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The waters of Snezhnaya did not embrace you like the warm, sunlit seas of Fontaine. They bit. They clawed.
Beneath the three-foot-thick layer of solid ice of the frozen gulf, the ocean was a world of oppressive, pitch-black silefacence. Freminet adjusted the brass dial on his diving helmet, his breath fogging the heavy glass viewport. He liked the quiet—it was why he dived—but the Snezhnayan depths felt entirely dead. Like no one was there.
Until something dimly glows in the dark. It started of a iridescent ripple of a glassy shade of cerulean blue, cutting through the freezing gloom. Freminet froze completely in place, his hand coming to rest on his diving knife. A slim silhouette drifted into the light.
It wasn't a mechanical ruin, or a deformed sea beast. It was far from Freminet's fertile imagination could ever wander to, and he has been in worse situations. It was a creature of a myth, glistening and translucent fins flowed like the most softest silk, trailing off a slim waist, tapering into a long shiny and bioluminescent tail that churned the ice with little to no effort. Webbed, pale fingers drifted through the currents, and long, flowing hair framing the face of ethereal, gentle beauty.
A Siren. A true Waterimp.
Freminet’s heart hammered against his ribs. He should swim away. He should pull his emergency tether. But he couldn't move. She got him attracted to her like magnet.
She glided effortlessly through the freezing dark, her luminous tail undulating in a slow, completely unbothered by the freezing temperature, her glowing eyes locking onto his glass visor. She tilted her head, making Freminet drift backwards, which only made the sea creature even more captivated by the human wearing such a thick layer of metal.
Her eyes moved cautiously until they landed on what she hoped to be his own pair of eyes through that diving helmet, seeing the boy flusteredly push back as a clear attempt to regaining his sspace, she had an idea.
She didn't attack. Instead, she tilted her head, curiously studying the boy trapped inside the metal suit. Slowly, she floated forward and pressed a gentle, webbed palm against the cold glass of his helmet.
And then, Freminet heard it.
A perfect, high pitched note, harmoniously graceful and angelic coming from her, she blinks, her eyelashes batting adorably. The sound bloomed inside his mind. It was a melody so hauntingly beautiful, a pure, operatic song that felt like liquid warmth pouring into his freezing chest. It completely entranced him, washing away his fear, his loneliness, and the biting cold entering instead a velvet feeling that sat welcome in his chest.
With a playful flick of her tail, she swirled backwards, leaving a trail of bubbles in her wake as she left Freminet in the dark abyss once again, completely breathless and mesmerized.
Then, reality hits him. Time's ticking. With ones stride, he came back to the surface, taking off his trusty helmet as he shakes off his head, stepping out of the water while shivering just slightly.
Lyney and Lynette — Freminet's siblings — were practicing some magic tricks when they both spotted a oddly embarrassed Freminet coming out of the water. They didn't thought much of it, after all, it was 𝘩𝘪𝘴 idea of diving in the most coldest region's waters. Lyney was the first speak up, throwing at him a towel that appeared out of thin air, pretty typical for magicians.
"Ah, just who we were talking about! Tell us, Freminet, what did you saw down there?" He spoke, his smooth talking as posh as a pearl.
"Ah. N.. Nothing. Just plain old darkness." Responded Freminet, rubbing the back of his neck. He had a habit of rubbing his neck when lying, and Lynette took notice of this, unlike her twin brother.
"Hm. If you say so.. I'm not going to pry, " Lyney assured, but that particular interest and mischief on his gaze said rather otherwise. "Father said the opera of The Korolevskiy Theater is going to start in.."
He checks his Imaginary clock on his wrist, which makes Lynette flatten her ears behind her head.
"Two hours."
"Two hours, yes! Thank you, my dear assistant! Always so thoughtful of remembering her loveable brother.."
"The.. Korolevskiy Theater..? " Freminet took some steps forward, standing besides Lyney.
"Oh, yes! Father told us that it's the Prima Donna who's presenting today. She told us that her singing is absolutely beautiful."
"Do you mind coming along, Fremmie?" Lynette asked, her long, cat tail twitching slightly. Freminet wasn't that fond of nicknames, but he didn't minded being called by his older siblings.
"I.. Yes. Take me with you."
"Incredible! Now, let's go, lady and gentlemen! We've got a opera to see."
TIME SKIP : The Korolevskiy Theater.
The Royal Theatre of Snezhnaya was a breathtaking expanse of velvet and gold, but Freminet felt entirely out of place. He sat rigidly in the middle rows, flanked by Lyney and Lynette, who had dragged him along under the guise of "cultural observation" for their mission. Freminet just wanted to go back to his diving suits.
Then, the heavy velvet curtains parted, and the orchestra swelled.
Out stepped the Prima Donna of the Korolevskiy Troupe. The crowd gasped in awe, but Freminet’s breath completely trapped itself in his throat.
It was her. The girl he met just some hours ago. Was singing in front of him. Could he truly believe on what was he seeing?