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Aika was playing with her two older brothers In a small bay off the side of the shore. She mostly sat to the nervously fidgeting every once in awhile. She hated it near the surface, she felt exposed and in danger. Her brothers on the other hand seemed to turn these burning rays of sunshine and stench of sea salt into a game of some sort. Most would think they were the younger ones. But alas, she was the youngest, and must follow where they lead.

Sir Kafiha rode his warhorse, Espresso, down the beach, peering into the shallow water.

He had recently completed a long, arduous quest at the command of his lord, Duke Szigmund. Kafiha had defeated his lord's enemies and brought all of his men home safely, but had been stricken blind by the ordeal. The Duke's court wizard had proven able to restore his sight, and now he was taking a much-needed break, riding near the ocean in solitude.

She gave them a weird look as they hummed softly splashing her with water. "Watch I you blokes!" he said sternly. "Im no in the mood..." She said watching the waters closely.

"Not till you sing..." Arthur, the eldest twin grinned, only to join back into slow harmonies with his other half. Giving a roll of her eyes she slipped into the water and swam around slightly.

Kafiha halted Espresso, dismounted, and reached into a saddlebag for some water. He leaned against his horse and patted its neck as he took a long pull of his waterskin, staring out over the ocean. As he turned around to put his waterskin back, a sound came to him on the wind, vaguely like singing. Kafiha perked up, peered around and mounted Espresso.

He clicked his tongue and gave his horse a light spurring, urging Espresso into a mild trot, careful not to run his horse too quickly on the soft ground. He rode toward the sounds, making no attempt to conceal his presence or be silent.

He was keenly aware of being alone, and armed only with a sword, and so he proceeded forward cautiously, seeking the source of the noise.

With an irrigate sigh, Aika vegan to sing as well. The three voice swelling higher as the waters almost. began to change as well.

The two boys grinned swimming slightly till they jumped into a new set of notes, performing perfect falsetto notes. The skies wind pattern changed slightly along with the waves.

Kafiha heard it more clearly now. It WAS singing. And it was beautiful. He looked to the sky and whispered a prayer of thanks to Pelor and rode toward the sounds. He rounded a slight bend of beach grass and saw three indistinct figures in the water.

Were they merfolk? Tritons? It didn't matter much. He rode closer, within about a hundred or so yards and halted Espresso, Dismounting and sitting down on the dry, white sand, just listening.

Time seemed to slow and he breathed a heavy sigh of relief. He sat, entranced by the music, for how long, he could not say...

They continued for a minute before on voice stopped. On of the twins stopped abruptly and the two others faded off as well.

"What's wrong Arthur?" Alistair said looking at his brother.

Arthur stared at the shore eyes locked on the man almost In fear. "Human..." he whispered .

Immediately he turned to aika. "Aika! Go!!" Alistair shouted jumping into The waves.

Kafiha shook his head as the music trailed off. He heard one of the figures yelp something he couldn't understand at this distance. It might have been a language he knew, but it was too far to discern.

He stood and brushed the sand off himself, not taking his eyes off the figure. He advanced, leading Espresso with one hand and raising his other in greeting.

"Don't stop on my account! It's alright! I was just listening!"

Aika Squeaked and dove into the waters After here siblings. Again poking her head south of the water and watching the man closely. still hiding behind e'er rock SHE still stared In wonder.


Being terrified of the shore did have it's perks, but also It's consequences. SHE would never. are anything like this again. Her brothers Always brought her Back trinkets, But she's never seen a human like they have.

Kafiha strode closer to the waterline, dropping Espresso's lead. The horse meandered off to look for some grass to chew. Kafiha held up both his hands in a gesture of peace, doing the best a he could to look nonthreatening, despite being a warrior.

"Easy, easy. Please come back, would you? I was just listening to the song! I won't harm anyone." He peered into the waterline, spotting what looked like one of them, though he could not tell as the figure was submerged and hiding well.

Kafiha reached into a belt pouch and removed a rough cord necklace with a gold amulet he had picked up on a recent excursion. He held it out and nodded, gently placing it in the water.

"For your trouble." He murmured. And backed slowly away from the waterline before turning around and whistling for his horse.

Aika waited till his back was turned She reached out and took the necklace. She looked at it curiously. "Wait..." She called out Softly still inspecting the gold amulet.

"What is it?" She said pushing herself onto the rock. "This thing....What is it?"

Kafiha turned as he grabbed Espresso's reins, and smiled.

"Didn't expect you'd come back. Or speak my language. It's a necklace. You wear it around your neck like so. It's really just decoration. Nothing more."

Kafiha demonstrated,carefully, using Espresso's reins.

"It was part of a treasure hoard guarded by some rather nasty creatures. They stripped the valuables off the people they kill, see? I split the treasure with my companions but I usually keep some of the trinkets on me to hand out as conversation pieces."

Still entranced by the small object She gave a curt nod. She curiously slipped it over her Head..the amulet rested comfortably on her chest. "Is it cursed? Will other come alive and eat me In the night?"

She said playing with it dangling from her neck. "Or will it suck out muscular so you can keep it as one of your 'conversation pieces'? "

Kafiha chuckled politely at her questions.

"No, no. I'm a Knight. Knights usually don't go in for curses. And if I was going to hurt you, I'd do it with this" He patted the sword dangling at his hip. "After, of course, a long declaration of why you deserved it. So no, you have nothing to fear, creature. I have no reason to hurt you, and I am not malicious."

She Watched him closely. "a Knight...how is one a Knight? Day turns to night and a humans cannot. It is impossible." She said softly looking at him In confusion. "Are a wizard? And turn yourself into star?"

Kafiha laughed. "No, no, I'm no wizard. Though, I work for one. No, creature, 'knight' is a word that means 'horseman' A man who rides a horse into battle. It is written differently than night as in night time. I suppose the plainest word for me is 'warrior' I'm a warrior."

"War-rior." She federated playing with the necklace. "Why did you listen to our singing, warrior?" She asked. "Did you not know the dangers?" She asked running her fingers through her hair.

"There are dangers to listening to singing?" Kafiha laughed. "That's a novel way to kill someone, I must say. No, I don't know the dangers. But I'm also not all that worried about them. If Pelor decides it's my time to die, then I will. And if he decides it isn't, then I won't."

She looked at him curiously. "You're a strange human...you must not be from around here to not know the dangers of a sirens voice." She said pulling her fin back underneath her.

Kafiha shrugged.

"I am indeed from this land. And now that you mention it, I have heard sailors' tales about such things. But my education has been in the ways of war and chivalry, not in study of magical creatures. From what I hear, though, it does not sound all that different than the magic of certain water nymphs, and those I have faced in battle. Recently, I might add. I lost not one man in my company."