The Shattered Kingdom; A Tale of Two Worlds

[Midnight Maiden]

"You're gonna regret that, sweetheart."

Two years was a long time, in theory. Enough time for the seasons to come and go not once, but twice. Enough time for friendships to be forget and others, forgotten. For children to be born and old souls to die, finding their ways to whatever afterlife awaited them, if any. Yes, two years was a long, long time, indeed.

Unfortunately, time does not, as one saying falsely claims, 'heal all wounds'.

No, for one Lionel E'erhart, time was nothing more than something akin to, for lack of better words, a drug. Perhaps it occasionally may make you feel better, for a short time, but it never truly made the pain or feelings subside. If anything, it often backfired, hurting far more than it helped. Not that the male minded; pain was an old friend of his. A friend that had been there when no one else was. Though even that was pushed away by him, oftentimes, in favor of feelings of nothingness.

But now? Now, he certainly felt something. A sense of fulfillment. Of pride and true elation, a giddiness that he couldn't recall the last time he had felt, if he ever had, period.

You see, Lionel was a man that knew what he wanted. He always had been. More than that, he was a man that got what he wanted. From a very young age, he had manipulated the odds into his favor to receive what he desired, no matter who he had to hurt to do so. In fact, the more people he hurt to receive his wants? The better. What an exciting feeling, knowing you have complete power over another, to know you hold the fate of their emotions in the palm of your hand.

Perhaps that was what made his mood so high, today.

Blood stained his face as he chuckled slightly, biting his lip as he peered briefly at the still-pulsating heart in his hand, warm with blood and what could only be described as a slowly seeping away life force. One that would have already been gone, had it not been for the magic the boy had been blessed- or cursed, depending on your point of view -with from a very young age. It was this magic, along with a little boost he'd received from a less than willing, but easily swayed by terror(as most humans were), party. Oh, and how could he forget?

"Don't worry, Iscariot; I'll put this to goooodddd use..." the man murmured to the heart, smiling eerily down at it before taking a deep breath, as though he were a child on the verge of opening a Christmas present. Oh, how he had longed for this for so long. Truly, the past two years had felt as though it had been forever. Granted, he had desired something from the family he now was seeking to punish with the contents he'd thrown together in the pit before him for much longer than two years. No, no, his desire ran much further back than that. It was merely two years, three months, one week and four days ago(not counting the hour and thirty-one minutes) that he had lost his patience. Or, well... Not quite. It was less a loss of patience, and more a backfire of a plan. He had hoped to use the young daughter as an in to find what he needed, but, well, he did see slightly more than that in her. She was pretty, and her personality wasn't completely obnoxious. Admittedly, this had sidetracked him, leading him to form a... Different, desire, atop the one he already had.

Unfortunately, he had not expected his advances to lead to physical retaliation. Women did not tend to fight him, his good looks and charm seeming to tend to allow him some leeway, if not his sheer intimidation. This one... She was different. She was not so mindless as to allow him what he wanted for his looks or charm, nor had she immediately submitted to him. Perhaps that was what made him want her even more.

Almost as much as he wanted to make her suffer for her blatant rejection of him, along with her distraction of him from his goal.

So it was with that sentiment that he grinned to himself, hand clenching tightly around the heart it held, slowly beginning to crush it. It was a shame that he'd had to kill his only sibling and remaining loved one, certainly, but in his twisted mind? It was a cause his sibling would have been happy to contribute to. Besides, Lionel had done the boy a favor. His little brother had always been a momma's boy, and now, he could be with his mother- and father -again. Surely he'd be happy.

Feeling justified in this, Lionel smiled to himself, sharp green eyes watching closely as he released the remains of the heart, allowing them to drop into the pit with pride. As the last bits of it neared the end of their fall, Lionel let out a laugh, making one final comment as the wind around him picked up, darkness beginning to overtake the land he knew so well.

"I do so hope you enjoy gold, 'Mai'..."

And then everything faded to black.

@Klutzy Ninja Kitty​

 

[Klutzy Ninja Kitty]

I'm falling.

Mentally, Icarus repeated the same two words over and over in his head. It was as if he didn't believe this statement to be true and was trying to convince himself that it was really happening. His wings, once grandeur and mighty, had melted into pieces and scattered upon the ground so far beneath him that he couldn't see them. If he would've had more time to think through his situation, the male would've realized that his wings had simply been melted by the suns strong rays; he had gotten far to close to it. Still, even then, it was likely he wouldn't have admitted his mistake.

His face frozen in shock, Icarus could comprehend little but the feel of his body falling rapidly toward the ground and the whistling of the wind in his ears. Of course, common sense would've told the young man he might be falling to his death, but his mind was far too busy racing with thoughts centering around his wings. He worried for where they had gone after dropping off his back, yet cursed them all the same. He had done nothing wrong! Surely they must've been faulty! That had to be the problem.

What should I... do? I have no means of escaping this fall. I-- No, surely father will rescue me. Yes, that's exactly what will happen. There's no way I'll die from this.

The small portion of hope he clung to in his thoughts, however, would not last the longer he plummeted. He felt his heart begin to race, uncertain what would happen when he would make contact with the ground. Instead of hitting the ground, however, he would find himself come into contact with something else: water.

A mix of sensations overcame his senses when he made contact with the sea. At first, he felt a burst of pain, as if he had just been dropped upon solid rock. His entire body throbbed in agony from the landing, until he would slowly sink under the surface of the waters, feeling their icy touch quickly numb his pain. Disoriented, he wouldn't entirely realize where he was at until he began to lose air. His blue eyes widened in distress, and he rapidly began to move his limbs in attempt to push his body to the surface.

After finally poking his head out of the water, Icarus choked and gasped for air for several minutes, until he had recovered enough to finally look upon his new surroundings. He wasn't entirely sure where he had landed, but he was a vast, seemingly endless, body of water. He didn't know the lay of the lands below very well, but he would've guessed that it was somewhere near the Midas Kingdom. He could probably go there for help, but he would most certainly need to get out of the water first.

