The Merman Boxset: Gay Merman Romance

by Aratare, X.

  The towers were the source of the glow he had glimpsed from behind his eyelids. Each of the towers was a different hue of glittering, glowing stone that looked somewhat like the material that made up the temple at the settlement. The tower directly in front of them was a deep crimson. Golden seams ran up and down its length. Beside it was a neon blue tower laced with black veins. Thin bridges stretched between the towers. The colors of different towers mixed together in the bridges they shared, as if whatever gave them their color moved like liquid inside of their delicate-looking crystalline walls. The bridge between the red and blue towers was violet. Gabriel wondered why the Mer would need bridges underwater in any event. After all, there would be no walking, only swimming between buildings.

  The towers are alive, Gabriel, Casillus said. Those bridges are not for us, but for the towers themselves. They share nutrients through the bridges in order to thrive and grow.

  Wow, Gabriel responded, unable to be more eloquent even though he wished he could be at that moment.

  The towers were also connected to sheer walls of rock that, like the towers, extended up into the vastness above. In places the walls had been carved out, creating huge rooms with domed ceilings that reminded Gabriel of vast open-aired amphitheaters. Phosphorescent mold or algae lit up those spaces as well. Everywhere Gabriel looked there was light and color and beauty.

  This is—is amazing! Gabriel gasped out, still unable to find the words to express how awestruck he was by the Mer city. He dragged his eyes away from the towers that surrounded them to look back at Casillus. Can we see more? Maybe go in one of the buildings? I’d like to see your home and House Liseas and—well, everything!

  We can, Casillus said carefully. But it would help if we swam around and acted as if they were real. It will allow me to visualize things as realistically as possible for you.

  The desire to look around was stronger than Gabriel’s fear. It was similar to how Gabriel’s wonder at the mural in the cave had made him forget his terror of the sea. Awe overcame everything else. Furthermore, Gabriel didn’t feel as overwhelmed by the hugeness of the ocean with the towers all around them. In fact, he felt rather safe and protected. And then there was Casillus. He could not truly be afraid with the Mer beside him, so as long as they were together it would be all right.

  He turned back to his lover, who was awaiting his answer. Yes, Casillus. Let’s swim.

  4

  LISEAS

  Casillus was the first to get up from his sitting position. He stretched out a hand to Gabriel and the young man took it, unfurling his body at the same time. They were now floating three feet off of the square’s floor. Gabriel was amazed at how steady and level his floating was. He had fully expected to start floating towards the ocean’s surface and have to struggle to stay down. But it was nothing like that.

  Our bodies adjust. Human divers must use weights and air to accomplish the same thing that our bodies do naturally, Casillus explained.

  We have it far easier for sure, Gabriel said, but he still held tightly on to Casillus’ hand. He knew it would make it harder for both of them to swim, but the thought of floating on his own was too overwhelming.

  Where to first? Casillus asked.

  Gabriel eagerly looked around them. There was so much he wanted to see. He wondered what it would be like to truly be here with other Mers swimming alongside them. Would he feel like he fully belonged being surrounded by them? Would he finally fit in? A strange longing filled him then, something he had not allowed himself to feel since his parents’ deaths. He wanted to connect to others. Just like his grandmother’s cottage, House Liseas was his House, was his family.

  I’d like to see House Liseas first, Gabriel said.

  Of course! It is near my home as well, Casillus said.

  I want to see your home right after, Gabriel assured him. He wanted the Mer to know that House Nerion was just as important to him, too, because it was Casillus’ House.

  I know that, Gabriel, the Mer said with a brilliant smile.

  Both of them used their free hands to stroke the water ahead of them while their feet kicked. Casillus led him out of the square and down a massive street that appeared to be lined with far larger and more impressive towers than the ones he had so far seen. The glow of the towers illuminated the water around them and painted their bodies with shades of gold, red, green and blue. It was as if they were passing through a rainbow.

  This is called the Kingway, Casillus said.

  Why? Gabriel asked.

