Song of the Sirens

"You should know that beings are of three kinds - Those of lesser, intermediate and supreme capacity."

• Atiśa

Adagio groaned and slammed the book shut before sliding it across the altar.

The sun burned low in the sky, casting rays of deep orange across the horizon, yet even it's beauty did nothing to alleviate her despondency. Despite hours spent pouring over Sky Wreath's personal collection of books, she had learned nothing that could possibly have helped them tap into any magic this world might possess, let alone take them home.

A small part of her had already come to accept that the reason she hadn't found anything was because there wasn't anything to be found; that this world truly was devoid of any magical potential, and that they were trapped here forever in these fragile, limited forms. But another, greater part of her rejected the idea, forced her to continue searching for something, anything. An entire dimension with no magic? It was... unthinkable.

What she had learned was that the creatures of this world - humans - were little more than a quickly-multiplying rabble of violent, tribalistic animals barely fit to serve her kind as slaves. They might possess a little ingenuity, but their unpleasant disposition and uncivilized nature more than offset it. To share a form with their kind was nothing less than an objectionable humiliation.

Rising from her seat, she stretched her arms and cracked her knuckles, gazing lazily at the mess around her. The past week had been enjoyable, if unprofitable. All the food they could eat, the finest clothes the villagers could muster, and the total obedience of every human in range.

That being said, the time had come for them to look beyond the present. The negative emotions of the villagers had slowly but surely been growing fainter as they adjusted to their harsh treatment disguised as religious fervour - and there was a whole world out there, begging to be explored. Less than a day's walk due south from this small hamlet was a city as big as Canterlot, packed to the brim with humans.

The time had come.

"Girls!"

From amongst the pews, Aria and Sonata looked up from their respective tasks; Aria from sharpening her knife against a rock, Sonata from a crude painting of the three of them as Sirens she had spent the past four hours on.

"What's wrong, 'dagi?"

"Nothing's wrong. I've decided we've spent enough time here. This village is a dead end for us. We should do what we planned from the start - make our way to greener pastures." She took in their vacant expressions, then slapped a hand to her face. "Ugh. We. Are. Going. To. The. City."

"Do we haaave to?" Sonata whined in her most irritating voice. "I like this place. Can't we spend a few more months here?"

"No." Adagio grunted through gritted teeth. "We're wasting our time here, and sooner or later our influence over the locals will slip. Best to quit while we're ahead."

"I guess you're right." Aria tossed the stone in her hand aside and slid her knife back into her belt. "This place is a dump, anyway. Come on, Sonata."

With a huff, Sonata threw her arms in the air and began to neatly fold up her painting. In seconds, she was on her feet and scanning the room lazily.

"What should we bring with us?"

"Some meat and some water. We should take some money too." Aria ticked the items off her fingers. "Not that there's much point. We can get whoever we want to give us whatever we want."

"Let's not get too cocky." Adagio muttered, stooping below the altar to produce a large, rough leather pouch. "We don't know enough about our powers in this world to rely on them too much. The last thing I want is to end up at a sword I can't sing my way out of. Sonata, did you dry that beef the way I told you to?"

Sonata nodded, beaming and shaking a flax bag. "Sure did!"

"Then we should have all we need. Both of you grab a flask of water and meet me outside. Let's show this world what we've got."

The trio hadn't made ten steps out of the village before they heard a voice calling out from behind them.

"Wait! You - where are you going?"

Moving with a speed Adagio didn't know he'd possessed, Sky Wreath skidded to a halt less than five metres from them and leaned over, ragged breath catching in his throat as he fought to regain his composure. Eventually, he rose to his full height once more with a look of alarm.

"You... you can't leave!"

"You're bolder than usual." Adagio noted, glaring him down with a contemptuous gaze. "Going to try and stop us?"

The priest's hands flew to his sides in a gesture of submission.

"You don't understand. If they think I've been lying - "

His voice cut off as a smile dawned on his face.

"Oh, thank the Lord."

"What are you taking about?"

Adagio's question was answered by a thundering of hooves, beating against the dry ground to fill the air with dust as a dozen riders slowly hovered into view, most of them clad head-to-toe in plate-metal armour. Their eyes were little more than black slits cut against the shining metal, and at their head, wearing robes of fine velvet atop a snow-white steed, rode a young man with neatly-cut hair and a thin, elegant-looking sword at his waist.

Adagio, Sonata and Aria gawped at the display unfolding before them. As the headsman laid eyes on the three of them, his expression changed, and a look of first shock, then wonder seemed to dawn upon his face. Then his features hardened.

With a single, fluid motion, he dismounted his horse and landed on the ground, hand trailing from his side to rest upon the handle of his scabbard. He paused momentarily, then, emboldened perhaps by the look of shock upon the Siren's faces, he strode towards them, pausing less than ten feet away. His mouth opened once, then he spared a glance at Sky Wreath.

"It seems you were truthful. You're lucky my lord respects your judgement, you know. If I had been in his shoes, I'd have tossed your miserable letter in the fire."

Sky Wreath attempted a smile, the gave up halfway through. He made another attempt to talk, but was cut off once more by the young man's brutish, curt voice, now directed at the three Sirens.

"You are the women I was told of. I have to say, I didn't believe it at first. Couldn't. I had to see, with my own eyes, if what I had heard was true."

The three sisters glanced at each other in confusion.

"Heard what?" Aria shot back, eyebrow raised. The man's eyes narrowed in response.

