#introducing: spindle cerith

[neoninky]

TWST Fanfic "Her Lost Voice": Chapter 16

Strap in, readers - this rollercoaster is just getting started lol

Chapter 16: A Turn of the Tide

"Hello, Father."

His Majesty froze for a moment, thinking he had seen a ghost as soon as Elise appeared. She looked so much like her mother all on her own but seeing his late wife's pearl hair pins in her dark hair played further tricks on him. 

"Daughter," he said it as if he were bringing himself back to reality, "You look well." 

Elise's father had become a man of much fewer words in recent years. This never changed regardless of how long they had seen each other. It was strangely comforting in a way.

"Thank you, Father. I will be much better soon. There's something very important I need to talk to you about." 

The king sat in a nearby armchair and gestured to the matching one across from him. This was an unspoken formality that all of his subjects, family included, knew well: when the king invited one to sit in front of him, he also gave them permission to speak. Elise curtsied and took her seat before continuing, "Father, something has happened to me this past summer."

"Edward has informed me to an extent, yes," he said dryly as he leaned back into the creaking leather, "And some nonsense about you giving up your status as my daughter?"

Elise took a deep quiet breath, "That is probably the only true thing he told you, Father. Half true anyway. I will always be your daughter, but I no longer wish to be a part of the royal Coralette family. There's somewhere else I want to build a life of my own now. So that is my intention." 

In place of the angry outburst or cynical condescending remark Elise fully expected, she watched as sadness and grief broke through the grey expression on her aged father's face. King Erik suddenly looked the same as he did on that day when Elise's mother didn't come back to them. 

"May I know why you have decided this, my dear child?" his voice shook but he was still ready to listen. And he did. The king listened to every part of his daughter's journey that led her up to this point: her transformation, her time under the sea as a mermaid, losing and gaining her voice back, all of it. He frowned when this young man by the name of Ashengrotto kept cropping up. 

"Am I to understand that you hold deep affection for this...merfolk boy I've never laid eyes on, Elise?" 

His daughter couldn't help but stifle a laugh at her father's sudden protectiveness, "It's more than just infatuation, Father. I love him. And given your past approach to merfolk, can you really blame me for not bringing him straight to you to ask for your blessing...?"

The father groaned not because he thought Elise was being ridiculous, but because he knew that she meant every word. Elise left her seat and kneeled at her father's side, "Father, please I beg of you. I know how much you fear the sea and its people ever since Mother died but-"

"Not another word, Elise," his sudden change in tone caught her off guard, "I confess...you're even more like your mother than I realized. Stubborn and restless as the sea itself. She always had an insatiable fondness for it and the merfolk that inhabited it. Nothing frightened her like it did me and your siblings. She was fearless and full of compassion. Out of all my children, you are the most like her."

He suddenly stood and walked away from her. Erik crossed the room and stared down at a familiar box that stood out among his things. It greatly resembled the music box Elise's mother had given her. He silently opened it and concealed its contents in his hand with a deep sigh, "And that is exactly why I must let you go on your terms instead of trying to hide you away any longer..."

He returned to his daughter's side and showed her the small vial in his hand, "Your mother was a master ambassador and potion maker. She excelled at making temporary potions that allowed merfolk to come onto land. So much that she tried to make another that would do the opposite for humans. I see now how much of a pity it is that she could never finish it but...I believe she would want you to have this even if it is incomplete." 

Elise gingerly took the vial into her hands and stared at the scrap piece of paper wrapped around it, listing its contents, "What is it lacking?"

"Certain ingredients that could only come from very specific region of the Coral Sea. One that most humans cannot reach without a great deal of help, I recall her saying. If this Azul Ashengrotto is as brilliant as you say, I imagine he can and will complete it."

Elise gasped as she looked into her father's eyes. They were sad but he was smiling for the first time in years. She leapt up and threw her arms around him with a sob, "Thank you, Father!"

"My sweet Elise, I can only hope that you can forgive your family for our foolishness. I hope the next time we see each other; it will be a far happier occasion." 

