Lilium

He stumbled across the jagged rocks, uniform lopsided and golden hair whipping about his face. He had heard her from the ship, soft sweet voice calling out to him. He hurriedly picked his way across the rocks, careful not to fall into the deep abyss of water that flowed behind him.1

*Os iusti meditabitur sapientiam*2

His ship had stopped for the night by an island known as Anthemoessa, off Cape Pelorum. It was daybreak when he first heard the song. He had listened to glimpses of the brain-washing melody in his sleep, stirring several times in the night.3

*Et lingua eius loquetur indicium*4

So now he was picking his way across the jagged stones that screamed danger, but he didn’t care. He was too entranced by the sweet melody that spewed forth from behind the towering cliff that rose before him. She was calling him. Someone… something was calling, singing.5

*Beatus vir qui suffert tentationem*6

It was not long before he reached an opening in the rocks, just big enough for him to squeeze his body though. The song faltered and stopped, snapping him out his trance. He glanced behind him, watching the swirling current crash against the side of the rocks. He knew that one false step would be the end of him.7

He steadied himself by holding the smooth sides of the opening in the cliff. The bottom of the opening was smooth and shiny, almost as if coated by some invisible lacquer. Almost as if something had moved over it time and time again.8

That’s when the song started again. The tune haunted his mind, forcing him to look through the gap. And there he saw her…9

A bluish green lagoon; surrounded by a thick forest of palm and elm trees. The lagoon emptied out into a river, slowly running away to join the sea. A rock sat parallel to the opening, separated by all but a few meters of water. And she was on the rock10

*Quonium cum probates fuerit accipient coronam vitae*11

Long chestnut brown hair flowed down her back and around her like a veil. Her eyes closed as she help a conch shell to her ear, mesmerised in the sound it made. Her suntanned skin shined in the morning light, glimmering like a pearl. Beneath her, instead of legs, was a magnificent emerald-green tail, much like a dolphin’s.12

She opened her mouth and words, so soft and sweet and foreign flowed out in a harmonious melody.13

*Kyrie, ignis divine, eleison*14

Slowly her eyes opened, revealing beautiful golden orbs, like the rising sun. She fixed her eyes on the man, and he fixed his on her. She dropped the shell, elegant fingers coiling away as she floundered further away from him. He stepped forwards, hand extended to show me meant no harm. He slipped; the shining rock slipped him into the rough sea below. He saw her extend her hand to him, as if to catch him.15

*O quam sancta, quam serena*16

He watched as the water engulfed him, not bothering to fight it. An amazing calm washed over him, making him feel harmonious in his drowning. He saw Her. She dived in after him, hands extended to grab him. He reached for her and she grabbed him, powerful tail propelling her though the current effortlessly.17

*quam benigna, quam amoena*18

She was still singing and smiling as she pulled him towards the surface. She stopped a good metre below waterbreak and smiled at him. He returned the smile, bubbles of his last breath rising to meet the swirling current above him. He made to move up, kicking out his legs, but her grip tightened.19

He turned to look at her and she pulled him down to her level. Her beautiful face distorted; ears grew out into webbed spines, teeth grew into cruel fang-like spikes. Her tanned skin changed to a sickly greenish-grey colour. Her strong tail curled around his torso, squeezing him. Her taloned fingers curled around his throat, choking the last of his life away.20

*O castitatis lilium*21

And she still sang.22