In letters deeply worn (Geraskier)

Fair

Geralt closed the tavern door behind him with a slam, tired of the whispers of the townsfolk. They hated him but when they needed someone to slay a monster... well at least he'll be paid well.

This time it was siren known to lure sailors to their death. But the odd thing was that the townsfolk had pointed him to a lake. Whatever, it could be something else. He'll see when he gets there. It wouldn't be the first time the town was wrong about a monster.

Taking the reins of the hook he guided Roach to the gate, when they reached the road he pulled himself up and clicked his tongue. Roach took the signal and started to trot to their designation.

After an hour or so they arrived at the lake. Geralt wasn't one to stop and smell the roses but he had to admit it was quite beautiful here. The forest was quite dense around these parts but the sunlight still found a way through the blanket of branches. Rays of sunlight highlighted the light blue of the lake, which was more of a large pond.

He tied Roach to a low branch and scanned the water. So far it seemed calm.

Too calm.

It was too beautiful here, too sirene.

Something was off.

He walked closer to the edge of the water and kneeled down, trying to see if he could smell something. Before he could focus something moved below the water. Soft ripples slowly reached his boots.

Geralt stood up and unsheathed his sword, getting ready to face whatever was coming his way. He spotted a shape move beneath the surface. It indeed seemed to be a siren. The shape moved closer towards him before diving deeper again.

Raising his sword he braced himself for a attack. But instead a head peeked out from the water. A mop of dark brown with two bright blue eyes stared up at him. Geralt cocked his head in confusion, normally he would have been pulled under already, fighting to stay alive.

"Please don't kill me." A whisper so soft a regular human wouldn't have heard it.

Fuck.

The witcher lowered his sword but kept his guard up. He glanced from the siren to his sword. "Ummm...Hi ?"

The sirens eyes grew wide. It pulled itself up, till it's tail was the only thing still covered by the water. It's scales were different shades of blue and matched his eyes.

It inched closer and looked up at the witcher with curious eyes. It opened its mouth and Geralt again heard the soft whisper reach his ears.

"Hello."

Geralt took a step back and assed the situation. A siren in a location where they are not usually found, it doesn't seem aggressive and even ... curious?

"Why have you come to visit me? Normally only wayward travelers come here, but they flee once they see me." The siren hung its head. "I don't want to hurt anyone! I just want to sing." It's voice grew more confident almost at normal speaking level.

"Ummm..." What the fuck?! Geralt was not trained for this. A siren that just wants to perform? Not kill? Before he could continue his thought the siren disappeared beneath the water.

Only to resurface a moment later, carrying something. The witcher quickly realized it was a musical instrument. A old and beaten up lute with a broken string curled at the top.

With a soft smile on its face the siren began to pick at the remaining strings and , to Geralts surprise, actually managed to play something reminisced of a decent tune.

But it was the voice that did Geralt in. It sounded human.

"It's what my heart just yearns to say
In ways that can't be said"