Treacherous Depths

Prologue

Feminine fingers reached for the ornate handle and paused. 'Once that handle is turned I am at his Majesty's mercy. I've dallied too much in arriving,' she thought before twisting the metal and sealing her fate. No one walked away unscathed when royalty beckoned them forward.
The room was resplendent in gold, red and black, the colors of the Royal House. Upon the walls, Murals hung of various creatures the biggest being a Golden Lion which was painted in pure gold.
"I see you've finally heeded my call," a man dressed in pure ebony robes spoke. He was lounging in bed with a glass of red wine held between his fingers. Turquoise eyes closed in resignation. Then she bowed low to the ground, her dark honey colored hair falling to hide her disgust at showing this man respect.
"I was held up by an inconvenience your grace," she replied thinking back on Arianna's latest tantrum.
"If it was such an inconvenience why did you stay," he replied shifting his to stand.
'Because she used the chain you taught her to manipulate me,' she thought but did not reply. She could feel the moment the bond sparked to life as a bolt of the Kings power was felt running through a now visible thread. The king had wrapped his fingers in the golden thread and yanked causing her to fall and scrape a knee. Still she made not a sound being used to such degradation. He pulled the thread and her forward till his drunken breath was felt over her face.
"When you are summoned by me it is of most importance that you heed the call!"
Lightning burst in her veins and the woman shrieked. It built till she thought her blood would boil into nothing. Then it stopped and she tried sitting to her knees. Here on the floor, splayed before the King, she felt vulnerable. She shook from the tremors invading every part of her being.
The King smiled stepping before her, long golden hair in a braid. He looked far too young to be the King. He had a niece as old as she and he still appeared as young as her.
'Must be the shifter's blood,' she thought gasping when he extended his hand to her.
"Rise! We have much to talk about and little time to do it with!
Instead of waiting for the agony in her veins to pass, he lifted her using the shadows all around the room. Beings of clear smoke lifted her roughly to her feet before subsiding back to the shadows.
The king waited till Turquoise eyes turned their attention to him. She was too exhausted to bow this time and simply stood.
"His royal Highness Ehanian of the Water Shifters is holding a ball to find a match on Delphene Isle," he began settling himself by his desk and reading from an ornate scroll." He wants Arianna there specifically but you and I know what hides on that island."
"Sirens," she replied earning a nod.
"Yes, those treacherous witches would capture Arianna if only to Lord it above me," he replied his deceptive calm gaze piercing through her. He yanked on the thread hard enough to pull a shoulder from its socket and she hissed in pain. He smirked running his fingers through her hair and scraping her skull lightly.
"I won't have any harm come to my niece."
She winced but nodded hoping his fingers would stop scratching her scalp. Shifter fingers were much stronger than a human's scalp. Those same fingers grasped her chin now and his eyes sent a bought of shivers through her soul.
"You shall be taking her place."
Another shriek burst forth as blinding agony coursed to every nerve. The thread binding her to the King crumbled before her eyes. Something shattered then within her sending her soul into torment. She collapsed to the floor paralyzed and with barely a breath within her.
"As punishment for earlier, you shall remain unbound till departure...Meredith Irene."





One
Meredith decked in a royal blood red halter dress held together by golden chain links located at each of her sides. The sleeves attached by a golden bracelet to her arms leaving her hands free to wear a forgery of the Royal emblem ring and more bracelets. On her right she wore a slave bracelet to remind her of her true stature.
'How apropos,' she thought glaring at herself in the mirror. Servants had used hair coloring spells to lighten her honey colored hair more golden. Just that one little detail upset her
'I can't be me.'
A bang at the door revealed the King dressed in fine silk robes. Even after three days Meredith still shook in his presence.
"Wonderful, you look almost like Arianna...except those strange eyes of yours. Curling a finger around the thread which was rebuilt, he sent his power to her eyes. She watched as her turquoise eyes ringed with gold became the smoky grey eyes of Arianna.
The king smirked.
"That's better...still something's amiss," he said inspecting Meredith.
"What if he asks me to shift? Arianna can become a Falcon but I cannot shift into anything. Won't that give the whole charade up your grace," she questioned weary of his circling her like a hungry vulture.
The king pulled something from his pocket. It was a gold necklace. At its center a diamond swirled with greyish red power. He motioned for her to turn around and she obeyed. Then he clasped the necklace shut. Meredith gasped as the trails of power dug visible holes into her skin to mesh with her blood changing her skin to a creamy white instead of its honey tone. The holes immediately closed and caused little pain to Meredith but she could feel the grey power beneath her skin and it repulsed her. She cleaned the small patches of blood left from the strange magic now coursing through her and faced the mirror once more. She had lost several inches and gained some curvature. The end result was astonishing, she was now resembled Arianna close enough to be thought as her twin.
