Chapter Text
Xie Lian did not return to their island home. It wasn’t safe anymore. It pained him but he had no choice. His nest was no longer a suitable place to raise his young. Xie Lian had spent the entire night awake, worrying over the smell of his blood from where the shard of glass was embedded into his tail would attract sharks. He did not have the energy to deal with that. Meiling was crying almost all night, thankfully, the mother mer managed to keep her weeping quietly. He hated to do it, but he couldn’t add one more thing to his list of misfortunes for the day. From Meiling being shoved into a disgusting tank, the poachers, losing the security of his nest, the wound on his tail, and his blood attracting sharks, he was very much stressed.
Xie Lian had looked over Meiling, finding no cuts or scratches. Other than a few bruises and shaken up by the encounter, she was alright. Once the mer was satisfied with his inspection he tended to himself. Meiling won’t survive if Xie Lian didn’t take care of himself. When he pulled out at the shard of glass, the blood had nearly started a whole new set of sobbing from the toddler. Thankfully his hide was thick enough that the wound would heal in just a matter of two days.
When he felt Meiling’s hunger, the mer snarled. He had left the salmon from his earlier hunt behind on the poacher’s ship. Never had Xie Lian held such resentment toward humans more than that moment. His daughter innocently looked to him for food, her hair in disarray and her eyes red from sobbing. He was tempted to go back and destroy the remaining ship. It had been a long time since he last used his power, sealed away. But he was strong, he could do it.
His parents had been King and Queen of the mer Kingdom before they died. He had been the disciple of Mei Nianqing. Jun Wu had taken him in years ago. He ruled over a different kingdom closer to the Arctic. It was where the pod had been returning to when Xie Lian left. Mers who hadn’t started families of their own didn’t make the migration. Xie Lian didn’t understand why Jun Wu made them migrate; his parents never did, and neither did the rest of their kingdom.
Jun Wu had told Xie Lian that his parents weren’t strong enough to make the journey, only the strongest and most talented could join his pod. Only a few could learn magic or were born with the gift. Xie Lian was born with it and cultivated it. Meiling showed no signs of having inherited the gift. Not that it mattered to the mer at all. She was perfect, with or without a tail, the same held true for if she had been born with a gift.
Xie Lian searched for the orca pod. On edge from the poachers. The safety and numbers of the pod were excellent protection. He found them by sending out long distant calls, finding them late into the night. The pod welcomed them, nuzzling each other. The calves were more than excited to play with Meiling. Poor Meiling, she hadn’t wanted to let go of her mother the entire night. Traumatized.
The ship that had collided with the poachers stayed near the island for a long time. Nearly a week. Xie Lian didn’t check himself, one of the scouts from the pod told him. When the ship left, Xie Lian still didn’t go back. Just because they left, didn’t mean they were gone for good.
As for Xie Lian, he was exhausted. He had been swimming for nearly an entire day. He would catch Meiling dozing every so often. He encouraged the toddler to sleep on his back, but even that took effort that the mer did not have.
Graciously, the grand matriarch of the pod offered him a salmon that they had caught during their hunt. Xie Lian ate most of it. He would need his strength while they traveled with the pod for a new home. With how tense his body was recently, Xie Lian needed to conserve as much energy as he could. Not to mention that he had to carry Meiling on his back everywhere the pod went. She would never be able to keep up.
“Mommy, home?”
Meiling had asked him one night. Her eyes were full of hope and longing to return to the nest she had grown up in. They were resting on the sea bed while the orcas had taken a rest. They didn’t want to go anywhere near the surface. Xie Lian sighed, tucking the girl’s bangs behind her round ears.
“We have to find a new home baobei. We can’t go back. It’s too dangerous.”
“Why?”
Xie Lian winced. How was he supposed to explain to a toddler that humans had found them and were more than likely looking for them? How was he supposed to explain to his half human child whose first experience with her own kind was the reason why she lost the only home she had ever known?
“Because some really mean people wanted to hurt us. So we had to leave.”
“Oh…” Meiling's eyes dimmed as her hope to return home was snuffed out.
