#ormmarius

Orm waited until they were halfway to the beach before he started fighting the guards. His hands were bound so he threw his weight into one of soldiers holding him, knocking him to the ground, causing the other to let go of Orm in surprise. Orm jumped back, dodging as another guard tried to grab him. He started to run when a shot passed his head, nearly clipping him. He stopped and turned. Orlan was holding the pulsar, now aimed right for Orm’s head. Orlan’s eyes were narrow, his face reddened.

“The next one will kill you; I don’t care if the council wants you alive,” he said. The guards watched as he approached Orm, grabbing onto his arm roughly. “I have wanted to kill you for years, do not tempt me now, my son is supposed to do the honor.” His voice was low so only Orm could hear but it just confirmed his suspicions. Leo was going to ‘attack’ the convoy taking Orm back to Atlantis and he was meant to be a casualty in the crossfire. He let Orlan guide him back to the others and let the soldiers take hold of him again. The whole delay was only around two minutes, he just hoped that was enough time for YN and Arthur to get ready.

YN noticed the beach was quiet, she and Arthur were seemingly the only ones around. They were currently holed up in lifeguard’s shack, watching for signs of Leo and any men he had brought. Arthur had contacted Mera, Nereus, and Atlanna, they were ready and waiting in the shallows. Arthur was antsy, wanting to get this over with and hopefully get his power back. He didn’t realize what he could do with the power he had until he lost it. Already the council was trying to undo his work in bridging the gap between the surface and the sea and he needed to be reinstated to get back on track. YN just wanted to get Orm back to her cottage and their life together. Finally, she saw Orlan and his guards with Orm, walking him down the beach.

“Hold until Leo shows himself,” YN said, noticing Arthur getting ready to throw open the door. He eyed her.

“I am a king you know,” he grumbled. She rolled her eyes. He hmphed and sat back again, watching.

They had just passed the lifeguard shack when Leo and nearly a dozen Atlanteans emerged from under the boardwalk nearby. They aimed their weapons at Orlan and the guards. YN watched the guards. They seemed genuinely confused, Orlan, however, was probably the worst actor she had ever seen.

“What are you doing here?” he asked, voice louder than necessary. Leo smirked and became just as bad an actor as his father.

“I have come to take my revenge from the tyrant king for trying to banish us,” Leo said. “Step aside and you will not die today, leave the prisoner with me for execution.” Orlan held up a hand.

“Enough, we do not need to shed blood tod…” he never finished. Leo shot his father in the chest. This was surprising. Arthur, YN, and the rest of those hiding came out of their places, weapons ready, but confused.

“Finally,” Leo said. “Come on, I am going to kill that bastard king, but I was so tired to dancing to that idiot’s tune.” His men all aimed their weapons as the guards, ready to fire.

“Stop!” Arthur yelled. Leo rolled his eyes.

“Why? What could you, a half-breed, possibly say to stop this?” he asked. YN was reminded of a petulant child who needed a nap. Arthur stepped forward, next to Orm. Leo re-aimed at Arthur.

“Whoa, calm down there Terminator, I just want to know why you shot your dad, weren’t you both trying some kind of coup?” he asked. Leo let out an aggravated breath.

“Yes, but that old asshole would have just used the coup to become King of Atlantis. Why just Atlantis?” he asked. “So now, I kill everyone and then I…take over everything. Where Orm tried to be Ocean Master I will become Ocean Master, I will take Atlan’s trident from your cold dead hands, and then after I am ruler of the seas I will come here to the surface, now, fire away.” His men tried to fire but found their weapons useless. “What the hell?” YN held up a device, red light blinking on it.

“O, sorry, those are useless now thanks to my friend here,” she said. She put the device in a pocket and held up another, a tranquilizer gun. She was able to get off two shots, taking out two of Leo’s men before he started hand to hand combat. Orm moved aside, going to a guard who, after a few moments of contemplation, freed him from his restraints. He wasn’t given a weapon, but he didn’t need one. Arthur and Atlanna fought together with their tridents while Mera sent sharpened water with pinpoint accuracy. The Atlantean soldiers who had come with Orlan fought also. All the while YN was dodging, firing tranqualizer darts at any of Leo’s men. She finally was able to sneak up behind Leo, pressing a tack into his neck and holding her Atlantean dagger to his throat.

“Hold!” Leo yelled. He only had a couple fighting soldiers left but everyone froze at his cry. YN glared, looking at him. Nereus darted off, going to get reinforcements from Atlantis. “Going to kill me surface scum?”

“I should, for everything you’ve done, for hurting people in my city, for trying to kill me, for trying to frame Orm. I should kill you, but I don’t think they want me to do that, they need someone to arrest and prosecute,” she said. Leo laughed. “Something funny?”

“Who is going to arrest me? This is clearly an attack that Orm and you planned. I was trying to help my father contain the threat when you killed him, and his men, and then tried to kill me,” he said. Atlanna shook her head.

