Cage and Song

Magnolia the Synergist

The shoal's compressed sand made for difficult ground to navigate without losing one's footing and falling into the lagoon. Too consolidated for his feet to sink, but too soft to provide adequate support, the Bard had to make his way with care, tightening his poncho and pulling on his wide brimmed hat to shelter himself from the searing sun. At first, he thought the view gorgeous, and had he gone around the water, under the shadow of the woods, he would likely still think so. Magnolia, however, supposedly wasn't keen on humans, and would only ever leave the lagoon's waters for the sandbar that separated it from the bay, which required him to make a long and miserable trek across a fine, only nominally dry line under the baking sun. Sunlight reflecting on the lagoon filled the air with blinding light, and salt water on both sides added to the sand under his feet meant that, despite being surrounded by water, he could feel himself dehydrating rapidly, and worried constantly for the duration of his waterskin.

Mameco was in the process of cursing the mermaid for the fifth time when a deep, husky and melodic voice made him raise his eyes to a rise in the sands ahead. – I wouldn't move so close to the water, landkin. You might be drowned.

The Bard stepped back startled, almost, in fact, falling into the lagoon, but narrowly found balance. A woman lounged in the sandbar, with olive skin, a strong torso and muscular arms. Her chest was bare, with small breasts showing and, below her waist, in place of legs she had the tail of a lungfish, in an opalescent tone from red to violet. Her hair was short and red like fire and her strong-jawed face bore a hostile expression. – Don't you mean I might drown?

– Depends on if you will keep eyeing me down there or will look me in the face, you earthbound jerk.

Mameco hadn't been sure what to expect in a mermaid, but he surely wasn't waiting for that. The Bard opened and closed his mouth multiple times, baffled, then crossed his arms and shook his head. – For your information, I am looking for a friend of yours. A siren. Someone told me you could help, and I could do something you can't.

Magnolia slithered, throwing her torso forward and her tail back, and looked the Bard up and down, then up again, her eyes of deep yellow seeming to undress him down to the bare skin. – Bard?

– Aye. And I would thank you to look me in the eyes too. – Mameco made sure to flash his smuggest smile.

The mermaid merely rolled her eyes and slithered back, gesturing for him to follow her. – You wish. Come with me.

For a moment, it occurred to the Bard to ask if she wished to be carried, but it quickly became clear Magnolia was more than capable of moving on ground without his help. Her nails were thick and sharp, allowing her to easily claw her way forward, leaving deep tracks, like a wild animal's. He could see her back and arm muscles working, flexing and extending with such power he was sure she could crawl with more pull than he could walk. After a few seconds, he saw her yellow eyes throwing daggers at him, and made sure to only eye the landscape.

They climbed a dune-like formation on the sandbar, on a wider point, and Magnolia's terrain advantage went from clear to painful when her hands easily climbed the elevation while the Bard's calves screamed and burned. – Look that way, from this exact angle.

Mameco needed several good seconds to recover, during which Magnolia's eyes censured him constantly. She pointed beyond the woods after the lagoon, in the direction of the promontory. When looking exactly from the angle the mermaid indicated, he could precisely catch a gap in the trees atop the promontory, and see a birdcage glistening a metallic yellow under the sun. A birdcage the size of a small house, and seemingly filled with vegetation, on the top of the promontory and hidden by the woods. – I can scarcely believe it. Up there? Hiding so close?

– That asshole wants to undress Mona with his eyes regularly, but isn't willing to travel more than a couple hours to do it.

– Mona... it's a beautiful name. They say sirens are gorgeous, each and every every one of them.

– Are you weak in the head? Sirens are people. There are children and elderly, pretty ones and ugly ones, what kind of smut have you been reading?

Mameco was pulled right out of his reverie by the mermaid's outrage, and looked at her, only slightly repentant. – Oh, well. I suppose the stories could be a tad exaggerated. Then she is not...

Magnolia looked at the Bard as though he wore a manatee for a hat. – And what does that have to do with... know what? Doesn't matter. She is beautiful, all right? Not all sirens are, but Mona is.

– Well, that was all you had to say wasn't it?

The mermaid shrugged, shook her head and threw herself down the dune, sliding on her navel down to the lagoon. The Bard threw a long last look at the birdcage from across the canopies, and stumbled down. Once again he narrowly avoided falling into the water, and then sat by the waterline, turning to a Magnolia now submerged up to her shoulders. – If the birdcage is this close, and she is your dear friend, then I'd imagine you've only not freed her yet because you can't make your way up there. – This time his smug smile seemed even more fitting. – Your mariner's arms excel over wet sand, but can't quite get you over thorn patches and sharp rocks, can they?

The mermaid's expression was indecipherable this time, but at last she nodded. – That's precisely it. Someone needs to let her go, but no landkin will challenge the prince, and I can't reach her there. Could you be the one to free Mona?

– A fair maiden, locked away in a tower? Yes, I guess I could win her gratitude, be the hero of the story for a change, instead of only the relayer. I think I can do this. Is there aught I should know? Some challenge or trap in the way of opening the birdcage?

– No, just need to get up there in one piece.

Mameco took a deep breath and smiled, feeling fortunate for the situation he unveiled. Being the hero and winning another beautiful maiden. And this time not even needing to use his voice. The Bard adjusted his pack and bid the mermaid farewell, ready to fulfill his destiny. – Hey, Bard?

Mameco turned again, and saw the mermaid looking sheepish. She definitely was prettier that way, less aggressive and more thankful. – See how much better you look when you are not acting hostile? You should smile more often, makes you more feminine. – Magnolia's yellow eyes opened wide, and Mameco saw her smile at last, a wide, sincere smile, much better. – Were you about to bid me good luck?

– Aye. Good luck, Bard. And send Mona my regards.