Xie Lian wanted to cry as realization dawned on his baby’s face. Xie Lian wished he could go back to the poachers and sink his fangs into their flesh. But that would help no one. Least of all Meiling.
Meiling didn’t say anything more. Nor did she act like her usual happy, playful self. Xie Lian was constantly feeling her grief through the bond. It pained him. He didn’t know what to do besides keeping her warm, colder waters meant he had to help her regulate her body temperature, well fed, and safe. He was working on the happy part.
They continued to live with the pod of orcas while Xie Lian examined every place the orcas traveled to. Searching for a suitable place to make a new nest. Keeping each other safe. Whenever a ship was nearby, the pod would swim above the mers, drawing attention away.
“Mama, Mango?”
Xie Lian’s shoulders fell. Meiling looked crestfallen. There would be no more mangos for a long time. Maybe forever.
At least that’s what they both thought, until the grand matriarch of the pod, who Xie Lian named Sying,brought a large collection of exotic fruits in her mouth. There were bananas, apples, pineapples, kiwis, and mangos. Meiling had chirped in excitement. Xie Lian was touched.
“Sying, where did you find these?”
The elderly orca made clicking sounds, bobbing her head as she swam in the general direction of where she procured such delectable food. Xie Lian could see the keel of a ship in the distance. It looked like the orcas were bullying the humans. They must have wanted to perk up the baby mer’s spirit.
It must have been a trading ship, with several boxes of goods floating on the surface of the sea. Meiling eagerly bit into an apple. Xie Lian was grateful she was not a picky eater. She loved anything that was food. The baby orcas were curious about the fruits, trying it themselves, before deciding that mackerel and milk were much tastier. Xie Lian placed a hand near Sying’s eye, smiling with glassy eyes.
“Thank you, you have no idea how much this means to me.”
The orcas all made happy squeaking sounds. Happy to help the mer. Xie Lian packed as much of the fruit as he could carry in the wrap that Meiling was quickly outgrowing. The robes were starting to fit her a little better. Xie Lian took it as a sign that he was doing something right if she was growing so fast.
Meiling had taken to riding on the orca’s backs, holding on to their dorsal fin. It gave the mermaid a well deserved break to stretch out his limbs and groom himself. Sometimes, the orcas would take Meiling on little adventures to coral reefs they would pass by, and the older mer and orca mothers would stay in deeper waters to hunt. The only reason Xie Lian felt comfortable with that arrangement was because Sying’s granddaughter, the juvenile who was chaperoning the calves on Meiling’s birthday, was always looking after them. Xie Lian named her Ban Zhu, meaning spotted pearl. If anything spooked Ban Zhu, she rallied up the babies and brought them straight to the pod. Meiling included.
Xie Lian had to admit, it was wonderful having help. It really does take a pod to raise young. Knowing that the pod had accepted them as part of their family, finally, put Xie Lian’s heart at ease. Xie Lian could even begin to describe the overwhelming relief and joy he felt when Meiling started to smile and laugh again. She even became close friends with one of the calves, a male who Meiling adamantly named Yue Tao. Moon Peach. It was very unique. Yue Tao didn’t seem to mind.
The pair could almost always be seen together. Exchanging gifts in play. Chasing each other for fun, it was good hunting practice for when they grew older. Yue Tao was Shu Ying’s younger sibling. Their mother, who Xie Lian named Shu Ying, characters for warm hearted and clever, was closer to Xie Lian. Gossiping amongst themselves like seagulls.
Almost an entire month later, the pod arrived at an island that was very similar to the one Xie Lian had made his nursery for Meiling. There was a cave too, but not made of coral like their former home had been, but it served its purpose. One day, just as the pod was finishing up a hunt, Xie Lian heard familiar chirping. Frilled ears perked up, trying to find the source of the sound. Xie Lian was just turned around when someone collided right into him.
They tumbled in circles before they finally came to a stop. Xie Lian managed to pry himself free before he finally got a good look at who crashed into him. His eyes widened.
