born of humans and we are better than them. You and Elizabeth have dishonored this family by bearing the fruit of those land-breathers.”
Atala kept her mouth shut as to not point out they were indeed half human themselves and could breathe on land.
“Also, that ridiculous little law to allow children to walk amongst humans till 16 will be abolished. They need not know anything outside this sea, their true home. Land makes these children rebellious, you do not see Blaine disobeying my orders, this is because he has never walked on land.”
Or perhaps because you are holding everything he holds dear hostage, sister, Atala thought bitterly. Marianna was quite good at taking what people cared for most. But maybe she underestimated things, like Blaine’s devotion to their young Prince. True the boy had desired to wed the prince when he was no more than 10 years old, but his dedication to their nephew was very real. Atala hated to say it, but Blaine’s love for Kurt may be the boy’s only saving grace. If it came down to it, she wondered if Blaine would make the trade to save Kurt’s life; even at the cost of his own would he do it?
-o-o-o-
“Come on, you can’t be tired,” Pavarotti yelled. “It’s only be two days, we can do this. We’re close.” They weren’t really but Pavarotti could give a pep talk. It was so much slower without Blaine helping him. He’d only managed about half-way and now Kurt’s human body was taking control again. He was getting exhausted and getting exhausted this far out in the ocean was deadly.
“Where are we? My legs and arms are tired I just want to sleep if only for a little bit.”
“We’re somewhere around Georgia, we’re really turned around here. Bl-I mean they took us at least a good 100 miles out of the way.”
Kurt wanted to keep going, he really did but he was so tired. His body was so heavy and he just wanted to rest, at least for an few hours.
“Don’t fall asleep. Come on! Kurt, wake up! Open your eyes.” Pavarotti watched as Kurt’s body went limp with overwhelming exhaustion, floating atop the water. The least Pavarotti could was try to drag him to the shade and make sure he didn’t turn over and breathe in water. The small fish was about 90 percent positive the prince wouldn’t drown but he couldn’t be to cautious.
-o-o-o-
The boat pulled into the marina a medic meeting them immediately. “Found the kid just floating around out there. His body is ice cold but he seems to be breathing. God only knows how long he’s been out there,” the fisherman said, helping the medics move the boy. He had actually been further out in the ocean then legal but he wouldn’t tell them that.
“It’s a miracle his body shows no signs of dehydration or pruning. The salt should have had much more effect on him then this. Where’d you find him?”
“He was just floating there, about 10 miles out from Tybee Island.” It was actually more like 15 miles out, but again, the legalities.
“He seems to be breathing, and his body seems to be still functioning. He might have gone overboard on a cruise ship. We’ll airlift him to Atlanta and then put out a alert for family or friends,” the medic told the fisherman. Carefully the man and two colleagues loaded the boy onto the stretcher to take him to the local hospital where he could be airlifted to Atlanta.
-
The doctor looked baffled at the X-rays and scans, it just didn’t make sense. Besides a case of severe exhaustion the boy was perfectly healthy. He probably had missed a meal or two but other than that there was nothing medically wrong with him. What confused him was the scans of the child’s lungs. It was truly a conundrum. Immediately he called up his friend from the marina and asked if is he could catch a red-eye out him. The doctor was annoyed but asked what was so intriguing. “I think you might have been right about those mermaid fantasies of yours.” The other man didn’t waste a second more.
When he arrived he practically ran to his old college friend’s office. He burst through the doors, hair completely ruffled and clothes mussed. “You better not have just played a cruel joke on me Martin,” was the first roads out of his mouth.
“No, Anthony, I did not, come over here and look at this,” he motioned the other man over to the computer screen. Anthony hurried over looking over Martin’s shoulder. “The boy was found about 10 miles out from Tybee Island according to the reports. No signs of dehydration or wrinkling commonly seen in floaters like this. His body was completely cold, roughly 62 degrees Fahrenheit, when he arrived. His body should have succumbed to hypothermia or worse, he should be dead, but he is still very much alive. I ordered scans and X-rays done to make sure there was nothing internal wrong and I found this in his lungs,” he brought up the scans on his computer zooming in on what he saw.
“Developing gills?”
“Not a drop of water in his lungs, and I saw that. I thought it was impossible but then I remembered a similar case some 20 years ago, we studied it in Orlando’s class.”
“Yeah, I remember. I was the only one that thought of mermaids. Orlando failed me saying that was no more than a myth, but right now we’re seeing a real life case. This boy is in the developing stages of his mutation. How about his eyes? Did they have the thin fish like filament?”
Martin shook his head. “Looks like it’s developing slowly in the corners of his eyes but not a clear coat. No signs of scaling either. The boy has to be about 18 give or take.”
“I want to see him,” Anthony husked, eager to see the boy that was little doubt a merman in transition. Martin nodded leading his colleague to the room where the mysterious boy was held. The doors slid open and Anthony’s eyes widened. Since that day in class he’d poured himself into mermaid lore, he could possibly be accused of knowing to much, and this was not what he was expecting. Atlantis’ prince. The only son of Princess Elizabeth, this was not good.
“We’ve tried to get an ID on him. A boy went missing up in Myrtle Beach about 3 weeks ago, we think it might be him.”
Anthony gulped think rashly. Grabbing the nearest object he smacked Martin upside the head, easily knocking the doctor unconscious. Quickly he unhooked the tubes and heart monitor from the young boy, the boy stirring slightly. “Come on, we’re getting you out of here.”
“Tired,” he muttered, getting up none-the-less. Anthony led the boy discreetly as possible out of the hospital. Fortunately, no one paid much attention to doctors taking patients outside. The records were all under John Doe so there was no need to worry about those, but he could always hack in later and delete them out. He reached his rental car helping the boy inside before rushing to the driver’s seat. He was sure by now someone would have noticed Dr. Martin and the missing patient, the hospital would lock down in a matter of moments.
“Myrtle Beach, right?” Anthony asked, turning on his GPS after starting the car. The boy nodded, resting his head against the car window in sleep. Putting the car into drive he tore out as fast as he could, the guards already heading into the lots to look for him and the patient. His eyes shifted to the GPS which was thankfully telling him to simply take 20 all the way up. It was a six hour drive, but he’d have to make it non-stop, he had no choice.
-
Kurt stirred, looking about only to find himself in a car speeding down the highway. “Where am I?”
“Don’t panic, your highness, I’m taking you back to Myrtle Beach.”
“What did you call me?” Kurt asked looking at the man in white.
“You are the prince, correct? Princess Elizabeth’s son?”
“Not another one,” he groaned. How did these people keep finding him.
“I’m not a merman,” Anthony clarified. “I just, know a lot more than I should. I’ve spent the better part of my life studying mermaids, tracking them. In all my years I’ve only been able to catch glimpses of Atala and Elizabeth. Never once have I seen Marianna, but you look like what I’ve seen of Elizabeth.”
“So you took a guess?”
The man blushed, scratching the back of his head. “Kind of. But you’re almost 18, right? If the legends are right you’ll die if you don’t find Princess Elizabeth’s seashell. I can’t really read mermish but I know there’s more details in there somewhere. Luckily you’re still in the early stages of the transition, I’d be really screwed if you didn’t understand English. Then again you grew up on land, didn’t you? So you would understand English, you haven’t been in the sea like so many others. Well, you can probably still speak mermish, no doubt, you might be able to read it too,” the man rambled, switching lanes. Kurt sighed, choosing to tune the man out. Anthony reached over towards his bag between Kurt’s feet making the boy jump.
“What are you doing?”
“In my bag there’s a book of mermish script,” he muttered, looking between the road and his bag.
“You drive, I’ll get it,” Kurt glared, glad when the man pulled away.
“It’s a blue folder.”
Kurt pulled it out, looking at it skeptically.
“I’ve picked up mermish script from wherever I could. Anywhere along the shorelines, even as far as California.”
“You’re pathetically obsessed,” Kurt deadpanned.
“Just slightly. Can you read it?”
Kurt flipped it open, surprised he could read the symbols within as if it were written in English. Anthony looked over at him eagerly, eye wide. “What does it say?” he question, almost manically.
“Brent was here,” he read off. “Peace to all humans, love Stanthia. Pacific Coast represent, Pyronth all the way, take that Alantians. The whole page looks like stuff you see in bathrooms,” Kurt told him, not impressed.
“Well that one is useless. How about the next page?”
“More bathroom scribble. ‘Long live Elizabeth’ ‘Long live Marianna’….nothing that’s of use to me.” Though he couldn’t stop himself from smiling at the ones that declared his name. Nice to know everyone wasn’t waiting to betray and backstab him. He still didn’t understand. Why had Blaine been so kind to him if he was just planning to betray him? Why had Blaine flirted with him? Had it all been a game. “What’s this?” Kurt asked, stopping his train of thoughts at the words ‘the trade of life’. “A mermaid can trade their life for one of a human? Through kissing a mermaid can transfer their life to a human, the human then sprouting the fins of a fish and the mermaid taking on human legs. However, the mermaid will quickly suffocate on land. The change is not permanent but a cruel method disguised as a act of true love. Both mermaid and human will die two days after the trade. The only way to survive the trade is to…..”
“Is to what?” Anthony asked. This was what he had been wanting to here.
“Is for both parties to be merpeople? One mermaid can transfer their own fins to a transition, however, neither change is permanent. To make it permanent the one inciting the change must either give up their life or lock their soul and memories in a stone. The stone can only then be broken by the one who holds the heart. What does that mean?”
“You’re guess is probably better than mine. I’m a land-breather after all,” Anthony chuckled.
“Hold the heart? Heart of what? The ocean? A literal heart?”
“Perhaps the heart is not a heart at all, but something more metaphorical. Attention? Affection? Perhaps love even?”