"That you are... angels. Fallen from heaven to guide man to eternity." His hand didn't flinch from the scabbard. "Though I am more sceptical. More inclined to believe that practitioners of magic had descended upon my fiefdom to feed upon my subjects."

"I... see." Adagio murmured delicately, masking her internal scream of frustration expertly. "How can we... prove our divinity?"

"Nothing. I am not here to judge your true nature. I leave that to wiser men than I." With a swift, obviously-practiced movement, his sword flew from the scabbard, followed by a dozen more swords flying to his hands of the men of his entourage. "You will accompany me and my men back to my lord's court. From there, we will ascertain your true nature."

The three sisters exchanged glances once more, this time unanimous in their decision.

"Get fucked." Aria spat the words with pure venom in her voice. "We're not going anywhere with you."

The young man blinked in surprise before a grim smile crossed his face.

"I had hoped it would not come to force, but if you leave me no choice..."

The music burst from the Sirens almost on instinct, less of a song and more of a lullaby that caused the soldiers to instantly freeze. Axes, swords and bows fell to the ground as all focus seemed to leave them, replaced by quiet, demure compliance. The young man, on the other hand, seemed unaffected, but he span around nonetheless, his mouth falling open in shock as he watched his soldiers swayed so instantly to the Siren's song.

"What the - "

Gripping his sword, he turned around once more and slowly stepped backwards from the three Sirens, whose eyes had begun to glow with an evil red flare. As her sisters continued to hum, Adagio stepped forwards until she was but a foot away from the young man. She feinted slightly to one side, then her arm shot out and seized the front of his shirt. His sword clattered to his side as his eyes filled with genuine fear, much to her delight. The voice that then came out of her was high-pitched and cruel, nothing like her own.

"Oh, now that's just sad." She gave him a shake before releasing her grip and allowing him to fall to the ground with a thud. "If you want to live to see tomorrow, I suggest you go running back to daddy before we really lose our patience."

That did it. The man scrambled back several paces as he struggled to his feet, then took several more steps back. In moments, he was scrambling atop his steed and charging off into the distance, abandoning his men who were still swaying in confused delirium. As the Sirens trailed off, one by one each of them seemed to awaken from their daze with a yell of horror, before grabbing the reins of their steed and bolting. Before long, all that remained were a scattering of dropped weapons and a thin haze of dust.

Adagio examined the carnage around them one last time before rolling her eyes and turning around to face Sky Wreath. The priest was blinking in confusion, a confusion which melted into fear as the three Sirens approached him.

"I... I didn't..."

Adagio raised a fist, a jolt of pleasure shooting through her as the elderly man quailed before them.

"No! I didn't know, I swear! Please, mercy, mercy!"

"Come on, Adagio." Aria tapped her on the shoulder. "You got what you wanted. He's scared. It won't be long before they come back, and I don't think they'll sit around and wait for us to make our move a second time."

Adagio glared at Sky Wreath one more time before snarling and grabbing him by the hair. Dragging him to the ground, she forced his face into the dirt and growled in his ear.

"Forget you ever saw us. Go back to your church and live out the rest of your days in your pathetic human obscurity, while we live forever."

More walking.

Sonata complaining every damned step, about her feet hurting, or her back aching, or... something. Aria heading up the rear, firing an endless stream of snide comments at the pair of them. And at the front, Adagio gritting her teeth, desperately trying to keep her composure.

The sun slowly set and the moon once more rose into the sky, but they didn't stop. Every rustling and snapping tree branch caused them to freeze and scan the darkness for movement - the faintest light of a torch of the merest glint of a sword that could tip them off to an ambush.

Slowly but surely, the paranoia and exertion took its toll. As the moon approached its zenith, Adagio came to a sudden halt and turned to her companions, eyes sallow and faded a darker shade than usual.

"All right." She took a deep breath as she gazed wearily at their bloodshot eyes and anxious expressions. "I can't do this any more. We should rest up for the night."

"You sure?" Aria muttered, glancing around at nothing in particular. "I'm sure we're being followed. If we fall asleep, we'll be sitting ducks."

"We'll be even more exposed if we collapse from exhaustion." Adagio countered. "Besides, they couldn't be following us. They don't know which way we left, remember?"

Aria nodded begrudgingly. "I guess you're right. What do you think, Sonata?"

"I... I don't know." Sonata murmured, staring groggily into the distance. "I wanna sleep."

"That's all I needed to hear." Adagio clicked her fingers. "Come on. Let's get off the road."

Slipping through the trees, the three of them found a suitable clearing in short course, filled with enough sharp rocks and overgrown weeds to reassure them nobody had used it in a long time. Not bothering to make even a rudimentary fire, the three Sirens simply picked a tree, collapsed against it, and allowed themselves to succumb to tiredness.

Dreams swirled around the woods, hovering in the air for a while before they struck their sleeping victims. Each Siren struggled in their sleep, perturbed by the constant visions of their slumber, eyes flickering persistently as they hovered on the turning point between waking and rest.

Sonata was the first to be awoken, by a rough hand slamming itself against her mouth, muffling her screams as a thin knife was pushed against her neck. As the cold steel dug into her skin, she whimpered and stopped screaming into the rough fist. A coarse order was muttered into her ear, and she slowly rose to her feet, not daring to turn her head.

"Where are the others?"

Sonata's eyes flickered around. With the moon setting below the treeline, the clearing was pitch-black. The slumbering forms of Aria and Adagio were completely hidden.