It was a Sea Dragon! Xie Lian couldn’t believe his own eyes. Jun Wu had said they had been driven to extinction. Hunted by humans and mermaids who wished to gain the sea dragon’s magic and powers for themselves. Most died since sea dragons were formidable beasts that could lay waste to an entire pod. Sink ships, create huge tidal waves, and summon storms. They could even disguise themselves as mers.
Jun Wu had even told Xie Lian that these creatures were wicked and vile. They were imprisoned in the deepest trench of all seven seas for the sins they committed. Sea dragons and Mermaids used to live in peace and harmony hundreds of years ago, until the sea dragons betrayed them and began to eat mermaids and their roe. Which was so heartbreaking because mermaids at most laid seven eggs. The dragons were dangerous savages and not to be trusted.
This just reminded the mer mother about the poachers who would have killed them by cutting out their hearts and selling their scales and tears. Using them for spells and magic on land. If mer folk found out that this sea dragon, there would be chaos.
Upon closer inspection, Xie Lian realized that this sea dragon was just a baby. Not just shrunken down in size, but an actual baby. Xie Lian could tell because the second the dragon looked up at him, it froze before dashing to hide in the coral. Grown adults don’t do that unless they were prey animals. It was a small thing, but unfortunately not small enough. Their tail and hind legs sticking out. It started to whimper.
And clearly stuck. Meiling wasn’t with him right now, so if the dragon did pose any threat to him, he could deal with it knowing his daughter was safe. He swam closer to the trembling scaly body.
“Hold still, let me help you.” The mer spoke gently, running a cautious hand down the creature’s back.
When the baby did nothing but let out a whimper, legs going limp, Xie Lian began to tug. It took a few tries, not wanting to hurt it by pulling too hard, but Xie Lian was successful.
The hatchling shook their entire body, shaking off the bits of coral stuck to their skin. Not that Xie Lian could finally get a good look at it.
The creature’s scales were deep indigo, very much like ink. Her spine had bright pink frills trailing along its body leading to the most beautiful pink tail that Xie Lian had ever seen. It reminded him of a pink sea nettle jellyfish that seemed to encompass the entire tail. Their dark scales made the pink look like it was glowing, it probably did at night. Curious and cautious golden eyes, beneath a pair of pink coral, shaped antlers that were just starting to grow. The dragon was truly breathtaking. Xie Lian couldn’t help but smile at the adorable creature.
His smile seemed to help relax the hatchling before it took off in a flurry of bubbles. Xie Lian wasn’t offended. He was actually rather proud the that baby wasn’t quick to trust strangers. Thinking of babies, reminded Xie Lian of his own. He wanted to start building his nest.
He had collected some of the soft corals he had used in his old nest when he heard Sying squeaking. Depositing the corals on the sandy floor, Xie Lian exited the cave to sea Sying floating just above the cave entrance. In her mouth was a lot of kelp and sea sponges. She had caught on to what Xie Lian was attempting to do. Xie Lian accepted the offerings for his nest with a bright smile.
“Thank you Sying. These are perfect.”
Sying smiled in a way that only orcas could pull off. The elderly orca bobbed her head before she went to search for more. Returning every so often with new items. Xie Lian turned a few offerings away, showing it much too sharp to sleep on. Meiling could easily get hurt. Sying was a kind soul, she never got upset.
Such offerings for nests were part of the courting process for mers. If San Lang had been a mer, he would have needed to provide nesting materials and food to show he was a capable hunter who would keep his mate and young well fed. But alas Xie Lian had to do everything himself. True he missed San Lang, but he was honestly content with his life.
It was dusk by the time he finished, Ban Chu was still small enough to fit her giant big head through the cave opening to take a peek inside. Meiling was in a fit of giggles watching the orca blocking the entrance. Yue Tao was the only one who could fit inside.
Shu Ying called for her young, and the two young orcas said their goodbyes. It was not a permanent goodbye. Since they accepted Xie Lian and Meiling into their pod, they were more than likely going to live primarily in the island’s vicinity. Xie Lian gently lowered Meiling into the nest, waiting for her judgment.
