Scarlet Song

Chapter 13

As I heard the off guard grunt from my mother, I could hear dainty footsteps towards Voltair and I couldn't help but tense as I whipped to look. It was a small-framed selkie that was circling him curiously. She seemed harmless enough as she sniffed him and lifted his hand limply like he was some doll. "A bheil e duilich measgachadh leis na daoine?" Is it difficult to mix with the people? I leave him in capable hands as they talk back and forth as try as I could at convincing the Council. Towards the end, when I'd made decent progress, my mother came to circle around me and sighs. "There's just one problem. If you win and our ways are changed forever, what will you do about the drow? Sirens are a monarchy and always have been. We don't have kings and queens especially when the males almost never live. How will you choose to run things if you triumph over your sister, Rue?" I look her in the eyes and stand my ground, a smile curling on my lips. "Easy, when I win, not if; Things will change and I will serve as Crone with my husband. I refuse to leave him behind even when I'm going to be why our species never sees extinction." I turned to lock eyes with the selkie tenderly holding Voltair's hand. I got a brief pang of jealousy until I seen the look in her black eyes. Her frame and how she held herself told me it wasn't romantic, how she held onto him. Her short, blonde hair was disheveled and it was only then that I realized what was off about her. She was missing her pelt coat over her shoulders, which meant she was owned by someone else. "Your choice or against your word?" She squeezes Voltair's hand and whimpers. "The latter I'm afraid. I was asking him for permission to board his ship and run away from here." Her voice is hushed so that only Voltair and I could hear as everyone was flowing out of the room where we had all stood. "I know how hard it can be for your kind, is he here, love?" She nods and let's go of his hand to walk over to me. "He is outside of this room, m'lady. He never lets me far, even to help the council. I'm not obligated to any debt to your mother or the rest, it's just my only peace away from him. Please, I beg you both. I am suffocating here and I pledge my pelt to you both in exchange. I know how big of a risk it is, Mrs. Moone." Voltair and I looked to each other as she nuzzled into my chest shaking. I had to do this even if we had our own battles to win. She was terrified and trusted us and Voltair seen it in my eyes. I nod and pet her messy hair back and walk into the halls to see a muscular adaro pacing at the door, eager to get in and he had a selkie pelt over his shoulder. It was shades of gold and black and it only confirmed my assumption when I could see her point to him before he grabbed onto her. Voltair grabs her other arm and pulls her toward him gently. "You would do well to take your hands off my wife, knife-ear. Moira, who is this?" I step towards him and plant a hand on his chest. We, sir, are friends of hers. That drow is my husband and his name is Voltair. Moira is free to go where she pleases, when she so pleases because--Well, I say so. Now, be a good boy and hand over her pelt." His fins flare and he smirks. "You missed telling me who you were, little girl. I won't be handing her pelt over, anyways." I giggle and lock eyes with him, nudging his chin with my finger. "Cute." My own siren features flare out and I let out a deep growl as I lean in close. "That would be Captain LaRue LaCrue to you. Now, are we understood?" He tosses her pelt to me and groans as he lets go of her. "The Council will have your head for this, Moira. You will come back to me, girl." I roll my eyes and turn to leave, my facial features shift back and I turn one last time as Voltair and Moira stand at my side and I lift my hand, the spring of water creating a spear that flew under his chin and pressed to his throat. "You would do well not to threaten our crew, especially with my mother." The water drops to the floor and I can hear the delight in Moira's voice as she follows and I hand her pelt back to her. "You'll be riding with me back to our ship. You'll have to excuse the mayhem. my sisters are with me and Voltair and I wed only hours ago." Moira nods and follows closely as Xoraya and Amsephone catch up with us, hopping on their own horses. Xoraya clears her throat once we're all saddled, breaking the silence. "First off, who's the selkie on your hip? Secondly, how did it go? I mean obviously, you're still alive. That counts for something when it comes to mother." I make sure Moira is holding on and we start on a steady course back to the ships. "The little one is Moira, an ignorant adaro took her pelt without her permission and it was him or mother for the rest of her life. She swore fealty to us if we helped her and I didn't see any harm in it. As for the Council, rgey are both backing it and not backing it. It will be decided by whomever still stands. In the event that Vera wins, the old ways stay and you all die. If I win, the new ways come into play and create a new head of our species. The only problem I see is that I cannot pass over the title of Crone in the event that I win. Mother requires that since this confict is between Vera and I, the