"Where are they?!"

The knife slid a centimetre across her neck, allowing a thin trickle of blood to flow down her chest. Sonata squealed and shook her head rapidly.

"Mmm-mm! Mphhmmm!!"

With a curse, the hand loosened slightly from her mouth as the knife dug in ever closer. Sonata took a deep breath before responding with a faint whisper, as loudly as she dared.

"I... I don't know. I'm telling the truth!" She gasped as the blade of the knife shifted so that the tip now dug into the base of her chin. "We had an argument and, and, and... and broke up. It's just me, I swear."

A moment's hesitation, then the hand reached out once more and grabbed her by the arm. With a yell, she was roughly dragged along through the trees, branches whipping her face and roots tripping her up until she and her assailant burst out into another clearing.

There, a dozen men sat around a roaring campfire, at their head an all-too unwelcome face. The young man who had accosted them earlier rose with a grim smile, an angry red bruise burning on his cheek where he had struck the ground earlier. Sonata took a step back, only to be forcefully shoved forwards by the man who had found her.

"Hey!"

"Shut it." The brute grunted, staring past her at the young man. "I can't find the others."

"It doesn't matter. One will do." The young man approached Sonata cautiously. "No tricks this time, witch?"

Sonata broke out into a broad grin before throwing back her head and letting out a high-pitched hum. A few of the men flinched in response, but in seconds it was clear there was no danger. What had once been a hypnotising lullaby was now nothing more than an irritating screech, and in seconds the camp had erupted into a cacophony of raucous laughter. Sonata felt the song die on her lips before it could begin, her eyes widening as she realized how ineffective her lone singing was.

"I... I, uhm, I've had a cold recently. Otherwise you guys would totally be, like, under my control right now - "

Her babbling was cut short by a swift blow across the cheek that sent her sprawling to the floor. As she scrambled to right herself, the young man advanced and pulled her upright by the hair, ignoring her howls of pain as he forced her face up to his. His otherwise handsome features were distorted by his wild eyes, untamed hair and unshaved stubble, and when he opened his mouth to speak, his foul breath made her gag.

"Not much by yourself, are we, girl?" He glanced over her shoulder at the lackey who had captured her. "I have a feeling we pulled the runt of the litter here. Still, she shouldn't make too much trouble. The king will find a use for her, I'm sure."

With a final leer, he released Sonata and allowed her to stumble backwards.

"But where are my manners? Men, we have a lady amongst us!" More laughter. He stooped low in a mock bow. "Little Rock, ma'am. But I'm not sure I've had the pleasure." When Sonata said nothing, merely continued to stare stonily at him, he scowled. "As you like. Tie her up."

Sonata immediately felt a set of powerful hands seize her from behind, and a thick rope snake itself around her wrists. In seconds, she was lying on her stomach with her arms and legs firmly bound behind her, muttering angrily into the dirt. In the background, Little Rock turned his back to her and glared at his subordinates.

"They're more trouble than they're worth, these three. If you find the others, just put a sword in them. As long as we have one of them, the King will be satisfied. From what I've seen, we might as well burn this one right here."

A mutter of consent rippled through the camp.

"Good." The word was a single, quiet triumph. "Get some rest. We ride at dawn tomorrow. I don't want to spend a second longer than necessary in these accursed woods."

Aria and Adagio awoke before the sun had yet to rise above the horizon, the angry tweeting and songs of the morning birds forcing them from peaceful slumber into cold alertness. As they grumbled and blinked to clear their hazy vision, it was Aria who first noticed their sister's absence.

"Where's - Sonata?"

Adagio's gaze flickered around the clearing. When she saw no sign of Sonata, she slowly crept to her feet and cupped her hands to her mouth.

"SONATA!"

"Shh!" Aria snapped, waving her arms in protest. Adagio groaned and pinched her nose.

"What? I'm just trying to help."

"Anyone could be listening, Adagio!" Aria froze on the spot, listening intently for any sound from the woods around them. When none materialized, she relaxed slightly. "Something's not right. Sonata wouldn't just wander off in the middle of the night, that's not like her at all."

"Maybe she did." Adagio muttered, now stretching her legs. "I've had half a mind to ditch you two since we landed here. Looks like she's been thinking the same thing."

"You... you really think so?" Aria replied, looking surprisingly hurt by the prospect. "I mean... really? After everything we've been through?"

"It's not like she could have gone far on foot. I'm sure we'll run into her sooner or later." Adagio raised an eyebrow at her sister. "That is, assuming we're not about to go our separate ways this morning."

"I..." Aria faltered. "No. I wasn't planning on it."

"Then let's get moving." Adagio slung her leather pouch over her shoulder and nodded towards a break in the treeline. "The city should only be a few hours walk from here. Once we're there, we can decide what to do next."

As the dawn slowly broke over the horizon, Little Rock's entourage departed, one new captive in tow.

Despite her protestations, Sonata remained bound hand and foot, draped over the back of a horse and weighed down with a heavy bag on her back that crushed any ideas of escape. As demeaning as the mode of transport might be, a small part of her was silently grateful she was not being forced to walk any further, let alone keep pace with the procession.

In fact, apart from the occasional snide gesture and comment, she was mostly bored. Though her miserable attempt at singing last night had knocked the bulk of the wind out of her sails, there were still plenty of scared faces around, each wondering what magical powers their catch might truly be capable of. And if that thought was what it took to keep wandering hands at bay, Sonata was all too happy to entertain it.

