Scourge of the Siren Read online

  “Not long, sweetheart,” he promised. “As soon as I can find somewhere for the two of us we’ll move out.”

  She smiled. He realized that although life on Refrainia had not been too happy for her, and moving away with him was going to be very tough. This was literally a whole new world to the young girl. He cuddled her close to him. Her soft, round body nuzzled into his strong arms and muscular chest. God, she’s so lovely! Eban gazed at his beautiful fiancée. She looked so feminine in her pretty dress and dainty shoes. When she had emerged from that shop, she had looked so happy, the happiest he had seen her since they left Refrainia. He felt her slowly relax until, eventually, she fell asleep. She must have been exhausted, as she’d hardly slept last night and it was now late in the afternoon. Luckily, they didn’t have to change trains at all, so he took advantage of the lull and got some sleep himself.

  * * * *

  It was very dark when Amaranda woke to find herself safely wrapped in Eban’s arms. The low hum of the train was a familiar background noise to her now, and most of the other passengers seemed to be asleep. An open window somewhere behind her offered a refreshing breeze, and a floral smell was wafting gently through. Outside was pitch-black, and she guessed they must have been travelling through open countryside.

  There were some tiny, dim lights in the ceiling of the carriage, and after a few minutes her eyes adjusted, and she was able to see a little. She took the opportunity to study her fellow travelers, something she daren’t do earlier in case they thought she was rude to stare at them. She had also not liked the idea of them staring back at her, so had so far contented herself with watching the scenery through the big window next to her.

  A small table was fixed to the floor in front of her, and another double-seat faced them. On it was a very old man and a younger man. Both were asleep. The older man looked about the same age as Sofronia, one of the Elders of Refrainia. Amaranda peered at him curiously—she had never seen a man this old before, the only men she had seen were sailors and they had all been younger than him. His skin was wrinkled, like the old ladies’ on the island, but she was amazed to see his white beard and moustache. She had seen facial hair on some of the sailors, of course, but they were all black or brown—or in one case, ginger. He also stole her attention because she could see skin on his head where she expected to see hair. Never before had she seen a balding person. Wisps of white hair poked out from his ears, and there seemed to be a little hair at the sides of his head, but the top of his head was bare. His clothes were very different from the sailors’ outfits, too, although she remembered seeing one or two older men on the mainland in these pale-colored baggy pants. His shirt was checkered in brown and yellow, very different from the plain, mainly white shirts she was used to. He wore brown shoes which were nothing like the boots the sailors wore. They had holes punched in a pattern around them, and were tied to his feet with brown cord. He wheezed and snored a little as he slept, his mouth wide open.

  The younger man was slumped next to him, his head leaning on the old man’s shoulder. He appeared a good few years older than Eban, and was rather handsome. He had blond hair, which was very short. Pale whiskers had started to grow around his cheeks and chin, and Amaranda guessed they had been travelling for a long time. This man wore tighter pants, more like the sailors’, but his were black and seemed to be made of much thicker fabric. She could see white stitches down the seams, too. He wore a white shirt, but it was much more fitted than the ones she was used to. It clung to his body, revealing a muscular chest and arms, though not as ripped as Eban’s. He wore black boots that were shorter than she had seen before. He snored gently, his mouth slightly open. She detected a faint smell of musky cologne, something she had only just encountered with the sailors on the island. The women had always made their own soap using flower petals and thick sap from the large leaves that grew on the island, and didn’t wear artificial perfumes or colognes. But she had noticed that most of the young sailors liked to splash the scented water over themselves after they washed, making them smell lovely and masculine.

  “What are you smiling at?” Eban whispered in her ear, as he stretched from his sleep.

  “I was just looking at the people,” she whispered back. “They all look so different.”

  He smiled, catching her line of vision.

  She was now looking at a young lady who sat in one of the seats opposite them across the aisle. The girl was very pretty, with blonde hair tied on top of her head. She wore a tightly fitted red dress, which showed off her perfectly slim figure. She had very red lips and rosy cheeks, with something blue on the skin around her eyes. Amaranda had seen makeup on a few women during her visits to the mainland, but never as vibrant as this. She stared in awe.

  “I’m glad you don’t look like that,” Eban whispered, obviously noticing her expression.

  “Really?” Amaranda found it hard to believe as she thought the girl looked beautiful.

  “Really.” Eban chuckled and held her tighter. “You are perfect, sweetheart. You don’t need fancy clothes or hair or makeup. I love you just the way you are.”

  Amaranda flushed. Lately she had compared herself to the Sirens on Refrainia and felt that she was very plain and quite plump in relation to them. Now she was on the mainland she had felt that her clothes and hair as well as her general appearance were lacking. She was so thankful that Eban had bought her a pretty dress and shoes, at least people didn’t seem to be staring at her now. Her feet were much more comfortable, too, now that she had become accustomed to wearing shoes.

  “I’ll just use the bathroom,” she said, getting up from the seat.

  Eban helped her out before grabbing their bag from the shelf.

