Music Recommendation: Two figures by a fountain - Dario Marianelli

Somewhere in the far east lands, Noah stood with one of the town's magistrates, discussing the improvement needed to be done in the town.

"I have already told Ramsay to arrange the resource that you need so that you can start working on the grounds here," Noah said to the magistrate, who in height was a lot shorter than the Duke and had to crane his neck to look at Noah.

The magistrate nodded, "Thank you very much for your help, Duke Noah. I cannot tell how much I appreciate yours and your family's assistance as usual. I was actually hoping to meet your uncle, James Sullivan with you during this visit of yours, because I have gathered the sea creatures he wanted."

Noah tilted his head with his eyes holding a question, and he asked, "Sea creatures?"

The magistrate said, "That's right, yes. He said he wanted my help in capturing the mermaids and sirens that walk on the land. He has been working hard in gathering the outcasts."

This was the first time Noah was hearing anything about this. He wondered what his uncle was up to. Why mermaids and sirens?

The magistrate continued, "I must say, it is hard to find a mermaid with them being swept clean from the lands and captured. No one ever leaves the mermaids and sirens alive, you know. Would you like to stay for supper, Duke Noah? You can pick your own choice to eat. Fresh from the pond."

Turning curious over the magistrate's words, Noah smiled and replied, "I would definitely like to choose one. Where are they, Mr. Shaw?"

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Mr. Shaw chuckled, and his whole body shook before he looked at Noah with a deceiving look and replied,

"I bought this property which includes the forest and abundant supply of water. To keep the creatures in perfect condition. Of course, your uncle is the one who offered to pay for the expenses in maintaining them. You know," he paused for a moment before continuing, "The mermaids are rare and sirens are vicious in nature, they need to be kept in control."

Together, they began to walk towards where their carriages were, and Mr. Shaw led him to the forest in their respective carriages. After travelling for some time, the carriages halted, and they stepped down on the snowy ground of the forest.

"This way, Duke Noah," the magistrate stretched his hand forward. They walked until Noah's eyes fell into an opening like a cave, where four guards stood, guarding the place. When his eyes moved farther away from the cave, he noticed a few more men standing at a distance.

Once they stepped inside the cave, it led to a long trail of stairs and they reached the ground. There were two little pond-like waters, with a waterfall.

One of the ponds contained four mermaids, connected to a waterfall and in the other were three sirens that looked as if they were dying. Noah's eyebrows subtly furrowed, and he asked,

"How did you find these many?"

"I had to send my men all over the Eastern lands. It has been extremely hard, and this is the collection that took place in two years," Mr. Shaw replied, looking at his captured work and he smiled, "If it weren't for your uncle, I would have sold and made quite some money, or just have those delicious flesh in my mouth, but your uncle hasn't come here in the last two years. Though he did say he would be visiting soon."

"If you have captured them from the lands, wouldn't they try to escape?" Noah asked, because from what he saw, the mermaids and the sirens didn't appear to have consciousness and laid their heads on the edge of the pond as if they were tired.

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"Oh that!" The magistrate exclaimed and then replied, "There were four sirens before, but one of them killed two men of mine, so we had to inject them with something to calm them. Of course, as you know, we couldn't keep the troublesome siren in here and we have caged it on the other side. With the deprived food, and lack of salts for the last two years, their fins don't have the energy to turn and walk. We took all the precautions that would be needed. Though I wonder what Mr. James is thinking by saving them. Perhaps for the King and the Queen for some special occasion? I hope I will be mentioned in it."

The magistrate had offered to cook one of the mermaids as Noah was James Sullivan's nephew. He doubted it would cause any problems, and he had been craving to have these mermaid meat.

"It could be," Noah responded, and he couldn't help but question what his uncle was trying to achieve. He said, "I think it would be best that we don't eat any of them, as they have been saved for Uncle James."

"Y--yes, of course. Whatever you prefer to be the best, Duke Noah," the magistrate quickly fixed his disappointed expression as he had hoped to have a good supper tonight.

Noah asked, "When was the last my uncle wrote to you?"

"It was three or four months ago. He said in the letter that he was busy capturing the sea creatures in the West, and that he would come when he would find time," Mr. Shaw replied and asked, "Is something the matter?"

"I was merely curious. I will remind him once I get back to Woodlock," Noah offered a small smile and, giving one last look, they walked up the stairs and out of place. While the Duke continued to walk towards his own carriage, Mr. Shaw followed him and asked,

"About the supper..."

"I remembered I have something to attend in the evening, Mr. Shaw. Pardon me for not being able to spend more time, but hopefully I will the next time I visit," Noah let the man know. Before reaching near the carriage, something struck his mind and his footsteps lowered. "Mr. Shaw... I was just curious."

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"About what, Duke Noah?" The magistrate stopped walking and leaned closer, wondering what it was about.

"The creatures in the pond, is it a coincidence or did you find the ones who were around the same age?" Noah couldn't help but question it. Because the sea was not too far from where they were, sea creatures sometimes got caught. The sea creatures appeared to be not too young, nor did they appear to be too old.

The magistrate appeared impressed by Noah's sharp eyes, and he praised, "I can now tell why you turned into a Duke, Duke Noah. You caught such attention with such a short time that people would normally not notice." He answered Noah's question, "These mermaids and sirens are between the ages of twenty-three and twenty-five."

"That's oddly a specific way to choose the food," Noah remarked calmly.

"That is what Mr. James Sullivan wanted. He said the meat is particularly tastier in this age range, than the others. I had no idea about it until he told me. We learn something new everyday, don't we?" Mr. Shaw chuckled.

"We do learn something everyday," Noah repeated the magistrate's words.

The information given by this magistrate didn't sit well with Noah because he came to realise that this had something to do with Eve. And though Eve was twenty-five by age, she appeared younger as if she had only crossed eighteen.

Was his uncle looking for Eve? But why?

"I should get going now," Noah said, and his coachman, Kieran, opened the carriage door. " I will see you soon, Mr. Shaw."

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"I look forward to it, Duke Noah!" The magistrate bowed his head and watched the Duke climb inside the carriage. Once the carriage disappeared, the magistrate climbed in his own carriage and left from the place.