In the meanwhile, she idly observed the passing countryside in an attempt to entertain herself, occasionally trying to pick out similar-looking flowers and assign them names, the same way she had done to seashells as a hatchling. Red blossoms, pink fancies and violet emperors quickly turned into blurs of multi-coloured light as the procession picked up speed. Twisting her neck as much as her confinement would allow, her eyes widened at what she saw.

A city, built of what appeared to be glittering crystal bricks, slowly rose over the hilltop, shining in the crimson morning sun like a blood-red sapphire. It was the biggest settlement she had ever seen by far, greater than any city Equestria might have to offer and dwarfing what primitive civilizations laid beyond. From the many spires and walls fluttered a deep purple-and-green banner frilled with a royal red trim.

Her gawp caught the attention of Little Rock, who gave a short bark of laughter at her expression.

"First time seeing a city like this, witch?"

Sonata shot him a foul look, unsure if she should respond. Eventually, her curiosity got the better of her, and she nodded.

"It's... big."

"It's the shining jewel of our kingdom." Little Rock murmured, a reverence in his voice she'd not known him capable of. "My Lord will reward me graciously for delivering you to him. Behave yourself, and I'm sure he'll find a place for you. Perhaps as a slave." He gave her a lecherous grin. "He has a particular fondness for young women."

"Unlike you, I assume." Sonata sneered.

"Sounds like you're asking me to prove myself, girl."

"I'm not scared of you."

"Oh, I hope not. If you were, the King might just make you piss yourself."

"Gross." Sonata struggled against her bindings. "Come on, we're practically on top of the damn city. Mind letting me out?"

"Hmm..." Little Rock pretended to consider the prospect for a moment. "No, I don't think so. I think my Lord will prefer you tied up."

Within minutes, they were passing through the silver archways and into the bowels of the city itself. The sound, smell and chaos of the citadel struck her like a wave, causing her head to spin with the sudden assault of stimuli. As she struggled to adjust to her new surroundings, she was unceremoniously cut free from her bindings and sent crashing to the floor with a shriek, landing painfully against the dirt.

Grabbed and dragged to her feet as soon as she had hit the floor, Sonata swayed dangerously on the spot, and were it not for the rough hands pinning her arms to her side, she would surely have collapsed. Little Rock stepped in front of her and leaned in slightly, glaring at her with a frown.

"She looks like she's going to vomit." There was an obvious note of panic in his voice. "She can't do that in front of the King, or it's all of our heads on the block."

"She looks fine." Another voice grunted in the background. "If you're so worried, we can put her in the dungeon for a few hours. Let her get it out of her system."

Little Rock nodded slowly, inspecting Sonata carefully as though she were a slab of flesh at a butcher shop.

"Probably for the best. Take her there now. Tell the guard Little Rock sent you, he knows who I am. I'll have to make an appointment with the Royal Steward anyway." He spat on the floor. "Don't damage the goods, either. If she starts any trouble, give her a good beating, but don't leave any marks."

Vision still swimming slightly, Sonata opted not to respond, merely glare back at Little Rock through hazy eyes. In response, he smiled, leaned back, and gripped Sonata's cheek, pulling at it mockingly. His smirk only widened at her murderous stare.

"See you soon, little witch. If things go well, it should be a night neither of us will forget."

Aria and Adagio's jaws dropped as the city slowly rose over the horizon. It was Adagio who first recovered from the shock, blinking rapidly and rubbing her eyes as if not daring to believe the evidence of her own vision.

"I think we found it."

Aria nodded, eyes scanning the horizon. There seemed to be no end to the city's reach, its gleaming walls gripping the horizon and enveloping the sky. And yet, despite all the splendour and magnificence, the mere sight of it sent a shiver down her spine.

Taking in the banners that hung from the city walls, her eyes narrowed as she took in the red-trimmed flags, pitch black with an ornate purple-and-green crest on them.

"Isn't that..."

"Aria?" Adagio raised an eyebrow. "Come on. We haven't got all day."

"Right." Aria shook her head. "Sure. Coming."

The doorway to the city was vast, a great mouth leading directly to an open cavern of the noise, scent and buzz of human activity. Unlike their first incursion into the village, few eyes turned to appraise the pair of newcomers, much to their relief.

Just two more travellers.

The further they strode into the bowels of the city, the smaller Adagio felt. The twisting and winding streets seemed never-ending, a thousand capillaries splitting off from the main arterial roads. Everything about the place made her head spin. A sideways glance told her Aria was faring no better.

"What now?" Adagio muttered the words under her breath.

"I don't know. I thought you were the one with the plan." Aria came to a stop and glanced around with a grimace. "If there's anywhere we're going to learn more about magic, it's here. That priest said so. There's got to be a... a library, or an apothecary, or something."

Adagio sighed at her sister's obvious desperation. "We'll see. First of all, let's find somewhere to sleep before it gets dark. We should have enough money."

As it turned out, they had barely enough to afford a single room in an inn overlooking a bustling marketplace. As Adagio tossed her cloak onto the bed, Aria leaned out of the window and silently watched the world bustle by beneath them, quietly hoping to catch a glimpse of a blue-and-turquoise head of hair.

"What a dump." Adagio growled, prodding an unpleasant-looking stain on the floor with her foot. "Change of plan. We need money, fast. Maybe we can try to charm something out of one of the merchants. Do you think our spell will work as well without Sonata?"

