The surf of the Rhotano Sea sparkled as The Gilsnapper cruised over its waves. At the helm, Klynt Gohtawyn saw the small gathering safely over the waters, occasionally smacking U'rahn's hand away from the helm, the Miqo'te attempting to "correct" their course. Below, Novv's clutch excitedly surrounded Nyx, gifting her with trinkets they'd picked up from the bottom of sea from pearls and jewels to interesting looking pieces of discarded junk. It was shaping up to be a nice outing with friends, at least to U'rahn.

"She's really something isn't she? My clutch brothers adore her, though I guess they too, saw her as kin," U'rahn mused, reaching out to rest his hand on one of the spokes of the helm.

"If you don't get your swiven hand off the wheel you'll be lookin' like somethin' your clutch brothers fished off the seafloor," Klynt snapped.

Ears perked, U'rahn stepped back, "Ah! C'mon! I just want to make sure we're goin the right-"

The Nuhn stopped, the Roegadyn woman shooting him a glance that caused him to back away with his hands up before tripping over his tail. After several thuds, he found himself sprawled at the bottom of the stairs, Nyx looking down at him with a bunch of worried Sahagin faces.

"Are you injured, Rahn," Nyx asked.

"Only my pride…"

"I cannot mend that. Perhaps instead of inundating Gohtawyn, we should perform a different activity."

"Pssh. Tell us another storytale brother! It has been some time," Fyuu requested.

U'rahn blinked then hopped up onto his feet, looking to all the eager faces, and Nyx's, "Well, I suppose I could. Captain! North East for mood lighting," he called up to Klynt.

"Sod off," came the answer.

"Right then…a story…hm…," U'rahn mused, scratching his head. "I got one! Ah, Nyx, it's gonna be a bit funny so if I say something weird could you tell me when I finish instead of in the middle. I'll lose my train of thought," he requested, recalling his previous orating experience.

"Understood."

He smiled, ear wiggling and leaning in to steal a kiss, stopping as he caught the prying eyes of his clutch brothers watching him lean in. "Ahem…right then…Upon an Era, long ago…"

Uriel sighed as he laid against a rock, eyes looking up at the sea of stars above as it was filled with spectacular fire flowers. Ahead, a ship was loud with merrymaking, a party being held it seemed. The young merman looked on longingly, wondering what wondrous things the land walkers had with them today. Curiosity over taking him, he started to swim toward the ship.

"Oh no you don't," Khubastian huffed, pulling at his charge's fin to prevent him from swimming forward.

Pushing up his glasses, the retainer shook his head, "What have your lord fathers have said of bothering the land walkers? You're only asking for trouble!"

"Trouble? Hah. I'm the bravest warrior of the sea! I'm not scared of the land walkers! Besides, they're having a bunch of fun! I'm only gonna take a peek."

"I'm not going to bail you out if you get into trouble! You'll be on your own," the retainer huffed as he pushed up his glasses before looking up to find Uriel already yalms ahead. 

Arriving at the ship, Uriel swam around it, peeking into the portholes below the waves, finding the strange rooms empty. Assuming everyone was above, he dove under water then gave himself a little launch, landing himself in a dingy hanging off the side. Curious, he peaked between the railings, watching the land walkers dance about gayly. As he scanned the crowd, his heart leapt. Sitting on a throne, the most beautiful girl in the world looked on, enjoying the sight of her crew making merry. 

"Princess Eryxa. Come, join the festivities," her Elezen shieldmaiden requested.

"I am content to observe,"  the princess responded, eyes continuing to look about.

"Hold up," Kylnt's voice called out.

"Something wrong," U'rahn called out.

"Ain't it supposed to be the other way around? It's a mermaid lusting after the prince? And so you think you're foolin' anyone with those names."

U'rahn swallowed. "It's just the version I was told when I was a lad!"

"Yeah, sure. That's convenient ain't it?"

"Kinda…just…just go with," U'rahn laughed nervously, face red before looking back to the others, "Right, so. Out of nowhere came this big squall, right?"

"Princess, please! To the cabin," the shieldmaiden cried before being knocked over by a rogue wave.

