she lives in daydreams

The Speaker of the Council rose.

Former.

King.

Orm clenched his jaw so tightly that a vein stood out along his neck.

“Today, you stand trial for crimes that endangered the stability of all Seven Kingdoms.”

A murmur spread through the hall.

Outrage.

Hatred.

Disbelief.

How could their king have done this?

“You abused wartime authority.”

I protected Atlantis.

“You executed the sovereign king of one of the Seven Kingdoms and coerced his people into your war.”

It was necessary. They would not listen.

“You launched an assault against a sovereign kingdom in pursuit of your claim to the title of Ocean Master.”

They never saw what I saw.

“The Council will now deliver its sentence.”

A small missing-scene fragment from my WIP fic — Orm’s trial after the fall of the Ocean Master. This scene has been living in my head for a while. 🫧

The finest elite soldiers swam forward without hesitation.

Armored.

Armed.

And among them—Prince Orm.

A head shorter than the others, only twelve years old at the time, yet just as controlled. Orvax swam a short distance behind him. Watching. Analyzing every movement. Every decision.

The farther they went, the more treacherous the currents became. Stronger. Less predictable. The pressure was so intense that their armor served as a shield.

Eventually, at Orvax’s command, they stopped. They had reached an underwater cavern. It was dark, the water unnaturally still. The soldiers spread out to scout the area.

Orvax gripped Orm firmly by the shoulder.

“Do you see them?” He gestured toward the soldiers. “Do you see their fear?”

Orm nodded.

“And do you see yourself?”

Another nod.

“You are different,” Orvax said in an icily calm voice.

Orm drew a shallow, careful breath. The words sounded like praise—

and yet, at the same time, like a sentence.

“And today, you will prove it.”