  By the time she returned he had set out a picnic for them on the little table. Amaranda’s stomach gurgled in appreciation and she realized just how hungry she was. It had been several hours since they had eaten. She found the food interesting, sandwiches and crisps, and enjoyed the flavors. They had also brought some fruit from Refrainia, which she devoured, wondering if she would be able to get the same on Westland. She found it very odd drinking water from little bottles, though she enjoyed it immensely.

  As the sun began to rise, they travelled through an industrial area. Amaranda stared at the large, metal chimneys and massive brick buildings. They had no industry on Refrainia, and the houses were mostly made of stone, which came from the island. Although the only fuel used these days was smokeless, she could still see the heat rising above the factories in hazy waves, against the orange sky.

  “We have areas like this on Westland,” Eban explained in a whisper. “It’s where they manufacture things.”

  “What sort of things?”

  “All sorts. These factories mainly work with textiles, making fabric from cotton and wool. They send it to other firms who make it into clothes, blankets, curtains, that sort of thing.”

  “And people work there?”

  “Yes. They always pay workers in money. Lots of people are happy to trade for things with whatever they have, but whatever job you’re in you always get paid in money.”

  “Will I need a job?” Amaranda had never thought of that before.

  “Not unless you want one.” He chuckled in her ear. “You can stay at home all day if you prefer. We’ll see how it goes.”

  Amaranda’s mind was racing. She had no skills and had never had a job before. She was destined to be a Siren, like all the other girls on the island, and had only learned what she needed to know. She could please a man, though she didn’t really think she was that good at it. They had taught her to swim, and what items were the most useful to take from a sinking ship, but that was about all.

  “OK.” She sighed sadly and continued to gaze out of the window.

  Large houses whizzed by, and she could see long streets with lights on either side. There were all manner of cars and trucks on the roads, and strange animals prowled around. She had seen pictures of some of these on the computer, and E
ban had explained that they were quite common on the mainlands. Sometimes people kept animals and looked after them. Any nuisances that were not commandeered were collected up and taken away to be homed or returned to the countryside, depending on the type of animal. There were no such animals on Refrainia, although they sometimes saw the odd seal, which would come up on the shore for a while before returning to the sea. They were beautiful creatures, and not at all harmful to the girls on the island.

  The constant hum of the engine and the comfort of Eban’s arms soon soothed Amaranda back to sleep. Her thoughts were jumbled and mostly unhappy. She worried that she wouldn’t be able to “fit in” with life on Westland. Her life was completely changing and it frightened her. The young girl had a fitful sleep. What if I can’t cope? What if no one likes me? What would I do all day if I didn’t get a job. What job could I possibly do? What if Eban got fed up of me and I was left on my own?

  “Amaranda, wake up!”

  She opened her eyes, startled.

  “It’s all right, sweetheart, you were having a nightmare,” Eban soothed as he held her tight.

  “Oh no,” she stammered, staring at the people around her who were staring back.

  “It’s OK. You started screaming, that’s all. I was worried,” Eban said softly, stroking her satin curls.

  “Oh no. I’m so sorry,” she said to the passengers in general. What must they think?

  “As long as you’re all right, dear, that’s all that matters,” said the old man opposite, leaning toward her.

  She gave him a weak smile, wondering if she had woken up the whole carriage.

  “We’re nearly there,” Eban said quietly. “You’ve been asleep for hours. What were you dreaming about?”

  “Um, just things. I didn’t realize I’d slept so long.”

  She looked out of the window and noticed that the sun was way up high in the sky.

  “When we get off it’s only a short walk to the quay. I’ll sort us out with a passage, and once we’re on our way you’ll be able to relax properly.”

  She turned back and smiled at him gratefully. There was quite a bit of movement in the carriage, as people were already standing up and sorting out their luggage. She was amazed to see big cases on wheels and wondered what was in them. Some ladies had very pretty bags, while a lot of the men had plain carryalls. Her mind started to wonder about where they were going and what was in those bags.

  Suddenly there was a big jolt as the train came to a halt at the station. Eban held her tight. He seemed to realize she was scared. Everyone started to file down the aisle, pulling at cases, and struggling with heavy bags. Amaranda followed Eban’s lead, waiting patiently until most of the people had passed them before getting up to leave.

  The cool, fresh air hit her as she jumped from the train. She took deep breaths and started to feel much better. The sun was shining, and she could hear seagulls overhead. She enjoyed the familiarity of the briny air and the distant sound of the waves.

  Eban led her to a little bench when they reached the office at the quay. He left her holding their bag while he went inside. For the first time in her life she suddenly felt very alone. People were walking on the little path in front of her but they all looked alien to her. She didn’t know anyone. On the island, she had known everyone. She could hear them chatting but their voices sounded muffled. Unreal. The loneliness crowded in on her and she felt sick. What am I doing? Something stirred inside her and she felt the urge to run. She didn’t know where to, but she just had to get away. Her breathing became faster, she started to pant. Panic gripped her. She stood up and looked around. She was starting to sweat. Clutching the bag, she started to run. Anywhere. Away. There were people shouting and talking all around her. She rushed to the end of the path and stopped, not sure which way to turn. She turned around quickly and bashed straight into the brick wall that was Eban’s body.

  “Amaranda—thank God!”

