The Pale Woman's Song

Hurt

"My daughter, there is so much to tell, but I will spare the details for another time. The youngest is the last of the human queen's blood, able to unlock her secrets. I had been caught by pirates-"

Amata hissed with eyes burning as she reached for the tooth dagger at her hip. "Did they hurt you. Where are they? Do they know about the city?"

"I'm unhurt, I do not know where they are, but yes, they know of Lemuria" Feyre tugged gently on Amata's wrist, motioning to the Aronnax floating lazily around the mouth of the tunnel, and the distant forms of the Nektons inside. "I was aided by another, he led me to the Nektons"

"And who are these 'Nektons'" Amata followed cautiously, "I have heard their name floating from the mouths of fish"

Feyre turned back to the younger, just as a fin brushed her cheek and Calligenia burst into view. She hissed a greeting to the pair, olive skin dancing with the water's reflection as she fell into line beside them.

"These Nektons are human mer, said to protect the sea and her kin with the passion of one born of salt and seafoam"

"Interesting", Amata hummed as she thought for a moment, before swiftly changing direction and racing towards the sub now clear of the cave mouth and floating lazily lower towards the city.

Feyre let loos a shrill as she raced after her daughter, Calligenia following closely. "Amata,I brought them into the city to help us. They know more about these pirates than we do"

Amata hissed dangerously as she spun, claws swiping at Feyre's outstretched hand. "They know more, do they?

"Amata-"

"They know more of our plight, of the pain of sisters, those lost who we never met!"

"I-"

"No human could ever fathom how much pain lies in a siren's heart, in her soulless body. No human could understand how much we mourn. Not for our curse, but for those who died so we could live"

"Amata, please-" Calligenia tried, clutching Feyre's arm.

"No. I will not. You brought humans here, after everything our kind has fought to protect. You know the dangers, the story, the reason we stay hidden at the bottom of the ocean. And yet, And yet! Humans, in our last sacred city. The home of our ancestors.

Mother. you told me, so long ago, when we were cast overboard into the sea's embrace, that humans where evil, that they only lived to fulfil their greed."

"Amata. Cor meum. I'm sorry, believe me. But-"

"No more excuses mother. Please, tell me why you brought them. The truth"

"They have such a pure connection to the ocean. A part of me wonders, hopes, that maybe there kinds sins have faded away from there hearts. It is enough to have me hoping"

Silence fell over the trio and Calligenia took the moment to lace her hands in those of Amata and feyre, clutching them tightly. "We are a family, we do not lie to each other, or hurt one another. We are together in this. You are so strong, stronger than you could possibly imagine. But please, if you feel you are carrying too much on your shoulders, talk to me. We are in this together"

Feyre rubbed at the salt collecting in the corner of her eyes before reaching for Amata. The three floated there for a moment, the words settling around them like the promise of a brighter day.

"I'm sorry mother" Amata rushed forward, breaking the grip on her hands as she threw her arms around Feyre, salty tears evaporating in the space between them. "I put so much in protecting this city that i-"

"No" Feyre pulled the woman closer, holding her in a tight embrace. "You have done nothing wrong. It was I.

I put so much into the work that I forgot to treasure you and the lessons of our past. I again put so much blind trust into the kindness of humans. it is a fatal flaw that made us what we are. You deserved to be happy, to live a life of luxury where your every need was catered for. Yet I blindly trusted the first person who offered me what I needed to get you to safety. You should have been rich beyond what a pheasant woman could offer you, not chained to the ocean with rage burnings an unquenchable fire inside you.

I can never forgive myself for what I have done to you"

"I don't care about that. I never wanted gold or jewels or luxury. Only to be with you. Even if it was huddling together on cold streets with the stars burning above. I want nothing more than for us to be inseparable"

Feyre wiped the tears from her daughter's eyes, cupping her face softly. "We are together now, and we will never be apart. I promise"

so...

note to self: don't listen to sad music while writing anything emotional...

But now that that is out of the way, whos ready for the nectons and co. to have actual dialogue in the next chapter, cause I'm still working that out

I'm making this stuff up as I go mind you.

Also, yeah, Calligenia is part of the family and you get some backstory as to why and how they got on that boat.

Also, go nuts with a bunch of pirate sub names cause i'm bringing a fleet of pirates to Lemuria.

But, serious question: would you rather a separate book for the rewrite, or just for me to put it over the old stuff?