“I do not think anyone will believe your story Leo,” she said. “We have proof of everything that has happened here.” She motioned to the camera on top of the lifeguard shack. Leo glared, snarling. He moved, surprising YN, knocking her back into the sand and disarming her. He turned, bringing the dagger she had just been holding down, the tip just inches from her chest when a strong hand grabbed his wrist. Orm used all his strength, knowing that Leo had none at the moment, and threw the man to the ground.

“You almost killed her once and I promised that the next time I saw you I would kill you,” Orm said, grabbing the knife himself. He picked Leo to stand, the knife once again at his throat. YN stood, putting her hand to Orm’s shoulder. He took a deep breath. YN wouldn’t want this, wouldn’t want him to kill again, cause more pain and bloodshed. “But I don’t think I will.” He pushed Leo towards Arthur, who had him restrained along with the rest of his men. The victors lined the prisoners up on the beach just in time for the council and more soldiers to arrive. By then Orm and YN were safe in the shack, hiding out again.

Arthur showed the video to the council, explaining that Orm had been caught, along with the traitor from the surface, however Leo had intervened, and they had disappeared in the fighting. Atlanna also presented the evidence they had found that cleared Orm of the surface attacks. He was still wanted for his escape from the deserter prison and for trying to hurt the heir to the throne, but these attacks were not his. The council seemed satisfied, taking Leo and his men back to Atlantis. Once everything was clear Orm and YN returned to the cottage.

Orm knew all the hiding places and backdoors to get into Atlantis. He had studied the city, noting weaknesses in the wall, in the palace, everywhere. He had most of them closed off or repaired, but he wasn’t an idiot. He left a few open, just updating the maps so that they were no longer visible to anyone looking. But he remembered. He ‘borrowed’ a suit from a guard that he subdued and entered one of his secret entrances to the city. He would have liked more time to explore, to see everything again, but he had a mission. He was going to clear his name in these attacks, and he was going to make sure that Orlan and Leo were either imprisoned or executed for what they were doing. Not only the treason, but the hurting of innocent people, the poisoning of the love of Orm’s life. He made his way in the guards’ headquarters and grabbed a helmet to make sure most of his face was hidden. He headed into the evidence storage and started searching. It took hours but finally he had the report from when he was poisoned. It listed the chemical makeup of the poison. He stowed the report and slid out the way he had come in. He prayed when he got back to the cottage that Atlanna could use this. He needed this to work. He was so tired of running, tired of hiding, he just wanted to be left in peace now. Arthur caught him near the coast.

“I had a plan you know; I have friends in Atlantis, you didn’t have to risk your neck getting that,” Arthur said, annoyed but not surprised by his brother’s actions. They may have been vastly different, but they had the same mother, and she did pass down her impetuousness to them.

“It was faster how I did it, no one saw me,” Orm said. “And now I need to get back and give this to mother.” He was about to move past when Arthur stopped him.

“I just came from there, I was looking for you, YN is awake, she’s going to be alright. I got the sample of the poison, Mera has a scientist in Xebel willing to look at it so that it can’t be stolen or corrupted by Orlan,” he said. Orm nodded, mostly just focusing on the fact that YN was awake and she would be alright, he was nearly vibrating with the energy he needed to get home. Arthur finally moved out of the way and without another word Orm passed him, getting back to the surface and the cottage.

“Mother?” he called, getting into the place. The door was still broken and hanging by a hinge, he would need to fix that later. Atlanna came out of the bedroom, closing the door behind her. “Is she?”

“She is fine, very weak and sleepy, but alive and she will recover. She will need more time than you did, at least a week,” she said. Orm nodded, slumping a little as relief flooded over him. Atlanna saw what was happening and pulled him into a hug. He nearly collapsed into her arms, hugging her. “It is alright my baby boy, your love is alright.” He nodded into her shoulder before standing and wiping his face. She didn’t say anything, just reached up and wiped a missed tear.

“I have something for you, did Arthur tell you what we need you to do?” Orm asked. She nodded. Atlanna did not like being some angelic, perfect, back from the dead queen all the time, but sometimes being considered a gift from Poseidon had its perks. “I have the report.” He handed her the disk it was on.

“You snuck into Atlantis?” she asked, worried. He nodded.

“No one saw me, I used a disguise, avoided the cameras, all that, just, I know Arthur is getting a scientist to check the chemical makeup of the poison, but do you think you can present this and make sure it sounds like Orlan and Leo?” Orm asked. For a moment Atlanna looked offended.

“Orm, your mother was a formidable queen before and after my return, Orlan and Leo will be in chains the moment I am finished,” she said. She put the report in her bag and hugged him again. “Go see her, she is going to need care, lots of water, I left the medicine on the counter, put it in her drink in the morning and the evening and she should be up and about soon.” Orm took note and she left.

