Siren's Song

Prolouge- Plague

          The earliest memories I have are of the day sickness swept through the city streets…

          That wretched plague crashed into the Arrmos like a wave of death the year I turned seven. In my innocence I could understand the tragedy around me. I remember how thick the air was with tension, every man, woman, and child vigilantly watching each other for signs of sickness. I can recall the sights of dead bodies being burned on the street in broad daylight, for all were too alarmed to touch a diseased corpse. But most of all I remember the sounds. The cries of desperation, of a mother realizing that her child was beyond saving, of a recently orphaned boy brought to tears; that is what I remember most. Each day was a new vivid picture of death…until I fell ill.

          I hadn’t been feeling well for almost a week when the clinician came. My mother had tucked me into my bed and forbade me to leave my chambers in the days before. Under the summer heat I sweltered at her command. I believe she thought she could sweat the disease out of me. That she wouldn’t have to accept the truth. Eventually she did. She stopped coming to my rooms and singing me to sleep; stopped stroking my hair when cough overcame me. My mother’s gentle gaze was replaced by I look of fear, almost disgust.

And on the morning of the doctor’s visit I grew weaker than before. Every breath became a tedious labor I no longer wanted to bear. My vision had grown blurry, like when you first open your eyes under water. I could no longer hear or taste. I hadn’t the spirit a child should. I felt crushed and every fiber of my being vibrated with pain. I was barely aware of the clinician’s cool hands upon my forehead, or his deep baritone voice speaking with my mother. All I could hear were whispers, fragments that didn’t make sense at the time.

“Does… have the gift?”

“Be… certain… when will it…”

“Another... so soon?”

“It… written… even you… don’t deny”

I couldn’t follow the conversation as my strength faded and faded and faded. Faded into blackness; darkness that I would be prisoner to for the next week. And when I awoke, nothing would ever be the same.

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I'm not sure I'm extremely happy with this portion but I felt like I should give a few sections of background before diving in. Its not my best but its a lead up to my other work so I guess it'll do. Hope it suits your fancy.