“This human thinks he can steal Feza from me,” Ziran thought. “I will show him the strength of a triton.”
The next time Dan went to the river, Ziran was waiting for him.
Feza had not arrived yet.
Dan was sitting on a rock near the water, skipping stones and humming a song.
Suddenly, the water boiled and swirled.
Before Dan could react, Ziran emerged, imposing and threatening.
“You,” Ziran growled, pointing a sharp trident at him.
Dan stepped back, startled by the triton’s sudden appearance.
“Uh… hello,” he answered cautiously.
“You dare come to this river and speak to Feza? Do you not know she is promised to me?” Ziran roared.
Dan raised his hands defensively. “I mean no harm. Feza is my friend, that’s all.”
Ziran narrowed his eyes. “A human and a mermaid cannot be friends. Leave now and never come back.”
Though frightened, Dan stood firm. “Feza has the right to choose her friends. You cannot control her.”
Ziran let out a roar of rage and lunged at Dan with his trident.
Dan narrowly dodged, stumbling as the trident struck the rock behind him.
“Ziran, stop!” Feza’s voice rang out as she arrived.
Ziran turned toward her, his face twisted with fury.
“Feza, this human is a danger to our people. He must leave and never return.”
Feza placed herself between Dan and Ziran, using her body as a shield.
“You are wrong, Ziran. Dan is not a danger. He is my friend, and I will not let you hurt him.”
Ziran’s anger flared. “Friendship with humans leads only to destruction. Feza, do you care nothing for our people?”
“I care about you and our people, Ziran. But Dan saved my life when no one else would have. He has proven that he can be trusted.”
Ziran hesitated, loosening his grip on the trident. He looked at Feza, then at Dan, and growled in frustration.
“This is not over,” he said, disappearing into the water with a powerful flick of his tail.
After Ziran left, Feza turned to Dan, still shaken.
