CHAPTER 7

King Seaton and Queen Mazu had taken King Zales hostage.

Zales screamed out, "These waters belong to us. Your kind is trespassing!"

Mazu: "We've been here for thousands of years, you're mistaken."

Zales: "Just because we weren't actively living on that sea quadrant didn't make it yours to occupy. I have the documents to prove it rightfully belongs to us."

Seaton: "I don't care what you have. Even if it was once yours, it's ours now. Besides that doesn't explain your attack on the lagoon zoras, you guys aren't ones to fancy sea caves."

Zales: "That was to finish some unfinished business in my revenge. The tannins poisoning the Hyrule zoras before the rains fell, was the demon king returning a favor he owed me. Hyrules zora king chased us out in the race wars just because we weren't about to stop eating Hylians for the sake of peace. The Hylians weren't discriminating against who they were fighting back towards. That's not the river zoras problem, but he made us leave Hyrule despite half the waters belonging to us. I was quite pleased to learn of their demise. When, what should I find? One of my soldiers found a carrier puffer about Hyrules zora princess married off to the lagoon zora king. As long as De Bons kid lives, as long as any of his people still live, my revenge isn't done."

Mazu: "Wait, you attacking Kaito because of some hangup you have with his father-in-law? Ruto ain't much like her dad. It ain't like Kaito was close with the guy either."

Zales: "It doesn't matter. I will not rest until my revenge is complete. You won't be able to keep me prisoner for long."

Seaton: "We will see if we can reason with Queen Ara before letting you go. In the meantime, enjoy your cell."

The meeting with Zales wife did go better, but not by much. Ruto and Kaito found themselves invited to the meeting in Seatons zora kingdom. As well as with Queen Ara. Seated at a round table made of stone, deep in the ocean depths. In the room present, but sitting against the wall was Seaton and Mazus eldest son, Prince Conway. Conway wasn't participating, but was at a point in his life that he listened in on anything that involved the kingdom. Shadowing His parents for his own royal training.

Ara: "He isn't wrong about the territory dispute, but he won't admit the real reason he cares."

Seaton: "The mermaids. I've heard they've been moving in on your seas and harassing your citizens."

Ara: "Their siren songs are wiping out our people faster than a plague. We have been trying to fight back, but they won't stop. They've been ruthless. It's why we've been running to unoccupied areas of our seas."

Seaton: Guards! Bring in our Prisoner!

King Zales, cuffs on his wrists was escorted in by Seatons two best magic users. He took a seat next to his wife. He looked at Ruto with daggers in his eyes, Ruto in response pretended not to notice.

Seaton: "I don't want to give the impression that I want to help you. After your actions and response to the threat in your territory, I would rather the mermaids just take you. However if mermaids are present, they aren't going to stop with just you. They won't stop until they reach the shore, even then they will lead in the non aquatic Labyrinnes in, and they of course, don't even need weapons once under their spell."

Mazu: "We talked before the meeting and we will agree to help eradicate the mermaids on the condition that you leave our two kingdoms alone."

Zales: "Are both kingdoms going to help or just yours?"

Seaton: "You know as well as I do the lagoon zoras don't know magic"

Ruto: "I do."

Everyone at that moment turned to look at Ruto.

Ruto: "Killing mermaids is child's play for magic users and my magic is sage magic. More than powerful enough to take out mermaids."

Zales: "These aren't ordinary mermaids, they can deflect magic, there are a lot of them. you really think you can take them out alone?"

Ruto: "If Seaton sends his magic users, I wouldn't be alone."

Seaton: "That's true, unlike the lagoon zoras, I have plenty of magic users that can be sent out to join her. Plus their magic won't be useless underwater like fire magic is."

Zales sneered at Seatons comment, but said nothing. Seaton wasn't exactly wrong, fire magic could cause water surrounding a fire attack to boil briefly but it cooled down quickly from the surrounding water. The fire itself never emerged underwater, it couldn't. Zales knew multiple types of magic, he didn't struggle to take out mermaids one on one, but did find himself outnumbered frequently and struggled to retreat.

Kaito: Seaton I've heard before there are non magic users who can use magic items to cast spells. Do you have any objects like that I can purchase from you?

Seaton: "I do, but Kaito, you aren't seriously thinking about fighting the mermaids are you? It takes years to be proficient in magic."

Kaito: "If what Ruto says is correct about it being child's play then do I need to be proficient? Besides, while I know intellectually She could handle herself, emotionally and instinctively, I want to be by her side, fighting with her, and be there for her if needed. I can proficiently deflect magic and I am quite a bit physically stronger than her. Should she find herself needing heavy lifting, I can help her."

Ruto: "You know you don't have to, but have your mind set to it don't you?"

Kaito: "I realize this makes me old fashioned but I don't think I should just stand by while my wife fights."

Ruto sighed.

