The New Paladin

58: Oceans Will Freeze

Despite their initial warning the queen was very receptive to their arrival.

She greeted them warmly and invited them to join her at her table.

Hunk seemed to light up, he was trying to explain the foods that were placed before them but Lance didn't even know what the ingredients were let alone what the final dish was.

Besides with the helmets on it wasn't like they could eat anyway.

Hunk didn't seem to have an appetite and Lance didn't much not after some of his food started moving.

(Apparently it's meant to be eaten alive. Lance severely disagreed.)

"Galra?" The queen frowned glancing between them. They had retired from the dining hall and we're being led to the throne room again where apparently a performance was going to take place. "There are no galra here."

Lance met Hunk's gaze and raised an eyebrow at him. "We received a transmission-" Lance started.

"That was probably a rogue mer." The queen said briskly. "They like to stir trouble and would do anything to see me in danger or trouble."

"Right." Lance mumbled glancing up.

The hole that they had fallen through was freezing over and Lance didn't quite know why that set off something anxious within him.

It reminded him of the large docking bays above the mines.

They were never getting out of here.

Lance jolted with a hiss. He had just crashed into a wall.

"Hey? You okay?" Hunk asked watching him worriedly as Lance rubbed his shoulder.

"Yeah, I just got distracted." Lance mumbd shaking his head.

"Please paladins, no need to be so formal." The queen smiled as she waved a giant octopus over.

It moved two of its tenticles holding a bubble in its grasp.

Lance backed up when it reached towards him and Hunk came to his rescue.

"Lance doesn't really-"

"It will not hurt him." The queen assured. "With these bubbles you can breathe down here freely without your helmets."

Lance frowned.

"It will make your stay more comfortable." The queen added.

"I will have my helmet removed." Hunk offered. "Please allow Lance to be."

The queen nodded.

Once the bubble was on Lance poked at it curiously. It didn't pop and it seemed to hold its air even when Hunk took his helmet off.

"Thanks." Lance whispered as they were directed to sit. "I owe you one."

Hunk smiled warmly. "No you don't."

The same octopus from before moved to the sage and began a strange performance which didn't quite seem right.

Lance couldn't place his finger on why.

He found his head dropping slightly and then he felt exhausted.

Why was he so tired?

Yes he had been anxious about the day and so many things had reminded him of the mines.

He jumped slightly to find his head resting on Hunk's shoulder.

"Sorry." He mumbled.

"S'alright." Hunk said weakly patting his shoulder with a yawn. "I'm exhausted."

Lance hummed softly eyes already closed again. He felt sort of floaty.

"Paladin..."

"Paladin?.... Paladin, wake up.... Paladin."

A rough shake to his shoulder made Lance groan. "I don't need pants, m'ah mermaid." He sighed the darkness beginning to drag him under again.

"Paladin!"

A sharp slap had Lance jolting awake he moved, his head finding the low rock ceiling, and now he really was awake.

"Ow, ow, ow, ow, ow!" Lance exclaimed with a wince attempting to rub his head only to find his hands were tied behind his back. "Oh no!"

And his helmet was gone. How was he not dead?!

"Paladin! Breathe!"

Lance's eyes locked onto a...

Lance blinked. "What on earth are you?"

"Earth?" One of the... Creatures, Lance didn't have a clue, asked another the two shrugging when they reached no conclusion.

"We are mer, just like the others." A new voice explained as she swam past him.

"You don't look like the others." Lance frowned.

"We wear these masks to protect us from the hypotysm that the queen places upon her people." Another stated with a sigh. "My name is Plaxum and we need your help."

"You're the ones who called." Lance realised slowing sinking back to be soft bed they had ready for him. "The Galra? How are they involved in this?"

"The queen, she is only in power because they have not destroyed her kingdom." Another explained his voice bubbling up from seeming nowhere then he was there leaning into Lance's face. "She controls the people and the Galra control her."

"Blumfump-"

"And what if I said I didn't believe you?" Lance asked trying to lean as far as he could away.

"You have to believe us!" Plaxum said shaking his shoulders as the male mer pulled away. "Mers are going missing, each week one disappears and cannot be traced."

Lance's stomach dropped. "They're being smuggled off world?"

"Or killed." Another mer nodded.

"How can I help?" Lance asked straightening up.

"You'll need on of these." Plaxum said gesturing to another mer. "Swirn, care to explain?"

"There jellies prevent the mind control." Swirn stated as she held a jellyfish towards Lance. "You must wear it."

Lance eyed it for a moment. "Okay, is it going to- Ah!"

Lance jerked back as the jelly fish was forced over his head.

Pain burned across his skin before numbing slightly.

"Ow." He whimpered.

"Are you okay?" Plaxum asked placing her hand on his arm as she cut him lose.

Lance gave a weak nod. "That... I wasn't expecting that."

"You'll probably feel a little dizzy for a while." Swirn said matter of factly. "Florona, get some kelp ready."

Lance hummed wanting to ask what she meant but he was being directed to lay down fully.

"Rest paladin, we will make preparations and when you awake we will be ready to follow your lead."

Blumfump, Florona, Swirn and Plaxum with the assistance of Lance.

The mer rebels and friend against queen Luxia.

Oh they were doomed.