The Exiled Prince and His Siren

Chapter 3

He couldn’t deny it. Not even if he wanted to. Everything happened so fast, it was the first time since he started his early training to be caught off guard the way he did just moments ago.

He was impressed. Undoubtedly. Incredibly.

Five black cloaks were scattered on the ground, crisp dry. Specks of dust were picked up by his keen vision, the only remainder of the hunters he just saw bested by a half-blood.  

“Impressive.” He voiced out.

He had been on their tail the moment they left the city of humans, waiting patiently as he shadowed their every movement. Unlike the other night, he noticed this caravan travelled lighter than the one he encountered. Therefore he reckoned they were carrying no more than one person inside.

As the hunters came slowed their ride when they reached the side of the river, Maximillian decided to make his move when he was beaten to it.

He was more than surprised when the water came to life and crashed down onto the carriage with such force that it swallowed the hunters as well.

Then the sky began to darken as a rumble rang through. All the time, the water raged along the caravan. Suddenly a woman emerged with the water. She wielded the element to her will, trapping each hunter in a sphere of water and slowly sucked out the air from the inside. She eventually released them when they were nothing more than ash and specks of dust, leaving behind crisp empty cloaks.

She did it all with a smirk on her face.

He found it hard to believe she was a half-blood as she was incredibly strong for one. Completely in tuned with her beast the way a pure blood would be by the way it was completely on the surface. He gathered from the dark blue veins creeping up her arms, a stark contrast to her pale alabaster skin. Long translucent nails grew from her fingertips, sharp enough to cut glass or pierce through a neck. He caught a glimpse of the aqua hue that filled the circle of her eyes. He knew much about purebloods to know this characteristic was unique only to one.

Soon the sky returned to a calm, and the waters turned still. Yet the half-blood was the opposite. Maximillian saw the panic in her eyes as she took in the wreckage around her. Then she suddenly turned around and dove into the water. He could see the path where the water was disturbed when she passed, zipping out of there.

She just manipulated the water. There was only one creature who could do that and the hunters had one in their hands. Only this one was a half-blood. The realization brought a chill down his spine as he thought about what the discovery of this half-blood could mean. Especially to him.

The annihilation of another group of hunters will cause a bigger uproar and he would turn the kingdoms upside down to find who did it. It’s not safe for him here and the half-blood he just saw. He doesn’t know how accepted she is in her world in the water, but he doubts if she’ll be safe there.

He feels this sudden feeling he needs to find her, but he needs someone’s help in order to do so. With a specific person in mind, he turned his back on the wreckage and went on his way the place no one from both kingdoms would dare step foot on.

Violetta fought to keep her eyes open. After their brief introduction back at the infinite forest, Arissa had led her back to a cottage that looked nothing like the outside. What looked quaint on the exterior, was an actual palace in the inside. She could feel the magic hanging in the air and it made her question if coming here was the right decision or had she just led herself into another trap.

Arissa had given her a change of clothes and a lush velvet blanket to cover her as she started trembling from the chill despite the warmth of the dry clothes. The cup of tea she held in her hands shook as she continued to tremble.

Violetta can feel exhaustion creeping as her head started to cloud and her eyelids grew heavy. There were tears coming out from each side of her eyes, but she still forced them open. Placing the cup down, she crossed her arms inside the blanket and looked up from her lashes at Arissa.

“You can barely keep your eyes open. Go ahead and rest in one of the rooms. We can have this conversation when you wake.” Arissa’s voice reached her ears, though it sounded like she was talking to her over water.

“No” Violetta refused, eyes half-open. One eye drooped and she automatically opened them in rebellion to the tiredness.

“I don’t mean to offend you, but I don’t feel safe nor comfortable being in someone else’s home while in deep slumber.” She said through cotton mouth.

She was exhausted and she knows it. Nevertheless, she’ll fight it as long as she can.

“Stubborn girl.” Arissa commented but didn’t bother to convince her otherwise.

“I’m surprised you haven’t asked yet, but if you’re wondering where we are, this place is called Nihiltra or no man’s land.” Arissa informed her.

Despite the fatigue, Violetta was able to pick up a little of what she said.

“Why bring me here?” She asked.

“Where you were to be brought into wasn’t fixed, but you get to be where you need to be.” Arissa answered vaguely.

“I understand nothing.” Violetta mumbled under her breath but Arissa caught it, causing the sorceress to tip her lip up in amusement.

There was still too many questions running through her head but she couldn’t grasp one to start with, and not for long, her eyes rolled to the back of her head, as her head too lolled back as she lost the battle with sleep.

“And the siren falls into a deep sleep.” Arissa commented.

She heard footsteps before she heard the voice, knowing fully well who it is. “You shouldn’t have let her go through much trouble with the whirlpool after she faced those hunters. The girl is exhausted.” Callahan said, walking into the foyer.

“The fault was hers. If her head wasn’t someplace else, then she wouldn’t have been caught in it.” Arissa rebutted without sparing him a glance.

Callahan merely sighed in reply. “Maximillian’s on his way back. The moment they meet will set everything in motion.” He said, diverting the topic.  

Arissa nodded, keeping her gaze on a sleeping Violetta. “I know. What happens next will be inevitable. The outcome of their fate will depend on the choices they make.” She said.

“He’s fascinated by her already.” She added under her breath.

Callahan sighed and nodded his head, understanding fully well why the prince would feel so. This was their fate after all.

Arissa met his gaze. “She will be an interesting character.” She said vaguely.

Callahan nodded once. “I would have to train her too.” He said.  

Arissa shook her head. “You don’t have to. She’s –” she dragged on, mulling over the right words.

“A special one.” She finished, leaving Callahan to look at her both in confusion and curiosity.

“Let’s just leave it at that.” She said then stood up from her seat. With a flick of her finger, Violetta’s covered form floated in the air, still asleep. Arissa started walking towards the direction of the stairs with Violetta in tow.

She had just made it onto the first step when suddenly, she sensed someone coming towards the cottage with determined steps.

Her head turned towards the door just as the prince marched through. He barely acknowledge her and Callahan as his eyes were fixed onto the sleeping woman currently mid-air. Completely undisturbed and oblivious to what was happening.

Maximillian’s voice rang through the marble floors and walls of the grand foyer.

“She’s here.”