Sirens - The Salted World (2)

I think at that point he was rather taken aback.

‘A…siren?’

I could tell he was surprised but also curious. He probably hadn’t had lessons in the Sirese governments. He did not know about the wars that plagued our peoples - the blood that had been shed.

To be fair, I was just learning myself. I was really all too young to truly understand the magnitude of what I was and what I represented.

‘Yes.’ I could finally be proud. I was a bit nervous - for all I knew, he was the type of person I was hiding my ears from.

Despite my nerves, I felt oddly calm. I was satisfied with my answer - and I felt like I could trust this mischievous boy. He had a certain air that just felt right. It didn’t feel like I was just desperate for companionship - it felt like safety and comradery.

‘What… what does that mean?’

I was right - in all of his private tutoring sessions, he had not yet been told of all that lived in the deep trenches underneath the earth.

‘I’m..like a merperson I think.’

I looked at my hands - small but with long fingers. They were not webbed, but very well could have been with how thin my skin was. 

‘I’m…not a merperson though. They’re like a… distant cousin.’

I could see I had piqued his interest- I loved the weight of his attention. This was more than I had ever been given - and I loved the taste. 

‘A..cousin?’ he breathed, continuing to be captivated.

‘Yes.’ I grinned, no longer ashamed of the gap in my smile. I now knew that it set me apart in a way that he found impressive and I wanted to smile so brightly it could light up the night sky. I immediately felt important.

‘Basically we have distant cousins all over. We’re all different though. Not like humans - I think humans are only different by things like.. Hair color and height and eyes. We are completely different.’ I waved off the idea of humans, like flicking away an insignificant bug.

‘How so?’

Curiosity felt good to my lonely little heart.

‘Well - ‘ I looked down trying to remember my lessons. Madame may not have been the kindest, but she was dutiful in making sure that if I was ever to be of use, I’d know my history.

‘So, we come from all over the world. And we all have.. Different.. Things.’

‘Things?’

I was not sure how to describe them.

‘Abilities.’

His eyes were wide at this point.

‘Abilities? Like, to read minds?’

I did not realize he would take it this far.

I smiled a bit, knowing he might be disappointed.

‘No, not like reading minds, although I’m sure there are a hidden people that could. We’re very private, you see. We stick to our own unless we have to make political alliances. We do not trust others.’

‘Really? Why?’

‘I think there were a lot of wars a long time ago. I’m still learning, I do not know everything.’

‘Well, what can you do? What are your abilities?’

I smiled. At least this I could answer.

‘Well… I.. usually have a type of tail.’

He tilted his head like he didn’t believe me.

‘Are.. are you joking right now?’

I let him sit in the silence and decide for himself. Again, it felt weighted and delicious. I could feel him in the palm of my hand. Someone that wasn’t covering me up or making me hide or dragging me across the universe to keep me hidden and safe.

‘Do you think I am?’

I wanted to see what he would do. It felt like a kind of kinship - this secret he was learning about my truth. I wanted to see what he would do with it. Of course he was free to call me a liar. He could run away, telling the other children of my untruths..to stay away from me under penalty of being associated with a teller of tall tales.

Or he could do exactly what he did.

He nodded abruptly.

‘Okay.’

He stood up straight.

‘A tail.’

He readied himself.

‘What else?’

He became my immediate confidant. We spent the next few weeks getting to know each other. He would sneak down to the kitchens and grab us some sweets, all the while asking me question after question about my life. I think he could tell I was always hungry.

I was completely obliged to give all of the details I knew. Of course every now and then I would be stumped, but for the most part I had answers for his questions.

After all, we were but children.

I told him all about the different people groups and how they differed from each other. The Merpeople were the largest group out of all of us - and the most political and powerful. They ran most of the oceans - and had the most trade routes. Everything with them was a formality - and extremely serious. Their courts were notorious among the finned as being very ostentatious and quite a bore. I hoped to never have to go, but knew that someday I might. I let Bastian know how much I dreaded it.

Despite their power of numbers and having more of a military force, Merpeople lacked abilities that other groups had. While they had basic political power in spades, most of them lacked any type of magical ability. It was why they often spent their lives underwater or living on the edges of islands. Of course there were sea palaces among them where humans could be entertained, but they were scarcely used - only for formalities and establishing treaties for a people group that could not reach their depths.

He had a lot of questions about them I could not answer. I was not talked to about Merpeople very often - although I was definitely curious. I doubt any of my questions would have really been answered. It was not time. I was too young for such things, and even if I wasn’t young I wasn’t in line for the throne. It was on a need to know basis, and I currently did not need to know.

When it came to Sirese, I was definitely more of an open book. Of course I was able to answer more, the blood ran in me. I knew myself.

