Triton stepped through the moonlit trees. He had to collect his thoughts, ponder on things, and he was desperate to recharge his power. For that, he needed the sea. Still, he couldn’t leave his daughter. Sure, she had her husband and the other Dagonians to protect her. But after losing Nicole to Ares, he couldn’t bear the thought of losing his daughter too.
Finding a clearing, he closed his eyes. He could feel the water several feet below the surface. The water table was high. That would make things easier. He brought the fluid up to the surface, at the same time, sunk the earth down. He could sense the minerals and elements he needed. It wouldn’t be an exact match to seawater, but it would be close enough. It didn’t take long. Within minutes, he stood on the shores of a salt-water pond. It was only twenty feet deep and forty feet wide, but it was large enough to suit his needs.
He stripped off his clothes and dove into the water. The power of the sea filled him, strengthened him, and lightened his mood. He was still tormented by the absence of Nicole, but at least he was able to think more clearly.
He’d only been swimming a few minutes when he could feel Sara draw near. He knew the moment she dove into the water. Turning around, he swam toward her. He suppressed a smile when she attempted to swim. She may look like a picture-perfect mermaid, but she still didn’t have the swimming part down. Powerful goddess indeed. If only she’d let him give her the ability. She’d be swimming like a sea-born mermaid. But she insisted that she could learn on her own.
“Hi Dad. I hope you don’t mind me intruding?” she asked as she tied a knot in the bottom of her nightgown to keep it in place.
“Never,” he answered, pulling her in for a hug.
“What are you doing out here?” she asked.
“I needed some time to think and gather strength.” He sighed, sadness tugging at his heart when he looked at his daughter. He realized that he, Nicole, and their daughter had never actually been together all in one place. The wrongness of that hung like a stone around his neck.
“You miss Mom, don’t you?”
“More than I can say. I know it doesn’t make sense, but I’ve loved her from the moment I laid eyes on her. It just seemed we belonged together. Now that we’re apart again, it’s like I’m only half a man. I swear it would be better to lose my right arm and tailfin than be apart from her. Do you know what I mean?”
Sara nodded, “I do. And I also know why you feel that way, Dad.”
Triton narrowed his eyes. “What do you mean?”
“You’ll see soon enough,” she said, looking around at the dark pond. “You know, this is nice swimming here, but it seems so empty. There’s no fish, no seaweed.”
Triton smiled. “You think it needs fish and seaweed, huh?”
“Definitely. Have you noticed that the Dagonians haven’t had a bite to eat since they got here?”
Triton smiled. “There’s plenty of food for them.”
“Human food. They’d rather starve than eat it.”
He chuckled. “Yeah, I noticed they were hungry. Why do you think I came out here? Who could sleep with the roar of grumbling stomachs in the next room?”
“Why don’t you stock this pond with a few fish and invite them out for a late-night snack? Oh, but leave Gretchen. Donovan barely got back to sleep. She’s exhausted.”
“Sure.” Triton smiled at his daughter’s thoughtfulness. “Anything for my little girl. But first, I think I need to expand this pond. It’s plenty big enough for the two of us, but once I add a few Dagonians, we’ll feel like we’re in a tiny fish bowl.”
Triton closed his eyes and widened the pond, expanding the shore thirty more feet wide. Then he searched the sea—drawn to life. He quickly found a prolific part and snatched the fish and seaweed, transporting them into the pond.
He opened his eyes and found himself surrounded by a variety of fish. “You think this is enough?”
Sara chuckled. “They’ll have this pond empty in an hour.”
Triton laughed. “Yeah, you’re probably right. Now let’s invite a few sleeping Dagonians.”
Triton transported Xanthus, Kyros, Pallas, Straton, Amar, and Drakōn to the shores of the pond. They awoke and immediately scrambled to their feet.
“What the—?” Kyros bellowed.
Sara popped her head above the surface, and Triton followed.
“Oh, please tell me that’s seawater,” Pallas said, eyeing the water hungrily.
“Yep,” Sara answered. “My dad made a pond. And it’s got fish in it.”
“Thank the gods on Olympus,” Pallas said.
“Excuse me?” Triton said. “What do the gods on Olympus have to do with this? I’m the one you should be thanking.”
Sara closed her eyes as the Dagonians ripped off their clothes.
Pallas was the first to dive in. He barely flinched as his legs morphed into a tail. He immediately snatched a flounder and sank his teeth into the squirming fish. It looked like he’d forgotten his Dagonian table manners—the head was still attached to the thing. Pallas looked at Triton and mumbled something that might have been a thank you, but it was hard to tell with his mouth full of fish.
