Natalia's P. O. V
"Nice of you to join us."
I ignored the sound of my heartbeat in my ears, avoiding the looks of my classmates, "Sorry I'm late."
She sighed, moving to her laptop, "It's fine. What's your name?"
"Natalia."
Her eyes ran over her screen, "Natalia Sayna?"
I nodded.
Syrenlina was a major household name among Syrens, so Mrs Burton had registered me with a made up last name to maintain the low profile I'd requested.
She marked me present then waved me off, "Take a seat."
I weaved between the desks, scurrying over to a seat at the back.
"Alright class. As I was saying, my name's Julia Zreed. This particular class is made up of the Lost Group. Most of you had little to no idea of your heritage so, I'll be teaching you Syren Fundamentals. It's like a crash course of the basics of existing as a Syren and you'll be required to take it for the first week or two."
With everyone's attention back on Ms Zreed, I glanced at the others in the class. Of the eighteen of us, just three were guys. There were a few who had two-toned hair, but most others had the usual black hair. The thing that really united everyone in the classroom, whatever their gender or skin tone or hair colour or texture, was the fact that they were all nothing short of gorgeous.
My attention went back to Ms Zreed as she continued, "For your afternoon classes, you'll have all your subjects outside basic academia. Those of you that haven't had your Uncovering yet will take Syrenlina Ecosystem, Syren History, Inter-species Relations, and Syrenlina World Structure, along with your elective. Once you have your Uncovering, Special Abilities will be added to your classes. Any questions?"
A girl closer to the front of the class, with the faintest hints of purple at the end of her bobbed hair, raised her hand, "How will we be graded for this class?"
"For this class, and all your afternoon classes, you'll have oral reviews to determine your understanding. Some teachers may have specific details that they'll ask for, while others will just let you talk about what you know of the subject. At the end of the first week, that's how we'll determine which of you will need to take this class for a second week. Any more questions?"
Nobody said anything further, so she launched into the lesson.
She'd decided to start off the subject with Uncoverings and all they entailed.
"As most of you have probably noticed, your Uncovering will come with a colour addition to the black of your hair. In the weeks leading up to it, your puberty will be accelerated and your allure, the thing that causes the innate attraction the opposite sex has to you, will increase. Some Syrens have also had an eye colour change, but it's not that common. After your Uncovering, regular hair dye or contacts won't work, so there are enchanted products we use to stay hidden."
On the electronic board, she showed two pictures of the same Syren, two weeks apart. In the first one, she had plain black hair and, while still beautiful, a less mature look. In the second one, she'd grown into all her features and a bright orange had been added to the ends of her hair.
"The biggest change will be your special ability. Most Syrens get a nature-centric affinity or power, and some can control more intangible things like sound, emotions or illusions. Usually, Syrens get one or two abilities, very rarely does a person get three. Special abilities will usually be illustrated in the form of a tattoo somewhere on your body that only you, your family and later, your life partner can see. Usually, the bigger the tattoo, the stronger the ability, but they have been known to grow if you actively train for it."
I raised a hand.
"Yes Natalia?"
"What if some of your family members aren't Syrens? Or they're cousins or half-siblings or something?"
"Excellent question. If they're a person born from either your mother or father, regardless of species, they'll see it. So, a yes for half siblings, but a no for cousins or aunts and uncles. And, of course, your children will be able to see it too, but your grandchildren won't." She explained, then added, "Since the circle of people that can see a Syren's tattoo is so small, it's one of the ways a Syren can identify their life partner, but that topic's for another day. If that answers your question, I'll move along."
The rest of the lesson covered the remaining details of Uncoverings, like the significance of the hair colour and how some Syrens with Siren ancestry could possibly gain traits closer to Sirens, like a hypnotic voice, gills or a monofin when in contact with saltwater as opposed to at will.
Soon enough, the bell rang and it was time for my next class.
"Welcome to Syren History."
A woman that looked to be in her late fifties greeted us warmly. She was the definition of graceful aging, all the details of her face complimenting each other.
After taking roll call, she began.
"The most important thing about any civilisation or society, is its history. History is constantly being made, through our ideologies and actions and their effects through time. We'll start the curriculum in our next class, so, today, let's focus on the importance of history. I know there are a few of you who weren't aware of your history as a Syren, so can anyone tell me a historical event they know of?"
The girl in front of me, with black and emerald green hair that nearly touched the floor as she was seated, raised her hand. On the skin of the back of her hand was a crest, with a swirling plant inside it. "The border to Syrenlina had been closed for almost sixteen years, but it's open now. I think that's pretty historical."
