The two world-carriers were visible long before they even came close. Cole stood with Tan as the large the ships approached.
There was a tense feeling that it might not be Tan's father, considering the second ship.

Tan raised his monocular for a closer look.
When he lowered it again he had a big smile on his face.
"It's Triston."
"Triston?"
Tan nodded.
"Yeah. My oldest brother. Crown prince of Theron."
"I guess the other ship is your father's?"
Tan nodded again.
"The Borealis is my father's ship and Legacy is Triston's. Looks like we will be protected by two heavily armed warships on our way to Lendro. They have a total of one hundred canons and eight harpoons. That should keep bounty hunters off our back."
Tan gave Cole a smile before he raised his monocular again.
Cole gazed at the two ships. They were huge. He could see why they were used for hunting sea monsters.

The Valkyrie almost disappeared in the shadow of The Borealis. It felt a bit uneasy to look directly in to the lowest set of canons, but everyone else seemed so relaxed that Cole felt a bit safer.
Two Taur came down to the Valkyrie. The younger one got down first and jumped over to Tan with a huge smile on his face.
Cole twitched when they bashed their foreheads together with a dull thud. He hoped it wasn't a common greeting for them.
Tan and Triston hugged each other before they turned to their father.
"Good to see you, my little calf. I heard you're up to some mischief. I hope it's nothing serious?"
Dhaveus had a booming voice. He was tall and the massive horns reminded of Tan's, but they framed his head differently when they curved more outwards. There was almost no room for hair on his head with those horns.
"We're fine, but we need to talk."
Tan gestured to the captain's cabin.

Dhaveus was so tall that he took a seat in Tan's chair so he didn't have to crouch.
"I saw the posters. You're wanted all over Marmoris and the rumor is that you helped the prince of Orison to run away. I see there is some truth to the rumor."
Dhaveus eyes darted from Cole back to Tan.
"Yeah. Cole ran away when he was told he had been promised to Harmoni Shirola. I figured out who he was shortly after we set sail."
Dhaveus nodded.
"I see."
"The squealer?" Triston asked.
Tan nodded and Triston made a face of disgust.
"So what is your plan now?"
Dhaveus raised his head and gave Tan a demanding look.
"Well... I want to marry Cole and hoped that you could make the arrangement with Cole's father..."
Dhaveus raised his eyebrows.
"You want to get married?"
Tan nodded.
"And Cole has agreed to this?"
"Yes."
Tan gave Cole a look. Cole quickly nodded.
"Huh..."
Dhaveus sat quiet for a moment before he got up from the chair.
"Well then... Let's be off to Lendro and have a chat with king Aberdeen."
He walked over to the door and left the cabin.
Triston gave Tan a smile before following their father.
Cole raised his eyebrows at Tan.
"He agreed, just like that?"
Tan smiled.
"Of course. If I have gone through all this trouble with you, he knew it was important. If we want something that significant, he does what he can to help."
"I see..."
Cole couldn't even imagine that sort of commitment from Hrim.

Cole soon noticed Tan's smile in the corner of his eye.
He took his gaze from the door to look at him.
"I might add that the Taur people are conquerors by hart. We like to get what we want and a bit of fight to get it just makes it more tempting. In the old ages we fought battles for marriages that didn't last more than a few years and a fight where the most common way of finishing an argument. We have horns for a reason after all."
Cole smiled back at Tan.
"Noted."
Tan's smile grew wider before he walked past Cole to take the lead out of the cabin.

It wasn't far to Lendro from where they were. They arrived the next day a few hours after the sun had passed its highest point.
Cole's heart was beating fast as he walked beside Tan, following Dhaveus through the familiar streets. Behind them, they had at least twenty people. Tan's crew, Triston and a few crew members from Dhaveus and Triston's ships.
Cole hoped his father didn't see that as an aggravation. Knowing Hrim, it might not be popular to stomp in with a squadron on their heels, but at the same time, it felt safer.

They got stopped a few times on their way through the castle. Dhaveus each time stated their business and they could move on. It wasn't until they stood outside the doors to the throne room that they got asked to leave most of their company outside. Dhaveus agreed without hesitation before he slammed the doors open and walked in to the hall. The guards didn't seem too happy about him opening the doors himself, but they didn't say anything.

