Storms May Come – Chapter 2

The rage in my heart and the pain in my chest finally quelled enough that I realized I needed to get out of Dreven’s shack before he returned. I thoughtfully put back the leather pouch exactly as I had found it. 

What should I do? I thought to myself.

I slipped away unnoticed and paced along the shore as the salt air filled my lungs and the wind gently tossed my hair. I continued to pace on the shore, deep in thought, for some time. The sun was slowly setting and my thoughts still churned like the angry seas below. Suddenly I heard a soft, wet plop near me. I shook the cobwebs in my mind and followed the noise, it was certainly near the edge of the rocky cliff before the fall into the deep water. 

I found the source of the noise and stood silently stunned. Before me sat a young Siren, her eyes were large and constantly watering, but that did not seem to bother her in the least. Her hair was that of seaweed, long and dripping down her back. Her lips had a blueish tint, and her teeth hiding behind them were sharp and many. 

“Hello” her voice coming out like a note in an ancient song. She blinked and tilted her head at me like I was an odd thing she was studying for the first time. 

“Hi-ello” I stammered in response, still mildly in disbelief. 

Her long tail shimmered, as if the scales were made of the most beautiful jewels, and ended in many flowing fins. She flicked her tail as if she was ready to leap back into the water at any moment. 

“You’re brave to wander so near the water alone.” her voice was like honey.

“I would not count myself as brave, simply deep in thought,” I stated, wondering where this conversation may go.

“What thoughts ail you, mortal?” Her voice pitched highly like she was testing out the notes in a ballad. 

I mulled this question over for a moment, what could I tell the Siren? Maybe everything. 

“Betrayal, mostly, and how to maintain my people’s freedom,” I said cautiously, knowing well the Sirens havoc on our village. 

“Your freedom?” She let a soft laugh, “You are the ones who dare to dwell so close to us, you are the ones that threaten our freedom.” She cocked her head at a different angle, staring daggers into my soul with her wet eyes.

“Threaten you? How? Are you, not the ones that destroy our village constantly, batter us with storms that we cannot protect against, and lure our men to their deaths?” I practically spat in utter astonishment.

“You dwell here, where us Sirens have long lived, longer than you mortals have ever stepped foot on this earth. This is our domain, not yours.” 

“That may be so, but we have no ill will towards you. Have we ever once attacked or shown aggression? I think not, we are only here to escape the tyranny of the kingdom we once belonged to. But that may soon come to an end.”

The Siren seemed to genuinely ponder this. She took a deep inhale and on her neck small gils opened and shut. She pursed her lips and dragged her long tongue across her many rows of teeth.

After a moment of silence, she sang again. “We have never given much thought to your circumstances, just that you impose and are a threat to my kindred.”

I couldn’t help myself, I let out a deranged laugh. 

“Why do you react this way, I see no humor in this.”

“It is not humor I have found, but irony. Mayhaps we had spoken sooner, much toil could have been avoided.”

The Siren blinked in understanding, then her lips stretched into an eerie smile.

“I see now, but why is this coming to an end? We do not know the workings of mortals and their kingdoms as you call them.”

I then proceeded, at first reluctantly, to explain the kingdom of Zorin. The inner workings of poverty, of being forced into a life we would never choose for ourselves. Then the treachery of Dreven. The Siren simply listened, with a slight nod of understanding here and there. When I reached the end of my tale I let out a sigh.

“So you have the knowledge, and I assure you my people want nothing more than their freedom to choose how we live. I do not think this is much to ask, yet King Zayin would put all his power towards squashing freedom. I think I speak for us all in saying that having the Sirens as allies, I dare say as friends and to live in peace with one another would be all that we desire.”

She stared at me for a long while, then finally sang one last time “It has been enlightening conversing with you, mortal, I will bring this newfound knowledge to my kin, and in good faith I encourage you to meet us here again on the morrow with more of your people, and we can have a discussion of the possibilities.” 

With that, she whipped her tail and dove into the sea faster than my brain could comprehend. It was frightening, but hope swelled within me once more. 

…

I immediately gathered my closest comrades in the village and told them of what had happened. They were all, to no surprise, stunned and mildly afraid. At first, they wanted proof of Dreven’s betrayal, but I explained to them if he realized anything was missing it meant immediate doom for us all. They decided to send out a scout, a slender woman whose closest friends were shadows, to see if the troops were there. 

We continued to discuss what would be best and how to approach the Sirens over soft, warm bread, and mead. Rightfully they were also afraid this was an ambush, but I encouraged them that this was not the case. I silently held the same fear, but I dared not to reveal this, the Sirens were our only hope at this point. 

The woman, whose name is Fina, returned a few hours past nightfall and confirmed the troops were there waiting. She explained how their laughter and bloodthirsty eyes enraged her, they were ready for bloodshed. They had their proof that Dreven was a liar and the enemy.

It was unanimous; we would meet with the Sirens.

…

What do you think of the story so far? What do you think the Sirens and the village will do? Let us know in the comments below! Click here to continue reading Chapter 3.

Thank you so much for reading!

–Clever&WTF