The Pirate and The Merhog

Jules' Most Precious Treasure

Back on the surface, Aleena was feeling a whole lot before with her wound healing without or restriction to her movement. The Atlantician healing herbs were far more effective than Jules thought. "How does it feel to be able to walk again, Aleena?" asked Jules. "It feels amazing now that I'm able to walk again without any problems like yesterday." Aleena said with a smile on her face. "In that case, we can leave the hospital and head over to Charles and see how he's doing before returning home tomorrow. I know you want to connect and get to know Athens. Charles would hear about how he was found too." Jules said to Aleena. "That's a great idea!" said Aleena.

Jules picked up Aleena in bridal style and dashed out of the hospital with the princess in his hands. It wasn't long before they arrived at the construction site where their new homes were being built. They found Charles hard at work with the other construction workers there. Aleena was surprised to see how much Charles got done in building the foundations of the houses. "I'm surprised you made this much progress in a few days, Charles." Aleena said to Charles. "I like to be efficient and effective in my line of work. It's not easy but my crew and I are getting the work done. Jules and I want to have our respective big homes completed as quickly as possible." Charles told Aleena. "It's also thanks to the help Aleena gave us that we got this far." Jules said to Charles before looking at Aleena.

"Charles, I actually wanted to tell you that my younger brother has been found two days ago and he's a red merhog just like my eldest sister Amphitrite who is also a red merhog." Aleena told Charles. "Is that so?" asked Charles. "Yes, he did say that he never saw his captor's true face but he did take the keys when his captor was busy so he could make his escape." said Aleena. "I can only imagine the immense joy that and your family felt having found your younger brother. I can't imagine how I'd feel if I lost Jules. I'm sure he told you when I went looking for him by myself on a sail boat when I thought he was lost at sea after he met you." said Charles. "He did tell me that and that's when I soon knew that he had a fear of water." said Aleena. "Yeah, that was not fun knowing how many times I've fell into the ocean when I couldn't swim back than." said Jules.

"Well, times are different now and you no longer have that fear of water," turning to Aleena, "But tell though, how did you and your family find out that your brother was still alive?" Charles asked Aleena. "Here's the whole story." Charles listen carefully to everything he was told. "We all thought that Athens was dead until a female merhog named Kiara found him after he escaped." said Aleena. "I hope you and your sisters grow as close to Athens as I did with my little bro. I'm sure you're happy that you're not the baby of the siblings anymore. Jules will forever hold that spot since we don't have any lost younger siblings to speak of." said Charles. "If only." said Jules. "It is nice not being the youngest anymore but I will still be the youngest sister of my two older sisters. But I'm sure my sisters and I will get along with our younger brother." Aleena told Charles.

"I hope do also. But be prepared for any possible trauma that might surface. Also, he's not used to being around large number if people do try to be mindful to not overwhelm him in introducing him to too many people at a time. It'll take time for him to trust others." Charles told Aleena. "I understand, Charles." said Aleena. "By the way how was Athens doing yesterday?" Jules asked Aleena. "Athens was doing okay. He with my elder sister Amphitrite last morning before Suzie and I left to go explore sunken ships until we soon got attacked by a shark." Aleena told Jules. "What exactly were you looking for in those ships?" Jules asked Aleena. "Surface treasures not seen in my kingdom. I do keep a personal collection of them in my private getaway underwater playhouse." said Aleena. "You have a playhouse?" asked Jules. "You have a man cave?" asked Aleena. "Touché." said Jules.

"I've was always really curious about the surface world ever since I was little however my father said I wasn't allowed to go up to the surface after what happened to my mom. My father referred them as Spineless savage harpooning fish eaters incapable of any feeling." said Aleena. "At least he doesn't think that way of me and my brother. I'm sure it was a shocking twist to your father that your pendant chose me instead of a male merhog." said Jules. "It wouldn't have just chosen anyone out of random and certainty not a coward since my father hates them." Aleena told Jules. "I'd like to prove my father wrong someday that not all surfacers are bad people. but the one thing I do want is for my people and I to be seen as actual people and treated with care instead of being seen as treasures. That's all I've ever wanted." said Aleena.

"There's nothing wrong with being treated as treasure. After all, I see you as my most precious treasure that I love and would lay down my life for in protecting. It's the poaching, malicious mistreatment and misuse of the treasures that everyone needs to be concerned with." Jules told Aleena. "Do you think they'll understand what my people and I've been through ever since the Blackbeard incident happened...? And maybe continue being kind to me when my identity is revealed to them...?" Aleena asked Jules before he saw tears coming out of Aleena's eyes. "I wish I could say it was that simple. But sadly that's not how life in this world works. There will always be a group of stupid people who'll express malice and discrimination to others just because of their differences in backgrounds, heritage or cultural upbringing." Jules told Aleena.

"Oh..." Aleena said tearfully. "But everything will be okay just as long as nothing bad happens to you." Jules said as he wiped the tears off Aleena's face as Aleena soon hugged Jules tightly. "What should we do now?" Aleena asked Jules. "There is a festival that is happening tonight. The king and queen of the Sol Kingdom will be there too. That could be a chance to formally and privately reveal your merhog heritage and status to them as a princess of Atlantica. You can also request Arthur's presence with you as a representative of your father's military." Jules told Aleena. "That actually sounds like a good idea, Jules." Aleena said to Jules.