The Palanen ocean had raged for thousands upon thousands of years without incident. On its surface, those that breathed the free air of Arda waged their wars, pirated one another's treasures and gold, explored distant lands and the ocean itself, and documented everything they found in one fashion or another. Always, the storms of the open sea were there to quell those dreams of power, though they did not always succeed. For thousands upon thousands of years, the surface-dwellers had always thought they were the masters of the world. But during the course of the last few millenia, they had slowly, but surely found out something very different. The surface-dwellers have always ruled the surface, it is true - but the sea and all that exists within is our domain.

For almost as long as the Palanen Ocean has existed, Bar-Nu-Nen - the Merfolk City, as most surface-dwellers have long had the gall to name it, as though (in their seemingly unending arrogance) it belonged to them and not to those who built and dwell within it - has stood as a brilliant, yet very-well-hidden jewel in the heart of the ocean floor. In all that time, none have dared to enter the city save for those invited by its rightful owners and rulers - the Merfolk. But in the last few millenia, that has changed. The King has declared that all are welcome, so long as they obey the rules of our home. Not all of us have been too pleased with this; some have even left the city, never to return.

And I am among them.

These things were mere idle thoughts in the mind of Triton Bahari, a Merman who had left the city reluctantly when his parents had over two centuries ago in anger that the King did not relinquish the city (and those within that were not Merfolk) to its rightful owners. Triton, of course, had returned periodically. He could not bear to be away from this beautiful paradise that was his home, even if he did not like those that dwelled within it. And he had every right not to.

It had been almost four centuries since his sister had been taken by surface-dwellers and made into a harlot slave for their sadistic sexual pleasures. She had been killed in the end, her body dumped back into the ocean from whence it had come unceremoniously. Triton had mourned her for years - his parents still mourned her - and Triton had agreed to petition to the King for Merfolk freedom. That, in part, was the reason he had returned to Bar-Nu-Nen. Only in part. But he had petitioned several times, even protested openly with other Merfolk on a number of occasions, all to no avail. And it seemed that the surface-dwellers were not leaving any time soon, either of their own volition or due to the growing hostility and the growing possibility of mutiny against the King by a number of secret freedom fighters - a group called The Blue Tidal Wave, of which Triton was a member; it was a secret society devoted to driving off the surface-dwellers by any and all means necessary.

Triton especially hated the humans, for it was they that had taken his sister. Filthy pirates.

But now he was not involved in secret meetings or illegal actions against the visitors of Bar-Nu-Nen. Now he was simply swimming, his powerful tail propelling him forward as he entered the city. Its glass walls were spectacular to say the very least, but they were only the tip of the iceberg so far as the rest of the city was concerned. Triton greeted several friends on his way into the city and made his way to the square. There, he rested on a soft bed of underwater moss and seaweed and began to eat and chat with some fellow Merfolk. The fish here was freshly caught, and Triton dug into the red pike - his personal favorite - immediately.

Alicia lay sleepily on a rock. She was surrounded by water as far as the eye could see. The sounds of the sea filled the air. Birds calling as they flew overhead, occasionally diving in to catch their prey. Water lapping up against the small secluded rock. The wind blowing the fresh smell of the sea.

Alicia was currently letting the warm sun brush over her body. her legs were curled to keep her entire body on the small rock. At the moment she was doing nothing but humming and running her fingers through her thick blonde hair. The surface of the sea was empty from all those that lived on the land. Not a single ship to hear her siren song.

She soon heard the calling of the Sea growing ever stronger. It beaconed her to once more join it, to swim deep below the surface. The Naiad could not resist the call, for it was to great and she slowly fell back off the wall, breaking the surface of the sea and falling ever lower into the cold sea.

Alicia's fingers and toes soon became webbed and thin fins fanned out from her slender arms and legs. She moved through the water nimbly, going ever lower. She knew exactly were she was going. She would go to the most beautiful city under the sea, hidden from many surface dwellers eyes. She moved with speed and grace, letting the current take her as she plummeted ever lower.

