Prince's Tide, page 14
I understood by the gesture, and the meaning was clear by the way he touched me. When his fingers stopped teasing me, I felt bereft. It didn’t last long as he pushed himself into my slit, and I tried not to move. Fuck, it was tight. His cock pressed next to mine. It had been too long. There were handholds on the platform I hadn’t noticed until Troller reached for them above me. I put my hands on Troller’s hips.
He put a finger up to his mouth. “Stay quiet,” he clicked. I understood. He pulled slightly, and I pushed at his hips, and it took everything I had not to come.
“Troller,” I crooned. The amused clicking made me open my eyes. The experience differed greatly from the previous time. Troller didn’t have to breathe for me, and the water played a more significant part in what was happening.
My human skin had only registered temperature changes and the general flow of water. What my body understood now was a whole other experience. Troller’s movements made the water caress me all over. The play along my scales and skin teased erogenous places humans didn’t have.
It made sense that waterfolk would use the surrounding environment in their lovemaking. I didn’t have the words in either language to explain the sensations. It was more than the friction between our genitals. The experience surrounded and completely permeated my being.
Each thrust, fin movement, and brush of my scales Troller made with his body brought me to a hard climax. My whole body writhed with sensation, then again and again until I lost track. Troller filled my pouch with his seed repeatedly, and it mingled with mine. We stayed like that, connected, floating together. When he finally slipped free of me, I had the odd sensation of feeling full and empty at the same time.
At Troller’s direction, we adjusted our positions so that I could hold him. His dorsal side to my front. When he rolled, I noticed he had marks on his lower back and across his dorsal ridge from my claws.
“I hurt you,” I vocalized with a sad trill the podlings had taught me. Though I couldn’t have said I was all that sorry about it. To see him marked by me satisfied some darker part I hadn’t been aware of until now. If I’d caused him physical discomfort, I didn’t like that aspect.
He turned his head to look at me with a broad smile, like he knew what I was thinking. “We call them lover’s marks. No shame. I would do the same. Too much risk to you.” Of being discovered, he meant. They paid less attention to him.
When I returned to the protector’s sleeping area, I noticed most of them had marks on their hips, back, and buttocks. Some of the younger ones didn’t. I quickly understood that such a change in my appearance would be a signal to the others. As the only things I’d visibly done were patrol, guard, eat, and sleep, having marks would raise questions I couldn’t answer.
Each shift thereafter, our time together started with lovemaking before we worked on my vocalizations. Troller taught me how my body worked as much as he taught me his language. When a vocalized concept eluded me, we used English to bridge the gap.
“The protectors all think I’ve lost my ability to vocalize because of my head injury. I think that’s why I was assigned to you. There were whispers and concerns about your welfare, but they never say your name.”
“They wouldn’t, out of fear of being caught helping me. Halic has a lot of power. It’s false power, and I need them to understand that.”
“How, Troller?”
“By teaching you to vocalize clearly. And when the time is right, you’ll convince as many as you can of the injustice happening.”
“What happens to you? To Aisling?”
“I don’t know. But hopefully, I can convince Aisling we need to make a better way for our people.”
“Where are your adults?”
“Do you mean guardians?” He wrote the word “parents” in English, and I nodded. “I don’t know. I haven’t seen them, and I fear either Halic has banished them or they have stayed away out of fear. Halic doesn’t need more leverage over me than he already has, and I’m afraid to ask anyone else in the pod.”
I wrapped him in my arms. “Pete and Marcy’s podling should be here. What’s the word here for us that means our podling?”
He made a soft noise, and it reminded me of an old man grunt. I purred at him. “What does that mean?”
My purring didn’t go unnoticed. Troller kissed me before he wrote “second guardians” on the ground. “Or close enough. I like the English word better. Also, you vocalized ‘our podling,’” he clicked. “It’s their podling,” Troller indicated with a double click, and a small whistle. It made sense. The double click without the whistle was the ‘them’ pronoun. From what I could tell, podlings were gender neutral, and only adults had different pronouns.
“Close enough,” I vocalized, and shrugged. As I detected the current shift that would bring the next shift of protectors, I kissed him like I had every night and left him with the same promise.
“I love you. I’ll see you soon.”
“I love you, Royce.”
I took my place in the hall and shut the hatch behind me, and hated myself for it. I wanted us to leave, but I understood his need to see this through. If everything went according to Troller’s plan, it would be over by the Yearend feast. We hoped that would be our chance to shift the tide.
A Relative Problem
Troller
I had a long time to think about what I could say to Aisling during her next visit. If we could have Royce assigned to her or someone Royce trusted, then we could talk.
Our luck came through when Phyris was assigned to Aisling. Royce trusted his peer. I only hoped that the protector he’d given the English name “Purple,” which I corrected as soon as I discovered it, was as trustworthy.
When Aisling and Phyris arrived, Aisling was unusually quiet and reserved. I suspected something had happened. She glided to our table and set up the game.
“Are you alright?” I asked.
Her surprise was apparent at hearing my vocalizations. It quickly dissipated as she shook her head. If we’d been on land, I’m sure she would have cried. She glanced at Phyris and then back at me.