Cole looked pass Dhaveus and met his father's gaze.
Hrim looked like he was about to walk over and strangle Cole on the spot.
Beside the throne stood Conin with a pompous look on his face.
"Greetings, fellow ruler. I hope we are not arriving at an inconvenient time?"
Hrim turned his gaze to Dhaveus.
"Not at all. Greetings, your majesty. Shall we go straight to the point? My son here has disrespected our traditions and agreements and I would like to have him back. I appreciate you bringing him to me, but I do not see it necessary to bring so many people."
Cole felt his shoulders tense.
His father's slightly rambling talk and the way he didn't seem to get his words the way he used to, was a strong sign that he was furious.
"Sure. Straight to the point. I'm here to purpose a marriage between our youngest sons. You see, my boy has taken a liking to your son and the feelings are mutual. I think our nations would benefit from such a union."
"Out of the question! We do not marry our sons to boys here. We must have heirs and boys do not have biological offspring."
"Well. That is where we have a unique situation. You see, my boy is half mermaid and fully capable of carrying children. You can have as many grandchildren as they are willing to produce."
Hrim stared at Dhaveus for a moment.
"I have already made that agreement with Henoch Shirola. It would not look good on my behalf if I went back on it."
"Allow me to evaluate the benefits and disadvantages for you then. The Shirola family has a small fleet and a small fortune. I have the largest fleet of the Marmorian seas and the greatest, most feared army of all the lands. That would sound quite beneficial to most. But, if you would like some further motivation, I can mention that disappointing my smallest calf would make me deduct all trading with your land and declare a tense state of political contact. That, however, is nothing compared to what my son's mother is capable of. As the head of one of the largest covens of mermaids in all of Marmoris, she would bring her coven here to residence in your harbor. After losing a few sailors and merchants, I think people would stop visiting your city. So, in the end, the choice is between a bit of embarrassment or complete humiliation. I hope that makes your decision easier."

Cole's heart was beating hard. Getting cornered like that would not be appreciated. Hrim were definitely stubborn enough to start a war over an insult, but hopefully, there were enough benefits for him to control himself.

An agonizing moment of silence passed. Then Hrim took a deep breath and gave Dhaveus a nod.
"I won't pay for a wedding. That is normally for the family of the bride and my son is not the one carrying the children."
Dhaveus smiled calmly.
"Perfectly fine for me. Among our people, it's the groom's family that pays for the wedding. We also have a tradition of courting for a few months before the wedding. I think the wedding should be held in three months. And of course, the wedding will be held in Theron, in a location the boys fancies. I'm looking forward to seeing you there. Let me know if you need a ship. I have plenty for you to choose from that will be at your disposal."
Dhaveus bowed before he turned and grabbed Cole's shoulder.
"Well. I guess you should take the opportunity to grab what you need from your room. I don't think you will be back here any time soon."
Cole nodded while he followed Dhaveus and Tan to the door.

Tan took Cole's hand as they walked to the room that had been his home for most of his life.
"Are you alright?"
Cole nodded and took a deep breath.
"Yeah. I won't relax fully until we leave the harbor, but I'm fine."
"My dad will be by our side all the way to Theron. It might take a while before the bounty-hunters get the news that you are no longer wanted. We will be safe in Theron until then. And when we set sail again, it will be after our wedding. We will be married and the news about our marriage will be well known. The sea will be open for us, and we can go wherever we want."
Cole nodded and took a deep breath again.
"Yeah. We'll be fine."
Tan smiled back at him and held his hand tighter.

Cole watched Lendro shrink behind them as they sailed out in to the canals. He could barely see the city between the two large world-carriers following them.
"Does it feel sad to leave your home?"
Tan's question snapped him back from his thoughts.
"No. Not really."
"You won't miss your brother?"
Cole sighed.
"After I got to know Track, he started to feel more like a brother than Conin ever did. Even Vu and Vock is more family than the family I left behind. Give it some time and I might start to see Ezur as a weird uncle."
Tan chuckled and shook his head.
"Ezur is a good guy. He's not very bright, but he is definitely good."
He then glanced at Cole.
"What?"
"I was just thinking... I remember you mentioning that you're educated in courting, so I was speculating in what to expect these months until the wedding."
He gave Cole a second look.
Cole chuckled.
"Well, what are you hoping for?"
"Hmm... I don't think serenades are my thing, but I would like to see what kind of poems you would write."
"Sure. I'll have one ready before bedtime."
"I'd like that."
"What kind would you like?"
"What kind?"
"Yeah. I can write what I'm trained for, or I can write something more personal. Courting-poems need some words that the girls like, such as roses, rose petals, diamonds and stars. Lips like rose petals and diamond sparkles in their eyes that make me think of the stars and such things. Girls like that sort of things, if you're to believe the teachers I've had at least."
Tan shook his head.
"I want you to write something personal. Write what you think of when we are together. A poem that you like and that is personal for us."
Cole nodded.
"Sure. I can do that."
"That makes me a bit nervous actually... Not in a bad way, but I'm excited to see what you'll write."
Cole gave Tan a smile before he left to go down to the captain's cabin. He would definitely do his best to make his heart touch the paper with that poem.