#ormmariusxreader

Will I ever stop imagining what if I'd done things differently and Will you find it a corner in your heart For me long after we part Funny how time doesn't care who we Love and who we wish we could repair So into this great unknown I will wander on my own

Y/N had never planned to be running from Atlantis. She hadn't meant for any of this to happen. She had just wanted to help the people in the lower city, the non nobility in Atlantis, to have a better life. How handing out supplies and funding small businesses to help them flourish became attempted murder she didn't know. But here she was, in her room at her mother's mansion, packing a small bag so that she could disappear.

She wasn't sure how a person's entire life could fit into a bag the size of small sea turtle but that's all she had. Into the bag went the mosaic of her father and she, when she was barely walking and he was still alive. They were poor, but they were happy. Then the plague came through, killing him in days and she was immune, meaning that her blood was noble. A DNA test later and it was discovered her mother was a councilwoman for King Orvax, so she was sent to live with her. Her mother didn't want her, Y/N was the result of a foolish night of 'slumming' as her mother said and her father had been so happy to have a daughter that, Roux Velix, never had to bother with the child again. But now she had to face her mistake and bring this child into her home. She put a smile on her face, making a story about Y/N being kidnapped by her father as a baby to save face, and welcomed the child like she was wanted.

Y/N put a bracelet into her bag next. The only gift that had been given to her in kindness, from the daughter of another council member, her first real love when she was a teenager. That had ended when her mother had found out, already having wild ideas about her marrying the prince, whom she had yet to meet. They fought, screaming at each other until Roux revealed that she had never wanted Y/N and that she wished that the plague had been made to kill anyone with low blood. Y/N had been suspicious of that comment so she started digging into what actually went on in those council meetings between her mother and the king. She was disgusted by what she found.

A flier for a meeting of the Atlantis for All activist group was slid into the front pocket of the bag. Y/N had snuck out in her early 20's, finally getting up the courage to seek out others with similar ideas, hiding under a maid's cowl, to meet with the small Atlantis for All group in the lower city. It had been cleared of the sickness that had taken her father by now, and this group had been operating for years, doing small acts of kindness for the low class Atlantians. When she arrived they didn't trust her, thinking she was coming in as a plant from the nobility to spy on them. It took a few years of hard work and providing funds from her mother's accounts before they really welcomed her. She bonded with one particular person, Aria, who soon became her best friend.

Finally she put letters into the bag. Letters between her and members of AfA, notes from Aria encouraging her to be her true self, things that made her feel happy and reminded her of the fun times she had before Hendrix arrived to begin tearing everything apart. Just as Prince Orm was readying to become king another member of the nobility had joined them. Y/N had never met him before but that didn't surprise her. Her mother didn't let her come to events where someone might ask her about her home life or her history, and she didn't seek out others in the nobility. The few times she had she had either gotten her nose or her heart broken. But Hendrix came in and he was charismatic, he knew how to make people believe him and even more, believe in him. Soon he was nearly running the show and he tasked Y/N with something so that they could protest the coronation of Prince Orm. She had to find out from her mother the route that the parade would travel that day.

"How did you know my mother was in charge of the schedule of events?" she had asked. She assumed he hated the nobility and despised Orm and what he stood for as much as she did, how could he even speak to enough of them to find out this information. He had smiled sweetly at her, and she couldn't lie, she had nearly melted at the attention. She loved when sweet, kind attention was given to her. She was going to soon realize that those who paid that kind of attention to her were just out to use her.

"We must know our enemy if we are to actually interact with them on their level," he said. "Most of you are lower city, those without noble blood, you were raised with them Y/N, I was raised with the royals. I have found that if I want to enact change I first have to understand what they are about. I spoke to several council members at the coronation announcement and was able to convince one to tell me some details. Please, just ask your mother. Once we know the route we can choose the best spot for our protest."

What an amazing liar Hendrix was. The AfA was planning a protest while Hendrix was planning an attack. What no one knew was that Hendrix himself was in line for the crown should anything happen to Orm and well, he always loved to put on a crown.

The parade had gone as it was supposed to, until they rounded the corner closest to the palace. The group was gathered, Y/N at the front with a projector, voice singing out a song of resistance, asking for equal rights for all. Hendrix was supposed to shoot off a cracker, bringing attention to the group. Then Y/N noticed that the canister was ramping up. It wasn't a cracker, it was an energy pulse. She grabbed it from him just as it shot off, barely missing Orm's head, instead hitting the back of the floater he was in, sending it spinning. She knew she had to run and just before the guards descended she and few others took off. She made it back to her room in minutes.

