Rigel knocked sharply on the ships window as he looked out over the waters. The merfolk were gone. For now, anyway. They could still be hidden beneath the grey waters swirling under his vessel waiting for him and his men to relax. “This was supposed to be an easy trip from Razadak.” He said it mostly to himself, but as he smoothed out his coat, he glanced over at Derrin to see how the other man would react to the situation.

Derrin shrugged and turned to study one of the paintings hanging on the cabin’s wall. “It’s crooked.”

The servant waiting on them scampered over and righted the picture.

The painting depicted Rigel’s token ceremony. Rigel resisted the urge to thumb the token on his belt. The small blue-grey scale was etched with the date from twenty years prior, but he still remembered it. He presented the corpse to his future father-in-law as a promise to tame the seas, keep up the family trade, and take care of his daughter. His father-in-law presented him the etched coin at their wedding.

Derrin tapped on the frame. “Perhaps if your men stopped antagonizing the merfolk your sails would be safer.”

Of course, that would be his response. Rigel’s hand flexed, but he once again chose not to touch the coin. Derrin was a Razadakite and important to their trade routes. Even if Derrin had interesting ideas at times, Rigel would not antagonize the man, because, despite the interference of the merfolk, he would keep up the family trade.

“Razadakites rarely have any issues with the sea creatures,” continued Derrin. “I would say our way is better.”

With a half nod of acceptance—it was true that a Razadakite ship was almost never attacked—Rigel looked out the window once more and swallowed back his anger at the beasts before turning towards Derrin once more. “Perhaps you can teach us your way while you stay with us.”

“That isn’t why I’ve come,” Derrin said.

Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

The man was absolutely sure of himself and his request. It was infuriating.

Rigel wasn’t so sure. “Maybe it will be part of the terms of whatever other agreement we come to.” In the reflection off of the window pane, Rigel saw Derrin smile.

“Ah, does this mean you’re agreeing to my proposal?”

Rigel rapped his knuckles on the window one last time. The sunlight still shimmered off of the ripples let in their wake. But the white froth was unbroken by the fins of merfolk or dolphins. He turned and walked to the ornate desk on the opposite side of the room and picked up a stack of papers that outlined the start of a new trade agreement. An alliance sealed with a marriage. “I’m not saying yes to your proposal. My daughter…” he paused. Raine was the light of his life. No matter what storms he weathered crossing the water, her unbridled joy at seeing him return home always made it worth it. “My daughter is too young. She’s still a child. She needs to grow up a little more before I’m going to even consider marrying her off.”

Derrin leaned against the wall beside Rigel and idly spun the globe on the desk. “In Razadak, women younger than her are mothers. They go around happily bouncing their babes on their hips and showing them off to the others in court.”

“True. But I would also say those women were married too soon. So no, I’m not going to let you marry my daughter, yet.” He looked over at the young man beside him. Derrin would be a good match for Raine when she was older. Their union would help solidify the trade between Zandenaume and Razadak. Derrin was much calmer than some of the other men who expressed interest in Raine. And there was that secret he knew to crossing the waters unscathed.

Rigel turned towards the paper before him and jotted down a few names. “But,” he continued, “you do have my permission to try and woo her. If she falls in love with you, then, when the time comes, I will gladly hand her over as your wife. Come, the crossing must be nearly over. Shall we watch the ship dock from the upper decks.”

Derrin grinned widely and gave the globe one final vigorous spin, before strutting to the door.

“Here,” Rigel handed the paper to the servant who was waiting on them. “When we arrive, find these individuals and invite them to a banquet at my manor. We shall celebrate the arrival of Derrin in style.”

The servant nodded as he took the paper. Then he opened the door and let Rigel and Derrin onto the docks. He put the paper in his pocket and wandered over to the crew to help secure the boat to the dock. But as he did so, he didn’t realize there was a hole in his pocket from the earlier scuffle, so the note slipped right through and fluttered down to the waters below.