Spencer
The second I stepped inside the tavern I could hear it. Singing. A soft melody that just barely carried over the conversations throughout the room.
As my crew took seats around the room, I just sat at the bar, watching for whoever the voice could belong to.
My eyes finally landed on the voices owner as she neared me.
I watched near silently as people handed the woman coins without ordering a thing. She slipped the money into a small purse at her hip as she moved. When she finally turned towards me I let myself study her face.
Storm grey eyes that almost looked sad. Long blonde hair tied back by a scarf. She wore a white dress with a black corset, various pouches and bags hanging off of a belt. She moved gracefully across the room, and not once did she stop singing. Every so often, she'd glance out the window and towards the sea. That's when it clicked. Siren.
That's why she didn't stop singing, that's why every person in here seemed so.. enchanted.
For whatever reason, I wasn't affected by her song, neither were two members of my crew. Emily and Will.
For two different reasons.
Will had been blessed by a siren. Her kiss allowing him to be unaffected by any sirens song.
Emily.. she was a siren. The very one that had blessed Will.
Will had found her on a beach, naked and bloody and almost immediately took her in, nursing her back to health himself. And he quickly fell for her. She fell for him and here we are.
I quickly cast a glance at the two, finding Emily hiding in the shadows behind where Will was sitting, silently playing with the dagger she kept strapped to her thigh.
I was torn from my thoughts by a voice saying, "Can I get you anything?"
I looked up to see the blonde woman, and now that she was closer, I could see how tired she looked. But I just smirked in response before speaking. "I'm a pirate Sweetheart, take a guess."
She just hmmed. "Rum it is." She walked behind the bar, starting to sing again.
When she walked back over, I tossed a coin to her as she set the glass down. "Thank you. Siren." I kept my voice low despite knowing everyone else in the tavern was to entranced to realize what I'd said.
The quick flash of panic in her eyes said all I needed to know. "I have absolutely no idea what you're talking about. There are no sirens here." She watched me.
I just smirked. "Don't lie Darling. You sing constantly, you look out at the sea every moment you get. And I've seen at least ten people give you money without ordering anything."
"You're insane." She shook her head. "How would a siren be here anyway? They have tails don't they?" She picked up empty glasses.
"Relax. I'm not going to hurt you over it. Hell I don't even really care. I just wanted to see if my suspicions were true."
I could see her fist her hands and move to turn away until a man walked over, hooking an arm around her waist and tugging her against him. I saw the almost immediately look of disgust and fear before it vanished. Replaced with a controlled, neutral one.
"Mm hello Sweetheart. We had fun last night didn't we?" Even if I couldn't smell the alcohol on him, I knew he was drunk.
"Mm quite. However I'm working right now." She moved to slip out of his arms but his grip held firm.
"Perhaps I should pay for another night then hm?"
I stood and carefully hooked my own arm around her waist, pulling her away from him. "Unfortunately she's already taken for tonight. Perhaps tomorrow?" I couldn't help the smirk on my face as he huffed and walked off. As soon as he was gone I moved my arm, not wanting to make the girl uncomfortable.
She dragged a hand over her face. "Thank you." She shook her head.
"You don't have to thank me. I get the feeling you aren't very keen to spend the night with him again."
She sighed. "I didn't want to do it the first time." She shook her head. She must've noticed my confusion because she spoke again. "My boss, he owns this place, he likes to uhm. Rent me out to patrons some nights. Gets him extra money." She shook her head. "I want out of here. So badly." She looked up at me.
"I can get you out." I don't think I fully thought it through before I spoke. "My crew and I are leaving tomorrow morning. You can come with us. You'll be free."
"Can we.. can we go now?" When she looked up at me, I could see the pleading look in her eyes. And the hope that she looked at me with.
I nodded. "Give me one minute okay. Start singing and giving people their drinks again. I need to talk to one of the members of my crew okay? I'll come get you."
She nodded and composed herself, shaking her head before starting to sing again, walking around the tables.
I shook my head and walked over to Will and Emily, taking a seat next to him. "I need your help."
"What is it Spence?" He looked over at me, sipping his rum.
"The blonde barmaid. We're getting her out. Help cause a distraction so the tavern owner doesn't see."
"You seem very inclined to help her." He murmured, setting his glass down.
"He let's people 'rent' her to spend a night with her Will." I glanced at him. "I didn't get a full story but I can guess what that means."
He nodded. "Alright. Give me a minute." He stood and walked over to Em, quietly murmuring something to her.
The woman in question grinned faintly and picked up one of the knives from the table, flicking it around in her hand for a moment before throwing it, just skimming a random guys arm. She'd thrown it at an angle that made it seem impossible for the knife to have come from her direction.
A fight quickly broke out and I nodded to my friends. "Go. I'll follow you in a minute."
Will nodded as he took Em's hand, leaving with her.
I let out a sharp, two-note whistle that was my signal to the crew to leave. As I walked I saw my crew leave. I quickly grabbed the woman's wrist, my grip gentle. "C'mon, let's get you out of here."
She nodded and let me lead her outside, quickly heading to the docks. "What's your name?"
"Spencer. You?" I led her up onto my ship and offered a blanket.
She quietly took it. "Lilah." She wrapped the blanket around her shoulders. "You need to hide me. He'll come looking for-"
She was cut off by a man yelling her name. Instinctively I pushed her behind me as he appeared, giving her hand a gentle squeeze.
"Hand her over." He stepped up onto the ship, walking towards us.
"No. But I'll trade you for her." Gods I hoped this worked.
"And what would you give me for her?" He raised an eyebrow.
I walked over, slipping a dagger free and holding it to his throat. "Your life."
