Otohime gazed into her mirror, searching across the seas for her father. The ocean had calmed over the past day and her father hadn't returned yet. The water in the dragon palace was warm and blew gently through her fins. The whole building was in an uproar as they tried to find Ryujin.

Someone knocked on the door to her dowsing room tentatively. “Come in,” she called. The door creaked open and a young maid entered, her eyes lowered. She didn't have hair like a human. Instead, the girl had long diaphanous fins that flowed from her head and down her back. Her whole body was scaled and she had two small horns on her head. Using her long tail, the maid swam towards Otohime's scrying board.

“We have had reports come in from the scouts that your father was captured by the humans,” she said.

A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

“How was he captured? A group of humans could never manage that,” Otohime hissed.

The girl shrank away from her, saying, “A large fleet harpooned him and dragged him inside the walls. We don't know what happened after that.”

Otohime dragged her nails across the lacquered table, small bits of wood chipping under her claws. “Has no one been able to get inside the walls to find him?” she hissed.

“No, my lady. Attempts have been made, but all in vain.”

She pushed herself up. Otohime was much taller than the other girl. The anger built up and she could feel her fins spreading out like a lion fish. “So you're telling me you’ve all failed.”

“I'm sorry. We are trying everything we can.”

“I will go retrieve him myself, if everyone else is incapable. We need to bring back the treasure of the ocean.”