Thunder and Lightning

Part 14

“Let me get this straight. You want me to be some legendary hero, so I can set human civilisation to rights? And you’ll make things fit the legends to fool people into believing in me?”

I didn’t like the sound of it.

“First you must learn to rule and then you will return to your people like a hero from their legends. If the legends don’t fit, then I will help you to make them. Also, my sons will spread a few new legends that will easily describe you. Like the cloud catcher you mentioned.” Diana frowned. “Is there nothing legendary about you? What of your name? Were you not named for some great hero?”

I laughed. “Mum named me for her hero. She said he could run faster than anyone else and scored more goals…”

Diana’s eyebrows rose. “Scoring of goals? I don’t understand.”

Explaining football to a female fish? Fuck that.

“Ah, he was just a real legend,” I told her. “But you’re trying to make me into a fake one.”

“May you!” I heard the shriek louder than last night. “May you, may you, may you!” A rattly rustling sounded behind me. I turned to look.

A white bird stood behind me, its beak open as it emitted another shriek. Some sort of white feathered screen stood erect on its back, rustling as it shook.

“So that’s a peacock,” I mused, staring at it. “A big, showy bird. That’s what you want me to be.” I looked at Diana. "What if I refuse?"

"Then I'll find someone else," she said with a shrug. "My spies identified several possible candidates, but I felt you'd give them the best show."

I snorted. "You want a pretty-boy, a leader just for show?"

“That's all I need, but I want you. You’re capable of more than show,” she responded. “You’ll work hard to rebuild, or your people will not follow you.”

“They’ll follow me if I banish all the sirens back to the sea,” I said suddenly.

She laughed. “So they will. All but one.”

“One?” I asked cautiously. “Will you let us execute Cantrella for her crimes?”

“No!” she replied firmly. “Instead, you will show them you can control sirens and storms, with the one who remains.”

“How am I going to do that?” I asked.

“We have a weather station here that runs off solar power, with a computer that can predict weather. I can assure you the forecasts are quite accurate.” Diana smiled.

“The siren?” I prompted.

She laughed. “You’ll say you stole her clothes and you’ll set dragons on anyone else who tries it.” Her eyes were hard. “I will remain as your consort, at least in name.”

“Just in name?” I tested.

She stood up and started to walk back toward the house. “Of course. In truth, you will be my consort, not I yours.”

Damn.