The Elf breathed heavily as he slowed his pace. The Orcs wouldn't follow him into a swamp; the brutes want nothing to do with boggy places. He suppressed his scream into a wince for the fear of attracting unwelcome attention. His hand was clasped tightly onto his wounded side, but blood still dripped past his fingers and onto what little solid ground the swamp provided. He shouldn't have helped the innkeeper.

  Of course the man was getting robbed every night. He never locks his doors, and he has no security. So even a group as dumb as a clan of Orc bandits can be could rob the man with ease. And instead of dealing with it himself, he guilt-tripped the Elf who just happened to be the only one around who could listen to the innkeeper's woes. The bitter Elf muttered, "Thanks, old man."

  Eventually, he could barely keep walking. Every breath was painful and labored. He watched the world blurr as he began to feel lightheaded. The world around him numbed, but the pain didn't. When he finally couldn't stay awake any longer, he fell forward as his eyelids closed. He didn't hear the water move or see the siren approach.

The curious half fish swam up to the shallow water that licked the edge of the land and pulled herself closer to the Elf. She poked his shoulder, then his back, but she got no response. She didn't see his face until she flipped him over. He was a little pale, like most Elves, and his skin was smooth. His ears were long and slim. His long hair was pitch black, like a new moon's night. He wore a thin meadow-green long-sleeved shirt under a black, Elven leather vest that covered his neck. He had almost-black pants and dark brown Elven boots.

  She almost wanted to spare him. But he was the perfect victim. He was unconscious and injured, but he was still alive. There was still a subtle movement in his chest, and his pulse was still there. Just barely. All she needed to do was steal a kiss, then he would receive the curse before he died and she would finally be Human again. She drove her finger under his sharp jaw before gently pinching his chin. She lifted his face towards her, closed her eyes, and leaned forward. Then she hesitated. She bit her lip as she opened her eyes.

  She might never get a chance to find someone like him again. When she saw the Elf walking through the swamp ground, he seemed to have great endurance even when suffering. Yet he also had a warm aurora, as though he'd loved before. And she adored his looks; his Elvish genes didn't hold out on him. She could always kiss him in his sleep when she was bored with him. 

  Instead of a kiss, she gave him a song. An old but beautiful Celtic song with healing lyrics, and an elegant, magical voice to match. She observed the wound that slowly healed, and she decided that he must've been hit with a mace. An Orcish mace, most likely. 'Only an Orc-made mace could do this amount of damage', the siren thought. 

  The Elf gained a piece of his senses as the injury started to disappear. He didn't know where he was or why he was there. He heard singing, but he didn't know who or why.

  He wasn't awake enough to answer his own questions, and he didn't have the energy to look around; he couldn't move, and he could barely open his eyes. The only thing he saw before he lost consciousness again was a dark, murky-teal tail with silver fins. 

When the Elf cracked his eyes open again, the sun was almost ready to wake. After processing what had happened and what events lead up to him waking up in the middle of a swamp, he was confused. His side and hand were both stained with blood, but he felt no pain. The injury was gone, and he was alive. As he was lying on the ground, trying to decide what happened, he heard the sound of water and a voice saying "Took you long enough to wake up." He sat straight up and looked to his left to see a woman with fins and a mischievous smile. Her pale skin was tainted with blue. Her long navy blue hair was weighted by the water. Her lips were blue, like the ocean deep. Her eyes appeared as a pair of perfectly round emeralds.

She noticed and instantly grew fond of his hazel eyes.

  The siren said, "I healed you, so you're injury-free." He gently felt his side as he said "Yeah… I kinda noticed since I have a bloody side and no wound." She asked while he stood up with a stiff and sore body, "So what's an Elf doing in a swamp with a bloody side? Get'n into trouble?" He kept a straight face as he said, "That's none of your concern. I appreciate the healing, but I should be heading out."

The siren didn't let the Elf turn around before she said, "Leaving so soon?" He resisted her sad puppy eyes. She felt her chance slip away when he replied, "I have to get back to town. No offense, but a swamp isn't my favored place." She said as he started to walk away, "I could guide you out of the swamp if you'd like." He didn't turn around. He just stopped.

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Sup, Pups! Just a few quick announcements!

This is my first book being posted on this app... sorry for the crappy quality. I'm just using this story to get the hang of things.

I promise the next story will be better!

ALSO: The very last episode will be a Q&A!

You can ask me or any of the characters any question! (But please keep it appropriate... please?)

I/the characters will answer as many questions as possible!

♥️THANKS FOR READING♥️

The siren didn't let the Elf turn around before she said, "Leaving so soon?" She felt her chance slip away when he replied, "I have to get back to town. No offense, but a swamp isn't my favored place." She said as he started to walk away, "I could guide you out of the swamp if you'd like." He didn't turn around. He just stopped. The Elf's sideways gaze came with the tiniest smirk. "Something tells me that you just want to follow me." She couldn't keep from smiling back. "And why would I want to?" He broke the eye contact and said, "I know how the curse is passed. You're hoping to catch me off guard, aren't you."

