“I try to wrap my head around it, but every time, I find myself more confused than I originally was.”

Nero sits quietly, watching his father pace around the garden, trying to keep himself from getting worked up. Though, Nero can tell he’s about to burst.

He had been like this for days, trying to piece together the mystery as to why Nero had taken it upon himself to save an entire crew of pirates. Nero wasn’t supposed to do anything but watch. He was supposed to see how trespassers were dealt with, especially ones that might pose a threat to the inhabitants of the sea.

What King Artem did not expect was for Nero to meet him with force.

He knew that Nero could be naive, but he didn’t think such naivety could inspire Nero to take action. Though, perhaps it was Artem’s fault for thinking Nero would sit idly by. Nero had always been...strange about these things.

As the waves became more violent and aggressive, the ship kept getting closer and closer to capsizing. It would serve as another reminder to humans that this wasn’t a place they were meant to pass through. Too often in the past had humans brought trouble to the Glassy Sea, and it was the job of all royalty to protect their domain from any unwanted intruders.

Nero easily made a mockery of him.

When the captain finally fell from the ship, Artem hadn’t expected Nero to wrest the trident from his grasp. He took it too easily, Artem notes, a testament to just how much he underestimates Nero.

“I can’t sit here and watch you do this!”

At that moment, Nero couldn’t have possibly known what he was doing.

“Just...tell me why, Nero,” his father breathes out. “What possessed you to save them?”

“I...Father…”

“I have to know. I need to know! Doesn’t the safety of our people mean anything to you?!”

“I couldn’t watch you take innocent lives!” Nero says, pushing himself up from the rock he was sitting on.

“How do you know they were innocent?!” His father yells. “You didn’t know them. You didn’t know what they wanted with us!”

“They could’ve been passing through!”

“Are you certain? Or did you happen to take pity on them? A group of pirates unable to defend themselves, so you took it upon yourself to save them from me. Is that it?!”

“No! I wouldn’t-”

“Nero, I need you to understand what you’ve done!”

Nero tenses as his father’s voice becomes terribly loud. He bites his lip, settling back down on the rock.

“The council…” his father sighs, settling back down. “The council worries that this is just the beginning.”

“The beginning?”

“Yes. They predict an era of chaos. If you’re willing to let intruders pass easily through this domain, then the council isn’t sure what else you might be capable of. My pleas have fallen on deaf ears and I fear I know not how to save you.”

“Father…”

King Artem places his hand on Nero’s head, ruffling the messy locks.

“Please...tell me what exactly you were thinking…” he pleads.

“I...I wasn’t thinking of anything. I saw the captain’s eyes and for a moment, I found myself stuck. He seemed fearful...his fate having been stolen from him in a matter of seconds. All of them looked that way. Maybe...just for a second…”

“Nero…”

“I couldn’t sit there. I couldn’t keep watching you torment them. I acted before I even realized what I was doing…I didn’t consider the consequences because I couldn’t see what was wrong with saving them,” Nero sniffles. “I don’t think I could’ve taken the guilt, knowing that they died and I could've done something about it!”

“You really did take pity on them,” his father says.

“Not just that…”

“Hm?”

“If I had stayed there...I would’ve felt like the monster everyone thinks I am.”

---

Nero finds himself venturing up to the surface that evening. His father had mentioned The Council coming by, and Nero couldn’t find the nerve to stay in the castle. He was also fearful, wondering just what the Council would do to him. Nero’s aware that he’s been deemed a threat to the Glassy Sea and as the days went by, his awareness just seemed to increase.

He hasn’t been up to the surface since saved the captain of that ship from drowning. Nero knows better than to think he’ll actually see the man again, but Nero likes the sound of it. He be able to tell if the captain was doing alright and maybe the others as well. Maybe he’d see the strong woman that found the captain on the beach.

Of course, it all sounded nice, but then Nero thinks about his father’s words and soon, it doesn’t sound as nice.

“How do you know they were innocent?! You didn’t know them. You didn’t know what they wanted with us!”

Nero sighs, swimming up to a nearby rock along the beach. He hoists himself up onto the rock, taking a deep breath as he watches the water crash gently against the sand.

The sun is starting to set as well, the sky turning a soft shade of orange, melding with the purple of the imminent night sky. Nero smiles fondly at the sight. He feels strangely at peace here.

The Council wasn’t here to strike fear into his heart. His father wasn’t around, nor his siblings or Lady Lucia, to remind him of how out of place he felt.

It was just him and the vast open sea.

“It’s...you. It’s actually you.”

Nero visibly jumps at the new voice, gasping when his eyes connect with the deep wine colored eyes of the captain of the ship. He offers Nero a soft smile, stepping carefully towards the rock.

“I figured I’d never see you again,” the captain admits. “Not that I’m complaining…”

Nero doesn’t move, watching the captain nervously as he climbs onto the rock beside him, seeming to watch Nero with some intrigue.

“You aren’t running,” he notes. “Why?”

Why? Even Nero isn’t sure why. He hears his mind screaming at him to dive back into the water, but Nero remains perfectly still, but keeps his gaze on the sea below.

“I’m grateful, y’know,” he continues. “You saved me from a watery grave along with the rest of my companions. I really don’t know how to thank you.”

The captain sighs, and Nero glances at him curiously.

“You...can’t understand what I’m saying...can you?” He asks. “I heard your people have their own language, so I wouldn’t be surprised if--”

“I understand you.”

Nero notices the captain flinch. He looks at Nero with wide eyes.

“Your language is not that complicated. In fact, it is quite similar to our own. The only difference is that my people can communicate at a different frequency, one that humans can’t understand. So, yes, I understand you.”

Upon hearing Nero’s confirmation, the captain smiles, and Nero thinks he’s borderline giddy.

“I...you...this is amazing!” The captain exclaims, taking Nero by the hands, smiling even harder when Nero yelps in surprise. “I’ve always...there’s so much I want to ask you!”

Nero looks at the captain in surprise, glancing at their intertwined hands. He could feel the captain’s excitement, his happiness. It radiated off of him, and Nero could feel himself starting to smile.

Yet, Nero knows, he knows that this is dangerous. He’s already in hot water and if the Council found out where he was right now, Nero can only imagine the fate that awaits him. He shouldn’t even be here. Nero should be at the castle, waiting for the Council to decide what’ll happen to him with a brave face. Instead, he’s here. Sitting on a rock along the shoreline, holding the hands with one of the humans he’s in trouble for saving, evading the Council because he lacks the courage to face them.

He can feel his hands starting to tremble, but it ceases when the captain gives his hands a soft squeeze.

“I-I’m sorry. I’m probably getting ahead of myself.”

“N-No. It isn’t you,” Nero says, quickly. “You are the least of my worries, I promise.”

Nero takes a deep breath.

“So...what do you want to know, captain?”

“Anything you can tell me, really,” he says, sheepishly. “There aren’t many records of your kind that I’ve seen with my own eyes. I...don’t have much to go on.”

“Then, I will do my best to make sure I don’t leave to much out.”

“Oh! And one more thing.”

“Yes?”

“My name...it’s Alexander.”

“Well, it is nice to meet you, Alexander. I’m Nero.”