The Pale Woman's Song

Amata

There was a sudden, unsettling silence as they contemplated the Siren's jarring words. the group slowly looked around at each other, all certainly thinking the same thing, and yet not wanting to believe the shocking realisation.

"You mean, you were once human?", Fontane asked cautiously, eyes locked on Feyre. The siren smiled widely, her sinister teeth sparkling.

"Well yes", Feyre slipped smoothly back under the water, barely marring the surface. "I was human, a long time ago. But the sea claimed me"

"How", Ant hurriedly asked, fascinated beyond compare.

"Having a woman aboard a ship was said to be bad luck. But who can blame one for trying to protect her family? We hid in the hold, nestled deep against crates and barrels, we thought we where safe, that no one would find us. However, we were wrong."

Lightning split the sky as unyielding rain lashed against the ship, bitting into the crew as the sea churned beneath them. They were gathered on the deck, stubbornly ignoring the frigid water soaking them. Their cheers filled the air as two women where dragged from the bowels of the boat, their raven locks flying in the harsh wind.

"Having a woman aboard is a curse from the ocean. We must be rid of them before the Sirens come to claim our souls". The booming voice of the captain cut through the storm as the women were dragged to the plank.

The older fought ferociously against the soldier holding her, eyes burning with a fury unmatched by even hellfire itself. "Release us. Please. Don't do this"

The younger sobbed as tears carved glistening tracks down her puffy cheeks, onyx eyes like that of her mother, but full of unbridled fear as the ocean stirred.

"You would kill a child based purely on speculation", the older struggled to break the bruising grip on her as she tried to reach for the younger whos sobs and compliance where heartwrenching. "The sea will clam your souls for this"

"Silence the witch". The captain boomed, motioning to the two shreds of fabric that were then used as crude gags. The older watched, helpless as her daughter's arms and legs were bound tightly, ignoring her own rough bonds as she hoped her eyes conveyed the message.

They were going to be alright.

Though even she doubted it as a heavy weight was tied to her.

She struggled fruitlessly as she was dragged to the edge, the last thing she saw, being the frightened eyes of her daughter as she fell victim to the ocean.

The darkness was fast approaching as the second body was thrown to the ocean, struggling frightened as she sank.

A comforting whisper suddenly filled the darkness as the older felt her consciousness slip away. She wanted to scream as pain erupted deep in her legs, forcing them together as she watched her daughter undergo the same process. Shimmering black scales erupted from the snaking appendage as her feet elongated, shoes and other articles of clothing floating lazily down through the water as salt burned there throats.

As the horrifying process finished, the older found herself able to shred through the ropes binding her, and she took in a husky breath as she found instinct guiding her.

She carefully gathered her daughter into her arms, the younger sobbing as she clutched her aching tail. "The sea has given us new life"

They found their eyes drawn to the ship sailing away in the mirk, merry laughter barely whispering from the above as she swam closer, every movement sending burning pain through them.

but still they swam, until others joined them, welcoming them with soft touches of inky scales to inky scales, there soft, haunting voices strangely comforting as they sang. the younger slunk through the water, hidden under the inky tail of her mother as their voices called the sailors into the abyss.

"So. You and your mother...", Finn stammered out, unsure of what to say after such a tale. Their creation was horrid, barbaric. And yet he found himself enchanted by the story.

"No. My Daughter. I fought so hard to protect her. She was destined to marry a nobleman, and now she is stuck in the body of a child"

"How old are you", Fontane asked, shocked.

"Age was seen differently back then, and now, like her, I am stuck as a twenty-year-old", Feyre sneered at the water, or more so, her reflection. "when one becomes a Siren, their body is frozen in time, never aging or decaying"

"So your basically immortal", Ant smiled gleefully.

Feyre chuckled softly at his nature. "Yes, and no. We are immortal unless someone aims for our heart. But as we die, we dissolve into seafoam."

"So that's why no one has been able to capture one of you", Fontane spoke quizzically.

Finn cleared his throat, reminding the creature, and Fontane, that the pirates had caught her.

"Right. How did you guys manage to catch her?", Fontane crossed her arms, once again raising her eyebrow at the pirate, who threw his hands up in surrender.

"I have no idea"

"Yes, that would be partially my own fault. I simply let my guard down. which reminds me, boy, we have a deal"

"Oh yeah, thanks", Finn turned to Fontane. "My dad found an underwater city, or what looks like the gate to it, he says"

The two young Nektons turned to each other, wide eyes and fearfull. "Lemuria"

"What do you know of Lemuria!", Feyre roared, once again pushing herself out of the water and looking quite otherworldly and altogether frightening.

"Whats Lemuria? Captain called it Atlantis". Finn asked sceptically. glancing between the three and feeling very much left out as they all exchanged a stiff look, save for the Siren who looked close to tearing the sub apart.

Little note; Feyre's (Fei-R) name means Human Huntress, and her daughter, Amata, means Beloved. They don't remember their names from when they where human, the Ocean gave them new ones, and yes, the whispers that they hear are the ocean. (terrible world-building, i know)

Now, the random gibberish she speaks sometimes is actually latin, which i'm using in place of Lemurian. its mostly just been her going on about the sea and how she would protect Lemuria, but next chapter is gonna have a bucket load of Latin which will be explained in the actual chapter itself.

Also, Feyre, we all know you can be scary, but please stop.