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neoninky · 11 months

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TWST Fanfic "Her Lost Voice": Chapter 5

*crawls home from third 10 hr shift that week*

Hey y'all I'm back with the next chapter of Her Lost Voice and more mermaid chaos lol.

Before that tho: I have a poll going on until next week! For all old and new readers of the Sacred Crown Chronicles, I'd appreciate your feedback - cast yo vote here

Chapter 5: I Want the Good Times Back

It wasn't an unusual sight by any means.

Proteus had grown used to Cowrie not being in her room when he did his morning rounds. However, when the sharp-eyed ray merman asked around, no one had seen the young eelmaid come home the night before. Again, this wasn't too out of the ordinary but somehow, Proteus had a feeling...this time was different.

The Muraeni mansion was full of chatter thanks to the Don's five sons, all from his first wife. The five eel mermen were aged from their late to their early twenties, all very large and shades of grey with large yellow splotches as if they were underwater leopards. They were Roman Morays like their father and each one muscular, rough with various scars earned both in combat and from their father's wrath if and when it was needed. The five sons were seated in the dining hall eating their breakfast and talking amongst themselves until the Don himself entered the room, causing all of them to fall silent. Proteus arrived only seconds later with two large shark mermen flanking him and waiting to be addressed before he spoke.

Don Muraeni was a very built merman that, unlike his rival, had unflawed skin that spoke volumes about each scar that his sons bore in his place. He had a permanent unimpressed scowl on his face that rarely softened, especially not in the presence of his children. He was cold and utilitarian at the best of times with cloudy grey locks he kept perfectly in place and icy pale blue eyes to match his demeanor. Cowrie was the only one of his children with an actual name and that was only because her mother insisted on naming her. His sons were merely called by the numbered day they were born on. Fortunately for them, none of them were born on the same number. The Don silently swam into the room and sat at the head of the table where he was quickly served his meal by the waiting staff. He looked around the table, mentally counting each of his children, and realized that one was missing.

"Proteus...where is my daughter?" his voice had a smooth, earthen quality to it, like a crackling campfire without the warmth.

"It doesn't seem like Miss Cowrie came home last night, sir." the ray answered calmly with a bit of a glint in his eye, "I was going to go the Cove and ask Miss Luna if she had seen her sister-"

"Don't bother Luna too much," the Don's voice turned gruff, "I'm having her stay at the Cove the next few nights to get her ready. Luna's especially valuable and fresh right now. She needs to stay that way for her debut..." the Don stabbed the food on his plate with his gold fork before continuing, "Seven..."

The second oldest of the five sons sat at attention, awaiting his father's words.

"Go look for Cowrie and make sure to bring her home. I haven't given her any tasks lately because she's starting back at school soon...still, I've been spoiling her too much by letting her roam free. If she's being stubborn again, then put some pressure on her."

The son nodded and left the table to see to his task. The Don and his remaining sons continued to eat in silence for a long moment before he addressed Proteus again, "See to the Siren's Cove, make sure all my lures are in good shape. But don't disturb Luna, understood?"

"Of course, sir," Proteus replied with a deceitful grin on his face before leaving the hall with two of the sharks at his side. Once they were down the hall and out of earshot of the Don and his boys, Proteus looked to his cohorts, "Follow the boy. Better yet, find Miss Cowrie first. I have a hunch that sneaky little worm is up to no good. I think a bit of fear will do her some good..."

The two sharks were very large, larger than the eels, and even rougher looking. Their dark smiles bore even sharper and thicker-looking teeth. They could make quick work of the strongest opponents with ease but they were as strong as they were dumb. Not to mention easily influenced. In short, they were perfect thugs for Proteus and the Don to maneuver like vicious chess pieces.

"Bring her home, nice and broken in. But remember boys, don't leave any marks on her. Got it?"

Proteus had the look of a man lavishing in the finest of feasts as the two thugs followed after Seven.

Luna locked herself in her dressing room to get some space. It had been another long night and she wasn't in the mood to deal with the other sirens' two-faced prattle. She sighed as she rested her head on the vanity, her body and spirit drained from the use of her natural siren magic and voice. This was going to be her home for the next few nights...maybe even every single night until she graduated. The Don had already given her permission to make an appearance at Sacred Crown's opening ceremony to save face but she was expected to come right back afterward.

