This is a work of gay-themed romantic fantasy. Some chapters feature graphic descriptions of sexual activity. (If you can't guess what sort please leave the Human race now!) If this offends you for any reason or reading such material is illegal in your area for reasons of age or morality (or any other dumbass reasons the Pols can come up with) then, please, do us both a favor and leave by the way you came. Otherwise, enjoy!
AUTHOR'S NOTES
First. Shout-out to Bruce Turner who's work Change Has Come has inspired me to do my own version of Mer Culture. I have liberally "borrowed" some of his ideas so go check out his story and, Bruce, we'd really, Really, REALLY like the next chapter(s) in that story! HINT! HINT!!!
Questions, comments, suggestions and complaints are always welcome. Drop me a note at HonableRonable@gmail.com or RonVenable@hotmail.com and I WILL write back! (If you take time out of your busy lives to write me, it's the least I can do!) Likewise, if you want to be informed when new "Doververse" or other content is available drop a note to one of the above-mentioned addresses and I'll see you are notified.
CHAPTER 12: Casa Miramar
CHARACTERS
Ben Dover, age 49 -- our Hero, AKA "the Adamantine Herald"
Antonio Vega, age 26 -- hostile Merman Guard
Corey Carpenter, age 28 -- friendly Merman Guard
Benjamin "Jay" Dover Jr, age 15 -- Ben's in-trouble Son
Colin Stanford, age 17 -- Merman Prince and Jay's "BFF"
Logan Stanford, age 76 -- Merman Crown Prince and Colin's grandfather
Carlton Stanford age, 97 -- King of the Pacific Mer
Margaret "Maggie" Carpenter-Stanford, age 50, Queen of the Pacific Mer
"We're here," Antonio said as the pearl-white Escalade pulled up to the front doors of one of a host of interconnected villas. "Please, try not to make an ass of yourself in front of His Majesty!"
Ben gave the dark merman a sour look. "Y'r king had m' son KIDNAPPED! He growled back. "If His `Madge' was concerned with th' niceties maybe he should have thought about not doin' that!" The blond merman driver sniggered then covered it with a fake coughing fit. "I want t' see m' Son--NOW!"
"I'll find him and see that he's brought to you at once!" Corey said and beat feet before more trouble could come his way.
"Guess that means I get to see you settled in a Guest Room," Antonio said, giving Ben a look as though he'd just been asked to clean cow shit off a stranger's shoes. "Luz-Maria--show our--guest--to a room. NOW!"
Luz-Maria who looked like she could have been a close relative of the surly Guard cast her eyes down and meekly led Ben into the complex. The place could have easily stood in for a high-end tropical resort: everywhere Ben looked were elegant finishes and comfortable décor. The only thing odd was the preponderance of naked or nearly-nude men, women and children--none of whom seemed the slightest bit concerned about their lack of clothing. The guide caught Ben's sour look. "Is something wrong Sir?" she asked shyly.
"I'm feelin' a might overdressed is all," Ben told her.
"Wear as little or as much as you wish Sir..." she said. "Your--deformity--is no reason to be ashamed..."
"Excuse me?" Ben said. "My--DEFORMITY?" Luz-Maria squeaked then fled in disarray, leaving the Texan standing alone and unsure where to go.
Luckily it wasn't long before the handsome blond bull Corey came back with Jay and Colin. Ben noticed his son had adapted to "mer" ways and was naked and unashamed. He also saw Colin place a possessive hand on the young boy's ass as he gave the big man a defiant glare. "Hey, how do you like your room?" Corey asked. "This place is pretty awesome, isn't it?"
"I wouldn't know..." Ben replied sourly. "Antonio passed me off to, maybe, his baby Sister an' she freaked out on me!"
"She probably not used to seeing one-eyed fat slobs up close!" Colin opined.
Ben and Corey gave the "Golden Prince" a jaundiced stare. "That's not appropriate Colin!" the blond bull merman said. "Show the Herald the same respect he's shown you..."
"Son--where `r' y'r pants?" Ben asked his son.
"Um..." Jay looked embarrassed and uncertain then turned his eyes to his new BFF for support.
"We Mer don't have the same stupid nudity taboos as you humans!" Colin said as he pulled Jay in for a close hug and a fond kiss on the cheek.
