The king’s solemn expression never changed. “So, the scion of my enemy has come crawling into my throne room, demanding an audience, hm? And what foul current brings you here to disturb my peace?”
Damon gawked, her mouth opening and closing as she tried to form words. Her brain shouted at her to say something. This was the reason she had come all this way! Why did Relia have to put her in this situation? “Um, Your Majesties, King Cedric and Queen Vianne, g-greetings. Uh, I have come here because I wish to bring peace between our la- er, our realms. I believe my father has treated you unfairly, and I-”
“PEACE!?” The king boomed, making Damon jump. “You think you can just come in here and talk of peace at a time like this? The utter GALL!”
In the face of such a reaction from the imposing merman, Damon suddenly felt very small. “I- S-Sorry, Your Majesty. Perhaps, uh, if I could h-have some time to make my case, w-we could…”
Just then, Relia snorted with suppressed giggles and pulled the trembling Damon into another hug. “Aw, come on, father. She’s terrified! This joke’s gone far enough.”
Damon turned to her. “F-Father!?”
The king leaned back in his throne, his hard glare cracking into a wide smile as he threw his head back and roared with laughter. Beside him, his queen held her sides as she joined in. Amidst all this jarring mirth, Damon felt dizzy. What had just happened?
“Surprise!” Relia sang, darting over to the king’s side. “Sorry for the scariness, but we couldn’t help ourselves.”
“S-So, you’re the princess?” Damon asked.
“Indeed, she is,” the king said brightly, patting his daughter on the head. “This is Princess Aurelia Seabrine.”
The princess playfully rolled her eyes. “But I much prefer Relia.” Seeing the look on the prince’s face, she swam back over and put a hand on her arm. “Don’t look so serious. It was only a bit of fun.”
Damon swallowed and spoke carefully. “But our kingdoms are at war. I came here to offer peace, and in return, I’m met with a joke? Forgive me if I’m kind of overwhelmed.”
“And forgive me also,” the king replied, his humor subsiding. “Mer-people are not known for their gravity under any circumstances. We go with the flow, so to speak, whether that flow is the current around us or the whim of a moment. I had forgotten that a human may not have the same disposition. In any case, I suppose this war has been a bit more serious on your end than on mine.”
“It has? How so?”
“Tell me, my dear. How many lives have been lost in this war?”
Damon thought for a second. “I’m embarrassed to say, I don’t know. My father and brothers have kept me ignorant of the actual fighting. They only talk about how glorious their battles are and how much they’ve made the mer-people suffer. It never seemed right to me, and that is why I had to stop it.”
“I see,” the king said. “I thought as much. Well, the true answer is: none.”
There was a pause. “None?”
“Not a single one,” the king said, gesturing around him. “After all, how could we invade each other? Our worlds are too different and inhospitable to the other. We get by just fine, and I’m sure yours does, too. Please, make no mistake. Your coming here to make peace is much appreciated, and we are willing to work something out. But this entire war was a farce to begin with, merely a means for your father to make a statement. His ships patrol the surface back and forth. Once in a while, they send a rock down, and we sit here and watch. That is the sum total of it.”
If Damon still had feet, she would have had trouble staying on them. “But why? Why would my father do such a thing?”