The elder Cerith daughter looked at the photograph attached to the mirror. It was the only picture she had of her parents before Cowrie was born before her mother had remarried Don Muraeni. She was just a tiny little eel in the picture but her mother looked almost exactly like she did now. This had been her mother's room too when Mrs. Cerith was the main diva. Her mother looked so much happier in the picture with Luna's father. Mr. Cerith had owed the Don a favor, a very unfortunate place to be. And well...Luna was very young when the Don had come to collect and had very little memories of the event. The most vivid was just how miserable her mother seemed to always be after her father disappeared.

Luna rubbed her eyes and sat up straight. There was no point in reminiscing. It wouldn't change a thing now, would it? No, of course not. If Luna's mother had a choice, this wouldn't be the life she would have wanted for her daughter. Luna knew this and that was enough. The siren quietly floated over to her closet and removed a piece of the floor to open up a hidden pit, suddenly having a desire to see a certain hidden treasure again. Inside was the portal keys that she had created to give herself some freedom even though it was always short-lived. Hidden amongst the keys was a picture of her and Floyd together. It was taken at Sacred Crown during the last event that brought them together. Like the picture of her parents, Luna looked a lot happier then.

She sighed, feeling a stab of guilt. Yes, she knew that she was being hypocritical. She meant it when she had told Cowrie that they both needed to end these connections with the Leech boys. She meant it, but it was easier said than done. Luna was very good at holding her cards close to her chest. She had to be. She wouldn't survive in this world without that ability. But Luna would be lying if she said that she didn't feel anything when faced with Floyd Leech and that disgruntled look of betrayal he didn't bother hiding in his eyes. Floyd was never one to hide his feelings about anything. It was honestly one of Luna's favorite things about him. Well that and his cute, boyish energy he had whenever he was in a good mood. She never had to guess how he was feeling. There were never any surprises save for one: Floyd never grew tired of her like she fully expect him to. Sure, he'd get burned out socially on occasion and would much rather go nap somewhere or do something else for a couple of hours. But the first sign of Luna's absence for more than 24 hours, Floyd Leech would zip back to her like a boomerang, needing her attention and affection and willing to do just about anything to get it. Any length of time they were physically apart didn't matter to him. As soon as he saw her, he was just as happy and thrilled as the time before that and the time before that. That never changed. He never changed...

It honestly boggled Luna's mind. She was never allowed to have an actual boyfriend or any connection of the sort but the Don not only allowed but encouraged her to use her wiles on boys - human, merfolk, didn't matter - as target practice. So Luna did and she did so often all through her jr. high and high school years. So much that she had gained quite the reputation, not that it mattered. But whether she used enchantments or not, the end result was always the same: they grew bored and they left. Once the boys figured out that Luna wasn't all that she seemed or that she wasn't going to give them everything they wanted, that this was all just a game, they were gone. No strings attached. Luna knew it, the boys probably knew it too, and even Floyd knew it...and yet, he was the one that always came back. Floyd Leech was the one that always wanted her around and didn't expect Luna to change even though the basis of their relationship was very shallow and destined to not last for either of them. At least that's what they agreed upon in the beginning, right? They were just having fun. Nothing serious. So why did he have to look at her like that? Like some kicked, abandoned puppy that refused to stop waiting for her to return home?

Focus, Luna mentally snapped to herself as she hid the photo away again, this for the best for both of you, he'll understand that eventually! ...Luna couldn't fully convince herself. If she were to be fully honest with herself, she missed Floyd terribly. She missed his kisses, his snug, sweet embraces, his smile, the way he'd say her name like it was the sweetest song. Behind closed doors, her heart ached. She'd sigh and smile at Floyd's big grin frozen inside that photographed memory like it was the most precious treasure in the world. Ugh, Luna cringed at how sappy it all was...but it was true. She even missed Jade and Azul. She missed being able to relax and just be around them with her sister and Elise, safe and happy inside that bubble of bliss. Luna Cerith missed her life before this god-awful summer.

