The Heir of Depths
20

Arline’s new role within the army signified the she had to attend daily meetings with his Highness, but wasn’t meant to speak. So she took it as a way to not direct him even the slightest glance, and it drove him mad.

Two days before the Anniversary Ball they were training as usual but Arline had been feeling weird. Since Larsin acted so territorial and Merrick almost unintentionally killed her she was confused and filled with violent thoughts which translated to her fighting, earning her wide looks and instant respect from the rest of the soldiers.

“Easy there, sweetheart” Calix tried calming her down after she slashed a practice mannequin in half with her blade.

“I’m fine” she mumbled.

“Really? I thought you were mad at something” Calix asked sarcastically with a smile. Not even she could get mad at someone with so much charisma like Calix.

“I’m not Calix, I’m fine” she reassured him.

“She’s mad at the Princes” Michaela mentioned, taking Calix by surprise and earning a mean look from Arline.

“That explains why Larsin has been whining like a puppy these past days” he thought out loud “Arline just don’t pay attention to them, they’re too full of themselves sometimes”

“Easy for you to say when they aren’t up your ass all the time” Arline sat next to him and lowered her head. She had been needing to say those words for a long time and she trusted both of them to not call her out on her indecency.

They watched how everyone gathered around on a circle. “Some idiots were fighting” they all thought and got closer to take a better look at the situation.

To her surprise, Merrick was watching from the other side, with a disapproval expression on his face, because the person beating up one of the poor soldiers was no other than Silas Maridian, and to complete the picture there was Larsin, laughing and applauding his friend.

“Do something” Arline insisted and pushed Calix.

“If I get in there I get killed” Arline couldn’t blame him for taking care of himself, but she had no regards for her personal safety in that point so she stepped inside when she saw the soldier was dragging his frame through the soil, waiting for another beating of the hand of Silas. Arline knew that was reckless behavior coming from a Huntress, and was also blinded by anger.

“Cut it off Silas, he’s barely moving anymore” she yelled from a distance and everyone went silent.

“You don’t tell me what to do” his voice was the mixture of a bear trying to talk like a human, it sent chills down her spine.

“I don’t give a shit, get off” she spoke before she thought of the words coming out of her mouth.

Silas expression went from mocking to violent in a split second and went straight to her, almost daring her to fight. Next to that giant, Arline looked like a porcelain doll but her temper matched his opponent’s.

When Larsin decided to care for the situation in front of him, he grew worried. His beautiful Arline was going to go against the barbaric Silas Maridian, not very well-known for being gentle with his opponents.

“I will teach you manners, witch” Silas growled, looking down at her, trying to scare her off. At this point, Arline had grown used to the insult and started taking it as a compliment. Everyone already knew her gift, which gave her certain status.

“I’d like to see you try” Arline didn’t flinch.

She knew for a fact Merrick wasn’t going to stop the fight. If he did, it meant he was overprotecting her and didn’t trust her combat abilities as a Huntress. No. The only way was if she was on the verge of death, and Merrick doubted that could happen. Nevertheless, he was nervous and upset at her stubborn attitude to start a fight.

“Back off Silas” Larsin’s voice came from behind them.

“Fine” he said, giving in to his friends request too easily “You teach her manners”.

“This should be fun” Arline said under her breath.

“I’m not fighting you Arline” Larsin faced her.

“It’s either me or you, Larsin” Silas yelled.

Merrick was on the edge of his seat by this point. No one had ever fought Larsin in such situation before and he wanted to see the outcome of it, specially when his little treasure was the one holding the enemy blade.

Arline was familiar with the Young Prince underestimating her ability in general, and he’d go easy on her, that was her advantage. She didn’t even want to hurt Larsin, just prove to him she was worth being part of the Order, nothing more. And maybe release a little bit of stress.

The last time she dueled someone it was Merrick and she had learned a lot since. They both took their stances, but Arline allowed him to make the first move. That might look as a sign of respect for who he was, but Arline wanted to see how he was going to fight.

