The Tale of the Tail (AU, M/L, Teen) AN 9/3[WIP]

[sprayadhesive]

I suck. Because I can't update this fic regularly... because fluff is such a challenge for me to write. But I am trying my best to get better at this updating regularly thing. Sorry to keep everyone waiting. THANK YOU for the bumps and the feedback!!

LairaBehr4 - Lovely, lovely Laira who can beta on the second night in a new city...
Flamehair
roswell3053
behrluv32 - haha, I know exactly what episode you're talking about!
Natalie36
flyawayraven
83 AlienAngel - I'm sorry!!!
maya
clueless
Max/Jason Luver
Dreamer<3
roswelldreamer4life
punkrock_dreamer - Hey, we've missed you!!
tigerr100
Daydreamer23
eric1978



<center>Part 10</center>

No one spoke for a few seconds. Max continued to stare at her from across the room, staring blankly at her. It was as if nothing was registering in his brain.

Liz spoke tentatively, “Max…?”

“It can’t be…” Max shook his head, but a smile grew on his face, “You’re here, aren’t you? You’re really here.”

He swam forward, taking her into his arms and burying his face in the crook of her neck, “I missed you so much.” He brought his face back, still keeping her in his arms and pressed a kiss against her lips, “You’re actually, really here.”

He then held her at an arm’s length, surveying her up and down, “I’ve never seen anything more beautiful in my entire life.”

“I’m sure it’s just the tail that’s turning you on.” Liz quipped.

He chuckled and then gave a smart nod, “I’ll admit it, that’s definitely factoring in.”

He placed a kiss on her shoulder, “I can’t believe you’re here.”

“Why not?” She frowned.

Max turned his eyes downwards, “I thought… that after what you found out about me… I had pushed you away forever.”

“Well, it didn’t.” Liz smiled, “It’s bringing us closer.”

“Thank you.” He smiled, kissing her again, but this one being placed on her forehead.

Liz placed a hand on his chest, “And don’t think that you’re the only one who missed someone. I was worried sick about you.”

“I’m sorry.” He shrugged, “I tried to get away. Really. I did. I can’t believe that Michael even got to the shore before being missed. I didn’t think he’d actually be able to find you.”

“Michael and Isabel.” Liz bit her bottom lip.

Max looked unimpressed, “It figures that she’d be able to sneak out and not get caught.”

“I’m sensing some sibling rivalry?”

“We’ll get to that later.” He brought her into another kiss. They parted and Max leaned his forehead against Liz’s, the two merely happy to be in each other’s arms.

“It’s amazing down here.” Liz whispered, turning her attention to gaze out of the window. Max’s room had an incredible view of the kingdom. The castle sat close to one edge of the depression that the city lay in. Some dwellings were on the surroundings of the city, above the depression, but there weren’t many and they were fairly well camouflaged by a variety of seaweed and other oceanic items.

Max smiled, “I’m glad you like it.”

Liz smiled back at him, “You love it, don’t you?”

“It’s home.” He shrugged, the corners of his mouth turning up slightly.

“ZAN’ETH!” A sea-shaking roar came from somewhere below them. “WHERE IS HE?! WHERE ARE THEY?!”

Max swallowed. He knew that this was coming. He looked at Liz nervously, “It’s my father.”

Liz nodded, a knot of fear forming in the pit of her stomach. The way everyone talked about him, she half-expected him to have two heads.

Max took one of her hands and led her over to the window. He looked deep into her eyes, “I don’t want him to find us. Not yet.”

Liz nodded.

Max looked out of the window, gazing out over the grounds. His eyes lingered on the dense garden before turning back to Liz, “Do you trust me?”

“Of course.” Liz couldn’t help her smile, “You live here, remember?”

Max laughed and led Liz out of the window, swimming down, but staying close to the palace at the same time. Something about their manner of travel made Liz feel like Max had done this a hundred times before.

Liz barely looked around them as they swam. She was too distracted by the boy she was following. Because of this, it felt like a split second before they were swimming up to the entrance of the garden.

