Meeting a siren

Luciana stepped out of the castle one morning, searching for some herbs for more experiments, but she didn't find the ones she needed. Especially the wolves bane. She pondered if or not she should ask Raziel, and she finally decided to.

It's been about three days since the king married Evelyn and made her Queen, and ever since Raziel had been very busy. It was as if the king left every of his duty for him, and it also seemed like the duties doubled. She had seen less of him since then.

She finally gave up on her search for the wolves bane and decided to go back to the castle. But just then she heard a female voice from afar, and she turned to the direction where the voice was coming from. Whomever it was was singing a strange song, and she felt drawn to it.

She moved towards the source of the voice, until she arrived at the stream she had washed clothes for Evelyn. The singing continued, and it sounded like it was coming from the water. Luciana walked to the water and squatted in front of it.

Then she spotted something rising from inside the water. Her heart skipped, but she still didn't leave. Then a head full of blue hair half emerged from the water, revealing only a portion of her forehead.

But at that moment, the singing stopped and Luciana blinked. She stood up, looking a bit confused. She then looked back into the water to and saw the blue haired girl dive back into the water, and Luciana saw the flash of a golden and blue tail. She was a siren.

Luciana was confused on why she suddenly ran away, when she turned and saw Rebecca with a bag of clothes and two guards behind her. She guessed that the new Queen must have punished her.

Rebecca shot her a hard glare, and Luciana frowned.

"What? It wasn't me who punished you."

Rebecca then crouched down and began to wash the clothes.

"I wonder why the queen is obsessed with sending people to wash in the stream." Luciana said, and Rebecca glared at her.

Luciana wondered why she was quiet. Did Evelyn ask her not to speak? And maybe that was what the guards were there to ensure.

"See you later wolfie. I am in the prince's comfortable quarters in case you need to see me." Luciana said before leaving.

When she got to her room, she couldn't stop thinking about her encounter with the siren. She didn't see her face. She only saw her hair and the colour of her tail.

She also couldn't stop thinking of how she didn't realize where she was or what she was doing until the siren stopped singing. She had heard that sirens have the power to compel people with their song, but this was the first time she was actually meeting one. And she also got compelled.

She decided she would visit the library to learn more about them. But first, she decided to write down what she saw and experienced. After that, she decided to go to the library.

But before she could leave, a knock was heard on the door. She opened it to find Raziel. He smiled when he saw her.

"Your highness? What brings you here?"

"I came to see my favourite human. Isn't that okay?"

Luciana opened the door wider, silently inviting him inside, and he entered.

Raziel noticed the note on Luciana's table, and he noted that she was writing something before he entered.

"What is my little scientist up to again?" He joked.

"Scientist?"

"Of course. You are always studying and experimenting. You should consider working in the lab." He seriously told her, and her eyes widened. She had wanted to suggest that to him, but she wasn't sure he would be in support of the idea.

"Really?"

"Of course. And that way, you can start making your own money."

Although she did not jump or rejoice like a normal person would do, her excitement was seen in her eyes. It was as if he gave her something she had always wanted.

"Thank you Prince Raziel."

"This is the third time I have heard my name on your lips."

Luciana thinned her lips. Was it time that her ill-manner would finally work against her?

"I am sorry your highness."

"No. It's okay. I actually like it."

"Really?"

"Yes. I hardly hear my name, apart from when my father calls me. Hearing it from someone else feels new, but nice."

Luciana nodded. "I want to ask you a question."

"Go ahead."

"Are there sirens in the stream close to the castle?" She frowned at the question. Why would sirens stay in streams? Weren't they supposed to live in rivers, seas and oceans? She also heard that they could be found in some lakes, but not streams.

"Not that I have heard of or seen. Why do you ask?" Raziel answered.

"I think I spotted one."

"Really? And you are sure it's a siren?"

Luciana nodded. "She has blue hair, and I saw her tail."

Raziel look thoughtful. "You know it is very difficult to see a siren. They hardly come out on land as they are mostly captured." Raziel stated.

The sirens are mostly sought out by vampires, as their blood were known to be the sweetest of all the creatures. So because of that, they would always remain in the water.

"I don't want to doubt you, but what would a siren be doing in a stream? And the one close to a castle where the king is a vampire."

"I don't know. And I am also sure about it because she put me in a trance with her song. I only realized what I was doing when she dived back into the water. The stream should be connected to a river."

Raziel looked thoughtful. Sirens were the only ones with the power to compel.

"Yes. The stream is connected to a river. Maybe she was just a young siren wanting to explore."

Luciana nodded. "I want to use the library."

Raziel shook his head. Knowing how curious she could be, he didn't bother to talk her out of it, not like he had any reason to.

"Fine."

Luciana's study showed her what she already knew of the sirens. They had brightly colored hairs, they have the power to manipulate, they are very seductive in nature and some other things.

The only new thing she learnt was that the sirens have the power to control water, and that most of them could only compel one person at a time. She concluded that was the reason the siren ran back inside when she spotted Rebecca and the guards.

She wondered if the siren wanted to harm her. But sirens are not troublesome. They only get very defensive when provoked.

At the end she just gave up and went with what the prince said. Maybe it was a young siren wanting to explore.

*******

Elric went to see an Earl in a kingdom close to theirs to negotiate a business deal with him. When they were done, the Earl escorted him out of the mansion.

They walked slowly, still in serious discussion, but the mood was cheerful.

But then Elric spotted someone from the corner of his eyes. A naked girl. She was totally naked, and she sat on the floor, hugging her knees. Her head was bowed on her knees. Elric thought the girl was familiar.

"I didn't know you were interested in slaves Duke Elric." The Earl said with a smile.

"Who is she?" Elric asked rather seriously.

"Her name is not important. But she was brought in here two days ago."

"Who does she belong to?" Elric asked again.

"Lord Kruger. You should know him. He is a Lord in Wesborne."

Elric frowned at the mention of the name 'Kruger'. He had continued his investigation on what happened to Luciana's family, and after interrogating a lot of people, some of which he had to pay, he found out that Lord Kruger was behind the family's demise.

He searched for him, but it was as if the Lord already heard, and he fled. Elric had been searching for him since then.

"Did Lord Kruger come here two days ago?"

"Yes. He said he will be back to take his slave. He seemed to be in a hurry."

Elric nodded casually, so as not to alert the Earl. He might be on Kruger's side.

"I should take a look at her." Elric said as he turned to the girl in the corner. He really hoped she was not who he thought she was. He then walked to her without waiting for the Earl's reply.

The closer he got to her, the more his fear was confirmed.

The girl tensed when she heard footsteps coming closer to her, and she visibly started to shiver.

"Raise your head." Elric said to her, and she slowly obeyed.

There was a look of shock on their faces when they saw each other.

"Duke... Duke Elric?" She called in a shivering voice.

"Freya." Elric called her name in disbelief.