The Siren Queen

Chapter Twelve

Sleeping in the bathtub on the pirate ship turned out to be even more uncomfortable for Nerissa than the caves that she had gradually grown accustomed to on her journey. The only thing that brought her some semblance of comfort was the lovely bracelet Lord Zale had lovingly handcrafted himself and given her for her birthday. She kept fingering each iridescent lavender, pale pink, and baby blue pearl over and over, as if doing so would somehow either magically summon Zale or teleport her off of the ship and back into the ocean where she belonged. Was she truly destined to spend the rest of her life as Hannah's so-called "pet" and never see Zale or her family ever again?

Ever since she began her quest, she hadn't recalled crying even once. She had done all in her power to put on a brave face, no matter what unsettling misadventures she experienced along the way. The Crown Princess of Pacifica could no longer hold back her tears. Still clutching her special bracelet tightly, salty tears streamed down Nerissa's comely face.

Nerissa was so lost in thought that she did not realize that morning had broken, nor did she notice Hannah enter the washroom right away. The little girl hesitated at the doorway, surprised to see her beautiful "pet" crying.

"Mermaid...what's wrong...?" asked Hannah. Capt. Andersen's young daughter's voice sounded softer than usual, laced with a hint of curiosity. She knelt down next to the tub and grabbed one of Nerissa's hands.

The child's hazel eyes immediately drifted to Nerissa's bracelet. "What a pretty bracelet...!" Hannah uttered.

"Thanks...someone very special to me made it for me..." Nerissa said, a faraway look in her aquamarine eyes.

"Someone very special...?" repeated Hannah. "May I...try it on...? I don't have a lot of jewelry..."

Crown Princess Nerissa didn't like the idea of taking off her precious bracelet, but she really appreciated that Hannah had asked politely for once.

"Okay...but only for a second...". Nerissa's hand trembled as she handed Hannah the bracelet.

"Do you...miss...whoever gave you this pretty bracelet...?" Hannah questioned.

"Yes..." replied Nerissa honestly. "I miss him very much...and my family, and my home..."

A stray tear slipped down Nerissa's cheek, and Hannah gently wiped it away. "Don't cry, Mermaid..."

Hesitantly, Nerissa began to share her story. She told Hannah about her life down in Pacifica, her close bond with Lord Zale, and how the Siren had stolen him away from her.

"A Siren!" exclaimed Hannah. "Even the most formidable pirates fear Sirens..."

Nerissa sat up straighter in the bathtub, and cocked an eyebrow. "Hannah...what do you know about Sirens...?"

"Not much...just that it's a good idea to plug your ears with something, like candle wax or scraps of cotton, when you're near them..."

"I see..."

"You know, Mermaid...". Hannah looked down at the bracelet that still remained on her tiny wrist. "I could...set you free...if you'll gimme your bracelet...in exchange for your freedom..."

The Princess of Pacifica was startled. "But it means so much to me..."

"I know..." acknowledged Hannah. "But Mama taught me that one can't ever get somethin' for nothin'...and what else do you have to gimme...?"

"All right..." Nerissa sighed. Giving up her most prized possession was obviously a major sacrifice, but it meant the chance to be reunited with Zale, and eventually her family...

Hannah suddenly bolted out of the washroom, and pulled a small steel dagger with a golden hilt out from under her pillow. She then wrapped it in a red silk scarf as a makeshift sheath of sorts, rushed back into the washroom, and presented it to Nerissa. "Take this, Mermaid...the scarf will help keep it from getting too rusty underwater...and you can wrap it 'round your waist like a belt..."

Crown Princess Nerissa wasn't sure how to respond. She disliked weapons, but she certainly didn't expect Hannah to give her a gift, especially after she had just said that "one can't ever get somethin' for nothin'". "I couldn't..."

"It would be stupid to go up against a powerful Siren unarmed" the pirate captain's daughter pointed out.

"You have a point there..." conceded Nerissa. She silently vowed to herself to only use the dagger as an absolute last resort.

Most of the crew of the ship gathered on the main deck to help lower Nerissa back into the sea. "I taught you well, my little Hannah..." Capt. Andersen stated, smirking. "I suppose I'd rather have a valuable treasure aboard my ship than another mouth to feed...".

"The li'l wench might not even have tasted that great anyway..." said an olive-skinned pirate woman.

"I'll never forget you, Mermaid...!" Hannah called. As the mermaid princess disappeared beneath the choppy, churning waves, into the chilly ocean, the little girl waved, the shiny pearls on her new bracelet glistening in the morning sunlight.