The sun bathed the capital and namesake of the Australasian sea kingdom of Liones in its first soft turquoise. The city, known for the fine arts, slowly awoke from its slumber. Its inhabitants gradually filled the narrow paths. On either side of them, aesthetic buildings of various shapes and sizes stretched close together, each more breathtaking than the next. Pointed towers with onion tops, rotundas twisting in on themselves, facades jutting wildly back and forth, there was really nothing that didn't exist. Lione's architects made the most impossible buildings possible. The Pearl of the East, as the city was also called, was thus inferior in beauty to none of the other kingdoms. The inhabitants were naturally fond of beauty and knew what tricks to use to achieve the best possible result. The colours complemented each other perfectly here, and there they emphasised something to just the right degree. The eyes of the sea dwellers were skilfully directed into lines of sight and, above all, the palace, which outshone everything, was set in the best possible light. Those who wanted to learn the high art could not have chosen a better place on the map. Many of the best artists had begun their careers in this city or had been apprenticed to the old masters. The inhabitants of this metropolis were in no way inferior to their homeland; the sea people from this region were also wonderfully beautiful, delicate and fragile-looking creatures. Their fish tails were adorned with shimmering fin appendages that flowed around and caressed their bodies. And unlike the Atlantics, they were not content with just one colour. Tricoloured scale patterns were not uncommon here, but they attracted the attention of travellers one after the other. Their wonderful appearance had also made them the most hunted sea people in earlier times. A resident of Liones had been more irresistible to humans than almost anything else. There was no denying the resemblance they bore to ornamental fish kept above water, which only made them more desirable. The city previously settled in shallow waters had been too easy a target, so the Lione soon decided to leave their old home with a heavy heart and build a new Liones in deeper waters. The new city had soon surpassed anything that had ever existed. However, the fear of further raids and hunts on their people was deeply rooted. So they had quickly evolved into a shy and highly suspicious people. To this day, they had not shed these traits. Travellers had to adhere to the prevailing customs, no matter how suspicious they were. Otherwise one was not integrated into the community. But they were by no means unfriendly, as one might wrongly conclude. Once you had gained their trust by getting involved in their way of life, they were a very warm sea people who loved to introduce their culture and knowledge to the interested mind. Alana also had to learn this at the beginning. Living and living together in her new home had been a great challenge for Triton's second-born at first. Until she understood how things worked here, she had written several letters to her father. Each one had been about how uncomfortable and unsuitable she had felt here. Time and again she had begged Triton to change his decision and allow her to return to Atlantica. Her father had remained stubborn, as he often did, and now she was grateful to him. She had created a wonderful family and had become a respected figure in Liones alongside her husband. After the initial difficulties, with his help, she had quickly assimilated into the new culture. Her wonderful little daughter swam around her in joyful anticipation, listing all sorts of things she wanted to do with her father and friends now that she was back home. Alana wondered where Nanami got all the energy from after her long journey, but at the thought of her husband, she too noticed how she pushed her fin forward as if by itself. She had really missed him a lot.
"Papa! We're back!" Nanami called out as she swam through the halls of the palace, attracting everyone's attention. Her pink, white and black scaled fin might have given the impression that she was one of Lione's reserved and rather quiet inhabitants through and through, but they had quickly noticed that the little one carried her mother's temperament.
Alana received some unpleasant looks at her daughter's quick-tempered behaviour. Some of the advisors and courtiers thought that it was purely due to her inadequate upbringing that the little princess did not know how to behave. But Alana was unconcerned. Nanami was a young mermaid and she was really very well brought up, if she remembered how her sisters and she herself used to be on her father's nose. She would not force her daughter to behave more quietly just because some doddering old man thought it would endanger her tradition.
Zion poked his head out of his study, having heard the voice of his little angel.
"What a nice surprise. I didn't expect you back yet. Come here, my little one," he greeted them both and spread his arms. This too earned them a few contemptuous looks. The marriage of their prince had also gradually made him see things more casually. Alana had convinced him to drop at least a few of the habits of direct contact with her and Alana. So he had finally started to allow more closeness and to take his daughter in his arms sometimes. Of course, this was mostly limited to the time they spent in their private chambers. Alana, of course, did not want Zion to be disrespected in the eyes of Liones' people.
