"He taught me to swim," I told Borgan.
He looked startled, and I threw my hands up in exasperation. Everybody -- Gran, Nerazi, Mr. Ignat`, and, yes, Tarva -- had been astonished and amused to find out that I hadn`t known a doggy paddle from a dalmatian when I arrived in Archers Beach.
"Yes, I was born into a House of the Sea, but I never learned how to swim, all right? There wasn`t any need for me to learn how to swim. No sea in the Land of the FLowers would have hurt Princess Kaederon, for fear of what Aeronymous -- my grandfather -- would do if they had." I looked out over Kinney Harbor, then back to Borgan.
"The Atlantic Ocean, on the other hand, doesn`t give a damn if I live or I die. I`ve always liked that about it."
Borgan tipped his head. "I think you`ll find the sea cares more than you suppose," he said quietly.