Now here she was, bag packed, ready to run.

She had no idea what to do once she got to the surface and was lucky that Aria had run early and had the sense to do some research before going to land. They met on the way to a small town in the state of Maine. Aria had the knowledge and Y/N had stolen enough from her mother that they were able to get fake documents and rent a duplex on the beach, rooming together for awhile before Aria found someone in town to love and marry. Y/N remained in the duplex overlooking the water. She knew that she probably would never be able to travel far from the rocky shore but she still wanted to see the ocean. She loved the sea and would forever regret what had happened.

For 10 years she settled into a life in Maine, opening a cafe, learning all she could about the surface, and continuing to try and help anyone she could. She had no idea that soon she would be forced back into the Atlantian world and would have to face the man she almost helped assassinate.

When everybody filled me up with pride I was only looking for a place to hide I am no statue or monument to raise But I try my best these days Funny how time doesn't mind who we Keep and who we bear to leave behind So into this great unknown I will wander on my own

Orm couldn't tell Arthur but he was going to miss him. He was going to miss his brother, his mother, his nephew, and especially his kingdom. He knew it wasn't his anymore, and he had been imprisoned for years, but in that time he had thought about everything he would do differently if he were able to go back, go make things right. Now though, he couldn't go back, not yet, possibly not ever. And that broke his heart.

He took some time, mostly walking up the east coast, still living in the ocean when he could, sleeping on beaches and in coves, still wanting to feel close to his home. He didn't bother much with the surface world, choosing instead to let his pity fester. He didn't want to be on the surface and as much as Arthur touted the pros of living on the land Orm didn't want to bother. It was after Orm started garnering attention on the surface news that Arthur finally had to come in and tell him he had to settle somewhere.

"I know you don't want to, you're restless, but that's making you conspicuous and since Atlantis has been revealed, people are traveling to the surface to explore. Someone is bound to recognize you if you keep making waves," Arthur said as they drove up the coast of Maine. He had said he found a place he could stay. It was near Tom's lighthouse and Atlanna had agreed that she would use part of the stipend she received for being the former queen to help fund Orm's needs. He didn't enjoy the idea but the king wasn't really giving him a choice.

"Making waves, funny," Orm grumbled. "So I am expected to live in this house? And what?"

"I don't know, read a book, watch some TV, you have a neighbor, meet them, make a friend, get laid, who cares? Just keep laying low," Arthur said, pulling up to a house that seemed split in two. There were two doors sharing a large porch, it was two stories, and to Orm's happiness at least, was boarding a rocky beach that allowed him to walk to the ocean if he wanted. "We got it furnished already, fridge is full, and I left information about places to eat and different sites you could visit." Orm got out of the truck and grabbed his bag, just a single backpack, and headed to the front door. Arthur let him know that Tom's lighthouse was only 10 miles north and he could go to them any time he needed anything and they would get Arthur. Orm waved back to the truck and watched it pull away.

He was about to enter his new home when the other door opened and a woman stepped out. He turned to look at her, not sure what he expected from this neighbor, but the look of surprise wasn't it. She recovered quickly and he decided to ignore it. He had probably made a similar face, considering his surprise at how pretty she was. He had seen pretty surface dwellers before, but not like her. Maybe she thought he was just as pleasing to look at. Arthur had said to get laid.

Y/N had covered her shock at seeing King Orm standing on her porch, apparently moving into the other side of the duplex, but she was still panicking inside. What was he doing here? What had happened that the man who's major selling point to the Atlantian people was how much he hated the surface world. She put on a smile, resolving that she would try her best to keep him from realizing that she was Atlantian and also keeping it secret what she had done, what she had been involved in.

“You want to plan your wedding, invite Syfin and his family, and pretty much make your pregnant wife a target so you can prove that they are trying to kill her and my son? You do know the danger that she and your daughter will be in, right?” Arthur asked, staring at Orm as if he had grown tentacles. He knew his little brother hadn’t come to this decision lightly, but it was still crazy.

