The royal palace of Fiskariki, home to King Erik and Prince Njord, stood atop a hill at the northern end of Tunabyr. Though Erik had once ruled with wisdom and strength, his advancing age had left cracks in his reign, cracks wide enough for something as vile as a trafficking ring to fester in the heart of his kingdom. Surrounded by a massive Aether bubble and guarded by rifle-toting sentries, the palace was a seemingly impenetrable fortress of stone, built during the ancient times before the Serenization of Fiskariki several hundred years ago.

Shaska approached the palace gates, a cart filled with tied-up Rackham and his cronies dragging behind her. The freed merwomen trailed closely, casting nervous glances at the towering walls. As they neared the gate, two guards stepped forward, rifles ready.

“Who goes there?!” called the first guard, his tone suspicious.

“Name’s Shaska,” she said, eyes locked on the guard. “I’m a ‘concerned citizen,’ and I’ve got some things to discuss with the king.”

The second guard raised an eyebrow, his gaze shifting to the cart full of bound criminals. “And why do you have a bunch of men tied up behind you?”

“They’re exactly why I’m concerned. The mob in Anglerfish Heights has been kidnapping young mergirls and selling them as slaves to the surface for at least eight years now. I put a stop to it.”

She pointed to the freed merwomen standing behind her. “These girls? They were about to be sold like pets, or worse, to the wealthy on the surface.”

Shaska folded her arms, her stance unyielding. “What I’m saying is, the king’s got some explaining to do.”

The guards exchanged uneasy glances, their grip on their rifles tightening. The first guard’s voice grew defensive. “What happens in the slums is none of the king’s concern.”

The second guard nodded. “We’ll take the gangsters, but you? You need to leave, girl.”

Shaska sighed, letting go of the cart for a moment to crack her knuckles. “See, I beg to differ. Anglerfish Heights is still part of the kingdom, and it’s a lawless dump. I’ve come to talk about fixing that. So unless you want me to do to you what I did to these goons here—” She jabbed a thumb at the unconscious criminals behind her. “—you’ll open the gate.”

“And just so you know, I’m more than capable of prying the gate open with my bare hands. I can punch down trees like it’s nothing. So, what’s it gonna be, boys?”

The guards hesitated. The first one swallowed hard before his shaking hand hit a button on the wall beside him. An alarm blared through the palace grounds, and within seconds, Shaska and the freed women were surrounded by a squad of heavily armed merman soldiers, their rifles raised and ready.

“Ah, crap…” Shaska muttered, raising her hands in surrender.

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Shaska soon found herself locked away in the palace dungeon, with the freed merwomen huddled in the same cell. The crab gangsters, thankfully, were in a separate one across from them. As the criminals regained consciousness, their voices rose with a cacophony of disgusting insults.

“You see where your heroics got you, girl?!” Rackham sneered.

“Hope they guillotine you, dumb broad!” another gangster spat.

Shaska rolled her eyes and turned her attention away from their taunts. Instead, she called out to the jailer. “Hey, is this really how you treat a teenager? A pregnant teenager, at that?”

The jailer barely glanced in her direction. “It is when that teenager threatens to break into the royal palace to have ‘words’ with the king,” he shrugged. “And it's not our fault you got yourself knocked up, either.”

Shaska gritted her teeth, her anger boiling beneath the surface. “I could bend these bars in half and walk right out of here", she thought. But her hand drifted to her stomach, and she hesitated. “I don’t want to give birth in a jail cell…” Her thoughts turned bitter as tears welled in her eyes. “Damn Halvor... damn this mess.”

Just then, heavy footsteps echoed through the dungeon, followed by the imposing figure of an eleven-foot-tall merman with bright orange hair and a matching goatee. He wore a crown and carried a trident that gleamed in the dim light.

The jailer immediately stiffened and saluted. “P-Prince Njord! What brings you to the dungeons, sir?”

Njord surveyed the scene with authority. “I heard some young girls were trying to force their way into the palace. That’s certainly out of the ordinary, so I came to investigate. As prince, I have the right to know who’s been locked up in my father's domain.”

“Sir, these girls were threatening violence to see the king,” the jailer began.

Njord raised a hand to stop him. “There’s nothing wrong with requesting a public audience with the king,” he said, his voice calm but firm. “Though I must admit, your methods leave something to be desired.” He approached Shaska’s cell, his piercing eyes focused on her. “You there, girl. Are you the one leading this... expedition?”

Shaska met his gaze. “I guess you could say that. Name’s Shaska, and I just cleaned up the lawless pit you call Anglerfish Heights.”

Rackham’s voice broke through with a mocking shout. “Put her away for life!”

“Execute her! She’s nothing but trouble!” called another voice.

“Quiet!” Njord shouted, silencing the gangsters with a single word. He turned back to Shaska, his brow furrowed. “What’s your grievance, young Shaska?”

Shaska took a deep breath. “Broke. Jobless. Pregnant by a predator at seventeen. Oh, and your father let these guys sell girls like animals!”

Njord's eyes widened in shock. “My father would never allow such atrocities!”