There was only one problem left now: how much they would miss each other. 

-

The ceremony itself was lovely. Emily had never looked more radiant or happy. Had she not known better, Elise would almost buy it. But honestly...what did it matter anymore? Elise smiled and applauded with the rest of the crowd as the bride and groom kissed. While all eyes were on the happy couple, Elise was bursting with a deeper radiance that couldn't be explained. Not that it had to be to a certain onlooker. 

After the wedding concluded, the reception was held down on the lower deck and Elise suddenly felt like a new person in the best and worst way. She mostly floated about through the crowd making polite small talk to those that noticed her and knew who she was despite her distance from the wedding party. Most of the guests were clamoring around the bride, groom, and their two families either giving genuine congrats or just trying to brown nose into the royals' favor. Elise recognized other royals and noblemen in attendance but was overjoyed when her distant observer smiled her way before gracefully separating herself from a small cluster to approach Elise. It was none other than her old friend, Her Highness Reine Castilene. 

Elise nearly ran straight into her friend's open arms, "Oh Seven, how I've missed you!"

The ivory princess chuckled, "I was told by my little sister prefect to give you a big hug so here I am to deliver," Reine released her bestie with a mischievous grin, "Well, that's only half true...I've also been hearing quite a bit about your summer adventures."

Frankly, Elise should have known. As much as she loved and adored Cowrie, the eel was a chatterbox to the right person and that person was Reine. All she could do was burst into a pink blush and laugh, "I'm glad at least it was you that cornered me..."

The two girls, somehow, broke away to speak privately back on the upper deck. Though the guests down below could no doubt hear their laughter. It had been too long, and they were both in riveting spirits.

"What's with that look?!"

Reine was grinning like Chenya on National Strawberry Tart Day, "Ooh you're just reminding me of when I realized my feelings for Riddle darling. It's so cuuuute." 

Elise snorted, "Ah yes, you and 'Riddle darling'. The Legendary Sacred Night Raven power couple."

"And look who's joined our ranks. I wonder what you'll call your smitten beloved in time," Reine's grin quickly turned to full snark as Elise's face turned pink once more.

"I haven't really called him anything special. Just Azul. It all happened so quickly...and then I left." 

Reine watched as Elise's face fell into something between sadness and longing, "Hmm. A princess who became a mermaid. Fell in love with a merman only to turn back into a princess again...it must have been heartbreaking for you both." 

Elise laughed bitterly as a hot wave of tears pricked at her eyes, "I'm not even a princess anymore. I'm just...Elise, a human missing a life she had for a short while-"

She halted all at once and remembered the vial that she had kept in a hidden pocket this entire time, "Reine, I need your help now more than ever. You're always going to Night Raven to visit Riddle, right?" 

"Yes, I'm actually going tomorrow-Oh!" Reine chirped when Elise suddenly grabbed her hand and folded the vial inside her palm.

"Please give this to Azul as soon as you get there. I will forever be in your debt if you do this!" her glassy eyes were wide and pleading. How could Reine refuse? The ivory girl smiled gently before taking the vial and holding it to her heart. 

"As a future queen, I would be honored to help a mermaid find her way home. So long as she agrees to visit every once in a while, and maybe even be my future daughter's godmother, of course."

"Absolutely!" Elise cried out in pure joy as she hugged Reine to her. 

Everything was falling into place, as bittersweet as the taste it left behind but Elise couldn't be happier! She would be eternally grateful for her father and Reine's kindness and repay it tenfold the minute the opportunity arose. It was only when the ship suddenly started to rock that Elise's joy turned into panicked confusion. The guests down below cried out first in shock and then in horror. The two girls quickly peered over the edge and saw two things at once: the waters below were full of shark fins circling the ship and that those weren't normal sharks. Emily's piercing shriek forced Elise's eyes to the bow of the ship. Something had crawled onto the deck and was now crouching down on its arms...its long-finned tail whipping back and forth, igniting more panic amongst the people below. 