Triton decided he could use a meal himself and grabbed an eel. He was just about to take a bite when he noticed his daughter swiping her hands at the fish; they dodged her every time. Xanthus also noticed and brought her a small cod—its head neatly severed from its body. She smiled sweetly, and he brushed a kiss over her lips.
Seeing his daughter was fed, Triton took his own bite, savoring the meal. Human food could not compare with fish fresh from the sea. The eight of them ate in silence. Sara was not quite right; there was still a couple of fish left in the pond when they all seemed to have had their fill.
Triton chuckled when he saw Pallas had fallen asleep holding a half-eaten fish carcass in his arms.
Sara swam up to Triton. Her eyes drooped, and she yawned widely. “Dad, Xanthus, Kyros, and I are going back to the cabin. I think the others are going to sleep here. You’re welcome to sleep in either place.”
“I’ll come, too. But I’ll wait with Kyros until you and Xanthus are gone. I doubt you want to see either of us nude.”
Sara’s cheeks filled with color. “No, actually, I’d rather not. Thanks, Dad.”
He turned his back as she and Xanthus swam toward the shoreline.
Fifteen minutes later, Triton was climbing into bed. The sheets were cold, and the bed felt empty.
He settled down and closed his eyes. Nicole? He knew she wouldn’t answer. Ares would have seen to it that she couldn’t reach out for help. Still, he tried from time to time, hoping the war-god would become complacent.
This night was like the other nights he’d tried… silence was his answer.
He lay in stillness, trying to catch elusive sleep. But his mind was filled with regrets.
Dad?
Sara, why are you awake? You looked exhausted.
Yeah, but now I can’t sleep. I need to show you something I showed Mom this evening.
I wish I could talk to her. I don’t know why you can get through to her and I can’t.
Sorry, Dad. I wish you could. But I really need to show you this.
Sara, you’ve been doing too much lately. You should conserve your strength.
No, you really need to see this.
Before he could protest more, he was swept up in a vision. He was swimming along the sea floor, the slope of the land rising upward toward a beach. He recognized the place immediately—this was the shore east of Mt. Olympus. He surfaced to see Nicole crouched down in the lapping surf, smiling widely at him. She was dressed in a sky blue stola, which was drenched from the waist down. Her hair was long, longer than Triton had ever seen it. She didn’t wait for him to step out of the sea, but splashed through the water and threw her arms around him. He laughed as he lifted her up and pressed his lips against hers.
Remembrance hit him like a tidal wave as the scene unfolded in his memory at the same time it played out. He remembered this day like it had happened yesterday. As he kissed Nicole passionately, he wasn’t quite sure if he were continuing to play out the scene or was actually in control of his actions. The answer became clear when he pulled away. If he were the one in control, he would have carried her off to make love to her. He definitely wouldn’t have stopped kissing her.
Instead, he found himself saying, “If your father could see this, he’d kill me.”
Nicole shook her head and spoke between breaths. “I’d never let him.”
He leaned his head against hers. “Aw, Nikoleta. I love you so much it hurts, but you know convincing the king to let us marry will take a miracle.”
“Well, you’re in luck. I happen to have a miracle up my sleeve.”
“No,” he said firmly.
Nicole’s lip jutted out as she tipped her head low and looked at him with her eyes wide and pleading.
“No,” he repeated.
“But, if you just say the words—”
“Nikoleta, what if something terrible happens? What if your life depends on me being able to use my wish? If it’s already been used, what then?”
“You worry too much. My father would never let anything happen to me. Please…”
He shook his head.
“Please,” she said, “We could be together forever!”
Triton shook his head. “I’m not going to do it.”
Nicole sighed. “You are so stubborn.”
“I’m not nearly as stubborn as you.”
“Which is why this conversation is not over. I’ll just pick it up later, and then later again, and again, and again. And when I’ve finally wore you down, you’ll make the wish just to shut me up.”
After this, I wasted my stupid wish on a change of clothes. Triton’s own thoughts intruded on the scene, along with a large dose of regret.
“And then,” Nicole continued, “we’ll be together for all time as husband and wife, living in the sea half the year and on Olympus the other half.”
Triton smiled, hoping he was determined enough not to give in. But oh, what he wouldn’t give to marry this spitfire.
Moments later, Triton carried Nicole out of the water and used his power to dry them both as he manifested clothes on his body. And then they were on Mt. Olympus.
He was ripped from Nicole’s hands and seized.
“Stop! Get your hands off him,” Nicole shrieked. “As the princess, I order you to release him.”
Triton attempted to fight off his attackers, but found himself unable. These were King Petros’ personal guards, the Hu. They were nothing to look at, smaller and slighter than a god, but their strength was incredible, gathered from the earth from which they were formed, by Petros himself.
