Chapter Text
The cats were missing.
Byleth stared at the empty wharf, lips pursed. She’d visited the lonely, broken down pier every day for years, ever since she’d been a child on her father’s fishing boat. With a bucket of extra fish from that day’s catch, she would feed the local strays and bask in the company of her only friends.
Unlike other people, the cats didn’t call her creepy.
But today, for the first time ever, she stood alone in the twilight. The cats were missing. An unfamiliar weight churned in her stomach. Had someone driven them off? Attacked them? Or perhaps a predator had struck?
A cat hissed from beneath the wharf, and Byleth almost felt relief—until something else hissed back. Something large, and distinctly not feline.
In an instant, Byleth jumped over the edge of the wharf and landed on the rock beneath. She spun around, hand resting on her dagger. Before her, a dozen cats stood with arched backs and puffed up fur, fangs bared at the predator waiting in the shadows.
But rather than some fearsome beast, Byleth found a man.
Well, half a man. Her gaze lingered on his muscular stomach, where skin faded into scales. A long fish tail extended out where his legs should have been. It was a breathtaking sight. Predominantly deep blue, with striking markings in black and white, and delicate, gossamer-thin fins flaring out. Byleth could have admired it for ages.
A second, guttural hiss reminded her that there was a man attached to this beautiful fish. Byleth studied that half more warily. He was equally lovely, with long golden hair and an eye bluer than the clearest sea, his upper body broad and muscular in a way that drew her attention. Not even the bloody claw marks over his right eye could mar his beauty.
He was one of the merfolk, she realized. Everyone who spent time on the seas knew the legends, of hauntingly beautiful creatures that lured sailors to their deaths through songs. Byleth had never seen one, though Jeralt claimed he had. She’d always assumed he’d mistaken a manatee for a gorgeous woman while drunk, but it seemed some of the stories were true.
The merman hissed again. He bared rows of pointed, shark teeth and flared his fins, tail thrashing threateningly. An intimidating display. But Byleth recognized that behaviour from her beloved cats.
He was scared.
Of course, fear could always manifest as aggression. She would have to be careful.
Byleth raised her hands slowly, summoning faith magic in her palms. She’d never had a formal education—too expensive—but the travelling cleric who’d taught her the basics had said she was unusually strong. Unfortunately, the merman shrank back when her magic appeared. He lashed out his claws in warning, fear clearer than ever.
Byleth tilted her head, considering. A different approach then. She looked around her cats (now largely distracted by the bucket of fish) until she spotted her favourite, golden tomcat. As expected, he had a fresh scratch on his side from today’s fights. After ensuring that the merman was watching, Byleth lowered her hand onto the cat and let her magic flow. He purred loudly, arching into her touch as his skin knit itself back together.
The merman’s remaining eye widened. Although his body stayed stiff with tension, his snarl faded into wariness.
Careful not to make any sudden movements, Byleth approached. She shuffled along the stone, making herself as small and non-threatening as possible. Her inner consciousness—which always sounded like a snide young girl, for some reason—scoffed at her reckless behaviour. It was dangerous, Byleth supposed. The merman could attack at any moment, and at this proximity, she likely wouldn’t even have a chance to grab her dagger.
She couldn’t just leave him though. Not when he so clearly needed help.
The merman curled up his lip when she reached for his face, but he didn’t hiss or strike. Byleth rested her palm on his cheek below the ruined eye, breathing out slowly. Her magic flowed into him, warm and numbing. The merman gasped, then nuzzled into her hand with a pleased sound.
It was adorable.
Byleth concentrated on the direction of her magic. She didn’t know enough to restore his eye—truthfully, she doubted even the most skilled healer could—but she could purify the cuts of any infection, and close up the skin into thin, painless scars.
Once the last one had finished, she rested her other hand on his chest. Though not as striking as the eye wound, he was injured there as well. Byleth worked without pausing, methodically purifying and healing the cross shaped slashes on his chest, and the dozen smaller cuts littering his body.
With each wound she healed, more tension left the merman. He kept his face pressed into her palm, good eye closed and body loose. Even after she’d finished, he didn’t budge, content like a well-fed cat.
Byleth felt a strange warmth in her face. He really was too cute.
When the merman finally blinked back into awareness a few minutes later, he jerked free of her hands. It was disappointing, but Byleth found herself distracted by the redness in his cheeks, and the demure way he peeked at her beneath golden lashes. This time, she realized, he wasn’t afraid of her. She wasn’t quite sure what this reaction meant (the cats never acted like that), but it was…pleasant.
After a moment, the merman dipped his head. “Thank you, my lady,” he said in a low, warm voice that begged her to come closer and jump into the ocean
Byleth blinked. She supposed she shouldn’t be surprised that he could talk. It would difficult to lure people to their deaths if you couldn’t speak with them, after all.
(Though from what Jeralt had told her—and she was finally beginning to think there might be some truth to that story—not all merfolk were into that kind of thing.)
The merman bowed his head even farther when she failed to respond. “I owe you a life debt, my lady. Those vile assassins from the Depths may have succeeded had you not aided me this day.” His pale eye burned with intensity when he rose. “Please. Ask of me anything, and I shall grant your wish.”
Byleth only considered for a moment before shaking her head. “I didn’t help you for a reward,” she stated bluntly.
“I…see.” The merman stared at her, bewildered. “Are you certain there is nothing you desire? Riches? Servants? Eternal good health?”
Those would all be useful, she supposed. The practical part of her demanded that she make the most of this wish. But it didn’t feel right.
The merman was clearly distraught by her rejection though. Byleth didn’t need fabulous wealth or people waiting on her on, but she didn’t want to hurt his feelings either. She studied him for a long moment, before settling her gaze on his tail.
“One of your scales,” she said. “They’re pretty. And…I’d like to have a reminder. Of meeting you.”
Byleth hadn’t thought it was that strange of a request, but the merman flushed a darker shade of red than ever. “You…you want one of my scales?”
She pursed her lips. Clearly, she was just as bad as talking to merfolk as other humans. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to offend you. I’ll think of something else.”
“No! No, your request is…fine.” The merman pulled in his tail, still blushing as he studied it. He spent an oddly long time examining each and every scale, before finally plucking out one that was large and blue. It shimmered beautifully when he handed it to Byleth. “Will you…wear it as jewellery?” he asked…hopefully?
Byleth hummed in appreciation. The scale was even lovelier up close. More beautiful than any gem. It would make a good pendant. “Sure.”
“O-oh.” She caught only a quick glimpse of his red face before he bowed again. “I thank you once more for your aid. Until we meet again…my beloved.”
The merman moved surprisingly fast, even on land. In a matter of seconds, he dived back into the sea, poking his head out to give her a toothy, charming grin before disappearing under the waves.
Byleth clutched the scale to her heart. My…beloved? Surely she must have misheard.
Though it would be nice to see him again…
The next day, her nets were full of more fish than she’d ever seen. Byleth stared at the bounty in wonder, almost missing the golden head peeking out from the water.
He vanished when their eyes met. But the scale dangling around her neck sparkled in the sunlight.