  As his arms enveloped her she let go. Tears flooded her face and she howled. It was all too much. He rocked her back and forth and let her cry. She needed it. She clung to him for dear life. He was her rock. He would keep her safe. God, she loved him!

  “Come on,” he said after a while, when her tears subsided a little.

  He led her down a little street that opened out onto the quayside. There was activity everywhere. People were saying good-byes, other people were loading luggage onto trolleys, men were shouting.

  “That’s our ship, ‘The Mermaid.’” Eban pointed to a large blue-and-white ship that was anchored nearby. It was huge. The ship towered well above the water line, making it look ominous and daunting. The front curved upward into a high point at the bow, and the stern was slightly lower and wider.

  “Is it safe? Most of it’s not even in the water?” she whispered.

  “It’s perfectly safe,” he chuckled. “It has a high freeboard, which is this part above the water line, to stop the waves from splashing onto the deck. The curved shape, which is called the sheer, stops it from pitching in rough conditions. Everything has been done to make it safer and more comfortable. It’ll be a much easier ride than we had in that small boat from the island.”

  He held her in his arms and she relaxed a little. After all, Eban was a sailor so he should know about these things.

  They joined the line, which was forming to board the ship. Over on the other side she could see a row of cars, which seemed to be queuing up to drive onto the ship.

  “They take cars on a ship?” Amaranda was astounded.

  “They do on these big liners, sweetheart,” Eban explained. “They’re built differently from the small ships you’ve seen around the island. These are ocean liners, which go across between the mainlands. People can drive on and take their cars over to Westland. It’s perfectly safe.”

  “But how come the ship doesn’t sink? Cars must be real heavy?” She sniffed, as she turned to him, wide-eyed.

  “It’s OK,” he assured her. “These ships are built to take tons of weight. Come on, let’s get aboard and you can get comfortable.”

  She clung to Eban as he showed their tickets to the man, then led her up the gangway onto the massive ship. It was beautiful inside. There were soft, dark-blue sofas and chairs, a bar at one end, and lots of windows. The floor even had a soft, gray carpet. She had never walked on one before, and would not have dared to if she had been alone, but Eban knew what he was doing so she followed him. It felt squishy under her feet and she had the urge to take her shoes off, but noticed that no one else had so she thought better of it. Pity, she was desperate to feel that softness next to her toes.

  “Our cabin’s this way,” Eban said, after consulting the piece of paper in his hand. He led her down a corridor, which was also carpeted, and at the very end, he unlocked a door. He led her into the little room. There was a neat bed with a small table which held a thing which looked a little like a computer. There was also a small cupboard behind the door. Another door to the side led to their tiny en-suite bathroom. Eban put the bag down and walked over to the porthole.

  “Look, we’ve got a sea view,” he chuckled.

  Amaranda smiled and went over to look out at the beautiful green sea. It was lapping at the sides of the ship. She could see some of the bits of seaweed, which floated about aimlessly, lovely hues of red, brown and yellow.

  “Come and sit down,” he urged, leading her to the bed.

  She kicked off her shoes and took a minute to feel the beautiful soft carpet under her feet. Amaranda had never felt anything quite like it. It was soft and fluffy, and her toes sunk right into it. She hummed with pleasure. Her feet had been restricted in her new shoes since yesterday, and this was such a relief.

  Eban waited until she was ready, and then put an arm around her as they lay on the bed together.

  “How are you feeling?” he asked softly.

  “OK.” She bit her lip nervously.

  “Where were you going?”

  “What?” Oh God, he wa
nts an explanation!

  “Earlier. I told you to wait on the bench and when I got back, you were gone. I was terrified something had happened to you. I called your name but you didn’t answer. I ran up and down the street until I found you. God, you had me so worried!”

  She took a deep breath as tears threatened her eyes again.

  “I don’t know,” she said quietly, “I guess I just panicked.”

  “You could have ended up anywhere. What if I hadn’t found you?”

  She hadn’t even thought of that. She hadn’t been thinking at all.

  “I’m sorry,” she said sheepishly.

  He hugged her close as tears started to roll down her cheeks again.

  “It’s OK, don’t cry. I was just worried, that’s all. You don’t know your way around and you could easily get lost. I should never have left you alone like that. I promise I’ll look after you better from now on.”

  She snuggled into his arms, feeling his warmth and hearing his heart beating softly against her ear. She felt safe here. Eban would look after her.

  Chapter 5

  After an hour of relaxing and cuddling in the cabin, they ate the rest of the food from the hessian bag before freshening up to go on deck. The ship was well under way, and they looked down over the side at the massive waves, which sloshed against the side of the enormous hull. Looking out, there was nothing but deep green sea in every direction. The cool wind swept around Amaranda’s beautiful dark curls, brushing them off her face. Eban smiled as she held her face up to the breeze, her eyes closed. She really was gorgeous.

  He gazed at her for a moment. He felt so sorry for her. Everything was so new and frightening for her. He almost felt guilty for taking her away from Refrainia and her friend Pallas. But he remembered, too, that the island held many sad memories for her, and she was not really happy living there. He made a promise to himself that he would ensure he made her happy in her new life with him.