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"Then we're all doomed, lord Tron Pentre has seized the throne and he is a devious tyrant, soon slavery will be the norm, the lucky one citizens can aspire to. Your kind shall be hunted and killed " remarked Taff simply "Better a known evil than this worse new one" assured Taff grimly

Ryiah turned back to Taff, watching him a long moment, her orange amber eyes flickering with an indeterminate emotion. Finally she nodded, sitting back down on the bed and taking a cup of tea to sip, forcing the liquid down despite how good it was. "Then I will continue to collect the seeds." The words were at first soft, as if she was trying to convince herself. But after a moment she nodded and looked up. "Yes. The show must go on." A spark was back in her gaze. "My father may not have been who I thought he was, yet when I have the throne I will rule it justly. Things will not be the same." Her voice held a strength that accentuated the musical quality of her voice, as it filled with her fervor.

Finishing the tea in one swig she placed it back on the tray, grabbed a snack and flashed an impudent grin to Taff. "Let me know when you decide if we are to be mermaids for this next endeavor."

With that, she unbuckled her sword, placed it in tbe corner of the room, and left, heading for the crow's nest where she had last seen Calico Jack. Climbing the rigging quickly she slipped in next to him and immediate gave his shoulder a hard punch. "That's for not fighting me as you would have any other opponent, Pirate." Then she punched his shoulder again. "And that is for all your cheeky smirking at my latest dragon predicaments." With that, she crossed her arms over her chest and fell silent for several long moments, watching the horizon.

"I'll not take the boat's command from you." She said finally, voice hard, not looking at him. "You were the one to comandeer it, not me. Don't turn soft now. Being captain is who you are. I couldn't sail it as you do." Her voice fell quieter near the end and she turned a glance to him, her face serious, without its usual dismissiveness. "You'd have to tie me to the helm to give me charge, and even that may not work."

A grin stole over her face and she turned back to face the sea, taking a deep breath, the soft locks of her hair stirring in the warm sea breeze. She was growing excited for the next adventure. Would they succeed in collecting the seed?

"You need not worry, the warlock never fails to help, though he has a bad habit of making others worry and break sweat for it. I mean he could have repair the ship by simple touch and yet made the serpent a human and then made her fix the vessel before he even bothered to help" shrugged Calico

"I guess we got close enough to the storm seed, any closer the currents will drag us to the whirlpools, so best we get to the row boats and go forth ourselves here onwards" muttered Calico taking ropes to glide down fearlessly

---

Taff Gelligen had just finished hanging the laundry when he noticed Calico's descend, with pride and refined class yet clearly enjoying the thrill of it.

He was placing the final pieces when Calico put a sword to his shoulder "If you humiliate me again, I'll trim that hair off your head" he muttered in a low voice and cringe which was countered by Taff cheeky smirk of mischief

"Hah .. blame the merfolk for it ..." grinned Taff thoroughly enjoying the vision of what was to come

Ryiah soon followed Calico dowm, leaping out to grab the same rope he had done, a wild grin on her face until she had landed softly next to the pirate. "Still think ladies shouldn't have pointy sticks, and wear skirts? I want to enjoy tbe freedom of the sea and this ship while I can..." after a moment she conceded, "though I suppose a dinner every so often in nicer dress wouldn't hurt too much. I do enjoy dressing up as well on occasion, when it suits me."

Then, turning her gaze around to scan for any of the others she then let her gaze rest on Taff. "Do your worst warlock. I am ready. We will succeed no matter what."

Calico looked up at Ryiah impressed as she easily descended and landed almost as he had done "Well I could not have done it better myself... seems at least you learn fast" complimented the pirate captain

Taff raised a quizzical eye brow at Ryiah's words.

