The sea-witch's song

Rioghan was sitting on the bow of the ship. He was doing the night shift, guarding, and guiding the ship while the rest of his fellow pirates were fast asleep. The previous evening reminded him why these waters were the most treacherous on the continent. He and his fellow raiders battled through the rough storms and huge waves for the entire day. There were times he honestly felt they wouldn’t make it out alive.

It was only late this afternoon that the sea went back to its peaceful state. The evening breeze gently touched his face, and the sound of the water splashing on the wooden sides of the ship’s bow almost put him to sleep. As much as he wanted to stay vigilant, this soothing experience made it more and more difficult for him to keep his eyes open. The full moon in the night sky was the only thing preventing the darkness from engulfing the entire ship, allowing Rioghan to at least be able to see his immediate surroundings. His eyes were focused on the playful movement of the splashing water when suddenly, he felt that something had bumped into the ship.

And then, it began.

At first, he didn’t realize what it was. But it was there, a low humming, continuous sound. He didn’t know where this was coming from, although he felt like it was not coming from somewhere on the ship. For that, he was sure of. Rioghan thought that his exhausted mind was playing games on him.

“What’s next? Am I going to start hearing bloody voices now?”

A smirk appeared on Rioghan’s face, as his prompt explanation of the unexpected phenomenon clearly amused him. That smirk quickly disappeared, though, as the sound was now turning into something different. Along with the water splashing underneath the ship’s keel and the low creaking noises of the old wooden masts and sails, Rioghan could now clearly hear a female voice singing. He could not understand what the lyrics were, neither did he want to. The perplexity of what was happening to him sparked his curiosity. His gaze wandered towards the ocean, impatiently trying to track down the source of this unerringly mesmerizing voice. His eyes suddenly focused on the right side of the ship’s stern as he noticed something there.

Rioghan could swear that there was something in the water, close enough to the surface to at least make out that it was moving right along with the ship. The pale moonlight subtly reflected on whatever that damn thing was, and Rioghan could distinguish the silhouette of what he initially thought was a big fish. His curiosity suddenly turned into surprise when he realized that whatever he was looking at, it was also staring back at him.

Rioghan stood there frozen, half hanging from the side of the ship, watching in bewilderment as the sea creature slowly started coming out of the water. He could now clearly make out the finer details: Long black hair, beautiful face, slender figure, pale white skin. And those eyes, those hauntingly beautiful emerald eyes, were still locked onto him.

He couldn’t see the rest of the body as it was still hidden below the surface, but Rioghan was amazed on how this woman could keep up with the current speed that the ship was moving, seemingly without making the slightest effort. “This is a dream, I must be dreaming, it can’t be… It just can’t be…” he thought.

“No, you are not dreaming, I am for real”.

The woman’s voice broke Rioghan’s train of thought, snapping him out of the dumbfounded state he was in for the last few moments.

“Who are you? What are you? He asked in amazement.

“I have been watching you for quite some time now, sailor. Since you left the Isles, I have been following you and your ship.”

“You didn’t reply to my question” said Rioghan with a stern voice.

The sea-woman replied to him with a faint smile: “That’s because I don’t need to. Do not be alarmed, I do not wish to harm you”

“Then what is it that you want from me?” said Rioghan, whose curiosity made him forget that his fellow pirates were sleeping just a few meters away from him, somehow still impervious to the events that have just unfolded. She didn’t reply, her body still somehow managing to move effortlessly through the water, her gaze still fixated on him. It was then, that her singing started again.

This was a song that made logic fade away, numbed all physical sensations. Rioghan was now just staring at this otherworldly creature, his mind empty of any sort of thoughts or memories of past deeds in life. She slowly raised her right hand, beckoning for him to come closer. And he obeyed. It didn’t really matter if he wanted to do it or not, Rioghan just slowly moved over the ship’s side railing and dropped into the sea. Even the cold seawater did not help him snap out of this trance state he was in. It was her who gently grabbed his sinking body and now held him firmly in her arms. Feeling like he was in a lucid dream, Rioghan barely managed to ask one last time:

“Who are you?”

She was so close now, her eyes still studying every little detail on Rioghan’s face. Their bodies became one and his numb hands were involuntarily touching something scaly, still hidden below the surface. She was a sea creature, alright. Their eyes locked once more, their faces almost touching. She leaned in and with an uncanny voice she whispered: “Your life… will burn… as bright as the love between us”

This was the last thing Rioghan heard before he felt his body violently being pulled below the waves. Darkness was now surrounding him, but he didn’t care. He knew she was taking him somewhere, but he didn’t care. The only thing he did care about, was her. And in the pitch-black emptiness of the lower depths of the North Sea, he heard her singing again.