Luna had closed her closet just in time for a knock to come to her door. The siren frowned and unlocked the door when she heard Proteus' voice. She was beyond eager to deal with his disruption as quickly as possible. Luna didn't bother welcoming the dubious ray merman into her room but stood her ground in the doorway, looking him up and down like the inconvenience he was.

"What do you want, Proteus?" she asked coldly.

His smile made her skin crawl, "Miss Luna, good morning. Pardon the intrusion but it's just that the Don has sent me to check up on all of his precious songbirds. You, especially."

"I am alive and well as you can see. You can go." Luna was about to close the door in his face when Proteus suddenly slammed his hand against it, making it almost impossible to budge.

"One last thing, my dear Luna," his voice dripped with an unsettling purr, "it's about your sister, Miss Cowrie. She didn't come home last night, I'm afraid...you wouldn't know anything about the poor child's whereabouts would you?"

Luna held a neutral expression even though her mind was running a mile a minute, "My sister has always been a free spirit, Proteus. Especially as she's gotten older. I imagine she stayed with a friend or found some other reasonable alternative to coming home as she's done several times before...or have you not noticed with all of your lurking about how much she detests being in that house when I'm not there?"

The electric ray carefully narrowed his crimson eyes at the siren, his grin still intact, "Indeed I have. I think, perhaps, her father has been a bit too lenient with her. Why ever since losing her dear mother, Miss Cowrie has become too willful. It's no wonder she clings to you so. Not only are you her sister, Miss Luna, but you look so much like the late mistress...such a beauty. It's a real shame what happened to her...and your father, I might add. The poor fool."

Luna visibly pulled away and started to bare her sharp teeth at Proteus as he attempted to touch her face. Her fins bristled and stood on their ends as she glared pure venom straight into him, "You have a lot of nerve playing like you had no hand in what happened to my parents, you gutless bastard."

Proteus was barely phased if at all. He just chuckled dryly, "My, my what a temper. I can see why the Don puts so much stock in you, Miss Luna. Such a beautiful face, a womanly figure, and fiery spirit that can devastate the most cold-blooded men among us-"

His disgusting spiel was interrupted by Luna's claws leaving stinging scratch marks across his cheek, "Piss off before I start taking chunks out of you!"

The ray merman just smiled as her door slammed in his face and the lock was bolted. It was adorable how she thought such a flimsy barrier could keep her safe from him. He'd allow it for now if only to stay within his boss's good graces. He was a patient hunter after all...and these girls were too much fun.

On the other side of the door, Luna held a hand to her mouth to hold back her frustrated sobs. She wouldn't give that creepy asshole the satisfaction of hearing her cry. Instead, Luna swallowed her distress and rushed back to her closet. She had an idea where Cowrie was hiding but only had limited time to find her.

"Ellie! Come on! You have to see this place!"

Elise smiled at Cowrie's bright mood as the younger eelmaid beckoned her out of the grotto. In the morning light, the Octavinelle seascape looked absolutely gorgeous with its colorful coral reefs and rock formations. The best part? They had the whole place to themselves to swim and explore to their heart's content. Azul and the twins were currently sitting in the Mostro Lounge, forming a game plan for the following weeks. In the meantime, Cowrie was more than ready to take a swim with Elise, who was no longer in danger of drowning. The princess swam after her much faster companion as she was led around, showing her every single nook and cranny. Obviously, Cowrie had spent a lot of borrowed time in these waters.

"See that spot over there?" Cowrie was pointing to what looked like a seaweed forest, "that's the best place to take a nap, hide, or to get some lovey-dovey privacy apparently. At least that's what Luna tells me," Cowrie snorted at that last bit. Elise couldn't help but notice that Cowrie seemed to be in a much more chipper mood than usual for some reason. The princess grinned as her curiosity burned.