Though nimbly avoiding the wave, Princess Eryxa found herself flung off the dock and into the sea below. Wind knocked out of her, she closed her eyes and began to sink. Uriel acted quickly, flinging himself back into the ocean to take her into his arms. As the ship was tossed around above, he hurried on above, making sure the Princess could breathe before wiggling himself towards the shore near the landwalkers' castle and away from the incoming waves. He stayed with her on land until the stars were once more free to twinkle down upon them.

Uriel swallowed hard as he brushed her matted hair from her warm cheeks. He'd only observed her for a moment, but he knew he'd forever be in love with no one else after they parted.

A loud snort echoed out from above, causing U'rahn to fold his ears. "Did I say something funny," he asked.

"Ye're just a sap. Go on," Kylnt laughed, leaning over the hull as she looked on them with amusement.

"Psh. Continue brother," Houu echoed.

U'rahn nodded, looking to Nyx before turning bright red. "So yeah, he was head over feet for this gal…"

"Uriel! You get back here this instant! We're due back at the palace," Khubastian hissed from behind, waiting in the comfort of the sea.

Uriel frowned, "I can't just leave her," he called out. 

As he held her, a golden feathered sea eagle landed then hopped over. "You caught a landwalker Uriel," it asked, tilting its head as he pecked some kelp from her hair.

"Sort of Gagedt. You know a lot about landwalkers. Is she gonna be okay?"

The golden eagle preened himself for a moment then waddled over, putting his ear hole to her chest. "Hmm…I know a lot about their treasures but I dunno. She could be a goner. Sounds like a fish got in there and is floppin around going "buh dum buh dum."

“I was too late…”

Uriel not knowing wiser, hung his head until hearing her let out a little cough. Terrified, he flipped back then rolled himself into the sea as she rose upright. Hiding behind a rock, he exhaled then found Gagedt perched upon his head. "What do you know? She seems to have coughed it up."

"Yeah," Uriel sighed, "She's beautiful isn't she."

"Whatever floats your fin," the bird shrugged before hopping onto a rock, "Their ship didn't seem to go under but a lot of stuff did go overboard. If you find any gold down there I'll trade yah what I can find deeper inland for your weird collection."

"Yeah? Think I could get one of those things they point at things and blow up stuff with," the young merman asked eagerly.

"A blast'em? Sure! Just make sure you bring me gold."

U'rahn nodded eagerly then peaked back to the Princess as she stood and looked out into the sea, her eyes locking onto him. Before he could react, he felt a painful pinch on his ear, Khubastian dragging him down under.

"We're late for the parade! Your fathers are going to be furious," he huffed, dragging him below.

"Parade!? Oh shoot," he bubbled out before shaking his ear from the others grip to high-fin it back to the sea palace deep on the ocean floor. The city was alive for a festival…his festival! Today was Uriel's coming out parade where he'd be presented by his brothers, all powerful Sahagin warriors. Already in motion they…swam in line, behind their fathers, Posidodhn and Tritovv were pulled on a float, both holding up the trident they forged together, the symbol of their mighty power.

"Wait, so he's half fish or half Sahagin? Or both," Klynt asked.

"He's a merman," U'rahn answered, confused.

"Yeah, I get that. But what's his situation below the waist?" 

U'rhan blushed, "It's not that kind of story!"

"Oh for swiven sake," Klynt groaned before letting U'rahn turn away to the others.

"Psh! Brother U'rahn, tell us more of the brothers," Seww cheered on.

Nodding, U'rahn rubbed the back of his head, looking to Nyx, watching her attention shift between everyone then back to him. He smiled then continued:

Uriel corkscrewed through the crowd and managed to land on the back of the float…just in time for it to reach the end of the line. Both fathers looked back at him, grumpy. Being taken aside, he was soon berated for his absence.

"You're too much like your motherrr! You can't keep wandering off. It's not safe," Posidodhn roared.

"Pshh? The landwalkers do not understand our kind. They would hurt you. Your strong fearless brothers know better not to tempt fate. Why must you," Tritovv echoed."

"You're grrrounded."

