Nanno didn't want to believe what Elsa had told him. Charlie was evil? No! Never! So, he waited at night between the tall reeds for Charlie to come to the river. The other humans were already asleep. Their strange house was shrouded in soft light by the trees and flowers. The fairy forest was most beautiful at night. Everything was shining. Every tree, every blade of grass. It was just wonderful.

Just like the underground cave in which the city of sirens lay. The city was also most magnificent at night. During the day, the ice provided light, but at night the flowers that grew there despite the cold glowed. Nanno didn't mind the cold. He didn't feel it. He was made for life between ice and water.

It took some time for Charlie to get to the river. The will-o’-the-wisp was not with him. The boy seemed thoughtful as he sat down on the riverbank. He smiled when he spotted Nanno among the reeds. "Hello Nanno", he said.

Nanno swam slowly closer and looked at Charlie. Dark skin, beautiful light brown eyes, and dark red hair. Charlie was beautiful. Are all humans beautiful?

"What is it?" Charlie ran his hand through his hair nervously. "Is everything alright? Why are you staring at me? Do I have something on my face?"

Nanno shook his head. "Do humans enslave other peoples? A friend said that you do. Is that true? Are you enslaving others? Is that why you're here? Please say that's not why you're here! My people would attack you and eat you!"

Charlie blinked in surprise and took a step back. "Um. No? I don't enslave anyone? That's why we all ran away together. Because we are against it. Against slavery. We want to go to the steppe. The queen does not rule there."

"The Queen? Steppe? You're not staying here?" This worried Nanno. But why? He wanted at least Charlie to stay. Why, was a human suddenly so important to him? And he didn’t know the other humans.

"It's not planned, no. We had to flee. The Queen and other witches and wizards are cruel. Well, there are also nice witches and wizards, but... Yes. Humans, especially witches, and wizards, enslave other races. Elves and werewolves. We opposed it, so we had to leave. The queen doesn't particularly like it when you question her rule."

"Then you're not bad." Nanno nodded contentedly. So far, he could follow Charlie. So, there was an evil queen? "Good! But... It's true?"

"Yes." Charlie sighed and sat down on the damp earth again. "Unfortunately."

"That's bad..." Nanno let himself drift on his back. Smiling, he noticed Charlie looking at his tail fin. Nanno enjoyed being admired in silence. How did it feel when a human touched his tail fin? Touching tail fins were reserved for partners only. Of course, from time to time two tail fins grazed, but this was not considered a conscious touch and was therefore not taboo.

"My brother and I met a sylph. Ehlin... Joris thinks she's pretty", Charlie finished the silence.

"She?" Nanno laughed. "No. Not 'she'."

"He?" Charlie frowned. "Really?"

"No. Not a 'he' either, even if Ehlin doesn't care what you call them. Sylphs are neither. Not a man and not a woman. They don't care what you call them. Whether as a man or a woman. They do not attach importance to this. In their own language, they have a word for what they are. But only they can pronounce it." Nanno swam close to Charlie this time so that only his abdomen was in the water. He rested his head in his hands and smiled. "Ehlin is my friend. They are old. Very old. The sylphs are as old as time! Just like the nymphs. Nymphs are always female."

"I didn't know that." Charlie smiled and looked at Nanno. It felt strange. As if Charlie was reading him like a book and memorizing every detail. Nanno blushed.

"Joris only liked women so far! But every girl he tried to win over was not impressed by him." Charlie laughed. "He will be surprised if I tell him that Ehlin is not one."

"Why?", asked Nanno, pulling on a blade of the reeds. "Doesn't he like those... who are nothing?"

"We'll probably find out soon! Ehlin is very pretty."

"Am I pretty?", Nanno wanted to know. "And why isn't the little light with you?"

"Um." Charlie looked away embarrassed. "The will-o’-the-wisp did not come today... Maybe she has something to do? And... Yes... You are very pretty..."

Nanno tilted his head contentedly. "As pretty as Ehlin?"

"Um..." Charlie looked at him again. "Prettier?"

Nanno was pleased. Ehlin was lovely. He liked that this human found him prettier.

"Joris and I were driven from the waterfall by fairies... Do you know why?... Oh and... You said your people would attack us... Can you go ashore?"

"The waterfall is a special place for them. The fairies regard it as the giver of all life. They don't tolerate strangers there." Grinning, Nanno pulled himself out of the water and sat down at some distance next to the beautiful human. Slowly, his tail fin gave way to two thin legs. He grinned proudly at Charlie, showing his pointed teeth.

Charlie's eyes widened and his cheeks turned dark red. His gaze wandered from Nanno's face, over his stomach, and to his legs... And to what was between Nanno's legs.

"Oh!" Charlie quickly looked away and moved a little to the side. "You have... Legs!"

Nanno grinned proudly. "Yes! All sirens have legs." But why was he embarrassed now? He had wanted to know if Nanno could get out of the water. So, he showed him. Confused, he looked at the human. He wore clothes that mostly covered him... And Nanno wore pearls and shells that did not cover him in the slightest. Maybe that's why?  Nanno chewed on his lower lip and decided to have a little fun with that fact. "Why are you looking away? Am I so ugly as a human being? Do I have ugly legs?" He kicked his legs a bit. "Are they ugly?"

Startled, Charlie looked at him. "What... No... Your legs... You have nothing... So... You are beautiful!... Ehm... Your legs are beautiful. Yes. You have beautiful legs." Again, Charlie's gaze fell between Nanno's legs. "Legs!", he said again, quickly looking away. "Beautiful legs!"

"Thank you!" Laughing, Nanno lay down in the sand and enjoyed the soft light of the moon on his skin. "You also have very beautiful legs."

Charlie looked at him briefly and turned even redder.