The Golden Child

~Elias~*

I stared at her, shocked. This girl had burned a village to the ground. This girl had done this, and in the process earned my father's approval. "I.." I started. I really couldn't think of anything intelligent to say. "I.. Thank you for telling me."

"Sure." She snorted, which seemed wrong on her beautiful face. "Thank you for telling me you're a murderer, I'll be leaving now..." She looked down at the floor.

"I won't leave you," I said before I realized it. Pull yourself together, Elias. Don't fall for the pretty girl with the dark secrets. Don't go for the powerful magic girl who is mysterious and beautiful. I hadn't realized that I had thought about her at all. I hadn't realized I had fallen a little in love with her tragic tale. What is up with you, Elias? This wasn't like me at all.

"Thanks, but you'll change your tune, eventually, when you don't want to be friends with some ridiculous fake goddess who is also a murderer!" She said, exasperated.

"You keep coming back to the murderer. What about the martyr?" Cringe. So corny, Elias. Be comforting.

"You sound like something out of a children's tale," Syren said sarcastically.

"So what? Maybe not a martyr, but not a murderer." Typical, Elias. Hilarious that you've lost yourself for a pretty face and lovely voice. Do you even know this girl?

"Thank you, but you sound insincere." She sounded sad, like she had just chased off the only friend she ever had.

"I'm not insincere," I promised. "You can believe I am, but I'm not. I will always be there for you." My words hung in the air. Did you just swear fealty to her? Elias, what a bad idea. No it's not, I tried to tell myself. Besides, I had already done it. It was a moot point, anyway. I had done it.

"Did you just..." Syren began, but a pounding on the door stopped her.

"Syren! Open up," the king bellowed. "I'm here for my son."

"Here," Syren whispered, waving her hands over my face and body. Instantly, I became sore.

"What did you do?" I asked.

"Made you look tortured," she replied with a grin. She then walked to the door.

"Syren!" The king yelled, and made to pound on the door, but she opened it just in time.

"Yes?" She said cheekily, feigning a smile.

"I'm here for Elias," he responded, looking chastised.

"I'll give him to you if you bring him by tomorrow. I'm not done with him yet."

"Yes! Of course!" My father's grin was downright evil. "He'll be here." He motioned, and I limped out of the tower.