He's not a Merman

Chapter 14 Friend

Chapter 14

Myrr changed my hair into black, something that's completely common and is the exact opposite of my white hair colour. It's funny how a mere hair color could drastically change someone's appearance. I never really realized that until now.

The three of us headed to the market to buy the necessary things needed for our departure. Since Zen is incharge of the money and is the only one who knows what to buy and how to budget, Myrr and I could not help but follow him.

"Can't I buy more clothes?" Staring at the three pairs of female trousers and shirts, I could not help but ask.

"Three is plenty for now." Zen scolds me when he sees me looking distressed at the amount of clothes he bought me. "We still need to save up for a boat and stack up our food! Besides, with you two eating like pigs, we might not even have enough to buy a boat!" Zen glares at the five sticks of chicken skewers in my hand while Myrr is holding at least ten.

"What? Why are you looking at me like eating is a sin?"

"That's not the reason why I am looking at you, but it is how you eat." Zen frowns, watching me wipe the sauce in my hands on my shirt sleeve. "If it weren't for your silver hair, I wouldn't have believed you were royalty."
"My hair!? Is it back to silver!? Myrr, check it!"

Myrr stops eating and gives me his full attention. His eyes kept focusing on my head to check my hair. "They're still black. My magic doesn't wear out that easily." He then looks at Zen next and glares accusingly at him. "You lie, pirate."

Zen has this frozen and tired look on his face. Taking in a deep breath, I heard him say, "Stay calm. You dealt with more rowdy people like them." He pauses like he is in deep thought. "I would actually rather deal with rowdy crowds than ignorant aristocrats and sea people."

I really want to say something about his comment, but I know that he's right. Also, I don't have the right to say anything. I don't know anything about budgeting because I have never done that before. This is pretty self explanatory when you are a princess.

Zen proceeded to buy medicines and some toiletries for the voyage. I am no longer sure what he is buying nor do I have the opportunity to check what's in the baskets and crates since Myrr and Zen were the ones carrying everything.

I did try to offer some help, but they wouldn't let me carry anything. This actually made me feel guilty because I wasn't being honest about offering my assistance. It was purely out of etiquette that I said it.

The longer we walked around with no one noticing us, it made me doubt that Myrr must have placed something more than a hair changing spell on us.

Evening came by without a hitch and no one still recognized us. By this time, Zen is already leading us to the docks to meet with his friend. We made our way to the back, where fewer shops and fishermen appeared to be hanging out. There were abandoned wood cottages on the water where only a bridge connected everything. I kind of remembered that my father evacuated the residents here and hosted them in small houses in town since the area was prone to floods.

"My friend, Crawler, owns all of these boats. They're all damaged but he fixes 'em real good." Zen begins to point at numerous boats tied near the houses, all of different sizes. "I just hope that he will allow us to purchase a decent one for cheap."

"Are you sure you have friends?" I started to doubt him when it took a while of us searching the docks just to find this friend of his. "I'm tired."

"Tired? Princess, ya' aren't even carrying anythin'!"
"You said it yourself. I'm a princess."

Zen grinds his teeth, placing the crates of goods and other supplies on the dock. He was just stretching his back when he noticed what Myrr was doing.

"Hey, why are ya' eatin' our food!?"