Chapter 9

DAWN OF A NEW DAY

Part 1

Fifteen minutes before dawn...

Michael stirred, groaned and woke up again. His jaw was aching and so was his face around his eyes. He was going to have two shiners there soon. The back of his head hurt where he had struck it against the headboard. Ohhhh, man! He felt like a train wreck. What hit him?

Then he remembered. Brian had hit him. Over and over again. OK, well, it looked like the honeymoon was over. He had hoped that Brian would take the high road, fight off the last stipulation of the enchantment but it was no go. The Witch's prophecy had come true and that was the last sex he was ever going to have for as long as he and Brian were married. And if that was true, then Michael had no doubt that the Witch would be right in the fact that Brian would never let him go.

Groaning some more, he sat up rubbing the back of his head feeling a lump the size of the goose egg. He hoped he didn't have a concussion.

Fortunately, Michael was not worried. As was said, he had hoped that Brian would man up but since this was not going to be the case, he had a Plan B. Devious and smart people always kept a plan B and Michael was both devious and a genius. He chuckled. There was no way in hell he was going to spend the rest of his long life without love or sex. And to Michael those two things were basically the same thing.

His gaze fell upon the magnum opus. He scooted over to the edge of the bed and looked at it a bit but where Brian had found feelings of wonder, amazement, and love, Michael only fostered intensified feelings of jealousy, rage, and hate. And he just hated Justin with every fiber of his being, more than he thought was possible. He figured that's where Brian was. Instead of with him, in their cozy little love nest, he'd run off back to him. Well, that little mute boy may have started things in motion but Michael was going to be the one to end them.

He got up and headed for the door and was nearly there when his foot glanced off an object and sent it skittering across the floor. He bent down and picked up a jewel-encrusted dagger, wickedly sharp.

"Well, well, well! What have we here?" Michael whispered. His face lit up as if he'd received a much-anticipated Christmas gift. He turned it over and over in his hands savoring it. Well! Things had just got much more interesting!

He went over to the painting and viscously stabbed out both of their eyes, all four of them. Then he filleted them both from the throat down to the fins. He cut his way down the golden spike, stabbed out a few of the prettier fish and sliced both the whales in half. Then he closed his eyes and stabbed and sliced a big strip. He loved the delicious ripping sound it made. When he was done, he was breathing hard in manic excitement.

A big portion of the painting was now hanging down in a big flap. The whales were in half. The two mermen now looked rather forlorn with their eyes gone and sliced down the middle. The magnum opus was completely destroyed.

But Michael thought it had never looked better. He gripped the ruby encrusted handle until his knuckles were white.

"And now!" he whispered in maniacal hate, "To do the same to the real things!"

BJMBJMBJMBJMBJMBJMBJM

A few minutes later, the cabin door cracked open and then slowly and silently opened. Michael snuck out onto deck after hastily throwing on some pants. He crept over silently across the deck and hid behind a barrel.

There they were! Right at the back! Wrapped up in each other like nothing else mattered. Like HE didn't matter! As usual. Michael gripped the dagger hilt and felt the comforting weight. This was going to be sweet. He was planning to just dump Brian overboard somehow but this would be much better. After all, shipwrecked sailors often washed up on shore. Michael giggled softly and this time, even he could hear the insane quality to it.

Brian and Justin were looking out behind the ship, out to sea.

Michael rose up from behind the barrel. He held the dagger behind his back in case they looked round and saw him.

They were wrapped up in each other's arms, oblivious. They never saw him coming as he took his first few steps forward.
At that moment, someone began to sing.

It was a rich, sultry baritone, wordless and haunting. Michael stopped. It was the most beautiful thing he had ever heard. He listened for a moment, then shook it off. He took another step.

The singing continued. It rose and fell in cadence and the tempo increased a bit. Slowed a bit. Michael stopped again, listening, savoring it. It was like warm liquid chocolate, sliding smooth down his throat, only as sound around his ears. It was so different...so beautiful. Michael didn't think he'd ever be able to hear or appreciate anything beautiful again. And where was it coming from? Who was making that beautiful sound?

He had to find out. He took a last look at his enemies and saw that they weren't going anywhere. He could finish them off anytime. They didn't seem to hear anything.

And so, Michael turned around and followed the railing toward the front of the ship. As he listened the Singing grew deeper and wilder. Although it was still wordless, Michael could feel it was a calling, a calling to him, for him, and he was answering it.

