Harpy Havoc

I hope you enjoy this scene from my WIP, tentatively entitled Zelera's Revenge. It gives you a glimpse into the types of characters that make up the world of Aigerach.

Medina loved flying. Nothing in the world felt so good. The wind caressed her, held her in its embrace, lifting her up to soar in the heavens. She had risen above the fog, and off in the distance she could see the lightening of the sky to a soft dusky blue. The sounds of gulls rose up to her through the mist, their screeching cries as they fought for whatever they found in the detritus of the sinking ships. She glanced out to the horizon once more, the sky glowing orange rimmed in gold. The sun glimmered on the horizon, peeking up its head for the dawn of a new day.

Medina dropped down into the fog, following the clamor of angry voices, frightened voices. She slid along the currents of air, to land on a ship's yard. The crow's nest appeared empty, so she lifted off to land on the lip of the barrel shaped enclosure that perched atop the mast.

"Ah, what manner of monster are you?"

Medina peered into the barrel. A small lad cowered down, arms over his head. He peeked out over his arm, squealed, then ducked his head back under.
"I'm not a monster," she clucked, "I'm a harpy." She chuckled and tossed her head, flipping her auburn hair. They boy kept his head down, his whole body shaking. Medina dropped into the nest.

"Ah," he cried. "Kill me quick. I don't want to be alive when you eat me."

"Eat you," she sneered, "you are nothing but skin and bones, why would I eat you?" She reached out a gentle hand and patted his back.

He lifted his eyes, peering at her freckled face. "You aren't going to eat me?" he breathed.

"Of course not, I never eat skinny humans, I prefer the fat ones," she leered at him.

He pushed to his feet, his hands groping for the pull cord to the alarm bell. Medina cackled, "Joke, boy. It was a joke. Apparently, it wasn't very funny." She smirked as the boy collapsed back down into the nest, the wind out of his sails.

"Wh-what are you doing here?" he asked.

"Checking to see what my enemies are up to," she said, raising an eyebrow. "And I find them running amok, plum wild out of their wits."

The boys eyes widened. "We were attacked in the middle of the night. The ships just started exploding, no one saw how it happened. It was...magic," he breathed. "Aigerach is filled with magic and monsters. None of us wanted to come here, but the King..."

"Ah yes, your King. How did Zelera manage to capture your King's heart?"

The boy looked down, "I don't know. Who's to say what makes a person fall in love. But, we're here to get her back, or die trying."

"Do you feel that strongly about her, willing to risk your life for her?"

He glared at her. "Why are you asking so many questions?"

Medina fluffed her feathers and pulled back, reading anger and distrust written across the boy's face. "I thought we were just talking."

"You're a spy. You're gathering our secrets." He jumped to his feet, yanking hard on the alarm bell cord. A sharp clanging rent the air.

Medina spread her wings, leaping to the edge of the crow's nest. She flapped her wings, blasting air into the boy's face. He covered his head under his arms. "You are an ignorant little cuss," she cried. "I had thought at first I would be able to call you friend, but I can see you cling blindly to your prejudiced notions. I hope you make it through this war my boy, you have no idea what you fight for."

She leaped into the sky just as a harpoon sliced through the air to her side. Old harpy tendencies popped to the surface, and she began a torrential stream of cursing that rained down over the ship, causing even the most veteran of sailors' cheeks to burn.

She hovered in the air, the open sea at her back, "You are all ignorant fools, fighting against magic to save one who is the greatest perversion of it!"