A Foreign Realm (Mianite One-Shots)

The Song of the Sea (Syndisparklez) (part 2)

 Tom watched the pirate captain leave the cave, meeting up with three others briefly on the shore before climbing aboard the ship. The sisters circled the boat, never straying close enough to fall prey to their weapons.

He watched as Jordan conversed with the others, before the anchor emerged from the waves and the boat pulled away from the shore. It glided out of the bay and for a moment- no longer than a fraction of a second- he could have sworn Jordan had glanced back.

He watched until the sun illuminated the ship on the horizon and closed his eyes as the day gave way to night.

"Come." One of the sister's said. His eyes opened wide as he shook his head.

"I'm not hungry." He said, retreating back towards his cave. Turning around, he realized several sisters had formed a circle around him. He was trapped.

"You stink of man." The eldest sister, Calliope, said. Her grey eyes were the color of stormclouds; fierce and captivating. She circled him slowly, and his heart clenched in fear as she inspected every inch of him. "You lured the captain." It wasn't a question. "Even I could not tempt him." She sounded almost impressed. "He wasn't even phased by us. Yes you lured him in without any effort?"

"I did not-"

"His smell is all over you. Do not bother to deny it. You had a close encounter with him- you got closer to him than we did with any of the others." Calliope narrowed her eyes. "Yet he walked away without a scratch. You didn't even try to go after him, did you?"

He nodded ever so slightly, eyes dilating slightly as the sisters closed in even closer. He was hopelessly trapped, and the look in their eyes was predatory.

"Curse you!" Calliope spat, and his cheek stung as she lashed out at him. Her pointed nails cut deep into his skin, and blood began to trickle down his cheek. "You know we haven't had a sailor come by in half a moon! You had him right here!" She lunged up in his face, gesturing wildly. "And you let him go free! When will we get another chance?"

"Calliope, stop." One of the younger sisters said, catching Calliope's wrist as she tried to him again.

"Acadia-" the elder warned, but Acadia cut her off.

"You sung to him, did you not?" She asked. He nodded, avoiding looking any of the sisters in the face. "You had him entranced. He was this close, was he not?" Again, he nodded. "He walked away, after all that? He turned you down, abandoned you?" Her eyes bore into his and he shook his head. "He promised you something, didn't he?" Her lips curved into a grin. "He promised to see you again." It was hardly a question and when he didn't react she grinned wider.

"He's coming back for you?" Calliope asked, giving him a look that made him incredibly uneasy. "You're sure?"

"Of course he is, Calli. He may not be one of us but he is still a siren. If the victim is vulnerable to his song once, they will be again."

Calliope's eyes narrowed. "Very well. You may have disgraced us a final time, but at least you will help us capture the captain."

His heart seemed to stop beating. "What- no, no I can't do that-"

"You can and you will." Acadia said, and he shook his head feverishly.

"No!" He attempted to turn and flee through a gap, but there were none. His tail pumped feverishly as he broke through the ring of sisters, knowing it was hopeless. He was weak and hungry, and they were much stronger and faster than he. Hands closed around him, dragging him down into the depths as his screams were muted by the waves.

He did not know how much time passed, or how long they kept him at the bottom of the sea. All he knew was that his eyes gradually forgot the sensation that was light, and after the hunger pains subsided anything else lost all meaning to him. He was alone, isolated with his thoughts, until Calliope finally came for him.