Ch 1:

On a windy, cold wet morning, Ren looks out of the stone lighthouse he grew up in, and looks down at his friends. He was getting ready to set to leave to search for the remaining five "Treasures of Rule;" and as he watches his friends' load up the boat, he thought about how long they had been together, especially Tula. Tula was the first woman he had ever gotten close to, "that is except for Jenna of course," Ren said to himself. Jenna, but she was like a mother to him, but Tula was almost the same age as him. But because of the Dark Dweller, who controlled the dark water; Ren wasn't able to do the things he wanted to do. Finding the lost treasures of Rule had taken up much of his time. He knew he was a prince, as well as the duties he was supposed to perform. He also knew that one day he would have to take over Octopon. But he was running out of time, because soon the whole planet would cover. And if he didn't find the last treasures of the treasures, Octopon as well as Mer would be lost. Ren also suspected that the Dark Dweller could easily stop them. Ren knew this because of the last time, they had seen the Dark Dweller, he almost lost one of his crew; Tula. Even though he had gotten her back, it was getting close for comfort.

"Ren?" When Ren didn't respond, Jenna gently touched his shoulder. "Ren!" she says to get his attention. He then turns around. "Yes, oh, hi, Jenna." "Ren, are you alright? Is something wrong?" "I'm ok, Jenna, I was just thinking, after we find the remaining five treasures of rule, I will have to take my rightful place at the throne, and become King of Octopon," says Ren. "I've also been thinking about the mission we have been on. I've been so busy looking for "The Treasures of Rule" that I haven't even gotten to know my crew better. I know Ioz has a sister, and most of Niddler's family is on Padawa. But Tula is the only one I don't know," he sighs. "She had told me nothing of her past." When Jenna hears this she smiles and says, "Well, you still have an hour or so before you leave, so why not find out now." "You're right, Jenna, I think I will do that right now." Ren then goes down the staircase, to talk to his crew. He was halfway down the stairs, when he turns back to Jenna and says, "Jenna, you and Tula have become good friends?" "I suppose so," says Jenna. "Why do you ask?" "Does she ever talk about her family?" asks Ren. "Well, now that you mention it, she really hasn't talked at all about her family, all I have ever heard her talk about was Teron." "Teron, hmmm." Ren then scratches his chin. He had to find out more about her, because he was to ask her he would have to know about her. When he finally reaches the boat, he sees Niddler waiting for him.

"Good morning, Niddler." "Ren, good morning, Hah!" says Niddler, as he drops some fresh water into a barrel. "Ioz wants to see you, and watch out he's in a bad mood. He's already yelled at Tula." When Ren hears this he touches Niddler's shoulder and says, "What happened, Niddler?" Niddler looks up at Ren and says, "All I know is Tula came out the boat this morning, said hello to Ioz, and he yelled at her." He then goes and puts a lid on the barrel. After hearing this, Ren rubs his chin, and goes to find Ioz.

He finds Ioz raising the sail. "Ioz, what's going on? Why did you yell at Tula?" Ioz doesn't even look up at him. He just continues as if Ren wasn't there. "Ioz!" When Ren does this, Ioz then looks at him. "What! Oh, it's you." Ioz then rubs the left side of his pants, and says, "What do you want." But before Ren could even say anything, Ioz says, "Don't say anything, I'm not in the mood for it. Tula did. And if you know what's good for you, and help me get the Wraith ready for sail?" Ren's stunned. "Fine, Ioz, I won't start with you, but I still am Captain of this ship, and I want to know what's going on with you and Tula!" Ioz then shrugs his shoulders, and says, "You really want to know, ask her! She started it!" He then goes back to work.

"All right, I will." Ren then goes looking for Tula. When he finds her, she is lying on one of the sails. She is concentrating so hard, that she doesn't even notice Ren came up behind her. "Tula?" When she does not respond, he touches her shoulder. "Tula?" Tula jumps, turns around, and touches her heart. "Ren, you startled me." "Tula, you okay?" He then looks at her hands, they're shaking. "Tula, what's wrong?" "I'm fine, really." Ren then takes one of her hands, and says, No, you're not, look at your hands, they're shaking." "No, I'm fine, really." She then puts her hands away from Ren, and turns away. "Did Ioz say something to you, Tula?" When Tula doesn't respond to him, Ren walks over and places his hands on Tula's shoulders. "Tula, we're friends, aren't we? You shouldn't be afraid to tell me something." She just shrugs her shoulders. "Ren, I…oh…I don't know." She then turns around and looks at him. "Ren, I just wish Ioz would." As she says this, she puts her head down. "Tula, I know it's been rough on you, but I want you know I like you." He then pauses. "Tula, I know we have been together on this boat for about a year now. I also know it can be quite stressful." He then lifts up Tula's chin and says," Ioz may not care, but I do. I also don't like seeing you hurt like this." When he says this, Tula suddenly looks up. "Ren, what are you saying? I'm not sure if I understand." Ren then takes her hand and says, "I think it's about time you and I had a long talk." Ren then turns to where Ioz is working and says, "Ioz, Tula and I are going for a walk. When we return we'll set sail." "Uh, sure, Ren." He then looks over and Tula shrugs her shoulders and goes back to work. Ren then walks back with Tula off the Wraith.

After Ren and Tula leave the boat, Ioz calls Niddler. "Niddler, do you know why Ren wants to talk to Tula?" Niddler just shrugs his shoulders, and says, "Sorry, Ioz, I have no idea." And then he turns and walks away. But as he turns his back away to Ioz, he smiles. He has a pretty good idea why Ren wanted to talk to Tula, but he wasn't going to tell Ioz that. Meanwhile, Tula and Ren were walking along the Lagoon of Octopon. "Tula, you and I have known each other for about a year now. And we have become good friends, haven't we." Tula smiles. "I believe so," says Tula. "Well, I want us to be more than friends." When Ren says this, Tula stops. "Ren, what are you trying to say?" "Tula, what I'm trying to say is that I have become fond of you." "Ren, I…uh." She then stops and looks down at the beach.

"Ren, I don't think that's such a good idea. You really don't know me, and I don't think it would work between us. You need someone more, well royal. And I don't think I'm it." Ren then places his arms on her shoulders and says, "But I want to. I know you haven't told me everything. And whatever it is, it can't be that bad. I'm a good listener." "Ren, you can't be serious." "Oh, I am serious, Tula, once we get the rest of the treasures, I'm taking my place on the throne, and I want you at my side." "Ren, you can't mean…" She never gets to finish her sentence, because right at that moment, Ren kisses her. He then steps back, takes her and they walk over to a Puniceus Bush and sit down. He then turns around and plucks a rose from the bush and gives it to her, and says, "As I place this rose in your hand; I will place your heart into mine. So please, Tula, tell me I want to know everything about you." "You may not like what you hear," says Tula. "You might even despise me after I tell you." She turns and begins to walk away. "Tula, wait!" Ren catches up to her, turns her around. "Tula, whatever you did or whatever happened to you, won't change how I feel." He then takes the flower in her hand, and places it in her hair. "Please, I want to know. You have nothing to be afraid of." She took a deep breath and began to tell her story.