Prince Edward swiftly jumped into action. He and the security circled the creature, with weapons at the ready as Emily continued to frantically scream, "Kill it! Kill it and throw it overboard!" 

The creature looked familiar. It was a merman but not a shark. It was an eel with bright yellow spots on its stormy blue-grey skin and ice blue eyes. Elise's feet were on fire as she bolted down the steps. Her heart rammed against her chest as she forced her way through the crowd, praying that the eel wasn't who she feared it was. Her voice pierced the air as it flew from her throat. But nothing compared to the split second their gazes met, and Elise saw how blown wide the eel's eyes were with fear. It wasn't Indigo like she had thought, thank goodness but he was still petrified as the aggressive ring closed in on him. He wasn't attacking, he was trying to escape one predator and was about to be caught by another. 

"DON'T HURT HIM!" 

Her brother and the guards suddenly reeled back as Elise flew past them and shielded the merman. Any outcry Edward made, she ignored when she realized that the eel was badly injured and running on nothing but adrenaline, "He isn't trying to attack us! He's injured and needs help!" 

Edward grabbed Elise by the arm and tried to pull her away from the beast, "Elise, forget your obsession with these things and listen-"

His wrist was suddenly locked in a firm grasp and yanked away from his sister. When the prince turned to deal with the interference, he was met with his father's stern face. Before anyone else could try and stop her, Reine stood between the prince and her friend. She addressed the crowd in a commanding voice as her own bodyguards flanked her, "Please stand back! This merman is in need of immediate medical attention and antagonizing him will only make the situation more dire!" 

Prince Edward shriveled under the sharp gaze Reine suddenly thrust upon him, "Your Highness. With all due respect, your subjects' safety is at stake because of what is in the water, not above it. You might want to take action where needed." 

She didn't bother giving him time to argue but instead turned around to see Elise trying to soothe the eel. Elise had jumped straight into a first responder mindset.

"You are safe. It's alright. No one is going to hurt you," she spoke clearly but gently, "Please, let me help you." 

A weak, raspy attempt at a hiss came from his scarred throat before he was overcome with fatigue. He couldn't speak but he didn't fight the human girl as she caught him in her arms and gently lowered him to the deck floor. His eyes were wild at first as he carefully watched Elise for any sign of betrayal. When he found none, he remained still as Elise desperately tried to seal with his wounds with healing magic. She gritted her teeth in frustration when they didn't show any evidence of recovery, "It's not working!"

Reine left crowd control to her guard and dove down next to Elise to try and help. Even with their combined efforts, the eel was still fading fast. The damage was too great, and he had lost a lot of blood already. Elise heard Reine cry out for any possible medical mages in the crowd, but her eyes were locked onto the moon shaped trinket the dying eel held in his grasp. He clumsily tried to show it to her once he saw the look of recognition, but he could barely lift his hand. Elise felt a fire in her gut as the aged crescent moon pendant fell into her lap: it looked just like Luna's or her mother's. It was cracked and covered with splotches of the eel's blood. It was broken...broken? A spark...an idea.

"Hold on! Please!" Elise put her hands on the eel and took a deep breath, " Return to what you once were! Undo the harm done and try again! Second Chance! "

Elise's unique magic poured into the merman's wrecked body with sluggish pops and crackles at first like a dying circuit, but she recited the incantation once again with more vigor. Over again until she could feel the magic flowing out of her like a fountain.

" Second Chance!! "

The magic began to pick up pace, flowing more smoothly like a whirlpool. She cried out in relief once the wounds started to close back up, even his scars began to fade, and the eel's breathing began to stabilize as if it were being turned back on a dial, "Yes YES!" 

She did what she had thought impossible, and the world suddenly lost all its baring. Seconds later, she lost all feeling in her body and began to fall back. Before she could hit the hard wooden planks, Elise was floating, lighter than air. At least that's what she would have thought had she not heard her savior's rough whisper as he caught her.

"Thank you, Miss..."