“I’m sorry, Princess,” one of the Hu said. “His arrest has been ordered by your father.”
“Why? What did he do?”
They looked at her like she was crazy. “He touched you.”
“No! He didn’t.”
“I’m sorry, Princess. But we saw him touching you ourselves.”
“He didn’t touch me. I touched him. There’s a difference.”
“I’m sorry, Princess, but there isn’t a difference.”
“Oh really?” She sprang forward and grabbed onto the soldier. He tried to dodge her hand, but failed to do so. He pushed and squirmed under her grip as she wrapped her arms around him. He was finally able to break free, and she sprinted toward another. He ran and avoided her. She abruptly changed direction and touched another guard. Here she was playing an insane game of tag until a rumble swelled into an explosive roar.
“Nikoleta!” The booming voice caused everyone around to fall to their knees, including Triton. He looked up to see Nikoleta alone was still standing. And she was in the shadow of her mountain of a father. He stood thirty feet high, and his furious eyes glowed orange.
“You have disobeyed me for the last time.”
“But Father—”
“You will not speak! This sea-god commits treason by disobeying his king. I will not stand for any disloyalty. For this, he will be stripped of his powers and executed.”
Nikoleta’s wailing denial rent the air. “No! Please, Father,” she said, dropping to her knees. “He did nothing wrong. It was all me. I’m the one who snuck out to see him. I’m the one who deceived the guards. I’m the one who has lied to you and everyone around me. Father, please. I love him. If you kill Triton, I swear on the River Styx that I’ll never forgive you and I’ll never speak to you again.”
The king looked stunned by her words, as he should be. Any oath sworn on Styx could not be broken.
He shrank down in size as he staggered back. “You would choose this sea-god over your own father?”
“I love him.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
“You never gave me a chance. Whenever I even hinted at making a friend, you’d give me a lecture. When I suggested I might one day want to marry, you would explain that it would be too dangerous. What did you expect? That I would be happy to live forever locked in my room, isolated from every other living being? If that’s all I have to look forward to, I beg you, execute me instead. I can’t stand the thought of living forever alone. And I really couldn’t live with myself knowing that I’m the reason the only man I ever loved is dead.”
“I was trying to protect you,” he said, his voice shaking.
“And who will protect me from you?” she said, her voice cracking. “I may have a beautiful place to live and plenty of food to eat. But no matter how beautiful it is, it’s still a prison. And I just couldn’t bear to remain a prisoner.”
“So you snuck out.”
She nodded, a tear leaking down her cheek. “The first time was a year ago.”
“How? Did you know what dangers surrounded you?”
She nodded again. “Nothing happened. There were a few close calls, I’ll admit. But Triton saved me. He protected me. That’s all he’s ever done. He kept me safe. Watched over me. And through it all,” she looked over to him—her eyes filling with tears, “we fell in love. I told him my secret months ago. He could have taken advantage of me, but he didn’t. He’s only ever wanted to protect me. So now, I beg you, please have mercy on him. He deserves a better fate for what he has done to help me.”
The king looked at Triton for several moments, and then he looked to his tear-streaked daughter. “I’m sorry for your suffering, Nikoleta. But I will not do anything to endanger you.”
She nodded, her lip quivering as she fought off tears.
“But… I don’t want you to suffer more. So, I will spare his life, and if you both desire it, I’ll grant your marriage.”
“What? Oh, thank you—”
“If,” he interrupted, “the Fates can tell me you will not be harmed because of this union.”
Nicole nodded, hope lighting her eyes.
Triton frowned, not quite as hopeful as Nikoleta. He didn’t like the idea of three women deciding his fate.
Petros dropped to his knee and spoke reverently. “Clotho, Lachesis, and Atropos, I implore you. Would you please come and advise the king of the gods?”
A silvery mist flowed in from an open window. The haze materialized into three women who stood above the king. They were tall, regal, with flowing, white hair. They had a beauty as endless as time. They actually looked a lot like Sara did now.
The three of them opened their mouths and spoke as one. “We have seen what you want, Your Majesty, but the answer is not as simple as it seems. For the sea-god has already harmed the princess. Because of his actions, she will suffer greatly.”
Petros’ hand went to the hilt of his sword as his furious eyes pierced Triton.
“Do not act rashly,” the Fates continued. “To harm the sea-god now is to harm your daughter, for he is the only one who can save her. Unless these two are wed, you will be forever lost and your princess will die. Join them in marriage while you can, for soon, fate will drive them apart, and the only thing that will save both you and your princess will come from the tie that joins the hearts of these two lovers.”
At those words, the Fates disappeared.
