The Daughters of the Sea (On Edit)

The Heart Beats at the Sight of Beauty

The storm had raged for three days.

With activities limited by the weather, Selena wiled her time away with meals and afternoon snacks with her father and holing herself in their library, which was now filled with as many medicine books as well her childhood fiction collection. She tried helping in the kitchen, but Nani quickly shooed her away, looking unamused.

"Pardon me, Miss, but I would like to keep my kitchen clean," the older woman stated with her hands on her hips. Selena wisely listened to her words.

When the sun finally reappeared on the fourth morning, Selena was found coming down to breakfast much earlier, her steps eager as she descended the stairs.

"Good morning, darling," her father, Rudolph, greeted as she arrived on her seat, a hint of surprise evident on his face. "Early today, I see."

"Good morning to you, too, Father," Selena replied. She thanked Neni as the woman poured coffee into her cup, sighing as the beverage dulled the lingering sleepiness. "I noticed the weather had improved today, so I thought of going outside for a while."

Her father hummed. "Have you any specific place to visit? I was also planning to visit the port after the meal. I received word that the wares I have ordered have arrived despite the storm the past few days, so I want to check if everything is fine. I'd like to ask for your company if it fits your schedule."

"I would love to," Selena replied, smiling. It has been ages since she went for a walk with her father.

The two of them enjoyed a comforting breakfast together as Selena shared her memories in the city during her studies and her father about his plans for future business ventures. It was a completely different experience when she was still a student, where she often had to eat alone, and it was instances like this that made her thankful to be back home.

Holding on her father's arm, the two of them began to walk down the town at a leisurely pace, the people sending out their greetings as they passed by.

Her father, being a merchant, always made sure to cultivate a good relationship with all the business owners in the town, so the people were quite familiar with them. Some of the men waved at the pair, stopping for a moment for a quick chat, the women sending invites for afternoon cups and snacks.

"Ah, Mr. Froshter! So good to see you!"

The father-daughter pair looked to see a middle-aged man with a balding head and curly mustache called to them, looking jovial. His smile widened when he noticed Selena. "It's good to have you back, Selena. How have you been?"

"Thank you, Mr. Seymer. It is good to be back home, indeed."

"Wait, is Selena here?"

All three heads turned to look behind Mr. Seymer, where they could see Jonathan peering behind a pile of boxes.

"Thought I told you to put those at the back, lad. Not at the side," Mr. Seymer called with a shake of his head. "Honestly, that boy. Never seemed to get anything stuck on his head. Makes me worried when I have to hand over the reins of the business to him in the future."

Selena pursed her lips and looked to the side, deciding to not say anything. It seems Jonathan had not yet informed his parents about that business venture.

Jonathan appeared at the group soon after, a bit winded. "Good day, Mr. Frosher. Are you here about that cargo ship that arrived last night?"

"Good morning to you, too, Jonathan," Rudolph answered. "I'm here to check the wares of the cargo, yes. Any problems I should know of?"

"The ship looked like it was tossed around by the waves, but the cargo seemed to survive the journey," Mr. Seymer answered. "I'll do a more thorough check on them later when I have more time."