It was hard enough to drag four merlings through uncharted waters, but Vera was very tentative when her own scales ruffle from the change in chemicals. She glances back to see her merlings latched onto one another by the tails as Eira hangs onto her hair. Vera pulls her gen in unexplored waters, amazed to see blue hues instead of mauve. It was certainly different from the liquid she had been in all her life, and her gen discovers this too. They marvel at the different climate. Vera was amazed at the smallest change, and she wondered what else could have possibly been different.
The siren rushes after Dariol when she notices his pine green fluke flick towards the surface. Dariol smiles a bit, watching Vera swim towards him without a word. She smiles back, and he only stares at her for a moment. He was trying to remember every inch of her face, the way her tail wafts through the currents, and how her silver hair glows in the moonlight. He didn't want to forget the small, insignificant quirks because he knew there was a chance she would never remember his. It broke his heart knowing this was the truth, but he would fight against it. Even if it meant it all wasn't worth it in the end.
Dariol pauses before they brake the surface, and turns to his gen. "Oi'll see if she's here," he smiles half heartedly. Vera nods, barely returning his smile. Dariol rests a hand beneath her chin. A real, closed mouthed smile covers his lips as he reassures her, "Be brave; yuh are ah siren. I'll be back soon." The two mers share a genuine moment with one another before Dariol releases her from his hold.
When Dariol surfaces, he finds Marzena rapidly pacing across the land. She appeared worried, probably about Dariol and Vera arriving, only there was something off. He couldn't quite place it, but she couldn't be the only Wolvernrian here. Dariol scans the area, finding no one else inside the cave but them two. Dariol observes her for a few more moments, basking in her natural beauty.
Her hair had been pinned back, reavealing her heart shaped face. Several rings of gold were weaved into her locks, and several more adorned her arms and fingers. Instead of the reddish fur dress she wore three moons ago, Marzena wears a short top made out of dark fur, covering her breasts from wandering eyes. The same fur delicately wraps around her hips, hiding her bare skin beneath the fabric. Her feet, as she calls them, are adorned with flat footwear with vines lacing up her calves.
Dariol lifts himself out of the water, causing a massive wave to shake the pool that catches Marzena's attention. He heaves his tail out slowly, trying to allow the water to cascade back into the pool instead of bringing the liquid onto the rocks. Dariol leans back until his fins begins scraping against the rocky terrain. His muscular torso drips of blue water, and Marzena can't seem to look away from him. The way he leans and flexes his arms unconsciously has her wolf drooling. She observes the tiny droplets if water trace the curve of his hips until it disappears into his scales. The beautiful lush, forest green color has always enticed Marzena, especially when it's always been her favorite color. She watches as Dariol runs a hand through his wet hair, knowing she can never be with him again. Her wolf howls inside of her, but Marzena places a false happiness on her lips.
The female Wolvernrian sighs in relief at his arrival. "Dariol," her soft voice alerts the mer, "yuh came." She smiles in amazement. Their eyes connect and he smiles brilliantly at her. His teeth gleam from the moonlight, creating the illusion of lust within his black irises.
Dariol straightens, controlling himself. "Of course oi did. Oi keep mah word," he murmurs the last part, turning to his tail. His fluke dips in and out if the water leisurely.
Quietly, Marzena sits next to Dariol, but only within arms length. She's careful not to touch him in any way and steers clear of his gaze. It became a chore for her, but she had to put distance between them. Dariol notices, but doesn't question her choice. He knew her true feeling and she knew his. He would wait, even if it became eternity. Dariol only entices her further as he flexes and runs his right hand through his dark locks again. He keeps his pose a moment, stretching a bit, and catches Marzena holding her breath. A smirk broke out on his face at her reaction, and he decides to stop his torture.
Zena's always been timid. My meek little wolf, Dariol's smirk widens at his train of thought. She'll be mine, soon enough.
Marzena swallows her saliva and chews on her bottom lip. She wasn't sure how to start, especially when she had so many questions, but one was gnawing at her heart. Marzena fidgets with her fingers before sighing. Courage leaps at her heart and she instantly finds Dariol's obsidian orbs. Silence drifts through the cave while Dariol musters up the words to speak. Just as Marzena, he had no clue where to begin. He figured being direct would be better than nothing.