  Because it leads to the palace. Casillus gestured around them. Also, all of the Elders live here as well.

  Is there a Queenway? Gabriel asked.

  Yes, it is on the other side of the palace, Casillus said.

  I guess the fact that this avenue leads to the palace explains all the fine homes I’m seeing! So there are rich areas and poor areas of the city? Gabriel guessed.

  None are truly poor, but yes, there are some places grander than others, Casillus said.

  Is there crime? Gabriel asked.

  There is, Casillus said somberly. Certain Houses have been in feuds for eons. It is foolish, but change is difficult for us. Grudges can literally last forever.

  Because you live forever—I mean WE live forever? Gabriel corrected, not sure how he felt about that, or if he even believed it.

  We have tried to mediate these disputes, but it seems as if there is always a reason for them to be reignited again. Casillus then pointed to an intersecting road. Our courts of law are down this avenue.

  Gabriel caught a glimpse of a much fatter tower that had multiple layers. The layers on top were thinner than the ones below, much like a layer cake. They were ringed in thick columns standing in front of what looked like a portico. The structure was black in color and veined with silver and gold.

  Impressive and a little foreboding! Gabriel said.

  That is the intention. Casillus chuckled dryly. Ah, we are almost at House Liseas. It is just around this bend.

  The avenue they had been swimming down curved to the left ahead. Gabriel found himself kicking harder. He burned to see House Liseas. He had a romantic notion that he might recognize it somehow. Casillus squeezed his hand, sensing Gabriel’s excitement. They passed around the curve and the avenue widened substantially. A tower that was at least twice as wide as any of the others that Gabriel had previously seen appeared ahead of them. It was a dark purple laced with silver. Gabriel stopped swimming. His mouth opened.

  Yes, Gabriel, you have recognized House Liseas, Casillus said with pride.

  Gabriel’s eyes went first to the massive arched opening directly in the center of the tower. It was large enough for twenty Mers to swim abreast and still enter unimpeded. He could see at least a dozen impressive windows on either side of the doors. A latticework of thin lengths of a clear crystalline material covered each window, which stopped anyone from simply swimming through one of them. And that was all just the first floor. Gabriel saw hundreds of windows and balconies stretching up the length of the tower. The top was lost in the distance.

  Can we see inside? Gabriel asked.

  Yes, I know this House well, Casillus said.

  It took a moment for Gabriel to realize that it was necessary for Casillus to actually know what the interior of any structure looked like before they could go inside, because none of this was real. It was all from the Mer’s memories. They swam over to what appeared to be a gate made of the same clear crystalline substance that covered the windows.

  Place your hand, palm flat, against the center of the gate, Casillus urged.

  Why?

  You will see. The Mer smiled mysteriously.

  Gabriel did as he was instructed. At first the crystalline material was hard like glass, but then it seemed to melt beneath his hand. With a shocked gasp, Gabriel watched as the gate receded under his touch like a plant’s growth reversed. Gabriel snatched his hand away.

  It is all right, Gabriel! It recognized you as a member of
House Liseas, and so it is letting you in, Casillus explained.

  Oh! I was—was wondering if there was any way to keep people out, Gabriel confessed. He flexed his hand at his side, though, as if it might start shriveling too.

  The materials that make up the city are alive, as I explained. They have a symbiotic relationship with each of us, recognizing us and allowing us access to those places which are open to us, Casillus said. There are places, of course, which are open to all, such as the courts, the schools, the libraries and so forth.

  Gabriel kicked nervously as they started swimming into House Liseas. Directly through the gates was a large round chamber whose single, curving wall was broken up by doorways to either side, as well as by one leading further back into the tower. Gabriel saw no stairs going to the upper floors, but then he realized that there wouldn’t be. Casillus pointed to an opening in the ceiling.

  No need for stairs when you can simply swim up, Gabriel said.

  Exactly, Casillus agreed.

