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Chapter Text

The Trials of Anfara—Goddess of fate and the infinite. 

It was a quest sent from the heavens, said to be the greatest of honors, and one every heir to the throne must pass if they wanted to reign with the blessing of their goddess. To receive it, they must isolate themselves in front of the altar until She directs them onto their destined path. Those blessed would hear Her voice in mere minutes, but those who were not would sometimes remain kneeling for hours or days and receive nothing but silence. 

Alone with no food, no water, with nothing but their faith and their determination as they waited on their knees for a quest they didn’t know would ever come. Some gave up, lacking faith in Her and in destiny, claiming that great kings didn’t need silly quests to prove their worth, that their worth was proven by the power of their own actions. And some, the arrogant some, claimed that Her silence meant that their worth had already been proven and there was no need for Her quest. 

Ivan’s father was one of these men. 

King Borislav, as everyone knew, was a short-tempered man. He had little patience, he lacked sympathy, and everyday he would spit in the face of the kingdom’s religion. When it came time for him to receive his quest at age forty-six, he refused to kneel—even to the goddess—and was eventually forced onto his knees by the old king. 

Borislav lasted no more than one hour in his isolation before he burst through the chapel, looking for a drink and food to fill his belly. He had a wife, a son, and won countless battles for the kingdom. There was nothing else he needed to prove. 

When he took the throne after his father’s death, he instantly became drunk with power. Caring for nothing but himself and his gold and glory, he plunged the kingdom into debt and despair. Then in the sixth year of his reign, he was killed in a hunt. The prideful fool, having set off while drunk, had run his horse down a hill too steep and was crushed under the weight of his own steed. The horse survived, but King Borislav was half eaten by wolves before they could retrieve his body. 

With Borislav gone, Ivan, at age twenty, was to be king. And as he knelt before the marble statue of his goddess, something his father refused to do, he couldn’t stop the trembling in his hands as he waited for Anfara to bless him with his quest. As it neared the third hour of his isolation, he was dreading that his father’s mistakes had cursed him to fall out of Her favor. His knees were numb even though they rested on a cushion, and his back ached from having to keep his posture for so long. He was thirsty, he was hungry, but unlike his father, he waited. He didn’t want to make the same mistakes that man made. He would never follow in his footsteps. This he swore. 

Straightening his back again and giving his stiff shoulders a roll, he looked up at the marble face of the goddess and made a vow to himself and to Her: I will never be like my father . And it was a vow he knew he intended to keep. 

Then, finally, he saw movement. He had first thought it was a trick of the light, or a figment of his imagination, but as he stared, he knew that in the eyes of the goddess, he saw tears. They welled up in Her eyes until they spilled down Her cheeks and onto the altar. Each drop echoed in his ears like the ringing of bells, then in an instant, his body fell through the floor and plunged into deep waters. 

Ivan couldn’t move as the water surrounded him, yet something in him knew wasn’t drowning. The water around him was calming, making the aches in his body disappear, and it had a warmth that soothed him so thoroughly that it washed away all of his worries. Never before had he felt so at peace. As he closed his eyes, he heard a voice. A woman, her voice so powerful that it made Ivan feel like a sprout in the presence of the sun.

“You must go to the center of the Frozen Sea and into the Forest of Ice,” She told him. “There, you will find a creature of the deep, more beautiful than you can imagine, and ask for them to bring you their greatest treasure. Only when you have returned with the item, will you be worthy enough to be king.” 

As much as he wanted to open his eyes and witness the face of the goddess, his eyes remained shut as if they were sewn. And his body remained motionless as if it were not his own anymore, or like his body did not even exist. 

“This quest will require you to make a great sacrifice, and when you think it is over, you will find yourself on a journey once again. Though this quest will be hard and push your mind and body to your absolute limit, in the end, the reward you gain will last you a lifetime of happiness that cannot be obtained from wealth or power.”

Then in an instant, the voice, the sea of tears, everything, was gone like it had never happened. Before him, the altar looked as it did before he had arrived and nothing had changed. Yet, he knew that what he saw was real. It wasn’t just a dream or an elaborate daydream, it was the blessing of Her trial. 

His knees buckled as he stood—numb from bearing his weight for such a long period of time. He grasped the edge of the altar for support as his legs slowly regained their function, but once he could stand, he patted down his clothes, bowed low to the statue, and marched towards the door with his head held high. 

When he opened the doors, there was an audience waiting for him. The royal advisors, the Volkhvy, the royal witch, and anyone important enough to be there were present and waiting patiently to hear what his quest was. They all turned to him with eager faces and bowed their heads low once they saw Ivan step through the doors. 

“My quest takes me to the Forest of Ice,” Ivan announced, his voice proud and clear, “there, a creature of the deep will gift me a treasure that will prove my worth. If I survive the journey and bring the treasure home, I will have Anfara’s blessing and return this kingdom to its former glory.” 

Ivan’s stern speech was just for formalities. Under his stoic mask, a smile twitched at his lips, for he knew that just by even receiving a quest, he was taking the first steps to becoming a man better than his father. As he turned to leave, he could see that many of those who were present had felt the same way. He could see it in their eyes, the way they sparkled with pride and crinkled with happiness as they clapped and whispered in reserved celebration. 

All of them had been under the heel of Ivan’s father and they waited restlessly for this day ever since the start of their service. Ivan would be a great king, this they all knew, but because of his age and his lack of experience, the prince couldn’t help but be filled with doubt for his own capabilities. 

Behind him, he heard footsteps of someone trying to catch up to him. “Your Highness,” they called out, and Ivan quickly recognized that voice. 

It was his father’s advisor. A man that Ivan treated as a father more than the one he was born with. Igor treated him with kindness, he taught him everything there was to know about ruling, and because he failed to keep Borislav from becoming corrupt, he did his very best to make sure Ivan would never become like him. 

When he was merely ten, his mother passed away due to illness, and while his father laughed at him for crying like a weakling and almost immediately took in a second wife, Igor came to him with open arms and words of comfort. It was Igor that taught him to be kind, unlike his father. Igor taught him that crying was a show of bravery, not weakness, because he was showing his deepest emotions to someone else while others merely held it in. 