Atlanna took the report to her rooms and looked over it. She noticed not only was it unique in its make up but it definitely was the same as the poison used in the weapon. She herself went to the evidence storage area and asked to see the weapon recovered from the attack at the pier. Orlan arrived a little after her.

“My queen,” he said, bowing. She nodded to him and took the container with the weapon inside. Orlen looked confused. “Helping your son?” he asked. She shook her head.

“I am helping the investigation of course. I know that the council has voted you to lead Orlan, however, I have heard from some that they were forced into the vote, intimidated by you and that you were threatening them,” she said, feigning disbelief. “I wanted to take a look at the evidence myself, just to make sure that you had someone trusted by all Atlantis to verify your findings.” Orlan’s mouth became a thin line, but he forced a smile, nodding.

“By all means, I accept the help,” he said. She took the container into another room, getting a sample of the water inside it. She watched Orlan through the small window, he was speaking to a guard, handing him some coins, before leaving the station. Atlanna knew that this weapon would go missing if she didn’t do something. She packaged it up again and then called for a guard to help her. She made sure it was the same guard that had just spoken with Orlan.

“How much did he pay you to destroy this weapon?” she asked. The guard looked at her, eyes wide. “Whatever he paid I will double it for you to leave this weapon as it is. Also, you won’t get charged with taking bribes or treason.” He paled. “And I know the punishment for treason, do you think you could survive the Trench?” He shook his head. She nodded. “Then let me walk with you as you put this back in its proper place.”

Once she was certain that the guard was going to leave the weapon alone, she went to wait for the report from Mera’s Xebel scientist.

Orm went into the bedroom that evening with tea for YN. He put the medicine in it and sat down next to her. He gently shook her until she woke. Seeing her move, opening her eyes and looking at him, it made him melt a little. She smiled weakly at him, sitting up slowly, wincing as she felt the wound.

“Drink this, it’ll help for the pain and for getting the effects of the poison to wear off,” he said, handing her the cup. She took it and sipped.

“Thank you love,” she said. “I hate that bastard, he shot me.” She looked so indignant that Orm laughed. “But, I know where he is.”

“You touched him?” he asked. She nodded. She moved to slide a finger against Orm’s jaw. “Just right there, and now I know where he is for when we need to find him.”

“We will worry about that after you rest more,” Orm said. She nodded and sipped some more.

“This medicine tastes awful,” she said. Orm remembered the cookies then. He jumped up and ran and got two of them, handing her one. “Where did these come from?”

“I made them,” he said, smiling, head held high. She laughed and looked at him.

“All by yourself?” she asked. He nodded, now worried. She took a bite and swallowed before looking at them. “I have taught you well young padawan.” Orm chuckled.

“Thank you master,” he said. She stared at him.

A year seems like a long time when you’re waiting for someone. Orm didn’t sleep a lot, he kept waking up from dreaming. Sometimes they were amazing, he was back with YN, helping with the animals, on the couch with her watching TV and laughing, or in bed feeling her pressed against him, and his heart would hurt so much he’d wake up and just stay awake, not wanting to feel that ache anymore. Other times he had nightmares. Someone had hurt her while he was gone, someone had taken her from him and now she loved them instead, or worst of all, she had just forgotten about him, her eyes blank when she saw him. Those dreams he would sit up for hours just trying to convince himself that wouldn’t happen. That year in Atlantis was his worst and yet his best also.

“I’m shocked you survived here all year without at least trying to sneak back to YN,” Arthur said on Orm’s final dinner with them. Orm shrugged.

“Was better than getting caught and having to go back to the desert,” he said. He was pushing food around his plate, unable to eat honestly. He was worried about tomorrow. Technically he could go anywhere as soon as midnight passed, but what if she didn’t want to see him? What if everything had changed?

“Orm, you don’t have to worry, YN Is just as excited and nervous about tomorrow,” Mera said. Orm knew they spoke sometimes, but he didn’t want to get his hopes up. He was so used to having everything fall apart around him that he didn’t thing he could survive if YN changed her mind.

“When did you last speak to her?” he asked softly. Mera smiled.

“We talked yesterday, I went to visit her,” she said. “Brought over Junior and everything.” Orm smiled a little. YN loved kids, always got so excited when they came in to adopt a pet. She would listen to a toddler babble about their kitten, and she never got bored. At least not while they were there, after the family left, she might talk about how annoying the kid was, but still cute.

“Did she mention…”

“She only talked about how happy she was to see you, kept asking if you were coming back or if you had changed your mind,” Mera said. “She’s just as scared about you abandoning her as you are.” Orm frowned, how could she think he wouldn’t come back to her? Then again, he thought the same thing about her. Love was terrifying when the other person wasn’t around. He sighed and stood up.

“I’m going to bed, I’ll be in your office in the morning to get this thing off Arthur,” he said, waving his house arrest bracelet around. Arthur nodded and Orm went back to his room. He laid down and tried desperately to sleep just to make the time pass faster.