It was not long till she stood outside the fine city that was bustling as species of all different races, sizes, colors, and shapes bustled in and out. There was no walls, no gates, just an open city for all that lived beneath to go to.

Alicia moved on into the city, standing out a bit from the crowd. Sea nymphs were not uncommon to those that lived below the surface, but they were still the minority of the city, not seeing them every day.

She swam into a busy underwater bar and asked for kept. She ate slowly and did nothing but watch the other fish swim by, getting an occasional glance and smile, or a young mer child pointing Alicia out.

She felt more at home here in the water than she ever could on land. She did not dislike the land and had many a friend on the surface, but the sea was vast and held many more people for her to play with. It held much more secrets and offered many more adventures. Alicia had the best of both worlds, being able to blend in both with elves and the sea folk.

For Triton, the surface world was a world so vile that it should be destroyed completely. But of course, that was only because of the humans and their allies. He had never heard of Elves, but he had heard of Water Nymphs. He found them rather striking, though he would never court one; after all, they had no tails. They would refuse to remain under the surface of the Palanen Ocean for the remainder of their lives, bound to only the open ocean instead of to both land and water as they were so accustomed to. For Triton, and most other Merfolk as well, that was a very good reason not to court outside their species. Some were said to have married Water Nymphs in the past, but he'd never known anyone that had done so and thought Merfolk were stupid for doing so besides. Water Nymphs wanted freedom; to Merfolk, the ocean was freedom.

Nonetheless, Triton wasn't completely dense. He did notice the Water Nymph, as did most of those around him. Water Nymphs weren't a common sight in Bar-Nu-Nen, and so were like nobles and kings of the surface world in how others - even Merfolk - spoke of them. It was like having a queen come to bless them. Triton wasn't completely impressed with them - why should he be? - but he did treat them with a bit more respect than every other race in Bar-Nu-Nen save for his own. They were one of the very few races he wouldn't mind having in Bar-Nu-Nen on a regular basis. In Triton's mind, unlike most other races - especially humans - Water Nymphs were more than welcome in Bar-Nu-Nen.

He checked out the newcomer casually as he lounged at the sitting rocks on one side of the Hollow. Taverns weren't like surface taverns down here; they were as open as a surface forest was. Still, there were places that were marked in some way or another. This one was surrounded by hundred-foot-tall stone arches a dozen or more feet thick and about ten feet wide. He was sitting near the south arch of the Hollow as he ate and watched the Water Nymph.

Alicia turned to see a rather hansom young Merman at the southern arch of the tavern. He was looking at her as he sat and ate. She was one of the most social creatures you would ever find and was not descriminate to who she would talk to. As long as she had someone to entertain herself with she was fine.

The Naiad did not think much about the nature of people was almost never leery of other sea creatures, as she could out swim most. She was a little less careless on land though, as that was when she was more vulnerable.

She approached him slowly, enjoying the many people that bustled in and out of the city as she did so. The sea was so much more diverse and much more prettier than the land was. This may have only been the perspective of a water nymph, and to a land creature things could be much more different. Alicia was a bit narcissistic and held her option high than others, but would never tell that to the person. She had to big a heart to hurt someone.

When Alicia arrived to her destination she took a seat beside the merman. She gave him a smile " Hey there, I'm Alicia!" Her voice did not hold the aquatic accent that most Mers and fish carried. She did not carry the accent of the surface dwellers in her speech either. Rather she had a voice unique to own people. They had not developed an accent as they were bound to neither land nor sea. They could move freely in between and did not spend a long enough time in either place to develop the accent of the two very distinct languages.

Alicia did not carry on with anymore speech. Rather she sat in waiting. She wanted to know if this mer was interested in talking to her before she released the build up words that stirred inside of her. She did not want to make him feel like he was obligated to talk with her. If he did not wish to meet her than he did not have too. After all there are plenty of fish in the sea.