"Ngh," he grunted, straining to move his body in the water, hoping with a bit of work he found find dry land. At times like this, he was grateful not to be an ordinary human. If he would have been, it was likely the fall would've killed him even though he had landed in the water. He was injured and exhausted at the moment, albeit still alive.​

 

[Midnight Maiden]

"Hey there, tramp. How's the weather down there?"

"Fine day for a swim. Too bad trash like you has no squad to swim with. Not even a single fish is willing to go near your filthy scales!"

"Must be a drag, having no family, huh?--"

"I'm sorry, were you blowfish saying something? It's a little hard to hear with your cheeks puffed out so big," a much more serious voice cut in, it's owners deep blue eyes glancing up from the dolphin she was tending to a wound of with a blatant lack of interest. "...Oh. Wait, I'm sorry. You're those merfolk that live in the shallows, huh? I suppose that suits you... --Ahem, sorry. I guess I just have a tendency to forget that you lot naturally have puckered lips, all the sucking up to the mermen you do and all," the female sighed, ignoring the reddening faces of those calling to her accompanied by an assortment of offended gasps. "Speaking of, don't you have scaly ass to be kissing? Get a move on. And give the old man my worst regards."

Absolutely fuming, the seeming leader of the group of girls that could do with a little less chub to their cheeks clenched her fists, glaring at the younger female with pure hate. "One of these days, Anais... One of these days, daddy's going to kick you out of this ocean! You'll be more worthless than a fish in a barrel, I swear it!" she hissed with unadulterated spite, reluctantly turning tail. "Come on, girls. This marine debris isn't worth our time."

Mockingly, the Siren sat at the bottom of the sea smiled sickeningly sweetly, waving at the departing merwomen with a wink, much to their clear disgust. In a chorus of scoffs, they departed, leaving the lone Siren to sigh in relief. "Jeez. Have you ever met anyone so pretentious as those fille de joie daughters of Triton, Semele?" Rydia inquired to her dolphin companion, idly reaching to gently pet the creature's head. It let out a call in response, causing Rydia to snicker. "I always knew humans were dumb, but they are right about one thing; dolphins are certainly smart. You've got at least ten times more brain than that royal riff-raff," she giggled, to which the dolphin happily called once again. "Alright, well, if that scratch of yours is feeling better now, would you care to--"

Suddenly, a high-pitched wailing cut Rydia's words off, leading her eyes to widen as her dolphin friend suddenly took off swimming at high speeds. "Semele?? Semele, what is it!? Come back!" Rydia called, suddenly pushing up off the ground with her fin and swimming after her companion. For whatever reason, the dolphin was racing towards the surface... Something Rydia knew was dangerous, for there were many that would love a shot at poaching a dolphin or, better yet to those despicable humans, taking a Siren and either killing her or stealing her to be a wife or slave, or worse.

Her mother was only proof of that.

Yet, for some reason, Semele appeared intent on heading there, and Rydia couldn't allow her to do so alone. It was too risky, and--

Splash!

Briefly frowning and pausing at the sound, the Siren took a moment before shaking her head before leaping into action again, heading towards the sound, Semele herself now seeming to stay behind and watching as Rydia went to investigate. At first, the female squinted at the male's form that seemed limp under the water, swimming right up to him cautiously and seeming to glance him over before looking to the dolphin not too far down. "...Think he's dead?" she called, only for the dolphin to give something that equated to a shrug. "...Alright. I suppose there's nothing we can do for the poor soul, then. Might as well leave him and move on," she spoke with false dismay, only to receive a look and cry of disapproval from the dolphin. Rolling her eyes, the girl crossed her arms with a huff. "Oh, come on, Semele.. It was a joke-- Ow! Fuck!"

Letting out a string of curses and recoiling suddenly, Rydia clutched just above her eye, where she had suddenly received a harsh kick to the head from the boy. Letting out a growl of aggravation, Rydia suddenly swam upwards after the boy as he tried to reach the surface. "Hey!" she called, suddenly grabbing his ankle and yanking him back under the water just as he managed to get to the surface until he was just at her eye level. At which point, a harsh glare was shot his way, the female's eyebrows furrowed and one hand clutching his wrist, now. "What on Earth is wrong with you? Just who do you think yo--" Rydia began to go off, only to let out a sound of frustration as she took note of the inevitable squirming of the boy who needed air and was attempting to get to the surface. "Oh, would you just sit still? For goodness sake!"

Frowning deeply, Rydia finally released her unforgiving, tight grip on his wrist, instead briefly cupping both of her hands to her mouth and blowing into them. Slowly, surprisingly, a bubble began to form, which she promptly slapped him harshly across the face with. It enveloped Icarus's head, allowing him to breathe under the unforgiving, strong seas... Though she certainly could've been gentler in offering it to him.

"...There. Now I suggest you start explaining. Certainly you have the mental capacity for at least that."

"Eee-eee-ee!"

Pouting, the Siren briefly glanced over her shoulder crossing one arm over her bikini-clad chest with slight agitation. "Of course I'm not being to harsh! Goodness, Semele. I just saved his life. Allowing him to die, that would have been harsh."
​

 

[Klutzy Ninja Kitty]

The longer Icarus remained in the water, the more tired his body became. He tried with all his might to keep afloat, only growing frustrated when his efforts were not rewarded. Despite all the swimming he had done, the male would fail to see any signs of even being close to any land.

"Father will realize I'm gone," he told himself, trying to seem confident. "He'll come looking for me and he'll find me before I even make it to land. I needn't worry about a thing."

Still, as if he wasn't entirely convinced by his own words, Icarus would continue swimming. At some point, he would even feel his foot hit something hard under the water, but paid little mind to it. For all he knew, it was probably a fish and not worth his concern at this time.

But maybe he should've been more concerned.

Moments after hitting this strange "fish" Icarus would feel himself tugged under the water by it. Only, this individual wasn't a fish. Well, not entirely. As if she were attacking him Icarus' eyes bugged out of his head. He squirmed and struggled to try and get away from her, paying little mind to anything she would say. His main goal was to return to the surface, and he could hardly hear what she had to say under the water anyhow. At least, not until she slapped him across the face with a bubble.