Uriel made no effort to argue, instead returning to his quarters to lay across his bed, Khubastian mouthing 'I told you so' on his way. Though he did his best to rest, he found his thoughts on the beautiful land princess.

'Well, dad said I was grounded…but he didn't say what that entailed," he thought to himself before looking out his window.

Grabbing his bag, he made a quick dash out the porthole and out to the kelp gardens before dashing out into the greater sea. Finding the wreckage, he began to collect the landwalkers' things, ensuring he picked up gold for Gagedt the sea eagle. As he went through the things, he happened upon an oil painting, the princess' beautiful likeness upon it. It captured her dutiful gaze well. 

Taking it, he hurried off to his secret cove that only his cool clutch brothers and retainer knew about. He'd filled it with things landwalkers had lost to the sea, fascinated by them. Sighing, he sat the painting high upon a pointed rock then looked to the princess he'd fallen for before starting to sing.

🎶

Look at this stuff

Isn't it neat?

Wouldn't you think my collection's complete?

Wouldn't you think I'm the guy

The guy who has everything-”

"Yeh sound like a damned drowned cat. Look at your brothers, they're terrified," Kylnt heckled. 

U'rahn blinked then looked around, watching the Sahgins holding their webbing over their ears.

"Pssh. Brother, why do you hurt us with your siren's song," Fyuu wailed.

"I…I thought I'd been improving. Haven't I Nyx?"

"You have requested I save my critique until the end of your story. I do not believe you have even reached the climax yet, Rahn."

"Get used to hearing that a lot, bud," Klynt called down.

“Wha? I've got great climaxes! It'll come if you just stop interrupting," he called back to a snickering Klynt.

"Sure, sure. Go on then."

"Right…I'll just skip to the last bit…"

🎶

When's it my turn?

Wouldn't I love, love to explore that shore up above?

Out of the sea

Wish I could be

Part of that world

🎶

Uriel sighed as he swam back down to stare longingly at the portrait of Princess Eryxa. Just as he got comfortable, a bolt shot by and the painting was set aflame.

"Aflame," Klynt echoed.

"Ope!"

The painting was vaporized. Uriel watched in horror as the destroyed frame crumbled. Soon the rest of his belongings were destroyed too. Floating in, his fathers looked around, with Khubastian looking on smug in the background.

"What did we tell you!? How could you do this," Posidodhn yelled.

"Pshh! These dangerous things! What if your brothers hurt themselves on whatever this is," Tritovv asked, waving his hand towards a hook shaped anchor.

"They were just things! You just don't understand me! You're the worst," Uriel cried out, dashing by. 

His fathers yelled after him as he swam away. He swam and swam, over sea hill and sea dale until finding a coral to hide in. While he wanted to cry, he held it in and instead punched the sand below.

"You poor creature," a sympathetic voice sounded out, "Your daddies went and swiven destroyed all your things did they? You can't help if you're a little curious!"

Uriel looked up as his cheek was caressed by a tentacle. Floating above him a woman beamed wickedly, her muscular arms crossed over her chest. She looked absolutely menacing, like she wouldn't even need her powerful tentacles to crush him, she could just squeeze him.

"I've been watchin' you. Yeh saved that poor Princess and now you fancy to walk on land with her. I can do that for ya'. Just need a little help."

Uriel sniffled then rubbed his eyes…cause sand got in them. "You can?"

"I jus’ need a little magical boost is all…and o’ course, another prize on yer end to fulfill the magic pact. A trade."

Uriel thought for a moment. "What do you need?"

The sea witch smirked, "That family trident of yours should be enough magic for me…as for the trade from you, I guess your voice will do in exchange."

"My beautiful voice? How will I serenade my love or speak poetry to her?"

"That'll be your problem, I can just get you up there. I’m sure a stud like you can use your more…natural features to win her over.

Uriel nodded, "I am pretty handsome…I’m sure she’ll see the good guy on the inside too! Deal. I'll do it!"

"Good….good…," the witch laughed.

"Ya better not be usin' me in that fantasy of yours," Klynt called down.