(( :lol: ))

Triton continued eating as he watched the Naiad walk. She was quite beautiful despite the childhood stories that Naiads were supposed to be some kind of bane to human men. Something about their songs. He couldn't remember, precisely. Oh, well. It didn't matter. What did matter was the seductive way the Naiad was walking. Was she trying to arouse him? Maybe inspire him to fall head over heels for her? He was a Merman, not some filthy-minded and fool-hearted human blockhead. Still, she wasn't a human. She was a Naiad, and more than welcome to stay in Bar-Nu-Nen for as long as she liked as far as Triton was concerned.

He smiled, finishing a small snack from the group snack barrel (a stone barrel carved out of the solid rock of the ground below) as he did so. The woman was trying to draw out something, that was for certain. Perhaps merely conversation. Regardless, she seemed about to burst. Diplomacy was a joke.

"Hello yourself, Naiad. Triton's my name. And yours?" he asked, raising his eyebrows in a questioning, yet friendly enough look. A name often told much about a person, Triton found. Certain names were often very characteristic of the features of a person's face or the quality of their personality. He was slightly curious as to just how eager this Naiad was to meet him and how friendly she would be to others. He wondered if she was outgoing and friendly to everyone, or just Mermallian and other aquatic creatures and races. He awaited her answer.

A school of fish wandered into the city and swam nearby the Hollow. The swam above it, through the line of sight, and caught Triton's attention for a moment. He watched them go. He turned his attention back to the Naiad.

"Rather beautiful, the markunga fish, aren't they?"

Alicia smiled at the fish that swam by " Yes they are! I see many pretty fish down here. It reminds me of a living tapestry of color." She then directed her gaze back to him It is nice to meet you Triton!" She was not curious to why he was here. After all this was home to many Mers.

She did want to know more about him though and spoke up once more " Tell me Triton, do you travel? I am rather bored and would very much like to see something new in the sea? Do you know of a place that bares the fruit of adventure?"

Alicia was rather straight forward and to the point. She was like this from time to time, depending on her mood. Sometimes she was coy and mysterious, other times joyous and cheery, and other times still she was straight forward and went for what she wanted. The one thing that never changed about her voice was that it was always filled with emotion. It always seemed to carry a hint of melody and was never listless. Alicia was proud of her voice and a jaded tone would never escape her bluish lips.

She dipped her hand into the snack barrel and put them past her lips quickly as she waited for his answer. Hopefully she had picked the right mer. this one looked as if he got around and had a few secrets he kept locked within. Alicia had an eye for adventure. The nymph knew when people carried the heavy burden of secrecy within and she would pry it out with subtleness. She would ease that burden by sharing secret with the poor souls. Alicia knew many things about many different people and gossiped occasionally, but kept many secrets to herself, feeling pride in knowing something others did not.

Triton, too, valued secrets. His was a deep secret, after all, and he didn't dare reveal that - which was why his guard was more often than not up and unyielding when it came to prying tongues. Of course, he had learned young to spot a pry and a tell, and he wasn't about to fall prey so easily as all that. Regardless, he decided to respond to the Naiad's queries.

"The entire Palanen Ocean sings of adventure, my fellow child of the sea."

The name was given mockingly, of course, in a playful jest meant only for friendliness.

"There are countless places that I have uncovered in the last four centuries, and there are countless more that I've yet to discover. No mortal can see the entire world, after all. Then again," he said with a flat look and a dry tone in his voice, "who'd want to? The surface world, for example, isn't exactly a place I'd prefer to be. Land is so open and unexciting, and so...dry."

A look of disgust came onto his pale, unblemished face as he spoke of the surface world. His feelings were well-known, as were those of a number of different Merfolk within Bar-Nu-Nen. He wasn't going to change his views any time soon, either, even for some Naiad that liked adventure and exploration.

"However, my water-dwelling friend - I still don't have a name."

