The seagulls flew around him, singing their strange tune while Elzaren hummed a melody of his own. Like most days, he was at the harbor, sitting on the edge, his feet dangling inches from the water's surface. It was strange how everything seemed to be the same as the day before, yet everything had changed after the gala. The Siren's eyes darted between the people around him. A couple were holding hands as they walked down the street, whispering to each other. Were they trying to figure out who killed her? What about the old man sitting on the bench behind him? Was he the killer? With a shake of his head, Elzaren let out a shaky breath as he ran his fingers through his hair, which was still wet. He hadn't entirely dried after returning to land, and his feet hadn't quite grown steady enough to return to the land dwellers either. While he had intended to stay on land throughout the night and watch the whole scene unfold before him, he had gotten tired of it rather quickly, and the last thing he wanted was to be interrogated by the police, so he had spent the night in the safety of the ocean.
"I bet you that the sailors did it." He told the person approaching him without taking his eyes off his latest targets of suspicion: the two men working on a small fishing boat close to the harbor. "You might be wondering how they could do something likeâŠÂ that, but let me tell you, I wouldn't put it past them! They are very talented; I'm sure they would figure out how to do it."
With the mention of their legs, Elzaren traced down his thigh with his fingertips as if to make sure they were still there. In a way, the two of them were like Cinderella, waiting until the clock would strike midnight and they would turn back into a pumpkin. Though he would be a liar if he said that he didnât prefer the tail, it was much more practical than legs and colorful. âYes, please. Iâve had enough of this place anyway.â Elzaren knew that people often assumed he was the type of person who thrived at parties like the gala. He was, after all, always seemingly elegant, but most of all hungry for drama, and what other place is as filled with elegance and drama than the New Year gala? However, he would much rather stay at the Starfall beach with people he knew he could trust.
âNow tell me,â He paused momentarily before offering her his arm. âWhat do you think will be the biggest scandal of the night?â His grin broadened. âThat really is what I always look forward to when it comes to these events, the morning after when all the juicy scandals unfold before our eyes. Donât you agree?â
Elzaren leaned over the bar table, his mind searching for the last time he made a resolution. It had to have been fifty years ago, or a hundred? Oh, what had the resolution been? He tapped his fingers against the dark wooden table as he hummed to himself. âHm, itâs been a while since I made one. If Iâm being completely honest.â He admitted. âThough, if I had to make one, I would say Iâm going to stop listening to the judgment of boring people. They will judge me no matter what, but at least I will have fun and look great while living my life in peace.â His red lips turned upwards into a grin when the bartender placed the champagne in front of them. âNow, traveling more does sound marvelous. Maybe I will join you. We can laze around the beaches of the entire world together.â
quite happy with her choice in company, safiya sipped from her glass, eyes widening in amusement as she saw just how much her friend had drunk in one go. it was definitely an event that called for it though, and she was sure that they would both have many more glasses by the end of the night.
as if on cue, an older noblewoman shamelessly eyed up elzaren as she walked by the two of them. "oh i can believe it. not just because i can clearly see them eyeing you up like a piece of meat, but because i've had the same thing from the older men. i thought i'd made it clear to the press that i'm a lesbian, but considering how often i get my name listed next to 'gal pal', apparently not."
she drained her own glass and signalled to a waiter to bring them more champagne. "if i get any numbers from hot interesting men, i'll slide them your way. not that i've come across any yet. i swear if i have one more man talk to me about his crypto portfolio, i'm causing a scene."
Elzaren didnât spare the woman a glance, even if he could feel her eyes linger on him. If he had been working and she possessed the information he needed, he wouldnât have hesitated to act flattered by her attention. However, he wasnât working. He was strictly here to have fun, or at least he was supposed to have fun. Now that he had escaped the ladies and found Safiya, he was sure his luck had changed, and the night would turn out to be much better than he had initially expected.
âCrypto portfolio?â Elzaren groaned, rolling his eyes at the mere thought of these men she had been stuck with. âMy heart aches for you for having to deal with them, you poor thing. I sadly donât think they would give up even if you had a sign over your head saying that youâre a lesbian. Those crypto men are awful, awful people.â He may have spent a long time walking among those who lived on land, but he still struggled to understand much of the technology rubbish people use today, especially anything related to crypto. What even was crypto? He wondered to himself. Well, it couldnât be anything good.