YN paced the shelter hallway, running her fingers along the chain link separating her from the dogs. They were sniffing, licking her fingers, some were barking, but she was barely paying attention. It was nearly 2AM and she just couldn’t sleep. In a few short hours Orm should be back and she didn’t know what to expect. What if he came back to tell her he had decided to stay in Atlantis? That she wasn’t worth coming back for? Worse still, what if he just didn’t come back? She might never know what happened. Mera had said he was coming back, that he wanted to be with her, but what if Mera was wrong?

She stopped by the window, looking out towards the lake. She might as well wait out there, it was a warm summer night, she would be fine on the beach for a few minutes. She sat down on the rocky shore, watching the waves. Before she knew it, she was asleep.

Orm took a deep breath as he waited in the lake. H should have brought her something. He had been in such a rush to see her after Arthur removed his bracelet and declared him free that he stopped to think. He had just needed to get back to her. Now though, he was wondering if he should have brought her something, maybe prepared what to say. How did you reintroduce yourself after a year? He took a deep breath. If he wasted more time, she might think he wasn’t coming, it was time. He emerged from the lake and smiled a little, seeing her asleep on the beach. He walked over, gently lifting her and carrying her back to her home. It felt amazing to have her against him, feel her in his arms. He set her in bed and covered her before seeing if she kept his things. He opened a drawer, and everything was still there. He got changed into something more surface friendly and slid in bed next to her. She must have noticed his movements. Her eyes opened and she smiled, breathing out a relieved breath.

“You’re home,” she said, reaching out and touching his face, making sure he was real. He kissed her palm and touched her hand.

“I’m back YN,” he said. “I’m free to be with you.” She moved closer, hugging him close. He kissed her deeply, having missed this feeling. When they parted, she sighed.

“I haven’t been sleeping well,” she said. Orm nodded.

“Neither have I, how about we sleep now and later we can go get lunch at that place you like on in town?” he asked. It was like falling back into a comfortable routine. Everything seemed to be back in place.

“Sounds great. I love you,” she said, turning so her back with pressed to his chest. His arm went around her, and he kissed her cheek before closing his eyes.

Arthur was in trouble now. Orlan had something big, he would have to if he was calling an emergency council meeting. Orm hadn’t been in contact with him for a couple days and he was worried what could have happened. Did Orlan have Orm? Had another attack happened, and Arthur didn’t know about it? He arrived at the meeting room and took his seat. The council looked annoyed and confused at the interruption to their day. And Orlan was late on top of it. He wanted a show, to make an entrance, and that irked Arthur more than anything. People were getting hurt, his brother was being set up, and this asshole wanted to put on a show.

“I am sorry to call you in on short notice,” Orlan said, sauntering into the room and taking his seat with a flourish. He looked somber, until his eyes looked at Arthur. There was joy in them. The king didn’t like it. “I am afraid I have found some more disturbing evidence of how the former king has been able to evade our king’s chosen tracker.” Arthur kept his face neutral, but his blood ran cold. Orlan produced a holodisk with an image of Orm and YN together, in the woods near her cottage. They were holding hands, the next image they were kissing.

“What is this? Who is this person?” Horvath asked. Orlan barely contained his smile.

“This YN, she is the metahuman tracker that King Arthur had out searching for Orm. It seems she found him,” Orlan said. The council turned to look at Arthur. “Your tracker seems to have betrayed you sire. What a shame that you are such a horrible judge of character.” Arthur seethed.

“I will have to contact her, see what this is about,” he said, trying to remain calm. “Perhaps this is some kind of ploy she is using to lure Orm in peacefully.” The council murmured, sounding unconvinced.

“It is clear your majesty, that she has betrayed you. What self-respecting woman would use her body to lure someone into a trap? Its unseemly,” Orlan said. Arthur knew how misogynistic that was, but Atlantis was not quite as progressive in terms of sexism as it would like to think. “This is concerning and draws one to the conclusion that perhaps our king has either, used resources to hire someone he did not fully check out before hiring, or that he himself knew of this plot and actively participated in it. I’m afraid we must vote to remove Arthur’s power from this council. Make him king in name only.”

“No, that is ridiculous,” Arthur said, but he could see it was no use. His allies had already voted him down once in this case, they would do it again. They asked him to leave the room and wait outside. Screw that, he took off, heading back to the surface. He had to find Orm, and they had to figure out a plan for what to do next.

Atlanna had been in the bedroom with YN for two hours now, slowly working the poison out of her system with tonics and medicines. Orm has already swam the lake several times, cleaned up the cottage the best he could, and baked a couple dozen of YN’s favorite cookies for if she woke up. When…not if…when she woke up. She had to wake up. He couldn’t survive the surface without her. Couldn’t survive the sea, the surface, couldn’t breathe without her. He barely registered the pounding on the door until Arthur just broke it down. Orm tackled him before he could process who it was. He was ready for Leo to come back, to bring an army with him. Orm would be ready and he would kill Leo. He landed at least two solid hits to Arthur’s face before realizing who it was. He stood up and Arthur glared at him.

