Narrated by Marie of the Sirens

I can't believe my twin sister has been captured! I can't believe that there's nothing I can do about it. It isn't fair! She's the sweetest mermaid on the planet! Now she'll probably die and we can't even get her because she's on land!

I've never seen Annie this upset before. She blames herself for Emily getting captured. She thinks it's her fault because she helped her get out of the palace. I wish she wouldn't blame herself. I wish I could do something to save my sister!

I'm barely allowed to go to the surface anymore. I can only go because I'm a siren. I can sing and use my voice to make their ships crash and the soldiers die. They don't come out much unless they're coming to attack, so I can't get many of them. They've also learned to plug their ears until they reach their destination, and they've figured out that they can shoot at sirens they see when they aren't hypnotized.

That's what happened last time I went to the surface. I usually get away before I'm shot, but last time I wasn't fast enough. It almost missed me, but it still caught my side and opened a good sized wound. That's why I got sent to the healer.

Her name's Leesa. She's a pixie. The Pixies as a kingdom haven't joined the war. They're friends to all and will help anyone who comes looking for their help. However, there are people from neutral kingdoms have taken sides on their own. Some of them have reasons to care about one kingdom over the other. Some have been dragged into the war for other reasons. I don't know how Leesa got involved. She just came and started working as a healer for just the mermaids and their allies. 

We were in a small cave that held some of our land allies that weren't safe on land. It was big, but it was far from the rest of the other kingdoms, on land or in water. From the outside, it looked like nothing could live there, but inside it was beautiful. The walls glittered in all colors and it's size and outside appearance stopped any of the leprechauns or their allies from discovering our troops.

Suddenly I heard a loud thud outside. I looked out through a crack and saw a ship with the green skull on its flag. A leprechaun ship! Everyone ran for the back of the cave. I dove for the water to swim further back. I couldn't make it, my side exploded with pain. Leesa turned back.

"I won't abandon you, princess," she said.

She wasn't nearly big enough to move me, but she stayed by my side while we waited to be discovered. I knew she probably only did it because I'm a princess, but I still appreciated it more than I can tell.

A werewolf burst into the cave. She wasn't in full wolf form, but halfway there. This is the most dangerous form they can take. They have the strength, heightened senses, speed, and killer instincts of the wolf, but they also have the intelligence of people and the ability to control their abilities and instincts. She looked around and spotted us almost immediately.

She locked eyes with Leesa for just a moment. They seemed to exchange something at that moment, some kind of understanding. Something else passed between them as well, though at the time I didn't understand what it was.

"This is all there is of the cave," she called back to the ship, "There's no one here!"

She nodded at us. Leesa nodded at her. Then she left and ran back to the ship. I swear that neither I nor Leesa even breathed until the ship was completely gone.

"What just happened?" I asked, "Why didn't she have us killed?! Do you know her? Who is she?! Why are we still alive right now?!"

"Her name is Ruby," said Leesa, "She was my best friend before this war started."

"Oh, why did you join different sides in a war? Both of your kingdoms have chosen not to officially join this war."

"We were having some petty argument. I don't remember what it was about. We were both angry. Somehow the argument became about the war. We believed different things about each side. We were both mad and we just kept getting madder. This war made everything worse. The argument escalated until out of rage we took opposite sides."

"Do you regret it?"

"Yes, I do. I wish we weren't fighting, but now I'm not sure if either of us can leave."

"Why not?"

"I heal people, I'm doing what the rest of my people are doing. I'm just only working for one side. I don't think the mermaid kingdom will let me leave."

"What about Ruby?"

"If she's a real soldier for the leprechaun side, then she would have taken the oath. She can't leave them even if she wants to. But, it looks like she doesn't live by it completely. If she did we'd probably be dead or captured right now."

"What will happen to her if they find out she lied."

"I imagine they'll probably kill her. I wish she hadn't done that, but I can't stop her."

"They won't find out about it."

"I hope you're right. I don't want to see my best friend killed."

"Do you think Fiona will make sure they don't kill Emily?"

"I don't know, princess. I think the real question is how do you think like the enemy when the enemy is trying to think like you."

"What does that mean?"

"It means that they are most likely trying to think like us, or more importantly, like Fiona. I don't think they would have even told her that they have Emily."

"What?!"

