Carter squirmed slightly at Yuri’s touch, but his anger flared up at his words. “Arria is a person, it’s not for you to decide who he ‘belongs’ to,” Carter snarled, trying to restrain the urge to punch the guy. I shouldn’t be causing a scene… He is a prince… But for what he did to Arria…
Yuri tutted, “No. He is mine and mine alone, what part of that don’t you understand? And if you try and hurt me in anyway I’ll make sure you never see him again.” He smirked a little.
Carter gaped for a few second before snarling, “What the heck are you talking about? Arria can make his own choices,” He ground out, his hands clenching to fists at his sides as he said quietly, so only Yuri could hear, “And if you hurt him again, I don’t give a f-ck is your the prince or the king or the d-mn emperor of the ocean, you better watch your back. So leave Arria alone.”
“You have no authority and you can’t tell me what I can and cannot do. So I think you should be the one watching your back,” Yuri’s smirk widened and he crossed his arms over his chest, “I know about your little secret, the potion you take to give you a tail. If you want your secret to stay a secret then listen carefully. Make one wrong move on me, and I’ll make sure Arria never sees you again.”
Carter paled for a few seconds. How does he know? The rage built inside his chest, and he took a deep breath and leashed it. I have to protect Arria… He sighed, looking at the ground for a second before trying seal his true emotions deep inside him. Anything to get him off Arria’s back… Carter leaned in to Yuri, enough so he could feel his heat, and pulled up a soft, innocent, weak face, “But Yuri… What about me? I’ll be… lonely.” He forced himself to put a hand on Yuri’s waist gently, trying to convey an image of helplessness and want. If I could just get Yuri to ignore Arria… to find someone new… Arria just needed to be safe. Carter could care less about himself.
Yuri smirked and leaned into Carter to whisper, “Don’t worry, you won’t be lonely. They’ll be someone else in the dungeon cell with you,” But he placed a hand on Carter’s chest, letting it creep up it slowly, “Unless you would be willing to stay with me, then I’d back off Arria.”
Carter’s breath caught for a second. For Arria… “I could… stay with you?” He forced himself to whisper softly, like a feather’s brush. “Yuri…” He whispered, forced himself to relax, leaning closer to Yuri so their skin touched. He stopped his shudder, forcing himself to rest his head on Yuri’s shoulder and whisper, “That would be nice…” I’m doing this for Arria, he’ll be safe, it doesn’t matter what happens to me, Carter reminded himself firmly, keeping himself from pushing away in disgust.
Yuri smirked and placed a kiss to the top of Carter’s head, “Good. Come with me.” He grabbed Carter’s hand and lead him away from the party, his smirk grew with every passing moment.
Arria, who’d been watched from a distance, frowned when he noticed them leaving, Something is wrong… Carter wouldn’t go with him willingly… Taking a breath, Arria followed.
Carter forced himself to not wince at the kiss. He swam behind Yuri, pretending he was holding Arria’s hand, trying to dredge up those feelings he always felt when he was with Arria. Carter forced a tiny, shy smile. No more than a nervous human being led by a merman prince. I just have to fake it… Arria will be safe that way.
Yuri led them deep into the palace, somewhere that Arria had only been once and he felt the nerves swell in his chest. The further they went, the darker it got and in some places it became hard to see but eventually, it opened up into a large cave where Yuri quickly pushed Carter into a near by cell, closing it with a bang.
"Well, now I know you'd be willing to stay with me in order to protect Arria. Ever faithful, aren't you?"
Carter flinched, curling in on himself. No, no, no, no— Arria, gosh, no- “Please! Please, Yuri, I only wanted to be with you, I was trying to use Arria to be with you!” He pressed himself against the metal bars, trying to still keep up the act no matter what happen. Arria…
“Has Arria ever told you how bad a liar you are?” Yuri laughed, “Please Carter, I know how much you love him, that’s nothing you can fake.”
“Yuri…” Arria swam towards him and Yuri smiled softly at him.
“Arria, I thought you’d find us.”
Carter paled, his eyes glued to the love of his life as he mumbled, “Arria… You aren’t supposed to be here,” No, gosh no, Yuri is going to hurt him, I won’t be able to stop it. Carter moved his begging eyes to Yuri, “Please, just please, let him go, I’ll do anything! Use me, I don’t care, just don’t hurt him, please.” Carter started to cry, pulling against the cell bars.
Yuri shot a glare at Carter before returning his gaze to Arria.
“Yuri, let Carter go. I’ll stay with you if you just let him go… please.” He said quietly.
Yuri sighed and shook his head a little, “I can’t refuse my love now can I?”
He moved to the cell and opened the door, “Leave, and if you come near Arria I’ll kill you.”
Carter shook slightly, immediately swimming up to Arria, and pulling him close and whispering shakily, “No, no, don’t do this Arria, no. I don’t want you to be hurt,” He grabbed hold of Arria’s hand, sobbing out when he felt the engagement ring, “I’d rather be locked up forever than you being a prisoner to him.”
Arria buried his face in the crook of Carter’s neck, “I’ll be okay. Find my friends, they’ll come up with a plan to get me back.” He whispered a couple of his own tears forming and falling, “I love you…”
Carter sobbed, tightening his arms around Arria slightly before tilting his chin up and kissing him fiercely before breathing, “I’m coming back for you, I promise. I love you Arria.” He kissed Arria’s forehead once before pulling away.
Yuri jerked his head and two mermen came out from the darkness, pulling Carter even further away from Arria. Yuri wrapped an arm around Arria with a smug grin.
“Don’t come back Carter,” Yuri warned as he watched the other get pushed away.
Carter tried to shove away, but was pulled away. He clenched his fists, then forced himself to leave willingly. I need to get to Arria’s friends… They’ll know what to do… He reluctantly left, wiping away at his tears. He’s gonna be okay… He needs to be… This is all my fault…
Once Carter had left, Yuri showered Arria in kisses and he let him, wishing it was Carter and not the prince.
Herla, Gallion and Mulir were swimming near the back of the ballroom, conversing quietly about something or another when they spotted Carter and swam over.
“Carter! Where’s Arria?” Gallion asked.
Carter looked with distraught eyes, “Gallion, gosh, Herla, Mulir, oh gosh- Please, please help me, Arria, he- Yuri got him, he said you’d know what to do,” Carter rambled, putting his face in his hands as he broke a little bit more. “I should’ve fought more, I should’ve done something more, I should’ve-“ He broke off with his own sob.
Gallion pulled Carter into a hug, “Come on. Let’s get out of here and you can explain everything that has happened.”
Carter protested through his tears, “But Arria -hic- will be alone with- with- Yuri,” I need to get him back, I need to make sure he’s safe, I need to get him out. He wiped furiously at his tears unsuccessfully trying to stop himself from crying.
“H-he’s with Yuri?” Mulir frowned a little and Gallion pulled back from the hug
“Carter, you need to tell us exactly what happened from the moment you left us at the ravine.” Herla said, firmly but softly. Whatever had happened must have been bad.
Carter explained all that had happened, sniffling and wiping away the rest of his tears while he was at it. He was ashamed of himself. “I should’ve done more, I-I have to get him out of there. I don’t care if Yuri threatened to kill me or lock me up.”