While he wanted to cry out in pain from the slap, the male instead found himself gasping to take in as much air as he possible could. Afterwards he would swat at the female with his hands, continuing his struggle to try and free himself. "What's wrong with me? What's wrong with you!?" he spat back, reaching to touch the side of his face where she had slapped him afterwards. "I owe you no explanation, release me!" he demanded, quieting for a moment to think over what he should say next.

"Ah, I see, you're the one I hit my foot against, aren't you? It wasn't intentional," he added, softening his tone. "I fell in the ocean. I'm a long way from home. If you just let me go, and point me in the direction of the nearest landmass, I'll leave your sea and be on my way," he told her, continuing to squirm in her grasp.

@Midnight Maiden​

 

[Midnight Maiden]

Ugh, this boy really was proving to be a complete pain. Huffing with bemusement as he flailed, the Siren placed her free hand on her hip, using the one she held Icarus's wrist in to deflect his other hand. "Didn't you hear me, you bumbling oaf? I told you to stop squirming," she remarked, voice dripping with aggravation. However, as the boy reached up to rub where she had slapped him, Rydia found a small smirk forming on her features, deciding to use his gesture to grab his attention. "I hardly recommend that," she interjected as he began to reach up. "Touching Eviotis Orbs causes them to break.. And I can't make more than one at once," she claimed, though it was not true. "Touch it again and you might not come out so lucky."

False warning to catch his attention aside, Rydia shot him a glare when he made his claim that there was something wrong with her and that he owed no explanation. "Oh, I'm sorry; I was unaware that when a woman finds herself minding her own business when she received a kick to the face from some incompetent moron, it was out of place for her to confront said moron... After saving him, nonetheless!" she declared, placing a hand over her chest in mock sympathy and apology. "Clearly I was mistaken. My most sincere apologies," she spoke with a mocking pout. "Could you possibly forgive me, stranger? If not, perhaps I should merely return my orb and take my leave... Certainly you can face the waves and the savages underseas alone." ...Okay. That was a thought that made her pause, pictures of the boy before her now trying to outswim any of the king's daughters or sharkfolk dancing about her mind with mild pleasantry at the thought.

But back to the matter at hand.

Pulling herself out of that pleasant daydream, Rydia only rolled her eyes at his not-apology, waving it off. "Oh, please, please; don't fret over an apology," she remarked, sarcastically, only to blink with surprise as the male went on. "...You fell?" she repeated, raising a brow. "You couldn't have fallen out of a boat and produced that big of a splash..." she mumbled under her breath. Frowning with concentration, she released his wrist temporarily, beginning to look him over, swimming a slow circle around him and poking at various parts of his body, getting uncomfortably close as she observed every inch of him. "..You're clearly no harpy. You lack the pulchritude of a Sylph or angel... and certainly the manners to be the latter," she listed off, thoughtfully, coming to halt in front of him, face mere inches from his as she tilted her head. "So. Just what are--..."

"If you just let me go, and point me in the direction of the nearest landmass, I'll leave your sea and be on my way,"

"..."

Unwittingly, Rydia found herself stricken to silence, her expression completely unreadable as she stared at the boy that had fallen from the sky. She blinked in momentary, rapid succession, for once at a total loss for words as she stared. What might have gotten to her most about his words was how serious he was in saying them, as though he was completely oblivious to the bearing they held. Did he really not know? "...You're kidding," she finally spoke, expression completely blank. But staring at him as she was, she knew he was being completely serious. Which, inevitably led her to laugh, eventually shaking her head.

"I'm sorry, it's merely...-- Oh, goodness. You truly must have hit your head amidst your fall," she giggled, finally drawing back and retreating from his personal space, grinning at him sardonically. "I'm not quite certain who- or what -you are, but clearly you haven't a clue about this place... So allow me to inform you straightaway. And I suggest you clean the sand from your ears to listen, because I don't intend to repeat myself; you don't stand a chance in this ocean. sweetie. You may have lucked out in having me be the one to find you, but your luck won't last," she mused, expression actually turning serious once more as she spoke. "Between the Ichthyocentaurs, merfolk, hydra, and rusalka.... Not to mention the less savory sirens? You wouldn't last an hour. And even if you were to make it to the 'nearest landmass', you wouldn't get past the shallows. Not with the licentious daughters of Triton fancying that turf. All of that said, I suggest you forget your little dream of getting back to wherever the hell you came from and get used to the waves, small-fry."

And with that, one last smile was given, right alongside a wave. "Now then, if you'll excuse me, I've places to be. Do take care." With that, with a swish of her hair as she turned, she began to swim away. "Come along, then, Semele," she called over her shoulder to her dolphin friend, only to find said dolphin letting out a squeal and swimming in front of her, blocking her path. "What the-- Semele, what's gotten into you?" Rydia inquired with a pout, crossing her arms.

"Eee-ee-eee!"

"What?!" Rydia suddenly exclaimed quietly, trying to keep her voice down as she spoke to the dolphin so as to avoid the male overhearing, but evidently struggling. However, after her initial exclamation, she managed to quiet back down. "No. I already saved the ignoramus, I don't owe him a single thing. Besides, you heard him; he's..." Pausing, she glanced back at the male over her shoulder, wincing slightly before looking back to the dolphin. "...capable. My assistance isn't owed or required."

"Eee-eee?"

"Oh, come along, Semele. Don't take that tone. I'm not changing my mind."

"Eee-ee--- eee!"

"No!"

"Eee-ee!"

"Semele, I--"

"Eee?"