"Huh?" Aria murmured in response, only half-listening. Adagio rolled her eyes and tapped her knuckles on the back of her sister's head, causing her to jump. "Hey! I don't know. maybe?"

"Hmm." Adagio grumbled. "Maybe isn't good enough. I don't want to get myself into something ugly unless I know for certain I have a backup plan."

An unpleasant silence descended upon the pair of them. A few moments into the quiet, they both exchanged glances that said the same thing.

"It's kind of... depressing when Sonata isn't here, isn't it?"

Adagio looked away, a grim look on her face.

"You think she's here?" Aria continued, her attention returning to the bustling world below. "I mean, it's not like she could have missed this place. We might run into her if we take a walk. Might find some work, too." She added the last part hastily.

"I... we might." Adagio nodded. "Not that I care, of course. I just... I... Oh, fine. Let's go."

"Come on, Mr. Rat..."

The rodent's eyes blinked twice in quick succession, eying the girl in front of it with a mixture of curiosity and trepidation. Sonata leaned forwards as far as the shackles around her ankles would allow, nudging the rock-hard lump of unidentifiable matter she had been informed was bread towards the rat. Whiskers quivering, it took another step closer.

"That's it..."

Sonata gave the rat a warm smile. The creature took a few steps closer, then abandoned caution and ran towards the morsel with a scurry.

Seconds before it could seize the food and disappear through one of the various holes in the wall, Sonata's hand shot out and seized the rat with a whoop of triumph. The room filled with furious squeaks followed by a gruesome crunching sound as the Siren tore into her catch.

Sonata collapsed against the wall and wiped a thin trickle of blood from her lips with a satisfied smile. Her new body might not be as suited to live prey as she'd like, but there was nothing better than the struggle of a live meal. Circling her teeth with her tongue, she swallowed the last of the rat and let out a satisfied belch.

A rustling to her side caught her attention, and she turned to see another human chained to the wall opposite her, staring at her with wide, shocked eyes. Immediately, she clapped a hand to her mouth.

"Oh, my gosh! I'm so sorry, did you want some?" Her voice wavered. "Oh, you must think I'm such a pig. Do you want me to try and get another? I think I saw a whole family over there a little while back!"

In response, the prisoner turned away and retched in disgust. Sonata's lip curled and her eyes narrowed.

"Oh, well. That's just rude, you know that?" When the prisoner said nothing, but continued to splutter and cough, she let out a contemptuous, scornful hmph! and stuck her nose in the air.

With the exception of the foul, omnipresent stench and the occasional wail of a diseased, dying soul, the blank dungeon cell Sonata had been tossed into provided little to no stimuli, with even the windows set high into the wall so that only the sky was visible from where she sat. To occupy herself, she had resorted to counting the bricks in the wall and occasionally breaking out into loud, terrible singing, only singing louder when the other prisoners protested.

She had been in the middle of a rendition of an old Equestrian drinking song when the door to her cell swung open with a thunderous roar. Two men, clad in thick leather armour with thin, evil-looking knives attached to their belts. Without a word, they seized her by the arms and dragged her upright, a soft click sounding behind her as the shackles around her legs fell away. With a shout of protest, she was shoved forwards towards the door.

"Hey!" Sonata spun around and glared at the pair. The bigger of the pair stepped forwards and shoved her once more.

"Get moving."

"Why? Where are you taking me?"

"The king requests your presence." When the Siren merely blinked in response, he scowled. "I wasn't asking."

Sonata briefly considered putting up a fight, then, catching sight of something sinister in the guard's eyes, decided against it. Turning around slowly, she took an uneasy, pained motion towards the door, the dull thud of footsteps following her every move.

The corridors of the dungeon quickly gave way to mountainous rooms, lit by flaming torches laid into the walls. The architecture was vast and impressive in ways, yet brutalist in others, every last brick built not to impress, but to withstand and last. The windows were little more than narrow slits, designed to protect within from without, and in the corner of every room skulked murderous-looking guards, hands perpetually resting on their blades.

After a few minutes of being marched forwards, Sonata glanced up at the stony face of her escort.

"So... you wanna tell me why it's so important for me to meet his royal highness?"

"Don't talk." The guard muttered gruffly, not meeting her gaze.

"Why not? Hey, where's whats-his-face, anyway? Little Rock! That was his name. How come he's sending you to do his errands? Is he, like, your boss or something?"

The guard didn't respond, but his lip curled unpleasantly.

"Shut up and keep walking."

"My legs are tired. How much longer?" Sonata injected a whining tone into her voice, quietly pleased to see the man's brow furrow with poorly-suppressed fury. "Come on, you don't have to act tough around me. I bet you wouldn't hurt a fly." Beside her, she heard the other man snicker at her words.

As the trio passed through large stone archway, the guard's hands shot out and grasped her by the shoulder, causing her to skid to a sudden stop. His nails dug into her with his forceful grip, causing her to hiss in pain.

"This is it." Sonata was shoved brutishly towards a large wooden doorway with an ornate metal shield dug into the handle. "Go."

"Huh?" Sonata stared at the doorway, a sense of unease cutting through her cockiness. "In... there?"

Something about the doorway wasn't... right. There was an aura of evil that floated around it, and as she reached her arm out to the handle, she could feed a cold chill run down her spine.

"If I were you, I wouldn't keep him waiting." The guard sounded just as gruff as ever, but there was a new, almost surprising gentleness in his voice. "Go on. You'll be fine."

