A Siren's Crown (Book Two in the APK Trilogy)

(12) The Storm

This Chapter is Dedicated to Kawaiisoul - She is a fan who sent me the most beautiful message and I think she is just the sweetest. ALSO CHECK OUT HER STORY GUYS! If you are looking for something to read, he story has just started out and it is brilliant. Wonderfully mature writing style and a MUST READ!! 
Thanks guys!!

(Circe's P.O.V)

Time passed quicker than I expected to aboard the ship, although I should have known that from last time. My days were never boring, now that I had begun taking 'classes' again. As Queen Airocei had said, I did not partake in learning to use weapons again, instead I had other lessons.

As Zalas had promised, his classes started at dawn and required both Anthemin and I to be present. Anthemin and I would take turns with our two teachers, sometimes we would be taught one on one, other times we would be together. Even Aranel and Nelonimi helped every now and then, much to my surprise. Aranel still nursed a boiling hatred towards me, some days she was just downright evil. However, she was a good teacher and I knew that there would be a day when I would sit her down on her arse, for now though, mine was taking a good beating. 

We practiced mostly Air Weaving, although on the days that I went with Unabonan, which was not often, I would learn of the Dragon History and of the first Dragons, which was extremely fascinating. Anthemin and I mind-linked with each other every night to share what we had learnt throughout the day. 

After my lessons with Zalas and Unabonan I would have a break until mid afternoon when Hobbson would take over. I would learn more about my heritage and how to battle underwater. Hobbs knew a little about Water Weaving, and he taught me what he could, but he told  me that the real lessons would come from the Masters when we finally arrived at my Mothers Kingdom. 

For now, he merely showed me maneuvers under water, things I could do to escape my enemies. He showed me how to use my tail as a weapon and a weapon it certainly became. The little Water Weaving that Hobbs did know was actually quite a bit when put into comparison to what I knew. He was taught mostly attacking manoeuvres, having been in the Queens guard after all, they were trained to be vicious fighters. There was more than one time that our fangs came out as we hissed at each other, swirling about under the water with clouds of bubbles rising up around us. 

Our battling session would last the afternoon and then I would break for dinner before learning etiquette from Aranel and Hobbson. Aranel was needed because she was a Princess and knew how Princesses should act and behave. Hobbson was there to teach me Water Kingdom customs, greetings and other things that were specific to the culture I was going to become a part of. 

As he had mentioned a long time ago, Women were the dominant gender in the Underwater World. Men were not seen as lower of course, but Women were the rulers, the ones that dictated. Men were respected for the protection and services that they provided, the children that they helped to bear. Hobbson said that if I was a young man, there would be a lot more customs for me to learn, but because I was some-one of such high class, I would not be expected to curtsey or look up to anyone but my Mother. 

However, I did have to know how to receive someone and the appropriate way to eat, dress, walk and talk to other people. I had to learn now, so that I did not offend anyone by unintentionally speaking down to them. As a Dukes daughter, it was really quite simple. It was nothing that I hadn’t done before, granted it had seemed like a long time ago that I had had to act that way, but I was sure that with more practice, I would be flawless. 

With all of my classes keeping me busy, the moments that I had to myself were scarce and the moments with Obsidian even more so. I would feel him watching me of course, as I went about my day, but Zalas was always close by, his suspicious eyes narrowing whenever Obsidian came into view. By the time the night rolled around I would head straight for bed with nothing but sleep on my mind. Obsidian was very rarely ever in his room when I came in, he seemed to be disappearing mysteriously a lot more than usual and when I questioned Cobalt, without trying to sound to desperate, he simply shrugged his shoulders and said that Obsidian was just being Obsidian. Evasive.