"...Fine. You know what? Fine!" Rydia finally relented, throwing her hands up in the air before pointing a finger at the dolphin, placing her other hand on her hip. "But only because I know you won't let me be unless I do. Don't think it's for that washout over there," she huffed with clear annoyance, reluctantly spinning to swim back up to Icarus, her dolphin friend gleefully squealing and swimming alongside her as she did. "Oh, don't sound so happy," she muttered just before reaching the male again. "...You," she spoke to him, crossing her arms once more. "It would appear, after consulting my truncatus companion, that I'm expected to... assist, you, in your completely futile quest to reach the shore. Questions?" she asked, not allowing him any time to answer before grabbing his wrist. "No? Good. Then let's get a move on. I'd prefer to get any affairs with you and any of your mental capacity out of the way as quickly as possible," she muttered.​

 

[Klutzy Ninja Kitty]

The longer Icarus stayed under the water, the colder his body felt. Sure, he may have been able to breathe now, but the oceans cool waters were doing a number on his body temperature. He felt numb and ice cold, causing some of his words to come out in stutters. When he would open his mouth, his teeth would even chatter on occasion. It was bothersome, and only made the boy crave to get out of the water even more. Still, he wasn't going to take the time to deal with someone like this annoying female!

"Irk!" Icarus cried out when Lydia would tell him not to touch the orb around his head. He fell for her warning, scrambling to remove his hands from his face. Realizing what he had done shortly afterwards, the male huffed and shook his head. "I wouldn't e-even need your breathing orb if you would just let me go. I can return to the surface and get air the usual way instead of relying on accursed magic," he complained.

"Hmph, y-you're a fool. You act as if I meant to kick you. Falling into the water and making contact with you was an unintentional mistake I'll have you know again. And you most certainly did not save me. I was swimming along and you p-pulled me under the surface of the water against my will. I wouldn't call that a rescue," the male continued, folding one of his arms as he would gripe at her.

"B-But yes, I fell. Not from a boat. Don't insult me. The son of a god has little use for a commoner's means of transportation. I was flying in the sky, however, my wings seem to have broken off, in turn causing me fal-- W-Would you refrain from touching me, thank you very much," he grumbled when the female would poke at him and examine him rather closely.

"G-Goodness, you're a rude fish," Icarus would reply back when the girl would tell him to clean the sand from his ears and whatnot. "Perhaps I damaged your brain when I kicked your head," he retorted, not really in the mood to deal with her antics. As far as the male was concerned, this female was harassing him and really getting on his nerves. He was tired, cold, and honestly just wanted to get out of the water and go home.

After she finished warning him, he continued to speak. "While I appreciate your half-hearted advice, I'd like to reiterate something I said to you earlier. I am the son of a god. I'm unlike ordinary h-humans and I will most certainly make it on my own." He paused for a moment before adding, "O-Oh, and don't call me small-fry, you commoner. I don't appreciate it." While he didn't appear to be in the best shape, Icarus still seemed to have enough energy to argue back with the girl.

Just when it would look like she might let him go, the male raised an eyebrow when she would have a conversation with a dolphin, afterwards insisting that she help him get to shore. "Excuse me? Thanks, but no thanks. As I said before, just point me in the direction of your nearest landmass and I can make it there on my own."

@Midnight Maiden​

 

[Midnight Maiden]

"Oh, please," Rydia huffed, glaring harshly at the boy. "The only one here dense enough to be fooled by such a claim is yourself. I saw your rather sorry attempts at 'swimming'... if you could even call it that," she jabbed, completely serious. "Of course my actions saved you. Besides, if you weren't such a fool, perhaps you'd be aware that swimming near the surface is dangerous. All of your thrashing, you might be mistaken for a juvenile merman... Though having seen them before, I'd say even they have more grace than you." Jeez, her insults really never stopped, and what might have been the most insulting was how seriously she spoke it all. Regardless, she did find amusement in how he recoiled when she stated that he might break the bubble.

Heh, heh.

Still, the amusement didn't last long, her patience with the strange boy already beginning to run thin with every word he spoke. "Yes, I'm aware; I just said that, after all," she snapped as he stated he hadn't fallen from a boat, smiling tightly. "But oh, no, I'm afraid there must be a misunderstanding," she added, clasping her hands in front of her just in front of her chest with a seemingly more sincere smile. "I wasn't insulting you, small-fry. I was merely making observations based on the behaviors you've demonstrated thus far," she explained, sarcastically. That statement alone was yet another insult, obviously. Oops. "In any case, oh mighty 'son of a god', I do so apologize for hurting your special feelings. Please do spare me of your wrath," she remarked dryly, once again pouting at him. Shortly after this statement, she broke her mocking facade, once again getting uncomfortably close the the male, her face hovering by his once again as she peered into his eyes. Only, this time, it was solely to make him uncomfortable. "But- and do tell if this is out of place of me to ask -how, precisely, did an alleged 'son of god' so easily lose his wings? Oh, wait, allow me to guess..."

Grinning, Rydia once more withdrew, miming wielding a sword at him. "You were caught up in valiant battle.... with a pigeon. No, no, wait--" Cutting herself off, Rydia now clasped her hands together under her chin, batting her eyelashes seductively. "You were flying along when, all of a sudden, the sound of a maiden so fair's voice carried to your ears, striking you down from the air," she cooed, dramatically, before dropping her hands. "Perhaps you were stricken down by lightning? Ahh, or perhaps a curse was lain upon you, causing you to drop as though a bug that came to close to the lamp it was inevitably drawn to," she went on, unaware how accurate her last analogy was. But eventually, she shrugged, smirk falling away. "I suppose it matters not. You've fallen, and that's that--"

Rude fish.
Damaged brain.
Commoner.

"..."

"Excuse you is quite right." Any trace of a smirk falling away, Rydia glared at the male, feeling the overwhelming urge to embed her fist in his face, or perhaps just destroy the orb and let him drown like most any other Siren would do to anyone unfortunate enough to come too close to the ocean. But she prided herself on the fact that she was different from them, having harmed very few in her lifetime. But she certainly felt the urge to change that more than once. Still, though, she refrained, managing to restrict herself to only glaring at the boy. "I'm not quite sure what obscure god you happen to be the offspring of, small-fry, but I recommend you drop the superiority complex. I'm not exactly a 'commoner' myself," she snapped. "And if you want to make it out of this ocean, I suggest you treat me with respect. You may be a 'son of a god', as you seem so fond of reiterating, but that means absolutely nothing here. All it takes is one word from one of those mermaid savages and you're done. Now, to make sure you get it through that thick skull; you want to live? You lose the ego and do what I say. Now, can you repeat that after me?" she spoke, condescendingly, placing her hands where her knees would have been, had she had human legs.