-

Had it been hours or days? Elise was too disoriented to know for sure. The overpowering scent of roses was the only thing pulling her back to reality. She nearly toppled over when she woke with a start in an elaborate red and white room that she didn't recognize. It was nighttime and she was on land...somewhere. Fortunately, she did know the man sitting at her bedside fairly well. Reine's father smiled down at the girl as he helped her steady herself, "There, there, Elise. Take it slowly now."

She could barely form the words to ask any sort of question but putting two and two together, she figured it out. She was in the Rose Queendom. 

"Please rest for now, my dear. You burned through your magical threshold at an alarming speed," The king gently lifted her mage stone ring from the nightstand and showed how clouded it was from the blot, "I am very impressed by your determination, Elise, but such power requires discipline." 

Elise tried to speak but her throat nearly ripped apart in harsh coughs. She was quickly handed some water and laid back down to rest as soon as her fits calmed down. Reine was nowhere to be found and neither was the eel. The gentle father answered her searching eyes with a reassuring smile, "Do not fret. Reine left you in my care and departed for Night Raven immediately after. Said she had a very important message to deliver to a friend of yours, I believe. And your merfolk friend, he is here. Waiting for your recovery." 

Elise followed his hand as it pointed out the nearby window. He helped her sit up just enough to look out into the gardens. To her relief and surprise, Elise saw the Roman eel she had healed as he rested in a large pool. His body seemed to be in near perfect condition. King Revon called down to him and he looked quite pleased to see Elise again, safe and well.

"He was quite worried about you. He refused to be left behind when Reine suddenly took you onto her vessel to bring you here. The poor young man swam after it the entire way here." 

Elise felt her heart thump with gratitude and a bit of guilt. After everything he must have gone through, the merman still pushed himself to follow after her despite the danger. Elise finally found her voice again after drinking more water.

"Mr. Revon, sir. What day is it? How long was I asleep?"

"About a full day. It's late now, or early I should say, the rest of the palace went to sleep hours ago. But don't worry yourself, my daughter promised she would return very soon. In the meantime, she told me about what you accomplished, and I would like to help you."

Elise wasn't entirely sure what the noble royal meant but he took a seat across from her bed once more once he was sure she was settled back in properly, "Before I became The White King, I was a studied and well-practiced healer. There are many avenues to healing magic but so very few mages come by it as naturally or as powerfully as you do, dear Elise. Reine told me everything that happened before her very eyes: that merman was on the verge of death and with your unique magic alone, you didn't just heal him - you almost reversed the damage entirely as if rewinding a clock. I believe you have the power to become an incredible healer. If you so desire that path, I would gladly be your mentor." 

Elise felt as if she may faint again. The King of the Rose Queendom wanted to mentor her?! A hardy chuckle flew from his large smile as soon as Elise's jaw went slack, "My goodness! Have I thrown you for a loop, my dear? Don't be so modest. Why my own daughter and future queen insisted. How could I refuse to take on such a talent?"

"Reine...gave me a recommendation, Your Majesty??" her voice sounded as soft as a child's.

Revon Elfern's eyes sparkled with the same warmth and affection Reine's often did, "You have been a very precious friend to my Reine since you were children. I've often felt you were my second daughter of sorts. From what she has told me, it seems that you are currently out in the world without an anchor. You've found your way but got lost within the twists and turns freedom sometimes throws at us. It isn't in my daughter's nature nor mine to abandon those most in need of our help. I shall do whatever it takes to honor that. So, what do you say? Will you accept and become my student? I doubt Sacred Crown would reject a formal internship, even a late one, with a licensed professional, much less with a royal!" His laugh filled her heart to the brim.

Everything was coming together. Elise had been so afraid, angry, and alone before but now...yes, the horizon she sought was right there at the end of her fingertips. Her smile and eyes lit up the room like the dawn.

"When do we start?"

