Lost City, Lost Kingdom, Lost Soul - Orm (Aquaman)

XX - Visits

After storming out of the house - and away from her - Orm just started walking, aimlessly, his feet leading the way, anger and confusion still storming, driving him forward, onward.

But to where? He had no idea. He just kept on walking. 

It was then that he saw it: a lighthouse, bathed in the light of a sun just beginning to set. But it wasn't just any lighthouse, it was the lighthouse, that which belonged to Arthur's family. 

It was there that Arthur lived with both of his parents and his betrothed. They were happy, all of them. One big happy family. Without him. 

It was there in that very lighthouse that his mother had met the man she loved, and lived the life she wanted to live. Orm knew his father had been horrible to both of them, and he was glad she had found someone to give her the love she deserved, glad that she was happy. 

It pulled at his heartstrings. Ever since Atlanna had been sacrificed, he hadn't had a loving family, or love in general. That was not his father's way. And now, maybe his own actions had burned the bridges necessary to rekindle that family love. 

But maybe he didn't need family love. Maybe he could find another kind of love...

His mother's words from that day in his cell - which now seemed like so long ago - found their way back to him:   "I fell in love... You cannot fault me for that. You could at least be happy for me. We cannot choose who we fall for, Orm. Sometimes it just happens. Like with Tom and I..."

At last he ripped his gaze away and turned  from the happy family home, one that he was not a part of and likely never would be. 

Maybe it was too late. Maybe he was too late. 

Yes, maybe he was too late for that, but maybe not for her...

Thanks to Tatiana, he felt something new, something he'd never felt where humans or the Surface World were, or had ever been, concerned: he felt protective of this one kind human. Maybe there were a few others like her, but at the same time, there was no one like her, he was certain. She was vibrant and unique, and the qualities he had originally thought of as annoying, he now found completely endearing and lovable.

Again he stopped himself - that rage of confusion flowing through him once more, the driving force for him to venture out here in the first place. 

He couldn't fall for the first person he met up here - not that he was, falling that is - how ridiculous was that. Weak was what it was. Sure, Tatiana was kind and sweet, and passionate and beautiful and lovely...

Shit.

The warmth that filled him when thinking of her countered that confused rage, even if just a little. Perhaps he could allow this one exception. 

But only her. The rest of the Surface could drown in the depths as far as he was concerned. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Back at the cottage, Orm's sudden anger and departure pulled at Tatiana's mind - and heartstrings - so she tried to distract herself and get some more work done. After all, he was gone, there was nothing she could do about it right now.  And besides, the information he had just provided her with was incredible,  invaluable.

She kept thinking about what he had said about the tridents, and how it had grabbed her attention, more so even than the other amazing things he had been telling her: "And each ruler has a trident of their own, like mine, as both battle weapon and symbol of power. All are crafted in some form of Poseidon's steel..."

Poseidon's steel? That was the part she was fixated on. Which meant that his own trident was made of the same material. She flashed back to when she had been using it, and that image had flashed at her, been shown to her. She was convinced of that now, there was no denying it as she had been trying to. It meant something, she just didn't know what - yet. She didn't know now but was determined to find out. 

Hailing from Greece and having a PhD in archaeology, she was no stranger to ancient temples. 

Temple of Poseidon.

That was it, the one she had briefly caught a glimpse of when she had been holding the trident. No not just holding it, using it,. 

But that didn't make any sense. Why would she have suddenly seen a flash of this temple while using the trident? Was it coincidence that both had happened at the same time? But she had never seen this temple before. It was almost as if  the trident itself had - shown her...

A few weeks ago she might have reconsidered, but she was researching Atlantis for goodness sake, she wasn't one to try and explain away everything and anything. Besides, now she had met the King of Atlantis and the Aquaman himself, so anything these days, it seemed, was possible.

A knock at the door made her jump, that was how in her thoughts she was. 

Orm? She awaited his return with anticipation. She wanted to discuss what had happened and also tell him of her discovery. Was it a discovery? Yes, yes it was, she was certain. 

But it was not Orm awaiting her. A man with glasses stood there on her doorstep.  He gave her a big smile. "Hello, good evening. I'm looking for Dr. Tatiana Andreas."

"That's me."

"Dr. Andreas, a pleasure to meet you! Dr. Stephen Shin." He extended his hand for her to shake. 

"Oh, yes of course! Pleasure to meet you! I've read all your papers!" She shook his hand vigorously. She thought he had looked familiar. "Your research is amazing."

"Oh, why thank you, that means a lot. Yours is too."

"Thank you!"  She had watched interviews where he had been bashed and laughed at, and had always felt a kinship with him. She had always known that she wasn't the only one who believed in the reality of Atlantis's existence. 

"I apologize for just showing up like this," Shin continued. "But I came to Amnesty Bay following rumours of the Aquaman and I've heard that you have crossed paths with him." 

She was so excited it took a moment for her to consider just how strange these circumstances were: this guy showing up at her door to talk about the Aquaman. How did he even know all this? And about her? Something was off, she just couldn't figure out what.  "I - why do you ask?"

"Because-" An automated-sounding voice spoke and another figure stepped out of the shadows, joining Shin on her doorstep. She hadn't even realized there was someone else. The figure was tall, dressed from head-to-toe in a black armoured suit, complete with a large helmet with eerie glowing red eyes.  There was the swift sound of scraping metal and she jumped when a blade shot out of his gauntlet.  "-He and I have some unfinished business."

(Couldn't help the cliffhanger- sorry! I'll try and have the next chapter out soon! But for now, enjoy the suspense! ;) 

Thank you so much for reading and I hope you enjoyed! :))