The teacher nodded, "You're right, that is pretty historical. Does anyone know what that could mean?"
Another girl, with shorter hair and lilac added to her black, spoke up, "My mom says it means the lost heir's returned."
"Yes, it does mean the heir has returned. Based on how long the border was closed, she could be in your year. Perhaps even this class."
Murmurs filled the room, everyone looking about and speculating on who it could be.
"Guys," The girl in front of me declared, "if she was lost and just recently returned, she's probably part of the Lost Group. Mrs Grandale, you have friends in the High Court, can you tell us anything you know about her?"
"Oh, I couldn't possibly..."
The class erupted again, pleading and begging for details.
'Please don't say anything.' I silently willed.
Mrs Grandale smiled, sighing, "Alright, but you didn't hear it from me. All anyone knows is that she got in contact with Mrs Burton, and that she hasn't gone through her Uncovering yet."
With those words, all eyes swivelled to the three girls without any other colour in their hair, one of which I recognised from our Syren Fundamentals class.
"Katie and Lucy can't be it, they're both in my Group." The girl in front of me mused, "That just leaves you..."
"Francess." The last girl said.
"Well, it could be you, Francess."
Francess shook her head, "It's not me, I don't even know who Mrs Burton is. Besides, I wasn't the only one who hadn't had my Uncovering in the Lost Group. And what about her?" She pointed at me.
The girl with the crest turned around, eyeing me up. Then she shook her head, "Nope, can't be her. Her hair's brown to the roots and everyone knows that Syrens only have black hair before their Uncovering. What are you, anyway?"
"I- uh..." I looked around, everyone's attention now on my answer, "I'm a Werewolf..."
She scrunched her nose, "A Werewolf? What the hell are you looking for in a Syren school? We get Elves and Fae and Enchanters and stuff, but never Werewolves. Why are you here?"
"Um, I- I'm part Syren."
She raised a brow, "So? We're a species of mostly women, most of us here are part Syren. You can't be both anyway. Again, why are you here?"
Their stares morphed from curious to invasive, demanding answers I couldn't give.
However defective, I was a Werewolf, an outsider. Sure, my mother had been their Queen, but I'd never be a Syren and it was wishful thinking to assume they'd accept me for what I was.
Why was I here?
'Nat,' Candy said softly, 'Werewolf or Syren, you're the heir. You're here because you decided to learn how to become the Queen they need.'
She was right. I was supposed to fill the shoes of my mom, at least till we figured out where she could be. And if I didn't start acting like it, this was gonna be the Lightwood Pack all over again.
I took a breath then met her eyes, "Why I'm here is really none of your business."
She blinked, "Excuse me...?"
"Miss Flossarez, that's enough." Mrs Grandale called, "Her history is her own and we mustn't take it by force. We're happy to have you...?"
"Natalia." I looked around, then landed my gaze back on the girl with the crest, "Natalia Sayna."
The rest of the class passed relatively uneventfully. As did the next class, Inter-species Relations, taught by a tall, winged lilac man that turned out to be a Pixie enchanted to be human-sized, and not a unique race of the Fae like everyone initially thought. For our first lesson, he's regaled us with the tale of his epic romance with a Syren who was the equivalent of his life partner, and how their love would've had more challenges than just his size if the Syren and Pixie relationship was less than cordial.
Finally, the final bell of the day rang.
Shuffling filled the room as we all packed to leave. Once outside the building, my stomach growled and I checked my phone for the time. It was just past four o'clock, so I thought of what I'd have for dinner.
"Hey, you're Natalia, right?"
I turned to see an Uncovered girl with pink in her long afro, along with either Katie or Lucy from the second class, I didn't know.
I nodded.
"I'm Jenna, and this is Lucy."
Lucy waved, "Hi."
"This one," Jenna continued, shooting Lucy a look, "kept gushing about how you shut the Countess down, so I got her to come talk to you."
I cocked my head, "Countess?"
"Aubrey Flossarez, the girl that was grilling you in Syren History."
"Why did you call her 'Countess'?"
"Because," Lucy spoke up, "everyone knows she's the daughter of a Countess in Syrenlina."
I raised a brow, "Really?"
Jenna nodded, "Yeah, didn't you see her crest? She was practically waving it in everyone's faces."
"The one on her hand? I saw it, but I didn't know what it meant."
"All members of Syren nobility get one once they're Uncovered and are recognised by their family's head. It's pretty arbitrary, but some people let it get to their heads anyway."