decision of old or new ways stops with us." Voltair rode to my side and Amsephone took the other while Xoraya was ahead of us as Amspehone sighed. "Meaning you can't have a choice in what it causes. It makes you head but, it also puts a target on your back. It means a lot when it comes down to everything it means for sirens as a species but, I pledge fealty to you so long as you win. You have a good many things you're still learning but, we trust you. We know you're not power hungry for this position, none of us are. I mean, except for Vera." We all giggle at that and Xoraya peeks back at Voltair before glancing at me and tilting her head. "And, as for him? Was the wedding for naught?" I shake my head and smile warmly. "No, no matter how today went, that would never be a regret in my mind. But, the deal is that if I win, I can choose to rule on my own or create treaties. I was figuring that may extend to something of it's own council for democratic decisions, more like advisors. I'm praying that I can pull this off for the sake of all of us so that we can make a better name for ourselves and whatever it might mean for everyone else." I feel Voltair grab one of my hands and I turn to look at him. "It means you're my family. You're a LaCrue and based off what I see of heirarchy for your people, you just made a treaty with vampires as a species. I have very little experience with my council or the technicalities but, I believe this falls into that grey area for a traty with us, my love." With that, I feel a tug on my coat and I turn to look at Moira. "Though we are a peaceful race for the most part, you've done a good deed today for me. That carries far more weight than you realize with me and my kind." Xoraya giggles and smirks. "You've already gotten yourself quite the army, Rue. Are you ready for the hell you're about to unleash on Vera?" I shake my head and smirk. "No but, I don't think any of us are. We never are but, we have to be." The rest of the ride goes over in a rather peaceful silence. I introduce Moira to the rest of the crew after we arrive and we spend the rest of the day finishing festivities from the wedding and to celebrate our triumph in front of the Council. We all drank and danced well into exhaustion and all I could remember was Voltair carrying me to bed. I'd slept well into the day when I finally woke. There was a note on Voltair's desk where he knew I would look, I went to scavenge and hunt with Moira. I figured I'd get to know who our newest crew member was while you rested. With love, V. I smiled and got myself dressed in some of my normal day clothes for working aboard the ship and laced up my boots before heading out onto the deck. I was greeted by Arlemis with a warm smile. "Did you sleep well, Cap'n? It's been a long time since we've seen each other face to face amidst everything. Captain Voltair left with that young miss a while ago. She's rather dainty isn't she?" I nod and giggle. "It has been a while. I've missed you, Arlemis. How has the ship been? Our new member is a selkie I helped at the Council hall. I slept actually pretty well thanks to all the mead and rum." He chuckles. "It's been doing great, M'lady and I can't thank you enough for trusting her to me during this time. I assumed as much about the young miss and I'd hoped to extend an invitation for her to spend time aboard your ship when we set sail again. I mean, to make up for how I've been towards your husband and make her the most comfortable." I think it over and smile as it dawns on me. "I have no problem with it, as long as oyu're aware of what she is. I do think I need to ask Voltair his view on it first but, there shouldn't be a problem." I set to helping part of the crew adjust the sails before glancing back at him and smirking. "She is rather pretty isn't she?" He flushes and nods. "Her comfort come first for me though, m'lady. I accept whatever happenes but, she is." I giggle and we work on finishing preparations as we talk about how the Council went more in depth. After a while, Xoraya and Amsephone joined with Marcus to help and talk. Marcus prattled on about how he was praying over and over for us all to return to them safely. Before I knew it, Moira had returned. "Where's Voltair? I thought he left with you, Moira." She shushes me and nods. "Yes, yes, he did. He's finishing hunting before he returns and shows you a surprise. He asked that when he nears, I cover your eyes." I scan her face for any sign of lying or treachery before nodding and waiting a few moments before adjusting to let her tiny hands cover my eyes. I didn't realize how keen or nervous I had become in the time of Voltair being back but, I realized when I could tell he was near by his smell. I smirk despite my lack of seeing him, giggling softly as I heard him walk aboard. My skin gets shills when I hear the urgent and surprised murmurs coming from everyone else as his lips touch mine and Moira moves her hands and I see what everyone is chattering about. His skin was no longer it's deep grey, it was sun-kissed and flesh-toned. I scarambled to stay standing as I looked from Moira to him and back. "H-how? Is it a glamour?" She giggles and nods. "I study runes and alchemy and I taught him how to use our glamour to change our image."