âI know I donât look a day over a hundred, but I am much older than I seem.â He paused momentarily, raising his hand as if to stop her from interrupting him, âNo, really, I know itâs hard to believe, but itâs the truth.â He added, running long blue shimmering fingernails through his dark hair. âBut I remember when I was young and when the men were pathetically trying to flirt with you, they would order you a drink and actually let you talk for more than five seconds without them rambling on about themselves, so no thank you, I don't need their numbers. However, I will most definitely find you a lovely woman who can fight off these men for you."
" i'll give you a tip. " begins the beta , leaning against one of the many bars and watching the crowds about. mostly watching to see if all her young wolves were behaving. lysandra wished she could simply enjoy her night , but a beta never rested , it seemed. " they keep the better champagne on the second floor bar. " it seemed the choice of the night was flying off the bar tops , but none wished to venture further to the upper bars. " this one ran out and is serving bubbly piss. " not that she even liked the fizzy wine in the first place.
Elzaren turned to Lys, his lips twisting into a smile. âAnd yet⊠Youâre here instead of drinking at the second floor bar?â With his brow raised, he took a sip of the champagne, grimacing once the flavor hit him. âWell, youâre right about the bubbly piss.â He muttered, placing the flute back on the bar table before turning his focus back on her. âNow, what on earth are you doing sitting here all on your own when you could be having fun?â
" congratulations. " comes her voice when the door cracks open to the somewhat quiet balcony she'd claimed as her own. eva was amazing at socializing , she thrived at galas , but anyone who knew her well enough would know that breaks were key to surviving the night. " you've found the best spot to watch the little dots below. " solaris plaza was alight with people, music, laughter and merriment. everything one needed to ring in the new year. " i might be persuaded to share. "
âAnother dance?â The stranger with the beautiful green eyes asked Elzaren, but he needed an escape. With a smile, Elzaren left the man on the dance floor without bothering to come up with an excuse before he made his way between the glamorous guests of the gala. He wasnât quite sure where he was going. He walked without a destination, his fingertip trailing the wall as he walked up a flight of stairs, taking in every exquisite detail of the hallway until he reached the balcony,Â
He hadnât expected anyone to be there, but he made sure his face showed no indication of surprise when he saw Eva. âI guess we both had the same brilliant idea, didnât we? This truly is the best place to get away for a moment.â Elzaren leaned over the balcony railing to get a better look at the people below them. They really did look like tiny dots. âThough, I donât think itâs quite as warm as the lounge.â He added as the snow fell from the sky, sticking to everything it landed on. âPlus, over there, we can hear all the juicy drama happening on the ground.â
artemis snickers at elzaren's response. trust one like him to reduce a complex question of morality and philosophy to one single criterion, both elegant and blunt in its simplicity. â ah, if only it could always be so simple, â xe replies, meaning every word of it, though xe feels more grounded now, less likely to fall into a haze of unknowing â for some reason xe wishes xe understood ( if xe knew why, it might be easier to replicate the effects ), laughter helps with dissociation.
â i'm surprised you're hiding out here, though, you've always seemed the type to be right in the thick of it, â xe says.
Elzarenâs gaze drifted to the crowded venue behind xem. The people were all drinking, laughing, and dancing. It almost looked like a scene cut from a movie; it was perfect. So why wasnât he right in the middle of the action? Artemisâ question didnât surprise Elzaren. Centuries ago, he had crafted this persona made for this type of life, someone everyone believed was the real him. The beautiful gowns, the never ending flow of drinks, and, of course, the backstabbing. However, in truth, it made him feel claustrophobic. His fingers had itched for an escape as soon as he arrived at the gala, and the lure of the ocean was almost deafening. He didnât belong here. Not really.
âItâs important to step away long enough for them to miss you.â The siren turned to face the snow covered ground. It was beautiful, utterly untainted, and an idea began to form in his mind. âYou are bored of this party, arenât you?â He asked xem before he glanced over his shoulder at Artemis, their brow raised as if he was challenging xem.
It dawned on Orion what Elzi met. "Maybe someone akin to a banker but less stauncy." Orion reminscined. "Perhaps an animator! Their need for perfection and to be their muse." A chesire grin etched his features. "Truly the most overplayed type of relationship. Besides think of the appearance I have to keep." He exaperated.
