Chapter 1

Finn POV

"Shall we drop anchor, Cap'n?"

I was startled from my daydream by Cyrell, my first mate. A shame really, because that vision of you and I, dancing by firelight on the sand had started to feel real. I could almost smell the mixture of sea salt and rum as I held you close. The smoky flavour left on my lips after another slow kiss. I hummed my favourite sea shanty softly as we swayed, your head nestled on my chest, fingers intertwined.

"Cut through the mist,

approaching dawn,

the sea returns,

what once was gone..."

"Aye Cyrell, this seems as good a place as any."

Truth be told, I was beginning to care less and less about where we dropped anchor. It's been 7 years of chasing the perfect spot, the spot whereupon daybreak you might be returned to me. 7 long years and my hope was beginning to fade.

It was never meant to be this way; your Siren song was destined to lure me to my end. Although, 7 years missing half of your soul doesn't count for much of an existence. In my youth I would have dreamed of a life at sea, never having to return to land. I felt bound to the sea in a way that was beyond my control. Everything began to make sense that day we wrecked off the coast of Crete.

"On stranger tides,

Drop anchor and pray,

That your love returns,

with Dawn's first rays..."

I was clinging to the jagged rocks below the cliff-face. Barely alive. I could see what was left of the flaming ship on the horizon. My first love, sinking to the bottom of the ocean and taking too many poor souls with her. A Captain would never abandon his crew, I should have gone down with them. I had been distracted, the wind was calling to me. I could see the cliff line in the distance and was entranced by the sweetest sound to ever reach my ears. My trance was cut short by the first blast, which threw me from the deck into the depths below. Amongst the chaos of flame, cracking timber and cries for help... I could still hear it.

So, I swam in the only direction that made sense, toward that call...

I knew I had to get out of the water. My only option was the opening to a small cave. The tide had not yet come in, but soon would. My window was small and it was a risk. But it was a risk or death. Perhaps I was just prolonging the inevitable. Either way, I was entering that cave.

"Cut through the mist,

approaching dawn,

the sea returns,

what once was gone..."

As I attempted to pull my exhausted frame from the water, you appeared. The wind was calling to me again. I thought I was hallucinating, I was too late, death was already beginning to take me.

"You were not supposed to live Sailor..."

Your voice was a symphony. Full of melodic layers that touched my very soul. I had heard the myths, I knew what you were, and I knew my fate was in your hands.

"Then I suppose you must now take my life, Siren..." I managed to choke out.

When your hand grasped my throat, I felt no fear. When your skin made contact with mine it was like a fire ignited within me. On the cusp of certain death, I felt infinitely more alive than I ever had before. You felt it too, the connection... The way you tilted your head in curiosity as your obsidian eyes examined mine told me as much.

"You are a child of the sea, Sailor. I cannot take your life." your melodic voice soothing me as you loosened your grip on my throat.

You turned to leave, so I grabbed your hand. Watching you walk away from me was more than I could stand. I was still under the curse of your call, that much was obvious.

"No, please. Wait... I... I need to thank you. For sparing my life."

"It is not my choice Sailor, we are tethered..."

"Tethered? You mean you have cursed me?" I realised my mistake immediately, the fury in your eyes told me that if I wasn't cursed, I was about to be. Your face was millimetres from mine and if I hadn't been terrified, I might have taken a moment to memorise your features. Hair like the sun, your skin pale, with an iridescent sheen and your eyes... the deepest obsidian, designed to lure many a poor sailor to his death. Your expression softened after a few moments and I finally dared to take a breath.

"Perhaps it is you who has cursed me, Sailor. I was not expecting to find the other half of my soul in a human..." You spat the words like it left a foul taste in your mouth.

"Tethered— we were two halves, we are now one. Killing you would be killing myself, and so, you shall live."

"On stranger tides,

Drop anchor and pray,

That your love returns,

with Dawn's first rays..."

I wish I had some grasp at the time of what an exceptional and rare gift it was to be tethered. If I'd have known what it truly meant to find the other half of one's soul, I would have begged you to run. To run with me as far as we could go, deep onto dry land and far from the sea. If only I'd known how unforgiving she would be... How cruel a mother could be to her children...

It would have killed you though, the heart could not survive outside the body, and to take you from the sea would have been removing her heart.

The three days that followed are becoming more difficult to recall. It has been so long. Specifics are blurring into snippets of memory. My sun-haired Siren, my other half. I followed like a stray puppy and you allowed it, we both know you could have shaken me easily if you so chose. You explained things to me as best you could. You were patient with me as I tried to understand. It was easy enough to believe every word, I knew without explanation that we were bound to each other.

"She will not allow this, Sailor. I am her heart. She will not allow me to be tempted to stray from her..."

"Then I will stay with you. Whatever it takes. My place is here, with you."

"You are a risk she will not take. She would rather see me lose half my soul than lose the heart of the Sea. You must go, it is no longer safe for you here. She comes..."

I felt her presence before she spoke, the air became thick and I struggled to breathe like I was drowning...

"She gave you fair warning. You should have run, Sailor..."

"Please Mother, you know what he is to me." You pleaded, the confident melody of your voice held a shakiness I had not heard before.

"It is because I know what he is to you, that I will do what must be done."

You knew I realised, what she was about to do. The way you turned to me, panic flooding your obsidian pools.

"I will return to you Sailor, do not forget, we are tethered."

Those were the last words I heard you speak before her wretched curse invaded my mind.

"Cut through the mist,

approaching dawn,

the sea returns,

what once was gone...

On stranger tides,

Drop anchor and pray,

That your love returns,

with Dawn's first rays..."