-

The eel's tired eyes squinted at the first bit of sunlight drifting over the surrounding hedges. Sleep had taunted him for hours, but his anxious heart refused to admit defeat. So here he was, plagued with robust yawns that neither satisfied nor bolstered him. He had almost sunk back to the bottom of the pool when a sweet, familiar scent greet him. He perked awake all at once as he saw Elise entering the poolside courtyard. 

"Miss!" his voice was barely anything more than a frantic croak, but his tail still wagged with joy as his savior hurried to his side. 

"You can speak after all!" Elise's laugh burst out of her like a song.

He shyly rubbed his throat where the scars once were, "It's thanks to you and your blessing, Miss...I couldn't speak at all before you healed me." 

Elise carefully sat down at the pool's edge and dipped her legs into the water as she observed him in wonder, "I have so many questions. I'm not entirely sure what happened honestly. I've never done...this," she gestured to his body that lacked any of the wounds or scars it had before. In fact, now that he was mostly healed and with his color back, he looked barely any older than she did. "I've fixed broken items, sure, but I had no idea what I was capable of!"

The eel shyly swam closer to her and gently pressed his forehead to her bare legs, "I am forever in your debt, Miss. Thank you." 

The girl just smiled as her heart was moved by his kindness, "You can call me Elise. Honestly...I don't know who you are. You look a lot like Indigo."

His head whipped up with alarm, "You know Big Brother?" 

It all started to make sense now: the necklace, the sharks pursuing this young eel, the similar coloring to his brother Indigo. He had to be a part of the Muraeni family and not the part that was on good terms with the Don...

"You're a Muraeni then. What's your name?"

His ear fins twitched awkwardly as he looked away from her and mumbled, "I don't have one. I'm not a proper Muraeni son, just the youngest. I don't even have a number, Miss Elise." 

She thought for a moment, looking him over, searching for some sort of tell, "Then...can I give you a name?"

He gently placed his chin on top of her knees with a soft innocence in his eyes, "I would be honored, my mistress." 

He took her hands in his and guiding them to his ear fins and only then did she realize what he was trying to do. Cowrie and eventually Luna had done a similar gesture in the beginning of their friendship. It had to be some sign of trust or loyalty between humans and mermaids, specifically eels in this case. The former princess giggled as the young merman melted into her touch that softly caressed his fins. He was practically purring like a kitten. He was fascinating! Just how differently he was colored and built from his snowflake eel sisters and even the large moray twins. Even compared to Indigo, the coloring was near identical, but his sheen was more silvery lavender instead of his brother's namesake color and his body type was more svelte. Elise noticed the needle-like spines that hoisted his webbed fins up like sails on a ship. 

"How about I call you Spindle? Do you like that name?"

It did have a nice ring to it. Spindle nuzzled his cheek into her hand to show his appreciation, "I'll answer your call whenever you may need me, Mistress Elise."

"If you insist," Elise bent forward to give him a sisterly kiss on top of his head, "I could use your help, Spindle. For starters, what happened to you and what were you doing with that necklace?"

His expression darkened as he sank further into the water, "Big brother is in trouble. I wanted to help...Proteus didn't like that." 

"It's because of Luna and Cowrie's mother, isn't it? Did he use his magic to trap her and use her as bait?"

There was some hesitance in Spindle's eyes, a long-guarded secret finally able to come to the surface, "He did trap her a long time ago. He used a special magic like you have. It was my magic, Mistress...he stole it from me." 

The morning air was soft and quiet, only disturbed by a fair off songbird as the sunlight painted itself over the two of them. Elise felt a deep chill crawl through her skin as Spindle's confession rang in her ears. She quickly grabbed her phone and set it to audio record before holding it tightly in her hands between the two of them. 

"Please tell me everything you know, Spindle."

-

It was a free day on Night Raven's campus and the grounds were eerily somber. Perhaps it was the crisp chill of the air but even club gatherings and the cafeteria crowds seemed muted today. Impending exams surely didn't help either. Azul conducted business as usual as he and the twins prepared to get the Lounge ready for the evening rush. Well, Jade was present and accounted for but Floyd was still moping, holed up in his room. Normally Azul wouldn't stand for this kind of slacking but tonight he just wasn't in the mood to make any unnecessary fuss. A knock interrupted his routine paperwork, but he didn't bother looking up either.

