"Aron!" Liadan followed him. "Don't walk away, talk to me."

"I have talked to you. You have no regard for how I feel, so what is the point?" Aron replied while continuing to walk.

"I do care." Liadan said.

"You might hear them, but you don't really listen. And then you just stomp over them because you think you're right and I'm wrong."

Liadan sighed. "Aron, we need to protect our family, and this is the safest place for them."

"And I disagree. I think somewhere far from the water and protected by the king's men is far safer. But that's fine. I'll say goodbye to the children and head off, at least they'll know I'm alive."

"$&*(# Aron, the children need you." Liadan cursed.

"We just keep going around and around. I would rather take them somewhere safe than stay here like targets. I know I won't survive a fight with the mermen. Do you really want me to stay here and lose my life to them?"

"Why do you think we'll be safer anywhere else? These mermen can spend a lot of time on land, who knows how far inland they can go?" Liadan asked.

"Because at the very least, there won't be water for more to come up on land from."

"Aron, we're already miles from the sea. The best these mermen have as rivers, and there are rivers everywhere." Liadan pointed out.

'Portside is near and is a port. With the ocean."

"It takes nearly a day to get here from Portside." Liadan said.

"My point is that it's not hundreds of miles away." Aron rubbed his head. "Do as you please, Lia, you always do. Leave me out of it, you always do. It's obvious you don't think I'm a good father. I'm done." Aron stormed off, walking at a brisk pace.

Liadan swore fiercely. "You've always been a good father!"

Aron paused and turned around. "You only say that because I've always bowed to your wishes. I staunchly disagree this time."

"You're a good father because of how good you are with the children you idiot!" Liadan shouted.

"Then let me take them somewhere safe!" Aron pleaded.

"I feel safer having them where our friends are so they can help." Liadan sighed. "Let's talk to Ais, Brie and the others... Ais, Nelek and their children are targets too. Maybe they will also want to move further inland."

Aron looked thoughtful. "That's possible. They'll all want to keep their children safe. Shawn, Brie, Ais and Nelek have already lost far too much."

"We're stronger together." Liadan said softly.

"If everyone is agreeable to moving inland and going to Uncle James and Aunt Olivia's, perhaps Wulfsen would agree to send a small contingent of knghts with us."

Liadan grimaced. She did not trust uniforms.

Aron noticed the grimace. "Better to have able bodied fighters with us."

"If they'll fight for us... I don't trust them around our daughters." Liadan said.