Nanno
The day was very quiet at first. Nanno did his job and watched as a few fish hid in the seaweed. He caught one of them and enjoyed the tasty snack. In the evening, he wanted to visit Charlie again. The last night had been wonderful, and he hoped that all his nights would be like this from now on.
But the humans wanted to go to the steppe... Nanno hoped that he could convince Charlie to stay with him. But where should he live? Nanno could hardly take him underwater. Even though, he wished to show Charlie his apartment and the dazzling city of silver stone, and ice. Or could he?
Could Charlie hold his breath long enough for Nanno to take him there?
Or maybe they would build a small house by the river?
Or...
"Nanno?" Wilma swam to him. It looked as if her round belly came first and Wilma would come after it towards him. The pregnant siren was already complaining about looking like a blue whale. "Can we talk briefly? Are you done with work?"
"Oh!" Nanno smiled nervously. Something about Wilma's look told him that she didn't come to chat with him. "Yes. I was about to bring everything to Hugo."
She nodded. "Good. Then I'll accompany you."
"Oh, yes?" He liked that even less.
"Yes. It's important." She sighed and brushed a few strands of yellow hair from her face. "It's about the future."
"The future? Why?" Nanno hoped very much that Hugo would just offer him a better job, or Wilma would ask him for his small apartment for herself and her child, but this probably wasn't the conversation it came down to... Had Elsa or William told the others about Charlie?
"Come on, Nanno", Wilma told him. Sighing, he followed her to Hugo's little house. He lived on the outskirts of the underground city and was already waiting for the two at his entrance. He and Wilma looked very similar. Like twins. Both had light yellow hair, light green eyes, and an equally green tail fin (in the water).
"Nanno!" Hugo's gaze was icy. "You can put the seaweed and algae in the kitchen. Then please come into the living room."
"Ok..." Nanno nodded nervously. Hugo's living room was huge. There was room for a large group of sirens. Nanno already heard several voices. A meeting?
As instructed, he brought the seaweed and algae into the small kitchen and went restlessly into the living room. And indeed, he found a large gathering there. There were, of course, Hugo and Wilma. Next to them sat William, Linnea, and Elsa. And finally, the entire council of sirens, the rulers of their small town, was gathered in the living room. These were the 390-year-old Cyrille, who had been a member of the council for 300 years now, and his three-hundred-year-old wife Coco, who had been a member of the council for one hundred years. In addition, Bastien sat there. The 350-year-old siren had been a member of the council for twenty years. And next to him sat someone Nanno was least looking forward to. His 200-year-old mother Delphine was a member of the council for two years now.
The council was reconfirmed every fifty years by a group of sirens drawn by lot. This served to ensure the well-being of all sirens. Should a council rule badly over the community, this drawn group could demand new elections. And only then, was a new council elected. As far as Nanno knew, the last time this happened was four hundred years ago.
As soon as one member died, the remaining council members elected a successor. His mother was elected to the council two years ago, as she had already a lot of influence in the community. The sirens respected her opinion.
And that council was now sitting in Hugo's living room.
And that didn't bode well. "Hello", Nanno said nervously, looking at his friends. William avoided his gaze.
Nanno's mother, however, looked at him disappointed. To be fair, this was her usual way to look at Nanno. "Sit down, boy", she muttered.
Nanno sat down on the only free seat. An uncomfortable chair next to Hugo. "What is it about?", he asked shyly, although he had a very good idea of what it was all about.
His mother snorted, but she let Cyrille speak.
The old siren looked at Nanno with indifferent, old eyes. "We've been told you're meeting with someone. This can’t be. Humans don’t belong in the green. And certainly not so close to our city. The council asks you to break off contact with the person. For your and all our protection. Humans bring only misfortune. Surely you have heard of their shameful deeds? Slavery? And you talk to them? You might lead them to us."
The other council members nodded meaningfully. His mother snorted.
"What?" Nanno gave William and Elsa a brief, angry look. The two looked away. "These people are here because they don't think much of slavery. They just got lost!", protested Nanno indignantly. "They are not dangerous! Even the fairies have accepted them by now! Although they are close to the waterfall! The waterfall!"