"Jay isn't Mer," the big man said flatly, "an' he NEVER will be! He'll never be able t' transform without y'r help--and, worst of all, sooner `r later you'll get tired of my Son an' move on t' th' next shiny toy! Once that happens y're gonna leave Jay with nothin' but a broken heart an' some bad memories!"
Ben turned to his son. "Go cover y'rself up boy!" he snapped. "I need t' talk t' y'r boyfriend!"
"You don't have to baby..." Colin pulled the boy closer.
"NOW!" This seemed to get though to the younger man so Jay beat feet leaving his father alone with the two mermen. "Now Colin," the Texan growled, "what kind o' `mind games' have ya been playin' with m' son?"
"I don't have to answer your questions!" the young blond merman said defiantly. "You're not the boss of me!"
"Ya just did!" Ben shot back. "Now Colin--ya better go find someone else t' play with b'fore I decide to knock y'r teeth down y'r fuckin' THROAT!"
"Corey--DEAL with that fat freak!" Colin said imperiously.
"Uh--that's a big `no'!" the blond, buff merman replied. "I might hold you while he punches you out--but that's as far as it's going! This whole scene is every shade of wrong and all you're doing is making things worse! I'm not going to help you do that; sorry kid, royal favorite or not."
Colin began to hum and Corey's eyes grew glassy. Ben slapped the younger merman hard enough to rock him back and this was enough to break the spell. "You little SHIT!" Corey bellowed. "You tried to `whammy' me! I'm so gonna kick your candy ass!" The big blond lunged for the younger man and Colin fled, screaming for the king.
Once the young Prince was gone, Corey went to his knees in front of Ben and placed his forehead on the big man's booted foot. "Please don't abandon us to that monster, my Lord Herald!" he pleaded. "Our colony will never survive if he comes to power!"
"Jeezus boy! GET UP!" Ben said. Under other circumstances, the idea of a handsome hunk like Corey on his knees with his ass in the air would have given the big man plenty of ideas but not with everything else going on here. Ben offered his hand. "Come on boyo, off y'r knees--I'm not a God r a Divine Messenger' I'm just a God-touched Texan who speaks th' truth as I see it! Honestly buckaroo, I put m' pants on one leg at a time--same as you! Admittedly they're flown in by a pair o' Snowy Owls but still..."
"Wait, what?" Corey cracked up in spite of himself. "Even `Prinny-poo' can't do that!"
"What's been goin' on here?" Ben asked. "Ya mentioned some kind o' schism?"
"The King wants Prince Colin to make him Immortal," Corey told Ben as they walked along. "Crown Prince Logan opposes it for pretty much the same reasons you gave us when we were driving over and, for once, Prinny-poo agrees with his grandpa! I suspect he realizes that if King Carlton never departs the Throne then HE'LL never get to sit on it!"
"Seems reasonable..." agreed Ben.
"Needless to say, `his Madge' doesn't put any store in tales of the Adamantine Herald either," the blond muscle puppy went on. "Prinny-poo didn't weigh in on that but I suspect he knows more than he's admitting but that's not important is it? The King got the idea--don't ask me how--to kidnap your Son and bring him here to force you to appear before him so he could learn the truth for himself!"
"I guess I didn't rearrange m' schedule fast enough t' suit `his Madge'!" Ben quipped. "I'm sorry--I have a life..."
"You don't owe us anything!" Corey was quick to respond. "Some of us tried to talk the King out of bringing your son here without your consent but he wouldn't hear of it! Now I guess we're going to have to live with the consequences..."
"I'll do what I can so y'all c'n get a just resolution," Ben promised. "But y'all never should o' kidnapped m' Son! That happens again, I'll be back with a lot of pissed-off God-touched armed t' th' teeth!"
"I hope it never comes to that..." Corey said.
"Me too Son!" agreed Ben.
Logan Stanford came around a corner and approached the two men with a smile. He was wearing nothing but a hip wrap (that barely covered his naughty bits) and a pair of sandals. "Hello Ben, welcome to Casa Miramar!" he said jovially, but seeing the big man's less-than-pleased expression he throttled back the happy vibe. "I'm sorry you had to come visit us under these circumstances--but I'm glad you're here and I truly hope you enjoy your visit."