The room beyond the doors was less of a room and more of a cavern. Pillars cut of fine marble supported a ceiling that stretched up to the sky, thin tendrils of smoke floating upwards from the wall torches before being swallowed by shadows. Sonata bit her tongue and stepped forwards, feeling the eyes of her captors on her back with every step.

At the other side of the hall, beyond a long stone table, laid a throne cut of what looked like pure crystal seating an immense figure wrapped in a dark fur cloak. As she approached, he raised his head, his blood-red eyes boring into this new curiosity with fascination. His hair, dark as night, was long and immensely thick, stretching down to his shoulders and curling around them, contrasted to his short, cruel-looking and immaculately-styled beard.

Defying the screaming of every fibre of her being to turn and flee, Sonata took another step forward, then froze when the figure raised a single hand. Without taking his eyes off her, he beckoned a figure to his side closer. Sonata grit her teeth as she recognized Little Rock, who stooped low and whispered in the man's ear.

"This is her?"

His voice was raspy and thin, yet simultaneously commanding and domineering, the voice of a leader without fear. Little Rock muttered something else, and Sonata saw him crack a small smile.

"You. Girl. Step forwards."

Sonata felt a hand press into the small of her back, and she found herself being slowly guided towards the King. As she closed in, his smile only grew wider.

"I understand you are an outsider." His fingers, clad in a dark metal gauntlet, strummed against his chair. "It's rare I have the chance to meet with one who has heard nothing of my exploits. I am Sombra."

"King Sombra?" The words slipped past Sonata's lips without thinking, the shock of the recognition temporarily overwhelming her reason. "From the - the Crystal Empire?" Of course, she'd heard the horror stories about the brutish northern tyrant - but how had he found his way here?

Sombra tilted his head appraisingly.

"So, you have heard of me." He sounded slightly disappointed. "Perhaps I can skip the history lesson after all. But I'm afraid I've heard nothing of your background. There are... wild rumours." He leaned in, his eyes seeming to glow with a crimson shine. "My vassal informs me there were three of you. What happened to the others?"

"I... I d-don't know." Sonata broke his gaze and stared at the floor. "They - we broke u-up."

"Liar." The single word sent a jolt of fear running down her spine. "If you don't tell me, I cannot guarantee their safety."

"I'm... I'm not... lying."

"Look at me!"

Sonata jumped and looked up, instantly regretting it when she looked into the wild, deranged face before her. She instinctively took a step back, only to feel hands wrap tightly around her arms and halt her in her tracks.

"Where do you think you're going?" Sombra's voice drawled, a twisted relish in his voice. "Bring her over here."

Dragging her feet, Sonata was pushed forwards until she was less than a foot from Sombra, able to make out the thin scars across his face, smell his sweat and feel his eyes rake across every inch of her.

"Scared already?" A hand shot out and gripped her by the throat. "I haven't even gotten started..."

"Please..." Sonata tugged at his iron grip, eyes beginning to water. "I... I want to go h-home..."

"And where would that be, hmm?" Sombra's grip loosened slightly, allowing Sonata to take a deep, ragged breath.

"E-equestria."

She had expected the king's eyes to light up in shock, but instead he merely blinked, looking confused. If he was hiding his recognition of the name, he was doing an incredible job.

"And where is this... Equestria?"

"It's... it's Equestria. You... you must remember Equestria." Her eyes swung from Little Rock to Sombra in shock. "Canterlot? Princess Celestia? Celestia!"

"She's lying." Little Rock interjected. "I have heard of no such place. She's taking you for a fool, your Majesty."

Sombra's eyes narrowed, as if considering the prospect.

"I will have to consult the court cartographer before I come to a decision. It is of no consequence if she's lying. What interests me the most is how these three slipped through your clutches in the first place." Instantly, there was a threatening quality in his voice. "You should have been more then well-equipped enough to handle three women."

"We were... caught off guard."

"You were caught off guard."

"I... I was following up on a letter from a local priest." Little Rock fidgeted uncomfortably. "He claimed to have been visited by three angels. Of course, I didn't believe him, but I had to investigate for myself. When I arrived..." He paused, swallowing loudly. "When I arrived, the three of them cast some kind of foul spell on us."

"As I've heard. But this one seems harmless enough." His hand squeezed around Sonata's throat once again.

"She... I..." Drops of sweat were now forming on Little Rock's brow. "I cannot explain it, my liege."

"Then you're useless to me." Sombra growled. "I advise you take your leave, and not show your face again until you have returned with the others."

Little Rock opened his mouth, then thought better of it.

"Of course, my lord."

"Good." Sombra turned his attention back to Sonata. "It'll be interesting to see what the three of you are truly capable of." His grip relaxed, allowing the Siren to pull back and take in a sharp breath, eyes watering. Tiny black flowers of light blossomed and died before her eyes as she stared up into those cruel red slits.

"Yes... the three of you will be most entertaining, I'm sure."

Once more, his hand stretched out, this time to rest gently against her cheek.

"Equestria... It must be some ways from here, if I have not heard of it."

"It - it is." Sonata swallowed, the pounding of her heart echoing in her ears. "In fact, I... I came here through a - a magical portal."

She had abandoned all pretence of an alibi, desperate to come up with something, anything that would keep Sombra talking. Once again, the king bared rows of sinister sharp teeth, this time in a mocking smirk.

