Siren's Kiss

05: Blue Pearls

A few weeks earlier.

Beneath the depths and rock wall, a cave entrance was revealed through the darkness arching over deep still waters. Nestled within a series of crystalline caverns and coral reefs was Thalassara, the Siren Kingdom lay hidden. Towering kelp forests swayed gently in the currents, and bioluminescent flora lit up the underwater pathways, creating a mesmerizing, otherworldly glow.

Hidden from mortal eyes, this underwater paradise was a symphony of colors and marine wonders, where the natural world blended seamlessly with the enchanted.

The Elysium Reef, the kingdom's majestic palace, stood as a haven of tranquility, especially for Prince Ciel. His life and royal status had always been heavily protected by his parents, King Cyraeni and Queen Nerissa. His room was spacious, with high, vaulted ceilings and large windows made of crystals, offering a breathtaking view of the surrounding landscape. Sunlight filtered through the water and into the room, creating a soft, dappled glow that shifted with the currents.

At the center of the room was a grand, canopy bed crafted from polished coral and adorned with delicate seashells. The bed was draped with translucent, flowing fabrics in shades of blue and green, mimicking the waves of the sea. Even the bed was made from the finest silk, woven by master artisans of the kingdom.

Prince Ciel sat on the bed, looking down at the palm of his hand. His eyes fixed on another set of pearls, in blue, aquamarine, rose, and violet. Sighing deeply, he added the collection to the small box on the bedside table. The number of pearls in that box was more than enough to fashion another necklace.

"Ciel, are you awake?" He heard gentle knocks on the door and a sweet voice that made him smile.

"I'm awake, Coraline. Come inside."

Princess Coraline was another striking figure in the Siren Kingdom, known for her soft beauty, innocence, and unwavering loyalty to her brother. She had hair of deep sea-green locks that flowed down her back in soft waves, adorned with tiny pearls and delicate coral pieces. Whenever she moved, the hair would catch the light, forming a mesmerizing effect, reminiscent of sunlight dancing on the water's surface.

"Why are you still in bed?" Cora plopped down beside her older brother, eagerly waiting for a story.

Ciel smiled and stared into Cora's enchanting shade of ocean blue eyes, framed by long, dark lashes. He remembered when she was just a baby and he was a boy of ten, holding her hand and telling her stories until she fell asleep.

Coraline wasn't his biological sister. She was the daughter of a nursemaid who cared for Ciel and served his mother. When the nursemaid passed away from an unexpected illness, Ciel took pity on the little girl she left behind and convinced his mother to adopt her. Since then, Coraline has become his beloved sister and she has never left his side.

"I had a strange dream..."

At the mention of "dream," Cora quickly straightened her back, leaning forward with eager anticipation. She loved listening to her brother's dreams, as they often sounded like tales from a novel.

"Do tell!" she urged, hugging a pillow and beaming with excitement.

Ciel chuckled and patted his sister's head. "A god has spoken to me in dreams, starfish. I believe his words to be true."

"A god?" Coraline was curious. "What makes you think it's a god?"

"I saw a golden phoenix in my dream."

She gasped. "You dreamt of Som, the Phoenix God. Wait, why would you dream of the god of reset?"

"Because I prayed to him," Ciel admitted. "I asked that perhaps, he could reset the day I was born and take away my affliction."