"Fairies are gullible, stupid creatures", Coco objected. "But they should know better. After all, they have reported on the danger that humans bring with them."
Nanno shook his head. "No! Charlie is friendly. He is sweet. And good. He's not evil!"
Hugo put a hand on his shoulder. "You are still very young, Nanno. Listen to the Council's decision. It's about the safety of all of us!"
His sister nodded, petting her round belly.
Nanno shook his head. "No."
"No?" His mother stood up indignantly and put her hands on her hips. "No? This is an order of the Council and not a request. You will avoid these humans. We have already decided how to deal with them!"
"And how?", Linnea spoke up curiously, while Nanno's mother sat down again.
Bastien smiled happily at Linnea. "Well, nothing teenagers have to worry about. The adults take care of this, my little one. We attack the humans, drag them into the depths of the river where they will drown, and then, we will eat them."
Nanno didn't want to believe what he was hearing. And someone else did not approve of the Council's decision too. Linnea grimaced. "What? But Nanno likes one of the humans. I don't think that's a good plan. Should he eat his friend too? And why can't we teenagers help? We want fun too!"
"That would be a wonderful thought", Delphine muttered sarcastically. "Nanno could prove that he has overcome his childish stupidity and is ready to grow up. But as I know my son, nothing comes of it. I shouldn't have kicked him out of the house so early... But his father and I... It just wasn't possible anymore."
Nanno turned pale and shook his head. "Mom!"
Coco sighed. "Of course, we won't expect that from him, girl. Delphine exaggerates. But this is the decision we’ve made. The danger must be eliminated!"
Furious, Nanno jumped out. "What? The danger? There is no danger! They only got lost on the way to the steppe and, thanks to the magic of the will-o’-the-wisps, do not find their way back. Therefore, they currently live by the river! You can’t kill them. I..." He almost said he loved Charlie. Snorting angrily, he stared at his mother. "You made the wrong decision!"
Elsa stood up and stood next to Nanno. "What if Nanno isn't wrong about them?", she said. "Of course, I'm happy to help eliminate a danger if you let me, but if they're not dangerous? I don't like to eat a friend's friend, even though I would like to taste human flesh. Why don't we put them to the test?"
Cyrille raised his eyebrows. "A test? That's an interesting idea."
His wife smiled approvingly. "And what kind of test do you imagine, dear?"
Elsa glanced at Nanno, then presented her proposal in a determined, strong voice. "The phoenix test. Currently, a phoenix couple is nesting close to the river. Linnea and I saw the birds. Our old stories tell us that in ancient times, the phoenix decided whether humans were allowed to enter the green or not. Let's revive this old tradition."
"Oh!" Cyril smiled. "A wise idea. I remember attending such a test as a child... In the end, the defendant burned... I don't remember what exactly it was all about. With this test, we will know. And if Nanno is right, then we will leave the humans in peace. Or welcome them as guests?"
Coco sighed, but the council agreed to the proposal.
"What?" Nanno shook his head. "If the phoenix doesn't deem them worthy, they die."
"They would die too if the council didn’t change their mind", Elsa whispered to him. "With the test, your friends at least have a chance."
That was true. But Nanno did not want to expose Charlie to this danger. But the council agreed with Elsa's idea. Late in the evening, they would capture the humans, and put them to the test. Until the start of the test, Nanno was not allowed to leave Hugo's house.
And Hugo was very good at preventing Nanno from leaving. He had no chance to warn Charlie.
Just before the council and Nanno's friends left the house, Nanno's mother came to him. "Boy?", she said with a sigh. "I'm sorry. I should’ve taken better care of you in the last few weeks, but... After the thing with the sirens in your bed. Your father and I just had enough of such escapades. Why a human?"
"Because he's good", Nanno replied quietly.
"Sweety, I'm really worried about you. Your father too. Humans! Nanno, no. That's too much."
Nanno shook his head defiantly. "It's not. And you'll soon realize that! If the phoenix recognizes these humans as good and agrees with me." If he agrees with me.
"Maybe." Delphine said goodbye and left Nanno in Hugo's care.
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