From the Depths

Chapter 12 - Honest, it's a Rash.

Henry had returned with a pouch of gold coins for the mages, they had replaced their hoods making Kirea wonder if they were hiding the fact that they were elves from the town. With Henry back, they now all stood on the sands of the beach in a rather awkward silence, exchanging glances as no words were spoken.

Riku stepped forward to place a small stone in Kirea's palm. "There is another in the pool already. You need only place this in the waters where it resides and the stones will do the rest. But be wary it is a one-time use."

Kirea nodded to the elf's hushed words and caught Henry's confused expression, but thanked the elf regardless. Toying with the rock in her palm she frowned, she didn't know what she was doing when it came to magic. Was it safe, could she pull this off? She shivered at the thought of accidentally splitting the siren in two if she got it wrong.

"Is it safe?" She asked expressing her concerns allowed.

Riku smiled kindly at her. The other two elves however appeared to grow angry as though offended.

"You dare doubt Lady Riku's abilities!" One of them spat.

"Ladies, ladies, please. It's fine." Riku raised her hand and gave her subordinates a glare. "The stone will take with it all the water in the container, leaving nothing behind."

Kirea sighed as relief washed over her. "Thank you Riku, you and the other mages have been amazing." She watched as they mounted their horses.

The rather common exit slightly surprised her, she had almost expected them to teleport away in a puff of magic or something. She waved to them as they trotted down the beach and slowly disappeared in the distance. She would never have believed anyone if they told her this was going to be her life at the castle serving the King.

"Where's all the stuff?" Henry's voice cut into her blissful thoughts pulling her mood back down.

She rolled her eyes, she couldn't even think in peace around him. "Moved inside, I need to only move His Majesty's property now. Then my work can begin."

"Inside where?"

She sighed and eyed him with an irradiated expression.

"Right right, I'm not allowed to know." He groaned. "But what's all the wood for?"

"A water wheel." She responded like it was obvious.

"What in the world do you need that for!?"

She shook her head at him. "Should we just agree that you shouldn't ask questions?"

She was at least grateful that he seemed somewhat like his usual grumpy self again, rather than the violent scared man from earlier. With nothing else to do on the Beach, they began to head back up the death trap stairs to the castle grounds. Henry constantly had to grab at her to stop her from stumbling.

Her stomach grumbled as he pulled her closer to him once gain.

"Did you just growl at me?" He eyed her.

She blushed as her stomach protested from the continued lack of sustenance, it was now almost time for dinner and she hadn't eaten anything since breakfast.

"My stomach is making the noise, I wouldn't growl at the man stopping me from falling to my death now would I?"

"You didn't stop to eat did you?" He raised a brow at her.

"Did you?" She shot back.

"No, I was running errands all day."

"And I couldn't leave the beach. Not until they were done anyway. You expect me to eat raw fish or something?"