The Sound of a Siren's Call

5.) What Comes Next

We were all in a clump within a second. The whole group of sirens was fighting in underwater turmoil with a few of the sailors snapping to their senses swimming upwards. I'd known tensions were always high, but I never realized how close we were to each other's throats. Every few minutes a group of sirens would break away with a group of men and swim as fast as they could into the flashing horizon.

My mother wasn't going to let me go, but lucky for me, I didn't have any other commitments. We swam through the water and she demonstrated how she could outmaneuver me in any way I could try to dodge her.

We all lost track of each other, the fighting groups eventually drifting apart in a thrashing, tumbling knot. My mother and I had split apart almost as soon as she'd realized my companion had left.

I slipped away as soon as I was sure no one had noticed me. With a flash of regret, it occurred to me I didn't know how to find any of my sudden supporters. I didn't even know where my father would be at that point.

I knew I'd have to find someone eventually, but for the moment, all I had on my mind was getting out of the mess of the night. I swam as fast as I could, letting the water flow off my body.

I don't know how long I swam.

ψψψ

When I woke up, I wasn't alone. I smelled food cooking and sat up quickly, ready to be on defense.

The first thing I noticed was that I was in a cave, sunlight filtering in. It must've been morning then.

My eyes adjusted to the semi brightness and I saw my companion from last night swimming in front of a crackling fire.

I lazily floated to where she was.

"Hey," I tapped her shoulder.

She spun around and smiled. "How are are you?"

"Fine. How are you?"

"Fine," she turned back to her fire.

"What are you doing?" I asked, even though it was quite obvious she was cooking. I more wanted to know why.

Sirens never had much of an issue digesting raw fish. I was a little more touchy depending on how long I wanted to be swimming.

She pointed casually to the small bank of the cave. The boy from last night was passed out and sopping wet there.

"How'd you get him all the way back there?" I asked quickly.

"The water level was higher," she dismissed easily.

"What are you going to do when he wakes up?"

She shrugged, her hands busy reaching to the spit she'd somehow managed to construct over the fire.

I still didn't know her name. I would have to get her attention again to ask.

I took a deep breath and sagged down on a rock about a foot under the water. What had I gotten myself into?

I should find my father...

In an odd way, I kind of wanted to know how everything here was going to work out.

But I would check on the Red Revenge eventually.

For the meantime, I sat in a cave that slowly filled with the smell of good food. I would have to go back to my little cave to get my clothes before I could walk on the beach.

I hadn't realized how fully I'd zoned out until my companion got my attention. I really needed to learn her name.

Our boy was awake. His eyes darted around the cave-like a cornered animal. Every instinct was begging me to leave my two companions alone with each other to sort everything out.

I took a deep breath. Both of them looked upset. He was yelling, his mouth moving too quick and fast for me to even try lip reading. My companion looked upset as she grabbed at my arm.

"How do I explain that we didn't kidnap him?" she signed.

"I don't know. Are you even sure you didn't?"

She gave me a slightly murderous look and swam to the bank of the small beach. She was talking, and I instantly felt more left out than I'd of thought.

When a few minutes passed and the situation didn't improve, I tapped on my friend's arm.

"Would you mind interpreting for me?"

She nodded and said something to him.

She turned to me expectantly. "What's your name?" I asked looking up at him.

She frowned but got me my answer.

"C-A-S-T-O-R," she spelled out.

I nodded. "Sounds Northern," I commented.

"It is," my fellow siren translated. "The Duke of Gham is named Castor."

I nodded and smiled, my obliviousness showing through. I'd never paid any attention to anyone in government. It was just lucky that I knew I was technically living in Regno under King Castdel.

I knew a few of the major cities too. I knew Carnma was one of the biggest cities in the country, people living in blocks stacked on top of each other. I knew North Hellendun had a fortress that was said to shoot down any enemy ship in a second.

Beyond that, I was lost.

"I'm Arriana," I told him, hoping my friend would translate my name sign. She must've.

"And this is..." I looked at my impromptu translator, hoping my prompting would be enough.

"J-U-N-I-P-E-R," she supplied.

Our comrade just stared stonily back. I didn't need an interpreter to tell me what that meant.

"Did you offer him the fish yet?" I asked Juniper.

"Not yet."

She made the offer and we both swam back, our back on the far edge of the cave. I turned to her.

"What's your plan?"

"I don't know." She furrowed her eyebrows. "Do you think I can throw him back into the wild?"

I chuckled. "Not unless you're prepared for a bit of a swim."

She didn't seem to catch the joke. "I guess I could. We could get the group and go back to where the ship started."

"You're serious?"

She looked at me funnily. "Why not? I've always wanted to see some of the world."