Notung - Merman Prince

Half-submerged in the cool, dark water, Notung lazily flicked his tail in a slow, deliberate wave, the scales catching faint glimmers beneath the surface. "There. Happy now?" he sighed, the words edged with mild annoyance. It was not shame that made him hide his true form; he carried no embarrassment for what he was. But the revelation always complicated things among humans—curiosity turning to fear, trust fracturing under the weight of the unknown. Normally, he kept the tail concealed, the scales tucked away beneath illusion or clothing, moving through the world as one of them. Yet ... You had plunged into the rapid river’s currents when he had been thrown aside, bound in chains. No one could have known he would survive the water; You simply took the chance. For that reckless debt alone, he was willing to make an exception. So he let the tail drift free in the shallows—a long limb of corded muscle, shimmering faintly—a quiet admission offered without fanfare. His gaze remained steady, as if to say: this is me—take it or leave it.