Orion snorted at that. "I feel like he would have tried to set the lair on fire." The was a pause. "But we could have taken him. He's just needs to let loose and listen to ABBA." Orion chuckled. "But I'm sure you will have all the suitors begging for a dance."
âWell, I suppose youâre right. I donât think anything is quite as thrilling as having an artist fall in love with you. They will see you in a way that no one else ever will.â Of course, Elzaren hadnât been lucky with love during his many years of life, so he should not be the person to deem which love is better than another, but Orion didnât need to know that. Nevertheless, he knew that he would have allowed himself to be loved by an artist in a different life, and it would have been the greatest thing in the world.
Elzarenâs smile didnât falter when Ori suggested that he probably had no problem finding suitors at the gala. âOh, my dear Orion, why on earth would I focus on suitors when I can spend my night with my greatest friend?â Elzaran draped his arm over Oriâs shoulder, pulling him close to his side. âI think we need to fill our glasses and raid the snack table, donât you agree?â
while safiya loved a good party, that generally didn't include gala's. there were too many rules, too many stiff and stuck up people and far too many people to say hello to that she'd rather tell to eat a dick. however, for every ten uptight assholes she had to feign familiarity with, there was a person she was genuinely excited about seeing.
"elzi, we've both seen me, darling," she emphasised and drew out the last word. "there's no mistaking me for something beastly no matter what I do."
a waiter pulled up next to them with a tray of champagne flutes containing vintage dom perignon and safiya gladly took one off of their hands. "drink?"
âOh yes, please, I havenât had nearly enough drinks to survive this night.â A quiet chuckle that could have easily been mistaken for a sigh left his lips as he took the flute from the tray, gulping almost half the drink with the first sip. âYou do not want to know how many older ladies have tried to get me to dance with them. Iâm still unsure whether theyâre doing it for themselves or if theyâre trying to introduce me to their daughters.â
"Of course." Ori said with a shit eating grin. The thought of letting Ezli be there with the camera in their hands gave Ori a big chuckle. "The beastly de vere suits me." He teased with a grin.There was a look of concern, something rare on the vampire's visage.
"If you insist." Orion said slowly. There was a nod. "If it helps I just imagine everyone dressed in their pajamas" There was a chuckle. Orion did a hand wave. "Prince and Princess are overrated. I prefer my types to be architects, travel writers, and bankers all singing and dancing for my heart." Orion said with a smile. There was a knowing look. "Did flame thrower come by tonight?" He joked.
âBankers?â Elzarenâs brows raised as his eyes widened. He couldnât believe his friendâs taste. The mere thought of the bankers Elzi often saw walking downtown in their business suits, looking like lost penguins, sent a shiver down his spine. âMy sweet Ori, bankers? Really? They are probably the cruelest people out there!â With a shake of his head, he ran his fingers through his dark, wavy hair. âBut you have a point; going after the royalty is kind of cliche, but it does sound like a fairytale.â But do either of them deserve a fairytale? Ori did; Elzaren knew that for certain.
âNo, I have not seen the flame thrower at all tonight. Iâm starting to wonder if he decided to hide from us to get away with bailing on the gala. Maybe we should have dragged him out of his lair to make sure he showed up.â
âYouâre right. I could never mistake you for anything beastly.â Elzaren leaned back against the railing, causing the white flakes of snow to cling to his dark hair, making him almost seem like he had a crown made of snow. âYes!â He clapped his hand once, causing the couple standing a few feet away to glance in their direction before continuing their private conversation after Elzaren glared at them for prying on them. âYes, of course, I didnât forget about you.â He hadnât forgotten her request to meet him, not really, but lately, he had admittedly been distracted because of everything that had been happening.
His smile turned into something more authentic. âHave you managed to escape from your prison guards?â He asked her, but he knew the answer. If she hadnât, he was sure they wouldnât have gotten the chance to speak at all. He doubted her family would be eager to let her talk to someone like him, not that he would ever tell her that.
#đŸđșđđđđČđčđđ± ft. @ultramxrine.
