John loved storms.

His castle, located so close to a rocky cliff, provided a beautiful view of the sea, which was currently roaring like a living sea monster from the legends and tales of his people. The waves surged up and turned into foam, colliding with the rocks; the sky turned gray, the clouds forming swirls in which, if you looked closely, you could see the signs of the gods.

Earthly, though?

The guard was about to follow him, but John waved his hand, making it clear that he would take a walk without company. He always did this after a storm, strolling along the shore, examining what the ocean had brought ashore as its gifts to humanity.

During his reign, the Kingdom entered its era of ocean exploration. Many ships were built to expand the fleet, sea towns were equipped with great convenience, scientists sailed out on expeditions, making card sketches and exploring new, small islands.

The water always attracted John. In his forties, beloved by the people and revered by ministers, he found solace in watching the waves and sand, which sometimes crawled out small crabs and starfish.

But now he was attracted to something else. The sounds coming from behind the small stone sounded like the struggle and slaps of something big.

When John peeked around the corner, ready to help the likely injured man, he froze. Because the creature was definitely injured, but it wasn't human.

"Gods almighty..." He whispered, his bare feet sinking into the cold sand.

You turned around and wrapped your arms around yourself, wanting to hide your transforming body. Your tail, long and glittering with scales, dissolved in the absence of water, giving way to two perfectly human legs, one of which was cut and bleeding. You got entangled in a fishing net and feeders that were blown into the ocean by a storm, and you washed up on the shore of the royal castle.

You were never supposed to meet. A human monarch and a sea creature from legends.

But still, the spark that passed between you was a sign that fate had completely different plans for everything.