Fish Out of Water

Scene Two II

I clench my fists, stretching the seaweed cautiously. Maybe, if I work on it, I can ease out of it. Or, if that doesn't work, tear out of these natural chains.

As if they somehow know my thoughts, the weeds constrict tighter around me. I swallow my gasp.

Thankfully, Cerce doesn't seem to notice. "I'm sure you're eager to learn your fate, but I only want to explain myself once, so... Harold!"

Her bellow startles me, and another human awkwardly swims between two of my sisters at the summoning.

This new arrival doesn't seem to share her artful grace as he flounders forward, his shaggy brown hair and peasant garb not doing anything to assist his swim. "Yes, my mistress?"

Cerce turns her patronizing smile to this minion of hers. "Stand by the usurper queen while I wake her sisters."

"Usurper?!" I tug at my binds again, and they tighten their grip on me. "Don't touch my sisters!"

"Don't worry, little queen. I would not dirty my hands with their scales."

No sooner does the male human swim beside me, than a bubble of sort appears around us, trapping me further and separating me from my sisters.

The minion winces.

I turn to him. "What?"

He glances at me, and I see something strange in his eyes. Sympathy. "At least she was kind enough to not put you through this."

"Put me through what?" I yank again, and this time the weed stretches over my throat.

His expression softens again.

But I don't see it anymore as I witness the catastrophe unfolding outside the bubble. My sisters and guards are all jolting in unison.

I tug at the binds, strangling myself. "Stop..."

The minion touches the weeds, causing them to loosen. "No need to alarm yourself, miss. She's just waking them up."

"For what?" I demand.

He says nothing, but a flash of sympathy flashes through his eyes.

My heart ices over. "Please, you can't let her hurt them. I don't know what she wants, but we can give it to her. Any amount of treasure or pearls she could want."

"I'm so sorry, miss." He hangs his head sadly. "She only wants revenge."

"No!"

Suddenly, the bubble pops around us, but no pain awaits. Except for the expression in Cerce's eyes as she leers at me. "He speaks truth."

Across from me, Priscilla looks at me wide-eyed. "What's going on? Where are we?"

Beside her, Lena starts crying.

I resist the urge to pull at my binds again, since it does nothing. "What have you against them? They are nobodies. I'm the crown ruler."

"And when you're gone, would it not fall on one of them?" Cerce shakes her head, and seems to be... laughing. The witch. "No, I'll take care of all of you, all at once." She glances over at the two guards, both of whom are strangling themselves right now. "And you two, too, I suppose. What fun."

Calypso blinks once before turning to me and giving me her cocky look. "Who is this witch?"

Cerce's eyes flash, and my heart pounds for whatever danger my sister might have put herself into.

I open my mouth, but for a moment, fear steals my voice. But fear for my sister is stronger. "Oh, you missed it. She already did her villainous monologue. Some sort of self-claiming queen of nothing with a personal vendetta against us, yadda, yadda-"

I lose my voice again, but this time to the tightness of the weed around my neck.

"Mistress!" the minion cries in horror.

"You are too soft," she mutters, but the vine relents its hold on my throat.

I gasp in air even as Elspeth narrows her eyes. "And how do you intend to bring about that revenge."

"I will give each of you what was given me." Cerce's eyes flash. "A curse and a banishment."

"No!" the guards yell in unison.

But too late- something is happening. 

-Signature by -krystallite