Gods of the Sea (BTS Vocal Line X Reader)

Ch 46 - Captured

The Guardians were on night watch.

There had always been too many of them. Why did there need to be Guardians when there was a cavern full of sirens? Nevertheless, the Siren King kept fifteen or twenty of them at a time, rotating every year with new Guardians in order to give the current Guardians a time of rest.

The humans were weak like that. Always needing a break. Always needing family and friends.

But sirens didn't need those sorts of things. Sirens weren't built to rest and have families. You were built to uphold the spiritual realm.

You didn't need the humans.

You watched the Guardians as they patrolled the hallways leading to the king's throne room. How could they even be allowed on the sacred tiles here? How could the king allow them inside a sacred space when they were so filthy? Fine, they were deemed pure by the trials. But so what? Purity could always be corrupted. You knew that.

If the sirens could fall, so could the humans.

One of the Guardians, Wilton, bowed as you approached.

"Hello, Y/N," he said with a smile. He was always oddly good at remembering your names. "I hope you are faring well this evening."

"I always fare well in my father's home," you replied, trying to make your smile reach your eyes. "Speaking of which, you've been with us for what? Three months now?"

He nodded proudly. "It's been quite the experience. To see the world as it really is... I wish everyone could see it."

"As do I." You leaned against the wall, doing your best to look downcast. "It's a shame you can't see your family. You must miss them."

His smile faltered a little. "Of course, of course. But what I do here is important."

You let a smile slip, but hid it behind your hand.

"Is that so?" you asked. "Guarding a silly red rock when the sirens could do it themselves?"

His eyes widened at your outburst. You patted your cheek in embarrassment.

"Forgive me," you said. "I didn't mean to speak ill. Perhaps it's because of what I saw earli... oh, nevermind. Forget I said anything."

With genuine concern - that foolish thing humans always seemed to have - he stepped forward to console you.

"It sounds serious," he replied. "What happened?"

You took a long breath for good measure.

"You know part of my job is to bring in the humans for judgment, yes? Well, this time our ship had a small child. Barely old enough to eat solid foods. We brought in her mother and father for judgment and --"

You made a fireworks gesture with your hands.

"The poor child wouldn't eat after that," you continued. "This morning we found the child... well, that is... Ah, such a tragedy."

When you put a hand over your mouth and shut your eyes to fake grief, he put his hand on your shoulder in condolence. It took everything within you to not cut it off.

"That's terrible!" he said.

You nodded. "So terrible, children being separated from their parents. We sirens have no children, so we don't think about those things. But the humans... Why must they be separated from their children like that? Children would be so much better with their parents' love more than anything else, I think."

His face paled slightly as he took a step back and nodded.

"You have a young child, don't you?" you asked.