"Speaking of making out, that's the same window I saw Reiny and Riddy kissing in that one time," Cowrie pointed to the glass pane to an empty nook within the Mostro Lounge. Cowrie zipped ahead, still rambling on about something else, but Elise saw the three boys sitting in a booth, talking in another window as she swam by. Jade noticed the female octomermaid and gave her a friendly wave which she returned. Jade seemed to be in good spirits too today...interesting. She paused in the water and pointed towards Cowrie with one of her tentacles while giving Jade a questioning look. There was a split second of surprise before Jade's stoic, closed-eyed grin returned to his face. Aha. Elise gave him a playful smile before swimming away. Judging from the enthusiastic wag of Cowrie's tail and the spark in her eyes, Elise had a hunch that maybe the 'some reason' was actually a 'someone'.

"Jade, are you listening?" Azul's annoyed tone pulled the eel's attention back to the conversation, "As I was saying, I checked the shell...it's empty."

Azul was holding a palm-sized nautilus seashell that he had sealed Rielle's voice in once they formed the original contract. The octopus boy seemed deeply frustrated and confused. Not to mention, extremely tired.

"Azul, you've been brooding over this conundrum for the past few nights now. Wouldn't it be wise to rest?" Jade seemed genuinely concerned which Azul normally appreciated but in his current state, it only heightened his irritation at the whole situation.

"How can I rest when none of this makes any sense?!" he groaned, "If Her Highness really switched places with that stupid prince then shouldn't her voice be stored inside this shell like his was before?! And look at this, the wording hasn't changed at all..."

Azul gestured to the physical contract that Rielle had signed laid out before them. The parchment seemed dulled, worn, and muted as if every drop of magic had been sucked out of it. But Azul was correct: the twins read over it and every detail remained the same down to the wording to Rielle's post signature. The eels exchanged a look before Floyd let out a bored sigh. He leaned into the booth's plush material as he casually let his theory loose.

"Cowrie-chan was able to let Octi-chan talk with her voice before. It seems like she still has her voice but it's locked up inside. Luna..." it took Floyd an awkward minute to say Luna's name naturally, "Luna said something about the magic turning into a curse, right? Curses aren't really my forte but...I dunno...maybe it's like old magic from back in the day."

Jade felt a bit of pride in his brother's cleverness, seeing that he could very well be onto something, "Her kissing Rielle seemed to be part of the catalyst. Maybe another kiss could break this curse."

It was pretty damn trite but Azul dug through the pile of papers until he found the exact passage he found earlier, " 'True Love's Kiss' did seem to be the answer to many old spells and curses. If we look at history, the mermaid princess who fell in love with a human prince is a good example. I based Rielle's request on the same formula: three days to get a kiss from his beloved...but there's only one problem. Her Highness is in love with Prince Rielle and he flat out rejected her."

All three boys sighed in frustration. Azul was exhausted to the core but even so, he felt cold dread creep in when he weighed his options. He had a myriad of potions and counterspells at the ready with no guarantee any of them would work. Or...he had his sea witch grandmother on speed dial with the guarantee of a much higher success rate. His mother had already threatened to go over his head and reach out to her mother to take on the task of fixing Azul's mistake. It wasn't a terrible idea just...Azul was one proud octopus. He absolutely abhorred failure, especially accepting it before he barely got started! Before he forgot, Azul pulled out a vial of bright blue liquid and set it on the table between the three of them.

"I can at least give Her Highness this dry land potion so she can leave the water when needed..."

Floyd suddenly shot out an idea that seemed both ludicrous and tempting: "What if Octi-chan just stayed a mermaid? Her stupid family doesn't seem like they care enough to look for her...she could be happier down here with us."

Azul could definitely see the truth and merit of the twin's words but Jade said his peace for him.

"That's not for us to decide, Floyd. Miss Elise never asked to become a mermaid in the first place," Jade silently agreed with his brother but still believed in his words. Elise was a person caught up in a precarious situation, not a stray animal for them to adopt.

Floyd just pouted as his mood quickly shifted into the grumpy side of the spectrum, "Ehhh...but look at her!"

Elise and Cowrie could be seen outside the window, swimming about. Elise did look like she was enjoying herself, almost naturally as if she had never been anything or anywhere else in her life. This was actually the most they had seen her smile since they found her in distress days ago. Cowrie looked thrilled to have a new swimming buddy. It was tempting but Azul knew better.

