Kumiko into service for this? The Fuujin would be a much better choice for a journey of that nature. It would also be safer, given that I just told you the attacks are getting worse and I should stay on land for a bit."
"Even if you attract the danger in the first place, no one is better than you at warding it off," Raiden said. "We're going to attract it whether you are there or not, after all."
Kin grunted. "True. I still don't think it's a good idea to have me and a royal prince aboard; we are likely to draw thrice as many mermaids into a fight, and it's a long haul to Sanhoshi, especially when the storms keep getting worse as well."
Raiden shrugged. "We do what we must do."
"You could have said no," Kin groused.
"It's a good opportunity."
"For what? You are the wealthiest merchant, and I daresay the wealthiest man, in Kundou. You have every permit it is possible to get, and there is not a single trader or shopkeep who does not know your name in four countries. You have absolutely no reason to cater to the whims of a spoiled prince who is—oh, right, we don't know what he's doing, because you're willing to rent us out without explanation. What exactly did you get out of this bargain?"
Raiden smiled, but before he could speak, Kin made a contemptuous noise. "Jewels, I might have known. You and your storms-forsaken jewels."
"I also got a royal secretary out of the bargain," Raiden said.
Kin choked on his beer, coughing for several minutes before he finally got control of himself. "What?"
"Prince Nankyokukai is turning over the contract to his secretary the day we set sail. You know I will pay you and your crew handsomely."
"I don't care if you gave me every paaru to your name," Kin snapped. "I don't want to do it."
Raiden set his wine down. "Which is why I am ordering, not asking."
"Yes, Master Raiden," Kin said coldly, then finished his beer, rose, and walked out. Raiden sighed softly and finished his wine, then set several copper coins on the table before leaving the pub himself. He found Kin at one of his smaller warehouses, snapping at everyone foolish enough to wander too close. He pointedly ignored Raiden.
"I ordered new clothes for you," Raiden said. "If you go today to get them adjusted, they'll be delivered the morning of our departure, and you'll have a whole new set for the mermaids to destroy."
"Choke on your own smugness," Kin snapped, but a small bit of the tension left his shoulders. Though he was by no means vain, Kin was very aware of being Captain and under Raiden's employ—and a merman. Always on the outside for one reason or another, he was fierce about those little things he thought made him fit in more, or at least intimidated people enough they did not mess with him or dare snub him.
Raiden would have called it endearing if he felt like having his nose broken. "So are you on board?"
"You made it very clear I am," Kin said, not deigning to look at him.
"If you really do not want to do it, Kin, you know very well I will not make you."
Kin heaved a long sigh and raked a hand through his hair. "You know I'll do it. I have no idea what is going on in that head of yours, Shima, but I will do whatever you ask of me, you know that." His hand went to the dagger he had affixed to his belt. The dagger was worth a fortune, more than even Kin probably realized, but he also knew Kin would tear down entire kingdoms before he ever parted with it.
"You know I'm grateful. There is no one else I trust so implicitly, and I do not think this will be an easy journey for anyone."
"Probably not, but it would be a good sight easier if you had bothered to find out why we are going all the way to Sanhoshi."
Raiden shrugged. "His Highness does not know we call it that. My impression is that he does not know that anyone else knows of the island."
Kin paused in the middle of barking at a sailor who still looked very wet behind the ears. He sent the boy running with a look and a gesture, then turned
"Even if you attract the danger in the first place, no one is better than you at warding it off," Raiden said. "We're going to attract it whether you are there or not, after all."
Kin grunted. "True. I still don't think it's a good idea to have me and a royal prince aboard; we are likely to draw thrice as many mermaids into a fight, and it's a long haul to Sanhoshi, especially when the storms keep getting worse as well."
Raiden shrugged. "We do what we must do."
"You could have said no," Kin groused.
"It's a good opportunity."
"For what? You are the wealthiest merchant, and I daresay the wealthiest man, in Kundou. You have every permit it is possible to get, and there is not a single trader or shopkeep who does not know your name in four countries. You have absolutely no reason to cater to the whims of a spoiled prince who is—oh, right, we don't know what he's doing, because you're willing to rent us out without explanation. What exactly did you get out of this bargain?"
Raiden smiled, but before he could speak, Kin made a contemptuous noise. "Jewels, I might have known. You and your storms-forsaken jewels."
"I also got a royal secretary out of the bargain," Raiden said.
Kin choked on his beer, coughing for several minutes before he finally got control of himself. "What?"
"Prince Nankyokukai is turning over the contract to his secretary the day we set sail. You know I will pay you and your crew handsomely."
"I don't care if you gave me every paaru to your name," Kin snapped. "I don't want to do it."
Raiden set his wine down. "Which is why I am ordering, not asking."
"Yes, Master Raiden," Kin said coldly, then finished his beer, rose, and walked out. Raiden sighed softly and finished his wine, then set several copper coins on the table before leaving the pub himself. He found Kin at one of his smaller warehouses, snapping at everyone foolish enough to wander too close. He pointedly ignored Raiden.
"I ordered new clothes for you," Raiden said. "If you go today to get them adjusted, they'll be delivered the morning of our departure, and you'll have a whole new set for the mermaids to destroy."
"Choke on your own smugness," Kin snapped, but a small bit of the tension left his shoulders. Though he was by no means vain, Kin was very aware of being Captain and under Raiden's employ—and a merman. Always on the outside for one reason or another, he was fierce about those little things he thought made him fit in more, or at least intimidated people enough they did not mess with him or dare snub him.
Raiden would have called it endearing if he felt like having his nose broken. "So are you on board?"
"You made it very clear I am," Kin said, not deigning to look at him.
"If you really do not want to do it, Kin, you know very well I will not make you."
Kin heaved a long sigh and raked a hand through his hair. "You know I'll do it. I have no idea what is going on in that head of yours, Shima, but I will do whatever you ask of me, you know that." His hand went to the dagger he had affixed to his belt. The dagger was worth a fortune, more than even Kin probably realized, but he also knew Kin would tear down entire kingdoms before he ever parted with it.
"You know I'm grateful. There is no one else I trust so implicitly, and I do not think this will be an easy journey for anyone."
"Probably not, but it would be a good sight easier if you had bothered to find out why we are going all the way to Sanhoshi."
Raiden shrugged. "His Highness does not know we call it that. My impression is that he does not know that anyone else knows of the island."
Kin paused in the middle of barking at a sailor who still looked very wet behind the ears. He sent the boy running with a look and a gesture, then turned
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