Elemental Thief Part I : Child of Calamity

Racers

Valencia leaned against the railing of the Calamity easily, watching as the four racing ships sailed easily up to the starting line.

It was the last day of the races, and the two winners of this race would proceed to the final race with the two who had just won earlier. Larger ships were moored along the outer ring of the course, packed with people, as were the cliffs overlooking the stretch of water in the bay that lead out to the sea.

Private ships were probably making a great deal of money, charging admission to bring people out closer to the races, though the Queen's Navy, the warships that were here at the capital, had all been opened up to the commoners, whether it be people who had arrived for the coronation, or those who had lived in the capital most of their lives.

Orphans, hard workers, and even the women that Darya had pulled out of a different sort of bondage, they all had front row seats to the races, meals paid for.

The Rulin and Vayan dignitaries were mainly situated on the Sea Sprite, which sat with the Calamity and Tisaso's Serenity in the centre of the racecourse, though most of their winged acquaintances were in the air at the moment, soaring easily above the tallest masts.

Val glanced up, grinning in amusement as she tried to pick out Lianza.

The man had encouraged his adopted daughter, even seemed relaxed after watching her practice with Darya's little racer. And then the first race had occurred, and nearly sent him reeling from panic.

The early races had contained ten ships each, and in Darya's bracket, four had sunk and Darya's little ship had come dangerously close to capsizing as they cut a corner around one beleaguered ship, the obstacle that would keep them on course, and the ship they had tried to catch. It had been an exciting race, drawing people who had previously had no interest in it to come watch the events and making the Sunbeam the ship to beat in this tournament.

But it had shocked the battle hardened general, and a lot of the other winged spectators, as they realized just how quick the little ships were and how much their captains pushed them past their limits.

She was sure she had heard Lianza mutter something about chaining anyone to the ground if they tried flying in the manner Darya sailed, and the Rulin Guard had taken to pacing the ships afterwards, though Val suspected the soldiers flying at speed with the sailors were having more fun than they would let their General know, seeing the grins and the acrobatics they managed in the air.

"You think we should have explained to them that usually about this time in the races, new tactics emerge?" Lord Cansal moved up to lean on the railing beside her, glancing up at the sky, before grinning to her, his voice low, though neither one of them knew if it was low enough to avoid detection by the Rulin.

"I pity the Captain who decides to try to ram the Sunbeam." Val made a face though, glancing towards the ships, able to pick out her sister's ship easily from the beautiful images of the sun painted on the sails, though she couldn't pick out the people moving on board.

Cansal laughed, nodding and giving her a grin, watching her gaze before he glanced down the ship, to where the Queen and some of the Peers, all trusted allies of Valencia and Tisaso, watched from the forecastle. "I thought Darya was haphazard when fighting on land, but it has nothing on how she sails."

"I was thinking about the veritable army of protective Rulin flying above them." Val grinned, though, nodding. "She's brilliant at nearly whatever she does, absolutely insane, but brilliant. She's chased down more smugglers and pirates for Morningside and Watersbreak than we really knew what to do with, and managed to bring trade into our ports not seen in other parts of Clairval. All in the small amount of time since she bought that ship."