The Tidebreaker tilted his head in agreement with Hotaru's guess; indeed, he wasn't the singing type of merfolk. There was a glint of humor in his eyes though his expression had fallen back into serene stoicism as they continued the serious lessons. The headmistress was very much a master of magic and tactics both and he nodded as her point was made and explained.
He watched Evie's fight with sympathy in emerald eyes, intimately familiar with the pain she likely felt while she fought the compulsion. It was a relief when the time limit was up and Hotaru stepped over to him. Sensing some of the concern the humans seemed to have he gave them a reassuring nod. His eyes crinkled at the corners as he met Evie's gaze. "I am in no danger here. Even asleep," he assured her - and Hotaru, too. It was perfectly normal for him to sleep underwater, after all.
His hand closed over Hotaru's petite one and this time the force of the compulsion was far more seductive and difficult to resist. He tried, of course. His body tensed, tail lashing through the dark, cold waters. But in an effort to focus his defense he closed his eyes and then it was so, so hard to open them again. The pain and nausea of his resistance provided an unlikely lifeline against the command, but even that discomfort began to fade as the King succumbed to the compulsion.
He blinked awake once the time limit was up, surging back up out of the waves that he had slipped down into without needing to pull on Hotaru's hand to do so. "Unpleasant," he rumbled, shaking the sleep from his eyes, lips tight at the memory of his failure to stay awake.
He watched Evie's fight with sympathy in emerald eyes, intimately familiar with the pain she likely felt while she fought the compulsion. It was a relief when the time limit was up and Hotaru stepped over to him. Sensing some of the concern the humans seemed to have he gave them a reassuring nod. His eyes crinkled at the corners as he met Evie's gaze. "I am in no danger here. Even asleep," he assured her - and Hotaru, too. It was perfectly normal for him to sleep underwater, after all.
His hand closed over Hotaru's petite one and this time the force of the compulsion was far more seductive and difficult to resist. He tried, of course. His body tensed, tail lashing through the dark, cold waters. But in an effort to focus his defense he closed his eyes and then it was so, so hard to open them again. The pain and nausea of his resistance provided an unlikely lifeline against the command, but even that discomfort began to fade as the King succumbed to the compulsion.
He blinked awake once the time limit was up, surging back up out of the waves that he had slipped down into without needing to pull on Hotaru's hand to do so. "Unpleasant," he rumbled, shaking the sleep from his eyes, lips tight at the memory of his failure to stay awake.