"Huh? I'd never…you don't got tentacles or nuthin’,"

Klynt let out an unconvinced grunt, letting U'rahn hunker down as he acted out sneaking.

So Uriel slipped back into his palace in the dead of night, creeping into the throne room while everyone slept to retrieve the trident then made his way back to the sea witch. He presented her with the coveted trident.

“Well done,” she cackled, holding the weapon high above her head before presenting a scroll, “As for fulfilling my end. Here’s the deal, you lose the fins and tail, I get your voice.”

“Right. You said-”

“I’m talkin’ still. It’s rude to interrupt. “

“You’re right! It is rude to interrupt,” he agreed. 

“As I was sayin’. For the magick to stick, you gotta make sure she kisses you by sundown on your third day up on land or you’ll become half-fish anon. And, of course be bound to be my personal errand boy for the rest of eternity,” she explained, holding out a golden parchment and quill.

“Well, that sounds kind of evil…”

“It’s just how magick works. Do you doubt you’ll be charmin’?”

“Well, I am pretty charming…” Uriel mused before taking the magick underwater quill. 

Scrying his name, he swallowed then watched as they shined a brilliant gold. Soon he felt his voice go dry while his fins began to tingle. Uriel squirmed as he watched the witch laugh maniacally as he held his throat, pointing to his face.

“Up you fool! You need air,” the witch called out.

Uriel tried to swim away, but felt his hips wiggled about unable to move smoothly like before. Looking down, he saw all his new appendages, eyes widening in amazement. The panic setting in, he kicked and flailed his way to the surface, taking in air before having wave after wave bully him to the shore. 

Naked on the beach, he laid there for a moment before rolling onto his back and lifting his legs high then flopping them down. Uriel set up right, examining his lower half with bewilderment before feeling a familiar pair of talons land on his head.

“Look at you! You’ve got legs and a seabear! How’d you manage that,” Gagedt cawed before fluttering down into the sand.

Uriel tried to talk, but no words came out.

“Cat got your tongue? Spit it out,” the golden eagle demanded.

The former merman shook his head then tapped his throat before wobbling to stand, waving his arms around like tentacles before pointing down to his legs.

“...so you traded your voice to the sea witch for some legs did you?”

Uriel nodded eagerly then clasped his hands together and batted his eyes before puckering up a bit then held up three fingers and pointing down to his legs again.

“And you gotta kiss her in three days to keep your legs…”

“The brand new miqo’te nodded rapidly then visored around. Spotting the castle in the distance, he took a step forward then fell forward into the sand.

“Woah! Woah buddy! You gotta get used to your legs first! Not to mention the legwalkers will chase you back into the sea if you walk up to them with your sea-bear flopping around,” the eagle pointed out.

“There’s no swiven’ way the damned bird got anything out of all that,” Kylnt laughed, U’rahn dropping his arms as he finished pantomiming the scene. 

“You think you can do better,” U’rahn challenged.

“Fifty gil on charades after you wrap up your tale!”

‘You’re on!”

“Psh…What’s a sea-bear,” Seww asked, scratching at his gills curiously.

Nyx turned to the Sahagin and nodded, “Sea-bear is a term used by many seafaring people to describe-”

“Ah. Nyx, maybe we should let Novv handle that if they don’t know,” U’rhan breathed out, face crimson while Kylnt lost it above, “A-anyroad!”

“Listen close. If you want to impress your lady love, you’ll need a wingman…and since you’re after the ruler of legwalker ruler…I’ll take you under my wing and show you how to act and you can throw me their shinies every now and then.”

Uriel nodded eagerly then watched as Gagedt fluttered. “Wait here then, and practice walking. One foot in front of the other” he ordered before fluttering off. 

The sea prince sighed, doing as he was too, stumbling around in the sand until he was able to walk steadily in a circle. As he practiced, he his ears perked, hearing a familiar voice from the other side of some rocks.

“I believe you were mistaken, m'lady. Too much sea water perhaps,” sounded out the shieldmaiden he’d seen on the ship. 

“Negative. I was rescued by an unknown person who fled into the sea,” the princess responded sharply.