He suppose he should be grateful Meiling didn’t try to appease him. It would have hurt him more if Meiling forced a smile. The little girl poked and prodded at the new nest. Xie Lian tried to make it identical to the one they lost. Maybe it wasn’t a good idea. He had hoped that it would be enough to give Meiling some semblance of familiarity. It did, but it also had bright bitter, fresh memories.
Meiling tried not to cry, but she immediately raised her arms when she finally had the courage to meet his eyes. Xie Lian did not hesitate to embrace her. He cooed, rubbing her back as he rocked them. Meiling shook as she silently wept. It really dawned on the toddler that they were really not going back home. That their adventure didn’t lead them back to their island.
“I miss nest mama…” Meiling mumbled against his neck “ I wanna go home…”
“I know baobei,” Xie Lian listened, “I know, right now, everything is new and it can be scary. But Mama isn’t going anywhere, I’m right here.”
Meiling sniffled, relieved that even though everything was gone, her mother, who had always made her feel safest, was still here for her. Xie Lian gently tilted his chin up, smiling at her.
“I know it doesn’t seem like it right now, but you may grow to love our new home. You might even make some new friends. Doesn’t that sound fun?”
Meiling shook her head. But then nodded, she wasn’t feeling that way right now, but the effort is what counts in Xie Lian’s book. Being open minded will only help her cope when the only certainty in life, is that change is inevitable.
“It’s time for night night now.” The mer said lowly, easing himself into the nest, coiling his tail. Then laying the toddler in the center of the nest, his fluke covering her like a blanket to keep her warm in case there is a chill. Meiling reached for the mer’s hair. Gripping a lock of it gently, Xie Lian didn’t discourage her.
“Night night mommy.”
“Night night my treasure.”
Xie Lian kissed her goodnight before settling his head to rest on his palm. He wasn’t going to sleep just yet. Not for keeping watch, the orcas would alert him before he sensed anything. He just wanted to make sure that he was awake if Meiling had any nightmares. And because he couldn’t sleep. His thoughts filled with everything that has happened to them in the past few weeks. About the dragon hatchling that was more than likely going to be their neighbor.
Over the next few days, Xie Lian took to investigating the new island. It was much bigger and Xie Lian could tell sharks frequently hunt here. There were shark teeth everywhere. But now with the orcas, Xie Lian didn’t see any.
Until one day he found the hatchling being chased by small newly hatched shark pups. They were in no way a threat to him, but to a baby sea dragon, the threat was very much real. Especially if the hatchling didn’t know how to hunt just yet. Which was very odd to the mer. Jun Wu had said sea dragons were just like sharks. Already born knowing how to hunt with a thirst for blood.
The golden eye hatchling was backed up against sea rocks, hissing and growling at the sharks that insistently tried to take a nibble. Xie Lian felt his heart ache for them. He knew that one day the sea dragon could very well be a threat to him and Meiling, Jun Wu had expressed his contempt for them on more than one occasion. But right at that moment, Xie Lian felt sympathy.
It was torture. And Xie Lian didn’t stand for it. The mer approached the sharks, he was much larger than they were. His shadow was more than enough to scare off the sharks. He hissed, just to make the message clear.
When he looked back to the hatchling, their golden eyes stared at him curiously. As if shocked that anyone would help them at all. The hatchling released a cute wheezing sound as their frilled ears perked up at him. Xie Lian smiled.
“They weren’t very nice were they?”
The hatchling puffed out a bubble of air. Xie Lian chuckled. He sat down in front of the baby. Tilting his head.
“You have very beautiful scales.”
The hatchling brightened, letting out a happy chirp. Clearly, they could understand him, so maybe they were not as young as he thought.
“Where is your home? Your sires?”
At that, the hatchling paused. Their little five-clawed hands kneading the sand below them. The dragon looked down. Ah.
“I lost my parents too. When I was younger.”
The dragon wheezed, it was a sad wheeze. Then looked in the general direction of the cave where Xie Lian had taken up residence. Xie Lian froze. He had made his nest in their home, and the dragon didn’t even try to put up a fight. His heart filled with guilt.
“Thank you for letting me make a nest here.” The dragon looked back at him, Xie Lian continued. “It’s very cozy, it’s perfect for my own baby.”
