Stolen Scales

Chapter 16

Roan turns back to Kyma. "I apologize, Princess."

Kyma smiles at him. "You didn't mean any harm, you were trying to protect your home. So let's start over." She extends her hand to him. "Hi, I'm Kyma Tide."

He pauses for a moment before extending his hand to grab hers. "Roan Cerulean."

They stand there for a moment with their hands clasped before Kyma realises that he doesn't know what a handshake is. "Here, you shake hands." She moves their clasped hands up and down for a few moments before letting go. Roan lets his arm drop to his side. "What's the merrow greeting?"

Lair cuts in. "Before we let this wonderful, swelling friendship continue to form, can you please take over control of the bubbles from me, Roan? I have to get back to work."

Roan nods. "Of course." There are a few moments of silence before Lair turned to head back into the medical center. Roan turns back to Kyma. "Our greeting is this." He does a strange movement with his hands that resembles a wave.

Kyma frowns. "What does it mean?"

Alai answers her. "It means 'the waves have carried me here.'"

"Isn't that what you told my mother, when we arrived?"

Alai grins. "Yes, that is what I said. Shall we get started on the tour, now?"

"Yes please."

"All right then. You already know where the medical facility is, and you've seen the throne room. In the tunnels around the throne room are the offices of the Queen and other council members."

"There aren't any bedrooms there?"

Roan shakes his head. "No, it wouldn't be very safe, because you can easily get into the city if you go through the throne room tunnels. No one lives very close to the hill that leads down to the chamber or the array of other important buildings. That's why we have a second medical center in the city, because this one isn't very close to where people live."

Kyma frowns, but nods, just as Alai grins at her brother. "Are you stealing my tour, Roan?"

He shakes his head. "Of course not, dearest sister." he waves his hand. "Please, continue your marvelous tour."

Kyma grins at their banter, and Alai continues speaking as they walk. "In the city, is the second medical center, as already stated. Around the medical center are most of the homes in the kingdom, just because young children can't shift, so the need to stay on land. Most of the time, their families stay on land, even before their kids are born because they are preparing ahead." She points to the left, at a gorgeous home made up of creamy stones, with some guards standing outside. "That's the Queen's house, actually. Yours too."

"Really?"

"Yes."

Kyma points at the guards. "Who are they?"

Roan answers. "Those are some of the Crownguards." He pauses. "Excuse me for a moment."

They nod, and he walks over to the guards, who tense up slightly as he approaches. The Crownguards converse with Roan for a few moments. They all glance over at Kyma before continuing their conversation. After a few more moments, Roan returns to the group.

Alai frowns at him. "What were you doing?"

"Just letting them know who Kyma is. We wouldn't want her to be barred from her own house, would we?"

Alai shakes her head. "No, that wouldn't be good."

Kyma voices her question. "Roan, what are the types of guards?"

Roan thinks for a moment. "We have the Surfaceguards, who patrol the land portion of the city. Then we have the Coveguards, who patrol the shoreline and all other points where you can travel between each part of the city. Next we have the Seaguards, who patrol the underwater portion of the city. A subset of the Seaguards are the Borderguards, who watch our sea borders. And finally, we have the Crownguards. They are the most elite guards, and directly watch over the Queen, the Council, and now you."

Kyma is dumbfounded by that information, and Alai gives her some time to think before speaking. "Let's continue." They continue walking, only for them to stop a few moments later. Alai points at a house with cool gray stones. "That's mine and Roan's house." She waves at someone standing at one of the windows. "Hi, Mom!" She whacks Roan until he begrudgingly waves.

They continue on through the city, with Alai stopping and pointing at various points throughout. Finally, they have come around full circle, and have arrived back in front of the medical center. Alai turns back to Kyma.

"Do you want to enter the underwater part of the city through the throne room or by way of the shoreline."

Kyma frowns, thinking. "I think that since we've seen the throne room, we should go the way of the shoreline." She turns to look at her friends in their bubbles. "What do you guys think?"

Nami speaks first. "I think we should check out the shoreline too. What do you think Fala?"

Nami turns to Fala, who nods. "The shoreline sounds good."
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Roan sounds much nicer now, doesn't he? Their sibling antics were fun to write, too. What do you guys think they'll see on the shoreline? What about the underwater city? Tell me your thoughts!

Happy reading, and I'll see you next chapter!

~Goddess of Fate, signing out.