"If Fiona knew, then she might try to help free her or at least try to protect her. If they want to use Emily the way they probably hope to, then they can't let Fiona know that they have her."

"How is it that something so horrible can actually be a really good idea."

"Now you're starting to see what war really is. It's just a lot of horrible things that are good ideas at this moment even if not in any other."

"Why do we even have to have this war? Why can't it just end?"

"Your Highness, these two kingdoms have been rivals for thousands of years. They will eventually stop fighting, but they are fighting and they will fight for much longer. When people want to fight, almost nothing in this world of Ipepia can stop them."

"Is Emily going to be okay?"

"I don't know, princess. I wish for her safety, but I'm not sure if she'll survive this war."

"She can't die!"

"I deeply hope that you are right."

"Ugh!"

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A new person, a new location, a new life

Narrated by Ruby of the Werewolves

I can't believe what I just did! I can't believe I saw Leesa again! Why did I do that?! If they find out that I broke the oath they'll kill me! But, I couldn't just let them kill my best friend! How is it that nothing I could have done would have been right!

Why did we have to have that stupid argument that led to us being trapped on opposite sides of the war?! Why are they even having this war?! It doesn't seem like anyone even knows where the stone is right now, so what's the point of tearing eachother apart over it?!

I hope this ends soon. I hope Leesa doesn't get hurt, or worse killed! NO! No, that won't happen. She won't get killed in this war. She can't!

"Hey! Wolf!" one of my commanders yelled.

He's a big guy. He's an ogre, he seems more dedicated to the cause than almost anyone. Except for maybe the king and queen. He never calls me by my name, he just says wolf. It's annoying, but he's a commander and there's nothing I can do to stop him.

"What do you need?" I asked.

"That's what do you need sir!" he said, "And you're needed at the base where they're keeping the princess hostage. They want you to help get some answers out of her. They think that you will offer some much-needed... encouragement."

"I'll be there soon."

"Good. I'll be glad to have one less mutt on my hands."

I clenched my fists. Steady girl. Don't kill him. He's a commander and you don't want to get yourself killed for treason. He'll probably die at some point in the war anyway. I smiled inwardly at the thought of it.

"Oh, and on your way out," he said, "throw some food to the pegasuses."

"Pegasi."

"What was that soldier!?"

"Oh, nothing."

"Good, keep it that way."

I got to the base a few hours later. When I arrived, my first thought was that this place looked a lot more like a prison than a base.

"State your name and business." a dwarf at the entrance said.

"I am Ruby of the werewolves, I was sent for to help with the mermaid princess."

"You may enter. Go to the back of the main hall and take a left. You'll find the princess in the fourth cell on the right."

"Thank you."

She grunted.

"Same to you," I said.

When I got to the cell I was immediately horrified by what I saw. I almost thought I was at the wrong cell because this girl looked like she couldn't possibly be a princess. But somehow I knew that this was her, all the same. Her hair was messed up, her face looked tired and frightened. She looked like she was half starved to death in the days since her capture.

But, it was her skin and her eyes that I noticed above everything else. Her skin was still intact, but it was obviously much drier than it should be and looked like it was about to crack in places. Her tail was brittle and slightly shriveled. He eyes were tired and desperate, but there was something else there. Hope? Something in her eyes let you know that she still had some hope that things would get better. Something in her eyes looked as if she was just asking if I would help her get out of here.

I had to look away from her, especially those eyes. I couldn't bear to look at them knowing what I was going to have to do to her. She really doesn't deserve this. I wish there was a better way.

"I see you've met our prisoner," said a large female cyclops, "My name is Sage, I'm the one who was put in charge of her."

"Ruby. You sent for me to help get answers."

"Yes. This girl has been very difficult since she's been here. I was hoping that someone of your background could be of use in getting her to talk."

"I will do my best ma'am."

"Sage. I prefer to be called by my name."

"Of course Sage."

"What have you been doing to her?"

"Oh, the usual tactics: We've been starving her a bit, we've limited the amount of water she gets, plus the usual torture."

"Sounds like you've been doing a decent job of wearing her down."

"I would think so, but we have yet to get any real answers out of her."

I looked at the princess again. This time she glared at me and I saw something else in those eyes. This time I saw a resilience and determination that I don't think I've ever seen in another creature. The look in her eyes made it clear that she would not be giving up without a fight. I really hate what I'll have to do to her.

I wish there was a better way.

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