The Next Morning
Aaric was in a secluded part of the Black Lake, inspecting a box. He nodded and put the box in his pouch before starting to stretch.
"What are you doing?" Fleur asked him as he was about to put on a blue cloak with golden rune-shaped embroidery on it.
Aaric looked back to see her and raised an eyebrow. "Are you following me?" he asked, pointing at her with a scandalized look.
Fleur shook her head with a frown. "Of course not. I just noticed you as I was passing by," she said.
Aaric raised an eyebrow and smirked at her as if not believing her explanation.
Fleur just looked at him with a deadpan expression and slowly took out her wand to hex him.
Aaric chuckled and raised his hands in surrender. "Let's just keep things civil. I was just going to visit some new friends I made," Aaric said.
Fleur approached him with intrigue and looked from him to the Black Lake, raising her eyebrow in a silent question.
"There are merpeople in this lake, and I visit them to chat," Aaric said and shrugged.
Fleur's eyes lit up. "Can I come with you?" she asked Aaric hopefully.
Aaric looked away. "No, what do I have to gain by adding extra baggage?" Aaric scoffed at Fleur, earning a scowl from the Veela.
"How about your life?" she said, her wand out and pointing at Aaric.
Aaric smirked at her before they both burst into laughter, and Aaric brought out another cloak from his pouch.
"Wear this, and you will be able to breathe and move underwater," Aaric instructed. Fleur nodded and wore the cloak.
"Should I change my clothes to something more appropriate for swimming?" she muttered, and Aaric shook his head.
"The cloaks will help with that," Aaric said, and she nodded.
Aaric moved toward the lake, half his body in, then showed Fleur the light golden barrier covering his clothes, originating from the cloak.
Fleur smiled and went in with him. After they were submerged in the water, they looked at each other.
Aaric took her hand in his. "As long as we are in contact, we can communicate as well," he said.
There were golden barriers covering them from the neck down, while their faces were covered in transparent barriers, facilitating breathing and visibility.
Aaric could see the surprise on Fleur's face. "Who made these cloaks?" she asked him.
Aaric smiled gently. "Some good friends made these," he said and looked ahead. They were made by the goblins and him.
"Just lean toward the direction you wish to move toward," Aaric instructed as he leaned lightly and started moving slowly.
Fleur followed his instructions, and it took a little bit for her to get used to it.
Fleur giggled and held Aaric's hand. "Let's go, zen," she said.
Aaric smiled and held her hand tighter, pulling her deeper into the lake with him.
"I hope zey will not be angered by my presence," Fleur spoke, and Aaric chuckled.
"I can just leave you there as a snack for them if that happens," Aaric said, getting a pout from Fleur.
It took them a few more moments before they reached a small village made crudely with stone, green algae, and aquatic plants covering the stone houses.
They stopped a little distance away, and Aaric turned to Fleur and held her hands.
"I will meet them and tell them of your presence. We will see if they welcome you or eat you," Aaric said with a teasing smile.
Fleur just nodded and waved him away.
Aaric reached the entrance of the village to see some guards walking around, holding spears. They had grey, rough skin and green hair with yellow eyes.
Aaric waved at them. "Hello, friends! Did you miss me?" he asked in fluent Mermish, getting chuckles from the guards.
They then noticed behind him, at a little distance away, that he had brought a friend with him.
"You brought a friend?" a guard asked, getting a nod from Aaric.
"I hope it is not an inconvenience," Aaric spoke. The guards looked at each other and shrugged.
"It seems she is a Veela," one of them spoke, and Aaric nodded. "The chief will not be dissatisfied as long as she is well-behaved, and she is your friend, so I assume she will be," a guard said, getting a grateful nod from Aaric.
Aaric fetched some decorative corals from his pouch, in the shape of elephants, and gifted them to the guards.
"These are for your kids," Aaric said, getting grateful nods from the guards.
Aaric then turned to Fleur and approached her. He reached her and shook his head, getting a frown from her.
He held her hand. "They said you don't look appetizing, so they may as well let you in," Aaric said, getting a light punch on the chest and a pout from Fleur.
Aaric then led her toward the guards, who waved at her in a friendly manner, getting a bow and a wave from her.
Fleur hugged Aaric's arm and intertwined her fingers with his, seeming a little nervous.
Aaric smiled at her in reassurance. "We will just meet their chief and explore a little," Aaric told her, getting a nod from her.
The guards led them to the chief, chatting with Aaric like an old friend.
Aaric heard Fleur sigh in admiration. "Zair language is melodic and beautiful," Fleur said.
The guards gave Aaric a questioning look, and Aaric translated what she said.
They nodded and smiled at Fleur as a thank-you for the compliment.
Fleur looked around to see the merpeople looking at her curiously. Some waved at Aaric and smiled at them.
Most of them were working with some stones. Some were writing runes on the stones in black ink, while others were using the stones and placing them in their positions. It seemed they were building houses.
Fleur saw that the houses they were working on seemed more sturdy and less crude compared to the older houses.
"Thank you for the rune scrolls. We are rebuilding with their help," a guard said to Aaric with a grateful expression.
Aaric just waved at them with a smile. "They were given to me by some friends, specially for you," Aaric said.
A/N: Guys, please leave reviews for the fic so I know what you liked or disliked about it.
And power stones, lots and lots of power stones, all the power stones in the world, give them to me.