“What the hell happened?” he asked. “I have been removed from the council, Orlan has almost total control all because someone tailed you two and got an image of you two kissing. Now I look like shit…”

“I don’t care what you look like! YN could be dying!” Orm yelled back. “Fuck Atlantis, let them take your power, let them hate me and curse me, let Orlan become king and nuke the surface world, I don’t care anymore! I want Leo, I want his head on a pike, if YN dies because of him, I will find his hiding place to kill him. The world will burn until I have my revenge.” Orm felt all that old rage and vengeance he used to have for Arthur rising at the very thought of Leo. Arthur was staring at him. He could see his little brother, full of anger and fear and loneliness, back again.

“What happened little brother?” Arthur asked, voice soft now. Orm didn’t even yell at him for the little brother comment, he just sat on the ground, head in his hands.

“Leo was the one who saw us, followed us. I’m not sure how long. He made himself known and YN, she took a picture of him with a weapon pointed at me, so there’s that, he’s wearing the gloves in the picture. Do with that what you will,” he said, handing Arthur the phone. “But, because she has her power I assume she thought if she touched him she could know where he was, find him. So she ran out from behind me, tried to tackle him. I don’t know if she even touched him, but he held the weapon on her and then so I wouldn’t follow him he shot her. There was poison in the shot, the same as last time.”

“Did she…?” Arthur asked.

“Mother is trying to save her now, getting the poison out of her system,” Orm answered. He felt wet on his cheeks, wiped them. He hadn’t cried much since being on the surface and he worried if he started now it wouldn’t stop.

“This poison that keeps being used, we had the weapon’s poison analyzed and the report went missing,” Arthur said. “Do you know why Orlan would do that?”

“Orlan was a plantbringer, noble through his talents at gardening and close to my father because he knew how to use the plants for medicines or poisons. He had a specific poison he used, tried to kill me with it once, that he never told anyone the ingredients for. I’m betting if that poison is in those weapons, he made sure that any proof of its existence disappeared. It would be the only thing to tie him to the attacks. The only reason mother was able to heal me was her ability with the plant life of Atlantis, she figured out an antidote,” Orm explained. Arthur nodded and smiled.

“We can use this, our mother is above reproach in Atlantis. She is the goddess queen, came back from the dead. If she can figure out the poison and we can somehow relate it back to the poison used to try and kill you, we may have our proof of Orlan being involved in the attacks. No one would dare question the righteous Queen Atlanna,” Arthur said. Orm sighed.

“There may still be a sample of the poison used on me in the evidence storage of the royal guards, or maybe a report that lists the elements in the poison, but considering you don’t have any power how are you going to get it? They would suspect you or even Mera were trying to mess with the investigation into me,” he said. Arthur sat in thought.

“Give me a day I’ll think of something,” he said. But Orm wasn’t listening. He knew every inch of that palace and the outlier buildings. He knew how to get to the evidence without anyone knowing. But Arthur didn’t need to know that.

“Alright, a day, but if she dies, I won’t wait for you to do any investigation. Leo is dead,” Orm said. Arthur nodded.

Orm frowned at the restraints YN had put him in, she seemed to be enjoying seeing him tied down. She kept giggling and smirking as she finished with the final snow chain. She normally used these on her tires in winter to make sure her car got around but now she was finding she could use them for all kinds of things.

“Are you enjoying this?” Orm asked. “Me being tied up?” She blushed and nodded.

“I am enjoying it a lot,” she said. She stood back. Orm was in a chair, hands zip-tied together, chains wrapped around him and padlocked to keep him there. His feet were connected to the floor using leash ties and old dog collars. Orm could have been out of this in seconds, but the Atlanteans didn’t need to know that. He pretended to struggle, and YN put a hand on his shoulder. “Stop, wait for the others to arrive, I don’t want you breaking them while they’re here.” He froze and stayed still. “I’m going to wait outside, any longer in here and I’m going to enjoy this too much.”

“Is this going to happen again later?” he asked. She nodded.

“When I get you back in bed, I’m going to have so much fun,” she said before closing the door behind her. Orm shifted uncomfortably excited by the idea.

YN stood by the lake, waiting for the arrival of the council. Mera was with her already, watching the water. She didn’t know what to say to the woman. She knew who she was, that she and Orm were once engaged but she had married his brother. That Orm had not been the best person to her, sending people out to kill her because he felt betrayed. What do you say to someone with that kind of history with the man you loved?

“What do you possibly see in him?” Mera asked, finally breaking the silence. YN looked at her. “I don’t know what he’s been like since being here but, he was such a terrible partner when we were together, I can’t imagine him being anything else.”

“I’m not sure what he was like with you but here, he’s been wonderful. A little too arrogant sometimes, but he helps around the shelter, loves the animals, is kind, for my birthday he took me to this little seaside restaurant, and we sat on the beach and just watched the waves. He told me stories and said that they were boring compared to the life he was living. He finds everything so fascinating here…” she could go on and on. Mera was staring.