Still, moments later, she had retaken his wrist and began tugging him. "Now come along. I already told you, I only have so much time I can waste on you."

@Klutzy Ninja Kitty​

 

[Klutzy Ninja Kitty]

Icarus groaned like a child being lectured. Despite the fact she had told him not to touch the bubble around his head, he was sorely tempted to place his hands over his ears and drown out the sound of her voice. Letting out a scowl he would say, "I-I always imagined sirens to have be ravishing, lovely creatures. Yet, I never imagined m-my first encounter with one would lead me to wish either I had been born deaf or the siren herself had been born mute. Do you ever quiet down?"

"A-Anyhow, I need not prove myself to be a worthy swimmer in your eyes. If I want to swim on the surface, I'll do just that. It's quite cold under the w-water and smothering my body heat. Besides, I don't have to prove anything to you. I only just met you, and I care little what you think of me. You can mock me as a god, make fun of the fact I-I lost my wings, or say anything else you want. I don't care, and there's no way you can make me care by behaving in such a manner. The only thing I c-care about is you leaving me alone so I can make it back to dry land. Ack, and will you--"

Icarus cut himself off to bend his arm and elbow the siren in her throat when she would again move uncomfortably close to him. "--s-stop getting so close to me! I know I'm a delectable sight for w-women to behold, but I don't care to be your play thing." The male reached down to straighten the collar of his shirt, a habit that did him little good while he was under the water. "Although, I suppose I d-do regret calling you a commoner. Even filthy commoners have more manners than you do, fish," he said, continuing to call her by the name since she refused to stop calling him small-fry.

His words, however annoying they may have been to the siren, held very little punch to them. His speech was tired and forced, as if it were a struggle for him to even speak at all. This only frustrated Icarus more. If he died right now, it would be the sirens fault for not letting him go. She was wasting his time keeping him here when he could've been using his valuable minutes to find a way back to dry land. He didn't care if she wanted to help him, this was something he would do on his own! His pride as a man was on the line!

"I do want to live, but I-I can do so on my own. I don't need your magic bubble to help me breath and I most certainly don't need your help. I would never be able to forgive myself if I owed my life to someone like you." Icarus pulled his arm back, trying to break the hold this woman had on his wrist. "Why are you so worried about me anyhow? I'm n-not your concern!"

Why was she being so difficult? And here Icarus thought losing his wings had been the worst part of his day. Dealing with this female was far more troublesome than anything that had happened to him today!

@Midnight Maiden​

 

[Midnight Maiden]

Well, the boy had done it, now. Between his insults of her, his claims of superiority and capabilities where she knew he lacked them, and his attempt to elbow her? Well, Rydia had lost the last of her patience with the boy. She didn't even have the patience to be a tease in her jabs, instead just unleashing pure aggravation with him with every word. "You know what? Fine. If you're so insistent...--" she trailed off, taking a deep breath, struggling to maintain her composure. Slowly, she opened her mouth again, only this time? She did not speak. Instead, she sang; nothing involving words, not at the moment. Merely a beautiful, stunning harmony one would never think could be matched. So beautiful, in fact, that it left any whose ears it reached in a trance-- including the passing sea life, not limited to a school of fish that happened to be swimming by at the time, or the sea turtle that had joined Rydia's dolphin companion- Semele -'s side.

Pausing in her song only to peer at the boy, as though to assure he was under her spell, before sighing in relief. "Oh, thank goodness. Silence. Sweet, blissful silence," she admired, only to give a more reluctant expression, pouting briefly. "But I suppose it can't last forever, hm? A pity, but I suppose all good things must come to an end..." she murmured, shaking her head. "Ah, well. Go on, then; you're free," she spoke to the male, snapping him out of the trance. "Don't fret if you feel lightheaded. It shan't last." Much like that nice bout of silence I had been enjoying..

But now was no time to be bitter. There were other matters to tend to, after all.

"--Ah. Right. Now that you know how easily you can be turned into putty in any number of this sea's occupants' hands, I suppose I ought to grant you your wish then, hmm?" she mused, not bothering to offer any sort of explanation to the male. "You're correct. You're not my- or my friend over there's -concern. That said, the landmass you seek is that way. Do enjoy the trip, small-fry," she hummed, pointing in a seemingly random direction with a sweet smile, before suddenly seeming to recall something. "Oh. And you won't be needing this, I suppose," she hummed, suddenly giggling and blowing him a kiss...

...Only for the orb giving him air to pop, and her to wave at him before folding her arms behind her back sweetly.

"Good luck, now."

@Klutzy Ninja Kitty​

 

[Klutzy Ninja Kitty]

With an unchanging expression, Icarus would simply stare with irritation at the siren before him, letting out a small huff of air while she would sing. While it was probably possible for her to enchant any ordinary man with her abilities, Icarus was actually unaffected. It wasn't as if he had any magical, special, or godly abilities that protected him from her singing, no, it was quite the opposite in fact. He actually had somewhat of a disorder that just so happened to be helping him in this situation.

Icarus was tone deaf.

For once in his life it had come in handy too. Unlike most people, his brain didn't process music in an ordinary manner. It was hard for him to understand, enjoy, or even hear most music. This siren's song was no exception. However, since he knew the female would be expecting him to shut his mouth after her melody, Icarus remained quiet on purpose. He wasn't sure if she would realize her enchantment hadn't worked, but he didn't really care.

He grunted when she would finally tell him he was free, shaking his head afterwards. "N-Not really lightheaded, just freezing my ass off in this water. If you're honestly going to let me go then I'll just be on my--" The male cut himself off when the bubble around his head would be popped, his eyes popping when his open mouth would take in a vast majority of water. Urgently, he would then begin swimming to the surface, choking when he would reach the air.

"R-Really nice," he spat out, coughing as he did. "You could've at least waited to pop the bubble until after I had reached the surface. Hmph. Forget you. I have to reach land," he grumbled, forcing himself to swim forward. Tired and injured, his limbs were stiff and hard to move through the water. Nevertheless, he wasn't going to give up just yet. If he did, he was certain that stupid fish would laugh at him.