Ruto: "Fine, but I'm training you and you aren't going with me unless I feel confident you won't get in my way."

Seaton: "Well that settles that then, so what's it going to be Zales? We take out the mermaids before they get to my kingdom, and you leave us alone once we defeat them, or I wait for them to tear you apart and your river zora apart and only deal with them when they get to me. Your choice."

Zales: "FINE!!! If you can eradicate them from our seas, we will leave you alone." there was a snarl as he spoke.

Seaton: "Then it's settled. Guards! Take our hostage back to his cell. This meeting is adjourned. Kaito, let's see what I have on my wares for you to learn magic from.

Ara followed the guards so she could talk with her husband in his cell.

Mazu and Ruto were alone.

Mazu: "How quick do you think you can get Kaito ready?"

Ruto: "Maybe two weeks? I don't know how well he deflects magic, but if he's as good as I think he is, there are only a few simple spells he needs to know, the rest he could do with brute strength."

Mazu: "How good do you think he is?"

Ruto: "Well it sounds like him and Zales were battling for a while before you and Seaton got there to save him. If Zales is as strong of a magic user as you make him out to be, then he clearly isn't useless at deflecting magic is he?"

Mazu: "Good point. Well, I wish you both luck training then. Hopefully we will see a new magic Kaito."

Ruto giggled at the thought. She knew she wasn't going to make Kaito any sort of powerful wizard, but taking out mermaids really only required knowing how to deal with their limited magic abilities, most importantly their siren songs. She only needed to teach him a few basics in that regard.

When Kaito returned Ruto saw he had a stone on his neck that glowed a bit. She could tell it was fused with magic properties.

Mazu spoke up as soon as Seaton re-entered the room.

Mazu:"Ruto thinks she can have Kaito ready to join us in a couple of weeks, how long do you think we'll be starting?"

Seaton: "Probably in a week, I have to make note of magic users and make sure they are trained properly in deflecting mermaid magic. How about you two report back here in two weeks and see if we even need you. Regardless of what Zales claims about their power, they are still mermaids."

Kaito bowed

Kaito: "Thank you for hosting us this evening. I'll be sure to get you the rest of the payment for the cryom stone when we return."

Seaton waved him off.

Seaton: "Don't stress over it Kaito I know you're good for it. It might not be wise to carry that much money until after our fight with the mermaids is complete. Besides with the money you gave me, I'm also okay calling it a security deposit on a rental in case you decide after all that magic use isn't for you."

Both Ruto and Kaito said their goodbyes and left. It was quite late when they came home.

Prince Noden, Muir, and Nehir were in their bathroom.

Nehir was the first to speak. Her eyes were lit up as she ran out the bathroom and towards them in excitement when they returned. "Quickly They Hatched! They hatched! It was only two of the eggs, but they hatched!!! Eeeeeehehehehe.'' She danced a bit as she talked. They turned the corner to enter and as they entered Muir and Noden stood up. Muir then said, "okay little ones we have to go, Mom and Dad are home."

Ruto ran ahead when Muir and Noden stood up to look.

Noden put his hand on Kaitos shoulder as passed, "Congratulations, both of you." And walked out.

Ruto had already hopped into the tub with them when Kaito turned back from Noden. The tub was deep enough that when sitting the water was up to her neckline. Kaito reached for the other two eggs and held them up to the luminous stone lights against the wall. He sighed, the eggs still just had yokes. "The other two aren't viable" He sounded disappointed.

"That can happen at our age, it's why I was an only child. We still have two perfect fry right here."

The newly hatched Zora fry were swimming around and cuddling up to their mom.

Kaito sighed, "You mean at my age. You're young enough you could probably still have more eggs. You're right though. I should be more focused on the two that hatched"

He turned his attention to the two fry putting his hand in the hatching tub. They started circling his hand.

"Have you thought of any names? I always thought if I had a son I would probably want to name him after my great grandfather, King Jordan. He died when I was quite young, he was such a kind man."

"Well we have one boy and one girl, would it be okay if we named the girl Rutella? I always like that name." Ruto said, watching the fry circle Kaitos hand.

"It's pretty. So then, I guess we officially have Prince Jordan and Princess Rutella." Kaito smiled

"If Zales is being held captive, do you think it's safe to announce their arrival?" asked Ruto.

Kaito shrugged "I'm not sure. I know it's going to be hard to keep them a secret, but I have no idea if Queen Ara is a magic user, she held back, sort of like you did. None of our soldiers advanced far enough to fight her."

"What about Prince Noden? He would probably know, we can ask him in the morning." Ruto said as the fry swam back towards her after they were done playing with Kaito, "I won't be able to be here if Ara decides to come on the day we go fight the mermaids, if we can have a plan in place for protecting them from an attack then we should be able to announce their arrival."

"I guess we will find out in the morning" Kaito replied