"Does it matter what I want?" He responded with a small shake of his head. He didn't look at her, but instead across the horizon. Even the merpeople fell out of his focus. His mind was locked on the past and couldn't shake free of it.

He ceded all right to the title with his actions. If his father knew, he would be disappointed with him, something that stung far worse than death.

"I broke my vows. I have no right to the title."