"She doesn't belong down here. She's a human, not a mermaid. A princess of the surface...not some squishy, awkward, lame octopus."

The sharp teasing looks the twins were suddenly giving him didn't escape Azul's notice.

"She's definitely not an awkward or lame octopus...or were you talking about yourself, Azul? Even after all this time? My, my... " Jade snickered to himself.

"You have a problem," Floyd stated bluntly, ruffling Azul's gills, "You were so cute and round when we were little guppies~"

"You two be quiet!" Azul huffed, "Go get her so we can make sure this potion works properly!"

Elise was enjoying the easy-going setting with her dear friend. If nothing else, it helped distract her from the lingering ache in her chest. With everything going on, this tiny bit of reprieve felt like a sweet balm. Not just Rielle's rejection but her family...no, she didn't want to think about it. Cowrie noticed the sadness slowly creep back into the princess' jewel-colored eyes and wrapped her up in her tail like a hug, "Hey Ellie...you ok?"

The princess put on her best smile and nodded. Voice or no voice, it was a weak display and the girls both knew it. Cowrie grabbed her friend's hand and guided her back to the grotto, "I wanna show you something. It's not a happy memory but it's important."

Once they were inside the cave, Cowrie swam high up to one of the tallest ledges and grabbed a small framed picture. She placed it in Elise's hands with a small nostalgic smile, "Since Luna and I are telling you our secrets: we have something in common. This is our mama...she's gone too, like your mama."

The eel mermaid in the picture looked like a more mature version of Luna: she had the same eyes, the same warm coloring, everything. In her arms was a tiny baby Cowrie and a young Luna at her side. Elise felt a rush of both warm affection for this woman she never met and heartache for her two friends. She gave Cowrie a questioning look that said 'What happened to her?' "I never met Luna's papa. He was gone long before I was even around but...well, Luna doesn't really like to talk about it. But my papa made sure that he wasn't in the way so to speak. I think Proteus had something to do with it. He's this creepy electric ray merman and Papa's right hand. If my brothers don't carry out Papa's wishes, Proteus usually does. He's a real cruel bastard. I was pretty young when Mama left but...I don't think she did it willingly."

Elise felt sick just hearing this. Seeing Cowrie look so unnerved was something that just didn't happen. Not in all the years that she knew her. It made Elise realize just how little she really understood about the Cerith sisters' life under the sea. She felt like such an outsider but that didn't matter, not now. Cowrie was shaken back to reality as she felt Elise wrap her arms and tentacles around her petite body in a double hug. The younger mermaid rested her head on Elise's shoulder, letting her gently pet her hair like a second big sister. It felt so nice. Cowrie didn't even bother calling out Jade and Floyd on lurking in the entryway, wanting the moment to last a bit longer. The twins patiently hung back, letting the girls have their time after accidentally overhearing Cowrie's story.

Floyd frowned at this sad revelation and all it revealed: not only was the Muraeni house even worse than their father had told them but did this mean that Luna was an orphan on top of being used like some prized show horse? He felt his blood boil as he pulled away to wait outside for Jade and the girls. Each little piece of history Floyd heard from the two sisters just continued to piss him off. His brother didn't stop him from leaving but instead gently cleared his throat after giving the girls another minute.

"Cowrie, Miss Elise..."

Cowrie didn't hide her affection for Jade in front of Elise which caught him off guard. The princess smiled excitedly for the two of them as Cowrie swam right up to Jade and planted a playful kiss on his lips before nuzzling her cheek against his jawline. It wasn't that Jade didn't enjoy it, quite the opposite, it was just that Jade wasn't nearly as open with his feelings or affections as his brother was. Or Cowrie for that matter. It would take some getting used to but that didn't stop the soft grin from spreading on Jade's face.

"Azul has prepared a dry land potion for you, princess," Jade continued after returning the small female eel's affections that practically had him purring, "we need to make sure it works."

Elise noticed that Floyd wasn't with him and looked concerned. Jade looked back to Floyd's irritated form that had his back to them just outside the grotto, "He's a bit moody today, I'm afraid...he has a lot on his mind."