As time passed, and the daytime's sunlight had begun to fade, however, Icarus found it more and more difficult to continue moving onward. He grew so cold and tired from swimming that he eventually stopped moving along, remaining stationary in the water. His skin appeared ashy blue, almost matching the color of his hair.

So tired. Maybe I should just rest my eyes for a minute...

@Midnight Maiden​

 

[Midnight Maiden]

"..."

It didn't work.

Why isn't it working?

What the hell...--

Quickly, Rydia attempted to rid herself of her briefly shocked- and, more than that, annoyed -expression, instead just letting out a huff. He was obviously pretending to be affected by her, so she would pretend she wasn't onto him. But damn it... What the hell was he, to be able to resist her lull? It made no damn sense. No creature was truly immune to a Siren's song; not even fellow Sirens. So how this... boy, was capable of resisting her song...--

--Whatever. She would find a tune that was more his pace and show him what she was made of. But for now, she would let him find out how worthless he was here of his own will. This would teach him to act so damn high and mighty. It was tiring, dealing with such dense and pretentious parties, for certain.... But now? Now was where the fun would begin. Yes, her mood was lifted as he fervently swam for the surface, the female much more calmly swimming after, her head breaching the surface with a grin soon after, humming in false thoughtfulness before uttering a reply. "Hm. You know, I certainly could have done that. I suppose I merely presumed, what with how eager you appeared to be rid of me, that I ought to simply take the quickest course of action to set you on your way," she remarked innocently, smiling sweetly at the male.

And promptly following him as he swam along, not bothering with being discreet. In fact, she took joy in making herself blatantly obvious, swimming right alongside him with grace and often piping up. "You know, if you would just admit you require assistance, I could warm you right up," she mused when his skin began to turn paler, oblivious to the inappropriate implications that statement might have : |. Next was, "You must be getting hungry. If you wished, I could give you something to eat." And, thereafter? "It would seem you're rather breathless. If you say the words..." And on, and on, and on.

'Til finally, she won their little silent competition, Icarus's eyes falling closed. And internally, petty as it may be, Rydia laughed. Good luck to Icarus if he attempted to act as though he were so high and mighty, now. But even so...

"I suppose this would be my cue. Wouldn't want you dying on me... Down we go, then."

And without another word, all too cheerfully, Rydia dove back under the waves, carefully tugging Icarus down with her as well. Much more gently than the first time she had, for sure. And soon after, a new bubble had been made and enveloped Icarus, followed by another gentle melody being sung out by the Siren. Only this one was... Different. It did not entrance those around as before; rather, it caused a soft whitish light to form around the male before her, dancing around him upward from his ankles, a feeling of warmth coming with it as it swirled around him before finally coming to cease as Rydia allowed her harmonizing to end.​

 

[Klutzy Ninja Kitty]

Even with the pesky siren swimming right alongside him and making her presence blatantly obvious to him, it took a lot of focus for Icarus to pay any attention to her at all with his dulling senses. And when he did finally pay attention to her, the male would hardly react to most of what she said. He remained stationary, looking up at the female with a blank expression on his face. Eventually, he gave up looking at her all together and closed his eyes.

It wasn't as if he wanted to give up on life and just let himself die here in the water; no, he was definitely spirited enough to want to try and save himself. Still, he happened to be rather stubborn and didn't want to submit to the aid of a rude fish who couldn't help but constantly pester him from the first moment he fell in the water. It didn't matter if she seemed to be his only option of escaping or not. He had convinced himself, no matter how impossible, that there was a way he could escape on his own.

Thankfully, Icarus was lucky that the very annoying mermaid seemed to be just as stubborn as he was and decided to go ahead and save him against his wishes. Had she decided not to, he most assuredly would've died, the foolish boy.

Eventually, a feeling of warmth would overcome the male, even if he was unconscious and couldn't feel it at first. The warmth greatly helped to relieve his body, almost to the point where he had entirely forgotten he had been cold in the first place when he finally awoke.

When he did wake, Icarus felt a numbness surrounding his body. He groaned and glanced around, flinching when he would realize he was under the water again. This time, however, when he realized where he was, the male wouldn't complain about it. He ran a hand through his wet hair, moving locks of it out of his eyes before he would close them again. He didn't have to look around much to know what had happened, the boy was more than aware he had been rescued by that siren.

"I can't make it to land," he admitted, too weak physically to realize how much his own words had hurt his pride. "If it's possible, would you bring me to land?" he asked, no hesitation in his voice. He would hate himself for being so pathetic later on, but for the time being it couldn't be helped that he needed assistance. His life depended on it.

@Midnight Maiden​

 

[Midnight Maiden]

"You really are a stubborn little thing, aren't you?" the female muttered as she dragged him under the water, rolling her eyes and cupping her chin in her hands, tail idly flickering in the water as she awaited the young man before her's awakening. While he may have been annoying as all hell, she had to admit; he had moxie. And on some level, she could appreciate that about him.

Everything else about him, though? She didn't really appreciate. At all. How could she? He was a complete and utter pain in the arse, despite the fact they'd just met perhaps a few hours earlier. And she wasn't just saying that because she knew humans- and their allegedly innocent and pure angelic counterparts -were a bunch of foolish miscreants. He had proven himself to be an obnoxious soul within the first few moments of their encounter. And thus he had earned her righteous judgement and, because of that? Her attitude as well. He had it coming at this point, the dense angel, for acting so poorly.

So it was as he awoke that she offered a sardonic smile, briefly, giving a small wave of her fingertips. "Fancy meeting you here," she remarked, before looking off thoughtfully, eyebrows furrowing as though in realization. "Oh, wait.... No, it most certainly isn't." Well, at least she hadn't started gloating yet. Humming thoughtfully and once again resting her chin in her hands, she tilted her head at the boy, curiosity gleaming in her blue eyes. "Still. Tell me, then. You truly have a death wish, then, don't you? That look on your face was unmistakable. Pathetic, certainly, but unmistakable nonetheless--" And then he spoke.