Shaska raised an eyebrow. “Oh, wouldn’t he? The police don’t even set foot in Anglerfish Heights. It’s a breeding ground for crime. If you don’t do something, something even worse is going to happen.”

Njord stroked his chin thoughtfully, then looked to the jailer. “Let all the girls in that cell out.”

The jailer blinked, stunned. “Even... the big one, your highness?”

“Especially her!” Njord exclaimed, his voice firm. “She’s the one who brought those criminals in, right?”

“Well, yes, sir, but she—”

“No buts,” Njord snapped. “This girl is a hero. Let her out.”

The jailer obeyed, unlocking the cell with a metallic clang. The freed merwomen were escorted out, though Shaska lingered.

As the others left, Njord turned to Shaska. “What else troubles you, Shaska? You should be leaving with them.”

Shaska crossed her arms, her gaze hard. “Prince, why is there an organized crime problem festering in your kingdom?”

She quickly recounted the day Korla had been kidnapped, the friendly face of Rackham turning to treachery, and the destruction of her family’s life due to the anti-tobacco law. All the while, Rackham listened with a smirk.

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“You and me both, sister!” Rackham chimed in with a laugh. “I was just a smoke shop worker before that law came down! Then I was left with nothing. The mob was my only choice. Your sister was my golden ticket to their good graces.”

Njord's face darkened with anger. “How could you sell your own people like livestock?! You’re a monster!”

Rackham sneered, his crooked smile growing. “Piracy was too much work. Trafficking? Easier.”

Shaska clenched her fists, her whole body vibrating with fury. “Can we just go, Prince? I can’t promise I won’t beat the life out of him if he keeps running his mouth.”

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Shaska and Prince Njord walked through the palace halls, her mind buzzing with thoughts of everything she'd been through. “Yeah, well, so as I was saying, that anti-tobacco law ruined my family’s life and turned my dad into an alcoholic wife and child beater,” she explained.

“I was against the law myself. I believe in people’s right to choose what they do to themselves,” Njord responded. “But my father... is a different story.”

“Alcohol destroyed my family, and that stuff is still legal! Tobacco doesn’t make you beat your loved ones!” Shaska exclaimed, confusion palpable.

“My father’s senility is no secret. Even I have to question his decisions at times. But the alcohol brewed down here brings in many piscos, so we keep it legal.”

“Hm… piscos…” Shaska muttered.

As she mulled over her father’s history as a successful businessman and her own experiences selling black market cigars, an idea began to form. Bringing in Rackham had been fun in its own way, and she knew there were more crooks and opportunities on the surface. The prospect of power and money was too tempting to ignore.

Her eyes lit up with potential, turning into pisco signs as coins clattered out of her mouth with an audible "cha-ching!" Njord looked on in confusion, unable to grasp what he was witnessing.

"Is… something on your mind, young Shaska?" Prince Njord asked cautiously, eyeing the sudden appearance of money.

Shaska’s eyes returned to normal as she nonchalantly pocketed the coins. She turned to the prince with a grin.

“Prince, I got a favor to ask,” she said, her grin widening.

“What is it? After your heroism, anything is on the table,” Njord responded.

“I need a small loan of ten million piscos.”

Njord's eyes widened. “Ten million piscos?! That’s… nothing compared to the royal treasury, but why so much?”

“I’ve got an idea for a business. And I bet you I can return that loan a hundred, no, a thousand times over!” Shaska declared confidently.

“A business, you say?” Njord raised an eyebrow, intrigued. “I’m not sure how the people of Fiskariki would feel about a woman-owned business…”

“Oh, I’m not focused on Fiskariki… I’m goin’ worldwide!” Shaska replied.

Njord hesitated. “Even more reason for concern. The surface dwellers don’t take too kindly to us merfolk. A merwoman running a global business? Are you sure?”

“Dead certain, prince,” Shaska said, locking eyes with him, her determination undeniable.

Njord took a deep breath and nodded. “If you want official funding, we shall go before my father. You can explain it to him.”

Shaska grinned and followed Njord as he led her to the throne room.

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Njord threw open the doors of the throne room, revealing a grand hall adorned with gilded pillars and tapestries. At the far end sat a tiny, frail merman with a crown that appeared much too large for his shrunken head of poofy, grayish-orange hair. His eyes were half-lidded, as if struggling to focus, and he was flanked by two advisors who wore expressions of quiet concern, draped in the finest robes Fiskariki had to offer.

“Father! I bring before you the heroine who single-handedly dismantled a slavery ring in Anglerfish Heights! She has a proposition for you!” Njord’s voice echoed through the vast chamber.

King Erik leaned forward, squinting, a hand cupping his ear. “What was that? A what now?”

With a sigh, Njord led Shaska forward and repeated himself at a much louder volume.

“Oooooh… Anglerfish Heights, yes, yes,” Erik muttered, nodding slowly.

Shaska stepped up confidently, clearing her throat. “King Erik… Your Highness, I have a business proposal,” she announced, holding up a finger. “There’s a huge opportunity up on the surface. Think of all the people there who need food, clothes, and essentials. And on top of that, criminals who need a good beatdown! My idea? A chain of mega markets that not only sell goods but also deal with the scum of the surface world.”