Cowrie shared a look with her new mate but said nothing before leaving the grotto. Jade followed behind Elise, his instincts taking over and telling him to protect to the two girls even though he logically knew there weren't any threats present in these waters. Floyd lead the girls back without a word. Elise noticed how his fins seemed to be stiff and tense as if he were holding something back. It was a silent swim that allowed Elise to feel various emotions emitting from the three eels. It made her heart feel a bit heavy and a bit anxious. Like somewhere on the horizon, a storm was brewing.

Azul was waiting for the four of them on a landing platform above the entry pool they returned to. The twins and Cowrie immediately reverted back to their clothed human forms as soon as they exited the water. Elise waited patiently, clinging to the side of the pool with her tentacles with her head and shoulders poking out of the water. Floyd and Jade offered the princess their hands to hoist her out of the water and onto the tiled floor with a wet plop as Azul prepared the vial. He extended it to Cowrie after removing the stopper and she placed one of her fangs along the edge. A single drop of pale green liquid dripped into the potion, changing its color to a strange teal. Azul had a satisfied grin on his face as he observed the reaction.

"Your clever companions keep surprising me, Your Highness. Cowrie here has a venomous bite that can render her targets paralyzed or even put them in a coma depending on how much of her toxin is injected into them. However, she told me that a single drop has a harmless, muscle relaxing quality to it. A perfect added ingredient to a dry land potion for first-time users."

Cowrie giggled proudly, "Luna is a traditional siren that can manipulate the heart and pheromones with her songs. I, however, am a sleeper siren: I can put you to sleep peacefully with my songs or knock you out with my bite. Or kill you if I use enough venom."

Elise gave Cowrie an incredulous look as even her tentacles seemed to question the dubious claim.

"No no I haven't actually killed anyone...yet."

Before Elise could think too much about the implied possibilities, Cowrie passed the vial to her, "Drink up, Ellie!"

Did it taste...sour? Tangy? The flavor was hard to pin down but Elise felt a warm tingle flow all through her body as suddenly her skin turned lighter as the tentacles started to shrink back into her. In a matter of seconds, Elise had become human again. Before she could celebrate, Elise started to panic as her now two legs started to wobble throwing her off balance. Fortunately, the twins were quick to catch her back she fell back into the pool.

"It may take some getting used to, even for someone who was born a human, to begin with, Your Highness," Azul started looking her up and down, pleased with his work, "this potion isn't strong enough to change you back into a human completely but it's the basic formula that many merfolk use to visit the surface. As long as you're on land, you'll appear human."

Elise looked at her reflection in the water's surface and was a bit confused: she was a human again but her eyes and hair were still the same colors they had become after turning into a mermaid and the dress she was wearing was the same one she had on before but instead of sky blue, it was now a deep, alluring purple. What did these changes mean? Also, was it her imagination, or was her skin way softer and silkier now?

"You're a mermaid now, Ellie, your body - even in human form - is going to be different," Cowrie seemed to read her friend's expressions well enough to answer her thoughts, "honestly I wouldn't be surprised if a few other things changed too."

"Merfolk, especially the more animalistic ones like us, have instincts and other qualities that merfolk like Rielle do not," Jade explained, "I'm very curious to see how yours develop in time, dear princess." Jade was looking at Elise with the same curious affection that he gave his mushroom gardens. It was both endearing and somewhat unnerving. The boy octopus cleared his throat with a very pronounced 'AHEM' before casually putting himself between Jade and Elise.

"Come inside away from the water, Your Highness. We don't want you to catch a cold."

The twins were too amused by Azul's not-so-subtle attempts at chivalry to correct him in front of the lady. At least until they saw the goosebumps on Elise's now human skin. They had forgotten how much more sensitive to the cold human bodies were.