He never noticed when he dropped the knife into the barrel as he passed it. It didn't matter. Nothing mattered now. Nothing mattered but the voice.

He followed the railing right to the front of the ship and out in the water at the front of the ship and to the starboard (right) side was a heavily muscled man easily keeping up with the ship and singing. Singing to him.

"Hello!" Michael called, "Do you need help?"

The man halted his song and smiled up at Michael, a dazzling, white smile of delight. He had thick, dark, curly, short hair. "No indeed! Your ship is just cruising. I can easily keep up." Indeed, it was as if the man was sitting still in the water.

"But how? Who are you? What are you doing in there?"

"My, such a lot of questions right off! Well, I can keep up because I have a tail. I'm a merman." He showed off his long, dark green tail with large powerful fins. "I'm here because I wanted to sing to you. To call to you. Because I love you."

"You love me? Don't be ridiculous! I don't even know you. You don't know me!"

"I know you. I watched you marry that other mortal yesterday and I could smell the magic coming off of him like fumes off a drunk. Whatever you did to that poor mortal, I cannot say, but I know he does not love you. I do. And you have the capacity to love me too or you would not have heard my song. I designed it for your ears alone."

"That's true. The others didn't seem to hear you."

"Nobody else can hear me! This song is just for you, Michael. Just for you because I love you. My name is Ben." Ben began to sing again softly and Michael's eyes grew misty at the beauty of it.

"Just...for me? Nobody's done anything...just for me...in so long!" Michael said brokenly.

"Poor Michael. Poor mortal. Come to me. Be with me. I'll take you. I won't forsake you. I won't lie. I won't cheat and make you cry," Ben sang.

"Come to you? But I can't. I'm human, you're a merman. Besides, I just got married."

"He does not love you. He has forsaken you in his heart for another right now. I can smell their love from here. It's sickening."

"That's true. He does not love me. And he never will now," Michael said sadly.

"He has left you for another. Come with me now. I'll carry you to an island where bananas and pineapples and coconuts grow. The beaches are white sand and we can live and love there forevermore. I'll bring you fish to cook and teach you breathe underwater and every night I'll sing you to sleep, music that's just for you, Michael, just for you each and every day." Softly, he kept singing, singing.

"Ohhh, that sounds lovely. But Brian..."

"That puny mortal does not love you. He does not deserve you. Come away with me. Love me and be mine."

"Hey! Brian's not puny!"

"Is he as big as me?" Ben flexed his biceps, which were as large as grapefruits. He jiggled and flexed his heavily muscled pecs. "Do you like big muscles, Michael?" he asked suggestively. He sang softly.

Michael loved muscles! In fact, truth be told, he was quite the closet muscle queen and he often wished Brian was even bigger that he was, and Brian was pretty big. Michael had been planning to get his hands on some money from the treasury once he was King and buy Brian a weight set and suggest they use it together....His stomach dropped. Another dream lost.

"I do!" he told Ben, "I think you're gorgeous!"

Michael was beginning to be tempted. Brian didn't want him. He had been jealous and angry and out for blood because he thought that was his only option. But now here was this kind, mystical, wonderful creature giving him a better offer. Why should he stay here where he wasn't wanted, even hated? But...

"Promise me you won't leave me or maroon me. Swear by your God, Neptune and I'll come with you. I'm not sure if I love you, but I'll try to learn. It's better than staying here, that's for sure!"

"I promise all. I swear by Neptune! Come to me, my love!" Ben held out his heavily muscled arms and Michael took the plunge, both figuratively and literally. He jumped over the side and into Ben's waiting arms.

Ben cradled him in his huge arms and they looked deep into each other's eyes. Ben kept cooing softly to him and Michael savored every note. He could feel his old life and subsequent hateful and evil feelings slip away from him as if they had been a nightmare from which he could now awake. He looked into Ben's eyes shining with love and felt his own soften with returned love. He leaned forward and gave Ben a chaste kiss to test the waters for chemistry.

Ben smiled wolfishly and pulled Michael in for a deep, hot, hungry kiss. The chemistry was as explosive as a powder keg. They kissed for several minutes without stopping and then came up for air. Ben swam with them aimlessly through the water and soon the ship was far away and forgotten.

"It's done then! You have forsaken your promised! You are mine!" Ben said triumphantly.

"Oh yes! I'm yours! I'm all yours! You're all mine!" Michael said running his hands all over Ben's luscious body.