He popped a bit of fish into his mouth and chewed slowly as he awaited the Naiad's answer, preferably beginning with a name. He savoured the flavour of the pin-striped talnagor fish, sweet and spongy in all its tender goodness. All in all, it was rather delicious. Finally, he swallowed the fish. It went down easily, smoothly.

"A name defines a person. It turns a nameless stranger into a valued ally or a deadly enemy. Some even say that people don't give their children names - they give their children to names."

The mocking gleam of laughter clearly said what he thought about that ancient fable. He popped another piece of fish into his mouth as he continued to wait for the Naiad's answer.

Alicia laughed at the merman " Very sorry, how rude of me. My name is Alicia!" She gave the man a smile. He very much avoided her question. He had merely told her that he knew of many adventurous places. Alicia wanted to know what he knew.

She carried on the conversation " How can you say that the land is so terrible if you have never even ventured onto its fertile soils. Maybe you dislike it so because it does not allow you to tread upon it. It keeps your out and keeps its treasures a secret to you." She gestured at his fin " If instead you had legs your tune may change! Since you can not have it you focus on the bad parts of the surface so you do not spend your life wishing to see it. Maybe you stir false hatred for the surface so that it does not get hold of you."

Her talk, like his, was more jesting than scrutinizing. She did not like to see the bad in people and so many times she turned a blind eye to it and always looked for the good within. Everyone had flaws after all, but to find good in people was the real treasure and far more challenging than to point out the bad.

" I myself would like to see everything. I want to experience every adventure on land and sea. I want to know of the treasures and see the wondrous things that are to be seen in this land. After I have seen everything there is to possibly see, than I can die happy. Until then, however; I will always be on the search for fun and adventure!"

Alicia picked up a shell from the table and watched it glimmer. She had a love for shiny things and that was why she loved to come to this city. The large buildings glimmered magnificently when hit by the small rays of light that dare venture so deep. She took the shell and fashioned it into her hair. She collected many shells and would adorn them to her body in one place or another, whether it be a hair piece, jewelery, or even clothing. There was many a time she had traded pirates, sailors, and other land creatures information for something beautiful and shiny.

Triton sneered. Alicia was clearly an optimist.

"I have seen what is born of the land. Pirates, thieves, murderers. They are no better than sharks. No," he said as an afterthought, "that isn't right. It's an insult to sharks. Sharks, at least, do what they do out of the instinct to survive. Humans have no instinct. They have only greed, envy, lust, jealousy - they are vile creatures, and I would as soon burn them alive - and I dislike fire - as give them a second look. Or even a first look, if I had my way about it."

This last was said as Triton's blue eyes followed a hated human using an Underwater Breath spell drifting past. He hated humans, and he had every right to. Many Merfolk knew why, and they didn't bother him about it. If Alicia didn't know why, he wasn't about to tell her. He ate another piece of fish before turning back to her.

"But let us not speak of such foul subjects as the wretched human race. Let us turn our attention to more pleasant matters. Have you visited Bar-Nu-Nen before? I have not seen you here any time that I have been. Of course, there have been many who should be here of late, so it is sometimes hard to find the ones that are more than welcome."

He smiled at this last, then continued eating. The fish were a light snack that, when consumed in large quantities, still didn't often constitute a full meal. Any given Merfolk could eat a hundred of them and still have room enough to eat a giant squid. That was why this was such a social hotspot in Bar-Nu-Nen. The Hollow was especially famous in the city for the delicacy, and people flocked from all over the city to sit for hours and chat while snacking on them. For some, it was all their life meant. And when you're consuming a good solid meal once a day and coming home to one just as filling, you were good to go in many cases. The wealthy had their own clubs for that, of course. The Hollow, however, was open to everyone.

Alicia knew of Mers that held ill will towards surface people. She did not hold them in the greatest esteem. They were bigots and judged them unfairly. They let a few bad people spoil their views on the entire race. It was obvious that Triton did not want to talk about it though and Alicia did not want to get on his bad side. Therefor she went along with the new subject

" I come here from time to time when I get bored of the world above us. I have never seen you on my trips through the town either, but it is quite possible when one visits a city this large. People are always coming and going and it is easy to get hidden within the crowds."

