"Do not mind my father," Ochnia said. They were alone inside one of the bedrooms. It was smaller than her own bedroom at her father's house, but it had a bed made out of some kind of coral. The walls were made out of gray stone. "This was Norchón's room when he was little, my room is at the end of the hallway. Tomorrow you have lessons with my two oldest, and we will clue you in on all the other stuff you need to know. Let's pray to the Gods that you will be ready for when Lord Chaim calls upon you."

"I know how to act and what to say around nobility, my best friend is the nephew of the Empress, and let me say that was a fun childhood." Aliza said. "I do not want to sound dismissive, because I know I have a lot to learn. But at least do not worry about that." Ochnia nodded slowly.

"The nephew of the Empress, you say." she muttered. "Well, that is good to know, and again do not mind my father. He is just worried. You are, right now, without any form to protect yourself. So that task falls upon my brothers and uncles. But I know from experience that you are tough, because this is not the first time we met each other." Aliza tilted her head slightly. "Granted it is being eight years ago. I was above the surface, with my oldest brother, Sull. To find a mating partner for my first child. And I found one in a tavern just near the harbor. It was a noble man, that was quite eager." Aliza frowned, there are quite a few taverns near the harbor, sailors love a stiff drink and a fresh cooked meal after their time at sea. But there was one tavern that was popular among the noble's, The Golden Anchor. She has seen the inside of that tavern eight years ago, with Harel and Artal. And it was not a pleasant memory. Pe'eri Karniel, the second son of House Karniel, saw to that. "Yes, you and I met inside that tavern. When I pulled of my mating partner from, I believe your best friend. And you were doing the same thing with said best friend." Aliza blinked a few times. She indeed remembered that.

"Wait a second, you mated with Pe'eri Karniel?" Aliza asked. Ochnia wiggled with her head.

"I honostly do not remember his name, but yes. I mated with him and he is the father of my two oldest. Not that it matters, they will never know him and he will never know them." Ochnia said. "Which I belief is for the best, because from what I have seen, he doesn't seem to be a very nice person." Aliza nodded.

"He is not, he is a bully. Harel is his favorite target, because he was adopted into the Eldar family. Which is horse shit, he is as much part of that family as any other member." Aliza said. Ochnia frowned, maybe adoption doesn't excist here. "There are a lot of children, that lost their parents and sometimes they get adopted by other families." Ochnia nodded.

"That is indeed a strange concept for us, if a mother passes away. The rest of the consortium will takes care of the child." Ochnia said. So Aliza was right, sort off.

"So the consortium, adopts the child and raises them. Until they can stand on their own, or better said swim on their own." Aliza said and Ochnia nodded. "But still I can not believe that we already met, each other. Although the encounter was brief. I belief you and Pe'eri left soon after that."

"That is correct, and what I remember was that you had to contain not only your best friend. But also that other man that was with the you." She said, Aliza lowered her head. Artel and Harel were so mad that day, and she needed to use all that she had learned to keep does two from going after that jerk.

"It was my first and last time inside that tavern, we were no longer welcome after that. Neither was Pe'eri, because the owner knows all to well that he was the one that started the fight. But of course, Pe'eri blames Harel." Aliza sighed and tried to sit down upon the bed. Swimming under water was tough, even though she concidered herself an experiance swimmer.

"I am sorry, although I had nothing to do with it. Besides the fact that I mated with him after all of that. But that is enough for today, your body has healed up nicely. But right now it needs some rest. Tomorrow are your lessons." Ochnia said before she swam out of the room. Aliza was already fast asleep when the door closed behind her.

*******

The sun was already low, the streets near the harbor were packed with sailors and merchents. who were on their way home or to the nearest tavern. Nothing beats a good pint of Sharax Empire Ale, or another stiff drink. A good freshly cooked meal, and a nice bed to sleep in after the belly was full. Probably with an extra body to warm the sheets. Harel and Artal were pushing each other, talking loudly and making a lot of fun, she was walking closely behind them. Knowing that they only asked her because she was already inside the Eldar mansion, like always. But she didn't mind, it would be her first time inside a tavern though and not just any tavern, The Golden Anchor. It was the place to be for young nobles, in other words, she wouldn't be allowed in if it wasn't for those gooveballs. But they were nobles, Artal was in fact the noble. He was the crown prince and Harel was the adoptive grandson of Lord Eldar. So he might not be a noble by blood, but by name and they were her friends. Their laughter made her laugh as well, which was something that was rare these last couple of days. Her father has tried to get her to join the family company, but she wants to be a Paladin of Volaris. Something she has told him over and over again, but as usual he will not listen to her until she got the position. But that was neither here or there, right now she was on her way to have fun. Harel turned towards her.