"I've made other plans," the Texan replied frostily. "How soon c'n I see th' King? I have things I need t' get back to at home!"
"I understand," the older merman responded. "His majesty is currently having is `morning siesta' and then he'll want to have luncheon before holding formal Court before the Colony. You've got three to four hours to kill before you are ushered into the Royal Presence. Why don't you spend some time relaxing and enjoying the amenities?"
"I'd rather spend time with m' Son!" Ben responded coldly. "I don't know what was done t' him while he was here so you'll pardon me if I'm a might concerned..."
"I assure you--he was treated quite well!" the Crown Prince said.
"An' I'm sure you'll f'rgive me if I don't b'leve a word ANYONE here says!" Ben shot back. "You kidnapped my Son and I know f'r certain that nasty little fuck Colin has been manipulatin' him!"
"I'm sorry Ben, I truly didn't know..." The Crown Prince turned to Corey. "Find the Herald's Son and bring him to the VIP Cottage. Ben can wait there until the King summons him! If Prince Colin tries ANYTHING feel free to knock out a few teeth! That should be enough to distract him from using his powers!"
"Maybe I'll just knock out a few teeth as soon as I see the little bastard!" the blond bull merman replied, "as a `preventative measure' of course..."
Corey trotted to find Jay while Logan led Ben to a secluded cottage at the edge of the compound. The villa had an expansive private patio and full beach access; inside it was cool, comfortable and excellently appointed with comfortable contemporary furniture and ocean-themed art that would have done a beach-side Gallery proud. Ben was shown a comfortable Living/Dining Room with full Kitchen, two large bedrooms each with its own private bath and a garage with a golf cart. "If you don't find anything you need simply call the Front Desk by dialing `0' on any phone in the Villa and tell them what you need. It will be provided as quickly as possible or I'll know why!"
"I NEED to speak with m' Son!" Ben told him firmly.
A few minutes later Corey was back towing a recalcitrant Jay. "Prinny-poo was working him over so I had to drag him out, `kicking and screaming', as it were!" The muscular blue-eyed blond merman looked like he'd rather enjoyed himself.
"Siddown Son!" Ben said sharply.
"I'd rather stand--SIR!" Jay snarked.
"Have it y'r way buckaroo!" the Texan replied mildly.
"Dad--I REALLY don't see what the problem is!"
"Ya don't do ya?" Ben sighed. "Let's START with ya leavin' y'r phone at the Stanfords! Ya know that's against the Contract ya agreed to!"
"Yeah but--"
The big man cut his Son off. "But nothin' boyo!" the big man snapped. "What did I tell ya before I dropped ya off at Colin's Saturday morning?"
"I don't know..."
"I TOLD ya," Ben recited. "Ya `r' not t' leave Colin's house WITHOUT clearin' it with me first! Do ya r'member that Son?"
"Um--no!"
"Son--please don't lie t' me!" the Texan said. "Y'r just diggin' y'rself in a deeper hole when ya do that!"
"I REMEMBER, OK Dad?" the boy screamed. "You happy DAD?"
Ben ignored the nasty comment. "Do ya know where ya are Son?" Jay nodded. "Where then?"
"Cabo..."
"So--wouldja kindly explain t' me how bein' seventy-plus miles north o' Cabo--IN ANOTHER COUNTRY is at Colin's house!" Ben spat.
Corey began pantomiming digging. "I'd say you're in about up to your waist kid!" he commented.
"Dad--do these dudes HAVE to hear you make an ass of yourself?" Jay asked with mock sweetness.
"I'd say he's up to his armpits now!" Corey quipped.
"Did you take any drugs while ya were with Colin?" Ben asked.
"No!"
"Son--DON'T LIE TO ME!" Ben thundered. "You know ya can't so try again! WHAT did Colin give you?"
"Something he called `Locaine'," the boy said. "I'd never heard of it before! But it wasn't bad--honest!"
"Son--he gave ya White Lotus mixed with Cocaine!" Ben exclaimed.
"No way!" Jay exclaimed.
"I'd say `look it up' but ya left y'r phone at Colin's!" Ben told him.