Her acting was in vain because he was no longer looking her way, but she still searched for sympathy as she looked down sorrowfully and said, "Actually… that's not it. You see, I want to go back to my home, my real home, but I need someone to protect me. Walking alone in this area is dangerous." He finally turned around and said, "Do you really think that I could protect you? I wouldn't be alive right now if you hadn't sung your lullaby." She pulled herself a little closer to the grass and twittled with a blade. "True. But we wouldn't be looking for danger. We could play it safe this time." She looked up at him with a simper, and he reacted with a sneer. 

  The Elf replied, "I would love to help you, but you can't expect me to carry you all the way there." She said casually, "You don't have to. I can just follow you." The swamp water was clouded with mud, but he could still see her tail unmerge and turn into pale, blue-tinted legs. She stood up and walked out of the water with a smile, but his look of concern darted sideways. He said without giving a second glance to her, "Not with that attire, you're not." The skirt and top were thin and ragged, and she hardly had enough. But she said, "Well, what do you expect from me? I've been living in a swamp." Keeping his gaze down, he replied while removing his vest, "Well, I expect you to be decent. And if you don't have anything better-" The Elf gestured the vest forward. "Then I can lend you this until I can find better." 

  The siren was very hesitant to take it. "Do I have to…" He didn't take the vest back. "If you want to follow me, then yes." She sighed as she took the vest. "Alright, then. But I don't plan on wearing it forever."

She almost took back her words as she buttoned it up. It felt so comfortable and well-crafted, and it smelled like charcoal and pine forest. She said, "Thank you. I'll tell you where my home is as soon as we leave the swamp." The Elf said as they started walking, "Actually, could you tell me where the nearest river is first?" 

When they reached the river, the siren sat under a tree for shade while the Elf approached the river. She was a little surprised when he unbuttoned his shirt and took it off. He knelt down by the river and attempted to wash out the blood stain. But that wasn't what surprised her. 

He didn't have great mass, but he had defined muscles. She smirked and asked, "Do you work out often?" He smirked back and replied with another question. "Why are you staring." Her gaze drifted to the side as she answered, "No reason..." She decided to brush away the awkward moment and said casually, "You wouldn't happen to have a name, would you?"

  The Elf ringed his shirt out as he answered just as casually, "I might." She rested her chin on her knees as she questioned, "So why haven't you revealed your name yet? Are you some dangerous, wanted criminal?" He raised his eyebrow a little as he shook out his shirt. "Not necessarily. You have a great imagination." The siren twittled with her hair and said, "Maybe. So do I get a name or no?" He looked at the curious siren for a while, then answered, "Name's Ren." She continued to twirl her hair as she said, "Ren, huh." He said before slipping on his green long sleeve shirt, "Yup. Don't wear it out." 

  Then Ren said, "So do I get a name as well?" She looked up, saw his gaze, and looked back down so her vague blush wouldn't redden further. "It's Pearl." He was quiet for a second. "Pearl.. a siren with a sea name… have you always been a siren?" She shook her head and said, "No." He was quiet for a moment longer, then said, "So.. you mind telling me how you became a siren? Or is that too personal?" Pearl held a longing look in her emerald eyes as she said, "It's fine- I'm sure you won't want to hear it…" He looked down as he bit his lip, then she found his hazel studying eyes as he said, "I'm sure your story has been on your heart for years, and without a soul to tell. It's not like we have a limit on time." He sat right next to her and silently promised that he wouldn't move. She couldn't say no to that look.

Pearl sighed. "It was all because of a mistake. My heart was broken, and I longed for someone that understood my pain. So when my wish came true, I didn't realize that it was too good to be true. The siren I met had listening ears and the sweetest silver tongue. Before I knew it, my lips were his, and my freedom was no longer mine. Now, I belong to the water, all because of a hasty mistake." When the river became the only thing that chattered, Ren said, "If sudden trust is so dangerous, then why would you put so much trust in me?" She smiled a little and said, "But I'm not defenseless this time. I'm not the one that can be cursed." 

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Imagine her just quietly smelling the vest and appreciating the charcoal and pine scent the entire time they're walking to the river 😌🤤

Oof she got it bad 💓🤣

But will she betray him? Or can his charm change her mind?

💕Thanks For Reading!💕

When the river became the only thing that chattered, Ren said, "If sudden trust is so dangerous, then why would you put so much trust in me?" She smiled a little and said, "But I'm not defenseless this time. I'm not the one that can be cursed." 