Uriel lit up as he looked on, climbing up on the rock a bit to get a better look at the two. Being spotted quickly, the shieldmaiden drew her sword, “Who goes there?”

Startled, the man fell backward, just in time for Gagedt to swoop down and drop a pair of trunks on his head. “Quick! Slip those over your legs,” he cawed.

Bouncing around, Uriel picked up the shorts and tried to jump into them, falling onto his back. Tail flailing, he managed to get them over his feet then hiked them up just as the two rounded the corner. Laying out on his back with his legs up in the air, he looked then offered a sheepish grin.

“Disengage Grimsette,” the princess requested, bending over to offer her hand, “Have you sustained an injury?”

“Princess…you shouldn’t just offer your hand to a strange man.”

Uriel blushed as he was lifted to his feet. He tried to say thank you, but found himself unable to articulate himself .

“You seem to have laryngitis. Are you able to write your name in the sand?”

Uriel nodded eagerly then wrote out his name, but his letters and the landwalkers' letters seemed to be different. 

“I am unfamiliar with your script…but you seem to have the same tongue. Where are you from?”, Grimsette asked.

Uriel thought for a moment then pointed out to the sea.

“From across the sea? Was your ship caught in the squall as well? Do you know your destination?” Princess Eryxa asked.

The man frowned then shook his head then pointed to her castle, nervously smiling, unsure exactly how well this was going to now.

“Understood. Then we shall receive you as a guest until someone comes looking for you. Grimsette, please see that he has a room and proper clothing.”

“Princess…this stranger. Do you believe him to be the young man who saved you?”

The princess turned, staring at Uriel, looking him up and down, “The one who saved me had a playful and kind voice. Our guest does not fit those parameters.”

Swallowing, Uriel looked on as the two moved toward the castle, unable to tell her the truth for now. Following along, he let out a silent sigh then was escorted to the castle where he was given a room by Grimmsette.

“I am uncertain what to call you, so for now, I suppose we’ll call you Squall given the assumed circumstances of our meeting. There are some gentlemen’s clothes in the wardrobe and an under-butler will be in shortly to help you dress for dinner.”

Urile blinked as the shieldmaiden exited, leaving him to look around. 

“Wow! Look at this place! You made out well,” Gagedt praised as he swooped in from a window, “Okay. This is what you got to do if you want to close the deal. First you gotta make her laugh-”

The bedroom door soon swung open, silencing the bird for now. Stumbling in, the footman came in and ushered Uriel into the baths. Confused, the man was put into fresh water with a bunch of oils that made his nose burn. The seasalt was combed from his hair and scrubbed off his body. Wobbling out of the tub, he looked at his shiny body then squirmed as he was tickled as the other started to rub him with a cloth. 

Soon after he was dressed into the finest threads he’d ever seen on a legwalker then ushered out of the room given to him and into an even larger one with a large flat slab filled with food and surrounded by places to sit. Placed by the princess, he gave her a smile and in return he received a nod. Dinner passed mostly in silence, Uriel being thrown the occasional guess as to where he was from. 

Starving, he helped himself to the food, piling onto his plate before eagerly eating things down with his fingers, much to Grimmsette’s horror. Princess Eryxa just observed, taking in the experience quietly. Noticing he was on the spot, he wiped his mouth then sat back rigidly, watching the other two return to their meals before starting to mimic them the best he could. Once dinner had finished, the tables were clear, and he was left to stare at his beloved, unable to say what was in his heart until remembering the hastened advice from his golden wingman.

Hopping up, he wandered over to a set of instruments and picked up a lute, strumming a little song before looking to the others as he played a tune from home before using his weird new snakelike tail to whack the drum after establishing a melody. Grimsette smiled, tapping to the melody while the princess calmly observed.  After, he played the melody then began to suddenly pause, then beat the drum after the strangely long pause. Doing this a few times, his eyes widened, looking between the two expectantly.

The shieldmaiden chuckled a little then clapped lightly while the princess stared, gave a small nod, then clapped slowly with an “Amusing.”