Walking on two legs came back pretty quickly but even so, Elise still had this feeling that she was wearing a disguise instead of actually being in her true form. It felt strange and disorienting. The princess was beginning to wonder what was her 'real' form? Logically, yes she was well aware that she was a human. But physically? The lines were a lot more blurry. Her mind kept buzzing like a beehive as she sat in the Mostro Lounge, wrapped in a thick blanket taken from Azul's room, and gave Jade a grin when he set a cup of hot tea down in front of her. The aroma of the tea and the smell of Azul's cologne on the blanket made Elise sigh and her thoughts ease up to a more serene state. Strange bodies aside, this atmosphere right now felt very comfortable. Speaking of her host...Azul's tired state did not escape her notice. The boy looked as exhausted as he did determined. He was working so hard to try and help her. He even locked himself in his office again as soon as they returned to the Lounge. There didn't seem to be much Elise herself could do right now. But really, when did that ever stop her?

She took a second teacup from Jade and pointed to the VIP room doors. Jade's nod confirmed that's where Elise needed to go and he grinned as he watched her slide out of the booth and set off towards her destination. There wasn't an answer when Elise knocked on the door at first so the princess took the liberty of carefully opening the door to be met with an unusual sight: Azul was currently passed out on one of the couches. He had always been so on point and together any other time Elise had been in the charming boy's presence so seeing him so unguarded and vulnerable was...awfully cute? Was that even the right word? The soft exhale of Azul's sleeping breath made Elise silently giggle as she quietly entered the room and set the teacup on his desk. She almost felt bad for intruding. Almost. But at the same time, well, he clearly needed some help.

The princess' caretaker nature immediately kicked in as she leaned down to remove Azul's shoes. It wouldn't do to let him get sore feet just because the poor thing was too tired to take them off himself. And his glasses. Definitely couldn't let him sleep in those. Azul had to be a heavy sleeper. He didn't even flinch as Elise quietly took care of him. The only time he did was when the princess very gently brushed a lock of his silvery hair away from his face and even then, Azul seemed to sigh in his sleep and lean into her touch a bit. The act made Elise's pulse jump as if she had just had the same encounter with a wild beast.

"Tsk, Azul has a sweet princess looking out for him and he doesn't even know it," Floyd murmured quietly from the doorway, making Elise suddenly jump up in surprise.

The twins and Cowrie had watched the whole scene from the doorway with amused glints in their eyes. Elise pressed a finger to her lips, asking them to be quiet as she placed the blanket over the sleeping Azul. Good grief, it was an adorable sight. The lucky punk... Floyd mentally grumbled, feeling his eyebrow twitch.

"Ellie~" Cowrie whispered and beckoned the princess over to her, "I need to get back to the Coral Sea before my family gets too suspicious. Jay Jay and Floy Floy are coming with me for a bit...but why don't you stay here and look after Azuzu until he wakes up."

Elise gave the three eels a smile and thumbs up. Azul would definitely be in good hands. Cowrie gave her best friend a tight hug and promised her they'd come back for them soon enough.

'Be careful' Elise mouthed to the three of them as they dipped back into the pool at the landing.

"Take care of Azul for us, Miss Elise."

"Feel free to smack him around if he gets frisky with ya~" that earned Floyd a splash of water in his mischievous face. Elise shook the remaining water droplets from her hand before shooing him away.

The day was peaceful enough as Mama Ashengrotto welcomed her regulars and some new faces as well with a warm smile on her face. It was another early afternoon in the Leviathan Club that promised smooth sailing...or at least it would have been if her mother's intuition wasn't prickling in the back of her mind. She hadn't seen hide nor hair of the Leech brothers or her son since yesterday. Nor had she seen little Cowrie or the princess. She assumed they were all still together. "As long as they're together, it should be fine," the mother mumbled to herself as she straightened up some more menus with one tentacle while more fixed the centerpieces on the surrounding tables. It was then that another familiar face came through the door.

"Oh, Miss Luna Cerith. Welcome, my dear. Is everything alright, sweetheart?"

Luna looked about the room anxiously, obviously looking for someone, before giving the hostess a tentative grin, "Good morning, Mrs. Ashengrotto. I'm so sorry to suddenly burst in like this but...it's Cowrie. Have you seen her?"

"Ah, your sister. I'm afraid not. But don't worry your pretty head, dear. She's with my boys and that lovely princess friend of yours."

That brought some relief but Luna still felt a prick of irritation with her reckless baby sister, "I see. Thank you. I can't stay long but thank you for looking out for my sister. I know she can be a handful."

