A/N: As usual, I would recommend putting the video on loop.

Aqua glanced around the room once. "This had been where the mage had stayed. He had slept on that very stone where you were just lying, kelremm." Her fingers ran along the edge of it before they tightened their hold. The stone appeared as though it may crack for a moment in time, but she eased her hand and drew it back to beside her. "When the situation was reported to our ancestors, all of them hurried back here. Nothing of his had been left behind. They checked the rooms of the five, and, in one of them, they had found a message, which was made of the plants that grow at the bottom of these pools.

"This note had belonged to one of the mermaids, and she had explained how she was leaving with the mage to help him with his experiment of creating a new being. She had written that she intended to marry him. Obviously, he had shared no such sentiment. Unfortunately, she had disclosed no more facts on the process of this experiment, but our ancestors had made the connections.

"Those five that had been killed had been combined with several other species. Our ancestors had learned of such a fact when they had encountered the mage's creations later on. From the day of the mage leaving, they had placed guards out by the entrance to our home. Every day, they had waited for the mage's return so that they could exact proper punishment. The mage had fulfilled that wish two years later.

"Performing their duty, four guards had waited. They had heard footsteps down the main stream and had gone to investigate. The guards had kept themselves hidden, but they had nearly struck out immediately. Before them had been the mage, but he hadn't been alone that time. With him had been five children. From the reports that had been given, they had looked to be of different ages. It had been clear, though, where they had received some of their characteristics."

Her cerulean eyes had glanced over Tarhuinn. "Similar blue skin, eyes all one color, sharpened teeth, it was as though someone had taken merfolk and had turned them partially human. In actuality, those guards' report hadn't been too far from the truth."

(F/n) noticed that Tarhuinn had tensed. She was aware of the connection that was already beginning to form, and it wasn't only the fact that his kind was probably part merfolk. "And, these five children weren't killed that day?" she questioned, resting a hand on Tarhuinn's upper right arm to comfort him.

"No, they weren't," answered Lacus. "In fact, those five children had nearly killed the guards. They had the assistance of the mage, but they had utilized a similar yell as your husband had emitted. They had stunned the guards for long enough and had permitted the mage to attack with ease. Those guards had barely escaped that day. Most likely, they would've been killed had the mage decided to not be generous." He rolled his eyes at the end of his statement, clearly thinking that no kindness existed in the situation at all.

"Then, those five are the five authors?" (f/n) inquired further.

"Yes," Piscina responded. "It makes you wonder how they have managed to survive for so long. I'd even say that you two have a good chance of extending your lives if you make it out of here," she added as her eyes gleamed with interest. "It's exciting to think of a prolonging life serum. I'd love to see it."

Tarhuinn moved (f/n) closer to him and wrapped an arm protectively around her waist. Before either of them could remark on her comment, Cetar intervened. "You know well enough Piscina that even if such a serum exists; we want nothing to do with it. It was most likely created by that mage, and we won't drink anything that belonged to him. We don't even know how it would truly affect our kind."

"I know, Cetar. There's no reason to snap at me. It's merely thrilling to picture something of that nature."

"Regardless," cut in Aqua, "the fact of the matter is that those five authors were turned into what they are now. We don't know what the procedure of the experiment was, but, based on a kelremm's body shape resembling a human's, we have come to the conclusion that the five authors were originally human children. That would also explain the reason for them being different ages. We don't know what other species they were combined with, but we have our theories.

"The voice of a kelremm gives clue to one. It's more powerful than any of ours could ever be. The sirens that live out on the rocks of the sea possess such voices as well. The important matter here, though, is that those five authors are the ones who extended out your kind. All kelremm that came after them are related to one of them."

"How could there be so many of us, then? A kelremm kills themselves once their human partner dies except in rare cases. The authors may have cast that aside, but what about the others?" Tarhuinn spoke, fury starting to become more evident in his eyes.

"That wasn't always the case. We don't know what the circumstances were, but, back when your kind was first created, each kelremm would move onto a new human partner once the old one had died. Guards would report seeing the same kelremm with a new human every few years or so," Lacus voiced and shrugged. "And, the five authors supposedly haven't been seen with a human partner since the mage had passed away."

"How are you certain of all of this?" asked Tarhuinn, his voice becoming harsher.

Cetar looked as though he would lash out at him, but Aqua held her right arm out in front of him. "It's fine to question our facts. We really only have what was seen and told, and that information might've become changed with age." She turned her attention from the merman to Tarhuinn. "The answer is that we're not. Again, this is just what has been passed down to us. The mage might still be alive, and the five authors might still be taking human partners. There may have been more than just those five as the original kelremm. Or, there might have been some before them.

"It's uncertain, but the facts about you being part mermaid are right in front of us. Not only are you similar in appearance to us, but also you're a skilled swimmer. You move nearly as fast as us when in water. There's also the fact that you possess a powerful jaw for latching onto your prey. You may not eat like this regularly, but you know very well that you could catch a fish with your mouth and end it in a bite."

"You're thinking of torturing and killing my husband, then, because of what this mage did to those five merfolk a long time ago?" (f/n) questioned, heat beginning to take over her own voice. She received no immediate response, but a collective yes was soon her answer. "That's ridiculous! He had nothing to do with that mage's choices!"

No longer holding onto Tarhuinn, she got to her feet. She held out her left hand to signal for him not to stop her. (F/n) kept her gaze locked onto the four council members. "He may have been brought into existence at the cost of those five merfolk, but that wasn't his fault. That fault only falls on the mage. He's the one who killed those five, not my husband!

"Yet you cast the blame on him because he's a kelremm. He reminds you of that mage, and you wish to seek revenge for those murdered merfolk, but you're no better than the mage, then. How dare you attack him, bring him to near death, insult him and plan to torture and/or kill him over such petty reasons. You're harming an innocent on that matter. You'll solve no revenge by harming my husband.

"All of you are just too scared to admit that you're too late to exact revenge if the mage is already dead. Your time is up. So, move on and spend your energy on your own kind, rather than expending it on this over expired hate!"

Fists clenched, she caught her breath. Perhaps, that hadn't been the best tactic to leave the merfolk's lair, but she couldn't sit back quietly. They had put them through this suffering all over a preposterous reason. She could've had a peaceful night with Tarhuinn, but instead she had been submitted to their torment. "Well, what do you have to say for yourselves?!"

"I'd say that you bring a different perspective to us," Aqua replied, but she seemed to be holding back her own temper. "No matter what you say to us, your husband is no innocent. He does remind us of our fallen, and we cannot rid those images from our mind. We won't forgive him, but we can make a deal. Cetar won't agree to it, but Piscina and Lacus may. If they do, we'll ask both of you if you accept. We'll be gone momentarily."

The four merfolk descended into the water and disappeared from sight. All of the guards remained. (F/n) seated herself on her knees. She clenched the fabric of her pants and bit her lip in frustration. Taking a deep breath and exhaling, she calmed herself down and met his gaze. "I'm sorry that I couldn't do more. You shouldn't be hated for such reasons. It's absurd."

"You don't have to apologize, (f/n). You did enough, and I appreciate you defending me." He glided his fingers along her left cheek and brushed some loose strands back behind her ear. Leaning closer to her, he whispered, "However, should this deal be a poor one, I want you to get as far back from the pools as possible, and I wish for you to close your eyes."