  Gabriel craned his neck and looked up through the opening. He saw a dizzying number of floors above them. Each floor was a different color and the colors rippled. Gabriel floated up and touched the edge of the opening. The stone was smooth and reminded him of quartz. Where he touched the stone it flared white. He took his hand off and saw that there was a white imprint of his hand left behind on the stone. Slowly, the purple color reasserted itself.

  The stone really does react to us, doesn’t it? Gabriel wondered.

  Yes, and it misses each of us when we are gone. Casillus brushed his fingers along the stone, but instead of white, the stone turned a brilliant blue. Or that is what I believe.

  Misses us? Then it must be missing you tons, Gabriel said as they floated over towards one of the walls.

  Not as much as it has missed you, Casillus said with a soft smile.

  It doesn’t even know me yet, Gabriel objected.

  Casillus squeezed his hand. It knows each of us. It knows you.

  Gabriel looked all around the room, imagining that the stone really did know him and miss him. He saw then that there were large engraved panels of plant and fish life on the curving wall. Different parts of the carvings glowed red, gold or green as opposed to the nearly uniform purple glow of the rest of the wall. Gabriel swam over to one of the panels and studied it. The scales of each fish, the leaves of each plant, and the texture of each rock were carved with loving detail.

  These were done by a famous artist known only as Zed. He or she—no one knows Zed’s sex—has disappeared from our memories almost completely. Only Zed’s art remains, Casillus said.

  How could Zed disappear from everyone’s memories? Is it like what happened with the settlement? Does it have something to do with—with you-know-what? He wouldn’t say Cthulhu, not here.

  Casillus floated quietly for a moment. Zed was incredibly gifted, seeing things that others did not. So yes, it could be that in part. I have studied Zed’s work for almost a millennium. Sometimes I think there are clues in the work to where Zed went, to why Zed went and to whether Zed will be back.

  Gabriel turned to look once more at the intricate and spectacularly realistic engravings. The more he looked at them the more he also felt there were hidden meanings in them. He was reminded of Casillus’ mural on the cave wall.

  Even if you hadn’t told me that you studied Zed’s work, I think I would have guessed anyways. Gabriel looked over at Casillus again. I can see something of Zed’s style in the mural you painted in the cave.

  Casillus’ head lowered and his cheeks flooded with color. That you would compare my humble art with that of Zed’s is too kind.

  Gabriel put his fingers under Casillus’ chin and tipped his head up. Not too kind. You are gifted. I’m amazed by you.

  Casillus kicked his feet with pleasure and gave Gabriel a broad smile. Thank you.

  Just don’t disappear like Zed, okay? Not unless you take me with you, Gabriel said, half-joking, though he could never completely joke about losing those close to him.

  I will never leave you, Gabriel, Casillus said, his eyes glowing with truth.

  It was Gabriel’s turn to lower his head. I believe you. I’m just afraid.

  One day, you will lose your fear, Gabriel, Casillus said. He smiled softly. And the seas shall shake, because then all of your focus will be on worthy things.

  Gabriel ducked his head again.

  But come! There is much more to see. Casillus gestured towards the adjoining chamber to the right. I’m afraid I only know the first floor well. The other floors are less familiar to me and I fear I might fill them in with false information.

  Seeing any of it is excellent. What’s through there?

  Let us go see.

  They swam into the adjoining room. In the center of this room there was a stone box with a grated lid. The box was ten feet long by five feet wide. Warm water flooded out of it.

  This is one of the many deep sea vents which we draw both heat and minerals from, the Mer explained. We build around them and funnel the hot water throughout our structures.

  The ceiling directly above the box was thick with plant life. There was dark green vine-like vegetation that crawled all across the ceiling from a thick central stalk. A profusion of white flowers opened all along the vines and a cluster of the same flowers erupted from the middle of the central stalk itself as well. There were also pale green pods hanging among the flowers. Casillus reached up and broke two off. He handed one of them to Gabriel.

  Your first taste of Mer food, Casillus said with a twinkle in his blue-green eyes.

  How do I eat this? Gabriel asked.

  Peel it like a banana.

