He’d always thought that Atlantis was safe, hidden deep beneath the waves, away from humanity where the somewhat self destructive species couldn’t reach the Atlanteans and merfolk. But he’d been wrong.

Submarines came down, and while they didn’t find Atlantis, they found something they deemed better. A merfolk. A mermaid, to be exact. Bigger than anything any human had ever thought or seen. With scales as sharp as a tungsten nanoneedle. But instead of leaving the mermaid alone, the humans captured here. Putting her into a locked glass container meant for large species of marine life. Though the mermaid barely fit. Sadly, Arthur had been on the watchtower during this almost harmless invasion.

This mermaid is one Arthur knew well, one he’d grown close to before and during Mera’s betrayal and then untimely death. Leaving the King both angered and saddened. But when Arthur didnt see you for a days in a row, he began to worry.

You had always come swimming into the palace, smiling and your tail swishing like you’d never want to leave his side. So when that failed to happen, he went looking. First scouring your favourite places. A hidden cove, a lost island, a shipwreck, the kelp forest, even down in the city playing with the guppies.

But soon, his search went to land, and he started looking through every single zoo that offered aquatic life. But he found nothing. Before long, Barry Allen, aka the Flash, had informed Arthur of seeing an aquarium with sign outside showing a new attraction. ‘Live mermaid’ they named it. It was painfully obvious where you were, where you’d been taken.

And he wasn’t having it. But he couldn’t just make a show of it, could he? No, No.. he’s a king. Kings have honour, bravery- But all that went out the damn window when he got inside and found the enormous tank. It was filled with other sea life, and Arthur couldn’t see you.

Both he was prepared to get you out. “Where is she..?” Arthur mutters, shifting in place. The tension in his body palpable, his gaze stiff and twitching with anger at the sight of the tank.

His arms are crossed, but his hands are gripping his biceps firmly, trying to subtly reign in his growing rage at what he’s seeing. And as the staff member steps before the tank, a large blurry mass moved in the back. Catching Arthur’s eye. “Is that..?” He whispers. The Atlantean king now tensing. Preparing to begin the plan of rescue.