“That hit to the head must have knocked something loose in him, maybe forgetting the hatred helped remove it altogether,” she said. “I’m glad. When we were kids, he was a sweet boy, always wanting to make everyone around his happy. Wasn’t until Atlanna was banished that he turned bitter.” They stood in silence then, watching the water until it started to ripple. YN turned and called to Clark, who arrived there within seconds.

“They’re not going to challenge me to prove my strength, right?” Clark asked. YN shrugged. Mera said hello to him and then faced the water as Arthur emerged first, followed by the council. They looked around, unimpressed by the shelter and house by the lake.

“Where are we?” one of the ladies asked. YN stepped forward.

“Greetings, you are near the coast of Rhode Island, my lake here feeds directly into the ocean via a short river,” she explained. “I’m YN and I own this house and the animal shelter where your wild animal, Orm Marius, is being held on the surface.” They looked her up and down, unimpressed by her also.

“She doesn’t look like she could control him,” another council member said. Arthur shot them a look and they stopped talking. YN just kept smiling. She was used to dealing with annoying people who thought they knew better than her. Most of the time it was about why they couldn’t keep a pet and were abandoning it, but wasn’t that what these Atlanteans wanted to do with Orm? She just motioned to Clark.

“This is Superman, I am sure you have heard of him, even in Atlantis,” she said. They looked at him and she could tell they were awed. Wasn’t hard, Clark was tall, muscular, good looking, classic trustworthy man type. Mera rolled her eyes a little with YN.

“Hello, I have been called upon by YN and your king to help keep this prisoner in place. I have thoroughly checked the cell and restraints he is being held in, he will not escape,” he said. The council took his word for it and approached the shelter. YN showed them into the ‘problem dogs’ area and there was Orm, pretending to struggle against the restraints. He looked livid.

“Orm Marius, so nice to see you,” a councilwoman said. Orm eyed her suspiciously. “We hope you are well, that this will suitably hold you until we come to a decision about your punishment.” Now he was confused. Arthur stepped forward.

“I forgot to tell you; I may have done a little confessing to the council. I explained what actually happened with Manta, about breaking you out of the deserter prison, and how you actually helped us and resisted the pull of Black Trident. How you kind of aren’t such a dick anymore. The council is reconsidering what to do with you,” Arthur said.

“O really? Show is this all for a laugh then? Locking me up here?” he asked. Arthur chuckled and shook his head.

“O no, this is real, punishment is still being discussed, but I thought perhaps the council would question you here about what your plans and ideas are for your future, while you are restraint and under the eye of Superman here,” the king said. Orm looked around at the council members. Could this really be it? He might get a lesser punishment? Be able to not hide anymore? Could he see Atlantis again?

“Thank you your majesty, I will speak with them,” Orm said, bowing his head to Arthur. Arthur chuckled and turned with YN and Mera to leave.

“I’ll never get used to that,” he said as they stood in the grass outside the shelter. Mera and Arthur started to discuss next steps if Orm’s punishment was reduced before they noticed that YN had walked away, sitting on the shore. They walked over and sat next to her. She was in tears.

“What is wrong?” Mera asked. YN wiped her eyes.

“It’s selfish and silly,” she said.

“What?”

“What if wants to leave?” YN asked. Arthur looked at Mera and then back at YN. Neither of them considered really that YN wasn’t Atlantean, she was human and wouldn’t be able to come back to Atlantis with Orm. He would have to choose, life on the surface, or under the water. “I know that I can’t make that choice for him, I won’t force him to stay here but if he leaves, a big piece of my heart will be broken.”

“I think he’d go back to Atlantis, at least for a little while, but he would come back,” Arthur said. “He loves you and if there is anything he knows about its loving someone who is far away. It doesn’t go away.” She nodded and they waited in silence for the council to emerge.

“We have decided,” the councilwoman said. Arthur nodded for her to continue. “Orm Marius will be put on house arrest in Atlantis for one year, starting tomorrow. He will attend therapy meetings to speak of his crimes to a professional chosen by the king weekly to work within the new mental health system that has been implanted…”

“One of my better ideas,” Arthur said with a smile.

“…upon completion he will be released to come to travel to the surface whenever he wants, while doing mandatory community service for the surface world. We will send the king to retrieve Orm in the morning,” she finished. Arthur nodded his head in agreement and the council went back to the water. YN stood there, frozen. One year. Would he want her still? Would he still remember his feelings after a year away from her?

“It will not seem so long,” Mera said, putting her hands on YN’s shoulders. “He will not forget you.” YN nodded, but wasn’t so sure.

Once they were sure that the council was gone Orm was released from his fake cell and said his thank you’s and goodbyes to Arthur and Mera before joining YN in the house. “A year?” she asked. He sighed.