Ivan slowed down in his stride so the much older man could catch up to him before he turned to him with a smile. “What is it, Igor?”

 Igor glanced over at the others, who congratulated Ivan briefly while bowing their heads, before clearing his throat. “I have ordered servants to bring food and water to your chambers. If you would like, I can also request that they prepare you a bath to ease the ache of your knees.”

“It’s alright, Igor. The food and water will be fine.” 

The two walked through the halls in a comfortable silence until they found that they were finally alone. Ivan spotted Igor staring at him for a few moments with a goofy smile on his face before he let out a deep laugh and placed a hand on Ivan’s shoulder. “You did it.”

“I did it.” Ivan repeated, closing his eyes for a second as he breathed in deeply, “But receiving a quest is not the same as completing it. I still have a very long journey ahead of me.” 

“Perhaps,” Igor said in a chipper tone, his smile visible even behind his thick, gray beard. He retracted his arm from Ivan’s shoulder to fold them behind his back as they continued down the long hall. “But, even receiving a quest is better than what your father could have ever done. You’re taking the steps to becoming a proper king with Her blessing, and once you complete the quest, you’ll become the greatest of them all. I know it.”

“But what if I don’t complete the quest.” Ivan’s smile was beginning to flatter. Though he had received a quest, he knew that completing it would not be an easy feat. The Frozen Sea—as the name implied—was filled with sheets and sheets of ice, covering the massive expanse of water. With little resources and nowhere to dock, many ships never returned from their journey. 

The Forest of Ice was even worse. Despite the name making it seem like a pleasant place, there was nothing pleasant about it. The Forest of Ice was not a forest of trees, nor did it have any land at all. It was an area of the Sea where icicles stuck out of the water like trees and made it seem like a dense forest. Underneath the waters, jagged masses of ice tore holes into the hulls until the ships sank into the icy depths. Nicknamed the Crystal Graves, it terrified even the most experienced captains with its unpredictable winds and hidden traps. Only a lucky few made it through to tell the tale, and those that did not remained there for the rest of their life, encased in clear ice. Thinking about being one of those people made a shiver run down Ivan’s spine. 

Seeing the worry on Ivan’s face, Igor slowed in his step to give them more time to talk as they made their way to Ivan’s chambers. “Ivan”—Igor had looked around to make sure no one was around before speaking to Ivan informally—“did I ever tell you the tale of your great, great, great, grandfather? King Alyosha?”

Ivan thought for a minute before humming in confirmation and nodding his head. “Yes. King Alyosha. He slayed a dragon for his quest, correct?”

“Incorrect.” Igor poked him in the side with a smirk. “King Alyosha’s given quest was much tougher than yours. He was a little older than you when he got it. A quest to go to a cave filled with dragons and return with one of their eggs.” 

“Ah, so there was a dragon involved. I was almost right.” 

“Yes yes, there was a dragon involved.” The two shared a moment of laughter, Igor shaking his head playfully at Ivan’s need to be right. “But, there was no slaying as you would think. King Alyosha thought the same as you. No mother would give up their child, and a dragon, though cold-blooded, would also never give up her egg. King Alyosha, armed with swords and a small army of men, charged into the cave expecting to slay all the dragons and return with the egg in hand so he could get the goddess’s blessing.”

“And did he succeed?”

“No. He lost all his men. King Alyosha was the only one to come out of the battle alive as if the dragons had spared his life. He did this once more with the same result, and when it came to the third time, he decided that no more men should be lost for his quest. He laid down his armor, his sword, even his crown, and walked into the cave as a man. 

“He looked the dragon straight in the eye—and mind you, this dragon, being a mother, possibly had a nose bigger than his entire body—but he looked her in her eyes and told her, ‘I am Prince Alyosha, heir to the throne of the Kingdom of Rus, and in order to succeed, I require one of your eggs.’”

“And she gave it to him?” Ivan looked down at Igor with curiosity.

“Yes. She gave it to him. Only if he vowed to return her child after his quest was deemed complete. You see, these quests are not tests of one's strength or their abilities. They are tests of your heart and mind. If Alyosha had continued trying to complete his quest in the way he started it, he would have lost almost all the warriors in the whole kingdom trying to fight these dragons. He would be seen as a man who would stop at nothing to be king, even if it meant losing every soldier and every life he could spare. He’d be even more cold-blooded than the dragons he fought.

“But he didn’t. He stopped the bloodshed. He approached the situation with a calm mind and thoughts of peace. He went in there alone, risking only his own life, because he wanted no others to be taken for his sake. And because of it, he became one of the land’s greatest kings.” Igor patted Ivan’s back twice as he looked at him. “And you, Ivan, your quest is similar, do you see? If you find the creature and order it to give you their treasure, or worse, kill it and take all their belongings, the gods might deem you unworthy.” 

Ivan bit his lip as he let the story process in his mind, then tried to apply it to his own quest. Like King Alyosha, he could journey out alone to the Frozen Sea, but he knew instantly that a feat like that would be one for the records, and it wouldn’t be because he was brave, but because he was an idiot. Many crews couldn’t even survive out there together. There was no way Ivan would survive alone. 

Ivan knew these quests were not just about proving to the goddess that he was worthy. It was more to prove to themselves that they were worthy. What they would risk and what they would withhold to complete their quest was just as important as the item itself. There was no perfect execution plan for a smooth quest. He would just have to go head first and do what he felt was right. 

“I’ll keep that in mind, Igor. Thank you.” 

Igor nodded and chuckled as they approached the door to Ivan’s chambers in just a few more steps. “Looks like the end of our little journey.” He stopped in front of the door and turned to Ivan. “Be smart out there, Ivan. Stay strong, be brave, and come home safe. I know you will make everyone proud.” 

