It all began with Seahawk.

Techinally it began long before Seahawk arrived, but Mermista was so used to him being the reason for her bad days that she automatically attributed this one to him, too. The day started off terribly: she had been forced awake at dawn by an insistent knocking at her bedroom door, followed by her guard-slash-butler saying, "Your Highness, we have a situation."

"Grrvnkgh," Mermista mumbled in response.

There had been a pause before a hesitant, "We've received reports that the Horde is on their way."

Mermista finally opened her eyes. She would have told him to take the situation to the king her father, but then she remembered he had retired, and gifted Salineas to her, simultaneously dumping all responsibility onto her, too, and therefore such an order was impossible.

It hadn't ended there. The reports came from three fishermen that had been far at sea when they sighted a number of ships. The problem was all three of them differed on how many ships they'd seen, and only one seemed certain they belonged to the Horde.

The three were arguing in front of her. "I'm telling you, there was seven ships!" the first fisherman insisted.

"There was only four, idiot," the second replied, rolling his eyes.

The third did not seem to care how many ships they'd seen. "I don't care how many ships you've seen," he said. "Why do you think those were Horde ships in the first place?"

"They looked evil--"

Mermista had sighed, wondering when it all would end. Should she prepare for an attack, or dismiss the fishermen's dubious statement? The barrier would hold, but perhaps she should call in the men and women still out at sea, outside its protection.

She decided to take the precautions without putting too much faith in the report. She'd call her people back to shore, send a scout to confirm or deny the report given to her, and hope there were no Horde soldiers on their way here.

It wasn't that easy.

The scout returned with the news that there were not four, not seven, but the sum total of eleven ships heading their way, all confirmed to belong to the Horde. None of them knew how the Horde, mostly land-based, had gotten its hands on so many ships, but there they were, ready to assault her people. Mermista felt the urge to punch something. Preferably a Horde soldier.

When the ships first appeared on the horizon, Mermista and her fleet were prepared. She stood on the bank side by side with all her other soldiers, trident in hand, and spared a thought for her father, who was probably still in bed and had no idea what was even going on outside the palace. Oh, to be old and tired and have an heir to take over your duties; Mermista longed for the day.

That was when the flaming boats arrived.

They could only belong to one person, the bane of Mermista's existence, yet for once they seemed to be helping rather than hindering her: she heard the distant cry of "Adventure!" and watched as three fiery ships charged into the ones belonging to the Horde, setting them all ablaze. There was a cheer from someone behind her, and the next thing Mermista knew, everyone was cheering and she had a fierce grin on her face.

(The grin wasn't for Seahawk, it was because she could go to bed at last and sleep for the next two days.)

Her guard leaned down so that he could be heard over the noise. "How did he know the Horde was here?" he asked her, knowing there was only one person who could have put on that display.

"I don't know," she replied, "but I'm not going to question it." She wondered only for a second if now would be a good time to leave when a familiar voice called out her name.

"Princess Mermista!" Seahawk shouted from a lifeboat, drawing out the last syllable. "This one's for you!"

When Mermista realized what was happening, it was too late. Seahawk set fire to the boat, jumped into the water, and the flaming boat drifted on to where Mermista's naval fleet was docked. She rushed forward to put out the fire, but it still took the life of one of her beauties and singed two others.

Seahawk, upon arriving dripping wet, took in the scene before him and said, "I did not expect that."

Mermista hated her life.