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

"Come on, Liz. No sour faces today, we are going to have some fun." he shouted, so that the whole street was able to hear him. She chuckled and rushed towards him. Both of their arms landed upon her shoulders, as they walked through the streets. The Golden Anchor overlooked the crystal blue ocean. The yellow brick shimmered in the midday sun, it almost looked like gold, which was the whole point. "Look, Liz, we are finally here. They have the best ale, in town, according to father."

"My father said the same thing, I can't wait to try it." Artal said, does two sounded more like little children, but she can't deny that she was curious about it as well. "Come on," Artal pushed open the door, a little bell echoed through the establishment. Not that anybody heard it, because the laughter and loud conversation rushed towards them.

"Ahh, your highness and excellently welcome in the Golden Anchor." a female server said. "If you follow me," she turned around, ready to guide the three of them towards their table.

"What in Volaris's name is this. I believed that this establishment was for the nobility. Not for the trash rats that were picked up by them." A loud male voice said, the whole laughing chamber died down. And all that were present looked towards the one who said it. Pe'eri Karniel, he was the second son of Lord and Lady Karniel. A young lady with golden locks and deep sea blue eyes was sitting next to him. Her hand was laying upon his arm, probably to stop him from saying something. She failed in that regard, but it was not a secret that Pe'eri hated Harel and her. "And it seems that a prince also took a skank with him." Aliza placed a hand on Artal's shoulder, who was ready to charge. Something he has done a lot in the past, Harel on the other hand was the more level-headed of the two. But she was able to see that he was fuming as well. Pe'eri looked at the girl who was sitting next to him, she was not one of the nobles. At least not one of the Empires, maybe those of another kingdom or duchy. "She is not even that pretty, but I do not doubt her ability to please the two of you." And Harel was on him, before Aliza was able to stop him. Harel's fist rained down upon Pe'eri, again and again. Aliza shoved Artal on one of the chairs, and rushed towards her best friend. Not to help him, but to pull him off Pe'eri, which was not an easy task. And he was trying to fight her, but she put him in a tight grip. While the unknown girl dragged the angry Pe'eri out of the tavern. Atral tried to rush after them, ready to do more damage than Harel, only for her to let him trip over her feet.

"Have the two of you lost your minds!" she said loudly. "By reacting in the way that you two did, you are proving his point. So the two of you, put that noble but of yours in one of does chairs and I do not want to hear from you."

"Do you really think that I want two of does loss canon's inside my tavern!" That was Samuel, the owner and head chef of the Golden Anchor. Aliza shook her head, no.

"I do understand where you are coming from, but they are currently too hot headed to leave." Aliza said, and she was right about that. As he was right for kicking them out for their behavior. But there was not much time between Pe'eri's departure and now. She will not be able to stop those hot headed fools from killing Pe'eri, not after what he had said about her. Samuel frowned, and he was ready to say something about it when the door opened up and Emperor Ginat stepped in.

"And what is going on here?" he asked. Samuel turned towards him.

"Ha, your majesty. Good that you are here. Your nephew just beat one of my patrons to a pulp, I want him to be removed from my establishment. Together with your son and that tanners' daughter." Samuel said. One of Ginat's eyebrows rose up.

"It is rare for my nephew to fly off the handle like that. So the one on the receiving end probably deserved it, but it is your establishment. Artal, Harel, get moving. Aliza, if you want to be so kind to follow us." Ginat commanded, they just bowed their heads and walked out in shame. Aliza smiled at the Emperor, before she followed them outside. Worried that the Emperor would give them grief over this. The door of the tavern closed behind him and she shrunk a bit awaiting what was coming next. "I saw Pe'eri leave, before I came in. Was it really Harel who lost his temper?" the three of them nodded. "Well then I believe that he said something very upsetting."

"He, called Aliza a skank. And said that Harel and I both were sleeping with her." Artal said. Emperor Ginat's eyebrows shot up.

"He did?" he asked and again the three of nodded. "Well, then he would be glad that I wasn't there." All three of the them looked at him in disbelieve. "Aliza you are as much part of the Eldar family as I am. And I do defened the members of my family. So that includes you, and I in return expect from you the same in return."

"I will," she said. "I will."