“Love. The one who holds the heart, meaning the one the mermaid loves. Their true love. How Disney can you get?” Kurt laughed.
Anthony smiled at the boy, wondering what he would look like once he turned. Then again, he’d know soon enough.
-o-
They pulled up to the beach, storm clouds overhead pouring down rain. The tide had risen to the boardwalk, angry waves pouring over. Spectators stood watching in disbelief of the situation. A lone woman stood out among the waves, her light brown hair blowing viciously, her blue eyes narrowed in hate. From head to toe the woman was completely nude. Her mouth remained closed, merely eyeing over them.
“Dad!” Kurt yelled, spotting the balding man amongst the crowd. Burt turned with wide eyes running to his son, grabbing in a tight hug.
“Thank god I thought I had lost you, kid,” he cried, hugging his son tightly. The rest of Kurt’s friends rushed to him, hugging him in turns, wetting his hospital shirt with tears.
“What’s going on?” he asked, spotting the massive hurricane sized storm around them.
“That woman,” Finn yelled over the howling wind. “Just suddenly appeared and all this stuff started. The water rose unbelievably fast and a couple of people got pulled under but they can’t send rescue crews out. It’s to dangerous.”
“Nice gown, Hummel,” Santana laughed, pulling on the tacky hospital garb. Kurt looked out to the raging waters the woman’s lips turning up in a vicious smirk.
“Nephew!” she declared, everyone watching covering their ears at the loud screeching sound. “I thought I could wait, but unfortunately I can not. Father has become suspicious so now I must kill you here. But first…”
“Wh-What’s going on?” Brittany called in surprise as her body moved of it’s own accord towards the ocean.
“Time to return to the depths dear niece. As promised you will be returned to your mother, but I can’t promise you’ll be alive when she finds you.”
“Brittany!” Artie and Santana called, rushing after the blonde to stop her. They were halted in their tracks as a strong gust of wind pushed them back. The blonde cheerio walked to the boardwalks edge, people rushing to stop her only to be pushed away by the same wind. Without a word the blonde dove in.
“Brittany!” they yelled, running to the edge, trying to see where she’d gone.
Suddenly she reemerged from the tumultuous waters, a man holding on to her. “Careful now, princess.”
“You’re a mermaid!! SEE?! I TOLD YOU MERMAIDS EXSIST!” Brittany yelled, pointing to the man holding her.
“Blaine!” Kurt yelled. Why was he here? Going to pull him under and finish him off like Marianna wanted. “Bring Brittany back up.”
“Sorry, your highness, I can’t. Brittany’s stone broke,” he answered, showing the stone now broken in half. He let go of Brittany the girl falling under the waves.
“Brittany!” Santana yelled, ready to jump in. “I don’t know what that fucked up screeching is but I don’t care. We have to save Brittany.”
“Atala has taken the girl,” Marianna glared. “Fair enough. Blaine, bring me the prince and then I will grant you what you wish. Your dear brother.”
Blaine looked up at Kurt helpless. “Kurt, I’m sorry.”
“Your life, or the lives of the humans, take your pick, little prince,” Marianna sneered, leaving Kurt no choice. He turned to his father, hugging the man tightly.
“I’m sorry dad.” The next person he hugged was Finn. “Sorry I gave you such a hard time all the time and tell Carol I love her like a mom.” He turned to Mercedes giving her a big hug, before doing the same with Quinn. When he felt like he was sufficiently hugged out he jumped into the water before any of them could stop him. Blaine immediately dove under, catching him and helping him to surface above the heavy waves.
“Kurt! Kurt!” Burt yelled, everyone holding him back from jumping in.
“Pavarotti was right,” Blaine started. “I was lying. When you caught me I panicked, Marianna has my mother and she won’t free her till she has you.”
“Then why didn’t you just tell me.”
“I couldn’t bare for you to know the truth. You’d think horrible of me and wouldn’t have followed me. My brother Parker has been safe in the Pacific with my father for many years. I dedicated my life to serving Marianna in hopes she would free my mother. I’m sorry.”
“Hmph. No you’re not, you did what you thought was right. Besides it’s not like I have on a crush on you or anything.”
Blaine laughed. “Well I hope you do or what I’m about to do will be completely worthless.”
“What do…” he was cut off by Blaine’s lips covering his owns, faint yells from the pier made him roll his eyes. He was seconds away from death and all Puck could yell was ‘get some’. A wave washed over them and Kurt felt it instantly. His legs seems to snap together, something cold and sticky crawling up them. Slowly the wet situation moved up and up till it stopped at his waist. His eyes opened under the water, immediately taking in the clear view of the darkened water. This time he was the one having to help Blaine, as he struggled to break the surface.
“You insolent child, what have you done?!”
Blaine smiled at Kurt, kissing his forehead. “My mother has my stone, I hope this works and you don’t let me die.”
“Wait, what did you just-?”
Blaine laughed, pulling off an earring Kurt hadn’t seen him wearing previously. “Your shell.”
“Y-you…”
“Took it off Brittany. Now your change will be permanent, your highness.”
“Blaine….”
“I wasn’t lying when I said I’ve been in love with you before I even met you. Crazy, maybe a bit obsessive, but….”
Kurt couldn’t stop himself from kissing the other male, ignoring, for a moment, the current situation. “Get to the boardwalk before you drown.”
Blaine laughed, doing just that, pushing against the waves to get out of the water that was now his enemy. Kurt dove under the water, having no time to marvel over his new tale of blue and green, instead he swam; swam in the direction he felt was right. Marianna cursed, falling into the water, returning to her true form, speeding after her nephew. “I won’t allow you to make it to Atlantis alive.”
“Watch it, mermaid! I don’t like you,” Trigger snarled, getting in Marianna’s way. “You messed up my home now you got to pay.”
“You dare speak to me that way you insolent tiger shark?”
Trigger snapped at her. He wasn’t dumb. She got her way no fish but merpeople would get rights. Sharks would become slaves. Like hell he’d become a mermaid’s slave.
Kurt looked back at the shark, thankful he was blocking the way for now. He just needed to keep going, just keep swimming the way his heart was telling him.
-o-o-o-
“I’m Blaine,” Blain introduced himself to the group, not sure whether to shakes hands or bow like they did under the water or what.
“What did you do to my son?” Burt asked the half-nude boy who was given a towel to cover his waist.
“Gave him my tail, in a nutshell. He’s got two days to find my stone, break it, or I die. Well I die if he doesn’t hold my heart and breaks it as well, but I’m hoping Kurt holds my heart.”
“Dude, you were a fish,” Finn pointed out.
“Yes. Half-fish actually, but unlike Kurt, I wasn’t born on land I was born in the sea. So you humans must show me human things,” he smiled. The group jumped as a loud sonic boom resonated through the air, the water miles out shooting out. “She plans to kill him before he can get to Atlantis. I probably don’t have any of my magic left to help him either,” he lamented. There was no way to help Kurt without his magic and Kurt wouldn’t know how to use his own. “VOICE!” Blaine exclaimed. “Can any of you sing?”
Rachel scoffed. “Can I sing? Of course I can sing. I’m the best….”
“No offense, but I don’t need a life story. Her highness Elizabeth’s gift is her voice and Kurt no doubt has that same gift. Just, follow me, and sing.” It was stupid he knew, but if his voice could reach Atlantis, the merpeople would no doubt know what was going on. They’d be able to get to Kurt in time. The little bit of magic he had left was sure to help him in getting the humans to understand.
“Can you still see your dreams in the distant, starry sky? Are they more vivid than they were when you were little?” he sang out. His magic took over from there, giving the humans around him the ability to know the words to the mermish song.
“When one forgets to put the emotions that overflow in her heart to rest, they burn the color of passion.,” they began singing, the sounds beginning to drift down the boardwalk as more and more people joined in. “I used to believe without a doubt that I could reach my dreams, no matter how far off they were. But that me from long ago now sleeps inside my heart.”
It was loud, melodious with the small bit of magic that swirled around them. Surely Elizabeth would here her lullaby. Surely she would know.
-o-
“Dreams are more fragile and fleeting than a glass rose, so then why are we destined to dream?”
Elizabeth jerked upright at hearing the familiar words of her own song. Who was singing?
“Sometimes two dreams can turn into love, but there are also times when they can't.” The song continued and she closed her eyes, stretching her senses to see where it was coming from. The fish of the scene were still, staring up into the sky. The people of her kingdom were still, listening to the words as they flowed through them.
“Even when they're alone, people want to share their feelings, but it can be so hard. Words are powerless to express one's feelings, and sometimes they become a silver knife.”
Blaine. That was Blaine’s very faint magic signature. He was compelling the humans to sing, but why.
“I used to believe without a doubt that I could reach my dreams, no matter how far off they were. But that me from long ago now sleeps inside my heart.,” a new voice added to the humans. A mermish voice.
“Kurt!” she cried out, shooting from her room and swimming as fast as she could, following the song. Her son! Her son was in the ocean. He was a merman, but not by the shell. Something was wrong, she had to get to him.
-o-
“Stop that incessant singing,” Marianna yelled, shooting another bolt of electric energy towards the boy. Kurt narrowly dodged it, rolling over to his back and swimming as fast as he could. He felt slightly off balance not a use to his fins, but he felt he was doing an adequate job of evading his homicidal aunt.
The next bolt came towards him only to go off path, striking a large rock.
“So, Your majesty,” Wes called, appearing in between Kurt and Marianna, David along with him. “I can’t betray Blaine. He’s my friend, and he’s more likely to protect me than you are.”
“You children dare turn on me?”
“The song is waking a lot of us up,” David called. “Telling us you’re wrong, we all have been. Her highness Princess Elizabeth should be on the throne.”
“Your Highness, we apologize for the inconvenience,” Wes bowed. “Go find Blaine’s stone so the idiot can come back home.”
