Disclaimer: I don't own.
After Naiya had left, Elizabeth had told Jack and Will to stay put and rest, and decided to explore the island.
It was large, but not extremely big. It was about the size of a small city. It was all sand around the edges, and the north side had a particularly large amount of beach, but other then that, it was all thick forest.
Each tree looked different, not the usual species. It would have been fascinating had she been interested in botany. But she was not. She was interested in inspecting the animal life.
She did not find anything that could pass as an animal home. She did find an especially beautiful tree though. It's bark was a deep chocolate brown, entwined with gold. It's leaves were a velvety emerald color, shimmering silver in the sunlight.
While Elizabeth was exploring, Naiya had returned to the beach, and was looking at the two specimens who were lying on the sandy earth.
"Will and Jack." she said in a quiet voice. Jack twitched at the mention of his name. He was so surprised by the so-called mythological creature, he didn't even bother to remind her about 'Captain.'
"And you are?" asked Will in a low voice. Both men were staring at the siren in front of them, almost in a trance.
"A siren." she said in a calm voice. "I have many names. The one I favor is Naiya. Naiya Esme Aurore Azura Wren. " The siren lowered it's shimmering body onto the sandy ground. "You may call me Naiya." she added in an Egyptian-like voice.
"Naiya." repeated Will softly. "Where are we?"
Naiya's laugh was musical, not unlike bells. "An island." she said, continuing her Egyptian voice. "It has been called Ethera, among others."
She slid easily back into the dulcet water, splashing slightly. A small gray rock was tossed carelessly onto the beach. Will moved closer to examine it.
"Food." explained Naiya, several yard away now.
Will tossed the thing to Jack, who inspected it with a squint eye.
"How do you eat it?" he murmured in an intoxicated tone.
Suddenly, the siren was back on the beach, lying on it's blue-tinged stomach. "Crack it open." it suggested, an eyebrow cocked slightly.
Jack pinched the small rock. When nothing happened, he tried squishing it with his palms. He threw it onto the ground in frustration.
Naiya's musical laughter rang out. She held out her hand, and waited for Will to drop it back into her hand.
She eyed it delicately, holding it between her thumb and forefinger. It seemed as though she applied very little pressure. The rock cracked open, in two even pieces.
Inside the gray fruit was completely black. Naiya tossed the open fruit to Jack, who caught it carefully. He looked at it suspiciously.
"Nothing black can be considered safe." he advised to Will, who decided to ignore this comment.
"It isn't poisoned." laughed Naiya, rolling onto her back playfully, sun-bleached hair fanning out in all directions.
Will took half the fruit into his own hand, and looked it over. Deciding he had no other choice, he placed it into his mouth, rolling his dry tongue around the juicy morsel.
"It isn't bad."
Jack did the same. "Hmm." he agreed.
Naiya slipped a delicate finger into a small pouch attached to her seaweed shirt. She pulled out many more gray rocks, and handed them neatly to Will, who was sitting the closest to her.
Will attempted to open one as she had, but to no avail.
"Smash it against this." grinned Naiya evilly, throwing a large rock into the air. It landed with a muffled thud on the sand.
They did so, and it worked marvelously. At least, better than their last few feeble attempts.
Elizabeth walked heavily from the vegetation. Spotting Naiya, who was staring at a random grain of sand, she quickened her pace and almost ran to Will and Jack.
Without looking up, the siren said, "Be careful." in a singsong voice. With a flick of her tail, the creature was gone, slipping in and out of the water in the distance.
Will offered Elizabeth some of the gray fruit. "Food." he explained.
Elizabeth declined politely, perplexed at the troubles that they were experiencing.
"I don't trust her." she remarked valiantly to herself.
Hearing this, both men looked at her in surprise.
"Peas in a pod, darling." murmured Jack quietly, nodding towards the vast ocean before them.