"Use mine!" Corey already had Google up and running. "Go ahead. Do you know how to spell Locaine?"
Jay keyed then read. "Oh fuck!" The boy gave his father a betrayed look. "Why would Colin do that to me?"
"I don't know..." Ben admitted. "You'd hafta ask Colin that. My awen doesn't give me all the answers..."
Jay looked as if he finally understood. "I'm really sorry Dad," he said. "I could blame Colin for some of this but he didn't force me to leave my phone, get on the plane or take those drugs! That was all me!"
"An' that's why y'r gonna be punished when ya get home!" Ben told his son. "I don't make rules just because I'm th' Dad an' I can'! There are reasons buckaroo! Now I'm gonna give ya a choice--you're either done with that bad news boyfriend' o' yours or I'm shippin' ya back t' y'r Mom! I'll give ya `til we get back to Kings Harbor t' make up y'r mind!"
"Dad--NO!" Jay pleaded. "I--I love Colin!"
"Y'r Mom it is then..." Ben said with infinite sadness. "Son--I hate to be th' one t' tell ya this but you're just a play-pretty t' Colin. Someone who REALLY loved you wouldn't sneak ya off t' a foreign Country against th' wishes of your parent! An' they ESPECIALLY wouldn't give ya drugs t' get ya t' do things you aren't ready for! Now I'm not goin' t' ask what ya did when ya were on Locaine because I don't want t' be r'sponsible f'r killin' y'r boyfriend--but I'm sure it wasn't pretty..."
"Oh God--I'm gonna be sick!" Jay ran to the nearest bathroom and Ben heard his Son being violently ill. The Texan resolved to have his son spend some time talking to John-Thomas as soon as they got home: maybe the Druid's "mind magic" could help him because Ben knew whatever had happened was well beyond his capacity to handle. When the boy came out of the bathroom, looking vaguely green, all Ben could do was hug him hard. "I'm so sorry Dad..." Then he started to cry.
"I'm sorry too boyo," Ben said, rubbing his Son's back. "I'm sorry ya got dragged into the middle o' my shit an' sorry f'r what this is doin' t' ya!"
"Does this mean I don't get punished?"
"You're SURELY gettin' punished boyo!" the big man told his son. "You admitted t' three major Rules Violations! I don't know how much y'r buddy Colin influenced your bad behavior but in th' end it was your choice t' make an' ya made th' wrong one!"
"I'm really sorry Dad," the boy repeated. "REALLY sorry!"
"So, you'll pay th' price f'r y'r misdeeds," Ben replied, "an' maybe next time ya might think twice b'fore ya do somethin' stupid again!"
"Yes Sir..." Jay wore a hangdog expression but he gave his father a reassured smile. "I'll try to do better--I promise!"
"Good enough!"
There was a soft knock at the door. Ben, being closest, stepped over and opened it to find a sour-faced Antonio Vega. "His Majesty requires your presence in High Court!" he intoned.
"Tell his `Madge' we'll be there as soon as m' son is decently dressed!" Ben snapped.
"But--"
"The longer ya shillyshally, the longer it'll be b'fore we make it t' Court!" the Texan said. "Bye now! Then he closed the door.
Meanwhile Corey was on his phone and a few minutes later there was a knock. This time Luz-Maria was there with Jay's duffel bag--which he handed to the boy. "I'm sure everything is washed so get dressed boyo! We don't want to keep `Charlie Tuna' waiting any longer than we have to!"
Jay grabbed some khaki shorts and a tee-shirt, not bothering with underwear. "Charlie Tuna?" he asked, confused.
"What some of the Mer call king Carlton behind his back," Logan informed the boy. "Corey--that's inappropriate! We don't want Tunas with `good taste' we want Tunas that taste good!"
Ben, Logan and even Corey laughed but Jay looked confused. "I don't get it!"
"You're not old enough!" Logan told the young man. "So--are we ready to meet his `Madge'?"
