Scarlet Song

Chapter 10

He grips my face and pulls me into him for him to kiss me deeply and growl protectively as he presses his forehead to mine. "You have no idea how happy you've made me, LaRue. You have made this one of the happiest days of my existence, despite it all." He takes my hand and kisses each of my fingertips before sliding the ring on and stands, still holding me to him and twirling me. He sets me gently down on my feet and I look up at him, smiling warmly. "So, we spent all this time on here and you've barely showed me the ship." He chuckles and kisses my forehead, nodding. "Yes, that's on me and I apologize. Let's do that now while we're leaving port?" I nod and lace my fingers with his as he shows me around the changes to his quarters first. Showing me the different precautions he took for himself in case he couldn't freely hunt and the adjustments so that he properly rest but, that he wanted to honor the way the Captain had the ship otherwise. He led me out onto the deck and finally took the chance to look over the repairs that my crew did for him and smiled warmly at me. "I can't thank you enough for taking care of my ship and giving them a proper funeral." I look up at him and trace my finger along his chin. "Don't thank me, Voltair. I know how hard it was for you. It was you losing your family all over again. They were my family too and they will not have died in vain. I refuse to let that happen and as for the ship. This isn't just a ship, this our home. It was and always will be, no matter where we go and end up." With that, I spy the familiar steps into the hull of the ship and wander towards them, him following closely behind me. It was left almost entirely unchanged except for being taken care of, to the point that the chains that bound me that first day laid in a pile below the stairs. I knelt to pick them up, feeling the familiar singe across my skin where they touched but, smiled to myself, remembering that charming grin of his and how I wouldn't change it for anything. I picked them up and slung them over Voltair's shoulders and pulled him close, giggling and biting my lip. "Perhaps we'll have to use these again eventually." He leans down and bites at my neck playfully and growls. "Certainly, Moone.
He chuckles and shakes his head as he brushes my hair from my eyes. "Though, it won't be Moone for much longer." He takes my hand and kisses the ring. "Though I doubt that's going to stop the onslaught of you referring to me by that." He chuckles and nuzzles noses with me. "You know me so well, Moone." Just then, there was a loud thud above deck and I phase to the top of the steps ad see Xoraya, as well as Amsephone. Amsephone could easily be mistaken for me and that was for the simple fact of that biologically she was my twin except for the fact that she was blind and always wore a black and gold silk scarf along her eyes since she never used them and her hair was only to her shoulders. Her gift was what we called "The Hunt" because her other senses had boosted in the absence of her sight. She also had the aim and skill of any great hunter with their sight. She seemed sour at first but then she threw her arms around me and giggled. "Oh, it's so nice to see you again, Rue. I was beginning to think this whole mess had swallowed you up." I pressed my forehead to hers and smiled, shaking my head. "Despite all that it has taken from us, I'm still here and I'm going to make sure we all make it through this." I can Feel Voltair's hand on my shoulder as he bows politely to Amsephone. "So, Xoraya is a younger sister to LaRue, and you are an elder or younger sister?" She shakes her head and smiles warmly. "Neither, Sir. You see, I'm her twin. I'm Amsephone" He perks a brow and nods. "I could see the resemblance, I guess the lack of seeing your eyes just made it not stick. Seeing as that's how we both know each other." He extends his hand out to her for her to take and she gives him her hand. He gently kisses the back of her hand. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Amsephone. I'm Voltair. So, LaRue has told me about each of you having abilities unique to you. So I may know what everyone is capable of, is it safe to assume your ability is linked to your eyes?" I bury my face in Xoraya's shoulder, trying to stifle laughter as her husband places a hand on my shoulder and we all stand there smirking. "Actually, the lack of it. You see, I'm blind and my ability goes off of that. Perhaps I can show you if you all accompany me on my ship tomorrow evening?" I can see the sudden jerk in his posture and the guilty look on his face when he looks to me and weakly smiles. "My apologies for my assumption." She giggles and reaches up to grab his shoulder and gently squeeze it. "There's nothing to be sorry for. I'm not saddened by