The walls were made of plants, high enough to make the garden into a maze. Liz didn’t recognize half of the plants that she could see in front of her. After all, she had never really focused on marine biology in her studies. Something in the back of her mind told her that some of these plants were unique to the city, too. They swam in the entrance, a mere gap in the plants flanked by two stone columns. Various forms of coral towered above them, causing a rainbow of color to reach her eyes. Max quickly explained what they were doing, “We’ve got to stay low in the gardens, or else they’ll be able to find us. My father will have sent out guards to look for us already. They’re probably expecting for us to make a break back to Florida, so that buys us a little time.”

Liz nodded. She decided now was as good a time as ever to ask the questions that were plaguing her mind, “You and your dad have issues?”

“Yeah.” Max nodded, still leading them through a maze of plants. They were staying very close to the ocean’s bottom, and Liz felt small with the plants towering over her. Max shrugged, “He just wants best for the kingdom.”

“Is he why you have issues with your sister?” Liz kept pressing him. He didn’t seem like the topic was bothering him.

Max nodded again, “It’s not even Isabel’s fault, really. Because I’m the next in line for the throne, and Isabel’s not, my parents go easier on her.

“Isabel was guaranteed that she would be able to find her own significant other. She gets to go out all of the time, and she gets to have so much freedom. The only thing that she has to – or cares to – do is occasionally make appearances with the family. She gets the perks without every having to do anything in her life. If you ask me, she got the better end of the bargain. Me, on the other hand… I was betrothed within the first ten minutes of my life. I grew up knowing that, no matter what, my future was decided for me. I had people constantly watching me, judging me and sizing me up. I never had a moment’s rest. I still don’t.”

“Speaking of betrothal…” Liz started hesitantly. She didn’t really want to talk about that certain issue, but she knew that it was the giant elephant in the room that everyone kept ignoring. Whether they liked it or not, Max was meant to marry another person.

Max shook his head, stopping and staring Liz in the eye, “I am not going to marry Tess.”

Liz spoke contemplatively, “Tess. How did she get picked to be your betrothed?”

“Stop saying that word,” Max shook his head, “As far as I’m concerned, I’m not betrothed to anyone.”

Liz shrugged, “Fine, how did they choose Tess?”

Max could hear the coldness of Liz’s voice. He tried his best to try and put her fears of Tess out of her mind, “Tess’s father is my father’s advisor. They’ve known each other since they were kids. So, naturally, when my father realized that he had a first born son, an heir to a throne, and Nasedo’s wife had just given birth to a baby girl the week before, he paired us up. There was no better match in his opinion – his best friend’s daughter and his son. My mother didn’t like the idea of betrothing me, so my father compromised and they agreed to let Isabel have her free will.

“Anyways, Tess was practically shoved down my throat from the start. She was over for play dates every single day. If I had a formal dinner to attend with my parents, she and Nasedo wouldn’t be far behind--”

“What about her mom?”

“She died giving birth to Tess.” Max said sadly, “But everyone says that Tess is the spitting image of her mom. It’s why she and her father get along so well. He loves having her there to remind him of Ava.”

“Oh,” Liz looked down at the ground they were swimming over. She felt bad for the girl, as much as she wanted to despise her. Liz and her own mother had always been close. She didn’t know what she would have done without her.

“Tess is one of my really good friends, though. Just a friend. While me and Michael would be going around the castle, getting into trouble together, Tess would be right alongside us. I told her around age six that I didn’t want to marry her. She wrinkled her nose at me and told me boys had cooties, so she would never marry me, anyways. But as we got older, our parents started making us go out together. They started forcing Tess to start acting like a lady – a future queen. She’s not particularly thrilled about the arrangement, either, but she’s learned to accept it. She doesn’t want to disappoint her father. She’s all that he has left, so she just wants to make him happy.

“Me, though, I could never accept the idea. I wanted to be able to choose – like Isabel.”

Liz nodded, “And that’s why you ran away to Florida.”