(-w-)

Prince Ivan’s Log

Day 10

Another man died today from the cold. That makes a total of 3 since this journey began. All of them had been laid to rest in the waters they sailed on and upon returning home, their families will be compensated. These men knew the journey would be rough, yet they wanted to be the ones who would aid me in my quest. I am eternally grateful, for my life rests in their hands.

~

We are approaching the Forest of Ice. In the distance, there are glaciers so tall it is impossible to compare it to anything built by man, and when between them, any man would feel trapped and short of breath. There is no way around these glaciers and to get to the Forest, we must go through.

It takes the effort of the whole crew, men on every corner of the ship, to call out if we get too close to the ice. If one is not careful, they will tear through the hull and sink the ship. But I trust Arthur and the crew to get us through it safely. 

~

We have finally reached the Forest of Ice and it is easy to tell why it was given this name. In a forest, there are trees so dense that it is hard to see where you are headed. Here, it is just the same, except the icebergs are so massive they can block your view of anything up ahead. Past those, formations of rock and ice stick out of the water like daggers, if daggers were the height of the castle's spires. They are so large that they would sometimes create arches that the ship can sail through easily and I sometimes wonder what is on top of this ice. 

We set anchor on an island. It is shocking that there is any land here at all. This cove will be our camp for however long this quest lasts, and though this land is no castle, it is at least better than rocking constantly on that ship. 

While the men build our shelter, I am going to explore the waters alone. Men had offered to accompany me, but this is my quest, and like King Alyosha, I will complete it alone to prevent the loss of any more lives. 

~

Day 15

It has been 5 days since we have arrived and even with hours of exploring, I have yet to discover every part of this area. Though I am grateful for having received a quest, I wish Anfara had been more specific about where this creature is, or at least what it looked like. 

~

Day 18

Another day wasted searching for this creature. I am starting to wonder if the water prevents the creature from hearing me calling out for it. Or perhaps this creature does not even exist. That is what I overheard someone on the crew whisper at night. They are growing impatient and annoyed with nothing to do but wait for me to find this creature. 

~

Day 24

Our fifth man died today, and at night, I hear whispers that say I am unfit to be king. They say that I will never find this creature and even heard one man suggest abandoning the quest and returning home. I hope to find this creature soon.

~ 

Day 28

Stupid creature. I hope you can read this. And when you do, I’m going to trap you and drag you back to my Kingdom. 

~

Day 30

I want to go home.

~

Day 35

We are running out of food. 

~

Day 40

I’m sick of eating fish.

~

Day 45

I hate the cold. I miss my bed. 

~

Letting out a frustrated sigh, Ivan tossed his journal to the bottom of his rowboat. He didn’t know why he still wrote in it almost everyday and he was running out of things to write. Everyday since they arrived here was the same and he feared that the words of his men were right. What if the creature was avoiding him? What if his father was right and all of this was just nonsense? 

Shaking the thoughts out of his head, Ivan picked up his oars and rowed deeper into the caves. If he wasn’t so tired from constant failure, he would have enjoyed the beautiful icicles and stalagmites that surrounded him—covered in ice and emitting a blue or purple hue—but after so many days, exploring the Forest of Ice was no longer fun. 

“Creature of the deep,” Ivan said in his normal voice, having grown tired of shouting day after day, “I am Prince Ivan and I mean you no harm. Please show yourself so we may speak.” And like every other day, he was met with only silence. 

Further and further he rowed, every few minutes reciting his greeting and every time, nothing would answer except his own voice echoing back at him. This quest was testing every ounce of his patience and he was so angry he wanted to snap the oar in half and swim down into the waters to drag that creature out, but he knew realistically he would only last a minute at the most in waters so cold. 

“Where are you?” he breathed under his breath as he stopped rowing once again to rest in the center of a large opening. And for the first time since he had started his exploring, he slouched and put his head in his hands. He had been taught since he was a child to never show weakness and always stand tall and proud, but Ivan was at his wit’s end. He didn’t care if the creature saw him like this, but even if it did, at least he would have seen it at all. 

With his head hung low like this, he could see the depths of the water. It was so clear that he could see the formations of rocks below, but with just the light of his candle, he was only able to see so far before the waters became black and unknown to him. 

Little fish that glowed gold came up to his boat to poke the sides of it thinking it was food. Fish that Ivan had initially thought were the creatures of the deep, but they gave him nothing. They didn’t even taste that good either so they were useless to him. The only thing they were good for was to ease his boredom. 

Pulling his glove off, he stuck his hand slowly into the freezing water and watched as the fish swam away then returned almost seconds later to poke at the rings on his fingers with great curiosity. His hand quickly numbed from the cold but he still felt the tickle of the fishes’ lips and closed his eyes to enjoy the feeling. 

For a couple seconds more, he let the fish examine his rings with his eyes closed, but eventually, he felt something odd. At first, he thought it was the cold waters freezing his hand, but whatever he felt had wrapped around his fingers like the hands of another. And when he opened his eyes, he found that it was. A pair of pale, webbed hands.

He gasped and shot up so fast he had almost fallen out of his rowboat. The motion shook the small vessel so abruptly that his candle went out and cloaked him in darkness. But when he looked down, not only did he see the golden light of the fish, he saw something large and blue that glowed just like the fish did. His fear had scared it away but he still saw its soft light hiding behind a stalagmite not far from his boat. 

His heart thundered in his chest and his hand burned from the cold, then suddenly, he realized that this was the creature he had been searching for. As he stood still, he saw the creature’s light move slowly around his boat, circling it with curiosity but very quickly swimming away again at the slightest movement. Ivan looked from the light to his trembling hand and figured that it was his rings that this creature wanted. The light it reflected must have attracted it, and if it was the rings it wanted, then it was the rings it would get. 

After chanting a short spell to relight his candle so he could see, Ivan took his golden chain off his neck and strung his rings through it until he had his bait. Very slowly, he sat back down again in his boat and lowered the chain of rings into the water where the creature would be able to see. Then he waited, still as stone, for the creature to come closer.