Uriel was overcome with joy, strumming the lute in triumph before putting it back down. Grimsette taking note of the day stood then called for the footman to take him away. Back in his room, he was undressed for the evening and left on his own. Sighing, he flopped onto the large bed and crossed his arms until Gagedt fluttered in.

“Okay. Not exactly what I would have done, but you at least made an impression. Now, next you’ve got to impress her. Show her something you're good at.”

Uriel mimed strumming the lute again.

“No, you already did that. Something else. You’ve got another day to woo her. Just don’t try too hard or you’ll come off as a doof.”

Uriel nodded eargerly then let the bird start to pick around through the room for whatever prize he might fancy. Going to the balcony, he looked out to the sea then down at the shore. There, Princess Eryxa stared out into the darkened horizon before turning to look up at him, offering a small humble greeting which he returned before watching her return inside.

Sighing, he wandered back to bed then curled up and fell asleep quickly. The next morning, he was greeted by the under-butler and redressed before being reunited the with princess and her attendant. The day went through quickly, princess Eryxa introducing Uriel to thing’s he’d never seen before to watch him react, him being fascinated by all of the things the landwalkers had as a part of their daily lives. His favorite was the chocobo cart, the Princess letting him have the reins only for both to be scolded by the shieldmaiden after he pushed the limits of its speed. 

The day winding down, they found themselves at a secluded grotto for a light picnic dinner. Feeling as if time was slipping by, Uriel started to panic. As they wrapped up their meal, he gestured to a small rowboat on the shore.

“Do you wish to venture out,” the princess asked.

Uriel nodded then hurried over to the boat, patting the stern as he waited for her to join him. Once settled, he gave a little push then hopped in across from her. Rowing he smiled, while she looked him over.

“Perhaps I should guess at your name. Miller? Dylan? Roger?”

Uriel shook his head rapidly before perking his ears as he looked into the water, spotting his clutch brothers watching curiously underneath. Khubastian too seemed to be there, looking rather cross beneath the water. Paddling harder, he tried to outrun them, only to hear improvised music surround them.

“Don’t start yer caterwauling dammit,” Kylnt ordered.

“I’m not. Hey Hey! Brrrothers, you know that song I taught you right,” U’rahn asked to 

The Sahagin looked to one another then gave a nod before disjointedly speaking the words rather than singing: “Psha-la-la-la, float along and lishhhen to the song. The shhhong says kishhh the boy,” the brothers hissed out.

“Ah. Nope. Shut it down,” U’rhan sighed, “Still, music really would have made the scene cute. Well, the music was doing its job and…”

Uriel blushed as his clutch brothers did their best to help him out. Above, Gadget fluttered about, scaring fireflies out of an overhanging tree to light the area around them. The two soon leaned in, the ambiance set by his brothers and wingman doing the work. Uriel’s eyes lidded, tilted his head while the princess too leaned in, eyes wide. Just as they were about to seal the magick with a kiss, the boat violently heaved, then toppled them over into the lagoon.

Popping out of the water, Uriel shook out his head then frowned as Princess Eryxa had already started toward the shore. They returned to the palace shortly after, but the moment was gone. Fretting, Uriel paced in his room while Gagedt preened himself.

“Don’t worry. You were close buddy! There’s one more day to win her over. Just think, with one kiss you’ll rule this place and have all the shinies in the world to hand over…I mean, share,” his golden wingman chirped. 

Uriel shook his head then hugged himself, while giving Gagedt a meaningful look.

“Yeah yeah, you’re only interested in love. Anyroad, tomorrow, you gotta-”

Gagedt was cut short as a familiar laugh sounded from below. Uriel ran to the balcony, recognizing the voice as his own. Looking down, he spotted a suave looking sailor walking across the beach toward the Princess, the latter’s focus firmly upon them rather than the starry horizon. The sailor let out another laugh in his voice before leaning in to whisper into the young woman’s ear. Panicking, he looked to Gagedt, tail flailing around.

“What? I don’t know who that is more than you do?”

Uriel frowned then flung himself into bed, pulling a pillow close by before passing out for the night. The morning was greeted by bells and the footman rushing in to tell Uriel news of the wedding. Shocked, Uriel quickly roused from his bed and dressed then set off to find the Princess. Tried as he might, he couldn’t seem to find his way to her. All but given up, he wandered into the basement of the castle.