Kurt stared at them in disbelief before giving them a brief thanks, swimming off once again. He just had to keep swimming. Keep swimming. Keep Swimming.
“Kurt,” a familiar but dream-like voice called out. “Kurt!” There it was again. He swam in the direction of the voice, wanting to hear it more. “Kurt!”
“Mom?” he called, seeing a figure swimming towards him. The woman came into view and Kurt couldn’t help but spastically swim towards her, trying to stroke against the water causing him flap against the water around him. She laughed before wrapping her arms around her teenage son, hugging him closely.
“Kurt,” she whispered, not believing she was holding her baby boy in her arms again. Kurt hugged his mother back, taking in her scent of flowers and algae, very distinct even under the ocean water. He pulled back staring at her, her appearance not having altered much since the last time he’d seen her 10 years ago. She smiled at him, stroking his cheek lovingly. “My baby boy.”
“How sweet, to bad I’m going to have to take your Kurt away from you,” Marianna taunted.
“Kurt, go! Once you’re in Atlantis she can’t touch you. The barriers will protect you,” Elizabeth ordered.
“But mom, what about you? Wes? David?”
Elizabeth could see the two injured boys ahead. She closed her eyes, a sand wall surrounding her sister. From inside lightning sparked, trying to break through the mixture of salt, water, and sand. “Take them and go! Find your grandfather, tell him to strip us of our powers!” A angered scream came from the barrier, the lightning becoming more persistent.
“What?”
“Do it!” she pulled her son close, kissing his forehead. “Tell him these words, ‘The sisters three, their magic divided, I take it upon myself.’ Just like that, understand?”
“Mom?”
“KURT! GO!”
He had no choice, he rushed to Wes and David to help them. David was barely conscious but enough so to help the severely injured Wes. The boy was bleeding out rapidly from his tail, the water around him dark red. Kurt took off, staring at his mother until she disappeared from his sight, then he had nothing to look for other than the kingdom of Atlantis.
Elizabeth watched her son till he disappeared, immediately dropping the sand wall. Marianna glared at her sister. “Using your own son as the host, he’ll die, and you know it.”
“No, Kurt is stronger than that. All I have to do is stop you from getting to him, dear sister.”
-o-o-o-
Just had Blaine said, the palace was not shimmering jewels or pearls but it was beautiful. It was nothing but rock, mud, seaweed, seashells and any human junk that could be found, but it was beautiful it with it’s spiraling torrents and large archways. Each home was small on the floor just enough for a mermaid or two, some homes bigger to accommodate families. It might not have been glamorous but it was beautiful.
Merpeople rushed to him upon their interest, yelling for medics. Wes was taken away, David falling close behind with a second set of medics. “Your highness,” a mermaid bowed. “The king awaits your presence.”
Kurt looked over the green-tailed mermaid. All the mermaids he had seen so far had two colored tails so why was her just a plain green? He voiced as much as he followed her up to the palace. “I am but a servant, my lord. Only those born to nobility have two colored tails. Those born to royalty have three tones in their tails, like yourself.”
“So that means Blaine is a noble,” Kurt whispered, remembering Blaine’s tail of blue and red.
“Blaine? Yes, your highness, his family was stationed to take over in the event your own could not. But when it was announced that master Blaine wanted to wed you there was much rejoicing. Blaine’s father is the king of Pyronth. A marriage between the princes would end all bad blood between the Atlantic and the Pacific.”
“I thought Blaine’s mother is….”
“She is, sire,” the mermaid whispered, as if this was great gossip. “A noble of Atlantis bore the child of the King of Pyronth, not one child but two. With no heirs Marianna and her sisters stood to lose everything, but then your highness was bored one year after master Blaine and…”
“Enough, Claudia,” a booming voice called through the space. A merman descended from the darkness, his appearance being that of no older than 20. His hair was shoulder length and a healthy brunette color, his eyes tri-colored quite like Kurt’s own. His tail was dark blue with violets and green streaking through out it. He smiled kindly at the boy, dismissing the servant girl. “So you are my elusive nephew, the one that is causing so much turmoil between my daughters.”
This was his grandfather? Would Kurt look this fantastic when he got older? If so being a merman definitely had it’s perks. “Mom told me…she had a message…”
“Yes, child?”
“The sisters three, their magic divided, I take it upon myself,” Kurt repeated, the King’s eyes widening.
“Are you sure this is what she said?”
Kurt nodded, he was not dumb he could remember a simple sentence.
“Then it is done,” he whispered grimly. Kurt had no time to process what the statement could mean as his body began to burn. He screamed in pain, hugging himself as a fire hot pain shot through his entire body.
“Make it stop!” he cried, wanting to rip open his own skin to make the pain stop. It hurt. It burned, like liquid lava was replacing his own blood. But soon it stopped and was replaced with an entirety different pain as something new darted through his blood, causing him to scream louder at the vast change.
“And so, it will be,” the king said, watching as his grandson screamed in pain. Experience the absorbing of his families magical force. If the boy lived through this, there was little doubt in the things mind the boy was meant to rule.
-o-o-o-
“Blaine! Blaine! Blaine!”
“Pavarotti? What’s going on down there?” he questioned the rainbow fish. Everyone stared at him like he was crazy for talking to a fish, but they didn’t understand.
“Marianna and Elizabeth are locked in battle, and it’s sending tremors through the ocean. Wes is severely injured but he’s in Atlantis with David.”
“Kurt, what about Kurt?”
Pavarotti looked down.
“Pavarotti!”
“Elizabeth made him….” the fish looked down again, not wanting to say.
“Made him what?”
“She made him the host, he’s….”
“She did WHAT?” Blaine stood up, staring into the blue clear sky, no one was aware of what was happening beneath those now calm waters.
“What’s going on?” Burt asked, noticing Blaine’s sudden face of panic.
Blaine swallowed thickly. “Kurt….” he couldn’t stop himself from punching the banister of the boardwalk, howling in pain.
“Whoa, Dude!” Finn yelled.
“What’s wrong with Kurt?” Burt asked, now panicking.
“He’s dying, slowly and painfully, if he hasn’t succumbed yet.”
-o-o-o-
Silence. That’s all anyone could hear. Marianna knew she was done for the moment her magic was drained from her body, Elizabeth’s own following suit. They had no choice but to return to Atlantis and receive the punishment that was sure to come. Only Elizabeth had not expected to see the body of her son, drifting just in front of her father, completely lifeless.
“Looks like your grand hope held no water,” Marianna mocked.
“Kurt,” Elizabeth whispered, swimming up to her son, running a hand over his hair.
“The boy lasted longer than expected but he succumbed. I’m sorry, Elizabeth,” their father apologized.
“And our magic?” Marianna questioned. “The host did not survive meaning…”
“He survived long enough. Your magic is sealed inside him. The throne will be transferred to Claire and her son.”
“You can’t be serious!” Marianna glared. “No,” she smirked. “Blaine made the trade, Kurt was his only hope of survival which means the boy will die leaving Claire with no heir, even you can not override the magic of the trade, father.”
He nodded. “We will figure it out. Marianna for your actions, you will be exiled and made to spend 100 years locked inside Cyrus.”
“Father! You can not be serious! I only did what was in the best interest of…”
“Yourself,” he snapped. “You would see the kingdom destroyed if it did not bow to your wish.”
Before she could get another word in she was gone, banished as her father had said. “Elizabeth, seek out Claire, she has the right to know of her son’s fate.”
When the mermaid was found and told of the situation she wept, knowing there may be no way to save her eldest son. “When he’s stone appeared I knew what he had done,” she whispered, turning the small rock over in her hand. “I haven’t…I’ve waited so long to have Blaine again and now….”
“Blaine did what it took to return the prince to us. He is to be commended for this,” the king told her. Claire nodded, looking at the limp body of the prince now laid out on a bed of seaweed and shells.
“I guess this belongs to him then,” she smiled, placing the stone on his chest, using his hands to cover it.
Suddenly, Kurt sat up with a shuddering gasp, before his mouth opened in a ear-splitting scream.
-o-o-o-
Blaine looked up feeling a wash of cold swept over him. He was turning back, did that mean?
“AH!” The people around him screamed, covering their ears as they fell to the ground in pain.
Pavarotti looked at the humans wondering what they could hear that he could not. Blaine didn’t understand this either but he knew something was severely wrong as the ocean began to stir, the sky darkening. Without a second thought he dove into the ocean, relishing the feel of his fins once again.
“What’s going on?” Pavarotti questioned.
“I don’t know, but something tells me we need to get to Atlantis and fast.”
“On it!” Pavarotti nodded, zooming off into the ocean.
-
“Father,” Elizabeth questioned, starring as her son let out a scream unheard to their ears.
“His body is rejecting the magic. The magic is reanimating him only to kill him again. It’s cruel but this is what happens in some cases with sealing spells. He will die over and over, till the powers are unleashed upon the world.”
“What does that mean?” Claire asked.
“We may not be feeling it under the water but he could be targeting humans, causing storms, tornados, hurricanes, tsunamis, a number of things. Yet we can do nothing to stop him. This will continue till the magic is gone.”
“No,” Wes spoke up, leaning on David. “I apologize your majesty, but I don’t think his highness died. He needs a second. His body went into shock to protect him, to keep him alive.”
“You are nothing but a tadpole, boy, you think you know more than I?”
“No, your majesty, but his highness sang below the water, just like her highness Elizabeth. That is a special gift that not even your majesty possesses, it shows he holds great potential. Not only that he won Pavarotti’s love in a matter of days, when it’s common knowledge Pavarotti dislikes all mermaids that outshine him.”
“Not my fault I’m more fabulous than all you half-human fish put together,” Pavarotti gloated, swimming up to them, Blaine hot on his fins.
