The Sea King leaned back on his throne, stretched and yawned sweetly. He lifted his crown and scratched with pleasure the bald spot that was beginning to appear. What can you do, age, not long ago six hundred and forty-two. This is no joke. He sighed and adjusted the blue pearl hanging on his chest, set in gold - a symbol of power over the sea.
"So, you say they left?" he asked again.
- That's true, - Tiger wagged her tail. - I saw it with my own eyes. They're gone, your majesty.
The king looked sadly at the coral-decorated walls of the throne room, sniffled, wiped his nose with the sleeve of his ceremonial robe and ordered:
— Person, especially close, come closer.
The white shark swam right up to the throne.
- How could you do this?
The shark spread its fins.
- I am this... That... And they are that... And this one, who...
"This-method!" the King squealed, jumping up on his seat and stamping his feet.
- Idlers! Loafers! Intriguers! That is, schemers, - he added less confidently, and therefore much more quietly. - You can't do anything yourself, I have to be everywhere on my own. But I can't. I'm alone. And I'm old, I get tired quickly now. Assistants, may your gills dry up.
- Absolutely right, - Tiger agreed. - You can't entrust her with anything. She'll screw everything up, ruin everything.
"You're a good girl yourself!" the King pounced on her. "Couldn't you help?!"
- What? - Tiger didn't understand. She was so surprised that she even started to cross her eyes.
"I couldn't help you, I said, you striped miracle!"
The king stared at her, then collapsed back onto the throne, hit the armrest, gasped and said tearfully:
- No, I can't take it anymore. To hell with all of you, idiots. I'm leaving. I'll drop everything and leave. I'm old, my bones ache. Disappear here without me, perish. And the Master of the Mist has been calling me to him for a long time.
Tiger even sobbed.
- No need. Only if you have already decided, - her eyes sparkled slyly, - leave me a blue pearl as a keepsake of your majesty, as a fond memory. - And she wiped away her tears with her fin.
- Well, you... That... - mumbled Belaya. - No need... Where would we be without you...
"Yes," Tiger confirmed. "We will be very bad without you. But we will try to cope. Just don't forget to give me the pearl, you won't need it anymore…"
The king nodded.
- I'll give it to you now. I'll just wash my hands and then I'll give it to you. Where will you go without me? You'll perish... You'll die... And there's no need to try, everything is known in advance. That's the only thing that keeps me going, my kind heart and sense of responsibility. - He raised a crooked finger admonishingly. - I can't abandon you to your fate. - He groaned and scratched under his crown again. - Okay, so how are things going with us?
"Permission to report?" Hammer clicked his fins.
The king settled himself more comfortably and nodded graciously.
— Go ahead.
— At the present moment the disposition is as follows: although the enemy was not destroyed, he was driven back to the shore and completely blocked in the port. Our losses in the operation are minimal. The enemy will not be able to leave the port, but all our attempts to storm this point have not brought us success so far. Therefore, more decisive measures are needed.
- Which?
"I can't know!" Molot reported cheerfully. "The regulations say: decisive, but there are no indications as to what kind."
"And what do you think, person especially close to me?" the King addressed the White One.
- This... That... Eat it!
"Yes," the King agreed. "Of course. If someone is a fool, it's for a very long time. That's why I love you. What do you think?" he turned to Tigrovaya.
- And I completely agree with your majesty.
- In what?
- In everything, sir. Absolutely in everything, sir.
- But you don't even know what exactly I think.
- You can't think anything bad, and therefore I agree.
The king looked at her thoughtfully.
- What if I decide whether to boil you or fry you for lunch today?
Tiger hesitated for a second, but then objected:
- It will be difficult. The slab in the palace is too small.
The king spread his hands mournfully.
"It's always like this," he complained to no one in particular. "Always. Alone and alone. No help. Enough," he hit the armrest.
- Looks like I'll have to summon the dragon again.
"Unless he's already gone to bed for a little nap again," Tiger added sarcastically.
"Wake up!" Hammer snapped.
"Maybe it will work," Tiger noted doubtfully. "Although there are no guarantees."
The king became angry again.
- And here it is not as it should be! You see, the little dragon sleeps seven days a week, and regrets that it can't do eight! Oh, I wish he was here... But he is needed, needed... Our ten-winged scoundrel, - the king was touched. Feeling touched, he sniffled again. - You are such a rascal. And we'll send Hammer to wake him up.
— That's right!
- Quiet, quiet, - the King winced. - Your ears will burst. He was delighted, he started yelling. Yes, you are good in every way, my faithful sharks, my nasty servants. And you are just the right amount of vile, and excellent cannibals - there is no bad word to say about this,
- But they are stupid... And you, White, - the King continued menacingly, - take care of the city for now. And watch out, if the damned princess leaves you again, I'll hang her out in the sun to dry alive. I won't let her go a second time. By the way, where is Tailless? Bring him here!
- Why serve? - someone squeaked resentfully from under the throne. - Here I am, always at your majesty's service, the most loyal Water Rat in the world. And not tailless at all.
"You'd think you had a tail after all," Tiger remarked to the side.
"And you just shut up, striped toad," Ratty squeaked grumpily, crawling out from under the throne. "And by the way, remind me what you said last week about our gracious King."
"What did you say... I didn't say anything..." Tiger was noticeably confused. "Everything is fine."
- And I heard! I heard everything! - Krysyuk squeaked with glee. - I'll tell you everything.
- I'll... - Tiger got furious. - Damned informer... They did the right thing by tearing off your tail, but that's not enough. I'll tear your head off now, too, - she advanced on Krysyuk.
- Quiet, my confidants! - the King clapped his hands. - Quiet! What kind of scandals are you making before my majesty?! What kind of noise is that? Come here, - he beckoned to Krysyuk.
He nimbly ran up the long, dirty robe, embroidered with images of starfish and jellyfish, falling to the floor, and jumped onto the King's palm. He brought Ratty up to his face and quietly whispered something in his ear. The curious Tiger tried to eavesdrop, but the King hissed at her so loudly that the shark disappeared as if in the wind. The King spoke, and Ratty even twitched his tail stub - he listened so attentively. Finally the King finished:
- And Belaya will go with you, she will help if anything happens.
- Everything will be done, your majesty, - squeaked Krysyuk. - Don't worry, everything is going well. Only White, as I recall, a month ago... - now he stuck his whiskered muzzle right into the King's ear.
"It can't be!" the King shook his head after listening.
— I heard it with my own ears.
"Come here," the King beckoned to White. "He's right when he says that you…"
- And he whispered something to the shark. Tiger tried to eavesdrop again, but she was shouted at again and thrown out of the throne room door.
"So, is it true or not?" the King finished sternly, looking straight into White's eyes.
"It's… no…" White squeezed out, turning white, although it was very difficult. "Great drought!.. No way!"
"I think so too," agreed the King, shaking his finger at Krysyuk. "You watch out, lie, but don't lie!"
- How is that possible, your majesty? - Krysyuk whined. - What is this? It was only out of zeal and devotion that I...
- I know, I know... But you will work together.
"Yeah," White agreed with vindictive joy.
"Yeah," Krysyuk sighed without enthusiasm.
The king smiled contentedly and scratched under his crown.