I sunk. A little monkey like me, sinking. Absurd, yes. But the water pulled me under. I gasped for what breath I could manage as rushing blue darkness surrounded me.

I was going to drown. My nasty little future stepdaughter had pushed me into a river, and now I was going to drown. Amazing how I took the statement as sensible fact. There was a little anger, and definitely some fear; but mostly what I felt was a strange fascination at my situation. Drowning. I had not seen that one coming.

Drowning was a slow process. I didn't feel any different, though memories of my childhood flashed through my head. I expected more pain, especially on the lungs, but it never happened.

I don't know how long I had been sitting at the bottom of the river when I realized I was breathing just fine. I even performed a few deep breaths to test it. I could feel water moving in through my mouth, but it went no further. I whipped my tail around. Definitely water. All around me was water. In the distance I could see the shadows of the riverbank. Plants danced around me, sweeping back with the current. Above was the distant spot of sun and the faster-moving water. Below me were the mossy rocks of the river bottom.

Was I dead? I clutched my bag close to me, wondering how I had it when supposedly one couldn't take anything to the Great Beyond. Death was not what I had expected.

As I tried to decide what to do next, several fish appeared. They did not look particularly extraordinary, save for size, perhaps. What caught my attention was the way they looked at me, turning their round eyes to stare at me in utter acceptance, as if I were supposed to be here. I squeezed my bag tighter to my chest and stared back at them.

At last, the largest swam toward me. I had no idea what kind of fish he was even though I had once read a book on the different species of fish. This one seemed all species and yet none at the same time, without a single feature that connected him to one more than the other. His scales were silver, yet when he moved other colors gleamed for the briefest of moments.

I felt the oddest urge to curtsey.

"Tell me, are you all right?" the fish asked.

I nearly nodded, but such a motion didn't seem enough. "Yes," I replied. "Thank-you." Was I okay? I had been shoved into a river. "At least, I think I am. Am I…?"

"Dead?" The fish laughed, and it was very odd to see a fish laugh. "No, I can promise you that. I'm sure you're wondering about breathing. Most of you land creatures do worry about that, failing to realize there is plenty of oxygen in the water."

I had no response to that, though it was good not to be dead.

"You fell into my realm, my dear monkey. I'm not so cruel as some might think."

"Your realm?" I echoed.

The other fish smiled, another odd thing to see, and the fish gave a bow, as much as a fish could. "I am Biroquoi, King of Fish."

I should have realized I was speaking to a fish. Immediately I gave my curtsey. "I am Babiole. I'm honored." Thank-you Queen Flore for teaching me manors. "Thank-you."

"I know who you are."

"You do?"

"The Bride of King Magot. Word travels among the royals, you realize."

"Of course," I said softly. "Only… his daughter pushed me into the river."

"Gigona." He gave another laugh. "I've heard of her as well. The Monkey Princess. Difficult to deal with. Do you wish to really live a life with her?"

Not now. "No."

Biroquoi circled me, always keeping his round eyes on me. "Though King Magot is a fine king and a fine ape, though I don't have much patience for mammals. He would be a good husband for you. You could do worse. Much worse. Though… I can tell you're rather neutral on this marriage. You haven't met him, which could be part of love. But I suspect something else."

My breath caught. I might as well have been drowning.

"You love another, Babiole. Don't you?"

How did he know so much?

As if in response to my thoughts, he said "Water travels far. I know things. You love a prince. Prince Bastien."

"He doesn't care about me," I said miserably. It was nice to have someone to talk to about this.

Biroquoi nodded. "He's rather indifferent to affection to love, isn't he? But don't fear, that will change. I've seen his destiny, and it is that he will marry a beautiful princess."

"He's a prince. It's a rather obvious prediction." I bit my tongue. "I'm sorry. I was outspoken."

"Don't apologize. I like a girl who speaks her mind. Though I suppose you would like it if I helped you to dry land. Don't worry, I can make sure you avoid Gigona. The entire monkey convoy, if you wish." He turned to his attending fish. "See that you take the lady monkey to shore."

Immediately they dove under my arms and lifted me.

"But first…" Biroquoi eyed my bag. "May I see what you have in there? Gifts from Magot, I assume?"

I opened the bag for his inspection.

"A lovely box," he said thoughtfully. "You would be more than honored by that gift if you knew how precious it was. King Magot was very kind in offering it to you. Keep track of it, it will be of use to you."

"Use?"

He smiled and met my eyes. "You'll know. When all seems hopeless, open it. Break it, if you must. You'll know when the time is right."

Suddenly I rather feared the box.

"And one more thing," he said, swimming to a plant. "A gift from me." He plucked a leaf from the plant and swam back to me. I took it. "Eat it. It will help you if you decided to marry King Magot. It will be useful no matter what you do, in fact. It's the power of speech. You'll be able to speak to any creature."

Wow. I swallowed the leaf. It tasted sweet.

"Farewell, Babiole," King Biroquoi said with a fishy bow. "May all be well for you. Just protect that box."

And with that, the other fish swept me up through the water, and the momens later I was laying in the grass, coughing and soaking wet.