Mystikos

King Glaucus watched as his favorite Wren and her apprentice swam back into the colony after an afternoon of training. By the look on Aoide's face, her student hadn't performed well. But she enchanted him. Her young eyes, her lips, her pink-tipped tail, all reminded him of one of his first Wren's, Morwenna.

She'd been gone for over a century now, killed by a whaler's harpoon. How those men had paid in blood for the treasure they stole from him, he would never forget it or her. Morwenna had been formidable, but her empathy for creatures of the blue had been her downfall. Though to make sure her legacy would not be tarnished, he ripped the whaler's vessel and carried her murderers' heads beneath the sea. Their skulls still adorned his throne room.

King Glaucus telepathically called to Aoide to bring her apprentice forth for measurement. It was past time he decided if she could truly carry out what he planned for her. He could feel her reluctance, but she did his bidding just the same.

When the two females swam before him, the young mer looked surprised to be called into his presence again so soon. She would not look him in the eye which he took as a good sign.

"I want to send her up to the surface, Aoide, in mystikos."

Liriope's eyes widened and Aoide's brow furrowed. She is not ready sire, she does not know her own power, she sent privately.

The King knew the risk he took. Mystikos was usually reserved for the most talented of his Wrens and Aoide could have easily gone in Liriope's place, but he was wary of the surface witches. They could have markers on all his current Wrens for all he knew. He almost lost the whole lot of them with their last capture. He needed to send someone disposable, and he needed it done quickly. Liriope was his only chance.

What have you been doing for the past week Aoide, I thought you of all people could turn her quickly. The King shrugged of Aoide's warning and probed more. "Liriope is it, my child?"

"Yes, Your Grace."

"Can you sing?"

"I'm certain I can, Your Grace." Liriope's heart was fluttering. She could tell by the look on Aoide's face that she did not think sending her up to the surface was a good idea, so she had to prove to the King that she could do anything he asked.

"Ok, I want you to sing a song so that all the sturgeons within a mile from here flock to you."

Liriope's heart sank. She knew no such song, Aoide had not started training with her voice yet.

"I'm sorry your grace, I do not know a song that will allow me to do that."

King Glaucus gave Aoide a stiff stare down. "My child, the words you sing make no difference, it is all in your intent, your will, your ability to connect your psyche to that of the sturgeons."

"Your Grace, if I may?" Aoide intercepted. King Glaucus nodded intently.

"Liriope," the Wren began, "remember the shark? Remember what you did to swim so quickly away from the shark? How do you think you did that?"

"I begged the sea to help me, Mistress."

"The sea listened. You did not even have to serenade her, all the little wonders living inside her heard your plea, your psyche and will came to your aide. When you send your psyche out with a song, it becomes more powerful and if you attach your will, you command your intent and then you can control any living thing."

Now it was Liriope's turn to furrow her brow. "I can?"

"Yes my sweet, now do as the King commands or you will have to deal with me."

"Yes, Mistress," Liriope quickly agreed, but her mind searched frantically for words to sing. She came up with nothing. She knew hundreds of songs from school, they had even been taught the songs from the surface which the Wrens had learned on their journey's.

She closed her eyes. Thinking of a song to sing wasn't working. So she thought of the sturgeons. She pictured one on her mind and thought about what she wanted to do with her voice, her song. She focused all her might on calling them to her as she opened her mouth, and a song grew inside her.

"There's a light, up ahead, and it's calling out my name. Do I go, do I go, do I go?" Her voice was soft but her tone was advantageous. "I hear cries, from the angels and they whisper in my ear, is it time, is it time, is it my time?" She stopped for a moment, both the King and Aoide thinking she had finished, but she surprised them with a booming chorus, "Just wait! Don't take me now, just wait, don't take my life. But when the whole wide world, is falling fast asleep, then you can take me, you can take me in my dreams."

The King swayed, breathless. Aoide looked completely shocked. Even underwater her voice beckoned the heavens and captured its light. Liriope still floated, listless, with her eyes closed. The King looked around the perimeter of the colony, waiting for them. He smiled when he saw the first sturgeon appear. His laughter began at the second, the third.

"My daughter, you've done it, look upon the powers you command," the King praised as he wrapped his arms around her and swam up to overlook the deep blue. Liriope opened her eyes as they rose, and all around them, a handful of sturgeons had gathered. As each moment passed, more and more came to the colony to see who had summoned them, who had control over their very movements.

"They've come from miles and miles away, my child!" The king bellowed. "Aoide, you've done well! Now, release them, Liriope, send them back home."

Liriope beamed, but relaxed and held her focus on the sturgeons, then looked the King in the eye for the first time, and smiled. The sturgeons all swam away. He told her to go to her room and rest; she had a big few days to prepare for a journey to the surface. She left feeling giddy, nervous and anxious but excited to learn what was expected of her on her trip.

When she was well out of sight the King turned to Aoide with a stark warning. "You have two days, two days to prepare her for a surface mystikos. If she fails, you fail."