The Song of a Siren

Chapter 7

Notes from Author: Listen to the song while reading this and this is the last chapter. 

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A punishment worse than death. That was the fate that Imara had bestowed on Harry and Louis. It had all happened so quickly that Louis couldn't remember half of it. She had wiped the minds of Harry's men as promised, leaving them in a sleep-like state until they woke up with no memories of Louis or sirens. Imara had decided that erasing Harry's memories of Louis would have been far too easy. He would have been able to continue on in life unknowingly. Instead, Imara wanted to make both Harry and Louis ache unendingly.

If Louis truly loved this human as he had claimed, the only punishment worse than death would have been the inability to do so. Therefore with that in mind, she had made her decision. The last thing Louis remembered was clinging onto Harry's body as the man whispered soft assurances in his ear that everything would be just fine. Then it all went black.

Louis awoke later, alone in the water, his body resting against a large stone emerging from the sea. He didn't know where he was, though he had his tail. Imara had trapped him in this form, but something told Louis that it was the least of his worries. He could see Harry's ship in the distance and a sense of relief washed over him. Harry was on that ship, he could practically feel it. If he swam over, maybe Harry could help him back on board. They could come up with a solution to get his legs back.

Louis started to swim towards the familiar boat, though once he got a few meters away from the large stone he'd awoken on, a wave came and pushed him back. It had appeared from nowhere. Louis tried again and again, however each time he reached the same spot, the wave would come again and move him away. He couldn't pass this point. He tried swimming in a number of directions, though no matter what direction he swam in, a wave would rush forward and push him away. He was trapped in one tiny space beside this rock.

It was after what felt like an hour of calling Harry's name and aimlessly swimming only to be surged back into place when Louis saw a small rowboat was being moved down into the water from Harry's ship. The boat moved slowly until it approached Louis' spot. The siren could have melted in relief when he saw Harry's broad figure rowing the small, wooden vessel towards him.

"Harry," Louis' voice shook, a concoction of both panic and relief. Harry rowed closer, able to pass the spot where Louis had been pushed by the wave until his boat stopped beside him. "I-I can't swim away. I'm stuck here." he explained, holding onto the edge of Harry's boat from where he floated in the water.

Harry's lips only turned down into a frown. "I know, Louis." he whispered softly. "After Imara knocked you out she spoke to me. Your punishment..." he trailed off, his green eyes glassy and filled with unspeakable sadness. "She trapped you here. Forever."

Louis was suddenly inexplicably angry. Trapped in this one tiny spot forever? How was that fair? What did any of this have to do with Harry? The captain just ran one hand through his curls and reached his other to gently rest over Louis' wet fingers. "She knows we can't be together if you're trapped here. It's why she didn't erase my memories. She wants us to remember."

Louis' bottom lip twitched slightly. "Remember? How is this a punishment?" He scowled. He knew all too well how this was a punishment, he just didn't want to acknowledge it. The captain and the siren loved each other so much that they would be doomed to remember each other for the rest of their lives. The fact that Louis was trapped here cemented the fact that they could no longer be together. Harry couldn't stay in the middle of the sea and Louis couldn't leave. The emotional pain and longing would last the rest of their lives and for Louis, that was a long, long time. They were doomed.