Empress of the Sea|✔️

Chapter 5

Rewritten
***

Arms wrapped around her waist. They were cold, detached things with flippers keeping the fingers from stretching too far. It reminded Aeryn of the small piece of flesh on top of her two front teeth.

She kept her eyes open, fighting the burn to witness the cyan light in the sea.

Wooden chips and crew members of the Maiden's Cross fell into the ocean, just barely missing her. Like some invisible force protected her—like she was finally lucky.

"I've been watching you, little one," said a voice. It spoke in harmonies, distinct tones and pitches, all at once. It was a pleasant sound, soothing to the ears. "I watched you because your hair is like mine. And I can see your suffering painted in your eyes. It matches mine."

Aeryn raised her eyebrow. She tried to breathe, but nothing. She did not have to. She felt too tired to sleep, too hungry to eat, too confused to care. "That's weird." Aeryn clutched her mouth, surprised at creating sound underwater.

"What about it is weird? I've been waiting for you to fall so I might save you."

Aeryn tried to turn her head to see who had taken hold of her waist. Behind her was a scaled face, lined with emerald plates.

The siren met her gaze with fully black eyes. Not a speck of white or red arteries in her eye. Aeryn stared at the abyss of black, oblivious to the horrors of the sea.

She had already forgotten about the black ship and the Maiden. She didn't care for the outcome at all. Aeryn merely hoped that Sheries would die slowly and painfully.

What bothered her was Sarah Walker's name on Han's lips.

"Why would you wait to save me?"

"So I might soothe my guilt for not saving the other one," the siren said, not a glimmer of guilt, not a hint of emotion. It hid behind its orchestral voice. A gift?

"Thanks, anyway," Aeryn said, trying to laugh off the fact that she was being used to calm another soul. She wasn't sure if siren's even had souls.

"Allow me to give you protection."

"Go ahead."

The siren smacked her black lips onto Aeryn's cheek. It burned like hell. As if the siren were branding her with a sizzling piece of metal, but the sensation numbed her cheek after a moment.

"This is not protecting!" Aeryn exclaimed.

The siren remained silent.

Aeryn sighed. "We should get out of here, miss..." She let her sentence drag on, an easier way of asking for the siren's name.

The sea creature rolled the name around her head, mouthing Ariel, then Aries, then Erial. "Erel. Call me Erel."

Erel swam, Aeryn in her arms.

She could not wrap her head around "being saved." It felt like a surreal experience only princesses in stories could have. One a prince might experience if he were lucky.

Aeryn knew of such a prince. The prince of Auber, her homeland. Crown Prince Juele Fiore, someone Aeryn had saved over a decade ago. It had been the start of a beautiful friendship, until her father tore it apart by moving the outskirts of the country, far away from the castle.

For what? To allow his wife to stay near her parents.

"Why are you helping me? Why do you continue to help me? Why not let me save myself? You've done your part."

"Well, would you like to become a siren?" she sang in a high pitch only sirens could achieve. "Little one, become a hero, live your life the way I did not get to live mine."

"What do you mean? I can't just turn into a siren."

"Where do you think we come from?"

"Um, eggs?"

The siren laughed. "Humans, we were once. Treated in a way that would not suffice. Fallen off-board we were, and monsters to men we became. With our last breath, we gained an unknown voice. One that would lead the monstrous men right to us."

"What?"

The siren chuckled, removing her gaze from the auburn-haired girl. "You'll understand it someday."

Aeryn bit her lip in frustration. She'd heard her parents say that line enough that hearing it from someone else caused physical pain.

Ignoring Aeryn and her odd actions, the siren swam her to an island, one no one could have swum to. Erel left her at a spot where Aeryn could walk to the island.

Her feet hit the sand, warmer than the food she used to eat. She had to restrain herself from playing and having fun in the sand.

The weight of being attacked sat on her shoulders, but the hijack didn't matter. It was behind her, a memory that might resurface as a dream one day.

She forced herself to smile and forget. Aeryn's number one skill. Forgetting.

"Erel," Aeryn said, scratching her neck. It took her a split second to recall the name. She could still see the two ships battling and eventually saw Captain Sheries ship sink. Hopefully, the captain died a painful death if he didn't run away first.

From what she could see, the other ship seemed to repair itself. The pieces of wood that had fallen off flew right back onto the ship to reattach itself, as if time moved backward.

"Yes, little one?" The siren turned her head. The sun shone on her scales, reflecting off the light beautifully. Many people say that sirens are ugly, attractive only because of the glamour their song brings. The one that makes them appear pretty as angels to the men they consider prey.

Aeryn took in a deep breath. "Forget it."

"If it worries you to not see me again, I must advise you to not do so. I plan on returning as soon as I bring my seahorse."

Aeryn raised her brow. "You have a seahorse?"

"Every siren has one. How do you think we stay sane all alone under the sea? We are creatures with intelligence. That means we need a source of socialization and entertainment."

Aeryn smiled at the siren with tan skin, cyan scales, and black lips with black eyes. "Well, you have me now."

The siren turned and dived into the water.

Aeryn smacked her head, convincing herself that what she told the siren was nothing short of foolish. She sat on the warm sand, awaiting the siren's return and another miracle—for no reason at all.

She wanted to find some adventure.

***
Thanks for reading "Empress of the Sea." Don't forget to vote if you enjoyed the chapter and check out my profile for more stories by yours truly.

Word Count: 1084