Hello and welcome to my latest story, based on 2018's Aquaman! I have seen this movie twice now and honestly, I love it, what an exciting world to be apart of, what an adventure! It's definitely a very me kind of movie, complete with action, adventure, myth and magic, badass women, pirates, a charming lead, and a handsome 'villain' ;) yes, Orm had my heart even before I saw the movie, and I was already planning a new story in his honour, so here it is! 'What would it be like for him if he fell in love with a surface dweller who's kind he hated so much?' is a question that I am really intrigued by and excited to explore! (I was so, so glad he was only imprisoned and not killed so we will likely see more of him - hopefully him and Arthur will pair up and fight together! ;)

As promised, here is a full summary:

Set after the events of 'Aquaman' - To Atlanteans, their great kingdom is thriving, however, to surface world dwellers, this magical underwater land has fallen into myth.

For archaeologist Tatiana, this myth bears truth and reality. She is determined to find even the slightest bit of proof that tells of Atlantis's existence. However, after years of searching with little findings, she hates to admit she is becoming discouraged.

A miracle answering her long-held questions comes in the form of a man who washes up on shore, bringing much needed excitement, and she discovers that her search may have led her to perhaps the greatest source: the previous king of Atlantis himself.

Still feeling passionate hatred towards the surface and those who live there, Orm escapes from prison and plots his revenge against his newly-crowned brother. However, things don't exactly go according to his plan. How will Orm react to developing feelings for a human of the surface world that he so despises? (OrmxOC) (ArthurxMera) (AtlannaxTom)

Onto the story! Hope you enjoy! :)

I - Legend of Atlantis

Atlantis.

Having long fallen into human myth and legend, one that was a confirmed fantasy.

Tatiana didn't believe it. Not a word of it.

Her motto was that every myth had to come from somewhere. After all, why would it be a myth in the first place? All myths had foundation in truth, usually ancient truths.

Ancient civilizations captivated her, often so ahead of their time, often so clever, and so very intriguing.

How their myths spoke of how the world and all within it emerged.

How they managed to build great structures without any modern equipment: great pyramids, statues. Cities.

Cities. One of which had been consumed by the sea long ago, and was presumably still beneath the glittering depths, waiting to be found.

Or not. After all, it had been centuries upon centuries, and still little-to-no trace of Atlantis had been found, had surfaced.

Until now.

Her search for the fabled kingdom had taken her around the world, from her homeland of Greece, to Egypt, across Europe, and now to North America, to a small coastal village, Amnesty Bay, Maine, which had recently exploded with speculation of the truth of Atlantis's existence, including an Atlantean who walked among them, the 'Aquaman'. This was the start of a six-month contract search with a salvaging company, led by her, Dr. Tatiana Andreas.

This was one of the many aspects she loved of this job, the travel, seeing places she never thought she would see otherwise. Archaeology had taken her to the farthest corners, the tiniest points. And she loved every minute of it. Nothing compared to the thrill the searching gave her.

That was why she hated to admit it, but she was becoming frustrated with her current search. During other projects and digs, Atlantis had always been in the back of her mind, it never left her. That and she was nervous.

What happened when she did find it? Redefined history for the world!

And if she didn't? What if all this excitement over the 'Aquaman' turned out to be nothing but further continuation of the myth? This was the most nerve-wracking.

No, she would find it. She would. She had to.

Vulko had promised him a cell with a view, and that was exactly what he got.

It was the perfect view really, the glowing city centre, colourful ships floating by, cutting rainbow, bioluminescent paths through the water. It was close enough that he could recognize certain people passing by, including his mother, Vulko, Arthur, and Mera. Mera was always easy to spot, her bright red hair and emerald suit, and Arthur with his long hair that he didn't pull back, unlike Orm (Orm sometimes imagined Arthur's hair getting caught on coral and rocks). The Trident of Atlan always glowed in all its golden brilliance in his hand.

Orm grit his teeth at the thought of it and turned away from the cell window. Instead of admiring the view, which really meant staring his defeat in the face, he began to pace his cell, back and forth, back and forth, eyes focused on the ground, which was how he spent a lot of his time in the three weeks he had been here.

Upon looking back up, he nearly jumped.

His mother stared back at him.

No guards had come to alert him of a visitor (she must have requested so) and she had been so quiet in entering the dungeons that she had snuck up on him.

As a child, people told him he resembled his mother. Before meeting Arthur he had always wondered if his brother did too, and had admittedly been pleased to find that Arthur took after his father more. He was glad to have more of their mother.