“I don’t want to do it Arthur, I want to bring my wife back, marry her, have our child and live happy and safe, but that isn’t an option, and I am tired of all of this. I’m sure you are too,” Orm said, sitting in Arthur’s sitting room, dangerously calm. Arthur remembered this Orm, from back when they met and no matter what he seemed unshakable. It had been years and Arthur had learned his tells. Orms eyes were barely contained rage, his hands slightly shaking despite the rest of him being stone still. A flash of worry coursed through Arthur that his brother might be delving back into that place he used to live in, and that he wasn’t sure if Orm would come out the other side the same.

“Go talk to Y/N, take a few days, take Mera, sit down together and decide. You know that I will do whatever you want, and I support you little brother,” Arthur said. Orm sent him a look at the term ‘little brother’ but didn’t say anything, just nodded and left the room. This worried Arthur more.

Y/N saw Orm and Mera coming before he had even gotten to the beach. She popped her head into her mother’s house and called for Tom. The little boy saw his mother coming up the beach and he started running towards her. Mera caught sight and ran to meet him, both falling into the sand in a sweet hug. Y/N smiled as she walked carefully towards Orm. She saw the look in his eyes and stopped. His anger was palpable.

“What happened?” she asked, a hand shaking as she reached for his hand. He took it and pulled her into his arms, kissing her softly before moving to kiss at her stomach. She could tell something was brewing in him, something she had never seen before, an anger he hadn’t reached since before they met.

Orm nodded for her to go inside, and Mera followed, carrying Tom. While Mera and Janet caught up and talked about the young prince Orm went to Y/N's room with her, having her sit before he told her everything that had happened and his idea for how to fix everything. Y/N listened and after a few moments surprised him.

“How was Lydia while her mother was talking to you?” she asked. Orm furrowed his brow and thought back.

“She seemed, uncomfortable and she looked tired, almost, like she wanted to be anywhere else,” he said, focusing hard on her in that room. Y/N nodded.

“I’ve been thinking back to every interaction we’ve had with Lydia when her family wasn’t around. She pulled all her tricks, but she always looked sad. I thought it was because she wanted you, but from what you just said, the game might be over for her. Maybe she never wanted anything with you, but her family was putting pressure on her. You say that you father exhiled them for what they tried to do to you and your mother, what if they are worse than him? And they have put their children through horrible things just to try and get the throne?” she said. Orm let her finish before he responded.

“She still did all those things, still tried to poison Tom…”

“We don’t know that was her, that could have been anyone in her family…”

“Including her,” he said. “Why are you siding with her all of a sudden?” Y/N sighed and moved to her bedside table, pulling out a piece of Atlantian parchment. She set it down between them and he looked at it. It was a letter, from Lydia. “When did you get this?”

“A few days ago, I didn’t know what to make of it and wanted to show it to you when you visited,” she said. He picked it up and read it slowly.

Y/N, I must apologize for everything. I know that I have been hurting you and horrible, but you don’t understand. I need to be with Orm, there is nothing else for me. I don’t want this, but I have to do it. Please just stay away, live your life, you have your child, keep them close and I will make sure no one bothers you but stay away. Lydia

“She is telling you to stay away, why do you think she isn’t a part of this?” he asked.

“This is a desperate plea Orm, this is someone who’s afraid, not in love, and I know that you and Arthur aren’t the ones scaring her,” she said, taking the letter back and putting it away. “I will go back with you and Mera, but I want to talk to Lydia by myself.”

“Never, I won’t let any of them near you or Velka,” he said. Y/N stared at him, and he realized he wasn’t going to win this one. “Why do you always try to see the good in everyone?”

“If I didn’t I wouldn’t be with you right now would I? As I recall you used to rather enjoy calling me a half-breed,” she said. Orm winced. “I will be careful, but I won’t let her suffer. She is still young and if she is hurting imagine her brother, he is still a child, what are they doing to them?”

“Fine, we will return in the morning, but I want a tracker on you, and I want to be with you as much as I can, and if I’m not there and you’re not in our rooms you have protection, Arthur, Mera, mother, anyone,” he said. She nodded and agreed to his terms.

Orm could not imagine how hard it would be to convince the nobles that Syfin was not a suitable king, that Arthur was a true and good king for Atlantis. They were so stubborn, so set in their old ways that the idea of having a half-human king was still disgusting and below them. They tolerated it because he had the trident, but if another came forward, why shouldn’t they be given the chance? They were pure blood after all.

