Chapter Text
Neil had lived on the Reef his entire life. The buildings of coral and stone were so familiar to him that at times he felt as though he were a part of them. One of the few fond memories of his childhood had been swimming up to the ceilings of the larger buildings and camouflaging into it. To be there but not seen was somehow empowering to him. Now, here in this dark cage being carried between two sperm whales down into the depths of the ocean to be sold to the Deep Kingdom to pay for his father's war crimes, he felt... Fantastic.
~*~
King Kengo was more and less than what everyone painted him to be. More sick and yet, less frail. He was dying, but he wasn't weak. His eldest son was seated to his right and scowling down at Neil for daring to breathe after what his father had done. One of the guards temporarily removed Neil's muzzle.
"I seem to remember requesting a female be sent to our House, your father did not comply." Ichirou bit out.
"My father has no female children, only me."
"Then why did he not send his wife?" Neil let out a bitter laugh.
"He was going to. The coward fled, so he sent me."
"Enough of this needless rambling. Lord Wesninski has sent his only heir in place of his Queen, this is agreeable to us." King Kengo declared, Ichirou's mouth snapped shut and the guard placed the muzzle again. Kengo turned to the herald. "Carry this message: let it not be said I have forgotten about my second son, I send him a bride prize from the Reef. The Outer Court will no longer spread these rumors, as I have given such a valuable thing." That was all Neil needed to hear to know the Outer Court was 100% correct about this man. The guards grabbed him by the biceps and started forcing him out. Only when the Captain of the Guard sneered at Neil's torso whilst covered in scars himself did Neil realize that that Ichirou and the guards had objected to his nakedness and not his scars. He couldn't decide if that was better or not.
~*~
Riko didn't know how many times he'd been told "You will be great." It sounded almost like a threat now, "You will be great." A barely unspoken or else on the end. Riko was unafraid of that 'or else' at this point. When he'd helped Kevin and Jean escape he'd been whipped by Tetsuji for it, had the still healing scars to prove it, he'd seen what would happen if he became 'great'. He'd hated that version of himself more than Tetsuji, more than pain itself. He'd only ever struck another creature once, he'd hit Jean after one of Tetsuji's beatings in rage at the unfairness of the beating. He'd spent the night in a spiral, having several panic attacks and just generally grieving. He'd cut his hair in shame, something that Tetsuji had beaten him for again, and promised to become better. He'd never so much as raised his voice since; sworn to himself he'd never be the same creature his uncle was. Now, he'd gotten Kevin and Jean out, and it was just him and Tetsuji. Riko knew better than to get involved with the servants of the castle, in any context, they'd be punished for him just like Kevin and Jean. So he stayed in his suite, mostly alone and counting the days. He filtered through his rooms, the phylliroe he kept as pet, Brindille, followed him through. He came to a seating area that had a window that faced the Outer Court capitol city, Aerieton, the name was a bit on the nose but the city was beautiful. They were preparing for the Festival of Lights in three weeks. Being a city built deep under water they got very little light. Even less sunlight. So they paid the traveling merpeople to take their sperm wales, colossal squids, and giant squids, to carry sunlight from the surface in small-to-large magical sphere down to the city. Then they were all released into the sky over a period of a few hours and the deep sea dwellers got to experience the sunlight for a bit. Riko felt a small piece of himself slide into place knowing that very soon, he'd feel the sun on his face if only for a bit. He should've known the piece wouldn't last.
Riko always saw his guests in his foyer seating room, Tetsuji now rested on one of his lounge chairs and glowered condescendingly at his surroundings. For some reason, though Tetsuji had hand-picked the color and furniture of the room, he found it detestable. As if Riko had infected it with his hideous sentient rights beliefs.
"You're father has sent another gift, a bride-prize from the Reef. You will not lose this one as you did the other two and you will keep your room up to standards."
"You picked all these furnishings." It was out before Riko could stop it and earned him a slap from Tetsuji.
"You will show respect boy, useless child."
“Yes, Master.” Tetsuji took ahold of Riko’s chin.
“Why did I ever agree to take you on?” He asked with disgust. Riko didn’t point out that he didn’t have a choice. He kept his eyes on Tetsuji’s left shoulder and clenched his fists to prevent trembling. Tetsuji let go and left. It took Riko a moment to gain thought and movement back and when he did he was very suddenly angry. The kind of rage that only came after being struck by his uncle. He tried to take deep calming breaths and only succeeded in making himself even more miserable. He just laid down and counted the glowing dots on his conservatory ceiling while trying to lose himself to the sway of his cloth hammock.
