The Little Water Elf

19- "White Lie"

「 But the princess had not yet
appeared. People said that she was
being brought up and educated
in a religious house, where she
was learning every royal virtue. 」

The next morning's breakfast was small, as a ship was meant to depart the following day back to the main castle far from the sea. He supposed in another universe that meant Viren should've been worried about how Rayla would hold up, being so far from her primal source and natural home, but if everything went according to plan, they'd never make it far from shore and the elf would be dead soon.

He'd called Claudia into his official "study", one that wasn't hidden in the castle's tower, and let her sit with him at a table positioned by a window.

They spoke for a few minutes about nonsense things, before Viren stood.

"I need your help with a spell."

He led his daughter down through a secret staircase hidden behind an old painting. Claudia's face lit up at the appearance of the lair, her eyes flickering with a silent entrance as she scanned over the countless bits of material, all usable for dark magic.

"Come here," Viren beckoned, and when Claudia looked his way her sight was filled with the green glow of a siren's voice.

Her breath caught in her throat as she looked at the small bundle of light, the songs emanating from it making its way to her ears and filling her with a sudden, overwhelming desire to throw herself into the sea.

"Unfortunately the voice is inexperienced, and it's magic isn't cultivated enough to reach its highest point of power, but I thought it was something you'd take interest in," Viren spoke, his hand reaching out and plucking the voice from its pedestal careful to make sure that the clawed hand still held its contents tightly. "This is why I called you here, I managed to extract a small amount of it's power into here."

Viren held up a small vial, with a sickly looking, pale pink liquid inside. Claudia looked at him questioningly.

"I believe this potion can help you in using magic without need of material or a primal source."

Claudia gasped, her hand flying to her mouth as she realized what her father was suggesting, "You mean— you've found a way to obtain that type of power?"

Viren simply nodded.

"That's, like, the discovery of the century, dad!" Claudia exclaimed, "Do you realize what this means for mages all over? It's brilliant!"

Viren chuckled at his daughter's enthusiasm, "Now, it isn't quite that potent yet. I still need to tamper with the voice and find a way to make a more potent draught, but as of now, this is yours."

Viren tossed Claudia the small vial of liquid.

Of course, it certainly was not what he said it was. That kind of magic he had yet to find. It was but a simple love potion, one that would fade in only a few days. Still, it was enough for what he needed.

"Now, go ahead, drink."

•  •  •

The tide was high that night, yet the water was incredibly clear, even in the darkness.

The full moon shown down high above her, and she could still feel the gentle power it filled her with, even in human form. The ocean and moon complimented each other, the moon giving the ocean life and mischief while the ocean reflected and brightened the moon's light.

Two halves of the same coin, two parts of one whole.

Rayla stared out longingly over the sea, her heart aching for reasons she didn't quite know. The water suddenly felt colder, more foreign than it ever had before. In her previous days she'd known there was a whole civilization awaiting her in its gentle embrace. Now she wasn't sure if there even was anyone there in its icy depths.

The water was definitely colder, with summer ending and her ocean elf magic undoubtedly weaker than before, there was no warmth in the seas she once knew.

She found it funny how her mind was now filled with fear instead of familiarity at the thoughts of its depths.

Her thoughts drifted back to Callum, and she found herself cringing at the thought of when she'd last seen him. She'd run, like always. In the ocean it was either fight or flight — normally flight, where they'd swim as quickly as possible away from danger, even though they knew plenty of songs that could easily end the danger.

She looked back at the castle, at the dark windows that had become so familiar, and at the tower where she knew Callum and Ezran's rooms were located. There was a small light visible in one, and if she didn't know any better she could've sworn she saw a figure sitting at a desk, drawing something.

It was too far away to tell for sure.

Through the shallow water she could make out the faint, luminescent sight of a single pearl.

She stood, walking down the last few steps and wincing at the sharp pains in her feet. The mermaid bent down, picking up the small gem and holding it up.

Such a simple little object, yet one that held so much meaning.

She held the pearl up to the moonlight, a painful smile making its way to her face.

The moonlight reflected off of it in a certain, shimmery blue color. It was the tear of a merperson. She wouldn't be surprised if it was her own.

Letting the tear drop back into the ocean, she fell to the steps, her head resting on the rail and her eyes slipping closed. This was her last night by the sea. Callum had let her know that they were leaving for the main Katolis castle in the morning.

The capital was inland, away from the water.

The thought of leaving the one place she'd always know was both exciting and terrifying.

Mostly terrifying.

She briefly wondered that, if she started walking and let herself fall into the water, would she still be able to breath and return to her home? Perhaps the spell was simply an illusion, and she'd grow fins and get her voice back one she returned to the deeper parts of the sea.

A blinding pain suddenly filled her legs, creeping up her body to the point where she simply sat there, everything covered in a simple white hot burning.

When it finally faded, she found that the sight of the ocean made her sick.

Rayla stood, stepping out of the sea and returning to the castle.