He did an oopsies

Mera stood at the edge of the grand throne room, her eyes fixed on its center. Orm stood before a crowd of Atlantean nobles. He addressed them. She felt a twisted sense of satisfaction as she watched her brother-in-law, her heart hardened by what she must do.

"Scions of Atlantis," Orm said, his voice booming and commanding. "Our kingdom stands on the brink. Arthur Curry has left us to prepare for a justice league civil war. For too long, the king has shirked his duty to championed the cause of the surface world. He treated his kingdom, his responsibility, merely as an accessory. An addendum to the glorious tale of Aquaman, Champion of the Surface.”

“He spends his time, not as a king should. But as a simple soldier, a glory hound. He neglects the affairs of state to pull foreign citizens out of the rubble, one by one, like a common medic. And to what end? To be praised by the surface world? To be worshipped by foreigners while the ship of our state goes unmoored and rudderless? While our policies and petitions remained undiscussed, unsanctioned, and unsigned?”

“I submit such a man is unfit to lead us in times of peace, but it would be treacherous to permit his leadership in times of war. Long have I permitted my bastard brother illegitimate reign over Atlantis, for that is what he is. My brother. Even without a claim to the throne. Even if he was half an Atlantean, he is my flesh and my blood. But no more. For your sake, I can permit it no more. Will you?”

“Today I have decided that I mustn’t do through inaction what I would through action. I will not betray our kingdom so I will not stand as our king betrays our kingdom. I will destroy the towers of Atlantis so I will not stand as the king crumbles them. I will not drag us into a needless war so I will not have Aquaman drag us into a Justice League civil war.”

“If you stand with me, then let our voices ring out as one. Let us say it to him. Say that we permit it no more.”

As Orm's speech reached its crescendo, Mera stepped forward, her presence commanding attention. She moved gracefully, her regal bearing masking the darkness within.

She slapped him across the face. A slap that surprised him more than any in the crowd.

“I don’t stand with you, Orm,” she said. “And neither should any of you stand with this opportunistic dog.” She shouted at the gathered crowd.

“And why shouldn’t we?” asked one in the crowd. Mera recognized him as the retired general Rodunn.

“We cannot let this go on” said another in the crowd she didn’t recognize.

“There was not a single falsehood in what he said, Mera” said Bres of Thierna Na Oge.

“Let her speak,” said Orm, recovering. “And what would you have us do, Mera consort of Aquaman.” Orm spat the last part out.

“Will you have us follow your husband unto our doom? Unto the doom of our kingdom and the decimation of our children?” he asked.

“I…” she said, “would not…”

“You would not?” said Orm. He almost physically bent over to seize the opportunity she has created.

“I would not. They say love is blind. Well… it is and it isn’t. I recognize what choice my lord husband has made and how it has affected all of us.”

“But that doesn’t mean,” she said. “That doesn’t mean it’s right to oust him. And that doesn’t mean your actions are patriotic.” She looked at him significantly.

“I… admit that my actions are not driven purely by altruistic reasons. Let me be the first to say that I am a mere mortal driven by dreams and ambitions,” he paused looking at Mera and the gathered nobles. “But since the Trident has gone to my brother, I have held back all of it. Atlantis did not deserve a civil war then. And she surely does not deserve meaningless war now.”

“Yet you seize power as is your wont,” she said.

“Lady Mera,” he said knowingly. “What may I do to prove myself to you?”

“I grant you what you have said, but Atlantis needs stability and continuity not naked power grab. A transfer of power must be legitimate.”

“We shall have a queen then,” said Orm.

“Not a queen,” said Mera. “A regent.”

“Then, if it will unite Atlantis I shall bow down before Queen Regent Mera,” said Orm falling on one knee as several nobles followed suit.

“No, not I,” said Mera. “I am merely Mera. Meet Karen Starr, granddaughter of Arion. Demigod of Atlantis.”

