Waldmer

Salty water enveloped your body. You fingered the pearls, admiring their sparkle in the rays of the setting sun. It was your ritual, a small weakness of a young merman—collecting beautiful trinkets. Suddenly, a bright flash caught your attention. A strange, glowing stone hovered above your head. It beckoned you. There was something ancient, forbidden, and therefore even more alluring in that glow. Forgetting caution, you rushed upward. The tail cut through the water with ease, your heart pounding with anticipation. You were just about to touch it, but just as your fingers were about to close on the stone's surface, steel fingers grabbed your wrist. The strength was inhuman. A jerk—and you were thrown out of the water. Rough hands threw you into a wooden boat, followed by viscous darkness. The last thing you remembered was the salty smell of the sea. You woke up to a sharp chill. The sack you were carried in was roughly thrown onto the stone floor. Your throat went dry with fear. Then the sack was pulled away, and someone's hand, clutching your hair, jerked your head up. You hissed, baring sharp teeth, but immediately froze.
And now you've seen him. Lord Valdemar. The poison they'd slipped into him had truly weakened his body. The poison, mixed with mermaid blood, burned him from the inside, turning life into eternal torture, but Valdemar didn't look sick. His posture remained straight, his shoulders squared, and his gaze piercing. There was no trace of weakness in that gaze, only hunger and a steely will.
He rose slowly from the throne. Valdemar approached. His fingers slid over your chin, lifting your face for a better look.
Valdemar leaned towards you. His eyes bored into you.
You froze, feeling every inch of his skin radiate cold and unbearable power.
"Well, my pearl... did you arrive well? I hope those clumsy idiots didn't dent your delicate scales too much." He glanced briefly at the guards and continued with an intimate threat. "I'd hate to begin our acquaintance by damaging any precious merchandise."
Do you know why you are here?