"Do my worse? Have you any idea how many humans across centuries grovel and beg for a chance to see what you're about to see? The treasures and sunken ships, the peaceful waves and colourful shells and fish, the merfolk ever so kind, no rules, no duties, it's absolute relaxing freedom down there, coupled with the thrill of danger to leave you feeling alive, you know... wait till you experience the splash..." muttered Taff opening a book and showing pictures of mermaids to Ryiah

"He doesn't get to choose his looks, but your highness get to choose his, hers, yours and mine..." offered Taff with a broad wide smile as Calico gawked

"So... merfolk blaming when it's all down to you... uh?" frowned Calico feeling cheated "You left me with long braids and red hair last time I trusted you, looking almost like an uneducated and savage viking!" accused Calico in a wince, which Taff barely acknowledged

"Of course, lord Jacksworth Pont-de-Ter... very suited to Odin and the Vikings, given you are on sea" grinned Taff tauntingly

"Yeah right with a ridiculous trident and a leafy shaped diadem I could easily have been taken as Neptune, a ridiculous version of it" spat Calico pursing his lips as he gave away one too many details

"Well you're always cursing by his name... it somewhat made it amusing to see you become Neptune" Taff sniggered softly remembering the looks and coughed to a more serious straightened position, turning his attention at Ryiah to let her decide the finer detail

"Do describe the looks, your highness, if you have a preference at all" concentrated Taff ready to take the orders as a bartender could take his

Ryiah blinked. "You are right, Taff, that sounds amazing. I hope we don't decide to stay forever, because it seems as if it is a place I could want to." Then, with a soft laugh she listened to Taff and Calico's banter before putting a few fingers to her lips and tapping thoughtfully.

"Hmmm.. looks eh? I have heard tales of the blond haired ones from across the sea, and I do so wish to see it. Calico will be blond, no facial hair, with green eyes. Taff will also be blond, with blue eyes. I will keep my hair color, yet perhaps switch my own eye color for that of a cerulean hue as well? All of us of course perfect mermaid specimines. Wouldn't want to be gawked at for being ugly down there would we? That might be detrimental to our mission."

Calico frowned disgusted at her choice and all the more alarmed at Taff's nod of agreement.

"Oh no no no, don't you dare rob me of my beard, if you do, you're so going to pay for this humiliation boy..." growled Calico to no avail as Taff simply pushed him overboard into the water below with a loud splash

"Hold your breath, count to three then simply follow the currents, flow or swim to it" instructed Taff as if being helpful

He offered a more gentle hand to the two girls before jumping into the water, muttering the words that would cause such a change so as to meet and satisfy the princess wishes and chosen looks. When he opened his eyes, he was able to admire his blonde hair and his young athletic body, quite pleased with his looks

Taff turned to look at Snake and Ryiah, disregarding Calico's rant at how much worse everything looked this time round and how he preferred the viking Neptune look back instead which was more menacing and less attractive, complaints and demands that indeed for once fell on deaf ears.

Taff swam further away from the ship, towards the aggressive whirlpool, close enough to the its edge and let the current drag them to the sea depths effortlessly. Though the fast spinning was indeed making them somewhat dizzy, it was also a tickling sensation not at all unpleasant to merfolk.

Once he felt the sea bed sand gently brush beneath his tail he paused in relief, a little grateful that the spinning was over for now. He knew getting down was not the problem, swimming upstream against the forceful whirlpool and out of it might be but ... with some luck ... the gem would be theirs thus the whirlpools gone by then.

"Well.... princess... feast your eyes... and welcome to Oceania..." introduced Taff clearly acquainted with the domains they just ventured into, feeling the soothing warm exotic water brush past his arms, face and floaty hair. His eyes looking around for the sea serpent whilst he let the trio explore and simply relax and enjoy

"Nephaeth? Nephaeth? Are you down here? " called out Taff curious to see the serpent and ask about the gem itself

Ryiah fell beneath the water, her form quickly changing to that of a mermaid in a shower of bubbles, and suddenly she could breath under the tossing of the sea. A grin lit her now cerulean hues as she gave a fee experimental flicks of her tail. Her bottom half, now covered in scales, was a beautiful light blue which complimented her pale skin well, with matching shells covering the swelling curves of her chest, leaving the rest of her upper torso bare, but for a pretty silver circlet upon her wrist and brow. She glanced to Taff and gave a nod of approval after also glancing over the others. Fine specimines indeed...

