The rest of the time, she complained about everything that I did, but I just let it all go. For some reason, no one could get under my skin except for my mother, so it wasn't that hard.
Soon, she looked like the perfect princess in her deep V-neck, pink, sparkly dress that clung to her like saran wrap. She barely fit into it, but I wasn't about to take the fall for her one-size-too-small dress, and I made the damn thing fit. Her breasts were practically spilling out the top, being the first thing that your eye caught. I think that was what she was going for since my mother had this perfect hourglass shape, and she had more of a willowy shape, her largest feminine assets being her breasts.
She fussed with her big curled, strawberry-blonde hair as she stared at her smokey eyes and bright pink glossy lips. “It's about the voice anyways, so I guess this will have to do.” My patience was running thin, and I almost grabbed onto those reddish-gold locks and yanked her head off her body.
She turned around and looked me up and down. “You're going to change, right?” There was a knock at the door, and Gwen rushed to answer it. “I wonder what admirer is sending me a gift? Maybe Boe or Rathe?” They were the two biggest and most muscular single guys that were going to be in the male crowd today. I always thought they were too stupid to live, but maybe that would be the perfect match for Gwen? I snickered behind my hand at the thought.
Soon, she walked back over to me with pinched lips as she shoved the box at me with a snarl, “This is for you. I'm heading over to the pavilion to make sure the decorations are getting done right.” Then she looked at the clock and smiled. “It looks like you only have twenty minutes to get ready. I would choose my time wisely if I were you.” Then she sashayed her way out of the door in her matching pink stilettos.
I peeked into the box, wondering what my mother decided was better than what I had on. I pulled out a tied spaghetti-strap velvet dress in a deep teal. The dress felt fine and soft, something that would work for an all-night event. Remembering the time, I quickly put it on over my head and zipped up the back. I went to the mirror and was slightly in awe of this dress. It looked stunning around my bodice, tight, keeping the girls in and secure even with the thin straps. At the waist, the bulk of the fabric flowed out, accentuating my hips. The part that made this dress different was that the front was cut out on one side and an underlayer curved up around my hip. It made it so that one leg was completely covered by the long fabric, and one leg was completely in view from my toes up to my upper thigh.
I will say that I may dislike my mother with a passion, but the damn woman knows how to look regal. She has an eye for it, one that I have never had. I was always more comfortable in leather pants, a white crop top, and a black cropped jacket. Gwen wasn't wrong about my ‘I don’t care’ look, but I preferred to call it grunge. My dirty-blond hair was cut right to my neck and had a messy kind of loose curl about it that I always liked. My light gray eyes always made me stand out, and I adopted my mother’s curvy hips, even if I was a little bit smaller in the chest than she was.
I didn't really mess with my hair, but I did put on a simple smokey eye and cherry-red lips. There was a pair of chunky teal shoes in the box, and I put them on and ran out the door, knowing that if I was late, I would never hear the end of it.
I made it in the nick of time for the ceremony. Since I was still a royal by blood, it was required that I not only show up but help with the opening and then stay off to the side of the stage next to my mother to watch over the proceedings.
The pavilion was a gorgeous place that truly embodied the combining of land and sea. The pavilion was on the beach, a mile away from the crashing waves in the background. The smell in the air was a sweet and salty mixture of the natural honeysuckle flowers that grew around the stone pillars of the pavilion and the wind bringing in the current. The stage was a stone slab with pillars around it, making a crescent shape.
Available women lined up next to the stage, ranging from oldest to youngest. The available men of the colony all gathered randomly around the stage, not taking their eyes off it in the belief that their mate would sing for them.
I could feel all the hope and awe in the air. The anticipation of finding your mate, the one who was made for you, body and soul. That’s why the song was so important. A female siren's song was a source of magic that directly connected to our souls. It could lure someone under our spell, it could heal a broken heart, it could even cause fear and dread, all of that being connected with what we want in that moment.
That's why for the ceremony, everyone crafted their own love song since that was what they were looking for, the one to make them whole. My mother liked to spread that kind of propaganda to the colony, that she only cares about making you happy, but, in reality, it's about the colony.
The only way for a siren to be born was if a male and female siren reproduced. The chances of it being a girl with magic or a boy with magical genes were fifty-fifty. It's why my mother works very hard to keep all the sirens on the island. If a siren mates with another species, then it's a toss-up on what they will come out as. Most of the time, taking the DNA traits from the other species. It's very rare, almost unheard of, for a hybrid siren to be born.