When he said, "True." his voice was trusting, but his eye trailed off as though he were searching for an escape route. She quickly said to keep him at her side, "Oh don't worry, though. I have no interest in cursing you. I need someone to protect me while I'm traveling back home, and I don't mind the water much anymore. In the water, there's no ignorance that I have to cope with, just peace." He chortled at the last sentence, then he asked, "Is everything you said true?" She nodded, praying that he believed. Pearl didn't know at the time that she would forever remember his genuine smile when he said, "Alright then. I trust you."

  By the time they reached the town they had to cross to reach Pearl's home, the sun had said goodnight and the moon had taken the sun's place. Ren said to the siren, "There's a lake down that way. I'll rent an inn room for the night and come back in the morning." He turned around to head to the town, but she caught his attention again when she said, "Wait.. you may want to take this back first." She unbuttoned the vest and handed it back to him. Ren took the vest, said thank you and goodnight, then headed for the closest inn. Pearl watched the Elf leave, then she walked in the direction of the lake. 

  She let herself sink to the bottom of the lake as her legs turned back into a tail. As she sighed, little bubbles flowed from her mouth and rose to the top of the water. She watched the surface morph and disfigure the moon above as she got comfortable. She sighed again as she thought 'I don't know if I can keep my original plan. Those roguish eyes… that little grin- if only I could get rid of that winsome smirk! And he listened to me…' Then she was reminded of the one that broke her heart, and the siren that gave her the wretched curse and left her to drown in her own tears. 'But I can't be taken advantage of again. Of course he listened. It'll just make it easier for him to hurt me if I'm entranced by his ability to listen rather than talk.' His smooth, warm voice seemed to surround her as she recalled the words she's never heard before. "I trust you."

She tossed to her side. Then she flipped on her stomach and rested her chin on her crossed arms. She sighed again, letting the bubbles flow up again. 'No. I must stay strong. I must harden my heart and stick to my plan so I can be Human again and have a purpose again. Romance is fake. Love is a lie. Sorry, Darling. But you may be my only chance. And I'm willing to take the chance.'

The next morning, when Pearl woke up and broke through the lake's surface, she found Ren waiting there. He still had a long sleeve shirt on, but it was dark green instead of grey; he had mended the vest well and kept it. He also had in his arms a maroon cloak, and some violet and white clothing. 

  When she came out of the water, he said with a smirk, "Took you long enough to wake up." She recalled her own words as she grinned back and said "Hardy har. What's with the cloak?" He gestured the cloak and the clothes towards her and said, "This is for you." She was taken by surprise because she never asked. "For me?" He kept the smirk when he said, "Well, of course. Unless you'd rather see me in this outfit." Pearl looked down, took the clothing, and said, "I'd rather not, actually." He chuckled and said, "Alright then. I'll wait a distance, and you can change in the forest. Is that ok with you?" She scanned the trees and bushes for the most seclusive place while saying, "I guess."  They separated, then Ren waited patiently for Pearl. 

  When the siren came out of hiding, her beauty remained unfaltered. She wore a pretty white blouse, a violet skirt that reached her calves, sandals colored like the sand on the beach, and a thin, elegant maroon cloak. He quietly stared at the stunning figure until she reached him and said, "Did I do it right?" She smiled when he smiled, and Ren said, "Of course you did. You look perfect." Then when her smile faded, his did as well. "Is something wrong?" She shook her head a little. "No… this just reminds me of my Human days…" Then she brushed the thought away and said, "But nonetheless, I fully embrace and accept the water. The water is my home now, and I'm fine with that." He could tell that her last two sentences and smile were forced, but he only knew half of the truth that she was keeping to herself. 

  As the two approached the town, Pearl slowed her steps and said, "Do we have to go through the village…" Ren replied, "The town will protect us more. If you don't want them to know you're a siren, you can put your hood up." She sighed. "Alright."

  The sun was not so merciful that day, and the hot, humid air shared the sun's anger. Pearl tried to stay in the shade as much as possible, but the wide, treeless roads didn't offer many shadows. Eventually, she didn't mind the judgement so much and took the cloak off. Ren asked as they walked, "Do you need a drink? There's a well nearby." But she shook her head.

She barely noticed the distrusting glares and the looks of suspicion anymore. She was too focused on trying to stay awake. Her head throbbed as her vision blurred. Every step was harder than the last step. Ren finally said, "I don't care if you want a drink or not. Come on, the well is this way." She said "Ok." And she turned around with him. But she couldn't walk with him; she lost consciousness before she made the third step.

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R.I.P. Pearl 😬

QUICK REMINDER: There will be a Q&A at the end! Ask me and/or the characters any question!

And sorry about the bad grammar in the first two chapters... I noticed it AFTER I had already posted. 🤦‍♀️🤦‍♀️🤦‍♀️

I'll be checking grammar before posting now!

Thanks so much, y'all!!!