The crowd was stunned into silence as Powergirl entered unannounced through the antechamber. She was clad from head to toe in a white, radiant suit. In her hand was the Trident of Neptune. Mera knelt as she passed by, but Orm stood up in shock.

“This is not what…”

“Silence,” said Powergirl. “Your patriotism will be rewarded, but your treachery punished. Captain Tula, place your brother under house arrest. Sea Master, I promise you a fair trial if you do not resist.”

“Yes, regent,” said Tula with a barely noticeable slur.

“Tula, don’t.”

“Come brother, there will time aplenty to plead your case.”

“Now as for the rest, in light of the confusion as to the legitimacy of Queen Atlanna’s progenies and their fitness to rule, I, Karen Starr, the last decedent of the God-King Arion of Atlantis, have decided to step in and provide temporary relief to your leadership by the request of Mera and the crown prince.”

“Lords and ladies, I trust you have heard of my other deeds as Powergirl. My genealogies have been verified and accepted by both Lady Mera and the crown prince. I should expect you to be able to hear from them yourself shortly.”

Murmurs are heard within the crowd. Not the friendly kind.

“But…” she said with a dramatic pause. “But you shall verify my claims yourself. We put my position as a regent to a vote in a week’s time. One vote for each major house. If the vote is not unanimous, whether you are not satisfied with my performance or my legitimacy, I shall cede power to the crown prince, his mother, or Aquaman himself if you so wish it.”

“This is an outrageous,” said one of the Vulko brothers.

“If you wish to reject me, then you shall reject me in a week’s time. For now, we have a job to do. And that job is to keep Atlantis out of the Justice League’s toxic civil war,” said Powergirl.

“Hear hear,” said high priestess Cetea. “Let us drink to that.”

From four corners, priestess of Atlantis poured into the room with tray and cup filled to the brim with a pink liquid.

“What is this?” asked Petty Queen Bres of Thierna Na Oge.

“Ambrosia. I obtained them on Mount Olympus where Mera and I learned of my true lineage.”

“Hmm… then let us drink to that,” said Bres brightly, clearly sensing where the tide was turning, she down the cup in a huge chug.

***

As the throne room emptied, Mera left early and made her way to secluded chamber where her son had been held. Her heart pounded with anticipation, a mix of maternal love and the wicked excitement at having complete her appointed task.

But when she entered the chamber, her world shattered.

Arthur Jr.’s brutalized body was propped up against the wall, splashes of blood were visible in all kinds of awkward patterns. Mera's breath caught in her throat, and she screamed.

"No! My son, no!" she cried, rushing to his side. She cradled his lifeless body, her tears mingling with his blood.

In that moment, she couldn’t conceive of anyone who commit such an act. It could not be any of the Atlantean nobles since they were all in the throne room. It could not have been Karen or any of the Amazons. Quite literally, it was impossible to think of her sisters to harm her in such a way. It was Aquaman, a dark voice whispered in her ear, twisting her thoughts.

Aquaman is to blame, she thought. He abandoned you. He abandoned his own child. He allowed this to happen.

Mera's heart twist with hatred and poison seeped into her very soul. She let herself go. She let her love for Arthur Jr. turn to nothing and became a weapon of vengeance. For Charlie. Yes, for Charlie and only Charlie. My Charlie. Our Charlie.

"This is his fault," she whispered, her voice trembling with rage. "Aquaman will pay for this."

With a newfound resolve, Mera rose to her feet, her expression hardened. She left her son's body where she found it and locked the door.

An Amazon sister embraced her as she came out of the room. "Charlie can give you a new one," she said. "And it would be so worthless. Only Charlie."

only charlie.

Only Charlie.

That last bit resonated with her.__

_ONLY CHARLIE. _She screamed inside herself.

For she was no longer a queen or a person – she became a thing driven by needs. To be a warm wet vulva around Charlie's cock. And to be a weapon of vengeance in Charlie’s hand. To give him a litter of children, each stronger than the last.

And as long as Charlie uses her to kill Arthur Curry, nothing would stand in his way.