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“Why are we standing here. In this one spot in the middle of nowhere? Again?”
Tadeas Dahl is crossing the board on a routine check-up of Tundra when he overhears ramble of one of the sailors. Ah, yes, there is always someone like this who questions Captain Lukas’ decision to stop here in the middle of ocean on island so small no map bothers to mention it. And what First mate he would be if he did not try to ease worries about his captain’s actions. And spread some rumours about him of course.
“You must be new here.” The sailor quickly turns around nervous look on his face when he realizes who just heard him. Tadeas scans the man. He has way too little scars and beard which still looks way too neat – as if he is wearing it more to look older and fit in and not because he lacks energy and motivation to be taking proper care about himself. Yes, he has a feeling like he remembers picking some new crew members in a port few weeks ago.
“Uh… I mean I wasn’t complaining I just…”
“Cannot help yourself but wonder?” Tadeas laughs and it puts the younger sailor at ease a bit.
“There are a lot of rumours really. Captain obtained information about lost treasure being here. Some of the crew swore they saw him studying some weird old map. They say he doesn’t want to share so he is systematically looking for it through the island piece by piece all by himself.”
“And is he?”
The first mate shrugs. “I don’t think so. I’ve served under Captain Lukas long enough to tell you that he is not really interested in money. But there are of course all the other theories…” Curiosity sparkles in the sailor’s eyes because all the seamen love gossips.
“I haven’t heard any?”
“Our captain shipwrecked in this area years ago and couldn’t be found for months. Some say he got stuck exactly at this one island. Which begs the question how did he survive here for so long? Let me think what theories were there…” Tadeas starts dramatically counting them on his fingers. “As I said there is the one with a treasure. The other say that some evil creature of the sea ate him from inside and now wears his skin… Or maybe it didn’t eat him and he just made some pact with heretic god or devil he must come to worship once in a while. I cannot even remember to which mythical being he is supposed be repaying his debt and in what way…”
Tadeas scratches his beard and makes a short pause. Years spent in port pubs makes any sailor great storyteller. First mate loves scaring new crewmates with surprisingly large amount of spooky myths surrounding their captain. The thing about Peter Lukas is that at first sign he appears as the most stereotypical man of the sea one could encounter. Big muscular frame and wild beard. A bit awkward on land but moving quickly and agilely on his ship. Love for gambling and cheap booze.
But when one spends more time with him, there are few strange habits. He is rather private and secretive person and even though he doesn’t mind occasionally gamble and drink with a crew he rarely joins in any activities beside that. Most time in ports he still prefers solitude of his cabin over merry company in pubs. He never saw him in company of any girl and he avoids eyes when waitress tries to exchange more words than just an order.
This all of course leads to lots of speculations and wild theories. But who could blame crew for entertaining themselves? Few made up stories to scare new crew members hurt no one… Besides he is doing exactly the same thing.
“But sir… with all respect it all sounds quite ridiculous?”
“I don’t know. But there’s sure something weird going on with this island. Oh yes I would almost forget the last one of the rumours. I think we lost here one or two men while the ship was just standing. No one saw anything but some men would swear they could hear the most beautiful voice singing when they are falling asleep at these waters.”
“Are you suggesting there are real mermaids on this island?”
“Yes exactly. The sirens of the sea. Maybe they made a deal with him and he regularly sacrifices here some of his own sailors? Well you can be on a look for them yourself… or put at night wax in your ears like the rest of us,” Tadeas grins at the pale face of worried crewmember who seem to take his word at granted. He would almost feel bad. Almost...
Sailors have always way too much fantasy. He never heard any mermaid and he has been sailing for decades. That said Tadeas does sleep with wax in his ears. Not because he would be afraid of the siren’s song; it’s the only way he can fall asleep with the snoring of the other man. How could in that someone hear anything else in it is mystery to him.
“Now that is enough of talking. Shouldn’t you focus more on fighting those ropes again? ”
“I… yes, of course sir,”
Tadeas chuckles as he leaves the wide eyed young man alone. He is sure there must be some more reasonable explanation of captain’s action they are all missing being too caught up in their silly supernatural theories. He supposes he might ask him. If there is anyone their captain would ever confess his secret it’s him.
However he doesn’t ask. And unless it will put the ship, the crew or the captain himself in danger he sees no reason to. If captain wanted to share his secrets he would do so already. There is really no harm in stopping by this island for a few days every few weeks.
Peter Lukas is not looking for treasure. Neither has any monster stolen his skin and now pretends to be him. He isn’t even bringing his offering to forgotten god (even though he would love to be addressed like that.) And about the next one… well it depends on the point of view. He was technically repaying a debt. Only repaying his debt and nothing more - or so he would claim if anyone asked. But there isn’t anyone knowing enough to ask. Well, he is there of course but Peter could never fool him not really.
