Sea Witch🔱 UNDER EDIT

IV

Someone starts to sing, soft and warm compared to Amara's which was higher and filled with bravado. The shark calms from its frenzy and swims away as if it were merely on a late night swim and casually passed us on the way.

A feeling of relief spreads through my entire being as I watched the shark disappear past the coral gardens.

If I hadn't been saved in time...

A shiver runs through me at the thought.

Come to think of it, the voice seemed oddly familiar.

"Lelazora Euphonia Caerulius..." I stiffened at the mention of my birth name. There's only been one person to call me by my full name and that was, "Mother?"

I turn, taking a guess and sadly being right as my eyes laid upon her infuriated face. 

She rushes over to me, her tail swatting erratically, as she did so. I brace myself for what was to come.

"I–I'm sorry, Mothe–Ugh!" She unexpectedly pulls me into a tight embrace.

"How could you be so foolish?!" I am left dumbfounded by her reaction since I was expecting more of a lecture, a reprimand for my actions and how they almost got me killed.

"You aren't hurt, are you? No pain?"

Then again, I'd never been in a near death situation such as this before—where the situation is completely out of my control. 

As the corners of my eyes started to burn, I found myself clutching my mother, wanting to be conforted after the ideal, desperately so.

I hug her tightly and she returns it tenfold. 

"What were you thinking?!"

Meanwhile, Amara seemed to be going through quite the opposite with her mother.

Lazurin knights escorted the other sirens as Amara's mother, Peridiz, the headmistress of our school, scolded her in the way I expected my mother to.

"I'm sorry, Mother." She apologizes to her mother, but that didn't help her.

Her mother would surely find a way to punish her and as she glances over to me, she gives a slight smile and nod; glad to see that I was unharmed.

As her mother swims away to follow the knights, she mocks her as she follows, earning a soft giggle from me.

After we head to the duchy, mother and Headmistress Delphinia made sure that the other sirens in our group were unharmed and returned safely to their families.

Saying goodbye to the Delphina's, mother gives me another once over before finally, scolding me.

"The gods must've been watching over you for me to arrive in time! Don't think I've let you go either. As punishment, you'll be given supplementary lessons by Headmaster Delphinia after your classes at the academy until the next month! And don't think of exploring some isolated death trap with your friends. You will come directly home!"

There she was;the mother that would scold me the second I did something wrong. Though, it didn't annoy me as much as usual. This time, she had cause and I didn't blame her.

Really, it was second nature to my mother.

Maybe, I would one day do this once I had my own daughter.

I know this only happened because she cared for my well-being, so I hugged her; accepting all the terms of my punishment and ultimately, my fate—just as Amara did.

"But mother, I have sessions with the Queen. Does this mean I can't go?"

I feel her stiffen at the mention of the Queen.

"No, I'll send a message to move your lessons after the Queen's."

"Thank you, mother." I bury my face in her abdomen. "Yes, yes. Well, run along to your quarters. It's time to rest."

.  .  . 

It's been two weeks since mother put me under punishment. 

Tutoring sessions with Amara's mother were familiar. She seemed docile, but her teaching style was a bit more heavy-handed.

She pushed her pupils to their limits, and it made every day a challenge.

In a way, she reminded me of Vulko. 

I started my training under the guise of private lessons with the Queen. I wasn't ready to tell my mother yet.

Mainly, it consisted of me being able to use my legs which was a problem for some time.

I couldn't tell mother, so I had to ask someone who knew how to shift—Amara.

It was customary for members in her family to learn the siren techniques and skill before their coming of age.

It's the same for the Caerulius too, but after the shark incident, mother thought that it would be best to go at my own pace. 

Though, after hearing the same excuse, I took it upon myself to ask my best friend who I knew would be able to teach me and keep it discreet.

"I figured you'd come after getting tired of Mommy Duchess."

She smiled smugly at me as she laid back on the couch.

"You weren't my first choice–"

"No, Lady Caerulius. I was your only choice." I scrunched up my face and rolled my eyes.

"Are you going to help me or not?"

She ponders the question for a while before getting up from her couch.

"I suppose I can help my best friend learn how to walk for the first time."

.  .  .  

I don't know why, but...

"Urgh!"

...I suddenly thought that gaining two legs would make me a master of the arts. Sadly, that wasn't the case as I had slammed onto the matted floors for the sixth time.

The other recruit offers a hand and I ignore it, getting myself to re-tighten my arm braces.

Vulko walks up to me. "You must learn to have patience, Leora. You won't get anywhere if you just expect to have the skills you lack."

"Thank you for stating the obvious, Vulko." I say as I re-tighten the straps of my braces.

"You seem troubled."

I breathe out a sigh and look at Vulko, calming myself.

"I'm a little overworked at the moment. It's nothing I can't handle."

"There's no need to be prideful. If you're having trouble with other commitments, we can always re–"

"NO!" I yell out loud, gaining the attention of some other recruits.

"I can do this just...give me some time..." Vulko looks at me worriedly. I'm sure the sight of a stressed teen was a weird sight for him, however he also saw that I had ambition.

"I trust you, Leora, but we're cutting down training until your work load gets sorted."

I roll my eyes and stare at him, mouth ajar, hand on my hip as I breathed tiredly.

"Fine, Master."

I say as I bow in a flourish. It was almost time to start classes with the Queen and I had no more time to start an argument with him.

I gather my things and head straight for the gardens, ignoring the stares and ridicule from my spar mates.

"Leora!" 

I ignore Vulko's call.