my lack of sight so there's no reason for anyone else to do so for me. I'm comfortable in who I am and what I can do." He nods and walks over to me as Xoraya speaks up. "We came to invite you to stretch those fins of yours, sister. Perhaps a race? Last one to Amsephone's ship owes the other's drinks from their supply? No phasing." I look to Voltair and nod. "It's a deal. It should be fun to make a bet using my future husband's taste in alcohol." Xoraya and Amsephone stop as they had been creeping forward sneakily before I answered and Xoraya pointed to me. "We are discussing this news when we finish but, for now, taste my tail!" I lean in to kiss Voltair on the cheek and watch as they dive off the ship and disappear under the surface. Voltair hurries me along chuckling and I run for the figurehead yelling. "Play nice until we get back, boys." I dive off the figurehead and cover the distance lost. For a good distance, all you could see was the tangle of color as our fins came so close to each other with how close we were racing until Amsephone pulled ahead and made it first. I barely pull past Xoraya enough to secure not being the last and we tumble onto the deck of Amsephone's ship, giggling and playfully nudging each other. Our race was short-lived when a flurry of arms threw themselves around me. It was the other six of my sisters and they were all ecstatic to see me again after so long. After the excitement died down, Xoraya was over me and smirking. "Ok, ok, I lost. I'll bring the mead tomorrow night. Now, tell us about this 'future husband' thing." I smile and we all sit up on the deck as I explain how Voltair and I met before and how we'd been apart for so long. I explained how we reunited and then held my hand up for them to see the ring. Xoraya squeals with delight and Amsephone smiles. "So, a drow with vampirism and a siren? What a pair. Are you sure about this?" Had anyone else asked that, I would've been but, with her, I knew it was her caring for me. "Yes, more than anything. Voltair has been my best friend as well as the man I love for as long as I can remember with him in my life. While, I am terrified of so many things, especially our future, he's the one thing I'm sure of." She nods and places her hand over mine. "Then you have all of our blessings and we wish you the best. Have you two discussed him changing you and what it means? I mean, while we are helping you, we are also accepting our fates that one of you two has to come out on top of all of us." I nod and sigh deeply, knowing my plan could turn everything on it's axis. "We have, we decided that I am making that decision once this is all over but, I'm going to do something about you all. I'm not sitting atop a throne of bloodshed. I'm going to the Council. Voltair doesn't know yet but, I'm going to find a way to spare you all. This tradition needs to die along with Vera. I don't know how I'm going to plead it but, I have to try." Xoraya hops up in surprise and helps us up. "Are you sure about this, LaRue. This could be your head for this." I nod and look her in the eyes. "I do this and try for the best or many of us will die for them to determine a Crone if we take too long to kill the others." They both hug me and smile as we look back to Voltair's ship. Those Lavender griffins and wyverns tangling into his family crest on top of the blue of the sails. That ship was more of a home than I ever I'd ever known in my entire life and having my sisters there with me made it even more so. I look to my sisters and sigh. "Shall we? Voltair and Marcus are probably sitting there all awkward with each other." They nod and we all dive at the same time and dart for his ship, landing back on deck as Voltair looks up to see me and smiles. "So, how much rum I down by?" I shake my head and point to Xoraya. "None, actually, she lost by a hair." Xoraya rolls her eyes ad they both walk up to Voltair in unison and draw blades on him. I jump and lunge forward slightly at first until they both put their hands up to me. "So, you asked our sister to spend your life with you? Well, you have our blessing but, you hurt her, we will find you and tear your flesh from the bone. We may not be able to consume you but, LaRue deserves to be happy and safe." He throws his hands up and chuckles before looking at both of them and sighing as he looked at me. "I wouldn't dream of it. That woman is my entire world and without her, I wouldn't have any reason to live." I stand where I'm at as he gently pushes past them and wraps his arms around my waist and kisses the top of my head. "I expect nothing less from the people who love her as I do. I will hold you both to that if I ever manage to do so, though." Amsephone and Xoraya lower their blades and Amsephone turns to me. "You need to tell him where we are going, Rue."