16 Part 16

Meanwhile, beneath the sailing ship before the gates to Belsoré, in the great city of Atlas, the residents of the ocean swim and roam freely without care. In the grand tower, king Titan sat in his throne room impatient and uninterested in his informants news.

King Titan-

What is it?

Royal tenant-

Sir, it appears the there are still pods roaming the waters near the gorge and trench after all. But no one well say what their color is because they couldn't see in the blue fog that surrounds the trench.

King Titan-

Ugh... what a waste of time.

Guard-

Sire!

King Titan-

What?

Guard-

The princess has returned as per your request. She is here to see you now.

King Titan-

Enter.

Zui enters the throne room and bows her head.

King Titan-

Where have gone off to? You know it is too dangerous to be outside the kingdom without company yet you deliberately continue to disregard my orders.

Zui-

I do not need your means of company. I have seen what they are capable of. It is not as reliable as being on my own.

King Titan-

You doubt my services can aid you?

Zui-

I doubt their loyalty as well as your judgment. I mean no disrespect, but your services are not needed if they are not capable in my presence.

King Titan-

. . . Then I will company you.

Royal tenant-

Sire!?

King Titan-

Silence! .... If you wish to go anywhere you will come to me before you go on your way. I will follow you. That is only if...

Zui-

You are available? That will not be necessary. If I must have company, I will take either my father or a young servant.

King Titan-

I will not allow this. Nor you on your own.

Zui-

I am not you child. If you cannot maintain peace in your kingdom like my father, then you have no right to be where you reign. Your majesty. Good bye.

King Titan-

Taizao!! You are not dismissed! .... Grrrrr.....

Royal tenant-

Ooh.... Such disrespect... Sire, I have advised against her, haven't I?

King Titan-

Why does she not trust my service? If what she says is true of them and you, then I will have you hanged for your incompetence! And them replaced! She does not trust the peace in this kingdom and i must know why. If you can't find me a better reason for her to live safely here soon...

Royal tenant-

Sire, please!! I beg of you, have mercy! The... the poduli! They have...!

King Titan-

Nothing to do with this!! If I hear one more word of them without proof, I will have you banished! Get out of my sight!

The informant leaves in fear. Lord Taizao, Zui's father enters the throne room after seeing the informant rush out like a school fish.

King Titan-

Lord Taizao.

Taizao-

King Titan. I see your still bad with women. My daughter is a very adventurous girl. I would advise against keeping her locked from the world. Being if you did she would find a way back to the world regardless of the dangers.

King Titan-

What do you know of the incident she was in before her arrival?

Taizao-

She told me someone saved her life. Multiple time in fact.

King Titan-

Who?

Taizao-

She would not say. But I feel each time was not on purpose. Seeing as she was more surprised by the fact that they did help her without knowing who she was.

King Titan-

How could you tell they did not know her?

Taizao-

How she described this person's actions. Brutish, uncouth,.... As if she was just another mermaid that simply didn't know where she was. As she told me this person treated her as an equal. Nothing more nothing less. It also sounded as if they didn't recognize her beauty as you did.

King Titan-

Do I not treat her as my equal? Have I not given her the best of interest?

Taizao-

Heh. Not according to her apparently. If you want my honest opinion, don't demand of her. She will only ignore it and reject it like she did earlier.

King Titan-

I only want what is best.

Taizao-

Sometimes your best isn't always right. I can only tell you to take time to know her better.

King Titan-

.... You are dismissed.

The kings leave the throne room.

Zui lies in her room on her bed staring at the clamshell. It read Conch Marine on it. The name of the pod the informant is searching for. Her savior. She opens the clam to see the pearl glow a beautiful blue, the same as his skin. She blows on it and a bubble emerges from around the pearl and grows big enough to reflect herself. Inside revealed a little blue pod lying in a small boat of water. It was conch. He was awake and alert looking at his clamshell as well. But he hasn't opened it. It was tied around his neck with a black thread. She was enjoying the sight she was seeing, until she heard a knock on the door. She shuts the clam and hides it under her pillow.

Zui-

Enter.

It was the king with one of his guards. He tells the guard to wait at the door.

King Titan-

Princess. I wish to have a word with you in private.

Zui-

What do you want of me this time?

King Titan-

Simply to talk. I understand I have not been fair to you.

Zui-

You talked to my father. Of course he could only get through to you I presume.

King Titan-

I am sorry for my ignorance. I was only concerned about you because of what happened. I didn't mean to upset you or keep you from what you love doing. You simply wish to explore, I understand?

Zui-

That, too.

King Titan-

Is there something else in these waters you wish to see? I want to see you happy. As my bride to be, my one desire above all other is to make you feel comfortable and welcome. If you will allow me, let me escort you through the city. Down here and up there.

Zui-

Up where?

King Titan-

The surface. Where the humans live free lives. I have been to many of their kingdoms. This one in particular is filled with life and much that even I have yet to explore.

Zui-

Even you, your majesty?

King Titan-

Yes. I see you are interested. Would you like to arrange a visit? See what it's like?

Zui-

... yes. I would like to see. Now you have me curious. But how do I see them like this?

King Titan-

I already have that taken care of. The gates before the castle on land has a special power meant to allow access to both us and them to visit each other's worlds. This was built long before the calamity and was never taken down thank to the peace treaty we share. I will make time in my schedule for us to go soon as possible. I will send you a messenger to ask you to prepare for the trip.

Zui-

This will be my first time on shore.

King Titan-

Then I will teach you to walk. It is safer up there than it is here, so you will be able to explore freely if you wish. And it won't be easy to get lost. I will have you new clothing prepared for your first visit.

Zui-

Alright.

Titan leaves the room and shuts the door behind him. Lord Taizao sees him outside her door with the guard.

Taizao-

I take it that went well?

King Titan-

.... Why has she not gone to the surface before?

Taizao-

.... It never can from her interest. She never asked before. I'm sure it'll be fine. You may not have much charm but you do know how to pick places of interest. So when do you plan to go?

King Titan-

Possibly next week or after. To give time for the thought.

Taizao-

Good idea not rushing into this. I take it I will be in charge of your kingdom in the meantime.

King Titan-

Please. I can't seem to trust my services with anything without coming home to chaos.

Taizao-

Then, I wish you two a safe trip.

After hearing they had left her door, Zui returned to her clamshell. And opens it. Conch was still in the little boat. Someone outside the boat walks up to it and knocks. Who is this person? Conch takes off his clam shell and hides it. Then sits up and shakes off the water. To her surprise, he almost didn't look the same because of the big difference she saw happen before her eyes. His blue skin turned as white as sand and his hair was a pretty gold brown. He emerged from the boat and his tentacles became smooth pale legs. He puts on a pair of pants and a shirt and walks off to the nose of what soon looked like a ship. She did not realize he was already on the surface. She may have a chance to see him again. But where is he going? She continues to watch as Conch guides his other companion to the lower deck in a room with the pearl. It showed a map of a place called Belsoré. This was were Atlas is under. Was this the city the king spoke of? If so, fate was on her side. She smiled brightly unable to contain her enlightenment. Conch's friend leaves the room and the pearl's bubble fills with a cloud. Within the cloud, words formed:

I KNOW YOU'RE WATCHING.

As soon as Conch pulled out his clam shell and opened it, Zui shut hers tight in shock. Did he actually notices her?