“What’s going on?” he questioned, able to guess the gist. When he was told the situation he looked to Kurt, who was falling back into slumber, mouth closed, now probably silent to the world above. Blaine swam over to the light haired boy, taking his hand into his own. His eyes widened. “He’s not dead,” he told the group.
“Or so you think…”
“No!” Blaine yelled, cutting the king short. “He’s alive, in pain but alive. Kurt, can you hear me?”
The boy gave no answer, but Blaine find himself hearing the other loud and clear. Placing his forehead against the other merman’s he placed his lips against his, murmuring. “With my lips I take what I gave, one and a half fold I share, take me as the host.” With that he fell into darkness, joining Kurt in the abyss.
-o-o-o-o-o-
“Kurt! Hey, Kurt! Hurry we’ll be late for Glee,” Finn yelled to his step brother. Kurt turned to him with a bright smile, taking a long swig from his water bottle.
“Coming, I’ll be there in a moment,” he waved. Finn gave a shrug turning to run back inside the building. Once his step-brother was gone Kurt turned back to his tormentor who unfortunately found himself standing in a water puddle. “Mess with me again Karofksy I’ll do much more than shock you, I’ll electrocute you,” he smiled. He hated to bully his bully back but Karofsky did not get the hint, so what was a little bit of scary. Besides he wasn’t actually going to electrocute him. With that he turned and strutted off looking up at the clear blue sky. They really could use some rain. On cue storm clouds rolled in, pouring sheet upon sheet of water down upon Lima, Ohio. Much better.
Kurt entered the choir room to see everyone waiting, Brittany the only missing as she had transferred to a school in California. At least this was the story they were sticking with.
“So how was the beach guys?” Mr. Schue asked, smiling at his students. “Anything exciting happen?”
“Beyond Hummel almost drowning, nothing,” Puck lamented. “Not a damn thing.”
“It’s the weirdest thing,” Rachel spoke up. “We can’t really remember what we did after the first night.”
“We went to the HardRock and Planet Hollywood, remember, Berry?” Quinn poked in.
“I remember that, but I feel like there’s holes. Something big happened and we can’t remember it.”
“Obviously it’s not big if you can’t remember,” Kurt supplied, smirking at them all. The only person that would even faintly remember would be Finn and he made sure of that. They went through the normal routines of Glee club before school ended. Once the bell rang Kurt practically ran out to his car, happy to his see his escort waiting for him. He launched himself at the other male, kissing him like a lost lover.
“I’ve missed you as well, your highness,” Blaine smiled, pulling Kurt into a secure embrace. “Are you ready to go home?”
“I have to take Finn home first, but after that I’m all yours,” he answered.
Finn rolled his eyes complaining they would give him a toothache. Maybe Kurt had taken away a few of his other memories too in the process but, nothing that would harm the teen. Plus one less homophobe in the world was a good thing.
After going through the normal routine of taking Finn home and saying hello and goodbye to Burt, Burt giving his usual warning of being behaved while down there. Kurt smiled to his father. He had yet to let Burt in on the full extent of his role in Atlantis and that’s the way he wanted it to stay. After a short drive to Indian Lake, both boys found themselves home in the ocean as they should be, tails and all. Blaine had saved him from the abyss, saved him from death and Kurt had done the same. They were special, their magic not their own but shared absorbed from Atlantis’ three princesses, allowing them abilities never seen before.
By will they could travel land or sea, and could even return to the ocean from any body of water with just a thought. “Do you truly plan to continue in that human school?”
“You could always join me,” Kurt sang, twirling through the depths of the ocean. Blaine caught up to him, grabbing him around the waist, pulling his closer, their tails wrapping around each other.
“The crown-prince of Atlantis should not be made to suffer in such a manner.”
Kurt chuckled at his fiancé pushing away from the man. “Who are you calling ‘crown-prince’? I am KING of Atlantis.” He gave an elegant twirl through the water, his tail almost seeming to make a shimmering trail around him.
“My apologizes, your majesty,” Blaine laughed, bowing low. “How can I make amends?”
“Anything to make amends?”
“You wish is my command, dear fiancé.”
Kurt swam up to his lover, kissing him softly. “Come to human school with me.”
“HA! He played you,” Pavarotti cheered from the reef.
Blaine glared at the small fish before sighing. “Your majesty’s wish is my command.”
Kurt laughed, grabbing Blaine’s hand and swimming off in no general direction. Besides, they had all the time in the world. After all, they were kings of Atlantis.
-The End-
Rating: T
Pairing: Klaine with small mentions of others.
Word Count: 19,000~
Summary: One vacation suggested by Rachel, finds Kurt in the middle of something he never expected. Mermaids, a battle for the throne of Atlantis, betrayal, love? It was a fine way to end his summer vacation, if he came out alive.
Disclaimer: As per usual. I do not own Glee, or any of it’s characters.
Authors Note: Well, yeah, I decided to write this thanks to the lovely art by lylith_st so this is dedicated to her. I’ve seen many The Little Mermaid fics so I decided to go with something a bit different and long winded but I hope everyone will enjoy this epically long fic. Oh and the song they sing later in this fic is a Japanese song (I used the English translation in this story) that can be found on youtube. It’s a very beautiful song, that always brings tears to my eyes. Anyways, on to the epically long mermaid fic, and I hope you all enjoy. Thank you for your time. ^_^
-o-o-o-
“It’s so endless,” Kurt mused, staring up at the sky as he skimmed across the top of the water.
“I love it,” Blaine answered, his tail splashing gently atop the water. “Wait till your eyes adjust and you can see under the water. You see how clear it is here?”
“It’s really amazing. Where are we anyways?”
“Not sure exactly, but if I ventured a guess at least 300 miles or so from where we started. I don’t really think about it, I just swim.”
“Where is Atlantis from here?”
“Mm, not to far actually. About 150 miles or so to the southeast, and about 2 miles under the water. You won’t be able to see it till you change.”
Kurt chuckled lightly. “I never expected Atlantis to be real, then again mermaids aren’t supposed to be either.”
“It’s not like how Plato theorized it. There’s no lost people living under water, or a secret passage like so many think. There’s not even a Leviathan, I guess the closest thing we have is a Giant Squid we call Teddy but he’s not Atlantis’ guardian or anything, he just hangs around.”
“Blaine?”
“Hm?”
“What’s your mom like?”
“My mom? I don’t remember her, I was five when Marianna found me. She adopted me, raised me, taught me, but I’ve never really considered her my mother. I searched for a long time to find my real mother, even gave up ever going to shore. When I realized it was hopeless I found a new dream, finding you. Marianna, she promised that if I found you we could wed, you and I. Elizabeth promised a similar thing, saying her son would need a protector, a strong partner. I think she knew you’d be partial to other mermen,” Blaine winked.
“Neither one of us really knew our mothers. My last memory of my mom was her in the ocean with me, she was showing me a sea-shell and then we were pulled under by a wave. Dad pulled me out and mom was never found. Guess I know why now.”
“Elizabeth loves you, you know, she never stopped loving you. She talks about you all the time and how she can’t wait to see you again and hold you in her arms.”
Kurt smiled up at the clouds, sighing wistfully. “I want to see her again too. Knowing my mother is still out there. Wants to see me it makes me….”
“Watch out,” a small voice yelled before something came flying over Kurt’s head, making him fall under. Blaine immediately grabbed his arm, pulling him back above the water. “I’m sorry,” the voice from before said. Kurt spun around to see a small dolphin staring at him. “I was trying to jump like my daddy does and I guess I over-shot. I didn’t mean to,” he squeaked.
“No, it’s alright,” Kurt waved, smiling at the cute mammal that Brittany had once dubbed a ‘gay shark’.
“I’m CC,” it smiled.
“I’m Kurt, this is Blaine.”
“HI!” CC squeaked excitedly. “You’re both mermen? Why don’t you have a tail, Kurt? Did you lose it? Can a merman lose his tail? Can I lose my tail?”
“Nothing like that CC,” Blaine jumped in. “Kurt just has to find his special stone so he can become a merman.”
“Special stone? What kind of stone?”
“I’m not sure exactly,” Kurt admitted.
“It’s probably a seashell, possibly pink with an unnatural shimmer to it, on a gold chain.”
Kurt looked at his traveling companion thoroughly confused on how he knew what the stone looked like. Then again it could very well be common knowledge among Atlantis.
“A sea-shell? Hey, I saw something like that once. I was born near the Bahamas and swam around that area a lot. I think I saw a human wearing something like that. She worked in a marina and was one of those humans that liked to train dolphins for riding. She was really nice.”
“How long ago was that?” Blaine asked.
“Umm…five years ago, I think. I don’t know where the necklace went after that. I think it broke off and one of the dolphins swam off with it. But if you’d like I can go and ask my mommy, she’s just down below.”
“Kurt, do you mind staying here for a moment?”
“Alone?!” he asked in disbelief.
“Pavarotti will stay with you, I’ll be back in two shakes of a fin, alright?” Kurt hesitantly nodded, Blaine diving under the water with the dolphin and disappearing.
“Don’t worry,” Pavarotti called. “He’ll be back, mer-people swim fast.”
“That’s not very settling. If you haven’t noticed we are in the middle of the ocean, where there’s sharks, whales, and god knows what else.”
“There’s ME!” a whispy voice sang before a blonde woman popped out from the water. “Dear nephew, look at you, you like exactly like Elizabeth. You’ll probably have her colors too.”
“D-do I know you?” Kurt stuttered, slowly drifting back away from her.
“I’m Atala, your mother’s sister. Middle child, frivolous one as I’ve been called. You’re Kurt right? That’s what Lizzy said she named you.”
“Yes, my name is Kurt,” he dumbly replied.
“So, Kurt, what are you doing out here all alone? Ocean is a dangerous place. No doubt you’re looking for Lizzy’s shell to break Anna’s curse.”
