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"Arhak, I wish to meet Enkansh."

The guard shifted uneasily. "The siren that attacked you?"

"We were play fighting," Syryn replied. "Has everyone at the palace heard about the incident?"

"Yes. The siren has been detained in his room. Punishment was meted out. He won\'t be allowed food or freedom till the hour of repentance passes."

Syryn felt kind of bad for Enkansh.

"Is he allowed to have visitors?"

"It would be unwise, honoured guest."

"Please address me by my name. And why is it unwise to visit Enkansh?"

The guard hesitated.

"Speak your mind freely, Arhak."

"There are many eyes on his door. If you are seen visiting him immediately after the fight between the two of you, some might take advantage of the situation."

The mage digested the guard\'s warning. He had the King\'s protection so it could only mean that Enkansh alone would get into further trouble if his enemies spun new tales for the palace ears.

"Nevertheless, come with me," Syryn said to the guard. "I am curious about the punishment that he has received."

Arhak followed without question.

"From now on, I will take you wherever I go," Syryn told him as the guard led him past the twisting corridors of the maze-like palace.

Syryn smiled at a mermaid princess who bashfully smiled at him first. She was a lovely creature with bright pink scales.

"Who was that?" He asked the guard after they\'d put sufficient distance.

"Princess Yennie, second daughter of concubine coral."

"Coral? Is that really the concubine\'s name? It\'s so unoriginal."

"The honoured concubine is as lovely as a coral," came the guard\'s neutral reply.

"I\'m sure."

They were passing by a merman wiping down some rust on a metal statue when Syryn began to talk loudly.

"Arhak, it is good to see that the siren has been punished. Did they gouge out his eyes?"

"No, honoured guest, his eyes remain in their sockets."

"How unfortunate."

They passed by several other merpeople.

"We shall see if he dares to attack me again after this incident. I am an honoured guest, am I not?"

"Yes, you are."

"Then I need to put him in place as well. What do you say, Arhak?"

"Put him in his place, honoured one."

Syryn smiled, his eyes crinkling. Two shells in the sand.

"Hurry. My patience grows thin."

"We are here."

They stood before a stone door.

"My goodness, would the siren hear me if I knock on it?" Syryn frowned at the door. He kicked the door then looked at the merguard. "Why does he get a stone door? I want one too."

Arhak wondered what the human was up to with his arrogant act. He gripped the door handle and turned it in a circle then waited.

Syryn smiled at the few merpeople that had gathered to watch. "Why are you here?" He brazenly asked them just as Enkansh opened his door.

Not waiting for an answer, he turned around to the siren.

"Filthy siren," he said with contempt. "This is what you get for daring to hurt me."

The merpeople couldn\'t see Syryn\'s worried eyes. A swathe of Enkansh\'s beautiful scales had been stripped away to reveal raw pink flesh. His broken wrist remained unbound.

The siren looked confused. Syryn was broadcasting worry but his mouth was cursing him.

"Arhak, let\'s take a look at the siren\'s room. It can\'t be better than mine, can it?"

"You can\'t," Enkansh said, scowling at the mage. But Syryn pushed him aside and went in. His guard followed him inside and Enkansh was left at the door looking foolish. The mer folks outside hid their scornful smiles as the siren slammed the door shut.

"What\'s the meaning of this?" He asked Syryn after they were within the privacy of his room.

"I came to visit you, Enkansh." Syryn looked around the room. It was smaller than his. Less roomy, less pretty.

"For what?" The siren hissed.

"To check on you. Your wound, it needs medicine. And why have you not put your wrist in a cast?" The mage pointedly looked at the hand that the siren was favouring.

"What are you? A healer?"

"No," Syryn immediately answered. "I\'m an alchemist." Then Syryn frowned. "What?"

"What do you mean what?" Enkansh asked, annoyed.

"I\'m an alchemist," Syryn repeated, smiling like a fool. "An alchemist! Damn. I\'m an alchemist."

The siren made eye contact with the mer guard. The human was losing his mind from the prolonged stay underwater.

"Enkansh, you\'re a hostage. But why?" The alchemist abruptly asked.

"The same reason you\'re an honoured guest. We both have our uses to Silisia."

The siren appeared worn out by the day\'s events. He wasn\'t standing so tall nor speaking with much vigour.

Syryn took a chair and threw it against the door.

"What the hell are you doing?!" Enkansh yelled.

"I was bored," Syryn declared.

The mer guard wasn\'t sure what was happening anymore. Was the human acting crazy or was he truly crazy?

"Get bored in your own fucking room then," the siren snapped at the mage.

"Fine. Let\'s go Arhak. Take me to Drevin."

The mage\'s hand was on the doorknob when he turned back to the siren.

"Where are the stone eels you caught today?"

_____

"Syryn?" The silver-blue mer was at the jellyfish stables. They\'d spent an hour searching for him at the palace before an attendant informed them of his whereabouts.

"Are you going to just leave Enkansh with his injuries unattended?"

"It was his punishment. I can\'t be seen helping him, Syryn."

The mage threw a string of stone eels at the prince. It struck him on his broad chest where he caught it, surprised.

"The siren had been catching it for you when we ended up fighting."

Drevin looked at the dead eels in his hand.

"So what?" He asked Syryn. "Am I supposed to help him because he was catching a meal for me?" Silvery eyes hardened.

"No. Ugh. Forget it. You\'re no different," Syryn spat. "I was promised my satchel but it hasn\'t come to my hands yet. Where is it?"

Drevin frowned at the eels. His mind was elsewhere.

"Where\'s my satchel?"

"I\'ll have it sent to you."

Syryn was an amnesiac. He couldn\'t recall many things. But, he knew that his memories were returning in small trickles. All he had to do was wait it out and interact with his environment so that he would be reminded of what lay dormant in his brain.

"Enkansh has feelings too, your highness. He\'s hurt and alone." Why was Syryn feeling sorry for that asshole who had ripped his ear?

"He shouldn\'t have let his temper get the better of him then," Drevin replied, still staring at the stone eels.

"Give me those eels!"

Syryn snatched the tail end of an eel and tugged.

"They\'re mine!"

"Enkansh worked so hard to catch them for an ungrateful-"

"I\'ll visit him later and pay him for the eels."

The alchemist relinquished the stone eels.

"And come visit me too after you meet him."

Drevin smiled. "For a hug?"

Why not?

"I\'d like that, your highness."

The prince beamed. "Stay awake for me then, Syryn. I\'ll sneak in when everyone is asleep."

"Eh? Sneak?"

"I\'ll give you an amazing hug tonight." The merman appeared excited about the prospect of hugging Syryn.

"I guess I\'ll see you later then." Syryn surmised that the merman was enjoying hugs since he hadn\'t experienced them before.