"Come in, my dears," he asked them into his study as he too felt the critical eyes on them.
"Sit down. Tell me, how was Atlantica?" he asked curiously.
"It was so great, Dad. Atlantica is so big. I saw new sea creatures all the time. All my aunts were there," Nanami gushed, bringing a loving smile to her parents' faces. Zion remembered his first trip to Atlantica and could only too well understand the excitement his daughter felt. Attentively, he continued to listen to what she had to say.
"We then left together to visit Aunt Ariel and saw Melody. She is so cute. Hopefully we can see her more often," she reminisced. Then she became more frantic and told without full stop of the further terrible events, "then there was this sea witch and Ares was gone and then they looked for him and then, then Uncle Orpheus and Uncle Eric saved him from pirates. Ares came riding back on a ray and..."
"Nanami!", Alana cut her off, "what did I ask you, on the way here?"
Apologetically, she looked at her mother.
"That I shouldn't tell anyone," she admitted meekly, but then tried to talk her way out of it, "but it's Daddy, he can know, can't he?"
"You promised your mother, didn't you?" the latter asked, receiving a hesitant nod in reply, "are your promises worth so little, Nanami?"
The little one shook her head in dismay.
"Then you should choose your words more wisely soon," he advised her, taking some of the sternness out of his voice again.
"I will. I'm sorry," Nanami clarified.
"Good girl," he praised her in response and then turned to Alana, "how is our nephew now?"
"As far as circumstances go, but he is in good hands," she replied to her husband.
"That's good to know. Can we help in any way?" he wanted to know.
"It would help most if no rumours spread in the seas regarding this. We need to stop the gossip. I guess anything else is out of our hands," she continued.
"Sure. That such a thing happens in Atlantica," Zion shook his head in disbelief and then lapsed into thoughtful silence. He knew the horror stories from childhood days. They were passed down from one generation to the next in their kingdom. The organised hunt for sea people had torn large holes in their ranks many years ago. There was hardly a family that had not lost at least one ancestor in this way. The fear that those times would flare up again sat deeply embedded in each and every one of them.
"But since you ask. Father would appreciate any assistance he can get in finding Morgana. I know that the Lione are not made for such things, but surely we can still put together a small group that could help Atlantica," she said, bringing up what was on her father's mind.
"I will see what I can do. But don't expect too much from our warriors. I think our strengths are clearly in other areas, but that doesn't mean we can't contribute to the search," he assured her, and then immediately lapsed back into his typical brooding. Alana was sure that Zion would think of something. After all, her husband was the smartest head she had ever met. While some might ridicule him for his headiness, she could always rely on his alert mind to work out a solution to any problems.
"Excuse me, my flower. I will make some arrangements so that we can assist your father as soon as possible," he took his leave as she had foreseen, even after a short time. He stroked his daughter's head fleetingly and then left the room.
"Well then, off to bed, Nanami. The journey was long and exhausting. Get some rest so you'll be fit when your father is done," Alana advised her daughter, pushing her towards the door.
"But I'm not tired at all?" the little girl whined, but complied nonetheless.
"You'll see, once you're in your bed, your eyes will fall shut all by themselves," the exhausted mother argued while directing her daughter further down the corridor to her room.
Nanami quickly realised that she was fighting a losing battle here and finally gave in and if she was honest with herself, her mother was of course right, the journey had sapped all her strength.
"But when I'm awake again, we'll find Dad and take him out for a swim. Yes?" she negotiated with her mother. She laughed in response and then just nodded at her.
Zion, meanwhile, had arrived at the place to which he had been so suddenly drawn. His long fingers stroked the spines of the books in the royal archives, while his narrow eyes narrowed even more, trying to read the titles written in different languages. He was sure to find something here that would give them an advantage over the sea witch. He went through one row of books after the other and ended up with a whole pile of old works on his arm. Satisfied with his haul, he settled down at a reading desk.
