From the Depths
For the One You Love

Kirea spent some time filling him in on the events of the morning, including her small attack and Henry’s past experiences with his sister.

Then she had asked that he continue on with the plan regardless of what was to happen to her, he deserved to live and that’s what she wanted for him.

"Promise me that you'll try to replace a life for yourself. I'm sure the elves will help if you only reach out to them. They said they couldn't help before, but if you want help-"

“No! I refuse!” Ren exclaimed rather sternly cutting her off. “There is no point in me living if you’re not to be there. There has to be something-”

“There isn’t. You’ve felt it. My body is decayed beyond repair.” Kirea was trying her best to reason with him.

“Please Kirea, you can’t make me promise this.” He shook his head being defiant.

“I know it’s hard, you’ve only just begun your life outside of the captivity of the sea-”

“What is there for me out there!?” He protested cutting her off. “I can’t leave this cavern, I’ll be hunted. I know you don’t want me to spend the rest of my life here, alone. But if you want me to live then my only option is to stay here, by myself, without my mate! Even without Henry, I’ll outlive him in no time!”

Kirea felt tears forming in the corner of her eyes. “I can’t change what I am Ren, just as you can’t change that you’re a fugitive siren.” Her anger was getting the better of her now, her heart rate starting to increase as the argument began. Suddenly, she felt her chest tighten causing her to wince in pain before she could continue to throw excuses his way.

Ren’s demeanour immediately changed. He reached for her pulling her into his embrace. She didn’t resist, instead placing her head on his shoulder she attempted to breathe slowly, allowing the rhythm of his heartbeat to ground her. His warmth filled her with a sense of soothing and calmness.

“How do you do that?” She whispered as she melted into him with a sigh of relief.

“It’s... It’s part of the connection we share. I always thought replaceing a mate was just a fairy tale, something that was told to younglings. But after meeting you and feeling what I do around you, even before we actually mated. I can’t deny it any longer. I... I can’t live without you Kirea. I don’t want to.” He tilted his head to the side, lightly resting his cheek on the top of her head.

“Then, can I change my request?”

“Depends on what it is.” He muttered. She felt him pout against her hair.

“Can you look after Henry for me, make sure he has a full life? Then and only then can you even consider joining me. Just wait a little longer to follow after me okay?” She sniffled against him, unable to keep her emotions in check. Her tears now threatening to spill over at any moment.

“That’s a tall order... But a fair one. That I think I can do.” Though he still sounded disgruntled.

“Thanks.” She whispered as one tear escaped and slid down the side of her face.

Finally calming completely down she glanced up with a frown. He returned the gesture with a raised brow.

“Rewind a little bit.” Untangling herself from his embrace, she kept him at an arm’s distance, her hand pressed firmly on his chest. “Did you just call me your mate!?”

Ren nodded like it was nothing.

“That’s... How?.. I’m human though.”

“One could argue that I’m part Human, just with the ability to transform.” He pointed out. “You’ve felt it too, the energy between us. Even before we joined bodies, though I do believe doing so has made it... stronger.”

She narrowed her gaze on him. Removing her hands from his chest she lightly moved his hands off of her waist and let them go. He held his hands hovering in the air as though knowing what she were doing. He let out a little chuckle as her frown deepened when they were completely disconnected.

At the disconnect her body felt her own again, weak and frail. The dull ache of her limbs set in again filling her with that familiar fatigue she was getting used to. Placing her hands back on his chest her expression only deepened more. Her body hummed to life with an energy that put her muscles and mind at ease, if she had to describe it she would compare it to a drug. The feeling was like a rush of relief, a wave that flooded her body with something that was utterly impossible.

She took her hands off him again shaking her head. “That’s dangerous... It’s, it’s impossible.” In her head, she was trying to understand it in a scientific way.

A symbiotic relationship between two beings perhaps? But that still didn’t make any sense. And yet there was no denying that this feeling only came when she was in contact with him. No one else made her feel this way, not even her mother whom she loved dearly.

And he was correct, it was much more apparent now than it had been before, but it had been there before, from the start. From the first moment he had brushed against her skin in that slimy tank she had felt oddly connected to him. She had just thought it was plain and simple curiously, but it was something far deeper than that.

“It’s not something I have control over, it just happened.” Ren cupped her face, brushing aside the loose strands of hair that had fallen from the bun she had tied back. “If I knew the ritual to tie us together, to bind our souls then I would.” His expression saddened.“It could in theory prolong your life...”

Her heart felt as though it were breaking. “You’ve done more than enough. Whatever... This is, it helps with the pain, even with my breathing. Don’t ever feel like you’ve not done enough.” Kirea wrapped her arms around Ren’s shoulders and hugged him close, a comforting gesture for the dismayed Siren

“Am I interrupting?” Henry’s smudge voice sounded from the entrance.

At Henry’s words, she looked over her shoulder, still wrapped in Ren’s embrace and smiled at the Knight. “Not at all, actually perfect timing.”

“For what? A threesome?” Henry smirked.