He approached carefully and put a hand on her shoulder. “Daako, her so-called mate, took her voice.” Aisling reached up and squeezed Phyris’ hand.
“Phyris, what do you know about Daako?” I asked, but I was afraid I already knew the answer.
“He treated Aisling well, but something changed when Halic took him on as his apprentice. He’s become increasingly short with her and cruel. This happened because Aisling interrupted his spell practice. Others nearby corroborated the story.”
I looked at Aisling. She nodded in agreement at Phyris’s words. I felt sick. This turn of events explained why Halic hadn’t visited me in some time. He had to be stopped.
“I’m going to tell you both everything that I know, and I hope you will help me. There isn’t much time, and we need to be ready by the Yearend feast.”
I explained who Royce was and why we trusted Phyris and Aisling. Of course, her being mute could be a ruse to trick Royce and me into giving ourselves away, but I hadn’t seen that kind of forethought in Halic. I hoped Royce and I had put our trust in the right people.
“I knew I liked him. I mean, he’s fairly awkward, but has a good heart. Are you teaching him?” Phyris queried.
I nodded. “It’s been slow going, but Royce has learned a lot in a short amount of time.”
“I can tell. Royce at least knows how to say his name now instead of calling himself councilor all the time.”
I stifled a trill. If he had been born among my pod, it was likely he would have risen to councilor like I had. “He’s a prince where he comes from, though he doesn’t claim his heritage. He captain’s a boat and is a natural leader, like his guardians.” That reminded me. “Aisling, have you seen your guardians recently?” She responded by shaking her head no. “Do you remember the last time you saw them?” She considered and shook her head again.
Phyris vocalized, “Aisling’s guardians have not returned to the pod caves since they promised her to Daako. Your guardians . . .” Phyris paused, and I was afraid of what he would vocalize. “Troller, when Halic came back to condemn you for going to the surface, your guardians were ostracized. They live in the outer areas. The pod was too afraid of Halic to protect them.”
I was glad my guardians were alive, but it was bittersweet. If I could restore them to the pod, I would. They didn’t deserve to be treated harshly for the choices I made. I keened softly and looked at my visitors. “Members of the pod need to risk the surface. They need to know they can shift without dying and understand that if they do it long enough, they might gain magic.”
Phyris blinked, shock written across his features. Aisling looked paler, if that was possible.
“What you’re suggesting is against everything the pods believe. You’re here because you violated that tenet. And you would have others follow you?” Phyris queried.
“I suspect there are others that have already. Many saw me on the deck of Royce’s boat the day Halic threatened to crush it with magic. They know I could breathe and walk.” I played with a shell on the game board. “We have to find others that have tried or will try. If we can convince them to band together, work together to regain what we’ve lost, we can remove Halic and return to the surface. Then we can help others do the same.”
Aisling nodded, but motioned to her throat. I wondered if my magic could fix or remove whatever Daako had done to her. Then maybe I could do the same for myself if Halic tried to silence me again.
“Stay still, Aisling. I’ll attempt to help. If it works, you’ll have to pretend to be silent until Halic or Daako gives your voice back, alright?” She nodded. I moved to her side and reached to touch her throat. At first nothing happened, then I concentrated and felt it—a blockage around her vocalizing cords. I massaged her throat with my hands, and the blockage slowly unraveled. “Try now.”
“Troller?” Aisling clicked softly and smiled. “It worked.”
“I’m glad. When my voice was stolen, I could tell something was wrong, but I didn’t have the will to fix it.” I looked between them again. “Are you with me?” They both nodded.
“Good. Do not deviate from your routines. If we can encourage enough of the pod to venture to the surface and possibly gain magic, Halic can’t continue with his plans, whatever they are. The council wouldn’t possibly punish the whole pod,” I vocalized. “Phyris, help Royce communicate. Help him tell our story and explain how I gained magic.”
As our visit ended, I felt hopeful that we might succeed. If we could find others and encourage them to be brave, there was a future for the pods—and the podlings that would not be born with fins, but feet instead.
As Aisling and Phyris prepared to swim away, I reached out and gently clasped her wrist. The movement and contact startled her, and she stopped to look at me. I came near her and opened my arms, like a guardian to a child. Her embrace was stiff at first, as if she was placating me. I held her closer and trilled and purred softly in reassurance and adoration. Her future mate had hurt her, and that was a trauma she would not soon forget.
She held me tighter then and shook with tremors I suspected were all her pent-up emotions. When she settled again, I let her go. She was brave. Much braver than I was at her age. “Whatever happens, I’ll do everything I can to protect you, Aisling.”
She gave a slight bow, and Phyris followed suit as I returned their acknowledgement. We were in agreement. I looked forward to telling Royce during his shift. I only hoped that all the risks we were taking would not make things worse.
When Royce arrived, he was agitated. He kissed me and we held each other for a time. When he calmed, a comfortable silence stretched between us. I found it ironic that everyone else around me was quiet while I had my voice.