Ivan’s stillness eased the creature’s fear, and as it got even closer, Ivan saw gold. Not from the fish earlier, but from jewelry. Glimmering gold jewelry that sat atop a head of golden hair, hair that swirled around eyes so blue that they sparkled like sapphires. 

His breath caught in his throat as he saw the face of a creature who didn’t seem to notice Ivan at all. Perhaps it was because Ivan hid his face in his fur cloak to keep from scaring the creature away, but Ivan knew that the creature was more scared of Ivan’s boat than he was of Ivan. 

But true to the goddess’s word, this creature was more beautiful than anything Ivan has ever seen. Perhaps it was because this creature held the item that would make Ivan king, but Ivan was completely struck by its beauty. 

Time seemed to pass slower as the creature slowly gained the courage to reach out its hands again to grab for the rings, and slowly, at an almost unnoticeable pace, Ivan retracted his own hand, pulling the rings and the creature closer to the surface. 

Closer and closer he lured it until he was sure it was close enough. Then without warning, he shot his hand down and grabbed the hand reaching for his necklace. The flesh he touched was cold, but not colder than the water, and he knew because the second he grabbed the wrist and tightened his grip, the creature panicked and dragged him off his boat and into the icy water in an attempt to escape. 

It swam so fast that the water whipped him like daggers. Its force was so great that Ivan had no choice but to close his eyes to shield them. He wasn’t sure how deep into the water the creature dragged him, but it wasn’t long before Ivan realized that what he had done was a mistake. 

His lungs burned for air, but he didn’t want to let go. This was his only chance, this was his test, and if he let go, it would surely mean he was a failure. He believed in Anfara's protection. This was simply a test of his strength. She would never let him die like this. Would she? 

Desperate fingers clawed at Ivan’s hand, but even with his fingers numb and burning, the prince held on tight. Over and over, he chanted that Anfara would protect him. Like Alyosha emerging from the cave, he would survive despite the odds. 

Ivan wanted to believe, truly he did, but as the creature’s tail slammed into his body and knocked the last of the air from his lungs, he was beginning to lose hope. Instinct took over and he breathed in the icy poison around him. He coughed, over and over, until the lack of oxygen made his vision turn black. He clawed blindly to the surface, but he could feel his body sinking, dragged down by the weight of his fur cloak. 

This cold was unlike anything he had felt before. Like millions of daggers piercing every part of his skin and seeping into his nerves. He felt his feet touch the bottom, and as he pried his eyes open to see how far he was from the top, he was met with nothing but darkness. Frozen fingers picked at the clasps of his cloak, but without air, without warmth, they were useless and stiff. 

Then, like the day he had received the quest, he felt the water around him turn warm. But it was a warmth that did not come from the goddess, no matter how much he had wanted to believe. This warmth was the comfort of his own mind. Wanting to ease the pain, it shut off all other feelings in his body, leaving him with nothing but warmth. 

As he drowned, his mind made itself believe that everything was alright. His panic vanished, his mind at peace, his muscles relaxed. 

He felt happy, but then, he felt angry. Not at the creature, but at himself. But that anger lasted only a second before it was replaced with hope. Hope that with him gone, the kingdom would be able to elect a king more suited to rule. 

Ivan, who had failed a simple quest, was unfit, and he knew it to be true. 

He felt himself moving, pushed along by the currents, but everything around him was still cloaked in darkness. His mind had forced him to accept his death and he awaited the moment when the goddess would greet him and he would see the face of his mother once more. 

In his state, Ivan could almost feel the arms of his mother wrapping around his body in a warm embrace and he couldn’t help but smile. 

Then everything around wasn’t black anymore. It was white. And someone was speaking to him in a voice so soft that he knew there was only one source. 

He called for his mother, but no sound came out. Only the bubbles that carried the last of the air from his lungs and floated to the surface. 

Chapter Text

The first thing Ivan felt was heat. It wasn’t warmth like basking in the sun, but heat like a dragon had breathed its fire into his body and scorched him from the inside. His body lurched as he vomited and coughed out the water from his lungs, staining the crystal clear water right below his face. 

His vision was blurry, and his memory just as much. The thoughts in his head flowed like thick mud, but slowly, pieces of his memory returned. He could feel the hardness of wood under his hands and the gentle rocking of his rowboat. Or perhaps that was just his head swaying from dizziness. He remembered the water. He remembered drowning. But something had saved him when he had already accepted his fate. 

Something glinted in the candlelight beside him making him turn his head, but his entire body froze when he locked eyes with the creature staring right back. Those same blue eyes that he saw before he had been dragged into the deep waters were locked on his. He didn’t dare blink, fearing that if he did, his dream would end and the creature would vanish into thin air. 

Without the veil of water altering his view of the creature, Ivan found that it was not as beautiful as he once thought. Its eyes were a dull blue, hair the color of sand, and a face that placed him at an age perhaps a year below Ivan. It seemed to be male and was decorated with jewels in a fashion that, to Ivan, looked like a child who had ransacked their mother’s entire collection and thrown it on themselves. There was no order, no coordination, just accessories worn on his body for no other reason than to just have them on. 

“Beautiful” was the word he had used just moments before to describe this creature, but now, after seeing him in the dim light, the new word that came to his mind was “ordinary.” The only thing beautiful about him was his tail. From the waist down, he had the tail of a fish with scales the color of his eyes lined with gold on the rounded edges. Was this really the creature he was looking for? The Goddess had described them as a creature more beautiful than he could imagine, but as he was looking at the face of the creature in front of him, Ivan felt like this wasn’t the creature he was seeking. 

Regardless of what he thought, this creature was still one of myth. “Merfolk,” they were called. They were shy and fast with the only recorded encounters being sightings of them basking on rocks, or the echoes of their voices traveling across the open ocean. Their voices hold magic and they’re rumored to be so beautiful that just one sighting will poison a human’s mind and lead them to a watery death. Perhaps Ivan was just not one to appreciate beauty. Or maybe he was just too tired to see it. 