It only startles him when something attaches itself to his fluke. Raising his tail above the surface, Dariol spots the little merling playing with one of his lower tail fins. He smiles at the tiny predator and swiftly bends his tail so she slides down to his stomach. Her eyes glitter like the moon above, enhancing the marking below her eyes. The tiny merling laughs softly before waddling up to his chest.
Marzena watches the exchange from Dariol and the baby mer, confused if this was her child. Her mouth opens in a gasp, silently wondering how tiny her child could have been all these years. When Dariol meets her gaze, his smile drops. Before she can speak a word to him, he picks the merling up and faces her to see Marzena. Her eyes dance against the child's face, immediately noting the cresent moons beneath the outside of her eyes. The child looked just like Vera when she was a child, only her markings were of different shapes.
Marzena and the merling match eyes, and Marzena can't help but smile.
"This is Eira," Dariol introduces his daughter's merlings. His eyes dart to her sleek silver hair, just like Vera's, combing it back as water drips from the ends. Eira purrs softly, nuzzling her head into his palm.
"Eira," the merling glances up with innocent eyes. "Meet moona's moona."
Slowly, her tiny black irises inspects Marzena. She looks at the creature, calculating the new species in a observing manner. The little girl's eyebrows scrunch together, and before Dariol can stop her, Eira leaps into Marzena's lap.
"Moon-moon!" Eira exclaims, giggling at the touch of Marzena's skin.
The female had caught the merling swiftly and carefully holds the child in her arms. She gasps, smiling and laughing with the little one. Eira grabs onto Marzena's thumb, waving her hand around with joy. Dariol smiles briefly as the two begin giggling together. He wanted to remember this moment, even if it was Eira instead of Vera. The sight in front of him was too dear to ignore and Dariol took an instant image in his mind. He would savor this memory for as long as he would live.
Out of nowhere, a silver haired mermaid with a mohawk of tiny spikes in the middle of her head pops out of the water, flinging herself towards the male mer. "Dariol! Dariol, Eira's—" Black eyes catch sight of the land female, and they pause when they land on Eira.
"Right here."
The mermaid sighs in relief at the sight of her merling. A gentle smile breaks across the mer's lips as she gently nods to the female. She lays her claws on the edge of the rocks, barely moving an inch away from Dariol.
Marzena became stiff a moment, thinking the child in her arms was Dariol's and this mermaid's child. She suddenly wanted to set the girl down, but she was holding onto her fur and playing with it between her tiny claws. The tiny merling attempts to calm the female down with her head nuzzles. When she notices this doesn't work, Eira huffs and blinks her attention to her mother. Her little arms reach for the silver haired mermaid with a sparkle in her eyes.
Eira giggles, "Moona!"
The mermaid smiles warmly at the child in Marzena's lap. Marzena becomes confused at the words, and begins to register who her 'moona' is.
When it clicks in her head who this mermaid is, she glances at her longer and smiles. Marzena carefully gives Eira to her mother and nods. The mer blinks for a moment before Dariol nudges her from behind. Marzena notes how she clenches her jaw before giving her a half-assed smile. She takes the child from Marzena and cradles Eira to her bare chest, allowing the little one to feed. Marzena was surprised at how shameless her child was with her own offspring. She was amazed at how well of a mother she turned out to be.
Better than I could have been to her. Marzena's wolf scolds her quietly. She winces from the snarl.
"Yuh must beh Vera," she softly says. Vera nods, directing her full attention towards her mother. Marzena was startled by how attentive Vera was in that moment. Marzena blinks slowly a couple times before finishing her introduction, "Mah name es Marzena... I'm yur mother." Marzena had cringed as her wolf hides her face between her paws, whining in discomfort of the situation.
Vera's face was blank and she blinks once. "I know." Was all the mer said before Adare and Atlas surface, then Elsa following them.
• • • • •
I was wondering if after all these years you'd like to meet...
to go over everything.
• • • • •