Almira knocked him out immediately. Several thoughts ran through her mind as she stared at his unconscious form. She never for once considered the possibility of Dante being manipulated. Her mind flashed back to when he pleaded innocent even when she witnessed everything. It all made sense.
Those actions were beyond his control. The Dante she knew couldn’t even hurt a fly, talk less of attacking her. 
“Princess... Goodness! What have you done?!” Kitanna exclaimed as soon as she saw Dante’s unconscious body. She looked quizzically at Almira who was deep in thought. 
“What happened to him, Mira? Did you hit him?” Kitanna asked her.
“I did,” Almira replied in a monotone. Kitanna’s eyes widened in horror. She already suspected that the princess had something to do with Dante’s unconscious state but she didn’t just understand why. The same woman who slapped a prince for hitting his slave did the very thing she attacked others for doing.
“I don’t understand. Why would you do that? Did he offend you or say something he was not supposed to?” Kitanna questioned further. Almira ignored her. Her mind was clouded with worry for Dante. 
If anyone took control of his mind as she suspected then trouble was looming. The person clearly wanted to make Dante the monster people believed he was. It made her heart hurt for him. It was bad enough that his appearance brought him trouble every day, now this person was trying to cut off his sweet sensitive nature so his personality would attract more enemies. 
“Did you hit him because of what I said?” Kitanna asked sharply,
“Huh?” Almira blinked.
“I am really not in the mood for your games. Did you hit Dante because he confirmed his feelings for me?“  Kitanna growled and Almira almost burst into laughter.
“You think I'd have the time to be so dramatic? I guess I was right after all. The land is not the place for you. Your brain is suffering. You’ve grown guts too. You now talk back at me disrespectfully,” Almira said with a humorless laugh. 
“Forgive me, your highness. Your choice of words upset me greatly. There are things you don’t just say because you feel like it. You should learn to consider other people’s feelings as well,” Kitanna said. 
“Then you should stop listening to what others have to say about you and focus on what you want. Anyways, I did not knock him out because of the supposed feelings you share. I was looking for him and he attacked me from behind…”
“Dante attacked you? Are you sure about that, princess? He likes you a lot. There’s no logical reason for him to attack you,” Kitanna interrupted with disbelief.
“Well, I didn’t just show up and knock him out,” Almira retorted with an eye roll. He attacked me but it wasn’t his doing. When I touched him, I felt my scales stir  and the look in his eyes was quite similar to those we lure into the sea.”
Kitanna’s expression changed in a flash, “You’re saying he’s being controlled by a siren?”
“Most likely, not confirmed but whoever is responsible for this is somehow related to a siren. Remember that time when he attacked those girls and denied vehemently when he was caught?”
The memory flashed in her mind and she gasped. 
“What do we do now, princess? Someone is used to causing chaos and he is often punished for it. If a siren indeed has hold of his mind then he is as good as dead already.”
“I know, but I am not going to let that happen. We will find a way to free him from her shackles, no matter what. Dante is very important to me. I’d rather kill the siren than let her hurt him more than she already has,” Almira said.
“There’s a healing melody that can help him. In the past, when humans were less vile and greedy, the siren women who fell in love used the melody to release the men they loved from the bondage of other sirens. I think that is what Dante needs,” kitanna told Almira.  
Almira gave it a thought. Using the healing melody came with consequences that varied depending on the siren. Almira was wary of the idea already. What if something she couldn’t afford to lose was taken in exchange for healing? What would she do then?
“I will go back and learn it, princess,” Kitanna volunteered.
“You? Aren’t you afraid of what might be taken from you?” Almira asked her.
“No. as long as it’s for Dante then it’s worth it,” Kitanna spoke with determination.
“Of course, you would be determined to sacrifice because you have nothing they would take interest in,” Almira snickered and kitanna laughed.
“I’ve learned not to expect much from a brute. Just look at you concluding I have nothing to offer when you are too afraid to take the step yourself,” Kitanna snorted.
“I believe I have every right to be worried. Unlike you, there are a lot of things they could take from me that I might not be willing to give.”
“Don’t beat yourself about it then. I already offered to go. I want Dante to be free of that horrible species that derive joy in watching him suffer. I know we’re cruel and all, but I think we should really consider the man’s situation before jumping in to ruin it. Dante is going through a lot as it is now. This would mean so much to him.”
“Fine,” Almira sighed.
“Fine as in you can go learn it?” Kitanna asked gleefully. Almira narrowed her eyes at the squealing girl.
“Didn't you say you would go for it?” Almira frowned.
“I did, but I realized I might not get it right since you know… I have nothing valuable to offer and all so maybe you should go. You like Dante, don’t you? Now is the time to prove it,” Kitanna said sweetly.
“I don’t need to prove anything, feel free to think whatever you want,” Almira retorted and Kitanna groaned.
“It won’t kill you to do this for him. You said he’s very important to you. If we don’t stop this now, he might try to take his life,” Kitanna told her. Almira frowned deeply. 
She would kill him herself if he dared to attempt it.
“Please?”
“Fine. I will learn it for his sake but that will take a couple of days. I hope you can handle him until then.”
“Don’t you trust me?” Kitanna asked with a cocky grin.
“Last time I did, you let him drown,” Almira stated and Kitanna’s face went pale.
“You knew?”
“The ocean is our home, so why won’t I know? I didn’t react because you found him on time. If anything had happened, we wouldn’t be having this pleasant conversation.”