Caught then in the swirling whirlpool and sucked down. Ryiah laughed aloud, her voice soft and musical even in tbe water, if not even more musical than before. Down, down she spiraled, nearly bumping into Calico Jack several times, as she tried to learn how to control her movements. The pirate turned dreamy blond now seemed to be constantly muttering curses and complaints neath his breath, and Ryiah for the most part ignored it, but for giving him a wry grin and raised eyebrow. "It's really not a bad look for you." She murmered, feeling almost shy. Then she shrugged, pulling her attention back to Taff as they reached the sand at the bottom. What a new wonderland. Her eyes gazed round in amazement.

---

Nephaeth once again felt the water around her shimmer and ripple with power. It was the voice of the warlock once again. Hadn't it only been a few days at most? But something was odd about the location from which the call came... it was further down, rather than up. Sliding smoothly through the sometimes rough waters the beautiful sea serpent twisted slowly downward. Her strong coils easily navigating the whirlpoool. She did not move through these waters often, the energy put out by the seed sent a shiver of uneasr through her, the power seeming wrong and twisted. Yet the call could not go unanswered.

Finally she found the figures, though much changed, swimming neath the waves and coiled herself to rest near the warlock, turning a golden eye upon him. "You calllled? I aammm beginning to feeeel as a dog to be summonned. What isss it you neeed thisss tiiime? Her annoyance was obvious, yet once again her curiousity was roused. Why were they merfolk? "This newww form of yourrsss iss an improvemment.." she observed. Scales always made things much better. A bit vain about her own, she didn't mind offering a compliment now and again.

Upon hearing her comment, Calico Jack pursed his lips twitching them into a triumphant smile as the princess approved and seemed satisfied with his newfound appearance and stopped ranting altogether.

"So... your highness approves, uh? Seems at last I have royal seal of approval upon my looks!" grinned Calico as he placed a folded hand resting against his hip, girating a couple of times for her to take a better look at his features, running his fingers of the free hand across his blonde hair and posing a pretentious show-off moment, twinkling the eye cheekily at her. "Glad to hear of it" concluded Jack taking a more than eyeful at the girls appearances

"By Neptune, princess... if I weren't a sworn knight not sure I could or would restrain myself before such a sea goddess as you are, right about now we could quite accept you're bewitching" muttered Calico in a mumble

"Best to uhmmm focus on duties...." suggested Calico looking around at the breathtaking grandiose world under the sea that lay before them, exactly as Taff described, it was indeed paradise of beauty, freedom, peace and adventure.

After that confession and mild blush, he merely followed the girls to remain together a little longer whilst exploring the new territory, his eyes wide at the half buried treasures that lay in plain sight, untouched by all except the pass of time. He came over a shipwreck taking up a pearl necklace and matching hairpin presenting them to the princess before looking for something far more important... weaponry... it was necessary and imperative to lay hands on swords and daggers even if they were old and somewhat rusted, they didn't know what dangers lay ahead and they had to be ready.

---

Taff looked up at the serpent shaking his head lightly

"Summoned like a dog? No no more like prayed to for help and assistance, my friend, this is your world after all" corrected Taff wide eyed at the uncomfortable comment.

"Glad you like the form though, yours certainly is as glittering as pearls. I need to ask of you, do you know exactly where is the storm seed located?" Can you take me there? Know of what dangers might lay ahead?" Asked Taff

"I dare not call on Elektra. The mermaid's name along brings me much heartache through no fault of her own of course..." explained Taff

"Besides, I am but a man, last time we encountered I struggled to release myself from their alluring hold and that takes much strong will and force to walk away from this beauty and peace and their kind hearted nature, best if we can avoid the other merfolk on this occasion..." trailed off Taff hesitant hoping the serpent would point them elsewhere away from these merfolk

Nephaeth inclined her serpentine head a bit at Taff's words, appeased slightly from her annoyance. She knew where the see was... but how oft should she help these mortals? Turning her great head she eyed them for a long while, judging their characters a bit, then huffed a bubbly breath and turned her hues back to Taff. "They seeeem comfortable in merr-form. Perhaps they would bee moore happpy to stayy thisss way." She was tempted to decline to help, which would make them spend longer in the form, and harder to shift back.

