In Service Of The Queen Ch 13

In Service of the Queen

by Davina Lee

An alternative future of women and their adventures

*

Author's Note

At the conclusion of the last chapter, the door of the youth hostel had been bashed in and the gals had been rounded up by Self Defense Forces and Safety Officers. After the charges against them were read, they were taken away in two separate groups. The Empyrean Citizens went with the Safety Officers, while the international visitors were corralled by the Self Defense Force.

At the end of it all, Friend Cosette issued a warning: "In the face of oppression, resistance is a duty."

This chapter picks up three weeks later.

* * *

Part II -- Resistance

* * *

Chapter 13: Adjustment Period

Adelaide and Vivienne's apartment

On the sofa, Adelaide rolled over and pulled the blanket up over her head, holding the corners tight in the fist of her right hand, and pulling that hand under her chin. After breathing humid air for a few minutes, Adelaide flopped over and pulled the blanket partway away from her face, leaving just enough space for her mouth and nose while still hiding her eyes.

Adelaide sniffed at the air.

"Sorry," said Vivienne, from the kitchen. "Am I making too much noise?"

"Mm? No," mumbled Adelaide. "Too much coffee."

"Huh?"

"It's the smell, Viv. It's the smell of coffee that woke me up."

"Sorry."

"Nope." Adelaide, sat up with the blanket wrapped around her shoulders, holding it fast with her right hand while running the fingers of her left through her hair to push it out of her face. "It's my own fault for crashing on the couch. I've got a bed. I should be in it."

"Still getting used to your new schedule, huh?" asked Vivienne, as she poured herself a cup.

Adelaide nodded as she stood up, still holding the corners of the blanket under her chin to keep it closed around her shoulders. She shuffled toward the hall and stopped just outside the doorway to the kitchen.

Adelaide sniffed the air. "Smells good though."

"I'd offer you some, but..."

"I know," said Adelaide. "I need to sleep."

"I'm sorry you have to work nights, hon," said Vivienne. "I'll try to be more considerate."

Adelaide shuffled into the kitchen and stood before Vivienne with her cup of coffee. Adelaide leaned forward, with her head over Vivienne's mug, and inhaled deeply. "My problem to deal with, Viv, not yours. Thanks for the aroma, by the way."

Adelaide swooped in to kiss Vivienne on the cheek and turned around to head toward her bedroom.

"Stop by the café later if you're up for it," said Vivienne. "I've been trying to get them to put cream puffs on the menu for weeks and they finally agreed. I think it would be good to have least one customer order one."

"Sure thing, Viv." Adelaide shuffled through her bedroom door.

"But if you need to sleep, I totally understand."

Adelaide raised her right hand and wiggled her fingers in a halfhearted attempt of a wave, right before flopping face first onto her mattress.

"G'night, Addie."

Adelaide's only response was snoring.

* * *

Nine hours later

Adelaide rolled onto her back and grumbled as she stretched. She opened her eyes briefly, blinked twice, and then squeezed them shut. When the sound of the front door clicking closed reached her, she opened them again. And after the sound of something slapping against the table, she sat bolt upright. "Viv!" said Adelaide.

"Addie?" came the answer from beyond her bedroom door.

Adelaide turned to swing her feet off the edge of the mattress and lifted her hand to rub the back of her neck. "Viv, what time is it?"

"Sixteen-thirty." Vivienne poked her head around the door frame after she said it.

"Sixteen... crap." Adelaide ran her hand through her hair. "I'm sorry. I slept right through lunch. I meant to come down and order one of your cream puffs and I--"

"It's okay, Addie." said Vivienne, stepping into full view.

Adelaide hoisted herself to her feet and shuffled over to the doorway. She leaned forward and rested her chin against Vivienne's shoulder. "I'm sorry," she mumbled into Vivienne's arm. "I was going to--"

"Shh," said Vivienne, wrapping one arm around Adelaide to rub her back. "It's okay."

"I hope they'll let you make them again."

"Addie." Vivienne took a step back, as a wide smile crossed her face. "They were gone in an hour. People gobbled them up."

"Gone...?" Adelaide looked up. "They did? All of them?"

"In an hour, Addie." Vivienne bounced on her toes. "After the first order came out, people started asking about them. Tomorrow they want me to make a triple batch."

"That's great," said Adelaide. "Hey, it's what you wanted, right?"

Vivienne looked down at her feet. "I'm sorry, Addie."

"What? Why? It's kind of your dream job, isn't it? Pastry chef?"

"I know, but--"

"I know what you're thinking, but don't worry about me, Viv. Listen, the best part about working third shift is I can be on the same messed up sleep schedule as Tiara when she gets back..." Adelaide paused and swallowed hard. "If... If she gets back."

"Addie, don't talk like that."

"Three weeks since they were deported. I haven't heard a word. I need to consider the possibility," said Adelaide, blinking back a tear welling in her right eye.