She picked at a bit on his food without noticing, popping it into her mouth. She liked the food of the sea much more than on land. She did enjoy the fruits of the surface, but she would never eat the dry foods. The sea though had many foods that she loved, from fish to the plants. There was much more to be found below the sea.

She brought up the first topic of adventuring once more " So then where is your favorite spot in the ocean. You yourself said you have experienced much in the open sea. Do you not have any advice to offer, any special places that only you know?"

Her curiosity was nibbling at her once more. She wanted to learn his secrets. She wanted to know things that he held inside like secret locations and hidden agendas. Everyone had their secrets and most were dieing to tell them. Many secrets could not be secrets for long, as the weight was to much for one soul to bare.

But there were some secrets that just weren't meant to be told, and those of The Blue Tidal Wave were amongst such secrets. Triton would not dare to reveal those. It didn't matter how much others pressed. Secrets were secrets to him, not gossip to be told to anyone within hearing range. On the other hand, though, there were some secrets that could be revealed.

"It is hard to find a place that few Merfolk or other sea creatures or races know of. There are a few - not many, but a few. Such as the Talanel Peak, for example. Even if one managed to get inside, though most wouldn't try because it's said to be an 'evil' rock, there are thousands of confusing passages in there and I'm one of the few Merfolk that actually know every one of them like the back of my tail. Few return from there because they grow lost and never come out. Most larger prey avoid it because it is difficult to glean food from that place or to mate in there, and most other creatures simply have no reason to go in there. Every once in a while, though, an adequate food supply can be found. It's very dark in there, but it makes for great solitude."

Triton ignored the poaching of his food. It wasn't really his food, after all, but community food caught and shared by all. He, himself, had brought a fair share of fish into the city from time to time, and even some squid and octopus. Mostly, though, he didn't see a need to hunt. His parents hunted on a regular basis and gained quite a lot of food - they were both very skilled hunters and had taught him everything they knew. Then there were places like the Hollow in Bar-Nu-Nen, and some people even set up journey spots throughout the ocean - places where Merfolk and other aquatic travelers could spend a few nights and get some food for relatively little gold or jewels. So, needless to say, Triton wasn't precisely worried about a few small morsels of the delicious dish before him going to someone else. There was plenty more where that came from, and the bowls were refilled periodically besides.

"What about you? You have a favorite spot in the ocean?"

Alicia liked the sound of the place he told. If anything, it would offer adventure. Not many travel into the place and that meant Alicia might discover a few secrets there. She would most certainly want to travel through the underwater caves sometime in her life.

She then smiled as it was the Merman's turn to question her. Alicia was all to happy to divulge a bit of her secrets as well " Well there is one place that I hold more dear than this beautiful city. I can not tell you the place for it is one secret that I will not tell those I just meet. I can describe it for you though. It is an underwater cave that when you swim far enough you can actually surface and there is air and dry land within the cave. There is no other way to go but back through the water. It has a few walkways but they all end up leading back to the same area. The entire cave is filled with beautiful gems, jewels, and pebbles. There are also little orbs of light that grow on certain rocks, filling the cave with a beautiful golden hew and it makes the light dance around the cave as it reflects of crystals and the water. That is where I keep all of my collection of shiny things!"

Alicia talked as if she was not really there, but lost in her own explanation, picturing her underwater grotto as she described it. She had spent a great deal of her time in the grotto and had drew many pictures on the wall through her immortal life so far, showing pictures of the many things she saw and the many things she had experienced, both good and bad.

When she drifted back down to reality she smiled at the merman " I rarely ever bring anyone to my hidden hideaway. I do know of a few other great places under the sea though. There is a field of seaweed that grows not to far from here. Seaweed does not grow in the center of the field and it leaves a large ring in the center. The seaweed grows so high around that ring nobody would be able to see you if you did not want them too. Inside the ring sea anemones of every color grow and beautiful fish that live within the anemones swim about. There are all kinds of sponges, sea stars, sea lilies, and much more within the ring. It is so full of life, like its own little world within the world!"