I told him about our people - a very quiet group that slithered in cold salty caves near more windy regions. We were very private -and did not take to visitors in the same way that the Mermish did. We also had abilities that the Mermish lacked - which, was probably fair in its own way, as our people’s numbers were becoming thinner and thinner each year.

We had the ability to live on land with humans.

Of course I’m sure he already knew that, as he could see me walking on two fine legs. Skinny and slightly green, yes, but legs.

I told him about how young Sirens adapted more easily and quickly to being on land long term, as their scales were so soft.

Our scales would fall off the longer we were out of the salt - and would only regrow and form when we reached far depths below the water for extended periods of time.

This puzzled him. ‘You mean.. You..you really have a ..tail?’

I paused at this. ‘I CAN have a tail. It can fall off and grow back very quickly. It is very painful though, and they really aren’t very pretty. They’re really rather green and slimy. Think of.. An eel rather than a pretty colored fish.’

This seemed to have him stuck in thought for a while.

But he also seemed satisfied at this answer.

I told him about our uncanny skills with directions.

‘Give us a general direction, and there are so many things we can find.’

‘Is..is that why you all are sought after to help find buried treasure?’

I grinned. It looked like he had been reading his folk tales.

‘Yes - but not just on land. We are able to travel great distances and know exactly where we are. We are also excellent at hiding. If we don’t want to be found, we won’t be.’

‘I found you all right.’

‘True, but I’m not very old yet. I’m still learning.’

This got another grin from him.

Every day was like this - filled with questions.

Our mornings usually started out by him seeking me out without him ever seeming like he was seeking me out to begin with. He had the talent of always looking innocent, even while pulling pranks on all of the household staff.

I’d hear random shrieks and smile to myself, knowing that my friend was near.

I was never sure exactly why he always preferred to pick on those around him, but I knew that I enjoyed finally having someone to talk to.

One chilly morning he snuck some warm sweet buns to me - knowing that they were some of my favorites.

I was in a particularly sour mood. Madame had scolded me needlessly.

‘I just do not understand why she holds me in such low regard. I know that I can handle more, she just needs to trust me.’

This did not suit him as an acceptable answer.

‘I don’t think it is about her not trusting you.’

I had been prepared to rant and rave about unfairness for the next hour, so this stopped me in my tracks (a bit bitterly).

‘Why not?’

He was licking the icing off of his thumbs and thinking. His freckles stood out more when he was thinking.

‘I think they may not be allowed to tell you certain things.’

This was certainly a new idea. I had not thought of that. Of course, it would make sense. I was a royal child - tucked away on foreign soil under the protection of a foreign crown - all to ensure that if anything were to happen to the crown princess, the royal line would remain intact.

‘If that were true, why? Would it not make more sense to educate me fully so I am prepared in case of an emergency?’

‘I wonder if they’re protecting you more by you not having information.’

‘How?’

He was walking in circles.

‘Imagine for a second - that you have the secrets and knowledge of your people that are not readily accessible to most. You do in part, but I think that from what you told me most merpeople know what you told me. But we have been covering this in History and the Theory of Kingship- people are more at risk if they are given more information.’

Again, something I had not thought of. Bastian always gave me more information than I could ever want - and ideas that left me spinning.

The two of us together were creating more and more questions for me to take back to Madame. I am sure she thought him a bad influence, but I could also tell that she was glad I was out of her hair. This was one of the few times in my life I knew I was happy.

The months I spent at the manor were some of the most important times of my childhood. I could tell they had a positive effect on me - my cheeks were rosier and more full. The other children had started to include me in their games.They always loved to have me in games involving being blindfolded. I had a knack for figuring out directions, even when my vision was taken. (They never knew it was due to my species, a secret I was forever grateful to Bastian for keeping). The need for mischief was always growing - and was never quite satisfied. I was not sure if this was a Siren thing or a coming-of-age thing, but I definitely always had more tangles in my hair and questions on my tongue during this season.

We spent a winter mostly inside, sneaking snacks and getting cracked knuckles by sitting too close to the many fires. Every now and then a few of us were able to sneak out into the courtyards with makeshift sleds. The ice would collect in my hair, but I would shriek and run and roll in the wet slush - never seeming to get cold. My little friends would be shivering and staring before I even slightly considered coming back inside.

I knew I was pushing my luck when I let myself loosen up like I was, but the taste of freedom was too good to really reign in. I never wanted to lose control and give away my secret, but I was still a child.

Madame often would cluck at me and remind me to watch myself every time I had a new bruise and braids full of grass, tangles, and ice. 

‘I know you need a bit of freedom, we all do. But there will come a time when you’ll need to stay put.’

Little did she know, that would come sooner rather than later.

Until next time,

XOXO,

Windham