“It was agree to that or go back to the deserter prison for five years to take the punishment of escaping,” he said. “I couldn’t do five more years there; I couldn’t do five years away from you. One year is going to seem like torture.”

“You’ll come back, right?” she asked. Orm looked at her, pulling her close and kissing her softly.

“I will always come back to you,” he said.

Orm’s idea was great. They went to the large aquarium in Coast City, holding hands as they walked past the exhibits. Orm would stop at every single one, listing off information that he knew about the creatures, and some of them even seemed to know him. He didn’t have the ability to speak to them like Arthur could, but the creatures of the sea still knew one of their own was present. It made the kids there insanely jealous when the fish swam Orm’s way.

“Hey, why are they all following you?” one surly looking child asked. He appeared to be about 10, the same age Orm was when he started getting an attitude with every adult he knew as well. Orm smirked.

“Well, I was their king once,” he said, voice lowering in a conspiratorial tone. YN stood by, smiling a little, watching. The kid was old enough to be skeptical, but still curious.

“Why aren’t you their king now?” he asked, folding his arms. Orm pointed at YN.

“She can’t go to where I live so I decided to stay with her,” he said. The kid looked scandalized.

“You gave up being king of the fish for a girl?” he asked. Orm chuckled.

“Yes, I did, and I think it was worth it, do you want to see them follow you?” he asked. The kid nodded. “Go back to your parents.” He had seen them nearby, watching the interaction, but trying to let their child have some independence. The boy walked towards his parents. At first the fish didn’t move, then Orm looked at them and nodded his head after the kid and they got the idea. They followed him, including the shark in the large tank.

“Mom! I’m king of the sharks!” the kid said. The parents looked shocked but then nodded and walked away. YN walked over and took Orm’s hand again.

“You’re good with kids,” she said. He shrugged some, looking sad. “What’s wrong?” she asked.

“Just wondering if I really would have given up my throne for you, back before I knew that the surface wasn’t all pollution and corruption and hatred. It’s a nice story to tell but, would it have been real?” he asked.

“Probably not,” she said. “But that doesn’t mean it's not real now. There’s probably another universe where you are still king, where you conquered the surface and we’re all underwater now, but in this world, you just have me.” He looked at her.

“I’d rather be here than in that world,” he said finally before continuing their walk through the aquarium. They were unaware of the person following them.

They got back to the house, walking the path through the woods to watch the sunset from the nearby lake when Orm realized that they weren’t alone. He froze, looking around. YN was confused but could see something was wrong. When Orm said to get behind him she did. A man exited the wooded area nearby, blocking the trail back to the house. YN took out her phone, making sure to take pictures. If this guy was involved with the attacks and framing Orm she wanted a good look at him. In fact…

Before Orm could stop her, YN darted out from behind him, running at the man. She expected the hit, being thrown through the air, so she made sure she grabbed at his face, just barely scraping a finger over his jaw before his arm could swipe her to the side. She groaned, landing on the forest floor, but she had done what she needed. Orm was still frozen, watching to make sure that Leo didn’t go after YN.

“So, the person who was supposed to be tracking you, trying to find you, looks like she found you, looks like she found a lot of you,” Leo said. “How long have you been hiding out here? Does your brother know? Is he involved in this little happy family?” Orm glared.

“That idiot doesn’t know anything,” Orm said. He needed to keep up the front, Arthur was already having trouble with the council, he didn’t need them dethroning Arthur while they were at it. Leo took a step towards Orm, but Orm stayed still, best to let your enemy come to you, make them do the work.

“You don’t seem surprised to see me,” Leo said. Orm growled. “I defected you know, after my father was accused of treason against you. He wormed his way out of course, but still, I wasn’t interested in bowing before a half-breed king.”

“Yes, defected, and trying to what? Get me put back in prison again? Setting me up?” Orm asked. He knew it wasn’t that simple. They wanted him executed, make sure that the last full blood heir of Atlan was dead.

“No, I’m trying to kill you obviously, you’ll either die fighting my forces or be executed, either way I win,” Leo said. “And don’t think I’m going to kill you now, I’m not stupid. One on one you’ll easily beat me, but you’re not always the smartest in the room, just the biggest, at least until Arthur came along. Muscles on that guy am I right? Anyway, I just came here to get some proof, help my dad’s investigation. I’ll be going now,” Leo said. Orm snarled.

“Like hell you will,” he started. Leo pulled out a small energy gun from a holster at his hip. He pointed it at YN. Orm stopped breathing as he fired, hitting YN in the side.

“I think I will be going, unless you’d rather let her bleed out and chase me instead. O and for you that poison took about twenty minutes to set in, for humans, well I don’t really know. Fragile things though, aren’t they?” he said. Leo then smiled and casually walked away. Orm cursed and ran to YN, picking her up gently and rushing her back to the cabin. He sent word to Atlanna that he needed help.

YN got tea ready while the three men sat around the small table, all eyeing each other. None of them really knew what she was going to say as she set the table, pouring them drinks. Arthur was anxious.

