Kai sat amongst a group of older men in the large meeting room. There were four grand arched windows on two walls looking down towards the ocean decorated with deep blue drapes with gold accents. The table at which they sat stretched from the entrance to the back wall with ten grand chairs on either side and two at each end.  King Seunghoon had his place at the head of the long table, his hand under his chin, listening to the two men argue. Their deep voices bouncing from wall to wall. 

            “Our children are disappearing, there is a food shortage amongst the city! We don’t have time to worry about some peace agreement. Let us take care of the present problems!” A council member shouted at one end of the table towards another councilmen who sat closer to the king. They had been arguing since the topic of the peace treaty was brought up. Neither fully commited to it's cause, one disliked it more than the other.

            “The peace agreement could work in favor of us, though if you think about it. The merpeople and sirens could work with us to find more food for our people so our fishermen don't have to suffer on the rough waters.” The other rebuked thoughtfully. Thinking he had the answer to the man's problem, he waited for him to say something but was left nodding, speechless. Hearing his idea though raised a suspicion in Kai that he wanted answered as a  raised a hand to speak.

            “I don’t think that was the purpose of the peace agreement my father had in mind. We want to live in peace with them not exploit their species for our benefit.”

            “Then what good is peace if we can’t work together?”

            Kai shook his head in defeat and frustration. Meetings with councils, wherever he was, was always the same. Politicians twisted his words and misinterpreted the others thoughts for the sake of turning it into something that would benefit them and them alone. There was no real reason, just pointless arguments between corrupt rulers.

            “What you are asking for is not the idea of working together but one race working solely for the other. You want them as slaves! Do you not think they will be harmed if they work in rough waters?”

            “And if I do not think so?  Let it be a way of repentance for the countless human lives lost, including your late fiancée! Let’s not forget our princess—“

            The councilman was interrupted as the King slid his chair back with a silencing screech. With hands behind his back, Seunghoon walked slowly around the room without looking at anyone in particular. As he passed each male seated in the lavish chairs, they straightened up and gulped discreetly wondering which side of the argument the King was in favor in. Kai watched him, unafraid.

            “Repentance you say?” The King stopped behind Kai’s chair to face the man that had made said remark. The man puffed out his shoulders and nodded confidently though his hands under the table shook. He saw no fault in his accusation.

            “Yes, your majesty. Many lives were lost in the battle that those things started. I lost a son—“

            “And I lost a daughter. Prince Kai lost a lover. Prince Sehun lost friends…and Princess Taura lost her entire family and her friends. You are not the only one who lost someone, Youngjae. Those things, as you refer to, lost families and friends too. So shouldn’t we too repent for our sins?”

            Each sentence was like a vicious hit to the head as the man slowly cowered in his chair under the gaze of the King. His own words turning against him. He remained silent unable to l