"You're a bad liar, girl. Stick to the truth, and I assure you, no harm will befall you."

"I'm not - not lying!" Sonata responded desperately. "Don't you remember Equestria? You're... you're from Equestria, aren't you?!"

"Enough." Sombra's smile was gone, and his voice adopted a rougher, harsher tone. "I'm not in the mood for these games." He paused, taking a few moments to study the Siren in front of him with a frown. Sonata couldn't help but shiver, but she remained steadfast in her stare, not breaking eye contact for a moment.

"You have confidence for one so young. Perhaps you believe your companions will come to save you?" He tutted. "I must say, it is... unusual for Little Rock to fail me. But here, there is no escape. This fortress has not been broken for a thousand years, and will not fall for a thousand more. From now on, you belong to me, and you will learn your place - be it in the workhouse, or in my bedchamber."

"I..."

Sonata glanced down at the ground, then raised her head slightly.

"M-my l-lord..."

Sombra smiled, then leaned in closer.

"Yes?"

With a swift motion, Sonata swung her head upwards and spat directly at Sombra, simultaneously pulling at the hands that pinned her at each side with all her strength. The king's roar of fury caused both of the guards to release her in shock, and in an instant she was on her feet and on the move, sprinting towards the exit.

"Get her!"

She had known it was a fruitless endeavour, but still she ran for her life as the thunderous bootsteps caught up to her, struggled against the rough hands that seized her like her life depended upon it. Screaming in fury and lashing out at her captors, she was dragged with great difficulty before Sombra once more, his face now a mask of pure hatred. When he spoke, he frothed at the mouth, drops of spittle flying from his lips with each word.

"Drag this bitch back to the cell she came from. Let her rot there for a week. No food, only water." He wiped the last traces of spit from his face with fingers that trembled with rage. "You chose poorly. I assure you, you will regret this with your last breath."

Sonata sneered in response before swinging her leg in an attempt to kick Sombra, earning a swift blow to the side of her head for her efforts. Head pounding, her eyes watered as her vision swam before her eyes, then narrowed as unconsciousness claimed her.

Little Rock cursed under his breath as he strode through the city streets, pausing only to lash his boot out at a stray dog foolish enough to come too close, the corners of his lips turning up slightly at the sound of a thud and a whine.

The momentary rush of power did nothing to improve his mood. The remaining two girls could be anywhere, at least a night's ride away from where the girl had been snatched by now. With no idea what direction they had fled, he had no hopes of recovering them. It would be a good few weeks before he could dare show his face in Sombra's court again, giving his rivals plenty of opportunity to suck up to him and spread rumours diminishing his standing.

He turned right, entering the bustling marketplace and enjoying the looks of fear in the eyes of the peasants who scattered before him as he approached. Pausing before a butcher's stand, he glared at the thin, sallow-looking youth behind the counter.

"You." He spat the word with as much venom as he could muster. The boy's eyes widened, and he glanced behind him foolishly, as if expecting to find the intended addresse standing there.

"Y-yes?"

Little Rock snarled and strode over to the booth, hand reaching out and grasping the boy by the front of his shirt. His eyes flickered downwards to the produce, and he snarled.

"This meat is filthy. When did you kill the animal, last month?" When the boy didn't respond, he shook him roughly before releasing him with a jeer. "I ought to call the guard right now to drag you to the stocks."

"Sire, please. I'm just... just trying to help my father..."

Little Rock frowned. Then, with a slow, deliberate hand, he pointed to a large cut of meat which had caught his eye the moment he approached the stall.

"Well, I am feeling generous. How about you hand over that, and I'll look the other way?"

The boy paused, and Little Rock saw a flicker of hesitation pass through his eyes. It wasn't unheard of for vassals of Sombra to abuse their power, and none abused theirs as much as Little Rock. But daylight extortion, of a blameless victim, no less? That was pushing it. He knew it, this whelp clearly knew it, and so would the guard. He was on thin ice as it stood...

"I can't... can't just give it to you, sire." The boy sounded almost apologetic. "But... maybe... maybe I can - "

With a roar of rage, Little Rock reached out and grabbed the boy by his hair, dragging him from behind the stall and sinking his fist into his stomach. A weakling at best, the boy collapsed on the first punch and fell to the ground, groaning. Little Rock struck him again, this time in the groin, feeling the edge of his rage begin to abate as he glared down at his wounded victim.

Furiously staring around him with his hand firmly grasped around his sword, his burning eyes sought any bystander foolish enough to challenge him. Finding none, he straightened himself and strode forwards, heart pounding.

He would almost certainly be reprimanded for his actions, but he didn't care. A man of his wealth and standing would be unlikely to face any real consequences for giving a peasant boy a rough time. In his mind, he was already dreaming up various excuses for his behaviour. Say the boy had been rude, defiant, even threatened him. No one would take the whelp's word against his. His father would probably even thank him for knocking some sense into the boy. Mouthing off to his betters? In that context, his actions would seem almost charitable.

His spirits rose as he settled on the explanation. It was fortunate he hadn't stolen from the boy.

"...know she'd be here, if she was anywhere. Sonata loves food. Actually, I'm not sure she has any other interests."

Yes, that would have been very awkward to explain.

"Well, we've been here almost an hour, Adagio. Maybe we should ask if any of them are hiring."

He frowned as a few fragments of conversation in the buzz around him caught his ears.

"If they could afford hired help, they wouldn't be operating out of a stall. Come on, we should check at that bakery we passed earlier, the one next to the blacksmith."