"What is it?" he called flatly.

"You have a special guest, Azul," Jade's courteous tone sounded a bit more insistent than normal. Strange.

"We're not even open yet how-" Azul immediately did a 180 right back into hospitality extraordinaire when his office door opened to reveal Jade and the charming Heartslabyul Queen herself, Reine, "Your Highness! What a lovely surprise!" 

"Mr. Ashengrotto, it's been too long," she entered with such grace and poised charm even Jade felt embarrassed at not having tea and refreshments at the ready for her. He settled for a quick redemption by escorting her into the office and immediately guiding her to the most comfortable seat. She rewarded him with a warm smile, "Thank you, Jade." 

"Of course, Your Highness. I'll let Floyd know that you are here as well. I'm sure your gentle, kind heart would lighten his immensely." 

Azul had to keep his eyes from popping out of his skull due to how hard he rolled them while Reine wasn't looking. 

"Oh, that would be nice. I have missed his affectionate hugs and pet names," she giggled, "however, I must speak plainly with you, Mr. Ashengrotto. My visit today is extremely urgent. I bring a gift from Elise." 

Azul nearly leapt from his chair like an excited puppy at the mention of his new sweetheart. He couldn't form words fast enough as Reine fished a small box from her bag before handing it to Jade to give to Azul. Jade nearly lost a hand with how quickly the octopus snatched it from him. The prefect's stormy eyes grew into wide circles once he saw the vial inside, "This is..." 

"A key to your reunion. At least that is her hope."

Azul's head snapped up and Reine met him with a sure glint in her eyes, "It was given to her to pass onto you, Mr. Ashengrotto, in good faith that you could finish the serum that can and will turn Elise back into a mermaid permanently. If anyone can, I and Elise believe it is you."

Jade had never seen Azul look more bombarded with emotion in all of their years of knowing each other. In a flash, he was on his knees before the princess, singing her praises and kissing her hands like they could turn water into liquid gold. Had Jade not been frozen in shock, he would have thought to get this on camera.

"Ahhh, Your gracious, beautiful, glorious Highness! You are a heaven-sent ANGEL!" Azul only paused to place more enthusiastic kisses upon her dainty hands, "How can I possibly repay you?"

Azul felt a sharp dread fill his veins as Reine's sweet smile suddenly had a foreboding edge, "Oh that is simple enough, Azul Ashengrotto. Don't keep Elise waiting too much longer. And be good to her...after all, she is not only my father's newest student but the future godmother of my future daughter, the next Rose Queen herself. I will find out if you are not." 

There was no octopus pot big or deep enough to hide him from the princess' shrewd gaze, "O-Of course, Your Highness. As if you even have to ask such a thing!" Azul's laugh was shaky at best. Jade was frozen to the spot, internally howling with laughter at Azul's expense. He immediately texted his brother who burst into the office minutes later.

"Mantiiiiiieee!!" He was all smiles in spite of his disheveled appearance. The poor eel looked like he fought his way through a tornado just to get there.

"Hello Floyd! It's so good to see you again!" Reine was pure sunshine, a far cry from the imperious threatening royal she had been seconds before. Seizing the moment of her distraction, Azul turned to Jade with a deadly serious look in his eyes.

"Jade, I need to return to the Coral Sea and get the ingredients I need immediately! You're in charge until I come back. Make sure Floyd doesn't wreck anything in the dorm AND that the Lounge runs smoothly!" 

In the literal blink of an eye, Jade Leech's polished grin was on like a fresh suit, "Of course, Azul."

Tagging: @nuitthegoddess @iscarlettappel @foxwitchaine @1ndigowitch @wysteriadelights @evieyouknow @ladyrosemoon @victoria1676 @aiimee9 @honey-milk-depresso @espada188 @feldya