Erika strolled down the hill to the dock, and saw that Feliciano was still sitting on the edge of it. He had just spent the whole day staring out at the ocean, even though she wasn't out there this time to watch for.
Everyone had been acting a bit strange this morning, it took a while for anyone to drop Erika any hints to what they were up to. She had only just now been told by Lovino that Francis had indeed been released from his cell in the dungeon, and had been exiled from Niba and forbidden from ever approaching Natalya again. Apparently the warlock had to assist in whatever activity prompted Feliciano to be sitting by the water all day, and the exchange was not yet complete. The only other clue she had about today's unusual activity was Erzsébet requesting a few hairs from her head this morning, apparently to brew a potion that would help her somehow.
Erika reached the dock and walked all the way down, her steps being quiet enough that Feliciano didn't turn to look until she was only a few feet away.
"Oh hello," Feliciano welcomed, "Did you come to sit with me?"
Erika nodded as she sat down beside him on the dock. Noting that he had taken off his socks and shoes to dangle his feet in the water, she promptly did the same. The cool water against her feet relaxed her, and she leaned against Feliciano as he wrapped an arm around her. Just past him, on the edge of the dock, she saw that Feliciano had a small velvet blue bag sitting there with something in it.
"Nice and comfy," Feliciano remarked, "It's a beautiful day, isn't it?"
Erika nodded again, but lifted her hand to gesture at him then wave at what he was doing, in an attempt to ask why he was here.
"What have I been doing here all day?" Feliciano teased, "Well, I don't know if it's going to work just yet, but I have a surprise for you in the works."
Erika's eyes shot open in surprise, and she shook her head in confusion. What could this surprise be, and why was he waiting at the shores of the sea for it?
Feliciano merely gave her a sweet smile, refusing to say anything else, before looking out at the ocean again and suddenly pointing at something. Erika turned to look, and saw a swell in the wave quickly approaching them. Realizing this must be a sea creature approaching, Erika leaned forward and looked down in time to see the creature stop at their feet. The light blue tail and dark hair made it obvious who it was before the mermaid could even emerge from the water and grab her feet.
"Would you look at your cute little human toes!" Angelica cooed as she tickled her feet, causing Erika to squirm.
"How is everything going, Angelica?" Feliciano asked, "Has he made any progress?"
"Oh yes, he's nearly done," Angelica answered, "They'll probably come back in just a few minutes!"
Erika raised her hands in the air, gesturing to ask who they're talking about.
"Basch and Antonio, of course," Angelica identified, "Haven't you been told yet?"
"I've only told her it's a surprise," Feliciano clarified.
"Tell her everything then," Angelica insisted, "If you start now, they should arrive right when you finish!"
Erika gave him a blatant stare, silently demanding him to start talking. What were Basch and Antonio doing?
"You remember what Natalya told us about Gilbert's ritual, right?" Feliciano recalled, "How the four human trinkets were your voice in the seashell, her enchanted hair ribbon from Francis, Katerina's compass and a pair of iron rings? And then, when the ritual failed, the items were all burned with the gold in the pyre?"
Erika nodded.
"Madeline inquired with the Unseelie fae about whether your voice could be recovered," Feliciano divulged, "The rings, ribbon and compass only had sentimental value and can easily be replaced, but your voice is unique. Their soothsayer uncovered that your voice is now lost in the void of the magical ether, which is not in our plane of existence -"
"But it can be brought back!" Angelica interrupted, prompting Erika's jaw to drop in shock.
"Let me tell the story!" Feliciano continued, "Yes, they found that magic users can access your voice in the magical ether and bring it back. However, it must return in the same physical form it was in before it was destroyed in the fire. And since it's been held in multiple forms before, it must also be completed in the same place where that most recent form manifested originally."
"In other words," Angelica interpreted, "Your voice must be restored to a seashell, which can only be done under the water in Antonio's magical cavern!"
Erika glanced at them both with wide eyes. Antonio could bring back her voice?
"That's the surprise, Antonio's working on it right now," Feliciano revealed, "The condition of Francis's release was that he could get us in contact with Antonio. Erzsébet explained everything that Tolys had passed on from the fae, and handed over the earthly supplies Antonio would need for the spell."
"Including a couple of your hairs," Angelica added, "Basch felt it when your hair entered the water, he and I swam over here to find Antonio talking to them all about how your voice could be recovered. He was also alerted when you put your feet in the water just now, which is why I was sent to talk to you first."
"Speaking of Basch and Antonio," Feliciano redirected as he pointed out at the water, "That might be them."
Erika looked up, and sure enough there were two swells in the wave quickly approaching them. Angelica didn't bother moving away as the two sea creatures slowed down and narrowly missed colliding into her under the water, before circling around and each emerging from the water.
"Erika," Basch bluntly greeted, "Have you been told why we're all here?"
Erika nodded as Antonio emerged from the water.
"I have very good news for you, chica," Antonio declared as he revealed a glowing seashell in his hands, "I was able to recover your voice! Once I have been paid for it, you can have your voice back."
"Voice first," Feliciano ordered, picking up the velvet blue bag, "When she speaks again, you can have your blue pearls."
"If you insist," Antonio whined, though he kept a large smile on his face as he held up the seashell to Erika.
Erika hesitantly reached for the shell, remembering how it was painful for her voice to be taken from her in the first place, but reminded herself that there's no way Antonio would be allowed to deceive her now with so many witnesses and involved allies. The moment her fingers grabbed the shell, a warm sensation spread through her hands and arms up to her throat. The magical sensation coalesced in her throat for a moment before disappearing, and the seashell stopped glowing.
"You should be able to speak now," Antonio guided.
Erika quickly made herself cough first to test it, and the action created a sound.
"I heard that," Feliciano gasped, "Did it work?"
"I have a question for you, Antonio," Erika interrogated in a stern tone, "Did you know Feliciano was my true love?"
"Oh good," Basch sighed as Feliciano and Angelica both giggled, "It is your voice."
"Of course I knew," Antonio chuckled, "That's why I was so delighted to help you!"
"You also knew true love's kiss would cure her pain?" Feliciano grilled as he tossed down the bag of pearls.
"I knew that too," Antonio claimed as he opened the bag and looked at the pearls inside, "That was the spell's doing though, I didn't instruct it to do that."
"How many blue pearls is that?" Angelica inquired, gawking at the open bag of pearls, "That bag must be worth a fortune!"
"The fae were willing to pay a steep price," Antonio justified, "As I previously told Erika, her siren voice was a rare commodity, and the fates wanted me to have it for bartering. The Unseelie have now paid me a total of 200 blue pearls and 200 white pearls."
"400 pearls?" Basch screeched, "You got 400 pearls for my sister's voice?"
Antonio only chuckled as he dipped back below the water.
"Get back here, you tentacled bastard!" Basch shouted as Antonio swam away back into the sea.
Basch immediately dove back into the water and swam off after the cecaelian, and Angelica took her time dipping back into the water and following them. Within moments, there were three swells in the waves heading back to the sea.
"Now that you can speak again, I have a question for you," Feliciano proposed, taking Erika's hands in his, "Will you please stay with me here in Niba?"
"Of course I will," Erika accepted, "Why wouldn't I stay with my true love?"