The Siren's Call

Four

I slowly lifted my eyes to the crouched figure in front of me. My eyes took in black fabric before they lifted to a blue shirt and then to eyes the colour of a cloud before a storm, grey. I was greeted with a smile showing perfect teeth that made wrinkles at his eyes.

"Thelea," he whispered. He looked up and my eyes caught onto another man  looking just like him but younger. He bent down smiling holding some type of cloth that was placed around me.

"Take care of her," 

My head swept around to see my mother half on the bank as she held onto the man's hand, no my father's hand. There was something passed between them through their eyes, it was something beautiful.

"Of course I will,"

"I have to go now Adrian, tell me you'll take care of her," she said.

Caspian was looking around behind him and my father nodded his head. My mother turned towards me leaning up and placing her lips against my cheek, "I'll be back," she whispered before she disappeared under the water followed by Caspian. 

I felt the same sea water on my cheeks as I watched her go. She left. She left me alone.

"Now let's get you moving shall we,"

I flinched at the voice as I turned back staring at the strangers face. There was something about his face that screamed power, strength but a hint of kindness in it at the same time. His hair was just like mine, black and thick and messy in every possible way. 

I realized then, I looked more like my handsome father than my beautiful mother, this was the other part of me I was trying to figure out for the past 6000 days ever since I was called different. 

He lifted me up only to have me fall half back down before he caught me. Where was my tail? Didn't he know my tail can't st- I looked down to see weird tips and chocked.

"It's toes," said the second man looking amused at me as my eyes flickered to his.

"James help her will you," said my father. James held out a arm and I hesitantly took it, surprised that my Siren voice wasn't singing to them to their deaths, it was calm, it was more relaxed than I had ever been.

James held the cloth around me with his other hand as my father placed his hands on my stomach.

"Now can you feel this," he said as he poked something on my, what was it, toes? I nodded a throaty bubble from my mouth.

"I think it's ticklish," said James. Ticklish, yes, that was the word, that feeling that made you laugh.

"Can you step front with this foot," said my father tapping on the right one. I tried moving it but ended up hopping with both.

"She need to separate it," said James.

"I know, let's take her home for now,"

"Hold on tight," said James as he tied a knot with the cloth and then turned around so his back was facing me and then bent down grabbing the thing they called legs and hoisting me up.

I let out a screech as I was on his back and he stood up.

"Hold on," he said and I grabbed his shoulders as he started to run.

"I'll be right behind you both, take her home I need to check something,"

I watched in awe as I saw massive coral like things all over the place, they were alive on the land as well? The air was somehow cleaner, crisper. It didn't have that salty taste and I realized my nose was breathing it clearer.