Kaelen's navy tail flickered lazily in the water, the shimmering scales reflecting the soft glow form the bioluminescent algae lining the cave walls. He watched Aria intently, perched on the edge of the pool, her legs dangling in the cold water. His usually intense gaze was softened by something almost... tender, though the possessiveness that always lingered beneath the surface remained.

For the first time in days, Kaelen seemed to relax. Aria had noticed the small changes – how he hovered less obsessively near her and gave her just a little more space whenever he was around. Ever since she had given in and started eating the food her provided, his mood has shifted. He was more playful now, less on edge. And today, there was a sparkle of excitement in his eyes, as though he were bursting to share something with her.

"Alaria," he stated, his voice rich and melodious in the stillness of the cave. His tone was different today – lighter, more inviting – as if he were coaxing her into conversation. He waved her over to the edge of the pool, his long tail swishing in the water as if to beckon her closer.

Aria sighed, half reluctant, half curious. She'd been trying to keep her distance – both emotionally and physically. But it was difficult. Kaelen was relentless both in devotion and in his unpredictability. But as days passed, with no one else to talk to and nothing else to occupy her mind, she found herself drawn into these strange little moments. It was easier to give in – if only to avoid going insane form isolation.

"Kaelen..." she murmured, drawing her legs up and hugging them to her chest. She still wasn't entirely comfortable around him, but there was a familiarity now. He tilted his head at her soft tone, his expression expectant.

He pointed to the water again. "Lunara," he said, repeating a word she had learned from him a few days ago. His fingers danced in the air, gesturing to the waves that lapped gently at the rock wall inside the cave.

Aria frowned, her mind racing as she tried to recall the meaning. Ocean, her mind filled in. She repeated the word as she herself pointed to the water her feet paddled in. Kaelen beamed, his entire face lighting up at her response. His joy was almost infectious, and for a brief moment, she couldn't help but smile back. It was hard not to, especially when he looked at her with such childlike excitement, like he was proud of her.

Kaelen moved closer, his tail sending ripples through the water. "Lunara," he repeated, his voice bright. Then he tapped his chest. "Kaelen."

Aria raised an eyebrow. She knew his name already. But she paused and cocked her head to the side. Was he telling her about himself? She gestured for him to continue, genuinely curious now.

He learned in, his voice soft but eager. "Neridia," he said, pointing towards the distant opening of the cave – beyond the cave. "Tela." She knew that word. Home. Aria remembered yelling at him after learning the word, telling him home was out of the cave – on the surface. But he had pointedly scolded her and refused to hear anything else on the topic.

"Neridia?" Aria echoed, furrowing her brow.

Kaelen's eyes glimmered with excitement. He nodded enthusiastically, pointing to his chest again. "Neridia. My home."

Aria could make out the sentence Kaelen spoke in his language easily. Kaelen made a grand gesture with his hands, as if trying to encompass the whole world in that one word. "Opar," he added, his arms spreading wide. Big. He was telling her his home was big.

"Ril opar?" She asked with a grin, mimicking his gesture.

As he tried to explain, his words tumbled out faster. He gestured around, as if tracing something vast in the air. His fingers danced rapidly, too quick for her to follow.

Aria blinked, struggling to keep up. She could pick out bits and pieces – something about the greatness of his home, perhaps the beauty of it – but his words were a blur, slipping through her grasp like the water beneath his tail.

"Beliara!" She laughed, holding up her hands in surrender, her cheeks flushing with amusement. "Beliara, Kaelen!"

Kaelen stopped, his eyes widening in surprise. Then, slowly, a delighted grin spread across his face. "Beliara?" He repeated, his tone teasing as he mimicked her slow deliberate pronunciation of the word 'slow.' Aria nodded with a grin.

The merman chuckled, his shoulders relaxing as he sat back in the water, his arms resting on the edge of the pool. For a moment, he seemed more like an overexcited child than the dangerous captor who had stolen her from the shore and locked her in this cave. His tail flickered lazily beneath the surface, causing ripples that shimmered in the bioluminescent light.

Kaelen mumbled a sheepish apology, his voice softer now, more measured. He tried again, speaking slower this time, making sure each word was clear. "Nerida elyra... ramascat" Kaelen paused and pretended to put a crown on his head, a kingdom Aria supposed. Neridia is a beautiful kingdom Aria translated silently in her head. He paused waiting for acknowledgment that he could continue. That she had understood.

Aria found herself leaning in, genuinely listening now. Despite everything – despite the fear, the captivity – there was something endearing about the way the spoke of his home. His passion, his love for it, was palpable.

"Elyra..." he murmured, his tone reverent as he gazed towards the cave's entrance, as if he could see his would just beyond.

Aria nodded, feeling a strange warmth spreading through her chest. His excitement was infectious, and in this moment, it was hard to stay angry of distant. She found herself wanting to ask more, to learn more.

"Tell me... more." Her tongue felt strange saying the words in his language, her voice softer than she expected. "Yen tela, Neridia."

