Chapter 6 - Mission

As Marius was about to step into the gaping portal created by his witch, he felt four presences materialize behind him. 

The temperature in the glass corridor significantly dropped. In the distance beyond the transparent barrier, a blue whale and its newborn calf swam dangerously close to the dome that protected his capital from submersion. But the massive mama whale of sixty years knew this place; knew that touching the barrier was a death sentence, and so none of the merpeople walking in the streets were bothered. Not that a mere whale could harm his barrier anyway; it had remained standing for a thousand years and would remain until the ocean was a safer place again. 

He would one day see the barrier down, of that he was determined. 

A laughable expression of unease appeared on the sea witch's pale face as he sensed his King's irritation. 

Marius didn't need to utter a word nor even turn to look at them for his Royal Guard to know he wasn't thrilled by their unexpected appearance. Quite the opposite, in fact. 

Kneeling, eyes downcast in feigned respect, the oldest of his guards in both age and service was the first to dare speak. "Your Majesty-" 

"Who invited you?" 

His guards had the wisdom to flinch at the ice in his tone. A heartbeat among them quickened. 

It seemed they all remembered what happened the last time a Royal Guard had dared to disobey Marius. 

They were aware that they were transgressing, yet still they lingered, despite their palpable fear. Their loyalty to his grandfather was almost impressive. Almost. He was mildly curious to know what orders his grandfather had given them this time. But not by overmuch. After all, his target of the last few months was already marked on the map and he would not allow absolutely anyone or anything to stand between him and it. It being a certain redhead. 

He remembered his face vividly with startling detail. The Black King was a man of details; he rarely forgot a face. But he remembered things about the halfbreed that went beyond mere facial details. 

He remembered his scowl. How his finely arched brows would furrow when he was upset or furious, which was nearly every day he'd spent in captivity. Underwater and away from the sun, the light cover of freckles at the top of his cheeks just beneath the eyes had all but disappeared. And while underwater the manes of others became darker or paler with the lack of light, his red mane seemed to grow impossibly red, as if the strands were lit by an internal fire from deep within. The same fire that burned in his defiant green eyes. 

Unnecessary details, all of it. The only detail he should be concerned with now was the location of the halfbreed so he could find him and wring his little pale neck. 

Realizing he wasn't answered, he said in a low voice, "Don't make me repeat myself." 

The sea witch's face flickered like a dying jellyfish chandelier. 

"His Highness has ordered us to assist you in your mission." Came the rushed reply. 

"My mission?"

A hesitant pause, then, "To retrieve the halfbreed."

The word halfbreed echoed in his head. His brows nearly furrowed. 

A strange feeling came over him at another referring to his prey the same way he did, one he quickly quashed with an iron fist. 

It was a waste to concern himself with how his grandfather came to know of his plans and movements, when he himself had only just discovered the halfbreed's location and was setting out to find him. He was constantly being watched, especially in the Palace, of this he was certain. 

He'd learned long ago that once a secret of his was out, there was no hiding it from King Trigon again. 

It seemed his grandfather still wanted to lay hands on his halfbreed. 

This time, King Marius frowned. 

His halfbreed? 

His thoughts these days seemed to have taken a surprising, dangerous turn. How troubling... 

"You? Assist me?" Marius chuckled deeply at the ridiculous notion. He was actually amused by it. For someone who'd spent long years of service as one of his Royal Guard, he seemed to know next to nothing about Marius. Not that the poor sod was to blame. Marius had always kept them at a distance, mainly because they were his grandfather's agents, and because he had no use for them. 

"We mean you no offense, Your Majesty." The guard almost stuttered, his eyes still pinned to the floor. 

"Yet still you offend." Marius drawled dryly. 

"It was not my intention-"

"Very well. You may join us." 

A startled silence followed.

Marius didn't have the time nor the patience to wait for their shock to subside and his words to register. He had a half-fish to catch. 

He stepped into the portal, his witch following close behind. Just before it sealed, the four guards leapt after them — but in a fraction of an instant, King Marius altered the portal's destination, sending the guards careening into a volcanic abyss.

Marius's eyes were quick to adjust to the sudden darkness. Yet before his vision completely adjusted, his nose caught the scent of moss and damp stone. They were... in a cave?

Once he could see in the dark as well as he could see in the day, he scanned his surroundings, taking it all in. 

It was a massive underwater cave with moss-covered walls and a mostly flat surface, except for the stalagmites rising from the cave's floor. A droplet of water dripped from an icicle-shaped stalactite onto his gold pauldron with an audible wet smack that echoed across the cave's walls. 

Moving to wipe his armor suit's pauldron, the sea witch began to say, "My Liege-" 

Marius smacked a hand over his mouth. 

Somehow, the fool had missed the humble cabin made of wood sitting smack in the middle of the large cave. 

'Humble' was a generous word to describe the run-down, two-story cabin. It appeared deserted, the windows barred by loosely-hammered wooden boards. 

But he knew better. He could sense the illusion concealing the cabin, hiding its true form. 

He was here. Marius could feel it in his very bones.