"Nevverr the lesss... I will tell you. It isss not innn the centerr off the mer-city.. buut youu musssst go through it too get therrre. Onn the far sidee therre is annother whiirlpool that goes deeeeper stilll, a chasmmm to thee darkest placesss. There liess the seed... " She paused, seeming to consider whether to explain further. "my kinnn holdsss domainn therre. Heee is blacckkk as the depthss themsselvesss. Theee treassure iss hiss, and he willl asssk something fromm you in returrnn. Someething valuable. Treasssure forr treassuree..." Nephaeth stopped there, considering them once again, then gave a nod.

"I cannn take you too thee second whirrlpool and chasmmm, yet I willl goo noo furtherrrr"

---

Ryiah found herself giggling slightly at Calico Jack's antics, stopping herself when she realized what she was doing. Was this form taking hold of her somehow? Making her more silly? Oh! A necklace! She swam quickly over to see what the pirate-merman had found, grinning as he placed it around her neck. She spun around a few times to show it off, before realizing it was completely unlike her again. Putting a hand to her mouth, eyes still filled eith mirth, she swam over to Taff who was deep in conversation with the sea serpent, who eyed her for a long moment. "I feel different in this form. Less focused and more... cheerfully silly. I am not sure I like myself like this..." then she giggled, proving her point, "but then maybe it is nice!"

Taff soaked in every single word from the serpent's lips and nodded in understanding

"All your assistance is welcomed and very much needed, my friend. Pray tell me, what is your kinsmen name and what can possibly be considered valuable by your kind? I know not a lot about sea serpents..." admitted Taff wondering what sort of treasure he could trade or offer that could entice them to hand over the seed amiccably.

Taff looked at Ryiah with a broad smile

"The sea is very much liberating, my lady, it is a paradise in its own right. If I had no duties to the world, I would certainly remain in this form, alas, wisdom is needed by those most helpless and places my foot among solid ground" assured Taff

"We have to cross the merfolks to get to the other side, try your best to not get too distracted with the voices and offerings" advised Taff "The longer you remain a mermaid, the hardest to return to your human self" warned Taff following Nephaeth already concerned at how blissful Calico and Ryiah were

---

Calico smiled broadly as he found the trident that Taff had given him the last time, for protection, taking it up and coming over to protect his maiden, smiling warmly at seeing her ever so happy

"Amazing world uh?" quizzed with a charming showy smile

"Hiss name? Nephaeth pondered this a moment. She knew her own intimately, yet names were not used much under the sea and it took her a while to go back in her long memory to find it. "Gronnnn" she finally hissed with satisfaction. Then she considered the other question, trying to think on what Gron would consider valuable. "Heee hass a ssspecial sssoftnesss for the voicesss of the female merr-follk. It bringsss him peaceee as not much elssse hasss in hiss long liffe. That isss all I can aid you with. Gronnn iss not sso much like meee."

Nephaeth dipped her head then, allowing only the warlock to grab hold of her scales should he wish and began sliding gracefully through the water toward the inner mer-city, making a direct route toward their intended destination.

---

Ryiah was still giggling more, and every so often she would flutter her eyelashes in Calico Jack's direction, cooing about how manly he looked with his trident before flitting ahead a ways to blissfully flow with the currents which pulled them after Nephaeth and Taff. "This place is so beautiful!" She gushed, stopping to collect a pretty shell here and there, placing a few of the baubles in her hair.

"Come on, fearless pirates of the seas, they all fall for maidens charms if those come from the waves and seas" sighed Taff seeing Calico had not the least objection to Ryiah's flirting.