At this, the creature made a repeated chirping sound. Full of longing for a playmate. They had more than likely seen Meiling playing with the orcas. A thought crossed his mind. The mer was surprised at himself.
“Do you want to play with them?”
The hatchling’s tail began to wag, the tail looked like a ribbon tied to a stick, their eyes hopeful. The mer chuckled.
“Just be careful not to bite or scratch. My baby has very fragile skin.”
The creature agreed with a happy trill. Xie Lian didn’t know what he was doing. Playing nice with a future predator. It was just that something about the hatchling tugged at his heartstrings. It was a baby, and Xie Lian was full of maternal instincts and hormones. And the baby was not at all like how Jun Wu described sea dragons to be. They were extremely intelligent and quite tame. Xie Lian felt that he could trust the hatching. He was beginning to think Jun Wu was not being as forthcoming as he made himself out to be. He was wrong about all humans being evil, so he was probably wrong about dragons too.
Xie Lian swam with the hatchling, clicking to draw the orcas' attention. Once Xie Lian introduced the hatchling the orcas began their inquisitive lookover. The hatchling looked to Xie Lian, eyes asking if they really had to subject themselves to such an investigation. Xie Lian simply chirped positively. The hatchling wailed in protest but did not put up a fight.
Unsurprisingly to Xie Lian, the hatchling passed the orcas’ inspection. The mothers returned to hunt in deeper waters while the calves stayed behind to play. Meiling swam to her mother slowly, Xie Lian held his arms open wide to receive her. Pressing kisses once she was in his arms.
“What’s that?”
Xie Lian waved the hatchling over, who watched Meiling closely for approval. Xie Lian smiled at both of the babies.
“This a sea dragon, they want to be your friend. Do you want to be friends Meiling?”
Apple red and shimmering gold ombre eyes looked over the dragon with curiosity, slowly reaching out a hand to pet it. The hatchling swam closer, purring at the girl’s soft hand. Meiling giggled when the hatchling began to swim around them in excitement.
“Pretty!”
And that was all Xie Lian needed to hear. After that, Meiling was always around the sea dragon and the two orcas Ban Zhu and Yue Tao. Xie Lian still looked for any signs that the hatchling had bad intentions toward them.
Those concerns quickly vanished when the hatchling chirped excitedly outside their cave. Xie Lian barely had time to comb Meiling’s hair before she escaped him. The little creature somehow managed to procure a mango. Offering it to Meiling with pure joy at having been able to gift the toddler such a sweet fruit. There must have been a mango tree on the island.
“Mama mango please!”
Xie Lian cut the fruit expertly, eating a piece for himself when Meiling tried to feed him a slice. The creature was so happy to see that they were enjoying the fruit. Meiling fed a slice to the dragon, who lovingly ate it even though they were prone to eating meat. Which Xie Lian must admit, he rarely ever saw them eat. Xie Lian didn’t know much about dragons, but he was certain that the little thing should be eating much more than the few measly scraps they manage to find. The poor thing wasn’t growing as fast as they should be. This irked the mermaid more than he would have anticipated before he it dawned on him.
The sea dragon was a hatchling. Who was alone? Competing for food with the shark pups. It couldn’t hunt, and had never once taken the food Xie Lian procured for Meiling. Nor did they take any of the orcas’ catches. The baby was more than likely starving.
After that, Xie Lian started hunting for three mouths to feed. The first time he offered a whole fish to the dragon, the little beast barely accepted it. It was only after using a firm voice that they swallowed the damn thing whole. Meiling clapped her hands excitedly. Ban Zhu and Yue Tao squeaked in approval. Xie Lian softened his gaze and proceed to feed them more. He didn’t need to chew down the bone, the little dragon’s teeth were much more equipt for that than mers. After doing this for nearly a month, Xie Lian felt that it was time to invite the dragon into their nest. Permanently.
When night fell, Xie Lian invited the hatchling to stay. The hatchling was hesitant at first, but settled a little ways away from the nest, curling into a cute ball. Xie Lian had been right about the little beast glowing. Their dark indigo scales blended in perfectly with the dark water, the pink frilled tail glowed, as well as a few spots along the spine. Truly, the creature was a thing of beauty, inside and out.