As he read, the sun's rays wandered through the room, testifying to the passage of time. He had put many of the books aside after the first few paragraphs, but one caught his interest. Under the title "The Teachings of Heophastos" was a far-reaching treatise on his life's work. In it, the learned merman described, among other things, the use and processing of several old, mostly long-forgotten medicinal plants. Besides the obvious possibility of finding a remedy that could help Ares in his recovery, Zion was sure that the first sea witches used these very remedies for their potions. This knowledge had probably been better passed down through their ranks than it had been among the rest of the sea people. Continuing his train of thought, this must mean that the witch still used these plants, at least in part, which in turn suggested that she must stay near the places where they were found or at least visit them regularly. So now he was looking for a promising plant that could be an important ingredient for Morgana and was not too common. If he found such a plant, it would limit their search radius enormously and drastically increase their chances of success. The Lione may not be soldiers and warriors, but it was insights and food for thought like this one that made his people a strong ally nonetheless. He would not disappoint Alana's father and would ensure him the best support Liones had to offer, as promised.
He meticulously went through every single page of the thick tome so as not to miss anything under any circumstances. The old pages were covered with wonderful drawings that could only have originated here in Liones. One almost believed that the real plant had been pressed and preserved between the leaves, so rich in detail were the pictures created by their artist. Zion was undoubtedly holding one of many such true treasures stored here in the royal archives. Apart from him and a few curators, only scholars and scientists with an explicit letter of recommendation and permission granted by the king himself were allowed to take these works from their shelves and study them. These relics from earlier times were too precious to be made available to the common people in the municipal library.
By now, he had already put off the knocking Nanami for the second time until later, when he had finally found a plant that met all his set requirements. It was rare, an important ingredient in all kinds of highly effective concoctions and ointments and, above all, only to be found at very specific rock constellations that belonged to caves and trenches of an almost equally rare rock. Hopefully, this would give them more than enough advantages over the sea witch. If they did it right, they could prepare a surprise attack at each location and trap the witch in the confined area. With the power of Triton's trident, it would even be conceivable to make one of the caves her eternal prison. Zion drew up a letter and noted down his findings among the previously listed medicinal plants for his nephew. After he had skimmed the document once more, he rolled it up and sealed it with the royal coat of arms of Liones. Without wasting any more time, he sent for a messenger to come to him.
"Take this and swim with it directly to Atlantica. I entrust you with a very important and confidential document. It must be delivered only into Triton's hands. Do you understand?", Zion spoke urgently to the messenger before handing him the scroll.
"I understand, your highness. I will deliver this document safely to its destination, you can count on me," the merman assured him, accepting the document with a bow.
"Now then, swim away, there is no time to lose," Zion urged the other on.
After the latter had left the room, the prince made his way to the audience chamber, where his parents had been listening to the intercessions of the people all day. With a silent gesture, he signified to the royal couple that he would need to speak to them as soon as they had time and then turned to one of the advisors who did not seem to be involved just then.
"I need a handful of our most learned people," he addressed the other without mincing words with his request, handing him a list of names, "Please prepare petitions today. Let them know that the royal house will be sending them on a journey in the next few weeks. Exact information about this journey will be given to them by me personally on the morrow."
"As you wish, my prince," the advisor immediately took up the task and, after a small bow, disappeared into one of the many corridors of the winding palace.
With an appraising glance at the queue that still lined up in front of his parents, he quickly realised that a conversation would probably not take place until early in the morning. He would not be able to achieve anything more on this matter today. So he finally decided to attend to his other duties. When the royal couple had realised that the young prince was ready to take over some of the duties at court, they had gradually let him decide and direct more things. Zion was doing such a good job in the background that his duties had steadily expanded. It filled him with great pride that his parents placed such great trust in him and so he always tried to achieve the best results. However, as a result, the work had been piling up on his desk ever since. But today he finally wanted to put the work to rest and devote himself to his family, who had had to wait for him for far too long. Besides, he didn't need to feel bad about it, because he had already done a lot of work this morning before this urgent event had come up. So he made his way to his personal chambers. He had put off his daughter long enough until later, and the little girl had really earned it that he now took a little time for her.