"..."

"Pardon me?"

At first, Rydia actually seemed genuinely surprised by his words, as though she had expected him to declare that he would waltz off on his own now that she had provided him with warmth and air under the water. Or perhaps he would once again request she leave him be, or try to swim once again to the surface despite his previous failed efforts. But this?

This was much more satisfactory.

"My ears must deceive me. Never would I have expected to hear you utter such a request," the Siren mused, managing to keep her forming grin at least somewhat under control. "But far be it from me to reject a poor, unfortunate soul such as yourself.... on one condition," she purred, grin coming to be in full as she once again got a little too close for comfort, face hovering inches away from Icarus's as she peered into his eyes, expression slowly morphing to a more serious one as she spoke. "Learn a bit of respect."

And with that she drew back, turning away entirely and beginning to swim without waiting up. Though she did briefly glance back to call in his direction with a raised brow. "Well? Come along, then. ...You too, I suppose, small-fry," she added as almost an afterthought, her dolphin friend that had been behind him hurriedly swimming past with a happy scree at her first call. And fortunately for her, she still didn't know the boy's name, which meant she was free to call him as she pleased; which, even had she known, she still would do so.

@Klutzy Ninja Kitty​

 

[Klutzy Ninja Kitty]

Suffering from a genuine lack of spunk due to his exhaustion and near-death experience, Icarus wouldn't give the siren any lip when she would throw insults at him, calling him pathetic and even saying he had a death wish. At this point, it was as if she were verbally beating a dead horse. Any words she tossed his way that ordinarily would've pissed the male off to no end had little effect on him today. Maybe later, when he was more in a rational state of mind, he would reflect on this situation and be far more frustrated.

He would, however, react to one thing she would say. The male would flinch upon being called small-fry again, letting out a sigh afterwards.

She wants respect and yet she's the more insulting one who won't even call me by a proper sounding name.

"Small-fry isn't my name. It's Icarus," he said, his tone calm.

While part of him wanted to insult her back, he still wasn't energetic enough to do so. Not only that, but he also wanted to be careful about making her mad. He was well aware that if he pissed her off this fish could leave him behind to die, and that's most certainly not something he wanted. He could have a sharp tongue if he wanted to, but he was not foolish enough to abuse it in a situation such as this one.

"Also," he began to say, frowning when she and her dolphin companion would swim ahead of him. "I don't really think I can swim right now. I'm exhausted to a point that it's almost painful to move."

Ugh, this was so pathetic. Here he was, royalty, appearing before this fish as if he were a pitiable fool. The only comforting thought that even brought him any peace was the fact that his father, nor anyone else, could see him like this.

@Midnight Maiden​

 

[Midnight Maiden]

"Ah, so he has a name," Rydia mused, words directed ahead of her as opposed to back at Icarus. "I never would have guessed... But I can cut you a deal, small-fry," she stated, pointedly, finally glancing back at him again. "Refer to me by my name and I'll consider using yours. Rydia Anais. Not rude fish, not commoner; none of it... Or it's no deal," she stated curtly, giving a sagely nod and a polite smile. "Now then. It shouldn't be too long a swim from here; perhaps a--"

Wait.

"...Well, I hope you're aware I'm not carrying you," the siren remarked dryly in a deadpan, turning to stare at the male with an almost unbeatable poker face. Begrudgingly, she slowly swam back to him, her dolphin friend watching with a curious expression as she did so. "So I presume you're proposing taking some time to compose yourself, then? I suppose that's fine.. As much of a pain watching over an air-dweller after nightfall in one place will be," she mused, adding the last piece in a mutter. Shaking her head, she was quick to make an addition to her words. "Fine, then. Just don't get too comfortable. We can't stick around here forever."

The sea was dangerous in more than one way. And one of those ways happened to be that it was unpredictable. A place may be safe one day, and flooded with danger and predators the next. It was risky lying around one area for too long, as alluring as it could be, and she wasn't eager to allow for too long of a break even knowing the male needed it after his experience.

But so be it. It wasn't as though she were incapable of taking care of not only herself, but the male before her as well should the need come. Though, eventually, she did have an afterthought.

"...Do you require sustenance? If you're hungry and need rest, now would be the ideal time to eat. I don't intend on stopping unless absolutely necessary, from here on out."

@Klutzy Ninja Kitty​

 

[Klutzy Ninja Kitty]

Icarus felt one of his eyebrows involuntarily twitch when he would hear the siren continue to call him small-fry even after he had told her his name. Not only that, but she would also suggest he call her by name after refusing to do the same.

"Hang on, you expect me to--" he began to say, only to cut himself off shortly afterwards. Clearly, this female had the upper hand here. He would have to do what she wanted for the time being if it meant his survival. Even if it meant he would have to kiss her feet-- er, fins, Icarus realized that he would need to make sure she wasn't pissed off at him.

With a tired, defeated sigh the boy would reply, "Fine, Rydia, those terms are fair enough, but..."

"...I never said I wanted to stick around here. I only said that I don't think I can swim in my condition. If you don't think you can rescue me, just drown me now and put me out of my misery," he complained, side-glancing to his left arm.

I haven't been able to move my arm since I hit the water. I'm no physician so I can't say if it's broken. It's just numb.

"Trust me, I don't really care to be carried either. I wouldn't even be suggesting such a thing if I thought I could swim on my own." He paused when Rydia asked if he was hungry, a frown forming on his lips. She expected that he could eat in such conditions? He was too nauseous to even think about food at a time like this.

"Unless you think this trip to land will take more than a day, I don't intend to eat anything unless you'd like like to see it again shortly after I ingest it," he stated, hoping his words wouldn't irritate her. At this point, it wasn't as if he was trying to snap back at her, if he did so it was only due to his exhaustion.

@Midnight Maiden​

 

[Midnight Maiden]

Ahaha, that was more like it. What had seemed to be a lead up to lip had quickly been cut off by the male's own accord, something that Rydia found rather pleasing. Perhaps it was possible to teach a dumb dog new tricks, after all; even without magic. She supposed he deserved a treat for that... But eh. His treat could be her guidance out of these waters. That was extremely generous as it was. Still, she supposed she could offer some praise and appreciation. After all, he appeared to be obliging, and it was only fair she kept up her end of the bargain as well as such. Sassy as she may be, she wasn't a bitch.