“You know about that?”
“We all do,” she giggled, flipping her tale of purple and pink above the water. “So, out here all alone?”
“No, I am with Blaine. He followed a dolphin that had a lead on mom’s shell.”
“Blaine?” Atala questioned, laughter in her tone. “He’s Anna’s lap dog, you’ll die for sure if it’s his hands you’re in. Only way you could be in more trouble is if you had that son of Shira’s with you, Wesley I think his name is. OH! Marco’s son too. Marco raised his boys to be firm supporters of Anna, they’d want you dead.”
“What?”
“My dear, don’t you know anything? Blaine asked Anna to be betrothed to you, it worked in her plans for a while but then she feared he’d actually fall in love you. Couldn’t have that, puts a damper things, so she made him an offer, your life for the life of his mother’s. If he assured your death, his mother would live. From what I know he took that offer. I’m mutual really, I don’t care about politics, doesn’t matter to me who takes the throne. But Anna, she’ll see you dead,” Atala told him as she swam around him. “No doubt he’s been leading you towards Florida, by the time you got there, you’d spend days searching for the stone. Then months, and then it would be to late and you would die,” she sang-song. “Then again, if it was still there, he’d hide it from you. Actually, come to think of it, he already is.”
“What do you mean?”
“Anna can be a bit oblivious but she’s not stupid, my Brittany no doubt has the shell. She won’t know what it is of course, but she has it, Anna would have found a way to give it to her.”
“Brittany? Brittany who?”
“My daughter, silly. You see 16 years ago I went to shore and met this really wonderful surfer. We spent an amazing night together under the stars and nine months later I had Brittany. Of course you were already born then but I had her and gave her up. Anna knew and I told her I’d keep it a secret since I didn’t want the throne and Brittany wouldn’t return to the ocean till she was 18. Even then there was no guarantee she’d find me. Since not even Lizzy knows about Brittany, I’m guessing Anna would have made sure the shell got to her. Not sure how but I’m sure that’s where it is. No doubt in my mind.”
She dove under the water before remerging spitting playfully at him.
“Oh, I see a cruise ship in the distance. Well, I’ll see around nephew, if you live. Bye,” she waved.
“Wait! Brittany’s father, who was he?”
“Hmm? Oh! His name was Pierce. Aaron Pierce. Bye,” with that she dove under the water, swimming rapidly towards the blaring cruise ship.
“Kurt!” Blaine called, remerging from the sea, pushing his curls back. “Wonderful news, the dolphin said that the shell stayed around the Bahamas, possibly on shore. She said if we get there we’ll no doubt find it.”
“LIAR!” Pavarotti yelled instead of Kurt. “I knew there was always something to perfect about you.”
“Back down Pavarotti, I’m just telling you what the dolphin told me. We can meet up with Wes and David in about 105 miles and then….”
“What? Kill me?”
“What? No, of course not,” Blaine denied. “Kurt I’m trying to save you.”
“LIAR!” Pavarotti yelled again. “Liar! Liar! Liar!”
“You knew Brittany had it, didn’t you? You knew I was ten feet away from it so you lied to be and brought me out here. By the time I figured it out it would be to late wouldn’t it?”
“Kurt! No! I didn’t know!”
“I die you get your mother back, right? That’s the deal right?” Kurt yelled, pushing Blaine hard.
“My mother? What does she have to do with this?”
“My life for hers, RIGHT?!”
“Kurt I would NEVER do that. If my mother was still alive she’d never allow it.”
“Stop lying to me!” Kurt yelled, trying to stop the tears already falling. “TELL ME THE TRUTH!”
“Kurt, I promise you, the truth,” Blaine panted. “I-Marianna ordered me to take you to the stone. After that she’d take it from you and cast it off on land so you’d never find it in time. But I’m not going to let that happen, I was going to stop her and rescue you and Parker myself. She’s not been dangling my mother over me it’s my brother. She promised if I did this she’d let Parker return to the ocean. He’s a kid Kurt. I was going to change you myself, transferring my life to you and then take to land and find Parker and my own stone, I swear to you I never intended for you to die.”
“Yes, you did. That shell is the only I can turn, that’s what you told me. You think Marianan would let you attempt to ‘save me’? You’ve been using me,” Kurt despaired.
“No!” Blaine denied, pulling Kurt to him and kissing him hard. Kurt immediately pushed away from him falling under the water for a moment before regaining his buoyancy. “Kurt, I’ve loved you since before I met you.”
Kurt stared at him in disbelief and shock. “You’re a liar, now I have to……”
“Kurt, please!”
“Stay away from me!” Kurt shouted. “Pavarotti, do you know the way back?”
“Yeah, I’ll show you,” the rainbow fish nodded, swimming off with Kurt behind him. All Blaine could do was stare in disbelief as the boy swam rapidly away. How did things go so wrong so quickly?
-o-o-o-
“I played my role as you asked, Anna, now you’ll leave Brittany out of this as I requested.”
“But of course, dear little sister. I know you have no aspirations to sit on the throne so as promised Brittany can join us at 18. However, you will never return to Atlantis, you understand? You may have no aspirations but father will surely de-throne me knowing both my sisters have bore children.”
“We’ll never return. We’ll go to the Pacific Ocean and join the merpeople there. I have already spoken with their king and he has graciously allowed me to join them,” Atala informed her.
“Perfect. That will be the first thing I do rid of; breeding with humans. It’s disgraceful. We were not born of humans and we are better than them. You and Elizabeth have dishonored this family by bearing the fruit of those land-breathers.”
Atala kept her mouth shut as to not point out they were indeed half human themselves and could breathe on land.
“Also, that ridiculous little law to allow children to walk amongst humans till 16 will be abolished. They need not know anything outside this sea, their true home. Land makes these children rebellious, you do not see Blaine disobeying my orders, this is because he has never walked on land.”
Or perhaps because you are holding everything he holds dear hostage, sister, Atala thought bitterly. Marianna was quite good at taking what people cared for most. But maybe she underestimated things, like Blaine’s devotion to their young Prince. True the boy had desired to wed the prince when he was no more than 10 years old, but his dedication to their nephew was very real. Atala hated to say it, but Blaine’s love for Kurt may be the boy’s only saving grace. If it came down to it, she wondered if Blaine would make the trade to save Kurt’s life; even at the cost of his own would he do it?
-o-o-o-
“Come on, you can’t be tired,” Pavarotti yelled. “It’s only be two days, we can do this. We’re close.” They weren’t really but Pavarotti could give a pep talk. It was so much slower without Blaine helping him. He’d only managed about half-way and now Kurt’s human body was taking control again. He was getting exhausted and getting exhausted this far out in the ocean was deadly.
“Where are we? My legs and arms are tired I just want to sleep if only for a little bit.”
“We’re somewhere around Georgia, we’re really turned around here. Bl-I mean they took us at least a good 100 miles out of the way.”
Kurt wanted to keep going, he really did but he was so tired. His body was so heavy and he just wanted to rest, at least for an few hours.
“Don’t fall asleep. Come on! Kurt, wake up! Open your eyes.” Pavarotti watched as Kurt’s body went limp with overwhelming exhaustion, floating atop the water. The least Pavarotti could was try to drag him to the shade and make sure he didn’t turn over and breathe in water. The small fish was about 90 percent positive the prince wouldn’t drown but he couldn’t be to cautious.
-o-o-o-
The boat pulled into the marina a medic meeting them immediately. “Found the kid just floating around out there. His body is ice cold but he seems to be breathing. God only knows how long he’s been out there,” the fisherman said, helping the medics move the boy. He had actually been further out in the ocean then legal but he wouldn’t tell them that.
“It’s a miracle his body shows no signs of dehydration or pruning. The salt should have had much more effect on him then this. Where’d you find him?”
“He was just floating there, about 10 miles out from Tybee Island.” It was actually more like 15 miles out, but again, the legalities.
“He seems to be breathing, and his body seems to be still functioning. He might have gone overboard on a cruise ship. We’ll airlift him to Atlanta and then put out a alert for family or friends,” the medic told the fisherman. Carefully the man and two colleagues loaded the boy onto the stretcher to take him to the local hospital where he could be airlifted to Atlanta.
-
The doctor looked baffled at the X-rays and scans, it just didn’t make sense. Besides a case of severe exhaustion the boy was perfectly healthy. He probably had missed a meal or two but other than that there was nothing medically wrong with him. What confused him was the scans of the child’s lungs. It was truly a conundrum. Immediately he called up his friend from the marina and asked if is he could catch a red-eye out him. The doctor was annoyed but asked what was so intriguing. “I think you might have been right about those mermaid fantasies of yours.” The other man didn’t waste a second more.
When he arrived he practically ran to his old college friend’s office. He burst through the doors, hair completely ruffled and clothes mussed. “You better not have just played a cruel joke on me Martin,” was the first roads out of his mouth.
“No, Anthony, I did not, come over here and look at this,” he motioned the other man over to the computer screen. Anthony hurried over looking over Martin’s shoulder. “The boy was found about 10 miles out from Tybee Island according to the reports. No signs of dehydration or wrinkling commonly seen in floaters like this. His body was completely cold, roughly 62 degrees Fahrenheit, when he arrived. His body should have succumbed to hypothermia or worse, he should be dead, but he is still very much alive. I ordered scans and X-rays done to make sure there was nothing internal wrong and I found this in his lungs,” he brought up the scans on his computer zooming in on what he saw.
“Developing gills?”
“Not a drop of water in his lungs, and I saw that. I thought it was impossible but then I remembered a similar case some 20 years ago, we studied it in Orlando’s class.”
“Yeah, I remember. I was the only one that thought of mermaids. Orlando failed me saying that was no more than a myth, but right now we’re seeing a real life case. This boy is in the developing stages of his mutation. How about his eyes? Did they have the thin fish like filament?”
