Blackbird

Light filtered through the water, illuminating her hair, the wisps of rose red flushed bright as the light touched them, suspended and swaying gently as they were in the soft underwater current.

She had sat like this for quite some time, her eyes glazed over, fixated upon the aquarium ceiling far above, with circles for lights and the occasional sprout of hanging moss, reaching and straining to reach the water down below, where she resided, shining fiery scales and fins alike, gills functioning perfectly, like clockwork, her body a machine to give her life under the surface.
This place, however, could not compare to the world beyond it.
No matter how beautiful it was kept, it's islets made for camping on, the deep water colony she was a part of down below her...
It wasn't quite home.
It wasn't freedom.

It wasn't the wide expanse of territory the seas or even a lake could offer...
Even if the man who had built it was kind, nursing each colony member to full health before introducing them to the group.

She was his favorite.
Claire, he called her, Claire like the piano song he played over a small speaker, always accompanying him, where he calmed her and kept her from panicking with each gentle touch, unwraveling the fishing net and wires from her, the bleeding scars being terrifying for her, especially as the ocean left her abandoned on the beach after high tide.
His favorite, the Scarlet beauty... The scarred beauty.
One of few who refused to do as most siren would do.
Manipulate her appearance. Trick some unsuspecting mortal into believing she was a beautiful maiden injured and needing assistance.
Refusing to lure someone to draw life force and strength from.
She was done. Dead.

And then he was there.
Compassionate, Merciful... Unlike any humanoid creature she had encountered, approaching unafraid, with hands outstretched and open, not hiding anything.
No weapons, no spears or machetes to cut her up with...
Just bare hands and a pocketknife.
And later, a similar looking... Brother appeared, his hair a startling black when compared to her savior's sunny blonde.

Time proved to be on her side, as did these two boys.
They took care of her, waiting for her injuries to heal before letting her graduate from a small body of water to her own little ecosystem to recover with, small fish flitting about her nervously, a budding reef her companion, and she took care of it well, just as those brothers took care of her.

It was a long while before she spoke back to them, their words ignored until she wished to communicate, And that was only months ago.
Since then she had grown accustomed to her new home, however small it and it's community was.
And by now, when she heard the soft whistling that accompanied the blonde's arrival, she floated eagerly to the surface for even a brief moment of conversation upon the edge of a miniature pier, her arms folded under her chin as she greeted him, just as old times, by playfully calling for him.
"Is that the blackbird I hear, singing his heart away once again? Best not to get those wings of yours wet, though do come to take a drink and stay awhile..."