Lucy nodded, fuming, "It's not like she's evil, but she acts like she's the best thing to happen to Syrens since Syrenlina was created! There are a few other members of nobility in our year, but no one's become as notorious as Aubrey has on the first day. And she's just a Countess! Jenna's a Duchess but you don't hear her title everywhere."
Jenna tugged on her long sleeve, shooting Lucy a look, "No need to go announcing it for me."
"Sorry..."
From what I knew of hierarchy, the Duchy came after only the royal family itself. I glanced at Jenna. She was wearing a cold shoulder sweater, its sleeves going well past her hands, and skinny jeans that accentuated her features. Her hair was piled on top of her head in a large puff that was dominated by pink.
"So," I asked, "all members of nobility get a crest? What if they have no family head? Or they're not a Syren?"
Jenna shrugged, "Then, I guess they're the family head and get one by default after their Uncovering. Anyone with Syren blood can see it, so I think non-Syren children of nobility still get one once they turn sixteen."
"You don't seem like you want people to know you're a Duchess, Jenna."
"It's not like I'm hiding," she explained, "I just want to get to know people here a bit before it gets around. It's an arbitrary title, but people will still act different once they know you have it, whether they realise it or not."
"Makes sense. What about you, Lucy?"
She blinked, "Me? I'm not a noble. My parents and I were separated during the Jam, so Jenna's family took me in."
"The Jam?"
"It's what most people call the time that passed while the border to Syrenlina was closed. Like, the door was jammed."
"Oh, I'm sorry to hear that. Have you been able to see them since the Jam ended?"
She nodded, "I was like two months old when it happened, so it's been weird to get to know my parents for the first time after almost sixteen years. They ID-Commed as often as they could, but I just got to hug them for the first time three months ago. They moved to Earth so we could get to know each other better where I'm comfortable."
"ID-Commed?"
"Inter Dimensional Communication."
"Wow..." I knew the border had been closed for as long as I'd been alive, but I had no idea just how badly my birth had affected the Syrens.
"Wow is right." Jenna said, "A lot of families and life partners were separated during the Jam. The worst part is, no one knows why. Queen Aquina just disappeared out of the blue and, six months later, the border's closed and no one can find her or her daughter. Even if her daughter's back now, no one knows anything and there's been no news of Queen Aquina herself.
"Really?"
"Yeah, not even my parents know anything about the Princess beyond the fact that she's under Mrs Burton's care, and there's no information on the Queen."
"Who exactly is Mrs Burton?"
"She's one of the most important Syrens in the High Court." Lucy said.
"So, she's nobility?" I hadn't noticed any crest on her during any of our meetings.
She shook her head, "The nobles make up the Court, but the High Court has both the Court and the Council. It's kinda hard to explain how it all works, but I'm sure we'll learn that in Syrenlina World Structure class."
Jenna checked her phone, "Well, I gotta go. The theatre club meets in five minutes. It was nice meeting you, Natalia."
"Yeah," Lucy said, "I've gotta get home for dinner with my parents. I'm glad I got to talk to you."
I smiled, "Me too. It was great to meet you two. See you tomorrow."
"Bye."
"See ya."
Jenna made her way to a building on campus that I was pretty sure was a theatre, while Lucy left the premises.
Standing outside, there were still quite a few students left. A lot of them were hanging around what looked like a dorm, while others were talking in groups. Some were even showing off their special abilities for friends.
'So,' Candy said, 'once you turn sixteen next month, you'll get a mark that'll out you as the heir, whether you like it or not...'
'I'll need to see Mrs Burton before my birthday.'
I left the school, walking to a secluded enough place for me to run back home. Once home, I locked the door behind me and made my way to my room. I took my shoes off and threw myself onto my bed.
Looking up at my ceiling, my shoulders relaxed and I sighed, the day catching up with me.
'You should get something to eat.'
I yawned, tears gathering in the corners of my eyes, 'But I'm sleepy.'
'Come on, Nat.' Candy tutted, 'You haven't eaten since breakfast. Warm up some leftovers then you can take a nap.'
I blew on some hair on my face, 'Alright. At least I don't have any assignments from today.'
Downstairs, I fixed something to eat. Once I was full, I returned to my room and drew a bath to soak in for an hour, then changed into my pyjamas.
Some minutes later, I heard Timothy approach and went to open the front door for him.
"Welcome back."
He grunted.
"Well, there's some food in the fridge you can heat up." I said, locking the door, "I'm going to bed now, good night."
"Night." He mumbled, taking his shoes off and making a beeline for the kitchen.
I returned to my room and was out like a light.