Martin shook his head. “Looks like it’s developing slowly in the corners of his eyes but not a clear coat. No signs of scaling either. The boy has to be about 18 give or take.”
“I want to see him,” Anthony husked, eager to see the boy that was little doubt a merman in transition. Martin nodded leading his colleague to the room where the mysterious boy was held. The doors slid open and Anthony’s eyes widened. Since that day in class he’d poured himself into mermaid lore, he could possibly be accused of knowing to much, and this was not what he was expecting. Atlantis’ prince. The only son of Princess Elizabeth, this was not good.
“We’ve tried to get an ID on him. A boy went missing up in Myrtle Beach about 3 weeks ago, we think it might be him.”
Anthony gulped think rashly. Grabbing the nearest object he smacked Martin upside the head, easily knocking the doctor unconscious. Quickly he unhooked the tubes and heart monitor from the young boy, the boy stirring slightly. “Come on, we’re getting you out of here.”
“Tired,” he muttered, getting up none-the-less. Anthony led the boy discreetly as possible out of the hospital. Fortunately, no one paid much attention to doctors taking patients outside. The records were all under John Doe so there was no need to worry about those, but he could always hack in later and delete them out. He reached his rental car helping the boy inside before rushing to the driver’s seat. He was sure by now someone would have noticed Dr. Martin and the missing patient, the hospital would lock down in a matter of moments.
“Myrtle Beach, right?” Anthony asked, turning on his GPS after starting the car. The boy nodded, resting his head against the car window in sleep. Putting the car into drive he tore out as fast as he could, the guards already heading into the lots to look for him and the patient. His eyes shifted to the GPS which was thankfully telling him to simply take 20 all the way up. It was a six hour drive, but he’d have to make it non-stop, he had no choice.
-
Kurt stirred, looking about only to find himself in a car speeding down the highway. “Where am I?”
“Don’t panic, your highness, I’m taking you back to Myrtle Beach.”
“What did you call me?” Kurt asked looking at the man in white.
“You are the prince, correct? Princess Elizabeth’s son?”
“Not another one,” he groaned. How did these people keep finding him.
“I’m not a merman,” Anthony clarified. “I just, know a lot more than I should. I’ve spent the better part of my life studying mermaids, tracking them. In all my years I’ve only been able to catch glimpses of Atala and Elizabeth. Never once have I seen Marianna, but you look like what I’ve seen of Elizabeth.”
“So you took a guess?”
The man blushed, scratching the back of his head. “Kind of. But you’re almost 18, right? If the legends are right you’ll die if you don’t find Princess Elizabeth’s seashell. I can’t really read mermish but I know there’s more details in there somewhere. Luckily you’re still in the early stages of the transition, I’d be really screwed if you didn’t understand English. Then again you grew up on land, didn’t you? So you would understand English, you haven’t been in the sea like so many others. Well, you can probably still speak mermish, no doubt, you might be able to read it too,” the man rambled, switching lanes. Kurt sighed, choosing to tune the man out. Anthony reached over towards his bag between Kurt’s feet making the boy jump.
“What are you doing?”
“In my bag there’s a book of mermish script,” he muttered, looking between the road and his bag.
“You drive, I’ll get it,” Kurt glared, glad when the man pulled away.
“It’s a blue folder.”
Kurt pulled it out, looking at it skeptically.
“I’ve picked up mermish script from wherever I could. Anywhere along the shorelines, even as far as California.”
“You’re pathetically obsessed,” Kurt deadpanned.
“Just slightly. Can you read it?”
Kurt flipped it open, surprised he could read the symbols within as if it were written in English. Anthony looked over at him eagerly, eye wide. “What does it say?” he question, almost manically.
“Brent was here,” he read off. “Peace to all humans, love Stanthia. Pacific Coast represent, Pyronth all the way, take that Alantians. The whole page looks like stuff you see in bathrooms,” Kurt told him, not impressed.
“Well that one is useless. How about the next page?”
“More bathroom scribble. ‘Long live Elizabeth’ ‘Long live Marianna’….nothing that’s of use to me.” Though he couldn’t stop himself from smiling at the ones that declared his name. Nice to know everyone wasn’t waiting to betray and backstab him. He still didn’t understand. Why had Blaine been so kind to him if he was just planning to betray him? Why had Blaine flirted with him? Had it all been a game. “What’s this?” Kurt asked, stopping his train of thoughts at the words ‘the trade of life’. “A mermaid can trade their life for one of a human? Through kissing a mermaid can transfer their life to a human, the human then sprouting the fins of a fish and the mermaid taking on human legs. However, the mermaid will quickly suffocate on land. The change is not permanent but a cruel method disguised as a act of true love. Both mermaid and human will die two days after the trade. The only way to survive the trade is to…..”
“Is to what?” Anthony asked. This was what he had been wanting to here.
“Is for both parties to be merpeople? One mermaid can transfer their own fins to a transition, however, neither change is permanent. To make it permanent the one inciting the change must either give up their life or lock their soul and memories in a stone. The stone can only then be broken by the one who holds the heart. What does that mean?”
“You’re guess is probably better than mine. I’m a land-breather after all,” Anthony chuckled.
“Hold the heart? Heart of what? The ocean? A literal heart?”
“Perhaps the heart is not a heart at all, but something more metaphorical. Attention? Affection? Perhaps love even?”
“Love. The one who holds the heart, meaning the one the mermaid loves. Their true love. How Disney can you get?” Kurt laughed.
Anthony smiled at the boy, wondering what he would look like once he turned. Then again, he’d know soon enough.
-o-
They pulled up to the beach, storm clouds overhead pouring down rain. The tide had risen to the boardwalk, angry waves pouring over. Spectators stood watching in disbelief of the situation. A lone woman stood out among the waves, her light brown hair blowing viciously, her blue eyes narrowed in hate. From head to toe the woman was completely nude. Her mouth remained closed, merely eyeing over them.
“Dad!” Kurt yelled, spotting the balding man amongst the crowd. Burt turned with wide eyes running to his son, grabbing in a tight hug.
“Thank god I thought I had lost you, kid,” he cried, hugging his son tightly. The rest of Kurt’s friends rushed to him, hugging him in turns, wetting his hospital shirt with tears.
“What’s going on?” he asked, spotting the massive hurricane sized storm around them.
“That woman,” Finn yelled over the howling wind. “Just suddenly appeared and all this stuff started. The water rose unbelievably fast and a couple of people got pulled under but they can’t send rescue crews out. It’s to dangerous.”
“Nice gown, Hummel,” Santana laughed, pulling on the tacky hospital garb. Kurt looked out to the raging waters the woman’s lips turning up in a vicious smirk.
“Nephew!” she declared, everyone watching covering their ears at the loud screeching sound. “I thought I could wait, but unfortunately I can not. Father has become suspicious so now I must kill you here. But first…”
“Wh-What’s going on?” Brittany called in surprise as her body moved of it’s own accord towards the ocean.
“Time to return to the depths dear niece. As promised you will be returned to your mother, but I can’t promise you’ll be alive when she finds you.”
“Brittany!” Artie and Santana called, rushing after the blonde to stop her. They were halted in their tracks as a strong gust of wind pushed them back. The blonde cheerio walked to the boardwalks edge, people rushing to stop her only to be pushed away by the same wind. Without a word the blonde dove in.
“Brittany!” they yelled, running to the edge, trying to see where she’d gone.
Suddenly she reemerged from the tumultuous waters, a man holding on to her. “Careful now, princess.”
“You’re a mermaid!! SEE?! I TOLD YOU MERMAIDS EXSIST!” Brittany yelled, pointing to the man holding her.
“Blaine!” Kurt yelled. Why was he here? Going to pull him under and finish him off like Marianna wanted. “Bring Brittany back up.”
“Sorry, your highness, I can’t. Brittany’s stone broke,” he answered, showing the stone now broken in half. He let go of Brittany the girl falling under the waves.
“Brittany!” Santana yelled, ready to jump in. “I don’t know what that fucked up screeching is but I don’t care. We have to save Brittany.”
“Atala has taken the girl,” Marianna glared. “Fair enough. Blaine, bring me the prince and then I will grant you what you wish. Your dear brother.”
Blaine looked up at Kurt helpless. “Kurt, I’m sorry.”
“Your life, or the lives of the humans, take your pick, little prince,” Marianna sneered, leaving Kurt no choice. He turned to his father, hugging the man tightly.
“I’m sorry dad.” The next person he hugged was Finn. “Sorry I gave you such a hard time all the time and tell Carol I love her like a mom.” He turned to Mercedes giving her a big hug, before doing the same with Quinn. When he felt like he was sufficiently hugged out he jumped into the water before any of them could stop him. Blaine immediately dove under, catching him and helping him to surface above the heavy waves.
“Kurt! Kurt!” Burt yelled, everyone holding him back from jumping in.
“Pavarotti was right,” Blaine started. “I was lying. When you caught me I panicked, Marianna has my mother and she won’t free her till she has you.”
“Then why didn’t you just tell me.”
“I couldn’t bare for you to know the truth. You’d think horrible of me and wouldn’t have followed me. My brother Parker has been safe in the Pacific with my father for many years. I dedicated my life to serving Marianna in hopes she would free my mother. I’m sorry.”
“Hmph. No you’re not, you did what you thought was right. Besides it’s not like I have on a crush on you or anything.”
Blaine laughed. “Well I hope you do or what I’m about to do will be completely worthless.”
“What do…” he was cut off by Blaine’s lips covering his owns, faint yells from the pier made him roll his eyes. He was seconds away from death and all Puck could yell was ‘get some’. A wave washed over them and Kurt felt it instantly. His legs seems to snap together, something cold and sticky crawling up them. Slowly the wet situation moved up and up till it stopped at his waist. His eyes opened under the water, immediately taking in the clear view of the darkened water. This time he was the one having to help Blaine, as he struggled to break the surface.
