Abyss 12

Elizabeth rested her hand on her hip, her fingers feeling the hilt of her blade.
“Not from here?”
Aurora stood from her chair, walking to a small cupboard on the wall. The door creaked lightly as she opened it, pulling a dusty bottle from its shelves.
“Thirsty, Captain?”
The sorceress placed two glasses on the modest table near her, pouring a dark red liquid into each of them.
“I’d recommend forgetting any notions of fighting me, Captain. You will not win.”
Elizabeth slowly pulled her hand from her sword, taking the wine offered to her.
“We have many things in common, the three of us.”
Water sang as Leo leapt into the air, slipping back through the surface as he played. Aurora smiled, sipping at her wine.
Elizabeth merely stared, forgetting about the wine she held in her hand. She wasn’t trusting of this woman.
“How is that?”
Aurora stared at the rippling water, her eyes matching the hue of the clear water.
“We see and understand things that are hidden from the eyes of normal human beings. You are a notorious pirate captain that can instill fear into the hearts of even the most blood thirsty of men without having to lift a finger. You understand the world for what it is, not the guise it wears to fool the rest of the population. Because of this, you rose to a feared and respected position in the world.
Then there is Leo. His kind is forbidden from speaking to humans, but being the curious boy he is, he has befriended two humans that will protect him from the rest. His defiance will go unpunished, of course. Merpeople are often solitary by nature, despite the tales heard along the shore. They only prefer the company of their kind when they intend to reproduce.”
The sorceress paused, her finger dancing along the rim of her wine glass to the song the crystal created.
“What about you, Aurora?”
Aurora smiled, her lips curved in a sadistic grin over the rim of her glass.
“I break every rule that stands in my way, of course.”
She downed the rest of her wine in one gulp, tossing the glass towards the table. Elizabeth braced herself for the shattering crash, only to hear a soft tap as the glass landed softly on the table.
“I lived years ago, in my own time. A well known king enlisted my power, and soon betrayed me. I broke the laws set down for those that dabble in the magicks, wishing to slaughter the man that so defied my power. My death was slow, but not permanent.”
The pirate captain drank the wine swiftly, confusion causing her head to spin. The alcohol warmed her system, clearing her head as Aurora looked at her.
“How can death not be permanent?”
Aurora laughed coldly, walking to the tub of water, letting her thin fingers trail lazily along the surface.
“It is. The man that sentenced me was foolish, his faith in his power greater than his ability. He placed a lock on me that was broken when my bloodline continued in the future. Hundreds of years from now, my descendent has my heart, allowing me to live.”
“But you’re here, now.”
Leo surfaced, smiling at Aurora. The sorceress smiled slightly, twirling the young boy’s hair with her slender fingers.
“Unlike my late opponent, my faith in my power does not surpass my ability. I am very powerful. Each rule I break opens yet more doors for me. I have been able to travel to any point in time that I wish, any world that I so desire.”
She let her fingers slide gently along Leo’s tail as he slid back under the water, her cold eyes staring into Elizabeth’s.
“I have dealt with angel and demon alike. I have saved the life of  a warrior prince from a world parallel to this one.”
Something in Aurora’s gaze sent a chill down Elizabeth’s spine, and she took a step back. Aurora turned towards her, walking towards her slowly as the pirate began her retreat.
“Why are you telling me this?”
Aurora laughed lightly, the water that once rippled behind her still as glass, Leo absent from the scene.
“It’s not every day I meet a stranger that is like me. I suppose I feel like sharing a bit of knowledge with you.”
The sorceress snapped her fingers, the floor beneath Elizabeth’s feet grasping her boots and holding her in place.
“Even if you will not remember what I have told you.”