“Why does he not accept a challenge from Syfin?” one of the nobles asked while Orm sat in council with them. Orm frowned.

“Has a challenge been brought forward?” he asked. The noble shook his head. “Perhaps Syfin knows that he is weaker than the current king.”

“He probably knows that the half-breed would cheat, all surface dwellers know is deception,” another noble said. Orm had to take a breath and fight rolling his eyes.

“That is not all surface dwellers know, I have met many of them, and they are just like us. We are not unfamiliar with being deceptive and from cheating to get what we want,” he responded. There was a soft murmur.

“Yes, you have spent quite some time on the surface. Marrying one of them and bringing another half-breed into the royal line,” another said. Orm clenched his fists tight, trying to contain his anger.

“Keep my wife and child out of this,” he said, voice cut with an edge. There was a shift in the room, he hoped he hadn’t ruined this. He wanted to convince them Arthur was king without having a challenge brought forth.

“Either way, the family has entered Atlantis again, they are royal, and they have a right to question who is leading Atlantis,” Roius, the highest noble in the room, said. He was matter of fact, voice even, but Orm knew that he was hiding something. Roius had first supported him, then when the tide seemed to be turning to Arthur, had jumped ship. He was sniffing to see where power was, hoping to latch himself on the winner and keep in their good graces. “Orm, you as advisor to the king should have him prove his reasoning for keeping this family under arrest, or we, as the other nobles will raise our concerns louder and bring more force.”

“You would risk a revolt for this family?” Orm questioned. “You claim to care about Arthur being an outsider, but these royals have been exiled for many years, why are they not also considered outsiders?”

“Well, I think we can all agree that King Orvex exiled them without cause, we wouldn’t want another tyrant like that being our king, would we?” Roius asked, eyes now narrowed at Orm. Orm took another deep breath, know that he was stuck now. He couldn’t defend Orvex without it bringing into question Arthur’s legitimacy and he couldn’t argue for Arthur without stepping all over Atlantian tradition.

“Arthur has never done anything without reason, he has even shown me great mercy and understanding. I highly doubt his keeping this family contained is without reason,” Orm said back, trying to keep calm.

“He has no proof. Either he provides proof of their crimes, or he releases them from their quarters and allows them all the freedoms he allows other Atlantians. If doesn’t do this, we will remove him from his throne” Roius said. The nods around the room showed Orm that he was finished. He rose and left, quickly finding Arthur and Mera in their quarters.

“How did the council take it? Can we send the others away?” Mera asked, clearly thinking that Tom would be able to come home. Orm sighed and her face fell.

“The nobles have clearly been influenced, even with the family confined they were able to convince the others that you are being a tyrant, they are innocent, and you are keeping them locked up without reason. The nobles have demanded that you release them, or they will revolt and remove you from power,” Orm said. Arthur was still, clearly thinking quickly. He sighed after a few moments.

“I have no choice but to release them, if the nobles throw me off the throne, then I am finished, our family is finished, no one can protect Tom, or Y/N and Velka, we’d have to flee and honestly that Lydia would probably force you to marry her just to make sure she can kill you,” he said. Mera looked stricken. “I am going to get proof of what they have done, but until then they are free to move about, we will have to be on guard and just because they are free doesn’t mean I can’t put some trusted guards on them, I mean, someone has been targeting royals, they will need protection.” Orm nodded. It was the best they could do right now.

The first few days after the family was set free were quiet. Orm almost thought that they were going to let everything be, would just be grateful to be allowed into society again. Then Lydia and Hestia came to him in his office, asking for a meeting to discuss the challenge Lydia had made. Orm waited for them to make the first move, patience was key now when dealing with them.

“My daughter made a hasty decision to challenge your betrothed, at the time it seemed right, but that was before we knew that on the surface world you were married, and she was with child. We don’t hold much care for the surface world’s laws but the commitment of marriage spans over our two peoples. We will respect your marriage, rescind the challenge, and allow you to marry here. We would love to attend the wedding and apologize in person for our impertinence against your betrothed,” Hestia said, voice dripping with honey. This was a trick, get Y/N back here so they could do something to her, try to hurt her. He was getting an idea, but he needed everyone on board before he did it.