“Yep. The wedding was a week away and everything was just so out of my hands Tess and Isabel were both going along with everything. Michael knew that I wasn’t happy about it, but he still seemed to give in to my father at any opportunity. I had just gotten into an argument with my father on whether or not the wedding would actually be taken place, so he ordered me to my room and forbid me from leaving it until the wedding day. Naturally, I took the first opportunity to sneak out.” Max smiled, “Although, I must admit getting to Roswell Beach was a complete accident. I was sulking in the shallows when my father’s tantrum of a storm caused all of those huge waves. I wasn’t prepared, so I was washed into Alex’s pool. Not that I regret that momentary lapse of judgment at all. It brought me to you.”

“You really don’t have feelings for Tess?” Liz bit her lip. She still needed that assurance.

“I don’t have feelings for Tess.” Max promised. A guard swam two leagues above them, and Max cursed. He started swimming again, this time staying more silent.

The guard was gone, passing them by in a second or two, but they still continued forwards.

“Wait a second, what do you mean your dad caused that huge storm?” Liz frowned.

Max laughed, “The king of Atlantis inherits powers when he takes the throne. He can cause huge storms or hurricanes, control the tides, and sense things that are going on in the ocean. The queen inherits the powers to speak to sea creatures.”

“Your mom’s a fish whisperer.” Liz said blandly, almost disbelievingly.

Max laughed even louder, “When you put it that way, it just sounds ridiculous.”

“You’re telling me?”

“Listen, Liz, I know that all of this sounds absolutely bizarre, but…” Max started.

Liz cut him off, a light smile on her face, “I guess it doesn’t sound so strange when I think about how weird you must have thought everything on land was.”

Max chuckled, “Yeah, I guess you’re right.”

“But, hey, there’s a plus to all of this adventuring.” Liz was trying her best to lighten everything, “We’re both getting to walk a mile in the other’s shoes. Literally. Well, literally for you. Not me. Seeing as we don’t need shoes down here.”

Max scrunched up his nose, “The fish jokes haven’t gotten old yet? Really? I would have that that after a month of me being gone, you would have time to get it all out of your system…”

“Oh yeah?” Liz quipped back, “Is that why you were silent for all of that time? I do believe I should be mad about that.”

“You should be,” Max smirked, “But you aren’t. You can’t stay mad at me for long, and you know it.”

Liz laughed, shaking her head, “The salt water does wonders for your ego, I see.”

“Let’s hope it’s done wonders with your skills with being inconspicuous.” Max grinned.

Liz’s eyes narrowed, “I can be inconspicuous, thank you very much. Why do I need to be?”

Max pointed ahead. They’d reached a stone wall, covered in ivy and ferns. He spoke softly to her, “Don’t let anyone know who I really am. Just pretend like we’re normal citizens, okay? And if anyone asks you about the necklace, play it off.”

“What are you talking about, Max?!” Liz asked, completely frustrated. But they were already moving again, heading up and over the wall in front of them. Liz’s mouth opened in amazement. Her first trip through the city had been too hurried for her to actually look around and see her surroundings. The buildings they were now level with were a cross between the ancient Greek and Roman architecture that she had seen in her studies. There was a columned forum that she could see in the far distance, shops lining the road directly in front of them, and dwellings stretching out to the left and right. Many of the shops had areas above them that were, from what she could tell, dwellings for the people who owned the shops. The city seemed to be on a grid pattern. “Oh my gosh, it’s gorgeous.”

Each of the buildings looked weathered, but it only added to the city’s beauty. There were some buildings where various ocean plants had grown up the sides, adding a homey feeling to the entire city.

A mixture between a squeak and a screech happened, breaking Liz out of her fixation on the architecture and structure of the city. She slowly became aware of the merpeople swimming in and out of buildings, carrying on their lives as humans would in any city.

Each tail that she could see was a different color. All of the colors were different shades, making each merperson unique. “Are they all different colors? The tails?”

Max shook his head, “No, but there are a lot of different colors out there. If two merpeople have the same shade tail, their hair or their eyes are a different color. No two are alike in coloring.”

“That’s amazing.” Liz was almost completely stunned.

“Although,” Max looked at Liz, his eyes drawing slowly over his tail, darkening the longer they lingered, “I’ve never seen anyone with that shade before. It’s gorgeous.”