"This will work for three shifts," he said. Then he pulled on Meredith's golden hair.
"Go and come back soon. I want that engagement for my niece. Should you need me use the Bond." She grimaced
'Over my dead body will I ever use that bond,' she thought but replied.
The king faced her before offering his arm to her. Meredith grasped his arm and he led her through the castle halls to where the soldiers practiced.
"No one knows except you and I," there he stopped and glared into her eyes. "And it better remain that way. Am I clear?"
A small shock ran through Meredith making her voice shake.
"Y...ye...s"
"Good, now let's hurry the coach is almost here.
Meredith walked through throngs of people toward a large ship. The King had just sent her on her way with no instructions on which was her ship. Now she knew why as grey eyes took in the large shipping vessel. It was a grand ship. The borders were painted a deep blue her favorite color.
"What is such a lass doing down at the docks alone," a man questioned from above. He sat near a post high enough to gander a good concussion if he fell. On his back rested a large broad sword. He wore the symbol of a wind shifter. He was tall and tanned with sky blue hair in a small tail.
'It suites the profession,' she thought.
"I'm heading toward Delphene Isle," she replied.
The man's sky blue eyes widened slightly.
"What in hell are you doing traveling to Delphene...and alone?"
Meredith bristled slightly crossing her arms over her breasts in anger.
"What I do is not your concern! I am sanctioned by the King to travel to Delphene. Is this the right boat or not."
"It's a she and yes we sail to Hell's island. I was just expecting... another sailor not a princess," he replied chucking the netting he carried in a barrel before lugging the barrel up to the mast.
"Are you the captain," she questioned grey eyes boring into sky blue.
The man shrugged.
"Sometimes I lead but it's my pap you'll have to talk to if you want the true genius of this beauty," he replied scampering down the Mast to the deck floor. Then he walked into the Captain's quarters.
Meredith was just about to use the damn bond when an older man showed his sun streaked face. He was hunched over and stepped with a bit of a limp. Extending from his forehead and running through his pupil and down to rest at his nose lay a jagged scar. He too carried a sword. It seemed all the sailor's upon this ship carried weapons.
'What if they decide to mutiny,' she thought.
"Not likely lass. I trust these men...it's you I don't trust," the old man replied. She gasped slightly in surprise.
"I wasn't expecting the captain to be a monk," she whispered bowing slightly.
The man laughed.
"I ain't no monk lass. I'm no shifter either princess."
Meredith smiled when the man extended his hand to her and helped her onboard.
"Please call me Arianna," she replied as he led her through a walk-through of the ship. From the shadows sky blue eyes followed them suspiciously. He could see past the glamour to hide her eyes.
All he could think was exotic. Never had he seen her eyes anywhere on this planet. He had traveled far with his men and met many women along the way but never had he seen those eyes. They beckoned a man and enchanted him
'Could she be an enchantress in disguise,' he thought watching as his Pap showed her to her cabin
When she entered the cabin set apart for her, pure decadence awaited her in her room. The bed was decked in fluffy pillows, silk blue sheets and a warm comforter. The headboard was in the shape of a clam. Paintings of beautiful sea landscapes covered the room. She knew this was the way the King apologized for the unfair treatment of her the last time he untethered her. Yet she was dismayed.
'A simple apology would suffice Dasvi,' she thought throwing herself onto the bed.
"What do you think of our guest Anteros," the Captain questioned his best sailor. Only a mere boy yet he could toil farther than the others. He could lead and was very charismatic...when needed. The man loved him like a son.
"She's not what she seems Pap. Ican see past the strongest glamour's but could only make out her eyes, turquoise with a ring of gold around the pupils and the pupils are slightly elongated."
The Captain did a double take grasping Anteros by the shoulders making the boy stoop from his six feet three.
"Ye sure about that Anteros?"
The boy nodded.
The Captain sighed.
'That, lass will be trouble. I have no doubt about her being so,' he thought rushing to his cabin and taking out an old scroll written years before Andalusia rose from the depths.
From the sea I was born
By the light of Anteros
From the sea shall I return
On a voyage of Peril
Shall two meet and greet
Shall two hate and grief
And all souls to keep.
All souls to damn or save.
From the sea she shall be born
From the deep shall evil weep
And to the Sea all men must turn
'Could she be the one spoken of,' the Captain thought passing gnarled fingers through his long goatee in contemplation.
Arianna awoke to the creaking of the ship and the sound of slouching water. She stretched out before deeming to change into more comfortable clothes. After her bath she donned a simple dark blue slip dress and flip flop sandals. Then she went to join the night crew. She gasped at all the stars she could see, not watching where she was going.
"Watch out!"