“I meant in the nest you silly thing.”
The mer chuckled as he lifted the dragon, very much like how a human would pick up a cat, and deposited the dragon in the center. Right where Meiling slept. The little creature looked up at Xie Lian with wide eyes. Xie Lian pet the dragon’s head tenderly.
“If you want, you can be part of our nest. Not just for tonight.”
The little beast stared in disbelief and longing for a long before Xie Lian let out a coo, lifting them up, and rubbed their heads together. Bonding. Mers could adopt other orphaned mers, Xie Lian supposed he was just unorthodox to adopt a dragon as his own. Oh if Jun Wu could see him now. He’d probably have a heart attack and die.
The little hatchling began to head-butt the mer gently in enthusiasm. Xie Lian took this as a sign that the hatchling accepted him as their adoptive mother. It would take a few months for a new bond to form, but Xie Lian was confident that he made the right decision. Meiling wholeheartedly agreed.
After nearly six months, Xie Lian woke up to the sound of giggles. From two different voices. Opening his eyes, two pairs of eyes were staring at him. One belonged to Meiling, and the other looked familiar, but the face was most certainly not. The mer bolted up, his eyes wide as he looked over them.
The dragon was nowhere to be seen, but there was a little mer child who was around Meiling’s age. She had pale skin, long dark ink blue hair that looked so soft to the touch, pink rosy cheeks, and glowing bright indigo eyes. Her ears and tail were the same shade of scale the little dragon had, but her fluke was bright pink, full of frills, and huge. It looked delicate but Xie Lian had no doubt that it could cause serious damage. Meiling helpfully answers his suspicions.
“Mama! She look like us now!”
Xie Lian knew sea dragons had magic and could look like mers, he just wasn’t expecting the little beast to grow so soon!
“I see.”
The little dragon probably wanted to look more like them. As cute as this form was, Xie Lian needed to make himself very clear. Gently, the mer pulled the transformed sea dragon onto his lap.
“Little one, as beautiful as you are, I don’t want you to force yourself to use your magic just so you can look like us. You’re too young to do this all the time. We don’t care about what you look like. You’re mine now, and I won’t have you hurting yourself. Understand?” The mer raised an expectant brow.
The little dragon shrunk into herself, nodding her head. Xie Lian smiled, then placed a kiss on her temple.
“When you get tired, go back to your natural form. Promise me.”
“I promise.”
Xie Lian had just been expecting a simple nod of her head, so forgive him if he needed a moment to gather his composure. He blinked dumbly for a moment or two.
“Good. Now, I can’t keep calling you little one forever. You need a name.”
Meiling immediately offered suggestions. Xie Lian refuted all of them. No, you can’t name your sister mango. No, you can’t name her shell. And no, you most definitely can’t name her salmon. Turns out, the little dragon already had a name.
“Mingzhu. My name Mingzhu. I hear in egg. Before I hatch.”
Mingzhu, meaning Shiny Pearl.
“Mingzhu, it’s perfect.”
The two babies were so excited that Xie Lian let them play a little longer before could he settle them into the nest again. They would be restless with all that pent-up energy. Finally, nearly an hour later, the two tired each other out, cuddled together in the mer’s coiled tail. Xie Lian watched them with adoring eyes.
Turns out, Mingzhu was just a few months older than Meiling. They looked like fraternal twins. Which was fine with Xie Lian. His instincts purred in bliss as he rested on the sea bed, taking a well deserved nap as his two daughters played in the coral. Mingzhu was also, very strong. She easily swims while helping Meiling. Always going on adventures with Ban Chu and Yue Tao.
The mer couldn’t believe that not too long ago, he lost the love of his life, had left his pod, and lost his nest. Now, look at him. He had a new pod of orcas to call family, and two children. He must admit, he had no intention of imprinting, but the seas always had ways to surprise him. Xie Lian’s tail curled as he sighed happily.
Turns out, the ocean had a few more surprises to give him in the years to come.