18 Hawk’s Truth #2
Surely the day couldn't get any stranger, Hawk thought as he carefully navigated the longboat through a channel of rocks and into a darkened cavern, following Silver's dark head in the water.
The hard part was over, wasn't it? He'd found Silver again, and begged his forgiveness.
Gotten far more love in return than he deserved. Things had to be easy now, didn't they?
Inside, he found that the cave glowed with a strange green luminescence, glinting off the waves and throwing rippling shadows up onto the walls.
Mara stood on the rocks along the side, seemingly unconcerned with her own nudity, and Hawk tried to avert his eyes as he pulled the longboat up alongside them.
"Come with me," Mara said as he climbed out. "Just the two of you. She's waiting for you."
"Dunno if I like that," Xanne muttered, and Mara smiled, leaning down to kiss her forehead.
"Don't worry, there is no danger for you, ma chère. I'll be back soon. I promise."
Hawk looked worriedly down at Silver as he followed Mara. His lover gave him a tight smile, diving ahead of them through the water.
Before them, on a throne made of pearlescent giant clams, their maws iridescent and glimmering in the dim light, sat what appeared to be a young woman, with skin of burnished mahogany and eyes as deep as the ocean.
She was adorned in a crown of seashells and corals.
Her heavy breasts were covered in necklaces of bright gold and gleaming gems, and her fingers narrowed into pointed claws that glowed with the same mother of pearl luminescence as the rest of the cavern.
All told, Hawk had to admit she would have been a beautiful woman, except that where a woman would have had legs, the creature before him appeared to have two long, twirling fishtails, that slithered in the water before her like a pair of angry eels.
Silver stopped in front of her in the water, lowering his head. "Forgive me, Mami Wata. I've been a foolish Mer. I've been careless with the gifts you have given me. Please don't turn me into a tadpole!"
"A tadpole?" Mami Wata threw her head back and laughed. "Such imagination you have, little one. Is this your proud Pirate King? Come here. Let me look at you."
"He's mine," Silver said in a small voice. "I crowned him and everything."
"Of course," Mami Wata agreed. Hawk wasn't quite sure how she moved on those tails, except suddenly she was in front of him, one hand on his chin, turning his face this way and that as if assessing his worth. "I suppose he is a fine specimen. For a biped."
Hawk tried to determine whether or not he'd just been insulted, and decided wisely not to question it.
"Look, uh - Your Majesty? I am aware there have been some mistakes made, mostly by me.
I don't suppose there's some way we can get past that and give Silver back his legs?
There must be something that I can do for you.
Give to you, perhaps? I have considerable means at my disposal back in Port Royal. "
"Silverfin," she started, "has certainly made his share of mistakes, not the least of which was cheating me in the original deal.
He reneged on it, in a fit of vanity. Secondly, the treasure he helped you to secure was highly sought after by my people.
I would have received a great tribute from that Portuguese ship had he not interfered.
And after all of that, he threw everything away in a fit of anger and returned to the sea like a petulant child. "
In the water, Silver's eyes grew more sorrowful. "You can have all of my hair this time, I promise. You can cut it yourself!"
"You foolish little Mer!" Mami Wata laughed as she moved back to her throne.
"Do you think I asked for your hair simply because I wanted it?
What use do I have for it? I asked for the thing that was dearest to you - your beauty - because I needed to know that you were willing to give it all up for your love!
Clearly you were not. Why should I help you again? "
"Let me give something up, then," Hawk said desperately. "Anything you ask for. I swear it.” Out of the corner of his eye, Hawk saw Mara shaking her head in warning. But he wouldn’t be cowed by these Merpeople and their games. “I can't lose him again. I beseech you!"
"Anything?" Mami Wata raised one eyebrow. "Be careful what you offer, Biped. What would you do if I asked for your ship?"
"The part I possess of it would be yours in an instant."
"And what if I asked for your legs, in return for Silverfin's?"
Hawk ignored Silver's horrified gasp. "Then I'd spend the rest of my days on crutches!"
"Crutches!" Mami Wata threw her head back again in laughter. "You entertain me, Biped! That is a rare thing for your kind. I think I will give you what you ask for. And the price for it will be but a trifle."
Hawk's heart leapt... then quickly sank to his stomach, Mara's warning returning to him. What could a being like this consider a trifle? "Oh?"
"Give me your share of the Estrela’s treasure, and Silverfin's, to replace the tribute I would have received if my people had taken it. Then, I will give Silverfin both his legs and my blessing."
A trifle for her, of course. But far, far more for him.
The treasure was essential to protecting Port Royal from the encroachment of so-called civilization, essential to his revenge against a society that rejected him and took his lover's life.
How could he give it up when they'd worked so hard for it?
But how could he live without Silver - Silverfin?
The choice was easy. Elizabeth would have to forgive him.
"Then we have an accord," he said, bowing low. "I'll bring the treasure to wherever you like. Just name it."
"Just throw it overboard," Mami Wata replied with a smile, leaning back on her throne.
She made an idle motion towards Silverfin, and for a moment the light was so bright that Hawk could barely see.
The next moment, Silverfin was climbing up onto the rocks, jumping into his arms and wrapping both legs around his waist, trembling with joy as he kissed him.
Hawk caught him, holding him tight. "I promise I'll do right by you this time," he whispered, heart brimming with happiness.
“I know you will,” Silverfin exhaled against his neck, sending shivers down his spine. "Now, let's go home."
Mara shook her head in disbelief as she watched her idiot brother and his insane fuck husband start back towards the longboat.
How on earth had those two managed to get out of this predicament so easily?
Part of her wanted to feel bitter, after all she'd been through.
But somehow she found herself smiling, shaking her head.
Better that they triumph than her having to deal with the fallout of failure, in any case.
She turned to follow them, only to feel Mami Wata's hand close around her wrist.
"And what will you do, my wayward daughter?"