"Good morning Grand Duke Gladiolus." Anatalia greeted. "This is not our first meeting, but let me introduce myself. I am Anatalia the leader of the sirens."

Gladiolus was momentarily dazed after Anatalia's greeting that he was not able to greet back.

"Grand duke?" Anatalia looked at him with confusion.

"Oh… I am sorry for the discourtesy." Gladiolus replied with an embarrassed expression. "I was expecting to see a girl in her teens, but I see a fully grown beautiful woman in front of me that I became speechless."

"I never thought that the grand duke is flowery with his word." Anatalia giggled. "But thank you for the compliment."

Gladiolus' heart felt like it was hit by an arrow when he heard the melodious giggle of Anatalia.

"I-I am just stating a fact my lady." Gladiolus replied at once. "I am sorry if my words hit you in an unpleasant way."

"Oh, no need to apologize grand duke. I am happy to be told I am beautiful, even though many have already told me such words. Coming from the mouth of the grand duke makes it more credible." Anatalia smiled softly. "And I cannot blame you to be surprised. The last time you saw me, I was in my teens. I am more older than what I looked like before, and I was just maintaining that image because of my own personal reasons. But now that I am taking the position as the representative of my race, I decided to have this form." Her hand gestured towards her body.

"Thank you for explaining my lady." Gladiolus replied courteously. "Please, take a sit. Jeremy here is my assistant and right hand man. He will be joining us in our meeting today, if that is okay with you?"

"Oh, it is no problem." Anatalia said and took a sit at the chair facing where Gladiolus sat. "I also have met Sir Jeremy briefly before."

"It is good to see you again Lady Anatalia." Jeremy greeted with courtesy.

"Please, call me Anatalia." Anatalia requested to Gladiolus and Jeremy. "I am not a noble lady or anything."

"If that is what you wish." Gladiolus replied. "What can we get you, Anatalia? I am sure you had a long journey. How about refreshments?"

"Tea will be fine." Anatalia replied.

"Tell the maids to prepare some tea and snacks to match." Gladiolus ordered Jeremy.

"Of course." Jeremy bowed and went out to do us he was told.

"Well then, Anatalia. I was informed in a letter from her majesty the empress of your visit." Gladiolus was in his business mode after having to overcome the first attraction he felt towards Anatalia. "What can I do for you?"

"Actually, I have been starting to build good relations with the rulers of every territories here in the continent." Anatalia started. "We sirens would like to have free use of the coastal areas all around the continent. Of course, we would like to also build communities by coast lines as well and live in peace with other people."

"I see." Gladiolus replied. "I am not opposed with such things. You are welcome to build such communities in my territory. I would just like to ask for you to cooperate and follow the laws we have here. I will accept your race as one of my people like all others if they abide by the rules and laws that is set for the peace of the territory."

"I will be sure to tell my sisters of your conditions." Anatalia replied. "But I am sure they will be sure to blend with the humans like always, that is if other humans do not give us prejudice because of our race."

"I am sure you will not have such problems with us Atlantians. We know what it feels like on the receiving end of such prejudice." Gladiolus replied. "I will be happy to have sirens as people under my territory and I am sure that others will also welcome you. I just want to say that if people stir trouble in my territory, siren, Atlantian or whatever race they are, they will be dealt with according to the law."

"I understand grand duke. I also do not want to have trouble living together with one another." Anatalia replied. "I can see that you really are a good man, contrary to what you have done before."

"I… thank you for the compliment." Gladiolus blushed hearing the compliment from Anatalia. "I am not as good as what you think, but… I am working hard to be someone that will be respected by others."

"And I think you are doing a good start and doing a good job." Anatalia replied with a smile. "You may have had a rough start, but I can see you are working hard towards your goal. Good luck with that."

Gladiolus was both surprised and happy to hear the words that Anatalia uttered. He really has been working hard day and night to build a home for the Atlantians that his mother had betrayed. Jeremy and the other employees had been there to help him by giving him encouraging words, but Anatalia's words telling him he was doing a good job was what he needed. His heart felt at ease with the words she had said and felt relaxed.

Both of them shared tea together and had some discussions about the communities and locations where to build until Anatalia left to take a rest from her long journey.

**

"You look more relaxed and refreshed after your meeting with Lady Anatalia, my lord." Jeremy said while arranging the documents in Gladiolus' desk.

The sun had just set and the work for the day was over. Gladiolus sat back on his chair with a smile on his face.

"Why do you say that?" Gladiolus looked at Jeremy in puzzlement.

"Well, at this hour you would have looked stressed and tired." Jeremy said. "But now, you looked more refreshed than ever before." He pointed out.

"Do I?" Gladiolus held his face as if not believing Jeremy's words.

"Look at you, having such a huge smile on your face." Jeremy said with a smile.

"Maybe because talking to her was quite refreshing." Gladiolus replied with a smile. "She had so much ideas that I did not think of. Such as having medical facilities in every village. I only thought of building big hospitals in cities. It is true that having medical personnels in every village will help improve health and sanitation."

"Lady Anatalia is a medical practitioner herself, an imperial doctor at that. So it is not surprising that she will give some good suggestions in that field." Jeremy said. "If I can ask my lord, are you by chance entranced with Lady Anatalia's beauty?"

"W-What do you mean?" Gladiolus was taken by surprise with Jeremy's question. "Well I mean…. Yes she is beautiful. But I was mesmerized more with her intelligence and how she speaks. It was like a breath of fresh air having to talk to her."

"I am sure that Lady Anatalia have good intentions, but… I want to remind you that she is a siren, my lord." Jeremy said. "Sirens can cast a spell on the opposite sex to get what they want."

Gladiolus' smile turned into a frown and looked at Jeremy with a sharp gaze.

"Are you telling me that I was in some kind of spell, Jeremy?" Gladiolus voice was as cold as ice that Jeremy shivered in fright.

"I-I am not saying that she did my lord." Jeremy bowed his head low, feeling Gladiolus' menacing aura. "I am just saying that sirens have such powers. I did not say that Lady Anatalia will do such a thing to you my lord. Please forgive me for my words. I was just thinking of the possibilities." He started to shiver with the aura coming from Gladiolus.

"Be careful with your words, Jeremy." Gladiolus stood up from his chair and walked until he was by Jeremy's side. "Lady Anatalia is her majesty, Empress Alicia's personal doctor and close friend. If word comes to her ears that you have suspected the imperial doctor, we can have problems with our relationship with the imperial family. The imperial couple trusts Lady Anatalia with their health and lives."

"I understand my lord." Jeremy replied with a shaky voice. "This will never happen again."

"Be sure that it won't." Gladiolus said with a cold voice. "I will take my leave first. I need a breath of fresh air. If you need me, I will be by the shore."

"Have a nice walk, my lord." Jeremy maintained his head bowed down while Gladiolus walked out of the office.

Edited by: nalyn