Her father draws her into a corner before catching her shoulders. The merman stares at the siren in comfort. "Vera, are yuh alright?" He asks softly, glaring into her eyes. He notices her stance, tightening his grip on the female.
Vera is the one to turn to her father. She observes his worrying black orbs before calming down. Vera sighs, slightly smiling towards her father. "Yes, I'm quite fine," she verifies. Her claws began to quiver, and her eyes dart around the room in concern. Vera couldn't completely focus on her father at the moment.
When her father looks around the room himself, he doesn't spot anything abnormal. Few mers litter the infirmary with many stoic expressions, but the majority of them were Froons and Alophes. There was no danger in the infirmary, so why did Vera concern herself with a possible threat when she and her father were more of a threat to the mers? Her father couldn't wrap his tail around the idea, not completely understanding his offspring's dilemma. He wanted to, but it seemed she had dazed into a complicated daydream.
Raising her chin, he stares Vera in the eye. "Mei gen, oi know when yuh lie and oi know when yur distracted. Tell me what's swimmin' through yur head, Vera-Leighie." His dark irises demand her to speak her mind, but Vera was freightened. Her father brushes her hair away from her heart-shaped face, allowing the beautiful silver tresses to cascade around her shoulders and back. He noticed the moon's silver, as he calls her hair, was loose and wild, unlike her usual braid. She appeared more fierce and savage; an exceptional Vark.
"The merlings." Vera spoke in a hushed was whisper.
Her father knots his eyebrows in confusion. Stunned by her words, he asks, "Yes? Tey are en excellent condition an will be ah wonderful addition ta ar home." He smirks, crossing his arms over his chest. He notices a change in the siren, speaking before she has a chance to. "Tey'll make exceptional waryas an perfect hunters. Good choice, mei gen." He rewards her with a sharp-toothed smile and sadism in his inky noir spheres.
Vera bares her teeth at the male, grinding her claws together in order to prevent permanent damage to her parent. "They are not yours, Dariol. They are mine, and only mine!" Vera snarls, subconsciously swimming overtop her father, daring him to take either of the merlings from her. Vera seethes with rage and hate towards her parent, Dariol. She was determined to have all four to herself, no matter at what costs.
Dariol's eyes widen from her outburst, sending him to believe she had already imprinted on the merlings before any mer could. "Vera," Dariol calls calmly, "tey're all yurs. Each one of te four are yurs. Both females an both males," her father soothes her by running his claws through her silky locks. Vera stares a few moments before accepting his confirmation. Vera has calmed her heart, only thinking of the merlings and her.
"What are te gens called?" Dariol asks, gathering his daughter's attention.
Vera's dragged from worryville and brought on a train right back to reality. "I—" the siren pauses. Vera thinks back on earlier, not recalling any names. The siren shakes her head, "No." Vera sighs, "I haven't thought of it. Only their safety and stability," she admits through frowned lips.
Dariol smiles, "Yuh will know once tey are confirmed by Cochu. He's the best cecaelia the seven seas have been blessed with." He tries his best to reassure the silver-tailed mer, attempting to improve her mood.
Vera notices the twinkle in her father's dark eyes. He seemed proud of her choice and of her fate, but Vera didn't care to please her father any more he cared to share pieces of her mother to her. She had decided long ago she wouldn't dwell on the past, only strive for the future. Vera only hopes her future has the quad of merlings as well. She opens her mouth to reply to Dariol, only she's interrupted by the said cecaelia.
"Miss Vera," Cochu calls. The siren glances to her left, finding the cecaelian aid there. The maroon tentacles dance with determination as Cochu meets the two mers. Dariol releases his hold on Vera, floating upright when Cochu arrives.
Vera catches the water in her gills. "Cochu," she breathes out.
Cochu smiles widely. His hands hold the slab of stone between his fingers, and Vera listens quietly as he speaks. "The merlin' is healthy, and slum'ers now. Te o'er 'ree are awake." Cochu smiles at Vera. He notices the twitching of her tail, and beckons the two mers towards the cavern where the four merlings resides. "If yeh wool follow meh, we'll see 'em." Cochu smiles. He notices Vera catching his arm before they turn to the cavern.
"Yes?" Asks the patient cecaelia.
Vera swallows, terrified of the answer she didn't want to hear. "The parent..." Vera's voice wavers in the slightest. She's quick to hold her tongue from further exposure.
Cochu tilts his heads, confused at the inquiry from the young siren. He turns, his eyes meeting the depths of the female's. "Yeh are tere parent. Yeh bore 'em, er no?" Cochu insists. "Er did ta Tagris parent bare ta quad?" Cochu hesitates, curiously peering at the siren for an answer. He notices her tail twitching, and she's reluctant to answer. Cochu's body straightens in an attempt to comfort her. His tentacles briskly touch the sand below her tail while he waits for her answer.
"No," Vera sighed, explaining the truth. "I found them in a cove, and the last in a field of kelp. Each one bit my fluke, and I brought them here for inspection." Vera uses her claws to speak, nervously fumbling with her fins when she could. She was weak at the moment, not prepared for the heartbreaking answer. Vera swallows, hoping the cecaelia wouldn't keep the quad from her.
Cochu furrows his dark brows. "'Nd ta parent?"
Vera only stays silent, shaking her head. She couldn't say they were dead; there was no proof. She only hoped no one would claim them, but she could only fight for them if they were claimed, and that would be a waste. They would be sent to the Queen if Erigetta, and she would decide who is fit for the quad. Vera was not the mer to lie and cheat her way through the ocean. She found those snarks vile and disgusting. Most that crossed her path had been slaughtered, only a few mers were left in bloody messes. She would rather take the quad to the queen before being forced into exile.
The cecaelian aid pauses a moment, understanding what the siren meant. His dark eyes dart to the slab before returning her uncertain gaze. "Are yeh takin' 'em, er leavin' 'em fer o'ers?" Cochu was clear with his question, and shows little to no curiosity about the placement of the merlings.
Vera blinks. Confused by his demeanor, she is reluctant to reply. When Cochu blinks expectantly, Vera swallows harshly. "I'd like to have them," she answers confidently. Vera knew the risks and the chances of raising the quad, but they connected to her, and it created this protective armor. It was hard to believe how important they had become in such a short amount of time.