Triton rolled his eyes and tried hard not to grin broadly as the Naiad slipped out of her body and into some kind of dream world. When she was finished, she still seemed to have a glossy look covering her pretty eyes. He took another fish before speaking again. He took his time chewing and swallowing it, savoring the wonderful flavor of the food. Finally swallowing, he spoke to the woman - partially to keep the conversation going, and partially to snap her out of her daydream.

"Glowing caves. I've heard of them. There are a few that I've seen, with various quantities of a variety of gems throughout each of them. They're not very common - I know of perhaps a half-dozen glowing caves throughout the southern and eastern runs along the mainland coast of Arda's primary continent - perhaps a three or four hundred mile span."

He shrugged, as though he didn't really care. He'd used them as temporary dwelling rocks from time to time when he'd taken long journeys. They were quite useful, and very comfortable; the gems inside had even proven useful as currency. He could have taken more than his fair share, but he didn't see a reason to burden himself, either for the purpose of increasing his own wealth or for the purpose of helping to increase the funding of The Blue Tidal Wave. Besides, The Blue Tidal Wave had more than enough money flowing in on a regular basis due to the numer of families involved in the secret society's activities.

"It sounds like you've put one of them to good use. Is it along the coast, or out in the ocean somewhere?"

She spoke of the field of seaweed nearby.

"Yes, I've been there myself several times. It's a great place to sleep and relax when you want to be alone - not quite as good as the Talanel Peak, of course, but almost as good."

Alicia smiled when Triton told her that he knew of a few places like that. That means that she would have to describe it no further " Are they not the prettiest places you have ever saw! The one that I speak of is in open water, quite a ways away. It is my most favorite spot in the entire ocean. I can go their if I ever want to be alone, which I rarely do. It is also my hideaway, which I find I need much more."

By the sounds of things Triton was quite the traveler. He knew of many places " I have not been to Talanel Peak. I rarely do give common things a fair chance. When it is widely known it does not appeal to me. I try to find the secrets in life, as they are usually much sweeter. I do like the ring hidden in the seaweed though. I think that you would especially enjoy the area as it is most always surface dweller free. Their skin can not take the sting of the sea urchins like you and I can. You can't have everything, now can you."

She rested on the large stone used as a table, placing her elbows on it and resting her hands in her head " Surely there much be greater things to do around here than talk and eat this less than filling little fishies. Are there no parties, get togethers, celebrations, meetings, or anything else going on. Usually when I come there are always some people meeting together. It is a great place to meet to people and gossip. It is my favorite part about the city actually. With so many people coming and going, it is rather hard not to find something to do."

Alicia wanted to know more about triton than what he was telling her. He told here very little about the places he knew of. The only thing she really knew about him was his extreme dislike for the land creatures. She wanted to get inside his head and really know him. Surely he knew more than he divulged. He was quite the secretive type.

Yes, Triton Bahari was very, very secretive indeed. He was quite good at it, too, and why shouldn't he be? He'd had over four centuries of constant practice, after all, and there was no better teacher than that. He might not be perfect, but he was certainly one the best. He could hold his own even against some of the most devout torturers - or so his parents had told him time and time again. Probably the reason he'd gotten so good at keeping secrets in the first place, for that matter.

Triton had stopped eating now, and he did agree that the fish weren't exactly filling. Still, they were delicious and a good snack for the time being. He spoke as Alicia rested her head in her arms on the table.

"What kind of gatherings do you want to go to? There are a lot of different social groups in the city, little cliques and what-not. Some go out and cause trouble - my personal favorite among the groups, of course," he said with a mischievous grin that faded to a small, sly smile as he continued, "there are those that speak of things only a Merking or his nobles would give a rat's tail about, and there are those that just do whatever. There are a lot of different groups. What are you interested in? Sports, perhaps? There's always squid-ball, or - or dodge-fin."

