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The lantern Scar held at the prow of the small rowing boat was the only small amount of light offered to their tiny vessel. The moon was shrouded by clouds, leaving nothing but a few faint moonbeams to okay across the water.
Scar could feel his companions dropping pace. He placed the lantern down by his feet and turned to face them.
“Keep rowing, we’re almost there.”
Gem rolled her eyes at him.
“Hey, don’t give me that attitude!”
“It’s two am, and we’re rowing to god-knows-where because you trusted the merchant who sold you that damn map.”
“Yes - but think of the gold Gem! Think of the silver! We can finally repair the ship - or buy a new one! Hell, we can have a whole fleet if we want.”
“Yeah, no. Why the heck would the merchant sell you that map and not get the treasure himself?”
“Because,” Bdubs interjected,”It’s all siren infested water down here.”
Etho snickered, “No way you believe that bullshit.”
“HEY! THEY’RE REAL! YOU’LL BE SORRY WHEN THEY EAT YOUR FACE OFF!”
“No, I won’t, because they aren’t real.”
“You better watch out mister,” Bdubs said, his voice suddenly shifting a lower and more serious octave, “you speak about the, like that, they might just get angry.”
Etho and Gem shared a look. It wasn’t believable, especially if Bdbubs said it. He was the one who ran round the ship claiming goblins were onboard, and screaming at seagulls insisting they were harpies.
“Enough.”
One word from their captain quieted the small group.
“Etho’s right, there’s no such thing,” Scar continued,”Let just get there and get back, alright? I’ve left Cleo and Martyn in charge of the ship and I don’t trust them not to tear each other to pieces.”
“All of you will be sorry when we get eaten,” Bdubs muttered.
Deep, deep below the tiny rowing boat, a pair of eyes glinted, catching the sight of the vessel moving across the surface of the water. With the flick of a tail, suddenly half a dozen eyes slowly pried open.
“So, you going to tell us exactly where we’re going?”
“Shush Gem, or I’ll have you mopping the deck for a week.”
“No, you won’t, I’ll make Martyn do it for me.”
“Fine, I’ll demote you while I’m at it - in fact, I’ll make Martyn be first mate so he can make you do all his chores for a change.”
“You wouldn’t do that!”
“I might.”
“Fine.”
The boat was being circled. 20 meters below them, they were famished. And the little crew would serve as a perfect meal.
Bdubs peered down into the murky water, untrusting of their depths. Even if no one else believed in such creatures, we would make damn sure to get away if they were there. The slivers of moonlight caught a shimmering just beyond the boat. Scales - a bright silver shifting into a dark black.
“SIRENS! THEY’RE IN THE WATER!” Bdubs screamed, letting go of his oar.
“Damn it Bdubs! You lost us an oar, how the hell are we going to get back now!” Etho reprimanded.
Bdubs turned to him, panic across his face, “No, no don’t understand! There’s something down there! I know an evil thing when I see it! We need to get out of here, now!”
“And how exactly are we going to do that when you lost us our oar?”
“Etho, Bdubs, stop. It’s bad enough we’re stu-“
Scar trailed off, eyes taking an odd, glazed over look as he watched the end of the boat. Everyone else slowly turned round.
There, arms crossed upon the lip of the boat, was a man, light caramel hair dredged down by water, glinting black eyes staring right back at Scar. His face was rounded - sweet. His eyelashes were long and dark despite his lighter hair, creating an almost doe-like look. He smiled softly.
“Hello,” he said.
Etho drew his sword. Scar firmly pushed his friends hand back as he made his way over to the creature.
“Hello,” Scar replied.
The thing tilted its head slightly, looking up, “And who might you be, pretty?”
“Captain GoodTimes, though I suppose you could call me Scar if you wanted.”
The creature laughed, a warm and tinkling sound that warmed Scars very soul.
“Okay, Scar~”
The way the creature lingered over his name sent shivers down the pirates spine.
“And what might your name be?”
“Come closer, and I’ll tell you~” the thing said in a soft, sing-song voice.
Scar had taken another step forward without thinking about it. He was caught by the firm grasp of Gem, tugging at his coat.
“Captain, absolutely not. For once, I agree with Bdubs. That thing wants to eat your face.”
“I TOLD YOU SO!”
“Yes, yes, I get it,” Scar groaned.
“In serious, no one on this boat is getting anywhere near that!” Gem said, brandishing her cutlass mere inches away from the sirens throat. The siren reached out an aloof hand, gently pushing the blade away from its throat.
“No need to ruin our fun,” it said.
“I’ll ruin your ‘fun’ if that entails eating my friend’s souls,” Gem growled.
“Tut-tut, don’t you ever listen? I don’t want their souls!” The creature said, pressing one hand sincerely to its heart.
