No Longer Our Sea (Book 1)

3

My movements in the water seemed to become rapid as my mind wrapped around what was happening.

I wondered if I was the only one with any sense around here to actually believe our enemies could strike back. I thought about how this could all end. Would their plan work? Would they all be eaten in a poor attempt at vengeance? Or would we be the ones to fall?

My hazel eyes scattered across the surrounding sea while I tried to look for the woman leading the regiment of sirens. Still searching, I swam through the sea of sirens that had started to form and congregate under the boat. With the night as my cloak and one goal on their minds, no one seemed to recognize their Princess and so no path was made for me to pass through. I seemed to swim through colors as my eyes flashed between the Auburn red, blonde, brunette, and black locks of my fellow sirens.

Swimming through the forest of my comrades, I met with my cousin Arya in the midst of the chaos.

Arya's dark green eyes sparkled as her childish smile widened, but we both knew why she was here. She's expected to be what I am not and eventually, if it comes to it, take my place. Arya is only fourteen still she's forced play as a pawn in my mother's political chess and only attends these events so she can observe and become what kind of siren our parents want her to be. The only problem? She doesn't want to.

Not only is Arya my most loyal and closest friend, but she and I share the same beliefs about humans. To become what our parents what her to be is to not only to betray me but also her own beliefs.

Even though my mother and aunt have fully given up on me, they refuse to let another disgrace swim around with a crown on her head. Despite her beliefs, my cousin can't disobey the law let alone her Queen. I pity her since she doesn't have the privilege to refuse.

Arya takes my hands in hers and I can't help but notice the difference in size. "Why are you here?" Arya questions me.

"I'll tell you later I need to get to the General, it's urgent," I stated.

She sighed but nodded at me, "She's over there," then she pointed in her alleged direction.

I smiled at her as my hands left hers, "Thank you," I said and embraced her as we wished each other good luck.

Finding the General, I approached her and stayed close to her side. She scanned me sharply with her dark brown eyes as she seems to not recognize my true identity. Only when she realized who was standing next to her did she fully acknowledge my presence.

"Princess," she addressed me, sounding almost confused.

I only returned the gesture with unshakable confidence, "General."

As one of my mother's closest friends and loyalist subjects, I have known General Dorinara since my childhood. It's said that years ago she fled the South from slave traders that had come to her land looking for humans. The slave traders brought weapons that only alerted the sirens of her land since they already had a fleeting, weak population. Soon enough, the waters of her home had begun to threaten their existence. When the human slave traders had found out about the presence of the sirens, they made it their objective to hunt down, sell, or kill them.

Not long after, Dorinara fled her waters to Draesa's capital, Maris, with nothing more than the clothes on her back.

Here in Maris, she enrolled in the army and was recognized for her talents in military strategy and battle. Once my mother heard the rumors of Dorinara's warmongering gifts, my mother put her to the test. When she passed, she rose in the ranks and soon gained her position as General.

The General stared at me sharply with her chocolate eyes, "What are you doing here?" she whispered harshly. As my mother's close friend, she knew about the Queen's disgrace of a daughter. With sarcasm, she completed her thought, "Or has the Princess finally come to her senses?" Her last statement had made the regiment of sirens surround us as we continued our conversation.