“Hello! Is someone there,” the shieldmaiden’s voice called out. 

Uriel blinked then went to a door, finding Grimmsette looking out at him.

“Something is amiss. A stranger appeared last night with the Princess announcing their swift marriage. I objected, and found myself rushed down here! Please sir, I must be let go.”

The merman nodded then unlatched the door, letting her free. He gestured to his throat then pointed back up to the castle, but the shieldmaiden did not seem to parse what he meant.

“I do mean to object to this union too, but I fear we might be too late. I’m sure by now they’ve boarded a vessel to have the ceremony out at sea, as is tradition.”

Uriel frowned then perked up, grabbing Grimmsette’s hand then leading her up and outside. Seeing a ship indeed floating off, he looked to a dinghy then hopped in, grabbing at the oars.

“Not giving up then? Fine. Let’s away,” Grimmsette said before joining him. Together, the two began to row as hard as they could, gaining slowly on the ship, but not as fast as he liked. By the time they drew close, the sun was hanging low, threatening to kiss the horizon. Uriel pointed urgently to the sun then up to the dock above.

“No, you should stay here just in case I must flee. I’ll save the princess,” Grimmsette assured him before boarding through a porthole.

Uriel frowned then looked up towards the deck. Determined to stop the wedding, he clawed into the boat then began to climb upward toward the dock. As he went, Gagedt perched on his shoulder.

“It’s the seawitch! She’s got some magic crystal that’s giving her your voice!”

Uriel flattened his ears, giving the bird some side eye as he climbed away.

“What? You figured that out already? Well then climb! Climb faster,” the bird ordered, talons gripping his shirt to help him move faster.

Once on the deck, Uriel looked out, watching as the princess walked down the aisle. Gagedt soon swept in, pecking at the seawitch, trying to steal the crystal off from around their neck. 

“Away you beast,” the seawitch cried out in Uriel’s voice. 

Running past Eryxa, Uriel headbutted the villain then took hold of the crystal before hopping back. Looking to his love, he frowned then looked to the crystal. For a moment, he thought he might go steal a kiss, but knew that would be wrong. Instead, he dropped it then gave it a hard stomp with his foot.

His joyful laughter sounded out as the magicks swept upward and back to his throat.  Whatever hold the sea witch had on the Princess also faltered, Eryxa looking to Uriel as he gave her a weaksmile, “I’m sorry…” he apologized before falling over, flopping a bit as his tail returned.

Grimmsette soon stormed the dock, finding people running  away as Eryxa kneeled down to check on Uriel. Ahead, the seawitch sat up, tentacles throwing things out of her way before slowly rising up, summoning the stolen trident. Even the shieldmaiden was taken aback, the witch’s rippling muscles looking like they could tear through a ship with strength alone and green seaweed coloured hair looking rather menacing. Soon, the great seawitch Ursalynt began to grow to enormous proportions, looking down-”

“You’re done,” Kylnt roared.

U’rahn turned, finding the woman standing behind him, reaching down to yank at the back of his collar and down to his belt. With little effort, she lifted him and gave a single heave, tossing him overboard and into the sea with a little dust of her hands to follow. The Sahagin hurried to the edge of the boat, looking down to the bubbling water below.

“Psh! Brother U’rahn,” Rovv called out, Nyx approaching from behind. 

Pulling out a fishing rod, she gave it a little cast, and after a bit, reeled in her waterlogged boyfriend, letting him wheeze as he flopped over onto his back. “M-Maybe I got that bit of the story wrong.”

“Ye swiven did,” Klynt echoed, crossing her arms as she looked down at him.

The witch soon calmed down, though kept her trident at the ready “You passed my test. Instead of using magick to woo her, you chose to do the right thing and appear to her as you are.”

Uriel frowned, flapping his tail on the ground before looking to the unphased Princess, “Ah…So…I guess you see me for what I am then? I’m from the sea below.”

