Scarlet Song

Chapter 18

The leader approaches me and the group around me seems to tense. None of my people are totally sure what is about to happen. To not help the situation, not even Moira seemed totally sure how the Chief would react to me being here. He pulls me into a deep embrace and I stand there frozen for a moment before hugging him back. "Word travels fast here. Moira, you formerly-betrothed has shown up here, looking for you. We have been told of your good deeds, freeing our dear Moira. Please, come, we have much to speak about, siren." The group follows closely behind me and I can still see Voltair's fingers twitching as he keeps his hand relatively close to his sword. The Chief lead us into his hut and the smell of sage clings to the cool air. "Now, I know why you come here, M'lady but, I don't know the extent that we can help. As is probably already know, we are a relatively peaceful clan. What are you hoping to gain from recruiting us beyond any alliance we have with you?" The Chief is asking with a genuine curiosity and still seems warm in his welcome as we all sit down around the fire with him. His eyes lock with mine as his head tilts and he smirks. "Your group is already quite the one to be reckoned with, Captain LaCrue. Just in one hand you have an army of you sisters building, add to that the full on alliance with your husband's people. Don't think I don't see that familiar gleam in your eyes, either. When did it happen?" I sigh and smile warmly. "Rather recently, actually. We were spending a significant amount of time practicing some—"more aggressive" approaches and they left me weakened. My sister arrived and used her abilities to twist what the crew saw as she made off with me to kill me. Thankfully, she'd only left me for dead and I would've been if it wasn't for my family here. My body wasn't going to be able to even handle healing if it wasn't for Voltair changing me. So, here I sit as one of the first siren-vampire hybrids. For your other question, what we prove to gain from your help is more on the alchemic side. You see, I've seen a great deal of what Moira is capable of and I know your people are very talented in that field. I think interlacing alchemy with some of the brute force we already have, will make us no less than a natural disaster in itself." He stares into the fire and leaves just long enough for me to question if we were going to get their help when he smirks. "You bring a very valid point to the table, Captain. I shall agree under certain conditions. One, being that we may call on you and your people in any time of need we may have. Consider it a protection request. The second being, you're the water controller, aren't you?" I nod and lean closer out of curiosity. "What of it?" He stands to offer me his hand and I take it and he leads me outside. "Allow me to teach you how much untapped power you have." I looks back at Arlemis and Voltair, then to my sisters. They are hesitant but all in agreement with it. I nod and look to him. "It's a deal, then. What's first on the agenda?" We spend days working at me controlling the ice. I felt it should be easy enough but, my body was still adjusting to everything. Several times, Voltair had to stop himself from getting involved as I had numerous frozen projectiles flung at me and I had no luck deflecting them. I found myself sitting outside, knelt in the snow as I ran the snow between my fingers. The cold should've nipped at me like before but, it didn't and even my fake breathing couldn't cloak that there wasn't any warmth left in me. I was biting back tears when I heard the crunch of the snow under foot. I waited for the criticism from my sisters or the Chief but, I see Voltair kneel next to me and pull me close to kiss my forehead. "You'll get it, I know you will. It's impossible for me to imagine after all the leaps and bounds you've made, that you won't be able to do this." I chuckle and shake my head. "How can you be so sure? Maybe this is all I have to give." He stands and walks out in front of me, smirking. "Who am I, LaRue?" I roll my eyes and smirk. "Voltair LaCrue and, obviously a pain in my ass." He chuckles and stomps his boot. "Who are you, Moone?" There's a seriousness in his eyes despite my nickname being used. I look down at my hands and wince. "Captain LaRue LaCrue and your wife as well as possible next in line to the throne." He nods and stomps his other boot, smiling at me. "Damn right, love. And the bravest woman I know." I sigh and smile slightly as I let his words sink in but, I hear something faint. It's the sound of the ice cracking and I watch as it ebbs towards his feet. The ice suddenly breaks beneath his feet and without thinking, I throw my hands up. I panic as I realize how I would've gotten him wet and he would've frozen but, when I slowly open my eyes and hear my sisters yelling behind me, I see Voltair safe and dry. I'd created an ice cradle for him that slid him to safety. I watched anxiously as he reached up to prop himself up and he chuckles. "You know, I find it rather amusing that I'm either talking shit or in danger when your powers tend to kick in." I stand and walk toward him, head hung low. "And I'm sorry for that, Volt." He pulls me close and shakes his head. "Never be, it's part of your charm, Moone." My sisters look him over as the Chief sweeps me away. "I knew it was bound to happen eventually. You see, with our alchemical knowledge comes the studies that have shown us that elemental abilities can manifest in diverse ways and work on a much broader spectrum than one can imagine. Your sister, Xoraya, for example. Her control of fire could manifest all the way up to the molten earth that escapes from volcanoes. Abilities with air, could manifest all the way up to destructive gusts and tornadoes. Mix any of them together and you have powers making you no less than gods. I can't imagine life is easy for you as a siren. I may never fully or truly understand to what extent but, I can imagine. Your kind fall under such a stigmatism that few of you ever live to see your full potentials. We, for one, are all for bringing about a new law that makes it where your siblings aren't slaughtering each other for a title. Your kind are almost always seen as gluttonous and power hungry, leaving out that there's those of you that just wish to live freely. What everyone gets wrong is that every species has it's weakness, it's bad people, it's dark past. It's what makes us so much braver to push on into that unknown to prove that we are more. Now is the time for you to hone in on what you just did and prepare to give Vera the fight of a lifetimes because you're no longer just fighting for yourself. Your fighting for your people, your tribe and you have an army behind you." I nod and turn back towards my sisters and Voltair. He was right. It didn't matter that not all of us were sirens, we were family. A family that grew from the only one I had for all those years. Voltair and I grew up into vastly different people from the night we met and from there, I had whole tribes and creatures rallying behind me for the cause. I spent weeks perfecting what I could do in that frigid terrain and before long, it became like breathing, even shifting between water and ice in the same movement. Before we left, the clan had made Xoraya a set of gloves that worked to create a spark, something that would boost and fuel her fire abilities. Amsephone left with new clothes, fit better for the winter terrain in case she chose to return and possibly stay. The latter began to show more evident while we were boarding to leave when Amsephone dragged behind the group to say goodbye to someone. It was a beautiful, selkie girl with straight, blonde hair braided to her lower back. Amsephone pulled her close and the girl burrowed into Amsephone's shoulder before wrapping her pelt over her shoulders. I could hear her murmur into Amsephone's ear before they parted. "Come back to me alive, my love." With that, Amsephone gestured to cross her heart and kissed the girl deeply before running aboard, her cheeks flush as she felt all of our gazes. "Utter a bloody word and I will mount you on the wall of my quarters like a trophy."