Larsin threw the first slash. It was heavy but it almost felt like he was bored and not even trying. But Arline was going to change that. She moved just a bit quicker avoiding his blade and throwing another attack with great force.

Her opponent was in disbelief. That’s when they both held their weapons tighter and the real fight began. Larsin was great with the sword, there was no doubt in it, just like his brother. But Arline had learned not only from the Huntresses but from Merrick himself. She was just as good as both of them.

The fight continued until Arline took Larsin by surprise with a swipe of his sword out from his hand, then she pointed at him. That’s how you end the fight. The entire compound was chanting but not for anyone in particular.

“Fine, you win dear” Larsin called with his hands in the air, and she lowered her sword. Merrick glanced at her, inviting her to follow him to the War Room, and when Larsin noticed, he followed them, leaving the rest of the compound to continue training as if nothing had happened.

“What was that about Arline?” Larsin increased his tone when he entered the room and found his brother and her, standing in separate corners of the room.

“What?” She sounded dumb.

“Since when do you fight like that?” Larsin sounded dumber.

“I’m part of the Order, I don’t know if you remember” she had her arms crossed “And he taught me a lot too” If Merrick thought he knew how to piss off Larsin, he didn’t even know Arline. She found satisfaction on how easy it was for the Young Prince to get angry whenever his ego was hurt.

“What is that supposed to mean?” He got closer to her, with an almost violent aura around him.

“What you heard Larsin” Merrick interrupted them, sensing the tension “Every night, after dinner”.

“Great, I don’t care how you spend your time” he lied “I do care about the fact that you attacked me like you wanted me dead”

“Don’t worry Larsin, I don’t” Arline said sincerely “I do want you to stop acting like an idiot”

“What?” Out of everything she could’ve said, that was what took him most by surprise.

“Stop trying to mark me like I’m a piece of land” she was having enough of this pair of siblings.

“I don’t” he excused himself.

“Yes you do” she contradicted him “The only reason you want me closer to you is to somehow make him jealous, I’m done with it” Arline was heated and headed towards the door, Larsin was about to stop her but Merrick held him by his arm.

“Why was I the only one that got yelled at?” Larsin asked Merrick.

“She curses me out all the time, with good reason”.

“She embarrassed me and you let her” Larsin complained.

“It is not my fault she is better than you” Merrick approached him “I made sure of it”.

“Tell me it is a lie, Merrick” Larsin begged his brother.

“That is what worries you? That I secretly court her every night?” Larsin’s face was lit up from anger “You are scared that she might realize she is better with me” Merrick said those words too lightly as if provoking Larsin’s rage meant nothing “Nothing to worry about brother, she is just angry at you. I like her as a soldier and she despises me with every bit of her heart, I made sure of it”

They headed to the castle afterwards. Dinner was tense between the three of them. No smirks nor glances exchanged. And the King admiring Arline’s ability with the sword made it ten times worse. She wanted to sink deep into the ocean just to avoid this kind of situation.

Merrick picked her up that night from her room and headed to the woods. She didn’t want to talk, in fact she wanted to cry, but she wasn’t going to, not in front of the General.

Their usual training spot was entirely bleak, the usual people that taught her weren’t around. It was just them with the company of the moon and the sound of the water, slightly splashing the shore.

“We need to talk about today” Merrick enjoyed that afternoon’s show but he had to give her a warning on her recklessness.

“If its about me challenging Larsin-”

“I don’t care if you hurt his ego, actually it was entertaining” Merrick proceeded “Why did you throw yourself like that, ready to fight Silas?”

“I was reckless Merrick, I get it” she sighed.

“Yes you were” she expected it “You can fight whoever you please, I don’t care” but he did care, Merrick didn’t want to see her get hurt anymore “But you would’ve ended up like the soldier he was beating up” Merrick sounded worried “I don’t underestimate you Arline, I never have”.

Arline moved away to sit on a rock, facing the lake. The night was lit up by the full moon on the dark sky. It was cold and breezy.

“So that’s it?” She asked lowering her tone “No lesson tonight?”