"NOW who's being inappropriate?" Corey asked as the quartet made their way to a large Amphitheater that surrounded a massive, round salt water pool. A VERY old man, Ben guessed him to be upward of ninety reclined on a gold gilded fainting couch upholstered in purple velvet. Seated to his right was a voluptuous, bare-breasted blonde who was at least forty years (likely more) his junior. To his left was Prince Colin, naked but for a pair of expensive sunglasses and an equally pricy Diver's watch. Over a hundred men, women and children were in attendance all patiently awaiting the newcomers' arrival. Most of them were naked or nearly so as well.
"My son--you're certainly--dressed..." the woman said in a whiskey tenor. "Have you already forgotten you're a Mer?"
"I've been busy in the Outside World--MOTHER..." the blond bull shot back. "My apologies honored Queen--AKA Mumsie--but I haven't had time to change! Besides--it makes the Adamantine Herald more comfortable!"
"It remains to be seen if he IS, in fact, the Adamantine Herald..." the old man stretched out on the fainting couch wheezed.
"You summoned me--Sir..." Ben said, loud enough to carry throughout the Amphitheater.
"Do not PRESUME to address his Majesty directly!" the buxom blonde screeched. She began humming and Ben could feel the magical pressure beating against his shields. This time though, he was ready and his awen told him how to respond: the Texan simply stood there straight and strong, absorbing the mental attack until the woman gave up, Then, and only then, did he release the attack, sending it back to its origin with twice the force. The mental blast was so strong it knocked the woman and her chair backward. "You son of a BITCH!" the Queen screamed as she tried to right herself from where she'd sprawled.
"Again--you summoned me?" Ben was deliberately showing less respect this time and the assembled Mer knew it.
"There are those--the former Crown Prince included--who allege you are the fabled Adamantine Herald!" the King intoned. "We, however, have our doubts..."
"Do we now, y'r `Madge'?" The Queen looked like she might have liked to take objection to Ben's sarcastic tone but she'd learned her lesson thanks to the spanking the Texan had given her. "So--how do I prove my bona fides?" he asked politely.
"We're ALL aware of Prince Colin's Siren Call..." Logan interjected smoothly, almost as if it had been rehearsed. "It is said only the Adamantine Herald can resist that call! Why not have Prince Colin use his power on Ben? If Ben falls under his spell then we know he's not the Adamantine Herald! If he resists...?"
"Uh--I'd rather not..." Colin had no-doubt seen what Ben had done to the Siren Queen.
"Do it! Do it! Do it!" Corey started the chant but it was soon picked up by most of the rest of the Mer in attendance.
"Maybe you're not th' fabled Golden Prince!" Ben challenged.
This was enough to set the golden merman off; Colin gathered every scrap and shred of mystic power he could muster and threw all of it at Ben! The big man stood like the Rock of Gibraltar, absorbing every iota of the magical energy the Golden Prince poured out and it affected him not in the slightest. Once Colin had grown tiered and had nothing left to throw Ben returned the magical attack--redoubled as he had with the female Siren. This time the attack sounded like a cannon fusillade and the whole assembled crowd heard it and saw the flash as the energy hit their Prince and knocked him off his perch. The blond princeling got up, angry and bruised.
"Benjamin Dover has passed the Test!" Logan announced to all in attendance. "Is there now any doubt he is the Adamantine Herald?"
"Indeed, there is!" the King announced as he looked daggers at Ben. "I have seen Mind Mages and Psychics wield such abilities! He could be one of those!"
"There is one other Test..." Logan said. "We know Ben can transform into a merman! Let him do so and SHOW you his Adamantine Scales!"
"He could be a lost Mer!" the King challenged.
"Then--I call the Court Magician!" Logan said. A brown-haired man with a scholarly look about him (even though he wore nothing but a lavalava and sandals made his way down to the water's edge. "Can you determine if this man be Mer or Human?" Logan asked.
"I can and with certainty!" the Court Magician responded. "Benjamin Dover is 100% HUMAN!"
"Your own Court Magician has proclaimed this man to be human!" Logan announced. "Any further objections your Majesty?" Defeated, the King shook his head. "Then Ben--I hate to ask this--but will you show the Court Assembled your Merform?"