"May I remind your highness and your lordship that we came to get the storm seed not find romance, you already have a kingdom to protect up above waters." urged Taff waving them to the bigger whirlpool

"Just... don't take anything without permission when visiting serpents, they are very possessive." remarked Taff letting the pair watch and hear the merfolk, some singing, others floating, some picking coral and shells with others just playfully giggled

Nephaeth had no trouble ignoring the mer-folk which swam up and around them, trying to lure them this way or that with pretty trinkets, promises of romance, or adventure, slithering through the water with single minded purpose. When they reached tbe other side of the city, Nephaeth stopped. "I go noo furtherr" she said softly into their minds. "Your desstination jsss just up ahead...". With that, she would watch them advance a bit before turning to vanish into the gloom.

---

Ryiah felt her will pulled this way and that as she nearly left with a a few of the mermaids who tried to pull her away with them. Several swam up and out beautiful sea flowers in her hair, and mer-men gazed in her direction, sometimes beckoning. But something in the back of her mind kept her barely just swimming forward, following Taff and Nephaeth until they reached the other side, where another large whirlpool flowed downward into a black abyss. Excitement and fear both filtered through her, and she glanced at Taff - "down there?" She asked softly. "Of course it would be..."

Taff looked at the swirl rather weary at that, this was indeed a much more powerful and deeper whirlpool, with the force of gale winds at their worse. He was indeed concerned whether they would make it alive to the very bottom, but if the serpents lived there, they must have passed through this very unusual tunnel. This thought did indeed give him mild encouragement to continue ahead.

Taff glanced back at Ryiah and Calico, nodding with the head affirmatively for them all to proceed further forward in this quest to retrieve the storm seed.

He looked back with a raised eyebrow at the besotted princess, she had pearls, flowers, shells and certainly giggled for joy and cooed at the, admittedly, very handsome merman Calico Jack.

Seems his muscular looks and blonde hair did indeed please the princess very much, so much so, Taff dwelled upon the serpents words and had to reluctantly agree that the pair of them appeared to be much more closer and happier in their mermaid nature. It was to become a very short lived happiness and bliss that he would soon have to shatter in order to continue with their quest.

"Well, how is my doing my worse coming along, princess?" quizzed in a teasing voice at Ryiah who kept fluttering the eye lashes and smiles at Calico to attract the man's attentions. This would certainly make the final quest all the worse and more painful loss.

He gazed further back, seeing Calico chatter with a few fellow mermen about weaponry and how to use the trident properly. He seemed rather impressed with this new sword replacement all the same. They even had a little mock fight to try out, amid the giggling mermaids that looked on in excitement at the unusual level of adventure in the otherwise peaceful waters, all in good vanter of course.

Once the short battle was indeed over, Calico the clear winner given the years of practice, Calico waved farewell at his new friends, gracefully accepting the laurel wreath of victory and made his way over to Taff. He coughed a little, seeing Ryiah was made to wait for him quite unacceptable for a lord to make royalty wait indeed.

"Sorry, your highness, I shall be... more... punctual henceforth, darling. I was a little busy... as you can see" smiled Calico giving her the flower wreath from around his neck for her to wear instead, his eyes growing weary at the much stronger darker whirlpool whose deafening sound would make many a sailor panic and would drag them further beneath the surface. Such furious waters could only come indeed from the storm seed itself.

"Here we go then... don't worry... I´ll protect you, my dear" muttered Calico, wrapping a protective arm around Ryiah and venturing into the whirlpool, letting Taff follow suit.

Feeling now not herself at all, yet somehow happy with this fact, Ryiah merely giggled as Calico Jack wrapped his arm around her and ushered them into the swirling vortex. The water caught at them. This one stronger and faster than the first, and whipped them around violently, so that they were made very dizzy indeed. Ryiah gave a woop of excitement halfway through, ripped from Calico's arm the current too strong. She went with it, diving down to go faster, the blackness enveloping her, consuming all until it was complete. Then, they touched down on the sand at the very bottom of the chasm, the whirlpool spitting them out unto a rather calm area, still blacker than midnight.

The water was cold here, and seed to shock Ryiah a bit out of her mer-stupor, enough that she at least remembered the mission. Twirling a finger in her hair she bit her bottom lip and strained to see through the murky depths. Where were the others? She couldn't see anyone, hardly even her own hand near her face. "Calico? Taff?" She called softly, her voice echoing slightly, musical and light amidst the darkness.

