The room that the two sat in was bare with nothing but a floor table with two pillows on either side. The sliding doors on either side were wide open revealing water on one side and the rest of the palace on the other.

            After what felt like hours of waiting, Taura was finally called for and when she entered the room she found the water god waiting for her. He sat facing the opposite wall with his chin propped up on his fingers while his other hand twirled the fabric of his red robe. She sat down wordlessly when the guard ushered her in and noticed how Habaek smiled at nothing in particular.

            Neither said a word since the god sent for the mermaid but that didn’t stop the young man from enjoying this moment. He was finally in the presence of the girl that caught his attention since the moment his guards told him she washed up on their shores alive.

            He studied the young woman, taking in her tired features and deadpan eyes. She didn’t seem like the strong type. Taura looked weak and frail to the god.

            “So you’re the famous young lady who found her way to the water kingdom alive,” Habaek leaned forward keeping his smile plastered on his face while his eyes scanned the girl up and down, “you don’t seem like much if you ask me.”

            Taura sat perched on the pillow with her arms crossed and back straight. She kept her head high under the god’s ridicule while rolling her eyes. She could already tell what kind of attitude the young god had and didn’t see the need to put up with it.

            “I could say the same about you.” Taura didn’t waste any time with her reply as she stared out the open doorway beside them. “You’re guards are the ones that do all the dirty work while you sit here and do what exactly?”

            Taura threw her hair over her shoulder side eying the god. He sat back crossing his own arms.

            “Well then let’s call ourselves humble, shall we,” Habaek offered, “We aren’t as great as others make us out to be. We both let others do the work for us, am I right?”

            Taura grew stiff. He was right. For the most part since the war, Taura did not have much input when it came to her people. She was barely home. What had she been doing for so long? Nothing?

            Loosening her shoulders, Taura didn’t meet the young man’s eyes as he gazed at her with a playful expression, “You haven’t denied it so I assume I’m correct?”

            Her silence amused him.

             “But you’re a god,” Taura started, but paused to gather her thoughts.

            “Yes,” Habaek nodded, “So what does that make you?

            “Excuse me?”

            “I’m a god, yes but what does that make you, hm? You survived an event most people die in. You’re heart is beating and yet here you are talking to a god as if you were actually dead. I’m curious to know what makes you so special that the heavens above have spared you.”

            Habaek’s playfulness dwindled as he spoke leaving Taura to cower within herself at the new aura the god gave off. She stared across the small table at him feeling the seriousness and authority in the brown eyes that bore onto her. She gulped finding it in her to look away for a moment, “I’m a mermaid.”

            Taken aback, Habaek raised his brow, “A what?”

            “A mermaid.”

            “Where’s your tail then?”

            “It’s complicated.”

            “It would seem so.” Habaek tapped his fingers on his chin in thought deciding to drop that conversation for now to start a new one, “At least enlighten me as to why you ended up