Surely not.

"Ugh. Fine."

"Oh, that's great. You know, with your cheerfulness and optimism, it's no wonder you inspire such fondness in other people."

"Bite me."

Eyes bulging out of their sockets, Little Rock turned around slowly to stare at the two Sirens he had just written off as lost forever. His mouth dropped open, and instinctively, his arm flew to his sword.

Then paused. He closed his eyes and let out a deep breath. Patience. The pair of them had every opportunity to slip into the crowd and vanish if he made a scene now. Slowly releasing the handle of his weapon, he straightened himself and took a few steps back, not breaking line of sight for a second.

Aria placed the small dagger she had been examining back on the table. The scarred, battle-worn woman on the other side of the stand scowled at her.

"Just looking?"

"Yeah." Aria responded with a sneer. "And guess what, I could do more damage with a sharpened stick."

The woman's face darkened and she leaned across the table with a thunderous glare.

"Get lost!"

Snickering, Aria returned to Adagio's side, who was juggling three packages in her arms.

"Here." Adagio unceremoniously thrust a bundle of warm meat into her sister's hands. "Don't drop that, it's all we've got to eat for the next... week." She muttered the last word with a grimace. "Maybe I can check the rat traps in the inn basement."

"Great." Aria groaned, tucking the package under her arm. "I miss having Sonata to order around."

"Sunny disposition like that, we should have no problem getting a job." Adagio murmured. "In fact, why don't you take these things back to the inn for me? I'll ask at the bakery; tell them I've got a sister who's looking for work too. Things might go down better if they don't meet you."

"Works for me."

Grasping the bundle of packages in her arms, Aria set off. As soon as she was out of sight, Adagio let out an exasperated sigh and shook a small burlap bag dangling from her waist, feeling her stomach tighten as she felt her last few coins clink together.

Taking a deep breath, she tried her best to crack a friendly smile.

"All right, Adagio. People. Friendliness. You can do this."

Her smile tightened, then vanished as she let out a groan before setting off.

Aria tossed the meat onto a nearby table and collapsed onto the bed. Her head tilted back and she squinted as the final rays of the setting sun shot through the window and illuminated her features.

She would have been the last to admit it, but the loss of Sonata cut a bitterly deep scar across her mood. It was one thing to lose her sister, but another thing entirely to be so wilfully abandoned without so much as a letter of goodbye. The three of them had been inseparable since they had been hatchlings, and although they had often bickered and fought, she had never truly expected one of them to abandon the other.

Then again, they had never once found themselves in a situation like this. With no way home, no magic and no knowledge of where they even were, the future seemed bleaker than ever.

A single tear began to form in her eye and slowly trickle across her face. She shook her head, suddenly angry. What was wrong with her?

Sonata had betrayed them both. What was she doing crying about her? She should be happy. Happy that her traitorous sister was gone. Happy she wouldn't be weighing them down. Happy she'd no longer have to listen to her inane comments, or her stupid jokes... maybe, even, maybe never again.

More tears came, but this time she did nothing to stop them. Rolling over into the bed, her body wracked with sobs as she repeatedly pummelled the mattress and screamed into the bedding.

Sonata. She was going to murder her. Then hug her. Then kill her. Then beg her to never leave her again. Then...

The sound of several successive knocks against the door startled her to her feet. Her hand flew to the blade tucked into her belt and her eyes narrowed as she stared at the doorway.

"Who's there?"

No answer, just another knock. Cursing under her breath, Aria approached the door and pressed her eye to a small crack in the doorway.

Through the splintered hole, she could make out the outline of a frail old woman she recognized as the innkeeper's wife. With a sigh, her hand left her blade and she pulled open the door with as close to a pleasant expression as she could muster.

"Sorry, I... I wasn't sure who it was. What's the matter?"

The woman's gaze darted away from hers and she took a step backwards.

"There's some... someone here to see you."

Aria's eyes widened and her hand flew to her weapon once more as two behemoths of guards stepped into view. Before she could react, they stepped forwards and seized her, ripping her hands away from her blade and pinning them behind her back. Her knife was tossed to the ground, where it slid across the floor and landed at the feet of the last person she'd wanted to see again.

Little Rock stooped low and picked up the blade with a flourish, eyes gleaming with delight at his catch.

"I have to say, I'd all but given up hope on catching you two. Then, lo and behold, fate delivers you to me as a gift." He jeered at the look on Aria's face. "Oh, don't worry. I've arranged for the other girl to be picked up at Grain Furnace's bakery. The three of you will be reunited soon enough."

Clicking his fingers, he pointed at the two guards pinning Aria by her arms.

"Take her back to the keep. Make sure you put them in different cells, I know what these three can do when they're together. I have an audience to arrange with Sombra, and I want them all ready by tonight."

"And fuck you!"

Adagio slammed the door to the bakery with as much force as she could muster, face burning red with rage. Blinded by anger, she didn't notice the guards circling the exit until she had physically walked into one.

"What the - "

Backing up, her eyes scanned left and right as she sought a gap in ranks she could escape through, but there were none. One of the guards stepped forwards and held up a scrap of parchment, on which was a crude but unmistakable drawing of three girls - Aria, Sonata, and her.

"We're acting up on information we received regarding fugitives. You meet the description provided." The sound of several blades sliding from their sheaths cut through the silent night. "The time has come. I offer you one chance to come quietly - or die."