Triton remained standing, still bound by the guards. At the wave of the king’s hands, he was free. The king stomped over to Triton, who had fallen to his knees and bowed his head.
“I will do what the Fates ask,” Petros said. “But if you do anything more to harm my child, I swear I will call upon all my power to destroy everything and everyone you hold dear.”
“I would rather die than harm Nikoleta, Your Majesty,” Triton answered.
“I would rather you did too,” the king said, turning to his guard. “Tell the handmaidens to prepare a wedding bath for the couple. Oh, and tell Poseidon that he is to attend his son’s marriage celebration tomorrow. It’s time to get these two wed.”
The rest of the scene flew by in a flurry of activity. In a short time, the palace on Olympus was adorned in the most elaborate decorations Triton had ever seen.
As Triton relived the image of his past, his memories were restored. But then, he was pulled away to a scene he’d never actually been part of.
Sara. She was at work here. There must be something she wanted him to see.
Triton found himself overlooking Nicole as she tightened a belt over her white chiton. The dress, made from the finest linen, shimmered like pearls. She looked like an angel.
Triton wondered for a moment where all her handmaidens were. She should not be dressing herself. But then, he remembered. No one was allowed near her, and no one was allowed to touch her. To violate those orders would mean death to those who foolishly disregarded them.
A soft knock came from the door. The knock was strange, with a patterned rhythm.
“Grandma!” Nicole shouted before she pulled the door open. “Can you believe it? You were right. Everything worked out for the best.”
Aphrodite stepped into the room, her face outshining the shimmering pink dress she was wearing.
“I told you,” Aphrodite said. “Love wins out in the end. Every time!”
“But,” Nicole looked around, “you probably shouldn’t be here. If my mother finds you, she won’t be too happy.”
“I won’t stay long. I just wanted to give you my wedding present.”
“What kind of present? Why can’t you give it after the ceremony?”
“I don’t want anyone else to hear—especially Triton.”
“What kind of present don’t you want Triton to know about?”
“Well, first of all, you know I love him like a brother, right?”
“Of course.”
“And you are my favorite granddaughter.”
“Yeah, right. You say that to all your granddaughters.”
Aphrodite gave a knowing smile. “Well, I’m doing this for both you and Triton’s protection.”
“I don’t understand.”
“Do you trust me?”
“Yes.”
“Then give me your hand.”
Nicole’s eyes narrowed as she raised her trembling arm. Triton could see the fear in them. As much as it seemed she cared for her grandmother, she was hesitant to touch her.
Once Nicole’s hand was in her grasp, she spoke. “I wish that your womb will only carry children born by your husband.”
Nicole pulled her hand away. “Oh, Grandmother! That’s a foolish wish. I would never give myself to anyone but Triton. We’ve both agreed to be faithful to one another.”
“Oh, I know, I know. But I also know that things change, and temptation can be hard to resist. And the treachery of the gods is unmatched. I’ve not always been the best mother and role model to my children and grandchildren. But I want to protect you from all the trouble that can come with the birth of an illegitimate child. Believe me; it can be extremely difficult to deal with the ramifications. I just want you to have no doubts to who the father of each of your children is.”
Nicole shook her head. “I may think it a foolish wish, but I understand you are trying to help us.” Nicole sighed. “Thank you.”
Triton thought of the numerous lives Nicole must have led. She could have born many children, by any number of men. But Sara was her only child. His child.
He offered a quiet thanks to his old friend.
I’m going to give you one more memory. But I’m leaving. This last one is private and for yours and Mom’s eyes only.
At Sara’s words, Triton found himself with his wife asleep in his arms, her face literally glowing. His body was exhausted and extremely content. Nicole’s wedding gown lay in a heap on the floor and in a bed of flower petals. He regretted that Sara hadn’t taken him back farther, so he could have enjoyed reliving the entire wedding night. Yet, despite the fact he hadn’t relived it, he remembered it and he looked forward to what was yet to come. But then the words of the Fates came to his mind. Soon, he and Nikoleta would be driven apart. He squeezed her tighter as those words haunted him. She moaned, her eyes fluttering open. “Hello, husband.”
He smiled in response to her joyful countenance. “Hello, wife.”
“You know, sleeping was not something I planned on doing tonight.”
He laughed. “We haven’t done much sleeping, and it’s nearly sunrise.”
“Well, then. I think it’s the perfect time to awaken. I have wifely duties to attend to.”
Triton frowned. “What wifely duties?”
She spread kisses across his chest. “These… wifely… duties.”
“Hmm.” He chuckled. “Well, you don’t want to shirk your responsibilities.”
The sun arose without a thought from the newlyweds.