Liz blushed, “Stop it.”

“I’m serious.” Max grabbed her hand and they swam a little further into the city. Liz noticed that Max was getting gawked at. Max must have noticed, too, for he dragged her into one of the shops. He muttered into her ear, “And if I see you flirting with any mermen, I’m going to be very, very jealous.”

Liz laughed and rolled her eyes.

As the door closed behind them, a man came out of the back room. His face lit up when he saw Max, but then a jesting tutting noise came from his direction, “Again, Your Highness? Oh, the King would have my head if he knew how many times you came here to get away from him.”

The man stopped when he saw Liz, a smirk forming on his face before he turned to Max with a raised eyebrow.

Max stepped in, “Brody, this is Liz Parker. Liz, meet Brody. He’s an old friend of mine. And Brody, how many times do I have to tell you to call me Max?”

“Liz, I don’t know how you put up with him.” Brody joked, “Are you from around here? I’ve never seen you before. I think that I would have remembered it.”

“She’s from around the Florida region.” Max supplied instantaneously.

“Florida?” Brody’s brow furrowed, “I didn’t know we still had people up there, what with all of the humans flocking to the shallows for recreation.”

“My family’s learned to blend in well.” Liz nodded, biting her lip. She would have to ask Max about her fake background later.

Brody looked her over once more, realizing her hand was in Max’s before turning to Max, “Tess and your father must not be happy about this, eh?”

Max shook his head, “I’m not worried about Tess finding out. It’s my father that’s the problem. That’s why I’m here right now, actually. I wanted to give Liz a tour of Antar, but I don’t want to draw attention to us. Liz and I actually… uh…”

“You gave your father the slip, you shark.” Brody laughed, “Do you never learn? I thought you weren’t even off of grounding from your last misadventure.”

Max blushed, “Uh… yeah, well, I didn’t want him to interfere with my time with Liz.”

The man’s dark purple tail swished under him, “I see.” He thought for a moment, turning about in his store. Many of the things around them were in jars, so Liz couldn’t tell what exactly the shop sold. He looked back to Max, “You’ll need something for the face and tail, then?”

“And my shoulder blade.” Max’s hand automatically moved to touch it, “My father had some of the Royal markings placed there just the other day.”

Brody’s face immediately showed his awe, “My Gods, that means you’re almost ready for the throne. I had no idea. I don’t know if I can help you with this, Your Highness. I can’t, in good conscience, let you roam the city without any protection.”

“I’m here to get that protection and you know it, Brody. Not all forms of protection come in big Michael packages.” Max responded almost immediately, “And if you are really acting out of respect for my title, than you recognize the fact that I am your future King and disobeying me would not make me very happy?”

Liz shifted to look at Max, extremely surprised. She didn’t think that he would be the one to pull rank on someone that was as old as a friend as Brody. At least, she thought Brody was an old friend. They certainly bantered like they were. But, as she really looked at Max, she realized that the corners of his mouth were upturned in a smile. She looked at Brody, and he, too, was smiling.

Brody rolled his eyes, swimming away from them. He went into the back room and returned with three jars.

Brody handed them all to Max, “The smallest is for your tail, the largest is for your head. Don’t get anything in your eyes. Your mother would kill me if those changed.”

“It’s not permanent, is it?” Max asked, worriedly, “None of the other stuff has been permanent.”

Brody looked at him as if he had two heads, “Would I change you permanently?”

“You’re right. Sorry.” Max quickly apologized.

Brody nodded and then turned to Liz, “My dear, it was lovely meeting you. I wish you well on your tour, and come back any time. Your Highness,” He turned to Max, “You just keep all of these visits in mind for when you’re King.” He winked and then left them in the store’s main room.

Max had already begun with the smallest jar. He took off the top and a jelly liquid remained stationary in the jar. He took some into his hand and then rubbed it across his tail. His tail immediately darkened two shades. Liz was quickly catching on: it was an apothecary of some sort.

Liz shook her head, confused, “Why does it matter what color your tail is? Didn’t you say that tail colors repeated?”

