The Siren's Treasure

Chapter One

The open seas. Cassandra Phantom loved the open seas. She loved every aspect of it; the salt-scented air, the rocking of her ship, the sharp, cold feeling of the droplets of seawater spraying her face. She even loved her crew complaining about the days of hard work. Cassandra stood under the foremast basking in the glorious summer sun. There were the sounds of tiny steps behind her. Her daughter Lyanna Phantom; no older than five. Cassandra laughed heartily. Lyanna had found her hat. A black silk tricorn with flaming orange feathers embroidered on the side.

Cassandra laughed as she plucked the hat from her head. "And what are you doing with mommy's hat, little beast?" She cooed Lyanna held to her chest.

Lyanna pouted, "Hat," she babbled. She reached for it again. "Want hat!" Lyanna said bossily.

Cassandra laughed, "Yes darling," she cooed. She sighed "Where is your father, little beast?" She made a sound between a scoff and chuckle at Lyanna's insistent reaching for the garment. She put it on her head as she bellowed for her husband "Jayce!" She called.

Frantic pounding up the steps and a man's voice rang out, "Sorry," Jayce panted. "I- I thought she had fallen asleep with me," he flailed through his words helplessly.

Cassandra rose a brow; expression cold as ice, "Clearly not." Cassandra growled. She snorted at the whimper from her husband's throat, "It's alright dear," Cassandra soothed with a smile, "Our little Lyanna isn't one for sitting still for long," she soothed, kissing his pale cheek.

Jayce smiled in turn, "Thank you my pearl... by the Gods you are still so hard to read after these five years, have you no mercy woman!?" Jayce joked.

Cassandra smiled a toothy grin, "Never." she kissed his hand. She sighed wistfully. "You don't get to be the greatest pirate in a generation with mercy,"

Cassandra took Lyanna toward the bow of the ship holding her on the railing as Lyanna giggled and squealed at the spraying waves.

*

Cassandra didn't know how she had gotten so lucky. One day she had been a girl working as a servant in a rich man's manor. Then when his words and punishments for her and her mother's mistakes dared to grow too harsh, she killed the man. Poison, slow and methodical; she had stolen what she could, taking refuge on a ship and working for other captains. When she again grew tired of servitude at the age of eighteen she had challenged the captain to a duel. It had been long and bloody. Every singular second of her previous training with a scimitar had left her head when she found it most crucial. But she had won, with several new scars to show for it. Bleeding and possibly dying Cassandra docked her new ship and crew, stumbled into a bar, and made eyes at the first lord she saw. She swaggered over to his table like she wasn't bleeding from the gut and sat herself down.

Jayce had remarked upon her beauty in flowery, soft language. Language he doubtless learned behind safe, comfortable walls of a palace. In the safe, comfortable company of other lords, ladies, and his guards. A gilded cage. At least she was free . She found it odd how drawn to him she was. She would normally never go for someone of his stature. Unless she needed to swindle some drunk lord or lady out of the gold in their purse. Everything about Jayce Talonflame screamed nobleman. His maroon suit jacket, his amber eyes squinting in the dim light of the tavern, his long scarlet hair tied with a golden strip of cloth into a ponytail, his rehearsed smile, his deep voice like the most expensive velvet, his pressed and clean white pants, the flaming orange phoenix feather sewn into his right shoulder. No doubt the heraldry of house Talonflame. Just another noble prick she'd grow tired of within the hour. Some poor little lamb that she would tire of, and then she'd find another lass or lad to fill the lonely spot in her bed that night. She didn't tire of him at all. In fact he was the most fascinating man she had ever had the pleasure of meeting. A caretaker of the exotic birds and eggs of his home, the sunrise isles. The birds he cared for were phoenix. He had even brought his own hatchling, Lucent.