What's this shit?

RE: What's this shit? [Horus]

@"Thoth"

Ulrich was, indeed, by the water. The king of the Panthalassians never truly slept; in his original form, some of his heads slept while the others remained awake. They took turns, so he never actually went to sleep. Threats were, after all, very present at all times.

The most he did while in his human form was a very, very light slumber. Not enough to dream, not enough to get 'rest' in the same way humans did. The barest rustling could wake him up, though he often ignored it. So when the sun broke through his gauzy curtains, he was already up and on the back 'porch', where the water lapped against the wood as if calling him to come home.

He stripped down and slipped in silently, his hair once again spreading out around him like seaweed. He was in the water, therefore the 'contract' didn't apply there, and he felt the tendrils of one of his guards slip right past the undersides of his feet. They were there.

But he didn't speak to any of them. Instead he simply leaned back, elbows on the wood and chest-deep in water. Most would've watched the sun come up, but Ulrich watched the water.

RE: What's this shit? [Horus]

@"Thoth"

Ulrich was far from relaxed; the muscles in his shoulders created rigid lines just underneath his skin. His head was cocked just slightly to one side as if he were in some deep meditation, but his only focus was the slight movements of the waves. Sleeping as a human felt odd, the bed felt odd, the scratchy clothes felt like they were suffocating him.

He barely moved when he heard the back door opening, and a voice that was just a tad disgruntled pierced the fog in his head.

"Why I'm here doesn't have much to do with your job." He didn't want to divulge too much, now or ever. The fact that he had a child was already fairly heavy, but the fact that this child was half northern was beyond the scope of what Panthalassian politics could handle right now. Nicolas would've likely scoffed at the entire conflict.

"And an island full of strange things would allow me to blend in better. I figured you'd find out quickly enough." It only took a day. Not too bad. Ulrich finally looked over his shoulder at him. "Come join me in the water. I assure you, you're safe with me."

RE: What's this shit? [Horus]

@"Thoth"

Ulrich sighed, sounding exasperated. In a sense, he was. He was also tired from a restless night's "sleep" as a human, being unused to absolutely everything. The sheets, though the most expensive money could buy, still didn't feel like the water and seaweed. Even the way his hair clung to his skin felt a little unnatural.

"It won't." He was fairly confident in that matter. Emma wouldn't dare do anything that threatened Luca, and her people would follow their queen. The war under the waves still raged, but it would have little effect on the land.

He waved his hand over his shoulder, coaxing Nicolas forward even if he doubted he'd get over his fears any time soon. It must've been traumatic to be taken the way he had. But what had to be done had been done.

"At least dip your feet in, or sit down next to me. I'd prefer to not strain this pathetic human neck of mine trying to look over my shoulder at you." How pitiful. In his hydra form, he could have looked any way he pleased without discomfort. Augh, he hated this body. No wonder it was so rare that he took it on.

"I doubt you'd be able to hurt any of my subjects with your bullets. We're simply too big." Most of them, anyways, and especially his guards. "And I will tell you what I deem is appropriate. I doubt you know enough of our history and politics to make sense of the majority of what I may tell you."

RE: What's this shit? [Horus]

@"Thoth"

Ah, good enough, he supposed. It had been a traumatizing event, and he'd tried to sympathize... Only he wasn't very good at it.

"You're here to aid me while I'm on land. Being a guard is part of that. Helping me with human customs is also a requirement." Though Nicolas might not have known the customs on this island in particular, he figured he'd know a whole lot about being human. Hiring a local may have been wiser, but none of them had quite proven themselves to Ulrich in the way Nicolas had.

Plus, he found he was easily plied with sea treasures.

"Direct threats to me on land are rare, as dictated by a recent Panthalassian treaty." He finally turned, resting his arms on the wooden deck. "There are... a couple on land, but most of them remain under the waves. Very few, if any, outside of the royal lineage can change shape like I do."

RE: What's this shit? [Horus]

@"Thoth"

"Humans aren't what I'm afraid of." Definitely not. How could a puny little human bring harm to him? Of course, his own human form was a lot more fragile. He still had some good strength to him, and a lot more agility than average, but he still felt like this body was cumbersome and slow.

"There are plenty of things that may be 'important', but filling your head with them would take a more considerable amount of time than I had ever planned to stay on land." Well, maybe. How many years was considered a lot with humans, again?

"But I think you have the basics from our trip here. The northern and southern Panthalassians are at war. I am here because of a treaty that ties us together. You are here to teach me human ways." His eyes went back out to the water again, perhaps a bit longing. "And we'd probably both be better for it if I didn't have to be here, but that's how politics work."

If things didn't go the way they had, if Luca hadn't been born (or, dare he say, he killed him before he found out he was his child), Nicolas would've gone the rest of his life without having to relive his nightmare.