“You insolent child, what have you done?!”
Blaine smiled at Kurt, kissing his forehead. “My mother has my stone, I hope this works and you don’t let me die.”
“Wait, what did you just-?”
Blaine laughed, pulling off an earring Kurt hadn’t seen him wearing previously. “Your shell.”
“Y-you…”
“Took it off Brittany. Now your change will be permanent, your highness.”
“Blaine….”
“I wasn’t lying when I said I’ve been in love with you before I even met you. Crazy, maybe a bit obsessive, but….”
Kurt couldn’t stop himself from kissing the other male, ignoring, for a moment, the current situation. “Get to the boardwalk before you drown.”
Blaine laughed, doing just that, pushing against the waves to get out of the water that was now his enemy. Kurt dove under the water, having no time to marvel over his new tale of blue and green, instead he swam; swam in the direction he felt was right. Marianna cursed, falling into the water, returning to her true form, speeding after her nephew. “I won’t allow you to make it to Atlantis alive.”
“Watch it, mermaid! I don’t like you,” Trigger snarled, getting in Marianna’s way. “You messed up my home now you got to pay.”
“You dare speak to me that way you insolent tiger shark?”
Trigger snapped at her. He wasn’t dumb. She got her way no fish but merpeople would get rights. Sharks would become slaves. Like hell he’d become a mermaid’s slave.
Kurt looked back at the shark, thankful he was blocking the way for now. He just needed to keep going, just keep swimming the way his heart was telling him.
-o-o-o-
“I’m Blaine,” Blain introduced himself to the group, not sure whether to shakes hands or bow like they did under the water or what.
“What did you do to my son?” Burt asked the half-nude boy who was given a towel to cover his waist.
“Gave him my tail, in a nutshell. He’s got two days to find my stone, break it, or I die. Well I die if he doesn’t hold my heart and breaks it as well, but I’m hoping Kurt holds my heart.”
“Dude, you were a fish,” Finn pointed out.
“Yes. Half-fish actually, but unlike Kurt, I wasn’t born on land I was born in the sea. So you humans must show me human things,” he smiled. The group jumped as a loud sonic boom resonated through the air, the water miles out shooting out. “She plans to kill him before he can get to Atlantis. I probably don’t have any of my magic left to help him either,” he lamented. There was no way to help Kurt without his magic and Kurt wouldn’t know how to use his own. “VOICE!” Blaine exclaimed. “Can any of you sing?”
Rachel scoffed. “Can I sing? Of course I can sing. I’m the best….”
“No offense, but I don’t need a life story. Her highness Elizabeth’s gift is her voice and Kurt no doubt has that same gift. Just, follow me, and sing.” It was stupid he knew, but if his voice could reach Atlantis, the merpeople would no doubt know what was going on. They’d be able to get to Kurt in time. The little bit of magic he had left was sure to help him in getting the humans to understand.
“Can you still see your dreams in the distant, starry sky? Are they more vivid than they were when you were little?” he sang out. His magic took over from there, giving the humans around him the ability to know the words to the mermish song.
“When one forgets to put the emotions that overflow in her heart to rest, they burn the color of passion.,” they began singing, the sounds beginning to drift down the boardwalk as more and more people joined in. “I used to believe without a doubt that I could reach my dreams, no matter how far off they were. But that me from long ago now sleeps inside my heart.”
It was loud, melodious with the small bit of magic that swirled around them. Surely Elizabeth would here her lullaby. Surely she would know.
-o-
“Dreams are more fragile and fleeting than a glass rose, so then why are we destined to dream?”
Elizabeth jerked upright at hearing the familiar words of her own song. Who was singing?
“Sometimes two dreams can turn into love, but there are also times when they can't.” The song continued and she closed her eyes, stretching her senses to see where it was coming from. The fish of the scene were still, staring up into the sky. The people of her kingdom were still, listening to the words as they flowed through them.
“Even when they're alone, people want to share their feelings, but it can be so hard. Words are powerless to express one's feelings, and sometimes they become a silver knife.”
Blaine. That was Blaine’s very faint magic signature. He was compelling the humans to sing, but why.
“I used to believe without a doubt that I could reach my dreams, no matter how far off they were. But that me from long ago now sleeps inside my heart.,” a new voice added to the humans. A mermish voice.
“Kurt!” she cried out, shooting from her room and swimming as fast as she could, following the song. Her son! Her son was in the ocean. He was a merman, but not by the shell. Something was wrong, she had to get to him.
-o-
“Stop that incessant singing,” Marianna yelled, shooting another bolt of electric energy towards the boy. Kurt narrowly dodged it, rolling over to his back and swimming as fast as he could. He felt slightly off balance not a use to his fins, but he felt he was doing an adequate job of evading his homicidal aunt.
The next bolt came towards him only to go off path, striking a large rock.
“So, Your majesty,” Wes called, appearing in between Kurt and Marianna, David along with him. “I can’t betray Blaine. He’s my friend, and he’s more likely to protect me than you are.”
“You children dare turn on me?”
“The song is waking a lot of us up,” David called. “Telling us you’re wrong, we all have been. Her highness Princess Elizabeth should be on the throne.”
“Your Highness, we apologize for the inconvenience,” Wes bowed. “Go find Blaine’s stone so the idiot can come back home.”
Kurt stared at them in disbelief before giving them a brief thanks, swimming off once again. He just had to keep swimming. Keep swimming. Keep Swimming.
“Kurt,” a familiar but dream-like voice called out. “Kurt!” There it was again. He swam in the direction of the voice, wanting to hear it more. “Kurt!”
“Mom?” he called, seeing a figure swimming towards him. The woman came into view and Kurt couldn’t help but spastically swim towards her, trying to stroke against the water causing him flap against the water around him. She laughed before wrapping her arms around her teenage son, hugging him closely.
“Kurt,” she whispered, not believing she was holding her baby boy in her arms again. Kurt hugged his mother back, taking in her scent of flowers and algae, very distinct even under the ocean water. He pulled back staring at her, her appearance not having altered much since the last time he’d seen her 10 years ago. She smiled at him, stroking his cheek lovingly. “My baby boy.”
“How sweet, to bad I’m going to have to take your Kurt away from you,” Marianna taunted.
“Kurt, go! Once you’re in Atlantis she can’t touch you. The barriers will protect you,” Elizabeth ordered.
“But mom, what about you? Wes? David?”
Elizabeth could see the two injured boys ahead. She closed her eyes, a sand wall surrounding her sister. From inside lightning sparked, trying to break through the mixture of salt, water, and sand. “Take them and go! Find your grandfather, tell him to strip us of our powers!” A angered scream came from the barrier, the lightning becoming more persistent.
“What?”
“Do it!” she pulled her son close, kissing his forehead. “Tell him these words, ‘The sisters three, their magic divided, I take it upon myself.’ Just like that, understand?”
“Mom?”
“KURT! GO!”
He had no choice, he rushed to Wes and David to help them. David was barely conscious but enough so to help the severely injured Wes. The boy was bleeding out rapidly from his tail, the water around him dark red. Kurt took off, staring at his mother until she disappeared from his sight, then he had nothing to look for other than the kingdom of Atlantis.
Elizabeth watched her son till he disappeared, immediately dropping the sand wall. Marianna glared at her sister. “Using your own son as the host, he’ll die, and you know it.”
“No, Kurt is stronger than that. All I have to do is stop you from getting to him, dear sister.”
-o-o-o-
Just had Blaine said, the palace was not shimmering jewels or pearls but it was beautiful. It was nothing but rock, mud, seaweed, seashells and any human junk that could be found, but it was beautiful it with it’s spiraling torrents and large archways. Each home was small on the floor just enough for a mermaid or two, some homes bigger to accommodate families. It might not have been glamorous but it was beautiful.
Merpeople rushed to him upon their interest, yelling for medics. Wes was taken away, David falling close behind with a second set of medics. “Your highness,” a mermaid bowed. “The king awaits your presence.”
Kurt looked over the green-tailed mermaid. All the mermaids he had seen so far had two colored tails so why was her just a plain green? He voiced as much as he followed her up to the palace. “I am but a servant, my lord. Only those born to nobility have two colored tails. Those born to royalty have three tones in their tails, like yourself.”
“So that means Blaine is a noble,” Kurt whispered, remembering Blaine’s tail of blue and red.
“Blaine? Yes, your highness, his family was stationed to take over in the event your own could not. But when it was announced that master Blaine wanted to wed you there was much rejoicing. Blaine’s father is the king of Pyronth. A marriage between the princes would end all bad blood between the Atlantic and the Pacific.”
“I thought Blaine’s mother is….”
“She is, sire,” the mermaid whispered, as if this was great gossip. “A noble of Atlantis bore the child of the King of Pyronth, not one child but two. With no heirs Marianna and her sisters stood to lose everything, but then your highness was bored one year after master Blaine and…”
“Enough, Claudia,” a booming voice called through the space. A merman descended from the darkness, his appearance being that of no older than 20. His hair was shoulder length and a healthy brunette color, his eyes tri-colored quite like Kurt’s own. His tail was dark blue with violets and green streaking through out it. He smiled kindly at the boy, dismissing the servant girl. “So you are my elusive nephew, the one that is causing so much turmoil between my daughters.”
This was his grandfather? Would Kurt look this fantastic when he got older? If so being a merman definitely had it’s perks. “Mom told me…she had a message…”
“Yes, child?”
“The sisters three, their magic divided, I take it upon myself,” Kurt repeated, the King’s eyes widening.
“Are you sure this is what she said?”
Kurt nodded, he was not dumb he could remember a simple sentence.
