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Fantasy AU 01
Jun. 29th, 2019 11:29 amThe waters of the North were much colder than the South.
Lance was not a fan.
He was used to the warm currents that rose and fell, the splash of sea breeze at the surface as he sunned himself, never wanting for comfort or bounty. His pod was comfortable, and life was good.
And then, one day, he discovered them: Humans.
Strange, two-legged things that lived above the waves on strange wooden reefs, who spoke with garbled words instead of song, and who Lance fell utterly in love with. He marvelled at the sailors and merchant reefs that would cross overhead, following them for miles. Sometimes he even followed them to the shores, head barely poking above the surface to catch a glimpse. When he was feeling especially daring, he'd slink his way beneath the docks and watch from below as the humans called and yelled at one another in a cacophony of sound, racking over fish and strangely-coloured trinkets and the like.
Lance loved it.
Loved it enough that he ignored the warnings of his people, of the Selkies and sea-folk who whispered words of stolen coats and loved ones lost. Lance longed for the above world.
The moment he finally gathered the courage to breach the surface and shift from icy blue-grey to warm skin and a sopping, flowing coat, Lance had actually giggled to himself. His human legs were wear and kittenish, not used to moving or carrying his weight.
But he managed. Convinced his way onto a caravan heading further to the west, through a mountain range they called "treacherous" and "dangerous," but which only fascinated Lance. He wanted to see the world, stories of bandits or territorial beasts that preyed upon unsuspecting caravans be damned.
Which was exactly how he found himself bound and gagged with the rest of their unfortunate troupe as surly, gruff men tore their way through the cart not even a week into their journey.
"Hurry up! Take what you can, this is drake territory! Strip the fools, then leave the scraps for the beasts!"
It was, understandably, a bit of a damper on his experience so far.
Lance was not a fan.
He was used to the warm currents that rose and fell, the splash of sea breeze at the surface as he sunned himself, never wanting for comfort or bounty. His pod was comfortable, and life was good.
And then, one day, he discovered them: Humans.
Strange, two-legged things that lived above the waves on strange wooden reefs, who spoke with garbled words instead of song, and who Lance fell utterly in love with. He marvelled at the sailors and merchant reefs that would cross overhead, following them for miles. Sometimes he even followed them to the shores, head barely poking above the surface to catch a glimpse. When he was feeling especially daring, he'd slink his way beneath the docks and watch from below as the humans called and yelled at one another in a cacophony of sound, racking over fish and strangely-coloured trinkets and the like.
Lance loved it.
Loved it enough that he ignored the warnings of his people, of the Selkies and sea-folk who whispered words of stolen coats and loved ones lost. Lance longed for the above world.
The moment he finally gathered the courage to breach the surface and shift from icy blue-grey to warm skin and a sopping, flowing coat, Lance had actually giggled to himself. His human legs were wear and kittenish, not used to moving or carrying his weight.
But he managed. Convinced his way onto a caravan heading further to the west, through a mountain range they called "treacherous" and "dangerous," but which only fascinated Lance. He wanted to see the world, stories of bandits or territorial beasts that preyed upon unsuspecting caravans be damned.
Which was exactly how he found himself bound and gagged with the rest of their unfortunate troupe as surly, gruff men tore their way through the cart not even a week into their journey.
"Hurry up! Take what you can, this is drake territory! Strip the fools, then leave the scraps for the beasts!"
It was, understandably, a bit of a damper on his experience so far.
