Thread: A Dead Captain’s Tail (Starcaller and incendonocturne)

The net was being dragged across the wooden floors by three men, not for the lack of physical strength but due to how much the siren struggled against it. The Captain walked in front of them, his gold adorned long coat almost brushing against the floor. His cabin was found all the way at the poop deck, but as they reached it, Edwin reached out to push open the large doors that revealed the interiors of his quarters. The Harlot was a very large ship, and so the Captain's quarters were something the size of a ballroom. The man sure loved to live in luxury, all the gold and all the silver adorning his walls and his ceiling was nothing if not impeccable and shiny. A large golden chandelier hung high above the middle of the room, bestowing light upon it through the numerous candles that burned in its grasp. And in the middle of the massive room a glass water tank had been prepared. It had taken a lot of work to make, but the Captain knew, as any other sea dog worth their salts, that a siren could only last so long out of the water. And so the Captain had ordered the devising of this tank, especially for this occasion. The struggle to toss the being into the tank was just as great as the one to pull the siren out of the water but in the end, the siren was dropped out of the net and into the water tank, water which moved about with the movements of the ship that still rocked, caught in the grip of the storms outside. Edwin had made sure that the tank was filled with water right from the sea. Such legendary beauty, what an interesting specimen. The Captain was mesmerized by simply looking at the mermaid. And so were his sailors who found themselves gazing at her. That was until Edwin realized it and, snapping, he ordered. Get out. All of you! The siren was his. All his. And as the doors closed and he remained alone with the creature, he approached the tank, mere inches separating him from the glass walls of it. He studied it closely, admiring the way her human body ended and connected to the fish tail. Such gorgeous beings could kill so savagely. All it took was one enthralled man to touch them and then, all would be over. And oh, the Captain would have touched her if he did not know the kinds of charms she could do. But she was scared now, distressed, and he... he was made of stone. Her cries didn't soften him in the least. They brought him no pleasure, either. With his hands behind his back he gazed long and contemplative at the being that was his prisoner, almost unable to believe that he had really succeeded. His dream had come true. A siren in the flesh on the ship. His sailors, the superstitious lot of them, had almost begged Edwin to reconsider, citing the many legends of the sirens' curses. But Edwin was not one to give up on something because of a legend. What could a poor, scared and confused siren really do, trapped there in the tank? I know you can understand what I'm saying. He said, his voice calm and icy, as he took a step forward towards the glass. And I also know you can speak so, speak if you so will. My name is Captain Edwin Payne. And you are my guest. Tell me, do you have a name? The echo of the Captain's last words rang in Trystan's ears for long, painful minutes after he came into his senses. Yet only now did the reality of being wide awake really come into full effect. Trystan's hand raised before his eyes allowed him to look at it as the sun's rays shone upon his flesh. It felt strange. His fingers flexed, turning his open palm into a fist and vice-versa. The young man remained in bed, contemplating, dreaming wide awake about the vivid feeling of being in the Captain's body. These strange dreams had been occurring for a while now and worst of all, sometimes Trystan woke up in other places than his own bed. It was as if something took control of his body while he slept. His train of thoughts derailed as he heard the knocks upon the door. Who could it be? Tourists, this early? Trystan jumped out of the bed and pulled on a pair of shorts, not bothering with the shirt. Coming! His voice was heard down the hallway as he rushed to the door, opening it perhaps too eagerly. The familiar face in the door frame made him smile but at the same time, made him worried. It was Renata. He'd known her since they were kids and he'd learned her well enough to know that something was really eating at her. For a short moment there, her face morphed into the one of the siren, making Trystan blink quickly. No, that could not be possible, what the absolute hell was wrong? Morning, Ren. He smiled at her, moving out of the way to let her in. Everything alright?