Even if she liked to pretend to be.

"So be it, then, Icarus. It would seem we have a deal," she replied contentedly, refraining from teasing about his obedient little cut-off of his soon to be insult. For the moment, anyways. She could always find time to tease him later if she felt like it. For the moment, though? His next words caused all traces of her smile to fade. "'Don't think I can rescue you'?" she repeated with disbelief. "You really haven't been listening. I'm likely the only one who can," she remarked. "You certainly aren't saving yourself, obviously," she muttered before sighing dramatically. "But fine. I suppose your knight in scaled armor is at your service... Until you regain your bearings. I'm not your mother and I don't care for carrying you about all day," came her reluctant submission as she swam close enough to help the boy up into her arms, bridal-style.

Only to promptly regard him with a blank expression upon his final claim, eyebrows briefly furrowing as she peered down at him. "...You haven't a clue where you fell, do you?" she inquired with a lack of detectable emotion. "The swim to shore must be three days at the very least. If you wished for a one-day journey, you certainly didn't pick the right landing spot."

"Eee-ee!"

"..Semele. He doesn't understand you. You're practically attempting to communicate with a grain of sand."

@Klutzy Ninja Kitty​

 

[Klutzy Ninja Kitty]

"Believe me, I know I'm not saving myself," Icarus replied when the mermaid would defend herself. "But if I have the humility to admit that, surely you can do the same if you don't think you can save me. Hope is nice, but swallowing false hope will only bring me misery in the end."

Despite his words, however, it appeared as if she hadn't exactly given up on rescuing him just yet. Rydia swam over and scooped him up in her arms, which caught the male off guard. He stiffened awkwardly, averting his gaze from hers when their eyes would meet. Usually it was the male who carried the female in his arms bridal style, not the other way around. Although embarrassed, the male would forget about his position when his rescuer would tell him how long this trip was to take.

"It isn't as if I had any choice where I was going to fal-- W-What!? Three days!?" Icarus exclaimed, his mouth falling open and a low groan rising up in his throat afterwards. "Tell me you're not serious!" The male ran a hand through his hair, a worried look on his face. "Will I even be able to make it that long, I wonder?" he then said, frowning. "My injuries are straining enough already; I can't imagine dealing with them for three days."

And could Rydia possibly imagine hearing him whine about his injuries for three days? : |

"Are you sure there isn't any faster way?" he questioned, pinching the bridge of his nose. "If there isn't a way well I-- well, um..." Icarus' already pale face paled even further. "...I may die before we make it back."

Ugh, what went wrong? My wings were foolproof! This fall shouldn't have happened!

@Midnight Maiden​

 

[Midnight Maiden]

"Hmph. I'd certainly have the decency to admit it, were it the case that I were incapable. As it isn't, I'll settle for proving such to you," Rydia quipped, disbelief laced through her silky voice. 'Couldn't save him'... Tch. What a notion. "And it'd be appreciated if you would cut back on your woe is me attitude. I hardly desire to listen to the rantings of some angsty teenager. I told you I'd get you to your destination fine, and I'll stick to my words, I assure you. I don't care for promises that can't be kept, or aren't intended to be."

And she was not one to fall into that category. Stubborn as she may be, she wouldn't swear upon doing something she was aware she was incapable of. And this? This wouldn't be hard at all. The trip to shore was one that could be made with ease, though it was somewhat lengthy, even with the necessary navigation around potential predators. Though as she spared a glance at the male in her arms, she duly noted; if you were sincerely capable, or, at the very least, savvy on what needed avoided. Yes, that was better. No room for misinterpretations there.

Though apparently, there was a lot of room for complaining.

Letting out a sharp, less than subtle breath of discontent, she didn't hesitate to chide him. "Tell me, do you ever hush up?" He was really annoying, and she didn't know how much of his whining she could take. "You'll be fine. It may not be my craft, but I'm certain we'll find someone with the ability to fix you up. And I'd certainly feel better for it, too, if it would lead you to hold your tongue. But regardless, you ought to tone down the drama. You aren't going to die here."

If he were, it would have happened already.

"If it would make you feel better, I can possibly cut down the time slightly. But it depends on a number of things that aren't within my control. So I suggest you accept it as quickly as you can manage, because it's not something I can control."

And so, self assured that Icarus was held firmly in her arms, she began to swim in the appropriate direction. Something told her this was going to be a really shitty journey.​

 

[Klutzy Ninja Kitty]

Icarus frowned, letting out a sigh afterwards. "So you're telling me not to complain? But my arm hurts and I'm exhausted," the male whined, crossing his arms. "If you were in my situation I'm sure you'd be complaining just as much as I am. It's only natural one would express their unhappiness in such a situation."

Even after scolding him and trying to assure him that he wouldn't die, Icarus still seemed hesitant to believe Rydia. He ignored her attempt to hush him up, and only continue to speak. "Let's say I do believe that you can rescue me," the boy began, "That doesn't mean I believe I won't die. I've never been out at sea for even a day. If we're attacked by something, I'm dead meat."

Icarus shuddered at the thought of them meeting a shark or some other kind of undersea monster that might threaten them. He most certainly wouldn't be able to defend himself if they encountered something dangerous. But could Rydia defend them, he wondered? He honestly didn't know much about her, or sirens in general, so he couldn't say for sure if she had any skills to defend herself. She did seem to be able to communicate with sea life, so perhaps that was how she stayed safe...

"It would make me feel better if this could go faster, yes," the male replied, balling a fist to rub one of his eyes with. "The sooner I can get on land, the better. You may not be so exited to help me, but I know someone who would be more than happy to do so." Although he wasn't sure exactly where he had landed, Icarus had a feeling he was close enough to the Midas Kingdom. Anyone there would be willing to help him out. He was from a family of nobles, after all.

@Midnight Maiden​