âł aemond pinevale & elzaren reed âžș new year's gala.
there was always that nagging feeling around the siren, one only felt around those he deemed a true threat to the safety of the court. sometimes the fae suspected he was the only one of the king's guard who took his damn job seriously, gods forbid, and tonight was no exception. he'd made a mental note of all the faces he'd be keeping an eye on, festivities tossed to the wayside for the sake of protecting the royal family. it's when elzaren speaks that aemond sighs audibly. " the only beastly creature i see around here is you. "
He parted his lips before an audible, and perhaps an over exaggerated, gasp left his lips. The only thing missing from his performance was the pearls he would be clutching after that accusation. âYou are so rude,â Elzaren hesitated momentarily, his dark eyes darting between the people around them, ensuring no curious eyes were on them before continuing. âI mean⊠Youâre right, of course, but still rude.â His eyes almost sparkled with mischief as he leaned back against the railing, studying the man before him. If anyone else had dared to call him beastly or even a creature, he would have been bothered by it, outraged even, but not when it was Aemond. âThough, if Iâm being honest, Mondy, I donât think you would manage to find a beast even if it was looking you straight in the eyes. I wonder what they teach you in that guard school of yours.â
What was it like for the sirens on their lonely rock,
watching everyone who tried to love them drown?
charles melton, 240, genderfluid, he/him â did you see elzaren reed walking down main street ? the tabloids say that the siren is known to be captivating and extravagant, but who knows if thatâs true. the spy seems to fit the vibe of a half empty bottle of wine, flirty smile across the bar, a longing for a home you never had
𫱠General information đ«±
âč Full name: Elzaren Reed
âč Nickname: Elzi
âč Age: 240 years old
âč Species: Siren
âč Birthday: on the highest tide during a full moon on November 9th, 1783.
âč Zodiac sign: Scorpio
âč Gender: Genderfluid
âč Pronouns: Mostly he/him, but he is fine with any pronouns
âč Sexuality: Homosexual
âč Occupation: Spy
âč Religion: He prays to Marina, but he has never told anyone how important she is to him.
𫱠Appearance đ«±
âč Faceclaim: Charles Melton
âč Height: 6'1
âč Build: Lean but muscular
âč Hair: Black but when in the ocean it almost looks blueish.
âč eye colour: Dark brown
âč Piercing: In both ears he has three in his lobe and then a helix. At some point he had a nose piercing, but he recently took it out and in the 90's he had a belly button piercing.
âč Tattoo: He has a faded tattoo on his cheeks that from a distance only look like freckles, but it's actually runic inscription in honor of Marina. He then has multiple other tattoos that he has collected throughout his life.
âč Scars: He has a scar on his side and neck after getting stuck in a fishing net as a child.
𫱠Personality traits đ«±
âč Positive traits: Independent, loyal, intelligent, protective
âč Negative traits: Cynical, eccentric, extravagant, impulsive, dramatic
âč Likes: beautiful clothes, a relaxing day, a glass of wine and good food, the sound of the waves.
âč Dislikes: Ignorant people, bad fashion style, DIY projects (forced to make things? No thank you!, bugs
âč Favourite song: California Dreamin' by the mamas & papas and Oui Oui Marie by Chelsea Wolfe
âč Fears: That in the end he will lose everyone he cares about and end up all alone.
𫱠History đ«±
TW: Death
áȘ During the high tide 240 years ago, Elzaren was born into an affluent family of sirens. He was the youngest son and the light of his parents' life. They adored him and gave him everything he wanted; everyone knew him and his family, and they knew he would grow up to become just like his father. Someone who used his wealth to take care of the people in need. However, his family's unwavering trust would be the thing that doomed them in the end.
áȘ When Elzaren was ten, his oldest brother met a woman on land. She was picture perfect, everything he had ever wanted. Despite their friends warning his family, pleading with them not to trust the humans, they welcomed her with open arms. His brother told her everything about his family; more importantly, he told her about their riches and where to find them.
áȘ It shouldn't have come as a surprise when, one night, her family arrived on boats to steal their wealth. They hunted his family down and took everything they owned. In the chaos of that night, Elzaren got caught in their fishing net, where he was stuck thrashing around, trying to escape to help his family, but he was stuck having to watch it happen without being able to do anything.
áȘ Still, to this day, Elzaren has no idea how he escaped. One moment, he was in the fishing net screaming as it cut into his skin, and the next, he woke up at the bottom of the ocean, hurt but alive.
áȘ After this incident, his family name was ruined. They were now known as the fools who trusted humans and let the humans ruin them. Elzaren was left with nothing. That didn't stop him; he was determined to make something out of himself.
