Chapter 9:

Chapter 9: A Surprise

Siren can't sing

I glide up to Ludwig's cabin on a tide.

I can hear him talk with someone inside.

Normally I wouldn’t interrupt but I’m on a tight schedule.

So I rise with the waves, ready to knock on his window.

Richard spots me, and instantly covers his eyes.

I know he doesn't like me but that's just incredibly rude!

He mumbles something under his breath and rushes out of Ludwig’s chamber like his life depends on it.

Ludwig is clearly confused. He turns to me, looking for what made Richard vanish.

He spots me. Freezes. And turns bright red.

Is that color natural for humans?

He shields his eyes. And I realize it. He’s embarrassed.

Of course. My legs.

Humans always cover them! It must be unseemly to have them exposed.

It makes sense. They are strange things. Not nearly as graceful as a scaled tail. How inconsiderate of me.

I coax seaweed to me through the water and wrap them around my legs.

Ludwig opens the window without looking at me.

Seeing my legs must have deeply traumatized him.

"So… um… I… I suppose this means Aeros played you?"

"What? No, of course not!" I protest.

Why would he say that? Sure, it didn't exactly go according to plan.

But then again, there hadn't really been a plan to begin with, had there?

"So this is what you wanted?" he asks. "To turn into a… human… water… person… witch?" He finally looks at me again. "I’m not sure. What exactly are you now, Leia?"

I roll my eyes. "I’m obviously in the process of turning into a siren."

"Ah yes, obviously," he says. "You’re turning into a siren. Unlike what you were before. Which was-"

I tsk at him. "I was a water siren before, now I’m turning into one of the ancients, a siren of the sky. Is that not written in your little book?"

He shakes his head. "Wait... does that mean that you’re going to grow wings?"

"If I’m forced to keep waiting in front of your window, until I lose the bet, then yes." I say. "So will you finally let me in? I obviously need your help."

Ludwig steps aside.

I glide into his room, splashing everything in the process.

"Be careful, that’s…"

He tries to shield some books. But it's too late for most.

"Leia, why-"

Some seaweed falls off my legs.

He blushes. "Um, would you mind?"

"What?" I ask and another seaweed drops. "Oh right, the leg thing. Can you bring me something to cover them with?"

He seems a bit confused but nods without looking at me.

***

My legs are now covered in linen pants.

I didn’t think it was possible, but they feel even weirder now. Unnatural.

So incredibly far apart.

I take a wobbly step. Then another.

I sigh. Even on land, they are incredibly inefficient.

"Is this really the fastest that they…Whooah" I scream and tumble.

The ground rushes closer.

I don't have time to react.

I can only close my eyes.

And brace for the impact.

But it never arrives.

Instead, I just... stop falling.

And feel Ludwig's arms around me.

"Careful," he says and helps me up and into a chair.

Aeros' hands lingered too long. Ludwig's not long enough.

At least this time.

He sits down across from me.

"What happened, Leia?"

I sigh and look at my feet. They’ve also been covered.

Shoes is what he calls them. A strange house for strange feet.

I don't think I'll ever get used to seeing them.

"I took your advice," I say. "Or well, the book's advice. And now I need to find the trident," I say and look up from my feet at him. "So…"

"I'll help you," he says. "Of course I will. But-"

"But? " I gasp. "No, no. I don’t have time for buts."

"But I also need your help," he says.

I shake my head. "Ludwig, I don’t have time to lift a curse! I have a moon! One! Not two and a half, one!"

"So we have a month," he muses and begins picking out books.

"Wait, a whole month? Really? Huh, the more you know." I shake my head. "But that’s still not enough time to find a legendary artefact!"

"It might be. If we go about this the right way…"

He picks a book and begins thumbing through it.

"So you agree?" I ask. "You’ll help me first?"

He shakes his head. Puts the book back.

"Ludwig!" I protest.

"We don’t have to do one after the other," he says.

"What do you mean?"

"I was already planning on taking you to Atlantis…"

I gasp. "Take me to Atlantis? What are you talking about? What do you mean you were planning to take me to Atlantis?"

"That I am going to enter the sunken city with you," he says casually. Like he’s just offering me a glass of water.

"I need something from there," he adds. "Well, you do, if you want to break the curse. Which you should want because that’s why I’m helping you get the trident."

He rushes about his study, gathering more books.

"Did you… did you plan this?" I ask, utterly astonished.

"No," he says then turns to me with a smile. "But it’s all coming together nicely, isn’t it?"

"What? No!" I protest. "This isn’t nice!" I swing my legs demonstrively. "Nothing about this is nice!"

He glances over. "Really? I do think they look quite nice," he says and then buries his nose in the book again.

"Ludwig, I’m serious!" I say. "I don’t want to stay like this!"

"I thought you won’t," he muses. "Didn’t you say you’ll turn into a bird?"

I frown. "Yes and that’s even worse! Why are you not taking this seriously?"

"Oh, I am, " he says and comes over to me, grimoire open. "To find the trident, we’ll have to find Atlantis."

He shows me a fading drawn image of a blue key.

I can't make out any details, can't see what is engraved in it. Only that something is.

Can it really be...