Kaelen's face lit up again, but this time, he held himself back. He paused, choosing his words carefully, as if afraid of overwhelming her again. But as he spoke Aria could almost picture the underwater city. "It is deep, so deep," he said in his language, his voice a mix of pride and nostalgia. "There are... many caves. Like this one. And lights... from rocks, from the water." He gestured to the glowing algae around them, smiling softly. "Elyra," he added, his smile warm. Aria was surprised she was able to follow his story – granted he had kept the words relatively easy to understand.

Aria couldn't help but smile back. "Elyra," she repeated. Her home had been beautiful too.

For a moment there was a comfortable silence between them. The cave felt less like a prison and more like a sanctuary, a place where two very different worlds could meet. Aria's heart softened, just a little. She still resented him for taking her, for locking her way in this strange place. But with no one else around, and nothing but the echoing drip of water to keep her company, Kaelen had become her only link to sanity.

Kaelen spoke again, the words of his language stringing together and the more Aria listened and interacted with him, the easier it became to understand.

"You like Neridia?" He asked suddenly, his voice quieter now, as if the question held more weight than his previous excitement.

Aria hesitated, biting her lip. She wasn't sure how to answer. She hadn't seen his world – not really. But the way he spoke of it, the way his eyes sparked when he described it... it was hard not to feel a pang of curiosity.

"I don't know," she admitted honestly, her voice soft as the foreign words formed. "Maybe... I could... see." Her brows scrunched together as she tried to figure out the right words.

Kaelen's eyes widened, his tail swishing in excitement. He learned forward, his voice urgent but hopeful. "I show you! I show you Neridia!" He exclaimed, nearly bursting with joy at the thought.

Aria's heart skipped a beat. "Wait – no, I didn't mean..." Frightened of any implications she blurted out the words, unable to form them in the strange merman's language. She wasn't eager for another dip, with his pale lips pressing on hers giving her the much needed oxygen her body required.

But kalen was already moving, his enthusiasm impossible to contain. He swam in circles, his laughter echoing off the cave walls, his tail splashing water in every direction. He was like an excited child, thrilled at the prospect of sharing his world with her.

Aria couldn't help but laugh at the absurdity of it all. "Beliara, Kaelen!" She called holding up her hands to shield herself from the splashing. And within a moment, Kaelen had slowed down just as she requested. A grin on his face.

Aria's laughter faded, and for a moment, they just looked at each other. The tension between them, the fear, the confusion – it all seemed to melt away in that one small moment of connection.

Kaelen's gaze softened, his excitement ebbing into something more tender. He reached out, gently taking her hand in his. "Alaria, yen Elyra." He whispered.

The words hung between them, and Aria's breath caught in her throat. Beautiful. But beneath his tender tone, she sense something else – a subtle, unspoken urgency. He wanted her to understand more than just the beauty of his world – he wanted her to see him differently. To stay.

She swallowed hard, unsure how to respond. Was it fascination, or was it something deeper driving him? His hand lingers in hers, warm and steady, his gaze filled with an emotion she couldn't quite name. In that moment, Kaelen's yearning wasn't just about his hime; it was about her. He didn't just want to show her his world – he wanted her to belong to it. To belong to him.

A shiver ran down her spine. The warmth of the touch, his excitement – it made her forget, for just a heartfelt, the reality of her situation. For a fleeting moment, as his words painted a world of wonder, she almost considered what it would be like to stay. To let herself believe in the beauty he described.

But as she silently watched him leave the cave, something stirred in her chest – a quiet warning. This world, and Kaelen's affections, might not be as simple as they seemed. And the longer she stayed, the harder it would be to escape. His hold on her wasn't just gentle – it was tightening.

Her fingers absentmindedly traced the spot where his hand had held her's, and the weight of the moment began to unravel. She remembered his glowing eyes – cold and calculating – gleaming with an intensity she hadn't understood, the way he had pulled her under, away from the world she knew. The way his grip had been firm, unyielding – like a predator who refused to let go of its prey.

Her chest tightened as the memories surged back – the panic, the helplessness when she had been dragged beneath the waves, her desperate struggle for air, and his lips pressing against hers to give her life. What should have normally been a tender act had felt like an invasion. She had been captured, taken away from everything familiar.

And now, she could feel the weight of Kaelen's possessive nature settling in. He had said he would show her his world, and in his eyes, that it was something beautiful, something grand. But to Kaelen, she was more than a guest – she was his. Kaelen would do anything to keep her by his side. She could feel it in every touch, in every word. His possessiveness seeped into everything he did, and while he showered her with affection, there was always a shadow of something darker – more dangerous.

Aria's hand dropped to her side, her fingers curling into a fist as a tear slipped down her cheek. The lightness she had felt earlier was gone, replaced by the heavy weight of her reality. She was alone in a world she didn't belong to, with no way out.

Translation: Lunara = ocean Neridia = city name Tela = home Opar = big Ril opar = how big? Beliara = slow down Nerida elyra... ramascat = Neridia is a beautiful... kingdom. Elyra = beautiful Yen tela, Neridia = your home, Neridia Alaria, yen Elyra = Alaria, you are beautiful