[4]

Elios sat in the grass with the young Princess, they shared a pile of flowers as he taught her how to make them into a crown, soft giggles being shared. "River, might i ask what you are? It is quite difficult to tell, and i cannot place what your children are, it seems so familiar," The Queen spoke softly, her eyes still on the playful children. "Ah... i am sorry Your Majesty, i haven't disclosed what we are yet due to fear, My mother raised me to be fearful of people learning what i am, but i believe it is best to share it with you," He gave a saddened smile, she could tell it was painful to bring up his mother. "My mother was a mermaid, and my father, though i never met him, was a half-elf, my children are as i am, a mix of a mermaid, elf, and human, and that is because i had made them myself by mere accident, i have quite powerful levels of magic, and when i was still learning to control my output i made them, i am much more controlled so no more accidental magical children will happen, only purposeful ones," He said with a soft smile, her eyes slightly widened as she grasped his hand. "You made two accidental changelings? All on your own, no one to care for you when you were drained? That must have been so terrifying for you, and such a strain on your body, birthing them alone and raising them alone," He held her hand, enjoying the brief sign of care and worry. "I managed, my mother was strong, and she raised me to be strong, and now i am raising my children to be as well, but i swear to be around far after they have reached adulthood, you are not weary of us for our mermaid heritage? Most still see them as monsters, and most dislike changeling children," He said, his voice quiet and hesitant. She shook her head as she patted his hand, a smile on her face. "I was born of magic, and well, some still see draconic beings like my husband and his brothers as monsters, we are not in a place to judge you,"

soon they had moved indoors for lunch, Astra was sitting at the table with a textbook on herbal medicine while Elios sat with Sophia while they giggled about what life is like at his home. "Is it true mermaids have a siren song ability? So little is known, I was hoping to learn more about their kind and abilities-" The young man; the fifth prince Pyro, was cut off by his eldest brother the King. "Pyro, that is rude to ask a guest, please forgive him, he is still a child and hasn't fully learned his manners," He gave him a pointed look, and the young man slouched in his seat like a scolded puppy. "It's alright, his question is far less invasive than one may think, but i would like to make it clear, you may ask but i can not guarantee a reply, as for a siren song, yes, but not all have it, and those who do only gain that ability once in adulthood, i have only recently gained this ability, but that is only because my aging is a bit different than a full mermaid or merman's due to my elvish blood," The boy seemed to soak his answer up like a sponge, he eagerly thanked him for his answer before apologizing. "You've only just reached adulthood? how old are you, if you don't mind?" Third Prince Roland asked him, and the others at the table sat, quite curious to hear how old he was. "I am twenty-five, humans reach full maturity around sixteen to eighteen, elves around forty but do not marry or have children until their sixties, and mermaids at twenty, so according to human and mermaid standards i have been mature for some time, but to elves, i would still count as a child, but i am less human and elven," Hannah gasped, eyes wide as she stood and hurried to his side, her hands cupping his face. "So you were still a child when you had your children and all alone! you could have passed away, oh you poor dear, you were seventeen, that would be like a young fourteen or thirteen-year-old human had had a child," She had tears in her eyes, and the other adults or young adults at the table looked horrified. "like i had said earlier, i had far to much magic with far to little control, and with my mother passing before i was fifteen, i had no one to teach me, but i am far better at my control, and i am making sure that Elios and Astra are well trained, i do not want them to face the same struggles as i had, at least not ones as dangerous," He gently removed her hands from his face, smiling as he looked over at his kids.

"River, do forgive me if this is too personal, but can you conceive children in the more natural sense, and would you want to in the future have more children?" King Philo questioned, Geordo looked mortified, but River wasn't paying attention to him at the moment. "Oh i would love to have more children in the future if i were to find the right partner, i always wanted a large family, and yes, half and full mermen can conceive children just as a female, though it is rare for full mermen to do this," He said with a smile, Astra looked up from her book and spoke after taking a few bites of food. "Papa gets sad sometimes when we go into town and we run into pregnant women, he always puts a hand to his belly when he thinks we aren't looking, and he is always so happy to see and help care for any monsters that have new babies with them, the fire salamanders at home let us feed their hatchling mushed up bugs when we show up to collect a few shells, i don't get why people want to have kids, but if it makes them happy then i guess its fine, i don't think i will have kids when i am an adult, but i do like being a big sister, and i can see Elios having a lot of kids, i will be a good aunt, just not a mum," She scrunched her nose up, then returned to her book. River's face was flushed with embarrassment, Elios just looked up with bright eyes. "Babies? Papa, are you having a baby?" He asked eagerly, Rivers eyes widened as he held up his hands. "No, Elios, No babies, Papa is not having a baby, your big sister was just sharing her thoughts," The boy pouted as he returned to eating and chatting with Sophia, he sighed as his shoulders dropped. "Goodness... I am sorry you had to listen to all that, i have taught her to speak her mind, but i seemed to have failed at teaching her when it is and is not appropriate to share certain things,"