This last was said with that sly grin on his face once more and a mad gleam in his eyes to boot. He was the best dodge-fin player around. Squid-ball was just a petrified squid carcass rolled into a ball and tossed back-and-forth over a high, long, jagged rock wall, but dodge-fin - it was the adult's version of the child's game hide-and-go-seek. When you found your opponent, you got to slam them as hard as you could with your tail. If they lived through it, that was all good and well. If they came out of it relatively unhurt (no broken bones, no sore muscles, nothing), they became 'it'; but, if they sustained lasting injuries, then you were still it. It was a dangerous game, and more than one Merman (Mermaids generally enough sense not to play it) had died playing the game.

Alicia perked her head up a bit with a giggle " Well I am rather ill equipped to play dodge fin..." She gestured to her long legs "... Strong yes, but the best for playing dodge fin." Her legs were meant for speed not power. A Mer could defend himself with his fin, Alicia would most likely have to run away. She was very fast though for the sea was a naiads safe haven.

She thought about which group she would want to meet. She did not like the sounds of the ones that talk of nothing important. Those were not the secrets she wished to learn " Well I want to mingle with a group of importance. I want to meet people that do important things." Big people had big secrets and discovering them would be the most fun thing Alicia could think of.

She smiled at the Mer " So do you know of such a group. Any people do anything of importance around here. This is the biggest city in the entire sea. Surely it is called home to many important communities!"

In truth that is why Alicia could not stop coming here. This place was like a library of information. She would learn new secrets each time she came here, whether it be a secret treasure, an adventure, a cool place to see, or who was going to be somewhere. Anything Alicia could get her hands on was good. Information was the currency in her world. You could get anything you want if you knew what was going down when and where the best treasures lay.

That is how Alicia had lived her life. She was treated kindly by sailors and pirates alike. She told the pirates when and where to find ships. She told merchant sailors the quickest or safest routes to their destination. She told freelance sailors where to find the prettiest spots in the sea. Yes Alicia knew much of the ocean, but she always wanted to know more.

That might be more a bane than a benefit for her. The way she was going, she would eventually get her caboose boiled and chopped off. Not too many people liked their deep secrets being uncovered and shared with everyone - especially the important groups of Bar-Nu-Nen, like the politicians and such. Still, if she wanted to be served up as next day's meal, chopped up and spiced just right. 'Fresh Naiad - Get Your Fresh Naiad' rang through his head, and he almost laughed.

"Maybe you should check out the Kryont Circle, then."

The Kryont Circle. EVERYONE knew what that was. Only the crem de la crem could get in. The best of the best were there - the wealthiest, the most politically influential people were there. The Merking and Merqueen themselves reigned supreme over the Kryont Circle, of course, but they pretty much let people do what they wanted. Their job in the Circle was mainly just to keep things from gettint out of hand. It was a major political forum, an arena for discussing everything from the current financial intake of the city's various institutions and the taxation of trade routes from Bar-Nu-Nen to the Biarnack Settlement, all the way up to how best to prevent war and suffering amongst both the undersea and surface worlds what with all the different peoples visiting Bar-Nu-Nen on a far more than regular basis. It was the ultimate 'in' club, and you had to be one big politician or noble to even think about getting in - unless, of course, you were invited.

Just as Triton had been. You see, that was the benefit of being a high-ranking member of The Blue Tidal Wave. The Blue Tidal Wave had infiltrated nearly every society within Bar-Nu-Nen (and several outside Bar-Nu-Nen, as well). Thus, it was no problem for them to have gotten several of their members into the Kryont Circle - very secretly, of course. And of course, the other members of The Blue Tidal Wave might not be so friendly as he was being. They wouldn't take kindly to some unknown Naiad asking way too many questions. And since they were as good secret keepers as Triton himself was, it was very highly unlikely that she would get anything more than some very rude gestures from them - if even that, considering the arena they were in.