Siren's Song

"Do it again." The imperious voice belonged to the Grand Maestro of the Royal Conservatory. Befitting such a tremendous sound, the Grand Maestro was a veritable giant at six and half feet tall and seemingly half that distance across. His long black hair was neatly ordered into a arrangement of braids that barely touched his shoulders. The Grand Maestro's steely eyes stared at Amarila, the bloodshot veins giving them a diabolical look. "You can hear me, can't you?"

"Of course, my lord," the student answered. Amarila had heard that the Grand Maestro had lost his name when he had been given control over the Conservatory fifteen years ago. Apparently it was a tradition among those for whom music was meant to transcend identity and life itself. Although the faculty were allowed to call their leader by his title, the students were to always call him my lord. "I am just feeling a bit tired. I have already tried five times."

"Feeling a bit tired is no excuse to shirk from one's duties," the Maestro snapped back. His right hand reached for the cane at the man's side, the impeccable white gloved hand nestling the exquisite rosewood. "Must I teach that lesson again?"

"No my lord," Amarila said quickly. Being a foot shorter and one hundred pounds lighter than her teacher, she had no desire to experience another one of the Maestro's teachings. She looked over the sheet music again, the unfamiliar symbols and notes still mocking her. I've already tried to memorize this a dozen times, Amarila thought. Why can't my stupid brain remember any of this sheet music?  Looking back at the Maestro's iron gaze, she realized that she needed to perform soon.

Lightly clearing her throat and compulsively moving her black ringlets away of her eyes, Amarila tried the piece once again. This time she finally felt the music connect, her brain flooded by the song like a ship crushed beneath the waves. In a state of ecstasy, Amarila closed her eyes and continued her virtuosic performance. She sang uninterrupted by the outside world or the gaze of the Maestro until she heard the crashing of broken glass. Opening her eyes, the student saw that the window of the room had shattered. Confused, Amarila quickly stopped singing and looked back at the Maestro. Rather than appearing furious or grabbing his cane, the teacher had a small smirk.

"Perhaps there is hope for you yet," the Maestro said as he inspected his cracked monocle. "Do it again."