“Not mine.” Max shrugged, “It comes with being in the royal family. Your tail’s color is unique to you and only you. Same with the shading of our eyes. My eyes and tail happen to match, so usually just changing the tail color is enough to throw people off.”

“Oh.” Liz nodded, biting her lower lip.

Max set that jar down and opened the medium sized one. He scooped out gel that was the same tan shade of his skin and spread it across his tattoo. Instantly, it was impossible to see.

His face was the last to come. He spread the gel in the largest jar along his jaw and around his mouth, instantly causing stubble to grow on his face He spread some on his scalp and his hair that was already brushing the nape of his neck grew an inch or two longer. Liz realized that if you weren’t looking very hard, you wouldn’t be able to recognize him at all.

Max turned to Liz with an eyebrow raised, “Are you ready for that tour, now?”

Liz nodded, “How far away from Florida are we, exactly?”

Max wrinkled his nose, “Michael didn’t tell you where the city even was? Leave it to him to forget something like that. We’re nestled between Jamaica and Honduras.

“Oh, and about the story of where you’re from… Merpeople haven’t been in contact with humans since the days of the Romans and the Ancient Greeks. It would freak some of them out to find out there’s one swimming among us.”

“But, why the Romans and the Greeks? Isn’t that a little out of your guys’ daily routines? It’s all the way in the Mediterranean…”

“Around the same time that our ancestors were starting to mingle with the Romans and the Greeks, they also realized that human technology was increasing and that their centralized civilization was going to have to be moved. You see, some of the humans that they revealed themselves to didn’t react very well and tried to appeal to their emperors to carry out hunts and exterminate us all. Others were more receptive, but those who didn’t like us were dangerous…”

“What happened to the people who wanted to kill the merpeople?” Liz asked, swallowing deeply.

Max frowned, “They were removed.”

“You killed them?”

“I didn’t kill them, my ancestors did. It was the only way to preserve our civilization.” Max insisted.

“But killing them didn’t stop the stories of you guys, did it?” Liz pondered.

Max shook his head, “No. We made it into their mythology and folklore. This, I guess, is better, because now when we have people like me falling in love with humans, those humans at least have heard of our species before.”

Liz froze. It was the first time that Max had talked about his profession of love to her. She chickened out, “More than one of you have fallen in love with a human?”

Max laughed, “Okay, well, not really. I’m the first that I know of. But the line sounded good when I thought of it.”

Liz nodded. She still had so many questions, but they would be answered in time.

They left the shop and started swimming through the streets, with Max pointing out certain places and restaurants. Liz almost had a heart attack when a dolphin passed them by.

Max got a kick out of that.

“I’m sorry if I don’t quite imagine domestic dolphins.” Liz said, her tone teasingly indignant.

Max pouted, “Oh, will you ever forgive me?”

Liz crossed her arms, “I’ll think about it.”

He took her hand once more, leading her into the large forum. There were schools of fish intermingling with packs of merpeople, all seeming like they were just carrying on with their daily activities. It was one of the most beautiful things Liz had ever seen.

They reached the middle of the square of buildings, and Max lowered his mouth and caught Liz’s lips in his. Liz kissed him back passionately. If there was a most romantic setting of her life to date, this was it.

And as she looked into his eyes while he pulled back from the kiss, she realized that, beyond a doubt, “I’m in love with you, Max.”

“What?” Max did a double take, his voice still husky from the kiss.

“I love you.” Liz repeated.

Max brought her into another kiss. He never thought that he would hear her say those words, “I love you, too.”

Liz pulled back, “And I know that it’s going to be really, really hard, and that you have a lot of responsibilities, but I want to try to make this work. I really do. I didn’t know what I was going to do without you when you left, and I don’t want to feel like that ever again. Hell, I’ll put up with Tess and your father if I have to.”

“I want that, too.” Max smiled broadly, hugging her tightly, “And good luck with the Tess and Poseidon thing.”

Liz pushed him lightly, rolling her eyes, “Only you would kill that moment, Max Evans. Only you.”

TBC...