“My thanks to you for saving me,” he finally spoke, his voice raspy. The creature responded with a nod so small that Ivan wondered if he had imagined it. Did this creature even understand him? “Are you the creature of the deep?” he asked, praying that the creature had the gift of tongues. Most mythical creatures did. Or at least, they’re said to. Ivan’s never encountered one before. 

He made a face that Ivan recognized as confusion, and in those few seconds, Ivan was left to wonder if that confusion stemmed from not knowing what was said, or from not knowing how to answer. The creature began looking around as if trying to see if Ivan’s question had been directed at someone else. But when he saw no one, he returned his gaze to Ivan and wrinkled his nose in thought. 

“I am a creature… and I live in the deep…” He spoke the words slowly as if he was unsure of himself. His voice was soft and sounded so human-like that if Ivan closed his eyes, he would not have been able to tell the difference between a man and this mythical being. Ivan’s doubt continued to grow, but this was the only intelligent creature, besides his crew, that he had encountered in almost two months, so he had to try. 

He straightened himself and smoothed out his soaked clothes until he was, at least, moderately presentable. “I am Ivan Braginsky, Crown Prince of the Kingdom of Rusnia,” he spoke in a proud voice, only a slight tremor from the cold, “I am on a quest to retrieve the greatest treasure of the Frozen Sea, hidden in the Forest of Ice. I am to bring this treasure back to the Goddess, and only then will I be deemed worthy to rule.” When he finished, he stared back at the creature’s face of stone. 

“Why should I give it to you?” 

The answer made Ivan choke. How could this creature be so blunt? Did he not for a second consider it? “Well- Because I am the future king!” 

“In a land I don’t live in.” The creature scuffed and crossed his arms. “I have a king, too. I obey him, not you.”

Oh the arrogance! It made Ivan want to strangle him. His patience had already been drawn thin from endless days of searching, and now this creature wanted to be difficult and bratty? “Seeing that this sea is part of my kingdom, I demand that-” He stopped short when the creature grabbed on to the edge of the boat and leaned forward as if preparing to leap. On his face was an expression of disapproval, a face that said “if I don’t like your words, I don’t have to tolerate them. I’ll just go and you can do nothing to stop me.” 

So with a deep breath, Ivan swallowed down his words and smiled with gritted teeth. He took a moment to recollect himself and, hopefully, restart their conversation. This quest was not meant to be easy. It was a test of his being, and it seemed that right now, it was his patience that was being tested. 

“What is your name?” he finally asked. “I have given you mine. It would only be fair for you to give me yours, yes?” 

There was a long moment of silence as Ivan waited for the creature’s answer. He seemed to be thinking about what Ivan had said while also considering the fact that just moments ago, Ivan demanded that he give up the sea’s greatest treasure. His bottom lip jutted out in thought in a way that Ivan thought was childish. Then at last, he gave an answer. 

“Alfred,” he said, his grip on the edge of the boat relaxing just the slightest. “You may call me Alfred.” With how long he had taken to answer, Ivan questioned if the name he was given was his real name, or if he had chosen one that was human enough for Ivan to pronounce. 

“Alfred,” Ivan repeated. “Well, Alfred. As the Prince of Rusnia, I humbly request that you offer me your greatest treasure. In return, I give you my word that I will grant you anything you-”

“I want to be the king of your kingdom,” he interrupted with a smirk. 

“Anything,” Ivan continued, “within reason.”

“I believe my request is very reasonable.” 

Ivan watched as Alfred leaned on the other side of the boat as if he were lounging on pillows in bed. Surely this couldn’t be the creature the Goddess spoke of? How could a figure of such importance be so... haughty?

“My kingdom is very wealthy,” he went on, trying to go back to what he had been saying before Alfred had cut in, “if it is a chest full of jewelry or gold you desire, I will be able to provide.”

“I don’t need them.” Taking his eyes off Ivan, he gestured to the jewels decorating his slender body. “I collect these from the vessels that die here. I have plenty. They mean nothing to me. Just trinkets for my entertainment.” 

“Then why did you take my rings and my crown?” 

“I took your rings because I was bored and there’s nothing to entertain me ‘cept the fishes.” He propped his head under his hand and looked at Ivan with a bored expression. “As for your crown, I didn’t take it. It simply fell off when you were in the water.” Reaching behind himself, he grabbed the silver circlet and inspected it in his clawed nails. 

“Here.” He tossed it to Ivan so carelessly that the prince almost dropped it back into the water trying to catch it. “Have it back. It’s not pretty enough so I don’t want it.” 

“It is not meant to be pretty,” he said with a huff as he placed the crown back onto his head with numb fingers, “This crown is to signify my status as the Crown Prince.” 

“So you’re telling me that if I were to wear it, I would become the crown prince?” The glint in his eyes made Ivan put his hands on top of his head to keep Alfred from possibly snatching his crown.

“No! That is not how it works. There is a ceremony, there are vows and speeches, and you need to be born of royal blood for any of that to happen.” 

The last part had made Alfred snicker as he covered his mouth with his webbed hands. “ Royal blood . Royal blood does not exist! Unless the blood you bleed is made of liquid gold, or can heal the sick with it, your blood is the same as any other human’s blood. In the end, you all meet the same mortal fate. Saying you have royal blood is just to make you feel better about yourself and put yourself above others. ‘Royal blood’ is just a title for those who end up on top. And when you lose that title, you’re nothing but a commoner. Do not talk to me about royal blood. You are not my king.” 

The mood had shifted. Alfred’s eyes glared down at the waters and his prideful voice lowered almost to a whisper as he neared the end of his speech. Something flashed in his eyes that looked almost like pain, but it had come and gone so quickly, Ivan thought he had been fooled by the flickering candlelight. 

The prince knew Alfred was right in everything he said. Ivan had done nothing to deserve his title as prince, and if he were given the choice to give it up, he would take it. But the truth of the matter was that he would never be given that choice. It was his fate to be king, and by the Gods he was going to use his title right. 

He waited until he was sure Alfred was done before he continued to speak, this time lowering his voice to be level with him. The prince spoke to him, not as a royal, but as a human. “I know I am not your king, but this quest means everything to me. If you would allow it, I would like to request an audience with your king since you will not reason with me.” 

