Chapter Seven- Land Family

"Land ahoy!" called the crewman from the crow's nest. By the prow's lantern light, the outline of a coast was visible. Seto's heart swelled at the sight of it: He was hours away from home and dawn was two hours away. It was dawn he was waiting for; it would mark the end of Joey's second day as a merman. The merboy would climb back on board via a dangling rope Seto would provide and resume human form and be able to disembark to meet Seto's family. The brunette was worried. Suppose his stepfather didn't approve? Gozaburo hadn't said that the fiancée had to be female. He remembered telling Yugi that Gozaburo would be charmed by Joey, but now he wasn't so sure. He felt the soft scale against his chest and gently put a hand on his shirt. He had spent the last two days trying to find a way to mount the scale in a setting that could be strung on a cord. He ended up tucking it in a gold setting with a clear cover on the front and it hung on a brown cord around his neck. Only the back had no cover so that the scale's softness was felt against his skin.

Joey surfaced on the right side of the boat to see a dangling rope and up by the rail was Seto. He grabbed the rope and started to climb while Seto pulled the rope upwards. Joey soon placed his hands on the rail and hauled himself up to be met with Seto's lips landing on his own. When they parted, Joey swung his tail over the rail and the fins touched the deck.

"Seto, I'm excited to meet your stepfather, but I'm also nervous."

"That's understandable. I'm worried that he won't approve, but he didn't say I had to choose a girl."

The sun rose and Joey's clothes and legs appeared. "So, how far out are we?" he asked getting to his feet.

"A couple of hours now. I'm curious, though. The ship kept moving at night. Did you not sleep all this time?"

"Oh, no. I slept. There's a small alcove close to the water. I pulled myself onto it and slept with my tail in the water."

Seto nodded. "And how far are we from your home?"

"Not too far. About a day and a half or two days; that is if you have a tail and swim underwater. It is closer to Yugi's as it takes me about half a night to reach the shore."

The gangplank was lowered and Seto strolled down it to see King Gozaburo and Prince Mokuba, the latter relieved beyond words. The young prince ran forward and embraced Seto around the waist. "Big brother! I was so worried!"

"I'm fine, Mokuba." He looked at the king. "I apologize for my late arrival. The ship had a mishap, but luckily Yugi was kind enough to loan a ship and a crew to get me home."

"As long as you're safe, that's all that matters." Gozaburo came forward and embraced Seto once Mokuba had released him. "So, how was the trip? Do I have a future in-law?"

Seto smiled. "You know I was against the idea when I left. However, I warmed up to it when I reached my destination. I found my fiancée there." He turned and gestured at the boat. A figure with blond hair and dressed in prince clothes descended to the dock and bowed to the king.

"Gozaburo, this is Prince Joseph, my future husband."

Joey straightened. "It is a pleasure to meet you, Your Majesty." He flashed his charming smile.

Gozaburo looked him up and down for several seconds before giving a warm smile and an open hand. "Welcome Joseph. I'm pleased to meet you. Seto chose well."

Joey took the hand. "Please call me Joey, sire."

"Gozaburo will do, at least for now. We'll be family after all." The king laughed happily before draping an arm across Joey's shoulders and leading the blonde prince away from the dock, his stepsons behind him.

"Prince Joey," Mokuba said. He grinned. "I like him, Seto. He seems real nice."

He is nice. He's also sweet, thoughtful, and considerate of others' feelings. He actually gave me a chance to change my mind because he didn't think his mother would approve of the engagement."

"Really? So, she does approve then? I see Joey's still wearing the ring."

"She approves and of course she wants to meet me."

"When will that be?"

"I don't know. Sometime after Joey goes home in three days. He told me he has duties he has to attend to in three days. Something to do with his sister."

"He has a sister?"

"Yes. She's thirteen and her name's Serenity."

"Sounds like you learned a lot about Joey."

"I work fast. I felt attracted to Joey the moment I saw him after arriving and we talked at the ball while dancing and on the way here. I knew at the ball that he was the one."

Joey was completely at ease. Gozaburo liked him and he, in turn, liked the king. I have nothing to worry about, except the fact that I have to leave every three days. If I'm going to be family, I'll have to be honest before the wedding. Boy, what a summer. In almost two weeks, I get engaged and meet my future-in-laws.

Gozaburo showed Joey the marketplace and introduced him to the citizens. Those they spoke to greeted him warmly and congratulated him on being Seto's fiancée. Joey accepted all of them and found himself comfortable with them. I wish I could be human longer than three days at a time. I know I would love living here. That feeling grew when he saw the palace. It was huge! "Gozaburo, your home is amazing!" he commented as the group approached the front doors.

"Thank you, Joey," Gozaburo said as the guards opened the doors. As they entered the hall, a man in magician's robes came up from a flight of stairs that led down. He stopped at the doorway and bowed.

"Ah, Mahad. Meet Seto's fiancée, Prince Joey. Joey, this is Mahad, our royal magician.'

"Hello, Mahad," Joey said, smiling.

"A pleasure, Prince Joey." Mahad stood straight and as the pair passed, his magical senses tingled. He sense genetic magic at work and it came from Joey. Does Seto know his fiancée has magic? He continued to stare after Joey as the other princes started to go by. Seto noticed this and as Mokuba continued on, he approached the magician.

"Is there a problem, old friend?" he asked.

"No. I just sense some kind of magic coming from Joey."

"Do you?" Seto was intrigued. Was there a magical trace whenever Joey became human?

"Were you aware of that, Seto?"

In response, Seto seized Mahad's arm and guided him down to Mahad's private lab. Once the door was closed, Seto said, "Yes, I'm aware. Mahad, swear you won't tell anyone what I'm about to say and ask."

Mahad knelt. "I swear that I will not speak of anything you are about to say."

"Good," Seto said as Mahad rose. "Mahad, I'm in love with a merman and that's Joey."

"A merman," Mahad breathed. "Yes, that would fit. I have read that mermen could become human."

"Joey told me that he's the only one who can change. All the others lost the ability. He can only be human for three days at a time. He has to be a merman for at least a day before becoming human again.

"I know that Joey's mother will want to meet me and I wonder if you know a way to make me a merman for say, three days like Joey."