Squinting suddenly, she noticed a pinoount of light ahead, which would go brighter as she approached, yet it seemed something lay wrapped around it. Was it the storm seed? Ryiah moved a bit more toward it, but halted when a booming voice sounded in her mind, as well as that of the others.

"Who goesss there? And whyy do you interrupt myyy resssst?" the voice was distinctly masculine, and with it, a large eye opened, glowing green amidst the darkness, eerie and sending a chill through Ryiah

"Golau" muttered Taff "come on, light, I need light" muttered into his own mind finally summoning an orb of bright light, otherwise, unable to see anything or anyone at all any more.

The blue light, at first, made his eyes squint a little but slowly and gradually grew up used to its brightness.
It was then that he spotted, a little further in the distance the great serpent much too close to Ryiah for his comfort and liking.

He released the little orb to light the way, coming over with a very cautious and weary approach, unsure if this serpent was friendly or hostile towards them.

"Gron... my name is Taff. We come in peace and friendship. I would like to barter for a treasure of yours... that gem over there" explained Taff pointing at the base of the whirlpool that ended up right above the storm seed.

Calico held his trident close to him and firmly at that, if this serpent did indeed try to hurt Ryiah he would pierce the beast without a second thought.

Gron moved his gaze to the storm seed for a long moment, then to the warlock, Calico, and Ryiah. He seemed to ponder the idea for a while, until finally his great head rose, and he suddenly flashed one of his coils out to encircle Ryiah, drawing her closer, though not harming her.

Turning his gaze to Taff, his voice rumbled through their minds. "You sssay you wissh the ssseeed. But what have you for me in returrnn? He eyed Ryiah within his coils for a moment, seemingly hungrily at first, but then more with longing. I will alloww the ssseed to be taken...but I requiree a pricee too be paiidd. Thissss one'ss voice." His words hissed through their minds, causing a gasp of surprise from Ryiah, who suddenly struggled a bit, having been holding perfectly still before. He wanted her voice? She threw a slightly frantic glance back at Taff and Calico, but then seemed to find some inner strength, her chin coming up and eyes flashing with determination. Whatever it takes Ryiah... she reminded herself, a pang of sorrow touching her as she thought of losing her voice.

"I accept." She murmered softly, putting a hand to her throat, her gaze going to the seed. How would it feel? Fear trickled through her but she hid it well behind her determined orange amber gaze.

"No way you are having that... her voice is needed to awaken the emperor" refused Calico outright, trident raised threateningly at the serpent

Taff raised his palm to halt Calico and get him to calm down, looking at Gron for a time and considering his options.

"She is no mermaid, my friend, she is a human. The alluring voice you seek cannot be found within her" explained Taff briefly. "I would allow the trade if it was a fair one but it is not, for you would be deceived by appearances" commented Taff as a matter of fact.

"I can bring a mermaid here, for you, but this woman you hold within your coils, she is the daughter of the emperor, princess Ryiah Sendara BetLuna. Half dragons and serpents never mingled well. It didn't happen then and won't happen now" explained Taff gently and kindly showing his knowledge and wisdom through his words

"Is there anything you wish for that I could possibly give?" asked Taff looking for other venues.

Gron coiled tighter around Ryiah for long moment, rage flickering in his green eyes causing her to gasp for breath and struggle against the serpent, eyes wide. But after a moment he suddenly uncoiled, dropping Ryiah and withdrawing the coil a few feet, eyeing the girl dragon. "Not a mermaid...." his voice growled out. Deceptionnn...

Hey eyed them silently, as if trying to decide whether to eat them all, yet it seemed too much work for the time being and he remained still. "Treassure doess me little gooood, heree in the depthsss" he finally hissed. "The song of the merrr-folllk soothes meee... buuutt I have never heardd the song of a draggonesss before." He seemed to consider this, The thoughtt appealsss to mee." He was silent again a moment, then swooped is head down closer to Taff. Warlock... what willll youu barterr? I wishhh to knowww what thee ssseed iss worrth to youu and yourr grouup." Was he enjoying this game? It was beginning to seem so.