“Understood,” the princess echoed with a nod, lifting him up a bit to help him sit in a chair.

Uriel thought for a moment then looked to the sea…sorceress. “Hey, hey! If you weren’t trying to fully sabotage us, then why did you tip our boat over yesterday? That was all us…I mean I guess without telling her that I was a merman.”

“I didn’t tip your swiven boat,” Ursalynt answered confused before letting out a grunt as Khubastian flew into her from the sea. Taking the trident, he began to laugh maniacally. 

“It was I! And now, the land and sea will be under my domain,” he laughed before flipping backward off the ship. 

Soon Khubastian grew, rising stories over them before raising up the trident to summon a storm. “Grimmsette, my gun,” Princess Eryxa requested, her attendant quickly producing the arm.

“A blast’em! That’s so cool! Can I fire it,” Uriel asked eagerly.

With a simple side eye, the Princess simply said, “No,” then began to fire at the enchanted merman to distract him. Uriel watched with amazement before flopping himself to the edge of the ship and diving in. Whistling, he summoned his clutch brothers, careful to avoid the strikes of lightning from above.

“Brothers! Khubastian must be stopped! He’ll destroy the legwalkers first then come for our home.”

The brothers let out a war cry, handing Uriel an extra trident before they began to leap out of the water and attack. A joint effort between land and sea saw Khubastian fall. The Princess with her blast’em, Grimmsette with her sword, Ursalynt with her sea magicks, and the brothers with their tridents. Though humongous, they all bravely took him down, Khubastian crying out in agony as he sank below. The magick trident freed, Uriel retrieved it, then gave it to Ursalynt to calm the storm.

The seas calmed, the brothers went back home to tell of their victory and Khubastian’s misdeeds. With a skilled jump, Uriel flung himself back to the Princess's ship deck then smiled up at her. “This wouldn’t be a bad time to ask for a date would it?”

“It is agreeable,” she responded before leaning down to give him a small kiss on the cheek.

And so they properly courted, Uriel visiting the shore on mutual ground until the Princess formally proposed that they marry and live happily era after. His clutch father and dad, seeing how happy their son was, granted him legs to walk upon land beside her, and ruled jointly with Ursaklynt after. The brothers all too found their own clutch queens soon after, and everyone lived as a big happily family between the two kingdoms of land and sea. The end.

U’rahn sat up, smiling to his clutch brothers and Nyx, the former all clapping eagerly.

“Nice save,” Klynt muttered, giving him a rough pat on the back, “Though it’d have been better if the sea sorceress shacked up Grimmsette’s brother or Posiodhn too.”

U’rahn thought for a moment, before finding Nyx sitting down in front of him, “You’ve now ended your story and I am able to provide feedback. The Ruby Sea has a kingdom underwater of legwalkers as you called them. You provided no reason for them to fear one another aside from the parental characters saying so. I enjoyed the straightforward characterization of the Princess. It was not explained what the character Gagedt would use gold for as a golden eagle. I do not believe golden eagles are native to the coa-”

Klynt left out a hearty laugh as U’rahn was given a full rundown of his narrative by his girlfriend. Everyone leaving them be, he impulsively leaned in to kiss her, pulling away rather flustered. “I’ll work on a better story for next time.”

“Acknowledged. I will continue to provide feedback to help your craft.”

“That would be nice Nyx…but for now, let’s just watch the sunset,” he mused, getting up off the ground before holding out a hand, offering to help her up. Together, they moved to the bow of the deck. Smiling, U’rahn took her hand in his, then looked out to the horizon as he attempted to coil their tails.

“Say…maybe once we get back we can see my brothers off then grab some nice food and set sail again. Just the two of us.”

“I’d like that, Rahn.”

U’rahn beamed then wiggled his ears. “Then it’s a date. Guess we just need to figure out how to get rid of the sea witch.”

“Rahn, there are no sea witches among us.”

U’rahn chuckled a bit to himself then gave her hand a little squeeze. As he got comfortable, he felt himself lifted once more by Kylnt’s grasp and his body being flung through the air once more. As he fell, he looked to his girlfriend as she blankly watched him fall back into the sea below.