“Whatever you say, just leave us. Now.”
The siren pouted. Scars heart leapt.
“I’m serious! They might be stupid enough to fall for a man-eating lobster, but I’m no-“, Gem trailed off, catching sight of something else moving in the water.
The sirens hair swirled around her in the water, forming tentacles of a deep brown around her head, like a halo of darkness. She breached the surface, eyes barely a shade lighter than her hair. She smiled softly at Gem.
Gem dropped her cutlass and leaned forwards, over the edge of the boat, ignoring the first siren moving away to the other side of the boat, no doubt to get close to Scar again.
“Who-I..you’re…you’re beautiful.” Gem breathed.
The female siren giggled. The sound was melodic and curled around Gems very soul. She glided up to the position the male siren had been in moments before, face just centimeters below Gems.
“Will you tell me your name?” Gem asked, a pleading glint in her eyes.
“Pearl. What’s yours?”
“Pearl…that’s lovely,” Gem sighed slightly wistfully,”I’m Gem.”
“You sparkle like one, so I suppose that makes sense.”
Gem looked away, uncharacteristically bashful,”..thank you.”
Then a song began, rising out of the sea foam and circling the small rowing boat. Other heads bobbed above the waves, each as dangerously beautiful as the last. All the pirates eyes were clouded, as the song pulled them into a trance, pulling at their heartstrings and pulling them into the sea.
“Come with me, Scar,” the male siren called, arms outstretched to the captain. Scar, for his part, happily obliged, reaching for the sirens hands, and then promptly being dragged under.
The lack of oxygen burnt his lungs, but despite it, he was content, watching the handsome sirens face blur in and out of focus as the lack of breath became more and more unbearable. He was faintly aware that he was being pulled deeper, but he fais not care so long as he could see his captors enchanting face. He was being killed by something he held dear, and couldn’t find it in himself to hold anger towards the creature. He would willingly give the siren his death if it meant that the other would survive.
Just like third life.
Scar was bemused by that thought. He didn’t know what third life was. His thoughts were becoming more incoherent and yet sharper at the same time. Perhaps, Scar thought- though the thought felt far away, it was because he was dying.
The burn in his lungs reminded him of the burning sand and scorching sun of the desert beating down in him as his chest heaved for a gasp of scalding air.
Scar let out a laugh at that, the bubbles rising to the surface, too small to create a ripple in the ocean. He had never been to a desert, at least as far as he knew. He’d always wanted to, though, and now he never would.
Then again, he never thought Grian would hurt him. Not after he promised to protect him. Promises don’t seem to mean much in a death match. Scar had still kept his, going so far as to kill his ally for a promise on a slip of paper. With that, he didn’t just kill his ally. He killed his friend. His lover. And yet Grian hadn’t wanted to kill him.
Huh. So that was the sirens name. Grian. It was…pretty.
That was why, Scar smiled, even as Grian hit him, again, and again, and again. Even as Grian cried and screamed that he didn’t want to do this. Even when Scara ribs cracked and his chest started to rise at some inhuman angle just so he could breathe, even though every breath felt like pouring molten lava down his throat. Scar never stopped smiling, not until he died. He never stopped smiling, because although he was dying, he was content just to be in the presence of the one person he treasured. The one person he loved.
Scar smiled as the water consumed him while, flooding up his nose and into his lungs. He didn’t understand these thoughts, these flashes of memories that didn’t seem to be his, and yet he saw himself in this odd reflection. For this Scar too was smiling, even as Grian pulled him further and further down into the ocean, ready to feast on his heart.
-
The commotion had been enough for Pearl to slip away. Still humming gently to keep the girl docile enough to carry, she sped away.
This was something the Pearl of yesterday would never have dreamed of doing. She was nicknamed ‘The Scarlett Witch’ simply because of the amount of blood she had spilled into the salt water. After feeding, the redness seemed to cling to her, dispersing slowly into the water, almost like a cape make of blood. She was a killer, and yet…this girl was different. Perhaps it was because she was used to killing men, or at least older women, never anyone her age. Never anyone so pure and sweet. Whatever it was, Pearl broke every unspoken rule of her colony.
She left Gem on the beach of the closest island, and turned to leave. The song broke, yet Gem still reached for her, mumbling incomprehensible words. Pearl turned and dived into the water.
She resurfaced a half hour later, clutching something in her hand. She reached out for Gem, who gave her hand willingly. Pearl dropped the thing into Gems outstretching palm.
“Something to remember me by,” she whispered, and then, with a flick of her tail, sped off into the deep.
Gem was left, stranded on the beach, slightly dazed, with a smooth, white pearl in the palm of her hand.