The whole island is surrounded by sharp rocks. Unless one knows the exact way, the exact place of every treacherous sharp rock hiding under the surface ready to strike right into hull of ship it is a death trap. On that note why anyone would even attempt to land here is by itself a mystery considering most of the land is barren full of stones as sharp as those in the sea around it.
Peter knows his way through these waters way too well thought. even as the sun settles it is not a struggle for him to sail Tundra into a safe gulf. When the ship is anchored and taken care of he takes a safe boat to paddle to the land. On his travel he takes just bag with food, water… and few other things. Then it’s only a question of a bit of climbing through steep rocks to reach his final destination - a well hidden beach.
He is already waiting there.
Peter stops before approaching any closer. He is on the same spot as always – lying on a rock bathing in moonshine. The light is dancing across the black and golden scales of the long elegant tale, still partly in water. The siren, mermaid, being of the myth and – as the captain has to begrudgingly admit – his friend. His name is Elias. Or at least it is the name the creature gave to Peter and who is he to question it?
Peter stands there and just admires him for a moment from afar – something he cannot do from too close. The vain creature would enjoy such an attention way too much. He cannot enjoy the view for long. At one moment captain is drinking in elegant figure of half man half fish the second there is pair of grey eyes staring at him.
“You are late by three and half days,” Peter shivers as the siren scans him with his cold pupils as a hunter measuring their pray.
He crawls a bit more up on the rock and somehow he still manages to look graceful doing so. It is his favourite spot but he always waits for Peter's presence to move there. It takes captain a while to understand why – from there he could not slip back to the ocean so easily. He was willing to be vulnerable because he trusted Peter. After their rather complicated history it is quite flattering
“What have you brought me?” he demands before the captain even forms any kind of excuse for how does he dare to be so late while sailing on the unpredictable sea.
“I missed you too. My travels went all well thank you for asking. And yes I’m late just because of the storm few days ago which we managed quite well, thank you for your concern about my safety.” Elias rolls his eyes.
“If you were on time you would avoid it don’t even try me, Peter. And of course you did not shipwreck again. If you did I would already know, you know that I keep close eye on all the vessels sunken in my territory.”
Peter frowns over the ‘again’ remark. It sounds like he crashes a ship every two years. It happened only once and it was by forces completely out of his control. Which Elias knows very well because he is the one who saved him from drowning. (Or to be more exact who picked him up as yet another rare trophy for his ridiculous collection. But he is not in the mood to dwell about their first meeting.)
“But if you are that desperate for warm welcome I can give you a kiss.”
“Aren’t you generous.”
“Why, Peter dear, yes I rather am,” he grins revealing a mouth full of sharp teeth. No reasonable man would dare to get closer to lips of such a clear predator but Peter has been called rather unreasonable his whole life. He leans down to connect their lips. It never stops surprising how cold his lips are – like kissing a very attentive corpse. Elias grasps his hair and pulls him a bit lower to deepen the kiss. The siren was surprisingly good and gently kisser especially given the fact that their species did not have a custom likes this and Peter was the one who had to explain a concept of it to him. (It makes sense kissing under water cannot be much fun…)
Elias lets go of Peter’s hair and ends the kiss. He smiles and for once there isn’t even the usual sparkle of mischief. “I might have missed you a bit. Now get down it’s really annoying looking up at you.”
“Hm, I don’t know I rather enjoy seeing you down there little man.”
“If you haven’t notice – which considering how much attention you usually pay to your surrounding you actually might not – I don’t have legs so it’s rather pointless talk about height.”
“Even if you did you would still be shorter than me,” he teases him back but he finally let himself to be pulled down in the sand next to his rock. It is wet. He should have remained standing.
“Now, my gifts, Peter,” the creature hungrily eyes the bag captain took with him.
“One would think that you don’t really care about me but just about the presents I bring you.”
“Obviously. You should have figured that out long time ago.” Elias laughs and Peter is pretty certain that it’s not actually true. If he really cared just about the gifts he would not always insist on him spending few days with him. (And it’s not as if he is desperate for company. Peter met his subjects or employees or protégés or whatever he chooses to call them so he couldn’t be actually just lonely.)
He turns away from Elias and opens the bag. He did the mistake of not having enough distance once and the whole thing was immediately stolen away from him. Impatient little thing he is… Sailor wonders where to start since per usual he could not bring him only one thing but several of them. It will probably be the best to start with the usual.
“First books.” Peter pulls out carefully wrapped package. This time he almost hasn’t gotten it wet. He hands them into claws of his companion.
