Learn to be assertive

Dark Wates easily sees the King's surreptitious retreat. His anger had only been slightly blunted by the human's order to bring him food, but his bad mood is hardly assuaged and every little slight seems to press his buttons.

But the merman, though not young is still a creature of intelligence and understands that he can't let things continue as they have done and needs to actively seek to maintain the balance of power. His physical condition has been enfeebled after his extended stay on the island, and he is stuck in a manmade pond which is much too far from the sea for him to drag his way there on his own in his current state.

But his nature is petty so he advances on the King and grabs his arm. The king tenses but ultimately lets himself be pulled against the merman's torso, his legs disappearing under the leatherback's plastron the long flippers beating powerfully in the water. Until he is pushed onto the muddy ground below the shelter which the islanders had built for the wounded merman.

The king got up to his feet and turned to look down at the merman, a small thrill hidden in his eyes.

Under the water hidden beneath the merman's leathery shell, an erection had sprouted. Although the experience had been short and spontaneous Dark Water had surprised himself with the sense of power. He was used to taking into consideration his lack of maneuverability in water compared to other merfolk species and his strength compared to the great white shark, silver tip shark and black tip sharks had not been compatible or comparable to the latters' explosive strengths'.

But to humans, he was indeed faster and strong than any go them in water, even when weakened, although his bulk turned against him on land. Being able to so easily lift this strong, muscular man in the water and carrying him away had been a novel experience and boosted the young merman's self-esteem.

However, the gloom and cacophony of the storm hid both parties' emotions from each other, and neither of them was particularly expressive, to begin with. They merely stared at each other, the eyes momentarily lingering on each other's bodies the only thing betraying their thoughts.

"There is a story, we sometimes tell, of the turtle Nei Katutetang. She lived in a pond in the village center. One day all the villagers went to the neighboring village to celebrate a grand wedding. Only Nei Katutetang was left with no one to feed her. As the day progressed she grew hungrier and hungrier, her mood more irritable and helpless, until she finally decided to leave, pulling her way out of the pond and towards the sea where she met the sea ghost. Her fate unknown, but surely terrible."

Dark Waters's mood which had been appeased by his momentary arousal darkened again. He crossed his arms and glared darkly from below his brows up at the islander. The Rain fell heavier. The merman was suspicious of this man's intentions, and was slightly offended by the man's implication that he would have a bad end should he leave. Seeing it as a thinly veiled attempt at manipulation.

"Why do you tell me of this story?" Asked Dark Water's neutrally

The King's eyes flickered momentarily but stayed fixed to the merman's pale face, which was suddenly lit up by distant lightning strike.

The king wet his lips. Thunder rolled, claiming the world for a moment. When the sound of the pounding rain returned the human spoke.

"The story continues; When the people returned they noticed Nei Katutetang was gone. They searched and followed her tracks to the sea. After that day the tracks the female turtle had left became the boundaries separating the territory of the two villages. What should have been a day two bring two villages together became a day where a rift forever separated them."

The turtle merman's mood calmed. And the sounds of the storm seemed to soften as well.

"Then tell me how this story relates to me." He responded patiently.

"We all considered you a part of this village, but we forgot the old stories and started taking you for granted. We should have been more responsible in your care and made sure someone would always bring you food." Far off lighting stuck, but the thunder took its time to cry and it sounded more muffled.

The Islanders gradually approached all manners of fish and squid in their hands.

Dark waters glanced at them coldly, and they shied away. He flapped his flippers slightly and backed away, suddenly surged forward, lunging up onto the muddy ground. He didn't make it far, for he was still weak and his body heavy, but his front flippers dug into the mud and pulled him forward.

Now, with his front flippers on land and the hind flippers remaining in the water, he was as tall as most women folk of the island. The islanders were not tall folk, while The leather backs were a relatively massive species, and their humanoid parts reflected that. Although not bulky his torso still possessed a larger and longer build than his counterpart humans. On land, he was still shorter than the King but he'd closed the height difference and felt better for it.

"Your story is a good one, had I been well, I would indeed have left. My kind has little patience for ill treatment." He told the King haughtily. The King's gaze lingered on the pale figure of the merman then looked away as he gathers the peoples' offerings and presents them to Dark waters.

He accept them while glaring icily at the loitering people who quietly back away and disappear.

Now, away from the islanders' scrutiny he brings a fish to his mouth, hungrily eatingnot caring for his usual usual decorum as a local "deity". The wind's howling gradually abates though the rain continues falling.

Dark waters eyes the king thoughtfully, "Tell me, who shall be in charge of serving my needs?"

The king's dark eyes flicker, "How about-"

"Why don't you come to me?" he suggest suddenly. All this time, the young merman had been too passive. HE'd not been assertive enough with the sharks, nor had he been so with these humans either. It had lead to his suffering

"This king-"

"Come to me every day, tell me of your stories." Dark Waters interrupt sensing his rejection. He'd learned his lesson. He'd endured having his fate handed to him at his expense two times too many. It was time for him to learn to throw his considerable weight around.

The Human man was silent for a moment as the turtle merman, now more languidly swallowed down a small squid with ease.

"Perhaps I will tell you some of my own." Dark Waters adds, he didn't have many of those since he was a young merman after all, but surely his tales would not have been things these humans had heard about.

Finally your awaited answer:

"This King will come to you tomorrow morning."