"If it'll get me an' Jay home..." The big man stepped to the edge of the pool and removed his shirt, then his boots, pants and underwear. There were a number of shocked glances and dismayed exclamations as the Texan displayed his tubby naked musculature but Ben paid none of it any mind. The big man simply leaped as high as he could before diving into the salt water pool, transforming in mid-air! There were more amazed gasps as they saw Ben's lower body, glistening silvery with purple-black undertones like marcasite. Ben's mer-tail, scalloped like a Beluga Whale's slapped the water as he dove deep and shot out of the water, landing poolside in his human form. "Are y'all happy now?" he asked as he gave the group a challenging look, "'r do ya have any more dumbass tests f'r me?"
"You are the Adamantine Herald!" the King sighed. "My apologies my Lord! We seek your guidance on a--most critical matter..."
"Corey--could ya find me a towel please?" the Texan asked. "I'm not comfortable showin' off m' `naughty bits' f'r all an' sundry..."
The blond merman ran off to do Ben's bidding but his mother, the Queen, gave the big man a disapproving glance. "So--you wish to openly disrespect our ways--HUMAN?"
"Ma'am--with ALL due r'spect..." the Texan replied frostily, "I haven't said ONE WORD about y'r `ways'--nor about th' rudeness with which I've been treated here..." There were several gasps from the assembled crowd. "At th' risk o' bein' frank with ya--I don't give a flyin' FUCK what you an' yours do! But me? I'm a human! An' THIS human an' his Son don't stand around buck nekkid in front o' total strangers!" There was more gabble from the crowd but Corey came back and helped Ben dry himself and get dressed. "Now--this thing ya need m' guidance for...?" he said once he was fully clothed.
"No doubt my traitorous Son has already filled you in..." the King said bitterly.
"If ya mean th' Immortality' thing, Prince Logan never said a word!" the Texan responded coolly. "Y'r-- son' Corey filled me in on that..."
"Stepson," the Queen corrected.
"I'll tell ya th' same thing I told Corey an' Antonio in th' car..." Ben said, making sure he kept his temper under control. "Ya want immortality, y'r Majesty?" This time the Texan was careful to use the proper, respectful, honorific. Ben spoke carefully as he made his next comments: "I remind ya of th' myth of Aurora who brought a mortal lover t' Olympus an' asked he be given Immortality! Zeus granted that request but failed t' pair it with eternal youth! My awen tells me Prince Colin c'n grant ya immortality OR youth--but not both! Now--immortality at y'r age isn't somethin' ya want! I'm sure ya know that..." The king nodded. "Now," he went on, "if ya choose t' pursue the joys of a second youth ya c'n step down off your Throne an' pass it on t' a worthy successor! You've spent years trainin' Prince Logan t' be a proper king! Maybe it's time t' pass th' Baton!"
"You don't understand!" the King wheezed angrily. "You don't see the Specter of Death in the mirror every time you glance in one!"
"I understand more n you know..." Ben said and his words were gentle. "I lost a woman I loved more n life itself t' a Drug Cartel's bullet that was meant f'r me! I'll never see m' son Douglas play football r cry at his weddin'. I'll never know th' joy o' seein' m' unborn daughter Mary Theresa have her first crush an' th' fun I'd have had terrorizin' er first boyfriend! I'll never walk my daughter down th' aisle r when she puts her first child in m' arms! I know loss y'r Majesty--an' I know that nothin' new c'n r'place what is gone! Death WILL come f'r ya one day Sire--ya c'n greet him as a friend r fight him! But if you choose th' second option y'r Kingdom will fall! Besides--neither Prince Logan r Prince Colin r' gonna wanna sit around an' wait f'r ya t' age through a second cycle! If you take youth an' refuse t' abdicate ya are askin' f'r Civil War!"
The Queen gave Ben a speculative look; it was clear she didn't care for the man but his words had hit home with her at least. "The Adamantine Herald speaks Truth my King..." she finally said. "Perhaps it is time to depart your Throne for a new adventure?"
The King sighed. "We will consider your words Herald..." he finally pronounced. "You will remain here as our Honored Guests while I ponder my next move..."
"I'd rather not your Majesty," Ben said flatly, casting a side-eye at the Golden Prince. "All things considered I think it `ud be better if I went home..."
"You WILL remain as our Honored Guests!" the King said with finality in his voice. "If I have further need to consult you, I want you handy!"
END CHAPTER TWELVE