The Tail of the Sword and Shield #Wattys2020

Chapter 4: The Foretelling

The horse hopped to a stop,  before it plowed into the  gates. Armed guards approached them, their armor glinting in the torchlight. Alkanos guessed that they were approaching them since they were the most likely suspects present.

Before the guards told them to do anything, Cordelia whispered in his ear, "Cover your ears, and when I give the signal, uncover them."

Alkanos nodded and covered his ears.

Cordelia removed her hood allowing her hair to fall back into place, then she began to sing. The song she sang was soft but all the guards in the gathering heard her. Her voice filtered through Alkanos's hands, her voice was beautiful. Oddly enough right then, Alkanos didn't feel that compelled to do what she was singing.

"Be good and open the gates. You will be doing a service to the kingdom if you do. By order of the king, tell no one. Not even your pets." When Cordelia sang it, it sounded better and more poetic.

All Alkanos had heard was a song and a nice voice. What was it about her singing that made so many men practically drool? Alkanos thought, watching as the guards opened the gates for them. Alkanos saw the looks of awe on the male guards faces, and the looks of questioning the male guard's sanity, from the female guards. Alkanos nudged the horse forward across the draw bridge. Hooves thudded on the wood. Cordelia sang a thank you, and pulled her scarf back up as a hood.

After they had gone out of bow range, Cordelia nudged Alkanos's shoulder. "You can uncover your ears now." she said at her normal register.

Alkanos removed his hands from his ears. "Why did you have me cover my ears?" he asked, "Also, how can you sing like that? Causing the guards to do what you say. I mean."

"Only if you don't jump off the horse when I tell you." Cordelia replied.

"Okay then," Alkanos said, "I won't jump off the horse." Alkanos guessed she was using some form of magic to convince the guards. But what kind of magic, he wasn't sure about.

"I'm a Siren. My magic is in my music and my Siren charms. My magic is naturally exuded but I can control by how much. When I use more of my magic it's usually when I'm playing at an inn or festival, so people stay and listen. But like all magic users, I do have my limits." Cordelia explained.

"Oh wow!" Alkanos exclaimed, "I'm half dragon, on my mother's side."

"That explains why my looks didn't affect you when we first met in the corridor. Dragons, for the most part, are immune to persuasion magic. But, then again, a lot of magical beings are like that." Cordelia said.

I was right! She is a magic-user.  Alkanos thought. They rode in silence until Alkanos asked, "So where are we going again?"

"To The Oracle. She is in a town a two-hour ride from the palace." Cordelia said.

"How do we know The Oracle isn't just going to tell us what we already know?" Alkanos asked.

"Because your father trusted her and consulted her quite a few times. She has a good track record." Cordelia said.

"Um...If you don't mind me asking...Is there any chance of you having had something with my father?" Alkanos asked, then quickly added, "I'm just asking, because of some of the stories about Sirens."

Cordelia laughed. "It's fine your highness. And no sir, there was never anything like that between me and your father. Besides I'd be too worried your mother's spirit would have thrown me off the fourth story balcony."

Alkanos breathed a sigh of relief and said "I don't mean this in a bad way, but you seem older in some ways. You don't have to tell me your age if you don't want to. Though I'm guessing you're about thirty years old."