Alfred finally turned his head away from the water and looked Ivan up and down with disdain. “That won’t happen. He is busy.” 

“How do you know?” 

“Because I know!” He had cut Ivan off before he had the chance to finish his question and returned his gaze to the waters. 

Ivan remained calm the entire time. He recalled his teachings, telling him that ruling using emotion is no way to rule. Emotions cloud judgement. Good judgement can only be made when the heart is calm and the mind is clear. 

“Alfred, you are my only hope.” Ivan held his hands out to Alfred, palms facing the ceiling of the cave in a gesture of respect. “If I do not complete this quest, I cannot rightfully become king. I need to become king to fix my father’s mistakes. He was a terrible and unjust king and I hope to repair the damage he has done. But it is not something I can do without your aid. 

“Please,” his hands still trembled from the cold. If he did not return to his ship and change out of his wet clothes soon, this conversation with Alfred would be his last. “As prince and future king, I am begging you.” 

For the first time since their conversation had begun, Alfred looked at Ivan with a face that wasn’t scornful or taunting. He looked at Ivan as if he had finally registered the importance of Ivan’s quest, and perhaps considered giving him what he needed to complete it. But that look only lasted a few moments. Once Alfred’s eyes landed on Ivan’s shaking hands, his face turned to one of concern. 

“I believe there are more important things for you to worry about right now.” And before Ivan could stop him, Alfred gave himself a push and slipped back into the dark water. Gone. 

It was like his entire world had crashed down, crushing him under the weight. Without his hope, he felt like he had been struck with a battle ram and thrust back into cruel reality. Alfred had denied him, and there was nothing that he could do. 

He tried and failed to close his hands into fists, joints aching from the bitter cold, so he slowly pulled them under his cloak in an attempt to return their functionality. His whole body shook as it tried to provide the heat he needed to survive, and with his hands so stiff they couldn’t close, he had no hope of grabbing on to the oars. 

“My Goddess,” he closed his eyes, “if you are merciful, I pray that you will allow me to pass this trial.” His voice was barely above a whisper, the heat of his breath making clouds slip from his lips. 

Then, as if his prayers were answered, his boat lurched backwards, moving towards the way he came. Words of gratitude were sent up to the heavens, but the soft sound of splashing interrupted his peace. 

Leaning his body to the side, he looked to the bow of the boat and realized that his vessel was not being moved by Her will. It was being pushed by something of this world. A head of yellow popped out of the water and smiled at him as Ivan stared in confusion. 

“Alfred? But… why?” 

Alfred rolled his eyes with a snort. “A dead king can’t rule a kingdom. I’m going to return to your ship so you don’t die. It would also give me time to think about my wish.” 

“So you will consider my offer?” 

“How about you worry over yourself first, Prince Ivan? Now sit still.” 

Warmth and hope blossomed in Ivan’s chest, sending a chill through his body strong enough to make him jolt. But for Alfred, and for his kingdom, he did as the merman instructed. He sat still and allowed Alfred to push him all the way back to the ship, weaving through the caverns like he knew every path better than he knew his own name. 

Then it hit him: Alfred knew all along . He wasn’t sure for how long, but Alfred knew that Ivan and his crew were here and had only now decided to show his face. How long had he been watching them? If Ivan had never fallen into the water, would he have stayed hidden forever? Ivan had opened his mouth to confront him about it, but when he saw the determined look on Alfred’s face, he pressed his lips together and held his words inside. 

Alfred revealing himself to Ivan was something he saw as a blessing. Alfred saving him when he could have let him drown was another. Alfred spoke his language, was considering his request, and was helping Ivan back to his ship when his hands couldn’t move. Those too were seen as blessings. For a brief moment, Ivan wondered that with so many blessings, when would his luck eventually run out? 

But he shook his head softly to dismiss the thought. All of it was fate. Every step had already been planned out and all he had to do was move forward. Or in this case, he had to move backwards. With his back turned towards their path, it was up to Alfred to bring them back to the ship. He trusted Alfred not to push him into a cave with no exits, or over the side of a waterfall. He trusted him enough to let his eyes slip close, the quiet splash of the water against his boat sounding like a lullaby to his freezing mind.

"Hey!" Giving a firm shove, Alfred made the boat lurch with such force that Ivan had almost fallen over face first. "Don't sleep." With a hard glare, he pushed the rowboat a little faster. Worry wrinkled his brow and his haste to get back to the ship made him bump and scrape against the cavern walls. Ivan had found it to be somewhat endearing. It almost seemed like Alfred cared about his well-being. But Ivan reasoned with himself that the merman was only keeping him alive to be able to fulfill his wish. 

Soon enough, the sounds of chatting and clanging metal reached their ears. The stone walls around them grew taller until light from the sun burst through. Disregarding his aching, burning muscles, Ivan forced his body to sit up straight and proud with only the slightest look of pain and fatigue gracing his face. One by one, his crew turned to them, but only when they saw the creature pushing the boat did they come running forward to the edge of the water. 

"Your Highness, is that the creature?"

"Did you find it, Your Highness?"

"Where is the treasure?" 

The ones who had rushed forward ignored Ivan to be the first to lay their eyes on the creature that had eluded them for almost two months. But a few of the humans pushed the others out of the way to get to the prince. "Your Highness, you're drenched! What happened? You're turning blue ! Will you move ?" The second question was directed at the men who cared more about Alfred than they cared about their prince. With them crowding around him, they couldn't help him back to the ship. 

Their disregard for Ivan's safety had angered Alfred so much that he slipped back under the water and lifted the rowboat right out of it, holding it above his head. Ivan gasped and held on to the sides for dear life as he watched his crew jump back several feet from the water's edge. But instead of tossing him like everyone had expected, Alfred had set the boat down gently on the ledge, pushing it towards the ones who wanted to help. 