“Only three this time?”
“You say that every time. If I brought you whole library you would still complain.”
“You should try then. I would love to see one of your book collections… libraries on the land…” he sighs longing apparent in his voice.
If he was born human, Peter can imagine him being one of those boring academic types. He would be spending his days just lying in the books drinking knowledge and experiences of the others. Probably writing his own texts, after all he is always full of opinions. Peter wonders if they would get along in such a world… No it is ridiculous question. Of course they would not. Their personalities were not really very compatible even as they are.
(But yet they are here. Maybe even in that world they could fall in-… they could form some kind of companionship. Peter would have place to return to. Elias would bore him with his stories from some academy or library. Peter would bore him with stories he heard from other sailors. Elias would still demand gifts as something he is privileged to and Peter would be bringing books from foreign ports written in languages Elias cannot understand just to bother him-…)
“Fairy-tales? Really Peter?” Elias has apparently already browsed through first two books and has gotten to the third one. Peter isn’t even sure what they are about… He has vague idea that one might be about astrology and the other one is concerned with local history of some port. The only one he really picked with a purpose is the third one at which Elias is frowning right now.
There is lots of nice illustration. Very colourful even though not very accurate at least based on Peter’s own experience. At first it looked like a children book and sailor didn’t want to annoy his siren with those anymore but at the closer look… Stories in it seem to be more legends than fairy tales. It doesn’t look like appropriate reading for kids unless you would want to give them a nightmare.
“I thought you might find interesting… You know to learn what myths we are having about your kind right now.”
“I know very well all the ridiculous rumours your kin is spreading about mine.” Ah yes this topic again. Elias keeps complaining to him about it as if he personally is the one spreading misinformation about mermaids.
“If it makes you happy these stories are less traditional? The mercreatures are much more vicious and deadly. And they are not only portrayed in a form in beautiful ladies madly falling for the first sailor they happen to safe.”
“Good. I hate these especially. They are so ridiculous. Why would anyone of my kind even bother to be saving anyone of yours? And what are the odds there would be any sparkle of emotion between them?”
Oh funny that Elias mentions it. Should Peter tell him?
“Do not say a word!” So he realized the irony as well at last. “Anyway thank you for the book anyway I suppose. I might consider reading it if I won’t have anything better to do.”
Of course that Elias will read it. He always reads everything in the end. He cannot be exactly picky since his only source of books, which not completely soaked from the bottom of the ocean, is Peter. He feels almost guilty for not bringing his knowledge hungry beautiful siren more materials to read. Maybe next time he will try to get him four…
“Alright I think I am ready for the next gifts.” Elias’ announcement gets Peter back from the wondering. All three books are carefully stacked on the rock behinds siren’s back and he watches him with anticipation.
Captain reaches into his bag again and the bottle isn’t hard to find. He cannot say he understand his love for wine. Peter prefers much rum or whiskey. But he cannot say he was really surprised when he learnt about Elias’ alcohol preference. He really looks like someone who would like wine…
He hands the bottle to excided creature and he watches as the excitement disappears from his face.
“Huh…” Elias is turns the thing in his hand few times.
“What do you mean by ‘huh’?”
“Oh nothing… thank you I am grateful really. But you know I thought I suggested the last time quite clearly that I prefer the red wine over white…”
Only a few years ago he was dependant on any bottle found lying too long in some wrecked ship but now he is picky. That was just so much Elias. Peter tries really hard not to smile over that thought. He really should not find this trait of his charming, should he?
“In that case I can take it back. Would be shame if it went to-”
“No it is fine. It would be impolite to refuse a gift…” Siren puts the bottle carefully next to books. This time Peter really cannot hold a gentle smile back. Of course.
“So… what is next?”
Peter reaches in his bag for a third time and pulls from the bottom long green scarf decorated with golden embroidery. He remembers that siren was intrigued by those in one other illustrated book he brought him.
Elias’ furrows his brows as he takes it in his hands.
“I don’t wear clothes…”
“You don’t have to wear it. But I remember there were some pieces of clothing in your collection…”
“I suppose they were… I throw them away when I was going through it few weeks ago. But thank you for the thought I suppose,” he seems to be considering for a bit longer what to do with it before he finally throws it over his shoulders looking at Peter as if he was doing him some favour just by actually putting it on.
Peter sighs. He is not really bothered by Elias ungratefulness. Peter wonders what makes him always try so hard when this is the reaction he gets every single time.
“So? Do you have something more?”
He asks because no matter how many things he gives him he always asks for more. He is just cute like that.
