Frozen Beyond [gxg]

Crew

Keahi looked out over the island in the distance. Seagulls laughed overhead, roosting in the nest of the sails pillars. She once enjoyed the sound, but now every muscle strained, on edge. She leaned against the railing, rubbing a hand over her chin while she watched the water lap against the sides of the ship.

They had been sailing for a few days. The island that loomed in the distance was familiar yet so foreign. She hadn't been here in years. The island she once called home, but all that was left there were horrible memories and a dying hope that anything could ever be right.

It was a funny thing. She'd been all over the world, traveling port to port and kingdom to kingdom. She always said nothing could hold her down or hold her back. But now, none of that mattered. This creaky old ship was just a pile of logs and these scratchy pirates clothes annoying.

She loved the sea and it's beauty.

But she loved a certain platinum blonde and the forest she encompassed more.

Keahi had to figure out what Crow was up to and how to stop it. And maybe, in the process, figure out if she could save her brother. If that were even possible.

Guilt still gnawed at her over the nightmares she kept having. She was always having to choose, over and over. Crow or Elsa. The guilt ate at her because she would always choose Elsa over Crow. Elsa was the very breath she took, the hope to her despair. They were both broken, but they both were mending each other in very different ways. Was it wrong? That she would choose Elsa over her brother? Even though he had gone down the insanity rabbithole? She didn't know the answer, only what she would do. And it would always be Elsa.

But what if she could get his empathy back? She wasn't saying she'd forgive him, hell, she didn't forgive herself for the life she'd led until she met Elsa. But if she could give him a chance at redemption, didn't she owe him that much?

She glanced up towards the island. That was where it all started, maybe she could find the breadcrumbs back.

"Wow ol' doom and gloom," a sultry voice whisked behind her. Smooth hands came to her shoulder and Keahi leapt up and slinked out from their touch.

The woman in question just scowled. Fire red hair sat in bouncy coils to her shoulder, though it was currently up swept into a wild up due. Her skin was sun kissed, though naturally on the pale side and large globs of freckles splattered over her face.

Scantily dressed, she had something reminiscent of a tube top on and a free flowing skirt that was higher on the right hip while dipping longer diagonally to the left.

Stormy grey eyes landed on her and Keahi looked away.

"Why are you so jumpy when I touch you?" She asked, annoyance in her voice as she crossed her arms.

Keahi laughed lightly, brushing it off and shrugging. "Sorry, Saphire." Keahi edged, rubbing the back of her neck. Saphire had always been handsy, but she certainly couldn't have that now and was sure to stay a few feet away out of the redheads touch.

"It's because she's all domesticated now." A new voice came from above. The man in question leapt from the banister overhead and grabbed hold of a rope and swung down. His heavy boots connected with the planks as he walked over to them.

With no shirt on, the man was tall, easily towering over six feet and his chest broad and well muscled. His skin was dark, a night canvas with lighter brown scarification art adorning his pec muscles and down his left arm. The light comparison to his skin made them noticeably stand out.

His hair was shaved along the sides, a ponytail gathered the remaining hair from the center, was long and sweeping across his back.

He scowled, amber eyes trailing over Keahi before prowling around her with a scoff.

He touched one of her braids that Elsa had done the night before Crow decided to sweep her back. Two tight, thin braids ran across her temples to the back of her head to keep it from sweeping her face. Two other smaller, laced braids dangled freely in her hair. They were adorned with blue and red silk threads interwoven into the braid. The rest of her hair was now long enough to sweep back into a ponytail.

He flicked one of the braids. "Look at her, high class now. Is that silk?"

Keahi scowled and smacked his hand away. "Cut it out, Jarrah."

"Is this that uh, what did Crow call her?" Jarrah hit Saphires arm playfully, crossing his arms.

Saphire rolled her eyes, looking at her nails at the mention. "...The Siren, the girl Keahi left us all for."

"I didn't exactly see you guys around," Keahi shot back hotly, narrowing her eyes. "By time everything came to pass, everyone cleared out. Where were you two, anyway?"

Jarrah moaned and hunched over dramatically. "Crow wouldn't let us come into town, we had to stay on supply duty."

"Yeah, then we got word Crow, and you, were dead so we scooted." Saphire hitched a thumb behind her and rolled her eyes. "Then Crow magically came and rounded us all back. Said we were gonna pay you and your little girlfriend a visit."

"Yeah, so what's this Siren like, anyway? Better than the cat-eyed girl in Barlotta?" Jarrah asked, eager for details.

"Yes." Keahi said plainly, slapping her forehead and scrubbing a hand down her face as she crossed the deck, trying to weasel out of the conversation. "Her names Elsa, and you'll know her when you see her because she looks like a damn goddess on earth."

Jarrah whistled behind her, impressed. "So when do we get to meet this elusive siren?"

"Hopefully never." Keahi shot back with a scowl. She turned to walk backwards just in time to see Jarrah tap his chest.

"Ouch, Ki, that hurts."

Keahi held her arms to the side and shrugged. "Sorry, can't have you scare away my future wife."

"Wow, our stray cat has truly been domesticated." Jarrah laughed.

"Great." Keahi heard Saphire mutter. Keahi rolled her eyes and continued towards the captain's room.

Jarrah and Saphire had been friends of hers ever since Crow and her set sail when they were young. They were really the only ones she associated with. All the others were Middle-Aged men or younger men of questionable background.

She didn't want to admit that she missed them, but she did. So much.

Once she got to the captains corridors she straightened, clearing her throat and rapping on the door and going in before Crow issued a "come in".

"Heyyyyy, Crow," she called. The room was fairly empty save for a bed and a table. A lantern was hung over the table to illuminate the maps under it as it rocked back and forth with the waves.

Crow was by the large window with panels of wood lattice working across it. He was muttering to himself and Keahi edged carefully. "Crow?"

He twitched and looked back at her; she jumped at the analytical motion and swallowed past a lump in her throat.

He looked unhinged. He was dangerous.

She realized she was scared of him and she truly wished she wasn't. "Hey, do we have a plan, or are we just traveling all over the world for no reason?" She joked, trying to fish for information.

He grunted, waving her away. "We're docking here for a few days before going past the Southern Isles."

"What's past the Southern Isles?" She asked, trying to sound absent and aloof.

"The land of fire, known as Muspelheim. Now go help get us into port." He growled out.

Keahi left and closed the door behind her, resting her back against it and frowning.

She had to figure this out. And fast.