Erik blinked slowly. “The what now?”

Shaska groaned, then raised her voice. “MEGA MARKETS. WE SELL STUFF AND KICK BUTT.”

“Oooooh, mega markets,” Erik repeated, nodding as if understanding.

Shaska pressed on. “All I need is a small loan of ten million piscos. I’ll head to the surface, secure the goods, and set things in motion. It’s a win-win for the kingdom.”

“The surface? You know what those filthy land-dwellers do to us, don’t you?” Erik asked, suddenly frowning. “They kill our men, rape our women, enslave our children!”

Shaska rolled her eyes. “Yeah, yeah, I know. Just like our vikings did before we were Serenized, to be honest. But we’re missing a huge opportunity here! There’s money to be made, and Losan’s even banned merfolk slavery. We can start there and expand. Also, you should really repeal that ridiculous anti-tobacco law. It wrecked my family, and for what?”

“The what law…?” Erik leaned forward again, struggling to hear.

Shaska, losing patience, grabbed the king’s ear and shouted, “THE TOBACCO LAW! REPEAL IT! YOUR HEROINE WANTS IT REPEALED!”

Njord and the advisors recoiled in horror. “Shaska! Have some respect!” Njord shouted.

Erik rubbed his ear, pondering for a moment. “You’ll have your ten million piscos. But the law stays. My late queen… she died from smoking. As long as I live, it remains outlawed.”

Shaska’s hands balled into fists as she fought the urge to yell. “Fine. Whatever. You probably won’t be around much longer anyway,” she muttered.

Njord shot her a disapproving glare while the advisors gasped at her audacity.

“One more thing!” Shaska added. “What’s the deal with organized crime in Anglerfish Heights? They’ve been kidnapping girls and selling them as slaves for years! How are you just letting this happen?”

“The what now…?” Erik squinted, confused.

Frustrated, Shaska turned to Njord. “Can you get me out of here before I really lose it?”

Njord nodded, taking her by the arm. “Let’s go, Shaska. I’ll show you where to collect your money.”

Erik continued to mumble to himself as they left. “Crime in Anglerfish Heights… not the kingdom’s concern… too dark, too poor… let them be…”

Shaska clenched her fists, biting her tongue.

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Roxanne sat on Shaska’s bed, her expression unreadable as she listened to Shaska recount her past.

“...and that’s why I’m prickly around people, and how Smoker Enterprises started,” Shaska said, exhaling a long plume of smoke as she pulled her tail out and wrapped it around her body. “The king died the next year, by the way, so I was back to smoking cigars again. Love these things. That happened after I had my twins, of course. Not easy raising rugrats while you’re beating down criminals and running a business as a single, teenage mother.”

Roxanne sat still for a moment before asking, “What happened to Halvor?”

“Oh, that bastard?” Shaska replied flatly. She flicked the ash off her cigar and said, “He got arrested after the girls I rescued ratted him out. When I returned downtown, they were outside the restaurant with picket signs. Eventually, more of his victims came forward too. From what I hear, he killed himself in prison. I guess the weight of his crimes was too much.”

For a moment, Shaska's voice wavered. Her eyes glistened, though she quickly looked away, blinking back the tears.

“A few months later, when I got back from setting up my first shop on the surface... those girls threw me a baby shower.” Shaska paused, the memory visibly stirring something deep inside her. “It was the nicest thing anyone had ever done for me. But… when I looked at my kids, I know it’s wrong, but I could only see him. I couldn’t see my babies, just him.”

Shaska rubbed her forehead, thinking back to the painful memories of her children and her mistakes. Her voice grew quieter as she continued, “I messed those kids up, Roxanne. Badly. Now they won’t stop until they see me locked up or dead.” She took a deep drag from her cigar and blew the smoke out slowly, trying to compose herself. “Look, Roxanne, why don’t you go talk to the bald guy about awakening your potentia? I’ve got… things I need to deal with.”

Roxanne nodded and stood up, preparing to leave, but Shaska stopped her.

“One last thing,” Shaska called out.

Roxanne turned. “Yes?”

Shaska hesitated, then said, “I’m… sorry about your husband. It’s partly my fault for dragging you both into this mess. So, if you’re mad at me, I get it.”

Roxanne stood still, her face hardening. “I am mad, Shaska. I appreciate you telling me your story, but I’m going to miss Andy for a long time. The Father Above has a plan for me, I know that much. But losing Andy still hurts. Our relationship is strictly business.”

Shaska nodded somberly. “I figured.”

Without another word, Roxanne left, closing the door softly behind her. Alone, Shaska leaned back and opened the drawer of her bedside table. She pulled out two grainy black-and-white photographs: one of her family from when she was five, all smiles, her sister Korla beside her and her parents looking much younger. The other was a portrait of her and her children, taken when they were small. They stood proudly over a captured bounty.

Tears welled up as she stared at the photos, and for the first time in a long while, Shaska allowed herself to cry. Quietly, without anyone there to see, she wept.