áȘ As he grew older, he realized he had the talent to get people to trust him. He would gather information for gangs and other criminals by flirting with and charming their enemies, and sometimes, he would even lure them into the ocean with him.
áȘ It didn't take long before the royal family noticed him and offered him a job. For a while he refused, but his vision of a better life pushed him to accept the job. Now, after working as a spy for about 200 years, he is incredibly talented, but he still refuses the offer of becoming the spymaster for the royal family. He had the skill to do it, but he wouldn't have been able to deal with other people.
𫱠Headcanons đ«±
áȘ He is very eccentric and definitely not everyone's cup of tea. He can be overly dramatic and very flirtatious. However, it's all an act. This persona he has created has been the shield that he has built from a young age.
áȘ The truth is, he is very distrustful of everyone. He assumes people will betray him for selfish reasons; therefore, he uses that as a justification if he decides to betray others. However, he is loyal to the people he cares about and wouldn't betray them. (he's just a dumbass lbr).
áȘ He always thinks of himself like the dark stormy ocean that will pull people down to their deaths.
áȘ On the more positive side, his best friends are the gossip crabs, who tell him everything that is happening around the island, but how accurate their intel is, is debatable.
𫱠Wanted Connections đ«±
áȘ Someone he hooked up with for intel: There could have been some hard feelings about this afterward, or maybe not? It could be interesting.
áȘ Childhood best friends: Someone who knew him before the fall of his family and someone.
áȘ Someone he grew up with: He could have moved in with their family and stayed with them until he was old enough to be on his own.
áȘ Someone he used to work with: Another spy? Someone who helped him or needed help? One of the criminals or someone from the royal family?
today is one of xyr bad days â when artemis' body feels detached from xyr self, no matter which form xe takes. but the gala is an important event â not something the dragon monarch can afford to miss. still, artemis flees the busy crowd as soon as is polite, seeking refuge in a quiet corner â only to discover that another has had the same idea.
â would that be a mistake ? â xe asks, â after all, what separates beast from man ? â in xyr experience, very little â one mishap is enough to send some people plummeting into the depths of beastliness. and for xem, whose human form is like a paper doll obscuring the hulking beast behind the mask, beast is perhaps a more accurate descriptor than man.
Elzaren watched xem for a long moment without saying a word, his eyes not moving from xyr. He stayed that way long enough that most people would be squirming to get away from his scrutinizing gaze, but he knew Artemis wouldnât. It was a hobby of his to make people squirm in his presence, but he had long ago given up on doing it to xem, at least intentionally. Xe wasnât wrong; each and every one of them had the capability to be beastly. He had done his fair share of monstrous things, most of which involved a luring song and the deep depths of the sea, but was he a monster? Probably.
âWell,â he said with a long, drawn breath. âWhat separates a beast from a man is that a beast is the one who would point a knife to my back, or well... any other unfortunately pointy weapon.â His lips curled into a smile again to ensure xe knew he was only messing around.
Orion has came only from the bout of curiousity. Growing up the way he did made him curious about these parties. Where they like the movies? Was there an interesting girl or guy with stars in their eyes and they start an epic romance in said movies runtime? Orion had to see for himself.Orion in hindsight should have remembered to reply to Elzi's texts-but that was here or there.
Orion tilted his head at Elzi. "Beastly!! My my wait until I tell Christian." The shorter said with a wide smile. There was a quick frown as he looked at his friend. "Are you okay though! I didn't want to frighten you." He said with a look of concern.
At the mention of Christianâs name, Elzarenâs grin widened into something that could be described as wicked. âIf you are going to tell him I called you beastly, please wait until Iâm there so I can see the look on his face!â It had never been a secret between the two of them that Elzaren enjoyed torturing Christian; he couldnât help it. Very few people throughout his two centuries of life had managed to unnerve Elzi, but the first time he met Christian, he had been unnerved, and he couldnât let that stand.Â
âOh, Iâm fine! Just fine.â He rushed as his voice went a pitch too high. Breathe, Elzi, breath. He told himself before he shook his head with a quiet chuckle. Why was he trying to be something he wasnât with Ori? Despite the secrets kept between them, he still knew Elzaren more than most. âIâm sorry. As much as I enjoy dressing up for a night out, these fancy galas... Well, they turn me into a jittery mess.â He quickly waved Orion off. âEnough about me, tell me; have you found yourself a prince or a princess who is missing a glass shoe?â  Â