Ben pulled him in for another deep, hot kiss. He sucked greedily at Michael's tongue and Michael gave it to him willingly.

"MMMMM.....you taste delicious!" Ben moaned.

Ben sucked harder and then harder. Michael got a little worried. He tried to pull back. But Ben wouldn't let go. Michael struggled but it was no use. Ben held him easily. He sucked harder and then suddenly he bit! He bit hard and then harder and then he bit Michael's tongue clean off!

Michael screamed in agony. His mouth filled with blood. Ben ignored him and slowly chewed his tongue, and ate it.

"AHHHHH! Indeed, you are delicious!" Ben said in a deep but cruel voice.

Michael couldn't believe the un-fucking-believable pain and continued to scream and gurgle. He struggled to get free but it was no use. The muscles he had jumped in to worship were now his prison.

"I expect you are wondering what is going on," Ben said calmly, "Well, the truth is, I'm not really a merman. I'm a siren! And I'm not looking for a husband. I'm looking...for prey!"

"OOOOG!!" Michael screamed, which was the best thing he could scream to: NOOO!! He struggled, kicked mightily and felt himself connect with...something. Ben groaned and released him. He sank beneath the waves.

Phewww! Michael struck out, through the waves, swimming desperately back toward the ship but it was nearly on the horizon by now. In a few minutes it would be gone. There was little chance he would reach it but he had to go somewhere and he needed to get away from here as best he could. He was still screaming and crying from the pain and betrayal and spitting blood regularly.

After about five minutes, he was sure he was lost. The NEW BABYLON was all but gone and he was alone in the middle of the ocean, trying to swim but getting nowhere fast. Worse yet, he saw his blood had attracted several sharks. The fins circled him lazily.

Michael screamed wordlessly for help. Of course there was none. He kept trying to swim carefully. The sharks kept up.

And then all the fins scattered in different directions. Uh! Oh!' thought Michael, That can't be good!

It wasn't. There was a moment of silence. Michael hung in the water for a few seconds, treading water, wondering what was going to happen, waiting for the other shoe to drop.

Without warning, Ben rose up right in front of him. He hadn't been hurt at all. He was just playing with him, the way a cat plays with a mouse before it eats it. Michael screamed.

Ben was transformed. His green mermaid tail was now jet-black and had lengthened into what looked like an eel tail. On the top, he still looked the same, all powerful muscles and good looks but his teeth had all lengthened, each one of them a two inch razor sharp fang.

Ben wrapped Michael up in several coils of his now long and powerful tail and then drew the terrified man closer to him.

"BWA HA HA HA HA HA!!!!!! Did you really think you could hurt me? And where do you think you are going? There's no where to go, my little morsel! YOU ARE MINE!"

But, of course, Michael couldn't answer. He just half-heartedly struggled against the powerful tail but of course got absolutely nowhere. And then he was being drawn in, closer and closer until he was again wrapped into Ben's powerfully built arms. He screamed again and struggled spraying blood and spittle everywhere.

"You know, I wasn't lying before. I never will leave you. And you ARE delicious! My delicious morsel!" Michael struggled and screamed for help again but it was no use and far too late. And then Ben was leaning in and licking his neck with a long, slimy, thick, black tongue. "MMMMMM, just delectable," he growled and with a quick bite like a striking snake, he bit Michael's neck. Michael screamed in agony. Ben drank a good amount of the mortal's sweet blood. At the same time he injected venom that paralyzed his victim and sent fire running through his veins. Michael's screams faded to a squeak and then vanished altogether as he was paralyzed. Then re-wrapping him in his tail, Ben dove and dragged Michael under the sea and away.

What with the blood loss, the poisonous venom and being dragged down into the sea, unable to draw breath and unable to breath if he could, Michael died in about half a minute or so. However, the venom would keep him preserved for a long time so Ben didn't mind.

And about 2 seconds after Ben dived and Michael perished, the sun peeked over the edge of the world and shone a few cautious rays out onto the cold and curious world of the deep.

BJMBJMBJMBJMBJMBJM

On board, the NEW BABYLON, Brian sipped his fizzy drink with numb fingers. He could barely swallow over the lump in his throat. The warm drink did nothing to warm the icy ball in the pit of his stomach. He did not taste it. He hunched over in his blanket but he received no comfort or warmth from it.