“Henry!” Kirea flushed immediately feeling flustered.

“Come on, couldn’t help it, he has legs again, my mind went there.” Henry shrugged.

“What’s a threesome?” Ren asked innocently.

Henry chuckled to himself leaning against the stone wall as he folded his arms over his chest. “Kirea, care to explain?”

“Now’s really not the time, how’d your outing go?” She tried to change the subject.

“Same old, same old. The King replaces pleasure in the misery of others. He had me retrieve a cook from out of town, someone that was... disposable.”

She cringed. She could only guess what that would have been like, probably similar to how she was separated from her mother.

“Either way, this man is going to be a possible witness outside of the Knights, this is a good thing. Then after he can return home.” It was Ren who spoke, surprising them both. He still made it a point to hold onto Kirea’s hand as their embrace ended.

Henry nodded, “Good point. We have a fair amount of work to complete by tomorrow to set the stage.” He looked at the siren with a smirk. “And since you’re out of the water already, you can help.”

“What can I do?” Ren asked intrigued and eager to assist.

“We are going to build a kitchen.” Henry actually seemed excited about it. “Just think about it kirea, we can prepare meals down here, super convenient right!? And Ren can try them too!”

Kirea laughed. “Anyone would think you want to be a housewife.” She joked.

“Wouldn’t that be the life! Beats torturing people any day.” He retorted.

“If this all goes to plan you’ll have your wish.” She added with a chuckle.

The rest of the afternoon was spent bringing in the supplies Henry had already gathered. There was a hand-drawn cart outside that he had somehow dragged through the soft sand.

“How in the world did you bring that here? It’s piled high!” She explained.

His response was to simply flex.

Shaking her head she retrieved a few pieces of the cargo.

“How are you holding up?” He asked as they proceeded to pass the goods through the cavern door where Ren was waiting to grab them on the other side.

“Not great honestly, I’m getting weaker, even the medicine I’m using isn’t doing much to mask the pains, my muscles do not want to be moving.”

“If you’re in pain, you should really rest.” He pointed out.

“What good is resting when my condition is only going to decline? While I can still move I can be of use.” She pointed out. “I’ll rest when I’m dead.”

Little words were spoken for the rest of the afternoon. They built a small kitchen at the rear of the cavern. It had a prep area, some cabinets, already filled with utensils, and the cooking space had a stone-fired oven with a grilling plate on the top. It was perfect.

Looking at their handy work they couldn’t wait to test it out, however, it was Ren that insisted they leave. Tomorrow was the last day they had to set up the remaining precautions. Those being an escape plan if it all went south.

With the sky darkening Henry insisted on carrying Kirea up the cliffside. At first, she had refused, but given the consent protesting in her knees, she eventually accepted a piggyback ride.

“Henry?” Her head was resting gently against his shoulder and her arms were wrapped around his neck as he still managed to move swiftly and with precision up the cliff’s makeshift steps.

“Hmm?” He responded.

“I have a letter for my mother, could you...” Her grip tightened slightly.

“Of course, I’ll deliver it myself.”

“She’s gonna hate that,” she chuckled.

“The woman owes me a slap, I’ll gladly take anything she throws at me. I’ll make sure she’s well taken care of.”

“Thank you... There’s also one for you.” She added tentatively.

“Nonsense, I’m right here, if you have something to say, now’s the time.”

“It’s not just for you. Ren can’t read.” She pointed out.

“Oh... Well fine, I guess.” The conversation was making him feel uncomfortable, she could tell. “Enough about that, it’s your bedtime.”

“I’m not a child, the sun has bearly set!” She protested

He eyed her from over his shoulder. “Spoken as a true child.”

She groaned only causing him to chuckle.

He dropped her off at her room but had to hurry off to report to the King. She handed over the letters and wished him a good night. She washed up and changed into a nightgown before climbing into bed. However, sleep didn’t come no matter how fatigued she felt. When she felt herself drifting off she would force her eyes open as though not wanting to accept sleep. She didn’t understand why, she needed the rest, tomorrow was too important.

The door to her room creaked open and the soft candlelight face of the Knight appeared.

“Hey.” She whispered.

“You’re meant to be asleep.” He whispered back as he entered the room and crouched beside her bed.

“Checking up on me?” She asked.

“Indeed, just finished my rounds. Can’t sleep?”

There was a moment of silence. Kirea hadn’t known what she had been feeling before or why she wouldn’t allow herself to fall asleep. But at that moment she knew. It was all too real.

“I-I’m afraid.” The tears she didn’t know she was holding back for so long overflowed at that moment. “I’m afraid that if I fall asleep and give in to the feeling... that I won’t wake up.”

Henry placed the burning candle on the bedside and climbed into the bed beside her. He wrapped his arms around her shaking body as she cried.

“It’s okay to be afraid.” He told her. “I’ll stay right here, I’ll wake you come morning. You have nothing to worry about.”

His soft soothing voice finally helped her let go of the fear long enough to allow her eyes to close and for rest to finally come.