Hazina’s Palace was one of the chief sights in the Undersea realm. It was a great domed building, all made of coral, pink and pale grey, standing on low cliffs of rock; and the grounds around it were a glorious dream of sea-flowers and silver statues and tall sea-trees and weeds of all colors, swaying silently in the warm, translucent water.

There were many lovely objects in the palace. In the large front hall was a silver fountain, carved like a shoal of dolphins and with a spray of colored shells instead of water; but the water really came out of a little octopus-head in the middle of the shoal - it was, of course, a magical fountain, for by no other manner could one devise a fountain that worked underwater. There was a big mirror made of the wing of a giant manta ray, and a throne of coiled sea-snakes, and a table of pink and white sponges, and many other things, and all the servants of the palace were mermen.

All of a sudden a merman appeared, walking (or swimming rather) very quickly through an archway and bowed low in front of Hazina. He was quite short but rather stout, and his face was almost lost in a mop of blond curls. He was dressed in a very becoming purple shirt and blue shorts that went with his blue eyes, and he held a very unusual spear.

“Good merman, what news?” asked Hazina as she turned to look at him.

The merman bowed again and spoke, “Madam, the gardeners from Karmazy are here.”

Hazina raised an imperious eyebrow. “Are they indeed?” she said with surprise. “And what, pray, do they want with me?”

“They have come to seek an apprenticeship for one of their young folk,” said the merman.

Hazina laughed, “And what in the waters have they sent? A puppy?”

“Perhaps,” said the merman dryly, “I believe that you may find {{user}} to be a more promising case than you expect.”

“Well then, you may as well show them in,” said Hazina with a shrug.