It was maybe 2 or 3 minutes later. It may as well have been 2 or 3 years. A few of the guests had come up on deck to get some fresh air or simply to puke their guts out after that amusement park ride they had just been on. The captain made up some cock and bull story about a freak storm and set a perimeter around Brian so that no one would bother him. Most of the guests respected this and even started to drift back downstairs. Well, most of them.

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN, NO-ONE!" boomed two voices in unison, "WE HAPPEN TO BE VERY PERSONAL FRIENDS WITH THE PRINCE! LET US THROUGH AT ONCE!"

Brian smiled wanly in spite of himself. He motioned to the captain who let through the Remington Twins. Fred elbowed his way through and bowled over a sailor backward three times and gave him a shiner that lasted a week. Red sumo bumped his way through, sending the unfortunate man flailing backward and then flipping backwards with a yell overboard. Other men rushed to his aid and hoisted him up with a lifesaver.

But the twins saw nothing of that. They were over at Brian's side before the man hit the railing. They sat down, on each side of the Prince and each put an arm around his shoulder.

"It's Justin, isn't it?" Fred asked.

"He's gone, isn't he?" asked Red.

Brian just nodded miserably.

"Ahhh! So you have come to your senses at last! That is good!" Fred declared.

"How - how did you know about the enchantment?" Brian asked weakly, looking up at him.

"I didn't. But I knew something wasn't right, we knew you wouldn't toss that precious boy over for nothing. Isn't that right, Red? We just knew it!"

"That's right, Fred. We knew you wouldn't toss him overboard at all!"

"OHHHH, you! That's not what I said at all! Don't worry, your majesty! Just lean against us and rest. Don't worry about anything and ignore my brother. That's what comes of having a younger brother," he stage whispered to Brian conspiratorially, digging an elbow in his ribs and bruising one.

"We are Twins!" shouted Red, "It was THREE minutes!"

"Three minutes you'll never get back!" Fred said smugly.

Red huffed and growled in frustration.

Brian smiled a little and shook his head at the men's incorrigible antics.

Then, all of a sudden, Red brightened. He smiled a slow, diabolical smile.

"You fool!" he cried, giving Fred a heavy cuff to the back of the head. "I'M the elder twin! You followed ME out by three minutes!"

Fred frowned. "Are you sure?" he asked.

"Of course I'm sure!"

"Fred continued to think. "Really???"

"Yes!"

Fred continued to think. He looked at his twin in confusion and brotherly love and as if he were truly looking into a mirror. "My goodness, you know, we are so much alike that I truly can't remember anymore! How bout we split the three minutes and each take a minute and a half and forget about it!?"

"Even Stephen!?" asked Red.

"Even Stephen!" said Fred.

"Never again?" asked Red in joy, "Remember, the new King Brian is right here! You're witness, right Brian?"

"I can't see how it could be any other way!" Brian said in his dry way.

"Never again!" confirmed Fred.

"HURRAYYY!" rejoiced Red. Then he deflated, remembering the current circumstances. "Oh....And...I'm so sorry for your loss," he told Brian sadly. They both put their arms around him and squeezed him in what they thought was a comforting way. Unfortunately, Remington comfort worked out to squeezing Brian until his lung nearly collapsed. He held up a hand in submission and they released him somewhat.

The sun was shining. The sky was blue. The sea was like glass. But Brian could see none of the beauty. There was only darkness in his soul because the light of his life, his Sunshine boy had been stolen from him forever.

BLORP!

From the back of the ship came a strange noise. The perfectly flat sea gave a violent bubble, a burp, and then settled away again.

"What was that?" asked Brian.

BLORP! BLORP!

"It's coming off the back of the ship!" cried Red, jumping up.

The blorping sounds became more and more frequent and soon the sea at the back of the ship was bubbling and frothing as if someone has set a pot onto boil for spaghetti.

The captain weighed anchor and they all went over to see this marvel.

A small portion of the sea was bubbling and boiling and frothing away merrily. Harder and harder it boiled and then suddenly with an extra BLORP!!...it shot up into a geyser that was as tall as the ship. The top of the geyser leveled itself to the same height as the railing, right in front of their eyes.

Out of this geyser shot a second, smaller fountain, three, white, frothy jets of water. Theese three frothy jets began to pour white, creamy foam all over and down the larger geyser.

Everyone ‘oooohed' and ‘ahhhhhed'.

A fierce joy, a wild hope leapt in Brian's chest.

As the white foam continued to splash over and around the geyser, some of it stayed on the top. It built and formed and coalesced into a man shaped piece of sea foam with the rest running off of him. It formed a little better. The foam man grew a foam tail.