“I’m worried. Phyris told me he knows, and he’d help me. Was that your doing?”
“Yes.” I gave him a reassuring smile. “I am worried as well. Whatever happens, we have to tell the pod and let them decide.”
“How do we stop Halic from hurting you or others? The magic he threatened my crew with was powerful. We don’t know what else he can do. We don’t know how long it will take others to develop magic. And even then, none of it will be as powerful as Halic’s. He has too much of a head start.”
I added more grave news to Royce’s worries. “Halic taught Aisling’s future mate to take her voice.”
He was so agitated, he would have swum in circles if I hadn’t grabbed hold of him.
“It’s possible Daako isn’t the only one he’s training. What happens if the pod doesn’t unite against Halic? What happens to us?” Royce fired off each question in a series of clicks and whistles, only missing a few tones in his rush to communicate.
I tried to reassure him with small caresses and fin movements. “Then we escape. We put as much distance between the pod and us as possible. We bring those with us that want to leave. Even I know there is only so much we can do, Royce. But we have to try. I have to try. I can’t abandon my pod again.”
Royce inhaled and exhaled with a soft whistle of agreement. “I told Galaina. She was grateful for the information.” That was the waterfolk he had called Garden before I corrected him. I was grateful that she found Royce and took care of him. I hoped I could thank her myself one day. “Regardless of what happens, I’m here with you. We’ll do this together.”
We spent the rest of the time in each other’s arms, hoping against hope that everything would be alright.
Marking Time
Royce
Phyris and I spread the story among the protectors, telling them about being able to shift, Troller’s magic, the world above. What I couldn’t vocalize, Phyris did. He reminded me of Pete, which was probably why I trusted him.
The first part of Troller’s plan was to help anyone in the pod to the surface. The hope was that with subsequent trips, they would access their dormant magic.
Phyris and I escorted the latest group of waterfolk to a designated safe spot, near an outcropping we were sharing with some local seals, Phyris queried me, “Are you concerned about Troller’s plan?” he asked as he left the water, and I stayed in the shallows near the outcropping.
“No. Troller wants to do the right thing and let them decide, not be duped into thinking they are here because surface dwellers will hunt them down the minute they breach the water.”
“You said so yourself—you can’t promise that won’t happen.”
“No, I can’t. But it’s different now. Surface dwellers have rules about sentient life, and we all live together with much less conflict than before. I can barely use magic, and what I can use is made for humans that don’t have access to it or don’t have magic themselves. People have shelter, don’t starve, and most places are safe.
“There are likely things I don’t know, and being a human, well, it’s certainly a kind of privilege. But all I can do is share my experiences and help with the newness of surface life as much as I can.”
Phyris nodded. “Then we will maintain faith that the pod will follow the right leader and choose wisely. Troller will have his chance to speak at the Yearend feast as the pod’s council member. Halic won’t go so far against tradition to not allow it.”
“Why haven’t they replaced Troller on the council?” I wondered about it since Troller wasn’t allowed to perform many of his duties, only the ceremonial ones. Not that I knew anything about what a council member did for the pod, other than representing them.
“I imagine it’s tied in with his punishment. Halic has been our pod’s acting council member since Troller supposedly died by going to the surface. Once he returned, Troller wouldn’t hand his position over to Aisling, and Halic’s story is unraveling. The other council members are unsure of what to do. Halic has made a strong case for keeping Troller confined to make sure he can’t steal Halic’s magic too. Many trusted Halic as an elder of the pods because of his magic. Troller is the only one who openly defied Halic.”
There were rumors among the protectors that the council was reconsidering Troller’s confinement. While they acknowledged he was a councilor and should have known better, the news of how he used his magic to help so many had begun to sway the council.
“Hasn’t anyone attempted the surface before this?” I queried.
“Maybe. But for most of us, there are enough dangers in the surrounding waters. Why should we court more?”
Phyris’ logic made sense. The council was being cautious. None of the protectors nor Galaina, who had a ranking in the pod of elder guardian, understood why the council had confined Troller. The action was odd to them, even though some now knew the truth. All of it spoke of a species with long-held traditions and ideas that were deeply ingrained in their lives. Changing that would take time. Troller and I hoped our stories helped, but I continued to wonder if it would be enough.
After months of venturing to the surface and shifting, Troller’s hope was fulfilled, and they began manifesting magic. Some were healers; others could do simple things, like glamour, which allowed the waterfolk to change small parts of their appearance and even seem to disappear. One waterfolk shifted into other kinds of aquatic species—a turtle, then a dolphin, and even an octopus. When they figured out their proper form again, they were elated.
Troller and I had been gone for nearly a year, as we reckoned time by the birthing cycles and the feasts. My parents, Pete and Marcy, the crew, none of them would know anything about what happened to us. Once Troller’s pod was safe, I hoped we could find a way to tell them we were safe.
While we clandestinely helped the pod, Halic pressured Troller to change his story. Halic knew he was losing control of the council, but didn’t know why. We were lucky he never recognized me or noticed my marks on Troller during these visitations. He always kept a loyal protector near him and the reed hatch between him and Troller.