“Then it is done,” he whispered grimly. Kurt had no time to process what the statement could mean as his body began to burn. He screamed in pain, hugging himself as a fire hot pain shot through his entire body.
“Make it stop!” he cried, wanting to rip open his own skin to make the pain stop. It hurt. It burned, like liquid lava was replacing his own blood. But soon it stopped and was replaced with an entirety different pain as something new darted through his blood, causing him to scream louder at the vast change.
“And so, it will be,” the king said, watching as his grandson screamed in pain. Experience the absorbing of his families magical force. If the boy lived through this, there was little doubt in the things mind the boy was meant to rule.
-o-o-o-
“Blaine! Blaine! Blaine!”
“Pavarotti? What’s going on down there?” he questioned the rainbow fish. Everyone stared at him like he was crazy for talking to a fish, but they didn’t understand.
“Marianna and Elizabeth are locked in battle, and it’s sending tremors through the ocean. Wes is severely injured but he’s in Atlantis with David.”
“Kurt, what about Kurt?”
Pavarotti looked down.
“Pavarotti!”
“Elizabeth made him….” the fish looked down again, not wanting to say.
“Made him what?”
“She made him the host, he’s….”
“She did WHAT?” Blaine stood up, staring into the blue clear sky, no one was aware of what was happening beneath those now calm waters.
“What’s going on?” Burt asked, noticing Blaine’s sudden face of panic.
Blaine swallowed thickly. “Kurt….” he couldn’t stop himself from punching the banister of the boardwalk, howling in pain.
“Whoa, Dude!” Finn yelled.
“What’s wrong with Kurt?” Burt asked, now panicking.
“He’s dying, slowly and painfully, if he hasn’t succumbed yet.”
-o-o-o-
Silence. That’s all anyone could hear. Marianna knew she was done for the moment her magic was drained from her body, Elizabeth’s own following suit. They had no choice but to return to Atlantis and receive the punishment that was sure to come. Only Elizabeth had not expected to see the body of her son, drifting just in front of her father, completely lifeless.
“Looks like your grand hope held no water,” Marianna mocked.
“Kurt,” Elizabeth whispered, swimming up to her son, running a hand over his hair.
“The boy lasted longer than expected but he succumbed. I’m sorry, Elizabeth,” their father apologized.
“And our magic?” Marianna questioned. “The host did not survive meaning…”
“He survived long enough. Your magic is sealed inside him. The throne will be transferred to Claire and her son.”
“You can’t be serious!” Marianna glared. “No,” she smirked. “Blaine made the trade, Kurt was his only hope of survival which means the boy will die leaving Claire with no heir, even you can not override the magic of the trade, father.”
He nodded. “We will figure it out. Marianna for your actions, you will be exiled and made to spend 100 years locked inside Cyrus.”
“Father! You can not be serious! I only did what was in the best interest of…”
“Yourself,” he snapped. “You would see the kingdom destroyed if it did not bow to your wish.”
Before she could get another word in she was gone, banished as her father had said. “Elizabeth, seek out Claire, she has the right to know of her son’s fate.”
When the mermaid was found and told of the situation she wept, knowing there may be no way to save her eldest son. “When he’s stone appeared I knew what he had done,” she whispered, turning the small rock over in her hand. “I haven’t…I’ve waited so long to have Blaine again and now….”
“Blaine did what it took to return the prince to us. He is to be commended for this,” the king told her. Claire nodded, looking at the limp body of the prince now laid out on a bed of seaweed and shells.
“I guess this belongs to him then,” she smiled, placing the stone on his chest, using his hands to cover it.
Suddenly, Kurt sat up with a shuddering gasp, before his mouth opened in a ear-splitting scream.
-o-o-o-
Blaine looked up feeling a wash of cold swept over him. He was turning back, did that mean?
“AH!” The people around him screamed, covering their ears as they fell to the ground in pain.
Pavarotti looked at the humans wondering what they could hear that he could not. Blaine didn’t understand this either but he knew something was severely wrong as the ocean began to stir, the sky darkening. Without a second thought he dove into the ocean, relishing the feel of his fins once again.
“What’s going on?” Pavarotti questioned.
“I don’t know, but something tells me we need to get to Atlantis and fast.”
“On it!” Pavarotti nodded, zooming off into the ocean.
-
“Father,” Elizabeth questioned, starring as her son let out a scream unheard to their ears.
“His body is rejecting the magic. The magic is reanimating him only to kill him again. It’s cruel but this is what happens in some cases with sealing spells. He will die over and over, till the powers are unleashed upon the world.”
“What does that mean?” Claire asked.
“We may not be feeling it under the water but he could be targeting humans, causing storms, tornados, hurricanes, tsunamis, a number of things. Yet we can do nothing to stop him. This will continue till the magic is gone.”
“No,” Wes spoke up, leaning on David. “I apologize your majesty, but I don’t think his highness died. He needs a second. His body went into shock to protect him, to keep him alive.”
“You are nothing but a tadpole, boy, you think you know more than I?”
“No, your majesty, but his highness sang below the water, just like her highness Elizabeth. That is a special gift that not even your majesty possesses, it shows he holds great potential. Not only that he won Pavarotti’s love in a matter of days, when it’s common knowledge Pavarotti dislikes all mermaids that outshine him.”
“Not my fault I’m more fabulous than all you half-human fish put together,” Pavarotti gloated, swimming up to them, Blaine hot on his fins.
“What’s going on?” he questioned, able to guess the gist. When he was told the situation he looked to Kurt, who was falling back into slumber, mouth closed, now probably silent to the world above. Blaine swam over to the light haired boy, taking his hand into his own. His eyes widened. “He’s not dead,” he told the group.
“Or so you think…”
“No!” Blaine yelled, cutting the king short. “He’s alive, in pain but alive. Kurt, can you hear me?”
The boy gave no answer, but Blaine find himself hearing the other loud and clear. Placing his forehead against the other merman’s he placed his lips against his, murmuring. “With my lips I take what I gave, one and a half fold I share, take me as the host.” With that he fell into darkness, joining Kurt in the abyss.
-o-o-o-o-o-
“Kurt! Hey, Kurt! Hurry we’ll be late for Glee,” Finn yelled to his step brother. Kurt turned to him with a bright smile, taking a long swig from his water bottle.
“Coming, I’ll be there in a moment,” he waved. Finn gave a shrug turning to run back inside the building. Once his step-brother was gone Kurt turned back to his tormentor who unfortunately found himself standing in a water puddle. “Mess with me again Karofksy I’ll do much more than shock you, I’ll electrocute you,” he smiled. He hated to bully his bully back but Karofsky did not get the hint, so what was a little bit of scary. Besides he wasn’t actually going to electrocute him. With that he turned and strutted off looking up at the clear blue sky. They really could use some rain. On cue storm clouds rolled in, pouring sheet upon sheet of water down upon Lima, Ohio. Much better.
Kurt entered the choir room to see everyone waiting, Brittany the only missing as she had transferred to a school in California. At least this was the story they were sticking with.
“So how was the beach guys?” Mr. Schue asked, smiling at his students. “Anything exciting happen?”
“Beyond Hummel almost drowning, nothing,” Puck lamented. “Not a damn thing.”
“It’s the weirdest thing,” Rachel spoke up. “We can’t really remember what we did after the first night.”
“We went to the HardRock and Planet Hollywood, remember, Berry?” Quinn poked in.
“I remember that, but I feel like there’s holes. Something big happened and we can’t remember it.”
“Obviously it’s not big if you can’t remember,” Kurt supplied, smirking at them all. The only person that would even faintly remember would be Finn and he made sure of that. They went through the normal routines of Glee club before school ended. Once the bell rang Kurt practically ran out to his car, happy to his see his escort waiting for him. He launched himself at the other male, kissing him like a lost lover.
“I’ve missed you as well, your highness,” Blaine smiled, pulling Kurt into a secure embrace. “Are you ready to go home?”
“I have to take Finn home first, but after that I’m all yours,” he answered.
Finn rolled his eyes complaining they would give him a toothache. Maybe Kurt had taken away a few of his other memories too in the process but, nothing that would harm the teen. Plus one less homophobe in the world was a good thing.
After going through the normal routine of taking Finn home and saying hello and goodbye to Burt, Burt giving his usual warning of being behaved while down there. Kurt smiled to his father. He had yet to let Burt in on the full extent of his role in Atlantis and that’s the way he wanted it to stay. After a short drive to Indian Lake, both boys found themselves home in the ocean as they should be, tails and all. Blaine had saved him from the abyss, saved him from death and Kurt had done the same. They were special, their magic not their own but shared absorbed from Atlantis’ three princesses, allowing them abilities never seen before.
By will they could travel land or sea, and could even return to the ocean from any body of water with just a thought. “Do you truly plan to continue in that human school?”
“You could always join me,” Kurt sang, twirling through the depths of the ocean. Blaine caught up to him, grabbing him around the waist, pulling his closer, their tails wrapping around each other.
“The crown-prince of Atlantis should not be made to suffer in such a manner.”
Kurt chuckled at his fiancé pushing away from the man. “Who are you calling ‘crown-prince’? I am KING of Atlantis.” He gave an elegant twirl through the water, his tail almost seeming to make a shimmering trail around him.
“My apologizes, your majesty,” Blaine laughed, bowing low. “How can I make amends?”
“Anything to make amends?”
“You wish is my command, dear fiancé.”
Kurt swam up to his lover, kissing him softly. “Come to human school with me.”
“HA! He played you,” Pavarotti cheered from the reef.
Blaine glared at the small fish before sighing. “Your majesty’s wish is my command.”
Kurt laughed, grabbing Blaine’s hand and swimming off in no general direction. Besides, they had all the time in the world. After all, they were kings of Atlantis.
-The End-