"Ok, enough stalling, what plan do you have?" he asked. YN smiled, taking a sip. She looked very pleased with herself.

"If Arthur and Superman are willing, I would like to trick the Atlanteans," she said. They all looked confused. Then it dawned on Orm.

"Superman took three Atlanteans to a mountain range across the sea, with ease," he said. She nodded. "If we can convince the council that I am being held on the surface under the eye of Superman because you, Arthur, felt I was too dangerous to leave in Atlantis or even in the deserter prison, then they will leave me be." Arthur looked baffled by the idea.

"Are you crazy?" he asked. "Artrax was just here, he will tell the council all of this is bullshit and we will be had." YN smiled again.

"Not if you go back to Atlantis right now and tell them what happened. Say you found Orm and you were going to apprehend him with help from your Justice League ally, however, Artrax arrived and threatened you. If they don't believe you then bring them here. I have a perfect room in the shelter to act as a cell for Orm. We put the biters in there," she said. Arthur made a face.

"O God, please don't say he's a biter next I may vomit," he said. YN turned bright red but just took another sip. Orm smirked.

"Next time I'll try it," he said and Arthur gagged. Superman just looked uncomfortable at the moment. "Anyway, are you willing to do this?" Orm said, turning to the Kryptonian. Superman looked at them all before focusing in on YN.

"We need to talk first, just us," he said. Arthur stood and motioned for Orm to follow him. Once they were out the door Superman moved to sit next to her. "Are you safe?" he asked.

"I'm fine Clark," she said. "Orm is not a crazed villain. He did some things years ago that Arthur handled and he is rehabbing right now, trying to figure out how he fits in the world." Clark nodded. "But, Atlantis can't find out that he is out and about. They had him in a cell in the desert, that's torture to someone who literally lives in the ocean, I won't let him go back there. But I can't just drop off and leave here either, these animals depend on me, and now on him." Clark stared at her and then nodded.

"You love him," he said finally and she nodded. "His heartbeat goes a mile a minute when he looks at you, I think the feeling is mutual." She smiled at him, blushing. "Just call out whenever you need me to come back for guard duty, I'll be here." She nodded and followed him outside. He bid goodbye to Arthur and Orm and flew off.

"I still think that's terrifying," Arthur muttered. Orm cocked his head to the side.

"I think I'd like to fly, see the ocean from the sky," he said. YN smiled at him.

"Wait until I get you on an airplane," she said. He smiled at her. "Now Arthur, get back to Atlantis." Arthur waved, grabbing the bodies of the fallen Atlantean soldiers, and headed back to Atlantis. Orm put his arm around YN and kissed her head. "I hope he gets back in time and that they council believe him."

"Well, Artrax isn't part of the council, he is just a noble, Arthur's word should carry more weight with them. He also has the bodies to show Artrax's willingness to kill anyone who gets in his way," he said. "We have to hope that he doesn't have anything that could damage Arthur's integrity."

Arthur arrived back in Atlantis, calling an emergency meeting of the council. He found out that Artrax had not returned yet and he laid out the lie he had concocted on the swim there. He told the council that Artrax had been right, Orm was alive in that small town. Arthur had, of course, immediately went to apprehend Orm to bring him in, but Artrax had arrived. Arthur had bruising on the side of his head where the energy weapon had been pressed so he showed the royal physcian his head, explaing that Artrax had threatened both he and the surface dweller that had been trying to help him capture Orm, had sent soldiers after her, and then had killed two other soldiers who had stood against him. He was enacting treason and the dead soldiers had stood against him. They council asked how Arthur had finally captured Orm. He explained that he had called in Superman, the most powerful member of the Justice League to capture and keep watch over him while Arthur handled the issue of Artrax in Atlantis. He demanded that Artrax be brought before him as soon as he arrived to answer for these crimes. The council discussed quickly and agreed, they wanted to hear his explanation.

About an hour later and Artrax, along with the two soldiers still alive, were brought to the throne room. Arthur had made sure to dress the part of king, Mera and Atlanna by his side. Artrax looked more annoyed than concerned. He demanded to know what this farce was about, yelling about finding Orm and bringing him to justice. That Arthur was helping him. Arthur kept a straight face but was smiling inside. The noble sounded insane.

"Artrax, you have been charged with treason against the king, how do you answer these charges?" Arthur asked, voice booming over the room. Artrax stared, shocked.

"How dare you! You are in league with the disgraced king!" Artrax argued, fighting against guards, trying to get to Arthur. Artrax had been hanging by a string after being flown off to a mountain in the middle of nowhere. His soldiers were quick to flip on him when it was mentioned that they would be spared death if they confessed the truth. They spilled everything about Artrax's plan to kill Orm and if anyone tried to stop him or got in his way then he would kill them. The council saw everything, heard all of it, and immediately called for the containment of Artrax and for a contingent of soldiers to verify Orm was contained.