"He fell into the water. It was an accident," Alfred lied. The crew fell silent hearing him speak and no one dared to even move. "What are you all? Stone? Your prince is dying and you lot just stand around and gawk!" His fist slammed down on the rock, forming small cracks and making the crew leap back another step. 

Two men, who looked lankier and less brutish than the others, glanced at one another before rushing forward to grab their prince. They looked at Alfred with a hint of fear in their eyes, so Alfred moved further into the water to show that he wouldn't attack. Alfred watched with worry as they helped Ivan out of the boat. Ivan’s legs almost gave out under him when he stepped off, but the servants served as his crutches. 

Alfred's eyes followed them, stalked them, watched as they helped Ivan up the ramp onto the ship. Even when they had gone inside Ivan's cabin, Alfred circled around the hull of the ship to see if there was a way he could see inside. He was like a fly outside a glass window, fingers touching the hard wood of the ship as if the hull would magically open up and let him in. But it never did, leaving Alfred to swim around and around, his head occasionally poking above the water to see what was going on.

He was well aware the crew was watching him, but he didn’t seem to care. All he cared about was Ivan’s safety. It’s been ages since he had spoken to anyone, and Ivan was just too much fun to lose. 

It felt like hours had passed since Ivan was ushered inside, but had only been mere minutes. Then at last, one of the servants who had helped Ivan onto the ship came down the ramp and locked eyes with Alfred. The merman swam closer to hear the news, his arms resting on the rocky ledge. He waited as the fidgety servant took steps forward and back, clearly still scared of Alfred. Even when he stepped forward, he was still tugging on his short, blond hair.

“Are you,” the servant paused to clear his throat, “are you the one called Alfred? I-I mean, ha, you are the only Merfolk here. Who else would be called Alfred. Prince Ivan had-”

“How is he?” 

The servant squeaked and began fiddling with his clothes like he had done with his hair. “Um. Prince Ivan is well. All thanks to you. He has changed into warmer clothes and is regaining the heat in his body. He told me to come out and give you his thanks.” 

“And to make sure I haven’t left?” 

“I-...” He glanced over at the ship as if asking Ivan for the answer. “Y-... yes…” 

“Assure him that I will not leave just yet. I believe I have figured out what it is I want, so he won’t be getting rid of me that easily.” With a smirk, Alfred lifted himself up and sat down on the ledge with his tail partially in the water. “But do tell him to hurry. I am impatient.” 

The look Alfred gave the servant made him nod vigorously before sprinting back to the ship so quickly he had almost tripped over his own shoes. Alfred laughed under his breath at the clumsiness. It had been so long since he had company and he had forgotten how fun it was to mess with people. Speaking of, it seemed the rest of the crew had built up the courage to come a little closer. Alfred watched them as the eight men whispered between themselves, then one man gave a huff and pushed them aside. 

From the way he looked, Alfred assumed this man was a class above the others. His blond hair was neater, his clothes were not torn, and his chest puffed like a walrus as he came forward to Alfred. Not that any of those things held his attention for long. His eyes would not stop staring at the man’s eyebrows. They were well kept, but they were so thick and dark that Alfred had trouble looking away. 

“Oi. You can understand us, right?” he asked as he squatted down an arm’s length away from Alfred. 

The merman didn’t respond immediately. His gaze moved from the man in front of him to the ones crowded around in the back, then back to the man with the odd eyebrows. 

“No,” he lied, then looked away from him, “I don’t have a clue what you’re saying.” He had to keep himself from smiling as he swayed his tail left and right, making small ripples in the water. 

At his answer, the man chuckled and shook his head in an unbelieving way. “Creature’s got humor, lads!” he called back to his crew, “Raivis had called you ‘Alfred,’ right? Is that your name?” 

“Perhaps it is, and perhaps it isn't.” He flicked his tail with a bored look on his face, the motion making the sunlight glint against his shimmering scales and the jewelry decorating it. From the side of his eye, he saw the man waddle closer before sitting next to Alfred with his legs folded.

“Charming. I like that. Name’s Arthur, but the others call me Captain.” He held out his hand for Alfred to shake, but when Alfred had only given the hand a glance, he retracted it and put it back on his lap. “So, Alfred, how have you come to acquire those? If my eyes don't fool me, I can confidently say that the chaplet you wear on your head is the one named Tears of Fire which belonged to Lord Adrian’s daughter. Do you know what happened to her?” 

Alfred didn’t like the look on his face. It made him feel like he was walking into a trap. “Why should I know your human friends?” Reaching up, he took the piece off his head and admired it for just a second. It was beautiful, but simple, and just like its name, the tear-shaped rubies that hung down from the main loop made it look like he was crying fiery tears. 

“She was lost at sea,” Arthur told him, “Lady Hanna was an offering to our previous king from a land across the waters. She was meant to be his concubine, but she never made it to our kingdom. That chaplet was given to her as a wedding gift.” 

Arthur had barely finished his story when Alfred had tossed the piece at him. “Seems like she would rather die than be under him.” Arthur’s expression when Alfred said that proved Ivan’s words from before to be true. Even without saying a word, Alfred could tell that Arthur had thought the same. The previous king truly was a horrible man. 

“You’re lucky none of us were loyal to that cockstain, otherwise, magical being or not, you would have been beheaded.” 

“Shame to the old king,” one of the men in the back muttered, then spit on the ground. A few men followed behind him, all muttering various insults and laughing as they grew more and more vulgar. But Alfred didn’t laugh, he looked disappointed. 

“I didn’t know humans were so disrespectful towards their king, dead or alive.” 

“Not all our kings, lad. Just this one. The whole kingdom is lucky he was a deadbeat father. ‘Cause of that, our prince is nothing like ‘im.” He bowed his head to the ship making Alfred wonder if Ivan had come out. But when he looked and saw no one, he turned back to Arthur. “Wouldn’t be here risking his life if he was. The lad has so much to prove, not just to the people, but to himself, most of all.” 

Everyone was silent after that: some out of respect, some out of pity, and some who weren’t brave enough to say what they thought in their heart. 