“Zeroun wouldn’t approve me teaching you how to read minds” Arline’s head instantly turned around and he laughed.

Since she had known Merrick could read minds, Arline had wondered the process of it. The Dark Prince knew the way to her heart was by testing her, so teaching her one of the hardest and most ancient forms of manipulation was definitely one way of getting her to trust him again.

On her head she heard his voice but his lips didn’t move, “Just focus on the other person’s eyes”. She tried but looking directly at Merrick Dortamus black eyes was like a punishment.

“You need to focus on the person not to dissociate” he clarified with a grin, partially because he found it funny but the other side of him was hiding the effect her eyes could have on him.

“Sorry” she looked away to try again once more. This time Arline went a little bit farther away to try to focus on his entire body, not just his eyes.

Merrick sat across Arline, and looked at her while she figured out the way to read his mind. He knew she would get it that’s why he chose to play with her. When Arline finally made her way through his thoughts, she saw herself, trying on the dress for the Ball.

She realized what he was doing and immediately sent a gush of water to impact him. But, as expected, he deflected it.

“Don’t do that” she laughed for him for the first time in days.

“So you saw it?” He pretended to be embarrassed.

“Of course I saw it” she rolled her eyes.

“Keep practicing and you will do it with it without noticing” he got up from his place and headed towards her, offering his hand “Do you remember when you walked on water?” He asked her.

More like run she thought but nodded.

“You controlled water’s tension” he grabbed her hand and directed her over the lake. Arline stood there, without sinking, not even getting her shoes splashed with water. Merrick stood on land and grabbed her hands.

“What now?” She asked looking up at him, sometimes she forgot how much taller than her he was.

“Just breathe” It was never to just breathe. She focused on the flow of her blood and magic and tried synchronizing it with her breathing and heartbeat. She had closed her eyes without noticing.

Arline flinched when a wet nose rubbed against her cheek. Her eyes showed her a tall, grey horse with crystal eyes. Its fur reflected the moonlight and intertwined in its mane were pearl white water drops.

“How?” Arline was still holding Merrick’s hand, she was afraid the beautiful animal might disintegrate if she pulled away.

“Your power and mine come from the same source” he simply reminded her “You can touch it” he directed her hand to the animal, caressing its fur that felt like velvet.

“Does that mean you can create life?” She wondered.

“It doesn’t last long, unfortunately” Merrick was also in awe at their creation “But it helps if you are in a hurry and need to escape” After that, the horse melted back to the lake.

“That means one can do it alone” she said after.

“You will learn how to do it as time goes by” he nodded.

The night might have been cold but they felt like they could’ve spent it by the lake, creating different creatures all night, enjoying each others company. But they had to go back, if anyone started wondering what he was teaching her, they would be in a lot of trouble. It was ancient magic, reserved for those who studied it and for very powerful beings, not for a pair of youngsters who wanted to recompose a relationship.

“Arline?” Merrick called for her in the dark whilst coming back.

“Merrick?” She answered back.

“How much do you hate me?” That question had been eating him alive since he stated to his brother he made sure Arline hated him. How could he want the hatred of a girl like her? Who had trusted him and was as smart as he was.

“What kind of question is that?” It took her by surprise.

“Just answer”

“I don’t hate you” she quickly stated to ease his mind “I don’t have a reason, I do want to fight you sometimes but I don’t hate you” she said with a calm and sweet tone on her voice.

“You have plenty of reasons” he reminded her the times she had been in danger thanks to him.

“Do you want me to hate you?” She asked him.

“Obviously not” he fired back.

“Then don’t make me replace reasons to do so” she finally said.

They continued walking through the trees, taking their time. They didn’t want to conclude the night and took any living thing as a distraction along the way.

“See you tomorrow, your Highness” she smiled at him when they were at her dorm door.

He dissociated on her beauty. Looking at her light pink cheeks and nose and her shiny brown eyes. Even the candle light couldn’t inhibit how ethereal she looked. He couldn’t wait until the Ball to have an excuse to admire her from the distance.

“See you tomorrow, Huntress” he smiled back.