~*~
Neil was met with a not very shocking realization when he arrived in the Outer Court. They had very little light out here. Neil had known light was considered a commodity in the Deep but on some level he hadn’t expected it to be this dark. He’d been waiting in this room for several minutes now, twenty four is his internal clock could be trusted, and no second son. Then he heard a distinct hum, like the call of a whale. Then the guard on his right responded; Deep Speak, that’s what it was. He tried to listen for the first one again but they remained silent. He felt a shift in the water that signaled movement, then fingers brushed his face just above the muzzle. The guard on his left hummed something higher and received a hiss from the mer with hand on Neil’s face. Neil flinched and the hand retracted for a moment, then a long, low hum before the hand slowly returned to his face and removed the muzzle. Neil took a shuddering breath in before trying to squirm or move. He felt the two hands clamp down on his biceps to hold him still and he fought the urge to try and bite the person. Then he felt the person shift around him till they were directly behind him, which made Neil uncomfortable since that’s where most mating happened and he was physically restrained. But he felt the metal ropes around his arms slacken and then fall off. Then the person behind him hummed and the guards departed. Once the door was shut he heard a heavily accented voice say,
“You’re bleeding, lie down.” And on of the hands found its way to his back and guided him till something soft and long impacted his palm. Neil took and deep breath and slowly worked his way onto the reclining couch. Then the hands took his and the merman in front of him began to glow in long lines of spots, like bioluminescence, running over his face, shoulders, the tops of his arms, his back, and the top of his tail; and magic dances over Neil’s skin in a way that burned and rushed and suddenly his hands and forearms no longer hurt or were numb. Then the man before him opened his eyes and let go.
“How you feel? Hungry, tired?” Shocked, more than anything, relieved.
“I’m fine.” Neil choked out. The man looked skeptical, but just nodded.
"I’m Riko Moriyama, second son of the third generation. Should you need something, call for me or my right hand, Saito. Since it’s the middle of the sleep cycle I will see to your housing tomorrow.” Neil didn’t want to be left alone in the dark, but he pushed that down and turned over to go to sleep; he didn't manage to.
~*~
Riko woke to the sound of something hitting the ground. Then a several quiet curses. He pulled himself out of bed and groggily made his way to the kitchen where the small blue mer was trying to find his way around with only his hands. His breathing was heavy and thick as he dragged his hands over the counters trying to find something. Riko's Brindille followed him in, itching for a treat. Brindille's light reflected off of his tail. Riko had never seen a blue so light and bright. His breath caught for a moment. The mer caught sight of Brindille's glow and turned around to look at the fish. His brow furrowed. Even for a slug, Brindille was very small. A small, fat ball of light. Then he caught sight of Riko and flinched back. His short auburn hair covered his face as he turned away.
"I'm not going to hurt you." He told to boy. He swam forward to try and comfort him in some way. The boy looked at him with large eyes and a bleak expression.
"It wouldn't matter if you did, would it?" Then the boy's eyes widened suddenly and Riko knew he regretted saying that.
"It would to some." Riko replied, "It would to me." There was a long pause where Riko held the mer's wrists gently as he was scrutinized. Then, suddenly, the boy said, "Why's your hair so short? It only goes to your shoulders." For moment there was silence, then Riko laughed. Of all the things to say?
~*~
To say that Neil was something different would be an understatement, in truth, Riko had never met a creature like him. He was quiet and wild, caring and spiteful, he was bold and afraid. He was something Riko could never have and yet the culmination of everything he wanted. He was freedom in a bottle with blue eyes.
~*~
Neil had found out that Riko had willingly isolated himself for the good of his brothers and didn't know how he felt about that. He also found out where they'd gone when they'd escaped. A human merchant offered safe harbor for those unlucky mer who needed it. He immediately began concocting a plan.
~*~
"Neil." Riko said, for the first time in the near seven months he'd known him, Riko looked unsure. "I think we missed something. They're gonna catch up to us."
"This plan was always going to be risky but our other option is to spend the rest of our lives as slaves to the main family." Riko wouldn't meet his eyes. "This is our only shot. I know that the human man who took in Jean and Kevin will take you and me in too."
"I don't want to hinge our entire plan on a human, Neil."
"You should've said that at some point in the past month while we planned this. Not the night before."
"I'm sorry." Riko muttered. His ear fans falling back against his head. Neil pulled the larger man into his arms.
"We'll make it, we'll see our brothers again. You got them out, now I'll get both of us out."
"You've never met them."
"OUR brothers."
"Communist anthem plays." Riko leaned over and kissed Neil on the cheek. "I'll try to believe. In us if nothing else. With my bitchiness and your dumbassery, we're unsinkable."