"I can't see any reason why Mother would send us out," Lisha grumbled as she picked at the bunch of green seaweed at the foot of the enclave's entrance.

"That's because she wouldn't want a different version of the discussions to be spread by professional gossip peddlers like you," Maalina hissed.

"I think you better mind your business, Lina. This has nothing to do with stranded sailors and their bottles with..."

"Lisha, what on earth are you doing?", Rana screamed as she sighted her restless sister picking at the seaweed. "Why are you taking apart the decorations, huh?"

"But the men have already had their fill. What's the further use for them?"

"What will they think when they come out later and find that the decorations are gone? Oh, get out of here before you ruin the reputation of this family."

"Hmm," Lisha sighed as she swam away from the entrance. "You act as if you're the only one who knows that this family has a reputation."

"Whatever. Go play with the rest and stop causing problems."

Lisha swam to join her sisters who were gathered around and admiring a rare jellyfish, grumbling as she went.

"What a child!", Rana sighed as she watched her younger sister swim angrily away.

"What do you think they're discussing, sister Rana?", Braana, who was the baby of the family, suddenly asked from behind Rana, startling her.

"Oh.. I don't know," Rana shrugged carelessly.

"I think they're discussing your marriage with the Lord Aaalthansa," she whispered and smiled, showing her incomplete baby teeth.

"Oh shut up. How do you even know about such things? Come on, go play with the rest."

Braana flashed her sister another smile and then swam away gracefully, her tail turned up in a delightful curve as she propelled herself with her hands. She was the most graceful and flexible of all the girls and every one of them envied her for it, but she also had a knack for seeking and spreading rumors, caring less whether they were true or false. Rana shook her head as the incorrigible Braana swam off. As the eldest of the girls, she had great work cut out for her. Each girl had different characteristics and they all had their bad sides. As their mother grew older, Rana was slowly sharing in the management and control of the younger girls. She missed her father so much. She had been the only one born at the time of his death in the war between two opposing factions of merpeople, other of her mother's eggs being lost or destroyed during the war. It was just after her father's death that her mother discovered that she was pregnant again and later gave birth to eleven incorrigible mermaids.

*****

The discussions were over and the men had returned to their homes, taking with them a good impression of the family, of course with the exception of Minusa who never had a good impression of anything or anyone. When the girls had re-entered the enclave, Maana had taken her eldest daughter aside and informed her that she was the centre of the earlier discussions. Rana was surprised, but she was shocked by the next bit of information her mother revealed: the men had come to ask for her hand in marriage to Thansa. Rana could hardly believe her ears. No wonder the sly dog had been smiling at her at every little opportunity! She felt stupid as she recalled what Braana had told her. It seemed her younger sisters were far more informed than she was.

"So what do you think?", Maana asked, intently studying her daughter's expressions.

"I.. I'm flattered, Mother. I mean.. I feel honored for a great man like Lord Thansa to deign to look at me in such light, but.. that's the best I can do. I don't love him, Mother, so I can't marry him."

"You need to understand, Rana," her mother shook her head slowly. "I was only asking you as a formality. Actually, you have no say in this.. neither do I. Your dear father, before his death, had promised you to Manis' son so.."

"But that's not fair, Mother," Rana wailed, close to tears. "I'm supposed to choose whom I love and marry him!"

"Life's never fair to anyone, my child. It's what your father wanted. We can't do anything about it."

"But you're the new head of the family. You should make the decisions and correct Father's wrong ones. I'm sure if Father were here to see what the man he promised me to has turned out to be, he'd have changed his mind."

"Look Rana," her mother said, drawing her closer. "You're my eldest daughter. I'd like to see you married as quickly as possible before I die. Your father's decision is not the only reason I'm resigned to this marriage, it's also because there're not many men around. Most of our young men were killed in that crazy war and the few lucky ones left like Thansa, we have to make do with them. God knows I have no much love for the man... with his obscene muscles, tricky smooth face and crazy ponytail, but you know, half a loaf is better than no bread at all.. or do you prefer a man like Minusa?"

"Oh God forbid, Mother," Rana exclaimed. "Why would you even think of such a thing?"

"Then bring home a much better man and I'll tell Thansa and all his ancestors to go to hell."