(-w-)

As the sun fell, the men began to return to the ship to resume their duties. But for hours, they had crowded around Alfred and flooded his ears with tales, some true and some legend. They let him experience a land he could never reach and opened his eyes to their world. Some tales had made him bend over in laughter, and some made him clutch his heart in admiration. 

They were a good group of men, he realized. Even though they were boorish and coarse, they were friendly and offered good company. But now, Alfred sat alone with his back against a boulder while the men were inside the ship having supper. Ivan’s servant, Raivis, had told them that Ivan was well and resting, so Alfred had no reason to hope that he would come out to speak to him any time soon. 

He had almost dozed off as he basked in the warmth of the bonfire beside him when the sound of footsteps brought him out of his sleepy state. To his surprise, Ivan and three of his servants were making their way down the ramp towards him. One was helping Ivan walk with a basket on her arm, and the other two each carried a crate. 

Now that he wasn’t drenched in icy water, he looked neater than what Alfred had observed before. His heavy, fur cloak kept most of his outfit hidden, but when Ivan moved his arms, it gave Alfred a glimpse of the plain but finely crafted clothes he wore underneath. While his crown and his clothes made him look royal, to Alfred, he just didn’t seem like a prince. He seemed like a normal person. 

“You are still here,” Ivan stated when he was close enough for Alfred to hear. 

Alfred’s face broke into a smile as he stretched lazily and groaned. “As if I’d dare leave, Your Highness. What have you got there?” 

“Our dinner.” 

Alfred’s eyebrows rose in surprise. “Our dinner?” 

Ivan nodded and sat down next to Alfred as the crates were opened up and food was set out. Alfred had expected it to be served only to the two of them, but enough plates were set out for five. Once the crates were emptied, they were flipped over and used as makeshift tables. 

“Shouldn't a prince like you be eating alone in his warm, comfortable cabin?” Alfred said it in a tone that was almost like he was mocking him. But Ivan didn’t take offense, he simply chuckled and shook his head. 

“I prefer not to eat alone. Without company, the food turns bitter.” Ivan’s smile was soft and genuine, making warmth grow in Alfred’s chest. 

More and more, Ivan’s image as a prince began to fade, but Alfred couldn't bring himself to say that it was a bad thing. Ivan wasn’t the type of prince to put himself above the others. Even now, he sat on the cold ground with Alfred and the servants as if they were the same class. He shared his food with them, laughed at their stories, and told some of his own. 

Some time later, more of his crew came and crowded around them. All were eager to hear how Ivan had found Alfred, waiting for a glorious tale. But Ivan didn’t change the story; he told the entire truth. He told them how he was a fool thinking he could catch Alfred with his bare hands, and how Alfred had toyed with him like he was an idiot. Never in his life did Alfred expect a prince to label himself as a fool or an idiot, and here Ivan was labeling himself as both. 

Ivan had turned to Alfred and told him, “I was fortunate that he decided to save me. If not, then…” His eyes seemed lost in thought, but his stiff smile stayed on his face. 

To break the silence, the crew offered words of gratitude to Alfred for saving their prince. Some had pat him on the shoulder, and some bowed to him in a show of respect. To Alfred, it was just bizarre. He had once thought that Ivan wasn’t ready to be king because he wasn’t authoritative enough. But now, he saw that even though Ivan didn’t seem to hold the usual qualities of a strong king, he had a crew that respected him because of his actions, not his status. 

Over the days, he spent almost every second of his time with Ivan and his people. He learned many of their names, tried all their food, and heard so many of their stories. Alfred didn’t want the days to end. After so many years alone in the dark caves, he wanted them to stay forever and keep him company. But it was a dream he would eventually need to wake from. 

“Damned creature,” he heard one night after everyone had retired. The voice had come from up on the deck where he couldn’t see. Alfred didn’t recognize the gruff, male voice so it must have been one of the men that stayed away from Alfred and busied themselves with chores. “Who the hell does he think he is?” 

“He’s just a freak,” came another hushed voice, “His father must have bedded a fish when all women rejected him.” The two men snickered then one of them shushed the other. 

“Quiet, or the prince will hear us.” 

“Damn him too. He’s found the bloody creature and still won’t take the godforsaken treasure from his hands so we can leave this frozen hell and go back home!” 

The words had hurt, but those men were right. Alfred was selfish for keeping them here, and even though they seemed happy to keep him company, he was keeping them from returning home to their families and their lives. 

Morning came and Ivan came to visit him as the sun rose, just as he had every morning since Alfred was found. He brought breakfast with him to share together, but today he was alone. 

“Good morning, Alfred,” he greeted, his voice soft as it always was, “Did you rest well?” 

Alfred only grunted in response, his head resting on his arms as his body from the chest down was still in the water. Thoughts raced around his head as he watched Ivan set out the food. It was dried meat, roasted fish, and sliced cheese. The same meal everyday.  

“You heard it as well, then?” 

Alfred’s eyes flickered up to Ivan. “Heard what?” 

“What they said last night on the deck.” Ivan’s voice sounded tired, but a smile still graced his face as he looked out at the sea. 

“Am I that easy to read?”

Like Alfred had done before, Ivan gave him a grunt in response. “They were rude, but their words hold truth. Our supplies are dwindling. If we ration what we have, perhaps we can stay for two more weeks. After that, we have no choice but to return home.” Those words brought sorrow to his face. 

From his expression, Alfred knew what Ivan had meant to say. 

I have to go home without the treasure. I failed the quest.

“You know, Ivan,” he paused, waiting until the prince turned to look at him, “you’ve already granted my wish.” 

“I have?” A flash of hope crossed his eyes, then the realization that he had forgotten to ask what it was in the first place. “What was your wish?” 

Alfred unbuckled a belt from his hip, something he’s never worn until today. On the belt was a sword, the sheath black as night and decorated with gold designs. He held the sheath of the sword tightly in his hands and looked down at it until the memories pained him so much that he had to look away. 

“This sword belonged to my father, King of the Western Seas.” He watched as Ivan’s eyes grew wide. 

“You’re a prince?”