That's how I found out a few years ago that she used my ceremony incident and choice to leave the island as a warning to other sirens. You don't want to end up like the royal princess, mateless and off the island with no support or family to help you.
I was pissed at first, but, in reality, I should've known my mother would spin my failure into a positive for her. It's how she has been able to keep the top spot for so long. That and the fact that our line had the most powerful siren magic.
"It's time. As soon as I'm done talking, you need to walk up to the other side for your part. Got it?" I nodded.Just like I have every year. It's like she thinks that I'm some idiot.
She smiled brightly as she stepped up and gave her speech about how magical this night was, how amazing all of them were, and how strong this colony had become. It's all to please the crowd. Make them believe what she wants them to.
She tilted her head, the signal that I was to come up and perform like the obedient daughter I needed to be. I walked up, and the crowd was silent as both of us raised our hands to the ocean and bowed our heads in thanks, then we both pulled at the water in the air. My mother quickly made a large ring of water mid-air, having it swirl around and around as the crowd oohed at her display of power. I began to shape sea animals in my hands with the water that I pulled, shaping them like a sculptor before pretending to let them loose as I controlled my magic to make them wiggle and jump back and forth between her circling ring.
Then we both clapped our hands, and all the water shapes stopped. My mother looked at me and nodded when we both threw our hands into the air, and the water immediately split apart into mini particles, shining in the twinkling lights like it was raining diamonds on everyone.
Everyone started to clap, yelling at how amazing my mother was, how awe-inspiring the royals’ power was, and she ate it up. Waving and blowing kisses to the crowd as I stood there and watched, not a single person saying anything towards me.
My mother then started the proceedings by wishing all of the singers and listeners luck in finding their true partners in life before walking off to the side, which I followed behind.
“That dolphin was a little sloppy, Celine.” I didn't say anything to acknowledge her criticism, so she moved on. “Next year, we are going to do something like a recreation of the island. I will erect the island out of the ocean, and you will control all the people, houses, and plants. Understand?” I nodded as I pretended to watch the first singer go to the mic.
The royal line with the affinity for water magic was the only defining mark that separated us from the rest of the colony. We have the ability to pull water and control it. Most of the time, my mother uses it for displays of power and sometimes for harsh punishments. My mother had trained me from birth to be an expert at pulling water from wherever I was and manipulating it. I think it's one of the reasons my mother resents me so much: she put so much time and energy into cultivating my power. My power was much more potent than Gwen’s, which was why my mother still wanted me to come to these things, to show them who’s line holds true power.
Oddly enough, my power translates well into my professional line of work. I have so much control of water that I can pull it out of the city air when it's dry outside. I can pull it from the various water bottles people are holding on the streets. I can pull it out of the alcohol and sodas they drink. I can pull it from their bodies, making them die from dehydration. Water was in everything, and I honed my powers to the most minute amounts. It makes me such a good assassin that the criminal world has given me the name The Songbird, because I sing you a lullaby before ending your life. I also don't leave any mess behind for you to clean up. It was handy when we needed someone else to blame for our actions. Keeping the CIA name out of the limelight.
I felt my mother’s nails dig into my flesh as she gripped my forearm. “Celine, pay attention. Gwen will be up soon, and you need to be seen supporting her.”
I don't know what came over me, but I turned to her, glaring as I said through clenched teeth, "Let go, Mother, before you make a scene. I will do my part. The least you could do is act like a decent mother."
She let go of me instantly, looking at me like she didn't know me, but I ignored her and turned back to the crowd. I saw Gwen get up, and the whole crowd of people came closer to watch the next queen get her mate. I smiled so hard my cheeks hurt, showing everyone how I truly backed my cousin's claim, and was excited for her to find her match.
She started to sing, her voice drifting out in the lyrical tone she chose. It was a sultry sweet love song, one that talks of long late nights and lazy days in bed with each other. The normal dribble that comes out of love songs that don't tell you the truth. I have never once seen or heard of a love like that, one that wasn't doused in pain and heartbreak.
Once she was about halfway done, her eyes closed shut as she belted out, I saw Rathe starting to sway. The blockhead's eyes began to glaze over, and then his feet started to move, propelling him forward towards the stage. He climbed up the stairs, staring at her with so much devotion it kind of hurt. For a girl that had only wanted a drop of that from someone else, it was hard to see my own family member getting it in spades, from the same family that was incapable of giving me that.