The three jets stopped and a single, stronger jet of water shot up out of the center of the geyser. This one was not white but just water and it ran over the foam merman until it ran off all the foam washing him clear as glass. The jet of water fell away and there was a merman made of running water lying on his back on the top of the geyser. The merman seemed to gain strength from the geyser and he drew up more water into himself getting more and more defined. His lips, ears, nose, even eyelids formed perfectly. Every scale on his tail was perfectly visible.

And then the merman took a huge breath and from the tips of his hair moving downward in a quick sweep, the merman colorized in a single second He had blond hair and rosy cheeks and his tail was blue-green. It was, of course, Justin.

Justin lay on his watery bed for a few more seconds in sweet repose on his back. His arms lay on either side of him as if he were in a lounger. His elbows rested in the gushing water.

And then he blinked! He blinked and opened his eyes. He yawned and stretched and then sat up. He looked over and focused on the ship. Then he focused in more and homed in on one special man.

He smiled his million-watt smile and waved.

"Hi Brian!" cried Justin.

Brian choked and swallowed and gasped and took a deep breath. "J-J-J- Justin???"

"Well, shorten that down to one J and you got that right! How have you been?"

"Well, it's only been about 2 minutes but I was miserable! I - I thought you died! You did die! Didn't you? And you can talk! I mean...that's great and all...but how?"

"I've been...reconstituted," Justin explained, "Since I've been recreated from the ground - well, water up, that includes my voice and all other powers as well. But how about we discuss everything a bit more completely on the ship? Not to mention peacefully." He was still sitting on the tall geyser as if it were a seat He held out a pink hand that Brian thought he'd never touch again. "Help a merboy down?" he asked primly.

And Brian plucked and pulled Justin from off the water and brought him onto the ship and sat him onto the back railing.

Solemnly he held up Justin's pearl crow that he still held. Justin bowed his head and Brian crowned him, making sure that the big pearl rested right in the center of his forehead. Justin looked up at him with his big blue eyes and smiled.

And then Brian stepped as close as humanly possible and kissed him madly, hotly, deeply, deeper, always deeper. He had never been so happy. And, of course, Justin kissed him right back.

A few minutes later, when they finally started to care that they weren't completely alone, Justin turned to the geyser.

He waved. "Thanks for the ride, Jerry!" he called.

"In response the geyser, shot a very tall white jet into the air and then abruptly fell away and vanished. The sea was once more as peaceful as can be.

BJBJBJBJBJBJBJBJBJBJBJB

It was a few minutes later. The guests who had remained on deck had all been shooed away and the sailors as well were kept to a respectful distance by two identical and huge self-appointed bodyguards.

Eventually, Brian's curiosity overrode his need to plunder Justin's mouth. And since he figured he was going to need to do that until the day he died, well, you can imagine how curious he was.

"But - but how?" he finally asked, holding Justin close, cuddling him. He was never letting him go. Never. "How is it that you are back?" I don't understand."

"I know, my love. (By Neptune, I wish you could know how good it feels to finally call you that)" He stroked Brian's cheek. "But I can explain everything. I saw everything. You see, it's been a good deal longer for me since we parted. I've been among the children of the air for about 6 earth months waiting my turn."

Brian looked at Justin more closely and saw that he did look a little differently. Although still incredibly youthful, his jaw had squared a little, there was a mature glint in his eyes, and his hair was longer, about shoulder length and shaggy over the ears.

"Children of the air? Your turn? What do you mean?" asked Brian.

Justin thought for a moment. "Hmmmm...well, I suppose the children of the air are the mer-folk equivalent to your 3 Fates. They are in charge of when a mer-person dies, how they die and judging on how you live your life deciding on whether you go on to live with King Neptune or...or...well, to be punished."

"Punished?"

Justin shuddered. "Oh, well, let's not worry about that. The main thing was that when I got there, they were horribly backed up. And so, I've been waiting 6 long months for my case to come up. I've missed you so much, Brian." He kissed him softly, sweetly and Brian's heart broke all over again as he crushed his prince of the sea to him. His lips were so soft, so warm, he wanted it to go on forever. But...

"But why did they send you back, Justin? Was it - was it to say goodbye again? Do you have to go again for good this time?" His heart turned to a lump of stone that dropped to the pit of his stomach at this possibility. Tears formed at the corners of his eyes.

TBC