  Gabriel realized then that he and Casillus would have to stop holding hands while they peeled the pods. He knew the Mer was waiting for him to make the first move to break their physical connection. Though they were “in” House Liseas, they were really somewhere on the sand bar. But Gabriel realized that his fear was substantially reduced. He let go of Casillus’ hand. His fingers hovered over the Mer’s, but then he slowly drew them away. He remained floating steadily in place. No stray current whisked him away from the Mer. Gabriel’s shoulders slumped in relief.

  You are safe, Gabriel. I am here, Casillus said. The Mer then squeezed his shoulder.

  Gabriel peeled the pod, finding the inside to be filled with bright orange beads somewhat like grapes on a stem. He watched as Casillus sucked a few into his mouth. Gabriel did the same, and there was a burst of sweetness and the tang of citrus on his tongue. He had devoured the whole pod before he realized that the pod wasn’t even real. It was Casillus sharing with him what it would have tasted like if they had been eating them.

  You miss these, don’t you? Gabriel laughed.

  Casillus blushed again. Momos are my favorite.

  Momos? I think they’re going to be my favorite, too, Gabriel said before plucking another pod and devouring that one, too.

  He started to root for more pods among the flowers, drifting easily around the room. It wasn’t until he was halfway across the room from Casillus that he realized how good it felt to just swim. No encumbrances. Not that Casillus’ hand was an encumbrance, but he had been using it like a crutch instead of treating it as the wonderful connection it should have been. The Mer was watching him earnestly, clearly waiting to see when Gabriel noticed that he was swimming freely. Gabriel grinned before easily gliding over to the Mer and kissing his lips.

  Thank you, Gabriel said.

  The Mer’s eyes widened. I have done nothing.

  Gabriel kissed him again. You’ve done everything. Your patience. Your gentleness. I couldn’t even think of going into the sea before you came, let alone being underwater, but here I am. And while I have to do this, you’ve made it so much better than it ever could have been.

  Casillus cupped his face and his hair surrounded them both in a halo of dark strands as the Mer kissed him, this time with such fierce love that Gabriel nearly shook with it. Finally,
they parted.

  Come, Gabriel. I want to show you House Liseas’ garden, Casillus said.

  Are there more momos in there? Gabriel flashed him a grin.

  Oh, yes, but that is the least of its attractions!

  Casillus swam out of the room and Gabriel followed swiftly after him. He was amazed at how easily his body moved. He was as graceful and sure as Casillus. It felt totally natural to move like this. Gabriel stretched his fingers out mid-stroke and saw the webbing stretched between them. He felt a momentary qualm about it. It wasn’t human. His hands, unlike his sides, were things he saw all day every day. But that feeling went away as he thought of the webbing between Casillus’ fingers. He was the same as Casillus, and that could never be bad.

  The Mer led them through a spiraling hallway that reminded Gabriel of the inside of a shell. Abruptly, the hallway opened out into a courtyard that was bursting with vegetation, coral, and color. Gabriel would have skidded to a stop if he were not swimming, but instead he found himself abruptly ceasing his kicks and drifting to a stop.

  Oh, Casillus, it’s -- it’s so beautiful! Gabriel cried.

  The garden was circular in shape and so large that the opposite wall looked distant, almost misty. Everywhere Gabriel looked there was color and movement. There were towering stalks of seaweed in every shade of green that stretched up and up and up so tall that he thought they might brush the next story of the tower. He glimpsed delicate deep red fans that looked sharp to the touch. Violet and pink sea grasses waved hypnotically. Large beds of coral shaped like slippers in whites and mustard yellows lined stone paths that snaked through the garden, undoubtedly so that Mers could swim through the garden rather than just above it. He and Casillus began to do just that.

  They passed by spiky coral bushes the size of small cars in deep blues. Gabriel paused beside some coral that looked like individual lettuce leaves, but these leaves were as big as his head. Casillus pointed to a huge nest of coral that looked like a stag’s horns. And everywhere there were fish.