He had her white-blond hair and her piercing blue eyes which now bore into him.

She gave him one of her kind, bright smiles. "Hello, Orm."

"Hello, Mother." He couldn't look away - there was no way he could.

"I came to see how you were doing."

"Fine, it would seem."

"I'm sorry this has happened."

"So am I. Though not because of why." He felt no shame in what he had done, it had been justified after all. Could no one understand that? "I can't believe you're alive," he stated after a pause.

"Neither can I, really. I've missed you so much."

He wanted to say, 'I've missed you too. So much.' Instead he said, "Funny, haven't seen you come to visit very often if that's the case."

"I've been settling back in, and helping Arthur settle in and stabilize the Seven Kingdoms."

"Arthur, Arthur, Arthur. Always the favourite." Now he looked away.

Atlanna's smile fell and she gave a breath of a sigh. "Orm-"

"Do you deny it?"

"Yes, I do, because it's not true. I told you, I love you both. You're my son." He still didn't look at her. "I thought of you every day while I was trapped in the Trench. I missed you so much, my darling."

"I missed you too." This time he couldn't stop the words. I missed you so much.

"I always dreamed of the day my sons would finally meet, brothers, friends. It didn't go exactly as I had hoped."

"And I suppose you're here to accuse me of fault?"

"No, but you must understand that you have done wrong."

"I was trying to protect us."

"As any true king would. But waging war isn't always the answer. You jumped into it too quickly."

"I suppose you would side with them, after all you married one."

Atlanna appeared hurt at the sharpness of his words. "I fell in love."

Her voice was soft, gentle, soothing, just as he remembered it from his childhood. He scoffed.

"You cannot fault me for that. You could at least be happy for me." She paused, receiving no response from him. "We cannot choose who we fall for, Orm. Sometimes it just happens. Like with Tom and I. And Arthur and Mera."

Again, he grit his teeth. But she was betrothed to me. He scoffed yet again and turned away further to stare back out the window at the palace he once ruled from, the city he once reigned over. "I almost wish he did it, you know."

"Did what?"

"Killed me on the spot." Plunged the trident into my neck. Ended everything right there.

"Orm!" she gasped. "You don't mean that!"

"Maybe I do. At least a death in battle fighting for what I believe would have been less shameful than this."

"Your brother spared you for a reason, and it was not to rub in your failures."

"Then why'd he do it?"

"Because he's a good man-"

"And I'm not?"

"I didn't say that. He didn't want to hurt his family any further." Atlanna sighed again. "And Mera - I'm sorry about you and her."

"I don't want to talk about it."

She nodded in understanding. "Please, behave yourself. Please." She pressed a hand against the glass. She wore a silver ring on one finger, and Orm guessed her surface-dweller husband and Arthur's father had given it to her. "You do so and the sooner all this will be finished, and you can start over. We can all be a family." She smile. "We would all love to see you return to society once your sentence is up."

He was going to make some comment about the half-breed and his human father, but held his tongue. Oh I'm sure you would, he thought. No so sure about the others, though.

Atlanna continued. "Let your time served here allow you an opportunity to reflect on why your brother spared you-"

"HE'S NOT MY BROTHER!"

Atlanna appeared startled for a moment, and Orm was almost a little startled himself. Almost.

"The little boy I left behind always wanted a brother. Now you have one."

"No, I don't."

Atlanna sighed. "I should be going. Please, think about what I have said. I love you, my son. So much. Never forget it."

Once she left he pressed his hands against the cool glass, staring down at the floor, trying to calm himself.

The glass shook when he pounded it with a fist. His whole hand and wrist stung now but he ignored it.

He had to get out of here. The weight of what had happened was settling upon him, which was exactly what Arthur wanted, to make him see. Orm wouldn't give in, wouldn't give Arthur the satisfaction.

Unlike Arthur, he had grown up here, spent his whole life here. He knew his way around, shortcuts and secret passageways. He didn't need any help to get out of here, his father had always taught him to rely solely on himself. "I couldn't even rely on the trust of your mother, my wife," Orvax had once said. Maybe Orm couldn't rely fully on his mother either.

He only had himself, all he ever really had.

This wasn't over, it had only just begun. He would have his way, he would have his war with the surface even if he had to go through Arthur - that he would be glad of. He was going to get himself out of here and was going to reclaim his throne and kingdom, his birthright. If anyone could accomplish this, it was him.

He was the Ocean Master after all.

Thank you so much for reading and I hope you enjoyed! :) Let me know what you think so far!