"Jason?"
Neri's voice interrupted his thoughts. He was sitting on her – their – bed while Neri had changed back into her normal dress. He grimaced. "Prince Consort. Who would have thought? An angry kid meets a mermaid and here we are."
"And An'Goleda," she guessed his real troubles.
He sighed. "Yes, and An'Goleda, although I don't think I fully understand how it came to this. Because I finally overcame my petty issues?" He took her hands and pulled her closer. "They seem to know everything about me and about us. How come they still doubted my commitment? Not that I ever wanted anything but you."
Neri smiled. "I know. They did not judge you, Jason. And it is still your choice."
Jason grinned and shook his head. "I made it long ago. I just think I will never get used being monitored like that. It's difficult to hide anything from your people. And some part of me was probably still clinging to the hope that the both of us would someday return to the island and live happily ever after."
"And now you are bound to my people forever."
"And to you, mainly to you," he corrected and stood up. "I can live with that. But enough about that. You should get going. I'm sure Charly is already waiting for you."
"I have much to tell him," Neri nodded. "Many good things."
Jason stroked her cheek. "We were quite a team today. But you … You were incredible."
Her bright smile made his heart stop for a moment.
The throne room was empty except for Shalamorn and Gerron who cut off their conversation as he entered. Gerron bowed to them both and took a step back.
"Wait, please," Jason addressed him in Oceanic and Gerron paused with mild surprise. Since Jason still lacked most of the vocabulary, he switched back to English. "I would like to meet you and Tabarik in the small meeting room when he returns."
Gerron straightened up. "Of course, An'Goleda. Would you like me to include the captains Shesh and Kalon as well?"
"Yes, thank you."
Gerron bowed again. "I will send them the message right away."
"I figured I should find out what exactly I got myself into," Jason explained Shalamorn after Gerron had left.
"Don't worry, dear," Shalamorn responded with a kind smile. "No one is expecting any more that you already have done. They wouldn't have named you if they didn't trust you. But are you alright, Jason? That was quite a day. I would have preferred to wait with a naming a bit longer."
"I don't think I would have been better prepared if I'd known. And when we're going public, it might even come in handy that my position in all this is clearly defined."
"If, not when," Shalamorn corrected him. "At least for now."
"I thought you supported the idea?"
Shalamorn sat down on the stairs at the bottom of the throne.
"I do but that doesn't mean I'm not afraid. You saw me making mistake after mistake." She sighed. "During my time I never experienced open distrust. I never had to defend my claim to rule."
"Back on the Oceanplanet, it seemed you didn't have to either now. Your people still trust you."
"It seems that way but I'm not sure it will last."
Jason sat down at the stairwell on her right. "What do you mean?"
Shalamorn leaned forward. "I think what we experience now is in about what the people of Earth experience in the period you call the Age of Enlightenment. For example, the matriarchy has had deep roots in our society for millennia. Malakat was not the first one to rebel against it, but the first one people listened to. And some time ago you said that the people are starting to realize that they have a voice and that they want to be heard. I am a relic of another, simpler time and when we go public, I must be sure of my role as well. What kind of Queen I will be. If I can be the Queen, they need."
"If, not when," Jason corrected her, and she grinned. "Well," he continued, "I know exactly how you feel. I don't think their vote for me was unanimous. It doesn't matter. I better tackle it head on."
"You and Neri, you are the bravest people I have ever met," Shalamorn responded and stood up, slowly taking the stairs down. "When it's her time, she will be better than me. And you, since you met Neri, everything you did was to serve our people. You always knew the stakes and you never flinched or hesitated. And, you always understood that a high position means to serve everyone below, not the other way round. Malakat was never named and not even Chianba would have dared to."
Jason grinned. "Oh, I bet he'd be furious."
Shalamorn smiled back but turned serious. "And he'd be more dangerous."
Jason stood up. "It's good thing that he's tucked away then." Sitting on the stairs in his shorts had been getting uncomfortable. That reminded him. "Shalamorn, you think, you got something for me to wear?"