And captain hesitates because well… there in fact is one more thing he found in one antic shop a month ago and then he spent rest of the time debating whether he should give it to him or not. In the end he decided not to. But he couldn’t resist and take it with him here anyway. And of course that one sparkle of anticipation in those grey eyes is all that takes him to change his mind.
Peter reaches in inner pocket of his coat – the place where he’s hiding all his little treasures. Broken pocket watch from his friend. Golden clip he won in cards. Pink pearl from Elias. And finally - small box.
Elias steals it out of his hand sooner than he opens it and starts turning it around in his fingers. Greedy thing.
“It’s… hm… what is it?”
“It’s just a box… let me.” Captain takes it back from the thief.
“I’ve just never seen one like this before, I know how to-”
Peter takes a deep breath and reveals the gold ring with emerald stone. Elias was fond of bright green colour. It probably made sense there cannot be much of green in wide blue ocean except for some seaweed. Captain offers him the small box but shifts his eyes towards the ocean too afraid of his siren’s opinion. And the reaction… is still not coming? He hesitantly turns his gaze back at his companion.
“Uh… Elias?”
“It is beautiful…” Elias eyes are locked with the piece of jewellery and Peter is really incredibly grateful for the weak shine of the moonlight so Elias cannot really notice blush in his face. (He probably wouldn’t even if he could. His eyes are still locked with the ring.)
“I’m glad you like it,” he lets out relieved chuckle as Elias takes the box from his hand.
“It looks rather expensive too. At least from what I understand you humans deem to be worth.” It was.
“It really isn’t… it’s just… I just thought you might like it.”
The mercreature starts testing fingers on his left hand looking for the right… finger? (His hands looked quite human if he ignores the nails were much more sturdy and sharp, slightly reminding claws of predator.) The ring itself was quite small clearly made with woman’s hand in mind but Elias’ fingers were also very thin and slander… Peter still nervously watches. What if it’s too small? What if it won’t fit? Does he really mean that he likes it…?
“Perfect.” They ring slides on his ring finger like it’s made for it.
“I’m… I’m glad that it fits!”
“Yes, it does,” Elias’ gaze moves from the ring to Peter with self-satisfied smile. “Is this… how is it called… proposition?”
“What?”
“Isn’t that… hm… courting habit for humans? Offering their partner a ring and if they accept they are…” he claps his lips unhappy as he is looking for the right term, “Ah, I cannot remember the word. But I read it in one of those books you gave me in the past. The one about etiquette I think… I will look into it later.” The books. The damn books of course. Peter never paid too much attention which ones he’s even picking since Elias always devoured any fracture of knowledge given to him while complaining there isn’t more. It probably should have crossed his mind that there might be wedding or marriage mention especially since Peter was mocking him with all those children fairy-tale books. Of course that this custom would catch his eye. Damn it.
“Uh, well… It’s just silly human habit,” he tries to shrug it off because… well, if he saw it as a promise of two people who lov-… who want to spend rest of their life together, he would have probably laugh at him. So what if it stings a bit when Elias nods in agreement.
“Yes, so I understood. It means basically nothing…”
“Hah, exactly…”
“It’s just some kind of… test run? No, more like a promise? The marriage, that is the real important thing for you. Establishing connection with your mate and announcing it to world. And the most important part – the celebration where you receive gifts! Whatever it’s that one called…” He furrows his brows even lower trying to remember anything else. “Did I get it right?”
Peter swallows. “More or less…”
Elias smiles in satisfaction for all the blank spaces he managed to successfully fill and figured out himself. “You need to get me more books about that Peter. It was all referenced so vaguely like they expected everyone to automatically know what the book is talking about!” Yes how rude of an author not counting some other intelligent species not used to human customs might try to learn from their work. “I feel like I’ve learnt about it more from that one stupid romance novel you gave me and given all the inaccuracy present in the rest of it I still have my doubts that I fully understood this one human ceremony.”
“I will.” He won’t. Elias already knows too much.
He might have once or twice considered the ring as his own inside joke. Proposal which Elias might accept without understanding. He did not count with Elias accepting it while mostly understanding its connotation because… why would he? Why-…
Before he can start overthinking it any deeper Elias throw a scarf over his head and pulls him closer. Before captain fully realizes what is happening he already has Elias’ lips on his.
“Thank you, Peter,” the being from the myths grins at him.
It is peaceful to just relax a bit like this. Soon Elias will demand some story from his travels or start telling him about his own underwater affairs about which Peter couldn’t care any less but for now it was just pleasant to be in his presence and watching the moonshine dancing across the glistening surface of the ocean.
“Oh there was some part about special rings for marriage in that book too. You should get us matching rings for that, Peter.”
Oh what only Peter has gotten himself into…
He cannot help but smile.