Mama Ashengrotto gave a hearty laugh, "Oh most definitely. Cowrie is a spirited one which is just fine with me! But...are you sure you're alright, sweetheart? You look jumpier than a school of plankton during the whale migration."

"Oh, it's just-"

Luna cut herself off with a gasp as two large, bulky figures swam by the nearby windows. The mother octopus was no stranger to how things worked around town and knew very well which brutes worked for which boss. And those two definitely were not with the Leech Family.

"Go into the kitchens, dear. Wait for me to come get you. If anyone questions you, you tell them Mama told you to stay put." Mama Ashengrotto's voice was calm but firm. Luna gave a quick thank you before quickly swimming away. The two sharks circled the establishment from the outside once before coming inside where the hostess was waiting for them.

"Welcome, gentlemen. Table for two or are you expecting company?" The question was loaded in spite of the woman's inviting tone.

The first shark, the one missing an eye, grunted and sniffed at the air around Mama Ashengrotto, picking up on something. The woman raised a brow at this behavior before rapping a menu on his large nose, "Sir, I run a respectable business here where manners are mandatory, please and thank you."

The rough merman jerked his face back with a snarl, "We're looking for the Muraeni girl. It smells like the other one has been here though...where is she?"

If the hostess was intimidated, it didn't show in the slightest, "Need I repeat myself, sirs? Manners. are. MANDATORY. If you have nothing better to do than come sniffing around, literally or metaphorically, my restaurant to harass my staff and guests then I'm going to have to insist you show yourselves the door. I'll make it easy for you, it's right there."

Two of her sassy tentacles pointed to the front door just behind the thugs without so much as a bat of an eyelash. When the sharks didn't budge, Mama Ashengrotto sighed in exasperation.

"See here, you two. Muraeni, Leech, whatever - this is neutral territory. Your boss, no matter how dreadful, has no power here and I am not obligated to submit to his or your whims. So. For the last time, OUT."

The gruff duo narrowed their eyes and shared a look before finally turning to go without another word. The hostess didn't budge until she was sure they were gone. She found Luna sitting in a secluded corner, patiently waiting as she was instructed, and gave the shaken girl a warm smile, "You're safe now, my dear. They're gone."

Cowrie and the twins emerged from the same back alley that had disappeared into the night before. Cowrie looked around the corner and in every cranny, making sure the coast was clear before handing the portal key over to Jade. "Hold on to this so you can get back to Azuzu and Ellie. I'll get a spare from Luna later and catch up with you guys."

"What about Luna...?" Floyd knew what he was asking but with his arms crossed and furrowed brow, he didn't look too sure. Cowrie swam up to his eye level and gave him a reassuring smile.

"You gotta be patient a bit longer, Floy Floy. That part's going to be a bit tricky. But I need you to trust me, ok?"

She took his huff as a confirmation and gave him a friendly nuzzle. Patience was definitely not a strong point for Floyd Leech but damn it he was trying! Cowrie nearly jumped out of her stripes when a back door to the Leviathan Club suddenly slammed open.

"Oh Cowrie, there you are!" a random merman in a kitchen uniform was throwing out some trash, "Mama Ashengrotto's been looking for ya! Apparently, a couple of others have been too."

She felt ice pierce her bones at this news, "...what did these 'others' look like?"

Soft music brushed against Azul's ears as he finally stirred awake. The melody seemed oddly familiar and homey. His deep steel-blue eyes slowly opened towards the source: the music box he had purchased from Elise's silent festival auction was sitting on the coffee table, surrounded by more of his notes and books, open and playing the soothing lullaby. In its center were two figures spinning and 'dancing' together in time to the music. Azul looked across the way to the other couch. Elise was curled up on her side asleep and softly breathing. The princess looked too serene to be real at first. It wasn't until she gently stirred awake herself and gave the boy a sleepy smile. Her pink lips parted and mouthed the words:

'Good morning.'

Tagging: @wysteriadelights @1ndigowitch @victoria1676 @foxwitchaine @iscarlettappel @nuitthegoddess @espada188 @feldya @aiimee9 @honey-milk-depresso

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