Baetica and Nucello watched overhead as boats skittered along the surface of the water. “Come on Nucello,” said Baetica with a wave. “Let’s head back to the village. The humans seem to be raring for a fight today.

Nucello laughed. “They’re not the only ones. Look at you, you’d draw your weapons before anything was happening.”

“Really?”

“Oh yes, I can see it now. You’d kill a man, or even a merman, if you thought they looked at you the wrong way. Or you thought their hair flowed better than yours. You have more scars on your body and you go through more blades than the rest of us combined, and you think to tell me to come away before a fight breaks out.” He punched Baetica in the shoulder. “Yeah, that sounds about right.” Laughing he swam closer to the surface.

Baetica darted after him and yanked on his tail. “If I fought as much as you do, I’d be dead before dawn.”

“Pfft. I’m not dead yet.”

“Nucello, come back. The humans are up there.”

Nucello looked back down at Baetica. “I don’t care.” With that, he flicked his tail once more and broke the surface of the water.

With eyes like thermal vents, Beatica followed his friend to the surface. As his ears broke through the waves he heard the sound of men yelling to turn the boat around. Turning to glare at Nucello, he saw the boat coming towards them.

“Slow down men, I wish to speak with them,” yelled a voice Baetica knew all to well. Garrick.

“A word with us?” said Nucello irreverently. “Let’s make it more fun than that. Why don’t you jump in the water with that harpoon of yours and try to make it a word and wallop.”

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“Oh believe me,” said Garrick hefting his spear to alter his grip on it, “I am more than willing to toss this down at you. And I guarantee you’re going to give me the opportunity I need to do it.”

“Do we have to give you something? Couldn’t you just take it?”

Garrick snarled. “First things first. Do you know the cretin who belongs to these?” He held up more of Cidaris’ scales plus a few white ones that could only belong to Lewisil.

Baetica felt his muscles tense with rage and annoyance. How many more scales did Cidaris have on his fin to lose? And what had he gotten himself into that he was able to convince Lewisil to partake in his stupidity.

“Cretin?”

The snap in Nucello’s voice jolted Baetica. He reached out and grabbed the merman’s shoulder. “Easy. You were the one who chose to surface. Either answer the man’s questions with some sort of grace, or withdraw to the depths until you’ve cooled down.”

Nucello snorted as he turned to glare at Baetica. “Cool down? I’m cold enough already. If anyone of us needs to cool down it’s that holothurian on the deck.”

Baetica ran his fingers through his hair and dislodged a snail that had snuck along for a ride as he tamped down his desire to throttle Nucello. Bubbles lightened the sea behind Nucello and drew Baetica's gaze moments before Cidaris surfaced and lazily splashed his fin.

"Well, well, well, if it isn't the fish I'm looking for." He leaned over the edge of the boat and hurled Cidaris’ scales at him. A few pinged off Cidaris' hair but most plopped listlessly into the water around him. "You monster," he snarled.

Cidaris crossed his arms and cocked his head in a very human-like manner as he looked up at Garrick. "If my feelings towards humans hadn't changed, I would be furious about what you just said. But as it stands, I shan't be bothered. You don't know me at all. If you did, you'd know I'm not a monster." Turning Cidaris motioned for Baetica and Nucello to dive. "Good bye."

"Good bye? You invade our home and think you can just walk away?" His free hand smacked the wooden rail between them. "Screw you. Draw your weapon, you miserable sea slug."

“No,” responded Cidaris much to Baetica’s continued surprise. What had happened to his cousin over the last arrival and dispersal of the sun that had calmed him from wanting to fight to wanting to avoid it? “I could never hurt you. I can’t tell you why not yet, but know that I mean you no harm. Perhaps someday we will see each other as kin.”

“Kin?” roared Nucello. “How dare you suggest something so disgustingly vile.” The sun glinted off his fin as he drew his blade and rushed the boat. “If he shan’t fight. I will.”