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We would be leaving in a few weeks. It was enough time to pack up our things, plan a future, and say our goodbyes. It was a rather bittersweet feeling. For once, in my life, I did not have to fear the loom of Selection, the prospect that perhaps I would get chosen for an unknown future. Everything was clear.
I was officially Princess of Kappur.
I was wed to Prince Kai of Draconi.
I had a family.
I had a home.
And finally, I could make a difference.
I supposed I already had. By merely existing, everything that had fallen into place these past few weeks had finally ended the war between Thalassar and Kappur. The two long-time enemies had become allies. The Selection was no more, for that morning, the queen had announced it far and wide. They’d signed a new peace treaty and had sent the selected soldiers home.
In but two weeks, I’d be on my way. I’d say goodbye to the palace, and travel north, to Kappur, and then Draconi.
A part of me was sad to leave the kingdom I dearly loved, but I realized, there was nothing left for me in Lagoona. Nothing but a little blue boat that was likely already infested with piranhas, and that was fine. This was a new part of my life. A new journey. I was a princess now and there were so many things I still had to learn. I wanted to be a gentle ruler. I wanted to take the current of peace instead of cruelty.
I’d not use a strap of leather against gentle hands as punishment. There would be no scarred backs and arms. There would be no Selection or beheadings.
I saw what was wrong with the monarchies, and I aimed to change them.
One little stroke at a time.
“You’ll enjoy Kappur,” my father said confidently.
We were swimming together, taking a pleasure stroll through the gardens with our Kappurin guards, Kai, Tiberius, and Elias—who had been fully pardoned for his crimes, now that the Selection had been abolished.
I hadn’t yet told my father about my relationship with the three mermen, as I’d hate for him to have an apoplexy because of my wanton ways. Even so, I think he assumed we all loved each other. They’d hardly left my side at all, and though I’d dreaded leaving Thalassar, out of fear that it would break the four of us apart, I needn’t have worried.
Tiberius had resigned from his post as Odele’s guard and Thalassar’s captain, applying to be mine instead. He was now officially a soldier of Kappur and would follow me wherever I went.
Kai was my husband—it was still strange to say it—so where he went, I went, and vice versa.
Elias had been trickier. He was silence and shadow and secrets. He flowed as swiftly and viciously as a current and did what he pleased. I had prepared myself for the worst, for our goodbye. A goodbye to the merman who had given me confidence, the merman who understood me above all others, the opposite side of my tarnished coin.
My friend.
Like everything the Black Blade did, he did in secret and with surprise. As I’d prepared my farewells to him, he had held me tightly in his arms and whispered, “Selection is gone. I have no one left to save. So I will come with you. Wherever you go, I’ll go. You are my home now.” I’d cried, and he’d pulled away to swipe the pad of his thumb against my cheek. “Besides,” he smirked, “I know everything there is to know about Thalassar. It’s time to learn a few things about Kappur and Draconi.”
“We have all manner of exotic creatures. I could take you to see the sea snake breeding grounds that the crown protects from extinction...” my father stated.
“It sounds wonderful.” I smiled widely at him, earning a smile back. It had been easy for the both of us, after that initial meeting, to get to know one another, to truly act as father and daughter. There were years, nineteen of them, that we would never get back. But we had time now and that was important. Neither of us meant to waste it.
“After we spend a short while in Kappur, we will go to Draconi,” Kai chimed in. “You’ll meet my father and my sisters, and we will continue the second part of our marriage ritual under Draconian customs.”
Kai had spoken to me of those customs. He said I would help hatch the dragon egg he’d given me and release it onto their breeding grounds. I would choose a dragon for myself, one to train and ride. My mount for war, he’d said.
I was averse to the idea. I didn’t want a war dragon, because I didn’t want war. I’d had enough of it already.
“Will I be forced to sit for hours of outfit fittings?” I asked with horror.
“Only if you want to.”
“Absolutely not.” I’d had enough of that, too. I’d had enough of corsets to last me a lifetime.
We swam around the palace, me leading the way. I wanted to get a good look at Eramaea and the palace of gold and pink that had so taken my breath away the moment I’d set eyes on it. Soon, it would be behind me for good.
As we rounded the corner and made our way to the front of the palace, a deafening roar crashed over us like a rogue wave crashing to sand.
I jolted at the surprise, and suddenly found myself pushed back by Tiberius as he took the place in front of me. Beyond him, I could make out crowds of mer. Mer with news recorders, mer with enormous kelp signs with words I couldn’t quite make out. They were all shrieking and being held back by lines of guards.
“Let me through.” I pushed Tiberius aside and started forward before he could stop me. I made it near the fray of mer, and at the sight of me, they all cheered.
“Hail Princess Odalaea!” they called out.
“Savior of the Black Blade!”
My face heated. These crowds were assembled here to celebrate me.
“Ender of Selection!”
“Hope!”
My eyes glazed over with tears as they called out and rejoiced, as I read sign after sign that spoke of nothing but praise for me.
It was overwhelming.
And then, “Maisie! Maisie!”
A voice from the crowd screamed my name. I searched, whipping from side to side. Then I saw him. An older merman pushed to the front of the lines. His graying hair was slicked back, and he wore his best coat in dark green with frayed hems. I recognized him immediately. The kind face, the long lower body of a gator, stumpy legs moving to keep him upright.
Josiah.
A smile broke onto my face. “Let him through!” I ordered one of the guards holding them back. He did, and Josiah, my former boss, pushed his way towards me. We met in the middle, and I felt the comfort of his arms wrap around me and pull me close. “What are you doing here?” I asked him, the rest of the world seeming to fade around me.
“I saw you on the telly,” he explained. “I saw you confront the queen, and when it came out that you were the Princess of Kappur, I—”
“Who is this?” my father’s smooth voice interrupted.
Josiah tensed, clasping his hands in front of him as he took in the King of Kappur. I wondered what he was thinking, if he felt hatred for the king who had waged war on Thalassar for all these years.
But Josiah was ever respectful as he bowed gracefully to the king. “Your Majesty, an honor. My name is Josiah.”
My father’s eyes widened and he turned to me. “This is the mer you spoke of?” I nodded, and Josiah suddenly looked nervous. But he shouldn’t be. My father turned back to him and clasped his hand in the older mer’s, giving it a vigorous shake. “Then I will thank you personally for all the years you cared for my daughter like a father would. Whatever you require, anything at all, you need only ask. Kappur is in your debt.”
Josiah sputtered, his ruddy cheeks going red. When my father released him, he looked embarrassed for a few more moments before straightening and turning to me. “I thank you both kindly, I just... See, the reason I came all the way here was to tell Maisie somethin’ of importance.” He clasped my shoulders in his hands and squeezed. “I’m proud of you, Mais’. For everythin’ you’ve done.” He looked over at my father. “You have yourself a real treasure here, and the only debt I wish to claim from you is that you treat her well.”
And my father, King of Kappur, bowed low to Josiah. “Always,” he replied.
Then, Josiah was hugging me again, for this could very well be the last time we ever saw each other. I tightened my arms around the mer who represented my past, my family, my life, and my new future. As he pulled away, his lips grazed my ear as he whispered. Then, he was gone, disappearing back into the crowd, not giving me time to memorize his features one last time.
It was only later that I would take the words he’d whispered and hold them close to me, and smile through my tears at the truth behind them.
A truth I finally believed.
“I told you you were meant for greater things than Tides’ Tavern.”