The Tale of a Hybrid and a Siren (reorganized version)

A New Home

The day ended without more incidents, and the dog attack with the lone minotaur was the only line of the work the mercenaries hired under the direction of Geraldus. Geraldus and his company of Pangaean Knights mounted on horses as Vaeludar was the only one to fly in the air. Geraldus lifted Marina on a brown steed as he mounted on a white steed with brown spots.

The people mounted on the horses rode on a pathway leading away from the village to the north. To the north was a plain view of snowy mountains. Away from the village, the horses galloped to a nearby structure in plain sight just a mile away from the village of buildings. It was a quick but slow ride to the building lying in view, and the horses were led by Geraldus taking the reins of the horse hoisting Marina who kept silent on the ride.

The siren had no experience riding on horseback, so the ride was short and smooth for Marina to get the feel of how humans travel. Geraldus looked as if the siren was emotionless as the ride was smooth but odd for Marina to be traveling. He thought by having the siren with the closest to him would make her feel more comfortable. Or so he thought.

As time passed, the horses walked through a gated fence with a road paving through an open entrance with two soldiers on guard duty holding long spears and long shields one-third the soldiers' height. They stood with helmets blocking their faces with thin holes to look out, which looked hard to see what and where an opponent may stand.

Beyond the gate was the building of a simple design of a large house. Towering roofs over aligned brick surrounding a dozen windows. A single entrance into the large building stood with lampposts hanging on two spots. Wide as two houses in the village and as large as the tavern, the house stood as fit to hold two Marina's entire species hiding in Siren's Cove.

From the sky, Vaeludar descended to the near the house's entrance. The horses strolled on the pavement road leading to the house's entrance and to Vaeludar folding his wings from the flight.

As the horses joined up with the hybrid, the riders dismounted. Marina saw how the riders were dismounted from the horses, and it was easy for her to dismount just to slide down the saddle she was hoisted to since her legs leaned down on the same side instead of hooking her feet into the saddle's foot slots to have her feet.

Geraldus saw the siren dismounting from the saddle on her down without any incident or signs she was stuck. He gave the reins of the horse over to his son, Flavius, and Flavius guided his father's horse and his own horse away from the house. Then Sora, Teutates, and Monico led their horses away to follow Flavius.

"What is this place?" asked Marina.

"It is my house, or what's called a manner," said Geraldus.

"Humans really have different lifestyles when it comes to luxury things," she said, curiously.

"As long as it can satisfy a human's taste in each lifestyle," said Sora, bumping her way past Marina. The girl rudely strolled past Marina and pumped her shoulder against Marina's shoulder.

"That one doesn't' like me," Marina complained, rubbing her right shoulder.

"That is due to nearly all humans hating sirens, and never has there been one so bold to walk among humanity," said Vaeludar. "So much was lost to the sirens, mostly being consumed by wars and battles. The sirens ate every man and boy, and the girls hated the sirens for taking away so much. And when they see you, they will think of you as one, even if you are a runt of your species."

"But I am one. I can't bear the taste of the red liquid and inner stuff of humans."

"I know that, but other humans living around the land will not know that. They will only see a siren living among us, and if certain soldiers can't take drastic measures, then the people will take action into their own hands and launch an all-out assault to kill one siren, even if it means they may die trying to.