Meredith gasped at the shout and nearly tipped off the boat if he hadn't been faster in catching her. He had to place his arms around her waist to reestablish her balance. Meredith turned around to meet sky blue eyes of her rescuer. He was decked in a simple linen shirt and black trousers full of many holes. In the light of the pale moon he seemed younger than he was.
"Sorry, didn't mean to scare you so badly," he said removing his arms from her person.
"Then you shouldn't have startled me so," she replied running her hands through her free hair. It had lost some coloring but not enough to notice or worry about.
"What had you so entranced princess?"
Meredith replied, "The stars! I've never seen so many dot the skies. I live in a tower just to be close to the ones I can see."
Anteros smiled at the picture the princess made decked in a thin shift and flip flops.
"I can even make out your name sake," she said tracing her fingers across the constellation Anteros
"By the light of Anteros," Meredith whispered smiling.
"You'll know when she traces your name sake boy."
Anteros narrowed his eyes at the woman who had traced his name sake. No one had been able to since his best friend disappeared from the Yard. Her father had chosen his whore instead of his daughter. Anteros just watched the princess carefully.
"You're the second person who has ever been able to trace my constellation perfectly," he said surprising her.
"Why, it's not that difficult."
He shrugged.
"I don't know but ask the others to do so. They will all fail except Pap," Anteros replied turning to face the calm waters of the sea. He always felt calm floating on the water.
"Tomorrow we enter siren's cove," he whispered.
"I know, I've been here before," she whispered back.
There the two stood by the light of the moon, on the deck staring into traitorous depths.
Through the early morning fog a small Isle could be seen surrounded by all sides with the crystal blue of the sea. Beside her Anteros shook slightly as they entered the siren's cove. All last night neither managed to sleep feeling the call to Siren waters. Both dreamt of the deep blue sea and shimmering forms upon waves lulling each to their dooms. Meredith's had been a reminder of the past where she was thrown off ship and into siren waters where a siren nearly killed her.
'Until I spoke. Then it let me go in surprise,' she thought casting glances into the water. She couldn't help the nervous tapping of her foot against the floor boards.
"Lass, best be quiet less you stir one up from the depths," the Captain warned sailing the ship as fast as he could with little noise as possible.
"Noise attracts them," Meredith questioned surprised.
"Ears like a bat's they have," commented a sailor who was sweeping the deck. They all stood far from the railings as possible. Meredith, sighed as the gentle breeze gave strength to the sails. The ship was gaining speed.
'Good, soon we'll have left this cursed place," Meredith thought.
It came on the wind, the lovely serenade of death. Meredith suddenly froze, her mind was not her own. Something else lurked within the dark cracks of the mind.
'What do you wish to hear most human,' an angelic voice sounded in Meredith's head. It searched Meredith's mind till it settled into a memory of long ago.
'I see, your wish shall be granted, the payment is your death,' it's laughter sounding like the chiming of sweet bells. Then Meredith heard it. It enchanted her, that voice so like her mother's, she had to follow it.
"Meredith what are you thinking! Get away from the edge," Anteros screamed trying to hold the girl down. Meredith struggled violently in his arms.
"Let me go! Mama is calling! Let me go," she screamed.
"No use Anteros! That Siren is too strong! I suggest we head back toward safer waters," the Captain said snatching some rope to tie around Meredith's still flailing limbs. He had had been on deck when the feeling of familiar magic flittered through the air. Siren magic always carried a distinct ill flavor to his palette. The boat creaked suddenly as if being lead by a ghost to the cliffs.
"Dear gods no," a sailor rasped before throwing himself off the railing.
"Take the girl downstairs Anteros," the Captain commanded.
"But I can help fight!"
"Not with Meredith under their thrall ya can't! Now go downstairs boy!"
Anteros scowled but nodded wrestling with Meredith all the way down.
"Let me go," she begged.
Anteros shook his head.
"Meredith, snap out of this! The ship's under attack by sirens!"
Meredith startled slightly her eyes still showing some of the thrall.
Anteros sighed leaning over Meredith and whispering words he'd heard utter before by his long lost friend. He could use the thrall as well though not to the degree she could being part siren.
Break the spell and listen to my Voice
Free her from thy wicked spell
Set her free.
He whispered harnessing his latent magic to let it flow through his words. Immediately Meredith stopped struggling in his arms and lay comfortably within them. He let his magic trail back within him, settling it down from the rushing inferno it had become from not wielding it for months. It was a part of himself he wished did not exist and so he hid it.

A sailor was on deck when the feeling of being watched swamped the air. He turned slowly and met misty white eyes of a Siren. His scream alerted the crew who watched in horror as a Siren appeared behind the man, sung a sweet lullaby, and then plunged to the watery depths with the sailor.