A merman wearing the prince’s symbol swam up to Baetica. “Where did the man who killed Nucello go?”
Frowning, and resisting the urge to even peek in the direction of Cidaris’ disappearing bubbles, Baetica pointed to where Garrick’s body drifted in the ocean currents. “There he is.”
The merman’s head jerked back as he took in Garrick’s lifeless form. Composing himself with dubious results, he turned to face Baetica once more. “In the name of our holy prince, you must come with me.” His hand drifted towards his blade in case Baetica should resist, but Baetica had seen enough bloodshed for one day and swam in the direction of the prince’s palace.
As the guard followed behind him, Baetica heard him trill a few notes on a pipe. Soon a second and third guard wearing the same sigil swam by them. Baetica listened as the first guard directed them to where Garrick drifted in the waves.
Shells, polished bone, and pearls decorated the outside of the coral building. Tiny fish darted in and out of the openings, a few moray eels lurked in the darker alcoves ready to lunge out at any of the fish that drifted too close. Baetica briefly wondered if he was like the small fish that was caught in the eel’s jaws as he and the guard swam through one of the larger openings and wound their way to the throne room.
The prince sat on the rim of a giant clam shell. The inside had since been filled with sand to avoid any royals flailing and sliding backwards into the empty shell, but most royals opted to remain on the rim anyway.
In front of him were Nucello’s parents, cradling their deceased boy’s body, Gadilidae, Mytilidae and a few other nobles from the sea, including the one who had brokered the deal with the Zaudemnites.
The guard following him sped up suddenly and put his arm out to stop Baetica from moving forward. As the two mermen flicked their tails and moved towards the side, the two guards from earlier swam by carrying Garrick’s lifeless body between them.
The Prince looked from Nucello to Garrick and shook his head disappointedly. “Who are the ones who started this fight?” His voice was as icy as a polar cap, with the same vicious bite of a stingray’s tail.
The guard shoved Baetica forward. “He is the one who brought us Nucello, and then I found him with that man.”
The Prince’s shark-like gaze zeroed in on Baetica. In spite of himself, Baetica found himself shivering and his tongue felt too swollen to speak.
“Well?” prompted the Prince. “What did you see happen?”
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His chest felt like a lump of cobalt pressed down by the entire ocean as it rested in its bed at the bottom of the ocean, but he found his voice. “Oh Prince, I was there for the entire thing. I saw each fatal blow.” He pointed to Garrick. “This man, who was drowned by Cidaris, is the one who killed Nucello.”
The noble who brokered the deal with the Zaudemnites gasped and covered her mouth with her hands. “Oh Garrick. He’s the nephew of the leader of the Rauzandites. They will mourn him deeply and they will look to you for compensation. Oh dear Prince, you must give them blood for blood. You must show them that you will not stand for this viciousness if we are ever to live in peace.”
When the mermaid finished speaking, the prince turned his gaze towards Baetica again. “Who started the fight?”
Baetica saw the noble roll her eyes behind the prince, and he presumed it was because she didn’t think it mattered who started. She only cared about the end. Inwardly, he shook off his annoyance and pointed to Garrick. “He started it. We found him dropping threats to Cidaris in the water. At first, Cidaris wasn’t with us, but Nucello and I went to investigate. When Cidaris joined us, he asked Garrick to calm down and to look upon us as kin.” His gaze darted towards the mermaid and saw her scowl and roll her eyes again. “But Garrick would hear none of it. He refused to be satisfied until he killed someone. And, while Cidaris and I tried to pull the two apart, Garrick stabbed Nucello.”
Baetica sighed and shook his head sadly. “We tried to get Nucello to the healer, but when Cidaris learned the Nucello would never feel the ocean currents again, he became blind with rage and attacked his friend’s killer, pulling him into the sea. When he realized what he had done, Cidaris fled. That’s the truth. I swear it.”
The mediator scoffed. “He and Cidaris are kin. There’s no way that he speaks the full truth. What of the other men on the ship? Surely Garrick was not on his own? And why was he seeking Cidaris to begin with?” Her face scrunched with disgust. “No my Prince, I do not believe Baetica, and I do not believe you should either. The humans will call for blood for this, and you must deliver them Cidaris. That merman must not live.”
The prince studied her for a moment and then left his chair. Slowly, he swam around Nucello and then Garrick’s bodies. Examining them from different angles while the others in the room waited in a tense patience. He gestured towards Garrick. “Cidaris killed him,” he flicked his fin and pointed to Nucello, “after he killed Nucello. Who should pay the blood debt now?”
“Not Cidaris,” cried Gadilidae. “He and Nucello were friends. His fault is that he took the law, and,” he looked pointedly at the mediator, “it is the law, into his own hands and killed Garrick before the man could escape or be condemned by your own words.”
The prince nodded. “You are correct. Cidaris did take the law into his own hands. More than that, he broke the law that forbade you and your kin from interacting with the humans at all. For that reason, he will be exiled.” His hand flew up to stop any arguments from Cidaris’ parents. “Nucello was my kin. He was my cousin. Your love of battle has cost me my cousin. And I promise, I will make you regret that. You will not find sympathy from me. Yes, your son will live, but he will live alone for the rest of his days. You may not go with him. You may only find him to tell him to leave. Once he is found, he is to be out of these waters before the sun darkens the sea floor. I will not pardon a murderer in this village, that is all it would take for more killers to try their luck at a human’s life. Now leave.”