               Orm would kill Arthur one day, he really would. The list of reasons was growing by the day and this latest addition was going to be the tipping point.  Arthur wanted Orm to teach his younger half-sibling how to swim, and this sibling was driving Orm up a wall.  Tom’s child was stubborn, self-righteous, and argued with everything, always thinking they were right.  Arthur said they reminded him of Orm.  Orm didn’t see the similarity.

               “You have to actually get in the water to learn Y/N,” Orm said, glaring and folding his arms as the surface dweller stood on the beach, jumping back whenever the cold waves hit their toes.  They shook their head.

               “Not until I get used to the cold,” they said, inching slowly until the water hit their calves.  Orm rolled his eyes and took a deep breath, then thought of an idea. He had some minor control over the water, not as much as Mera, but he could do something.  He lifted a hand and had a wave splash Y/N and knock them into the surf so that they were now neck deep in the water.  Y/N sputtered in surprise and glared.

               “There, now you’re used to the cold,” Orm said. Y/N just glared more.

               “I was getting there Orm, now what do I do?” they asked, folding their arms.  

               “Lay on your back and float” he said.  Y/N looked around dubiously for a moment before doing as told, floating on their back and letting the waves move them.  It was quiet relaxing and for a moment Y/N felt themselves getting drowsy.  Until an annoying blonde man spoke again.

               “Now, turn over and start moving your arms in a circular motion and kicking your legs,” he instructed.  Y/N did as told, faltering for a moment and swallowing the salt water. They coughed, straightening themselves and realizing they had drifted further into the sea and could no longer touch the ground.  Panic took over and they started kicking frantically, going up and down in the waves, losing control over their mind and body as they desperately tried to get to land. Orm watched for a moment, hoping they would calm down but when they didn’t he swam over, catching them around the waist and pulling them to shore easily.  

               Once on land Y/N took several deep breaths, calming down after a few minutes while Orm watched.

               “Took you long enough to help me,” they said, looking at him looming overhead.

               “We talked about this, you need to remain calm in the water,” he said.  

               “Easier said than done,” Y/N shot back, folding their arms in annoyance.  Orm sighed and looked at them.

               “Do you want me to throw you in the deep again? You can practice drowning again?” he said.  Y/N closed their mouth and sat for a second pouting.  

               “Thank you,” they said finally.  Orm looked at them confused.  “For saving me, I was really scared.”

Orm hadn’t actually meant to save the surface dweller.  He was escaping from captivity when he happened upon her floating on a capsized boat several miles from shore.  He almost moved past her and left her there but she called to him, asking for help, pleading with scared brown eyes that he seemed to lose himself in when he stopped to look back at her.  He cursed himself but went to her, picking her up and swimming her to shore easily.

              He had meant to just drop her off there and at first that’s what he did, left her on the shore and walked away but once again her voice called to him, asking if he knew which way was a hospital.  That was when he noticed the gash in her side and the she didn’t seem steady on her feet.  He moved back to her and lifted her again.  She held onto him, shaking dark hair from her face.

              “Thank you,” she said softly, leaning against him.  He sighed but headed off, finding a hospital and dropping her off.  He knew he had to blend in so while there he stole clothes from a similarly sized gentleman and changed, going to find the woman in her hospital room.  He sat down hear her, noticing she had already been stitched up and bandaged.  He didn’t say anything as she rested but he looked her over slowly, noticing how different she looked compared to what he believed surface women to look like.  She was beautiful, with brown skin and dark hair that seemed to shine in the sunlight through the blinds of the room, and she looked peaceful and he found himself liking the sight of her face more and more with each passing second. In that moment he decided to stick with her.  He noticed her eyes slowly open and he stood, moving next to her.

              “Are you alright?” he asked.  She looked at him for a moment and then it dawned on her who he was, her savior.  She almost thought she had imagined him and somehow just washed ashore.

              “I…Ya, I think so, they said after rest a nurse would check me and I could go, um, what’s your name?” she asked, looking up at him.  Orm smiled at her softly.

              “I’m Orm,” he said, leaving the rest of his life down in Atlantis under the sea.  Here he wasn’t any of that anymore so why bring it up.  “What’s yours?”

              “Y/N,” she said, offering her hand. He knew she meant for him to shake it but instead in took it and kissed it.  She smiled a little bit but gave him a strange look.  “You’re different aren’t you?”