Stars Of Glory

Ch.1, Part 3

A storm is howling, snow already drowning a little girl; her pale face blending into the snow as she tilts it up for air. Her sister, fighting the storm next to her, can barely walk; the fireheart half hidden on her sternum slicing a path through the snow. "Aria, are we almost there? I'm hungry and cold and so, so, tired ..."

"Almost, Saf. Hang on, okay?" The emerald eyed girl gazed down at the toddler, a brief smile flitting across her face before she scanned the horizon, searching for shelter before the little girl's legs gave out.

"Aria! She's on the horizon!" A male voice rang through the cabin, startling awake a tall, tall woman with ice in her eyes and fire in her hair. She jolts out of the chair, scattering maps and plans and other navigational tools she had dozed off reviewing.

"Jeez, Finn. Holler any louder, could'ya? It wasn't like I was asleep or anything. No need to yell that loud."

"And, on the other hand, Finn Locke, SOME of us are TRYING TO SLEEP!!!" James bellowed.

"ARIA!! WHERE ARE YOU?!?!!'

"I'm up! I'm up! SHUT THE HELL UP!!" The woman brushed her hair back, stacked what was on her lap in the chair, and ran up to the deck to see the ship that would grant her every dream foundering. And not just foundering. Sinking.

"The ship is sinking." Zach noted, swinging down from the rigging. "Is it just me? 'Cause you all seem to be pretty chill that we're heading for Saurak's realm."

"Okay. We can save her crew. ALEX!!!!!!" A man ran onto the deck, pushing dark hair out of his eyes. "Alex. You're helming. Aleke? Miriam? Make sure our ship doesn't sink, by Maro. Zach & Cara, relay messages and try to keep them afloat. Finn repaired your bloodstones. All kiteboarders report to your stations. I'll be flying my jacket." Aria bellowed, Zach's power radiating her voice to the crew. As the Storm's crew rushed to their stations, the captain pulled each team aside, explaining to them exactly what they were to do. Aria pulled a heavy red overcoat on, buckling all the trappings, cinching all the straps. She grabbed the smallest kiteboard, folding down the sail and strapping it to her chest. Climbing the rigging, Aria whistled, and a strong wind pushed the kiteboards towards the Golden Eye.

She tugged on a rope, and her board soared, arcing over the sapphire ocean. The fleet of kiteboards were a flock of birds, the smaller boards weaving through larger ones, but all flying towards the sinking behemoth. Aria circled around to the aft of the brig, looking for people trapped under the toppled mast, deftly maneuvering around those arrowing down to save crew and guards.

There!

A girl with gold glinting in her hair was struggling to keep the mast up, legs and arms wobbling as the huge mast pressed her down. Aria dove, hoping against hope that she would reach the girl before her arms gave out. She ran, huge bounding leaps taking her across the deck to the struggling girl, sea-hardened arms supporting the mast.

"Thank you." The girl's voice was cultured and elegant, and with a start Aria realized the girl was no mere girl, but the princess she was to bargain with.

"Princess. I'd bow, but I'm a little held up at the moment." Aria grinned.

"And you are?" The princess enquired, a perfectly arched eyebrow lifting. Smiling, the Pirate Queen nodded her head, instead asking the princess to make sure no one was under the mast so they could be off, as the ship was sinking.

As soon as the Princess could ascertain that no one was under the mast, Aria dropped it and grabbed the Princess in one smooth motion, buckling her tightly to her chest as she began to run, frantically signaling Zach to summon a wind to push her into the air.

"Whhhat are you doing to me?!"
The Princess sputtered, clawing at the straps in a vain attempt to break free.
The Queen paid her no mind, focusing on flying herself and the girl to the majestic Stormbreaker, where she would chart an emergency course to Lothrs, one of her fleet's known outposts.
"I'll report you to your leader for manhandling me!!"
"We shall see, little Princess. We shall see what the Queen says."
In a quarter of an hour, the Princess and the Queen soared above the Stormbreaker, where Aria dropped the Princess, trusting Zach and Cara to see her safely to the ship. When the Princess touched down, a lean man with golden hair wrapped get in an embrace, squeezing her before seeming to remember himself, at which time he stepped back, assuming his position as guard and advisor to a member of House Mare.

A man with dark hair and easy eyes smiled at them, as if saying sorry about that. He turned, shouting at the Queen, telling which kiteboarders had not returned and where they had planned on saving people. The golden haired man, understanding why the man was yelling, started shouting out descriptions of those who were on board the Golden Eye and had not yet returned. Nodding, the red-haired woman turned back to the ship, winking at the princess as a mysterious wind pushed her to the half-submerged barge.

The Pirate Queen circled the Golden Eye, looking for missing crewmates and struggling Noterians. Taking a breath, she let out a piercing falcon's call, tying a strong rope around her waist. Just as she was about to jump, her missing crewmembers surfaced, Natasha and James carrying three Notrians in total.
"We got this, Captain. I don't think we could drown if we tried!" James called, smiling.
"James! There's a shark behind you!"
"Very funny, Natasha."
Aria grinned, silently laughing at her crewmates. Suddenly, Natasha's eyes glowed white, and the tattoos lining her skin slowly turned white, the ethereal glow a sharp contrast to her cinnamon skin.
"Oh, shit. Pasha is doing her thing again."