Bery looked around the plaza and noticed that their group was being stared at by many of the elves. Several of them bowed as their empress passed by and paid her respects, despite her continuously telling them not to.

"Wow," the kitten said, "you really are popular."

Aqua sighed. "I do not find joy in this type of treatment. That's why I usually hole myself up inside of the castle."

Valerie shrugged. "You bring it on yourself. You could easily relinquish the throne, could you not?"

"And leave this entire kingdom to someone else? No, I will take it with all of the bad that comes with it. Despite what I said, I really wouldn't want to have it any other way."

Bery nodded in understanding. She could relate to the empress. On a fundamental level, the kitten recognized that most people end up doing stuff they don't want to. Even Bery regularly did things she would rather not. She had to get out of bed every morning, for one. Now that she didn't have to worry about her income or some dangers of the world, she found herself wanting to stay asleep regularly.

The kitten looked down at her dragon's thighs. Indeed, if I could just lay my head there everyday, I would be so happy…

Valerie poked her kitten and snapped Bery out of it. "I am happy if you want to devote all of your attention to me, kitten. However, I thought you were the one that wanted to see the minstrel?"

Bery blinked her eyes several times, realizing that they'd walked to another part of the plaza. Somehow she'd gotten lost while looking down at her dragon's thighs, and she didn't even notice the buildings passing by. She wiggled her ears and turned her head towards what the dragoness pointed at.

There was a white fountain with a depiction of a fairy holding up a sphere of water. Water dripped down from the sphere, and the water seemed to lead towards a channel of water behind the fountain. Though, the channel and the stone structure were both less impressive than the girl who sat there.

She was a stunning mermaid, and she had long pink hair that flowed down her back. Her eyes were the same color as well, but her mermaid tail was a mix of blue and pink. She held a stringed instrument in her hands, and she smiled at the onlookers.

The mermaid plucked the strings and started forming a melody. Her adroit hands worked over each thread, and her fingers plucked the harp. She played a soothing song and looked towards the people gathering. The minstrel closed her eyes.

And the next thing that Bery heard was a heavenly voice. The girl's voice came out calm and soothing.

Bery couldn't recognize any of the words within the language, yet the song was beautiful nonetheless. She found herself enraptured and wanting to sing along to the minstrel's chorus.

Valerie placed a hand on the kitten's shoulder. "There is magic attuned with her voice."

"Huh?"

Aqua chuckled. "It is not something harmful. She is no siren, I can assure you. That magic is meant to enhance the feelings the listener feels with the words."

Bery's ears wiggled, becoming enchanted by the sound. It reminded her of the sandy beach she'd had the opportunity to lay on. It was a soothing balm to her heart, and she felt herself becoming lighter as if floating.

Several of the nearby elves started dancing, and Bery found herself tapping her own feet on the ground.

Valerie wrapped her arm around Bery's waist, and her other hand held clutched the kitten's. "May I have this dance?"

Bery felt her face becoming red. She glanced around at the other people in broad daylight, yet they seemed to be lost in their own worlds. The kitten nodded and leaned into Valerie's grasp.

The kitten let Valerie rock her side to side. She looked down, pressing the side of her face against Valerie's chest. She watched her own feet, noticing how Valerie guided her. Even though she nearly stumbled, Valerie was adept at controlling her own body, and that extended to helping Bery.

Valerie placed her chin on top of Bery's head. "Don't think about anything, little kitten."

Bery closed her eyes and purred against Valerie's chest. The song had become a background to the two of them. Bery managed to not think of the fairy flapping around them or the silly noises Aqua was making.

Valerie rocked the kitten slowly. "We haven't really gotten to do anything like this, have we?"

Bery shook her head. "No, I didn't imagine this would happen today. I have never really been much of a dancer."

Valerie took a deep breath of Bery. "Yet you still look dazzling when you do it."

Bery swallowed and looked around, nearly stumbling backwards when she noticed people were looking at them. Even the minstrel was staring at the two.

The mermaid changed her tune and started plucking different notes. It was much slower and romantic sounding. The dimming daylight only pronounced that feeling more, and the minstrel's voice sang a love song.

Bery felt her face heating even more. Is this kind of thing normal?

The kitten thought about it, and it was all strange. Everything was convenient. A minstrel showed up at the perfect time, and everyone started watching. She blinked her eyes several times in an attempt to discern if this was a dream. Somehow, she'd become the center of attention.

Valerie looked down at her with a tender, loving gaze. "I see what this is now."

///

A feeling tugged at Bery's lips, and she blinked her eyes several times. She opened them to Valerie's beautiful face staring down at her and their lips pressed together. She wanted to make the kiss last even longer, but her mind was jumbled. She pushed Valerie away from her, and her eyes widened.

She glanced around the inn room with an astonished expression. "What the fu…"

Valerie frowned and grabbed Bery's cheeks with both of her hands. "I am glad you've returned, kitten."

Bery's heart pounded in her chest and she sat up in bed, flickering her eyes over the room. "The minstrel? What happened? Weren't we just dancing?"

Valerie sat up and wrapped both of her arms around Bery. "Calm down for one second, kitten. Explain to me what you saw."

"There was a minstrel...In the square...We were dancing…" Bery's head throbbed, and then the feeling went away.

A fire ignited in Valerie's eyes. She clenched her teeth and stood from the bed. "I should have noticed this before. Why did it take me so long?"

Bery's eyes stared at Valerie. "What are you talking about? I don't understand…"

"Sirens…"

"Sirens?"

Valerie nodded. "Aqua said that we could share a room here. Do you remember that?"

Bery felt a cloud over her mind slipping away, and memories started flowing back to her. She remembered Aqua leaving them at the bottom of the steps and having the fairy escort the two of them towards this inn. The memories collided with each other, until she finally realized that they never saw the minstrel.

She looked back to Valerie. "I remember now, but then…"

The dragoness placed both of her hands on Bery's shoulders.

In truth, Bery had never seen such a scary expression coming from her dragoness. The one she saw in that room was a look that could kill someone just by looking at them. It was something almost sinister.

The kitten flung both of her arms around Valerie as she teared up. "It's okay. I am fine..."

Valerie released a sigh and struggled to calm her breathing. "Of all things, I didn't think about mental magic. Not until I heard you mumbling in your sleep."

Bery pulled away from the dragoness. "What did I say?"

"It was incoherent. A song, but not in a language you would know." Valerie's shoulders slumped, but she seemed to be returning to her usual demeanor. She smiled at the kitten, even though her eyes still appeared to be flaming. "No one can do this and get away with it."

"I'm confused," Bery said in protest. "I still don't even understand what's happening. You said something about a siren?"

"It's not only one. There are many out in the sea, playing their song. The only reason you can't hear it now is I've shielded you from it."

Bery's ears wiggled. "You're not affected by something like this either?"

Valerie shook her head. "Though, it looks like I will need to…"

Their door was flung open, and an anxious looking Aqua stood in the doorway. She breathed a sigh of relief when she saw the dragon and the kitten together. "Sirens...It looks like this whole thing has started early. Both of you should head out of here. You're visitors. I will have Elody lead the two of you towards the north exit…"

Valerie put a palm up to stop Aqua. "No, it is already too late for that. This will be their end."

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