Kipp

Part 1. Indigo

The salty air of the ports fills her nose as she walks down the wooden ramp, which swayed dangerously beneath her.

"Kaia, Kaia!" she calls, and immediately a taller woman with red hair comes bounding over, short of breath.

"Yes, Indigo," she pants, "How may I help you?"

Indigo smiled. Some would say her smile drowned the moon on even the clearest nights and her laughter was like a song. "Kaia, I need you to help me tie up a loose end." her dark eyes flitted over to where two men were arguing. "Miles has been begging me for weeks to take him sailing and I don't think I want to deny him any longer- Oh please don't scold me like that. I know." The muscular woman had folded her arms and arched one of her eyebrows disapprovingly towards the lighter-haired man who was now pulling crates of food onto the decking.

He paused to stare at Indigo for a brief moment, before turning back to his task. A small smile appeared on her face and Indigo quickly hurried on.

"In light of, erm, recent events I just need a boat for two hours at most. Please, Kaia," she asked, and the balanced woman seemed to ponder it.

When she hadn't said anything after a few minutes, and just stared at Miles, Indigo asked again.

"Look, Indi. I'm not trying to break your heart, hon. I was specifically asked to keep watch of you until your father returns, and I am not getting you and myself in any more trouble."

Indi thought back to last week when she had convinced Kaia to let her on one of the massive trade ships. She had snuck on, and unfortunately, it had pulled away from port before she got off.

It was not her proudest moment, far from it but if her father were here? He'd scold her lightly and then proceed to laugh about it with her mother. She had to be honest with herself here, was she really happy? Hell no. Was it better than working an actual job? Yes.

At seventeen, there was little else for a girl to do in her town. She could be a teacher or go work in the fields. But she had no interest in it. "Too chaotic with children, and too one track for the other option." she'd said to Kaia one day.

When Indigo began to protest, Kaia simply held up her hand and gave her a pointed look.

Kaia, Indi knew, used to ride with the best fighters that her kingdom had. Now, the 32-year-old was set on another mission. Taking care of a 17-year-old girl who had little patience. Some days, Indi felt blessed for having Kaia at her side and others she felt cursed. She had settled on thinking Kaia's "warriorness" hadn't really faded. It could be seen in the way she walked, her back straight and on her arms and legs, the telltale scars a whisper of battles previously unknown to the young girl. Kaia also liked to keep her active. Very active. Some days it was running the trails, others it was doing repetitions until Indigo thought her heart would give out on her.