Love and Deepwater • A Rafayel story

Hidden in plain sight

As he approached the final residence of the night, he felt a sense of pride wash over him. He knew exactly what to do, having just saved a group of about eight Lemurians from a nearby houses located around the district. He repeated the same method he used before, moving quickly and efficiently. He was relieved to find no trouble or resistance this time around, and his heart swelled with gratitude as he thought about the lives he had just saved. With every house he cleared, he felt more confident in his abilities to accomplish the mission given to him as a rite of passing for his coming of age.

All the humans that he encountered in their homes were soundly sleeping and the captured Lemurians were rescued, healed, and offered a fishtail beacon to get revenge if desired. He knew, that after tonight, the Humans who would find the result of his actions would be scared and take on a defensive and desperate stand after so many aristocratic lives killed and Lemurians saved from slavery.

When the sky turned orange mixed with purple and pink, Rafayel decided that it was time to return to Enoria's tower. It was kind of fun, to pretend to be helpless and vulnerable when in reality, he might be the most dangerous creature to roam this world.

Deciding to finish the day, he closed his eyes underwater and wished for the flames to bring him to his beloved, visualizing her bathroom. He felt the pull and when he opened his eyes, Rafayel was standing in the middle of said room.

Opening the light and knowing that the song he sang previously would prevent Enoria from arising, he showered, scrubbing away any trace of lake smell and grime from his adventures during dusk. Enoria's soap smelled like roses and, for a moment, he imagined that this fragrance would be the result of mating, he hoped it would stay on his skin, her smell forever imprinted. Unquestionably, as he didn't have any plans of mating her (still too young), this desire was a fantasy from his tired and overwhelmed brain: Enoria, a Human, would never have scent glands and the rose scent came from soap, not pheromones.

Lemurian had certain scents that they naturally produced, normally more vividly during a... mating period orwhen in their weakest, Ebb and Flow. These scents served to draw a mate toward them and played a big role in attraction. Humans would call it chemistry. It was how merfolk identified mates... And how they knew to avoid those they weren't compatible with.
Scenting, in general, was meant to attract potential mates. But it could be used for different things, depending on... the circumstances, like to use it to intimidate, or dissuade others, in cases of anger or aggression. Or when in distress. Or... when injured.

The Queen also explained a healthy Lemurian was a pleasant-smelling one. Because of that, it played a large part in mating selection, as merfolk typically looked for partners whose scent smell pleased us, and whose aromas also complemented our own. That's why the King tried to bring many young nobles to his birthdays, looking for a future mate for Rafayel. He never smelled any scent that sang to him, so... their intents were always futile.

Truth to be told, Rafayel never paid attention to his body, too immature to comprehend, and also, maturing at the same time of his bonded, those needs weren't common... but he did pay attention to his sisters.

From them, he learned that their scents played a major role in attracting partners for mating, yes. His sisters talked non-stop about how Scenting glands were particularly potent when they... uh... when Lemurian were in the mood. So Rafayel supposed that a person's scent became more potent whenever they felt desire or strong feelings, even though Humans' weak noses would never be able to perceive it.

He heard from his sisters, that Rafayel's scent was that of the sea at night, when it's tranquil and calm, a salty scent that made people feel protected and at home in his presence. Obviously, he didn't know how he smelled, when in the mood... as he himself didn't have experience in that specific area.