"Oh, Addie, come here." Vivienne reached out with her arms wide and pulled Adelaide to her. Vivienne moved her mouth to Adelaide's ear and whispered, "I saved you a cream puff."

"You're the best, Viv," whispered Adelaide in return. "Have I ever told you that? Because you are."

"Come on, Addie." Vivienne took Adelaide's fingers in her hand and tugged. "It's in the kitchen."

* * *

At the kitchen table

"This isn't you worried about my low blood sugar is it?" asked Adelaide as she picked up the cream puff in her hand. She lifted it high, turning it to examine the pastry from all angles.

"Addie, please," said Vivienne.

Adelaide brought the cream puff to within a centimeter of her face. Holding it under her nose, she inhaled deeply and smiled. Adelaide poked her tongue out and flicked it over a bit of the creamy yellow filling that was leaking out.

"Mmm," said Adelaide. "Custard?"

Vivienne grinned as she nodded. "I remembered it was your favorite. That's why I saved you this one."

"Oh, Viv." Adelaide slurped all around the perimeter of the cream puff, lapping up any custard that had leaked out.

Vivienne chuckled. "You gonna eat it or just make love to it?"

"Maybe both," said Adelaide, as she opened her mouth for a nibble.

"Mmm," said Adelaide, while chewing. "Oh, so good. Are you sure a triple batch is going to be enough?"

Vivienne beamed as she reached out to squeeze Adelaide's free hand. "I'll make some coffee," said Vivienne, pushing back her chair. "They're really good with coffee."

"Okay," mumbled Adelaide, her mouth full with another bite. "Coffee sounds good. Thanks."

As Vivienne headed for the counter, Adelaide licked her fingers and turned her attention to the pile of envelopes sitting face down in the center of the table.

"Somebody likes us," mused Adelaide. "That's a lot of letters."

"Addie, don't--"

Adelaide picked up the top envelope from the pile turned it over in her hand. Her face fell as she read the words,

Return to Sender

, stamped in red, just over the addressee of

Cosette Cadieux, 16 Rue Sainte-Croix de la Bretonnerie, Paris.

"Viv," was all Adelaide managed before stopping with her mouth hanging open.

Adelaide picked up another envelope and flipped it to again read,

Return to Sender

. This time it was stamped over the addressee of

Tiara Älskad, Stortorget 7, Malmö

.

Adelaide slumped forward with her arms crossed over the table in front of her. She buried her head in the crook of her elbow. In her right hand, she let the unopened letters fall from her fingers.

"Oh Addie, I'm sorry," said Vivienne, standing behind Adelaide now, and rubbing her hand over Adelaide's back. "I meant to separate those out."

"Why?" said Adelaide, into her arm. "Why? You got one too."

"Not just one," said Vivienne. "They all came back."

Adelaide peered up. "All of them?"

Vivienne nodded. "Yesterday, too. I didn't want to tell you. You've been so down lately. And your sleep schedule is all messed up."

"I'm a big girl, Viv."

"I know. I know, and I'm sorry."

Adelaide turned around in her chair, looking up to let her gaze meet Vivienne's red-rimmed eyes. Adelaide stared for a moment before reaching out with both hands to hug Vivienne around her waist. Adelaide leaned her head against Vivienne's hip.

"You were just looking out for me," said Adelaide. "I appreciate that."

"Oh, Addie." Vivienne leaned forward and ran the flat of her hand over Adelaide's back.

"Viv. Sometimes I don't know what to do. It feels like waking up from a dream, you know? For a few minutes after, everything's still fresh. All the images, the sounds, and feeling of everything. It's like she's still here, sleeping beside me. And then, the more I wake up, the more it fades from my memory. Until it all disappears. She's gone. And I'm still here."

"Addie." Vivienne pushed the unopened letters aside. She pulled out a chair and sat face to face with Adelaide, taking Adelaide's hands in her own. "Come to the café with me."

"You gonna stuff me with cream puffs until I forget about all this? Forget the youth hostel is boarded up? Forget Tiara and Cosette and all the others got deported."

"The cream puffs are all gone, Addie. Pay attention."

Adelaide smirked and then shook her head, staring at her feet.

"You can't just mope around the apartment," said Vivienne. "It's not healthy."

"I won't. I've got to be at work at twenty-two thirty. That'll keep me busy."

Vivienne leaned forward to kiss Adelaide on the forehead. "No offense, babe, but you're scrubbing floors. I can't imagine that requires much in the way of concentration."

"You'd be surprised, Viv. That spinning disc machine can really get away from you if you're not paying attention. You've got to keep the handle tilted just right or you go sailing. Believe me--"

"Addie." Vivienne rubbed her hand over Adelaide's shoulder.

Adelaide straightened up and then leaned back in her chair. "I appreciate it, Viv. I do. I know you miss Cosette. This can't be easy for you either."

"Come to the café. Maybe some of Tiara's bandmates will be there. Danielle, Taylor, Camina? I'm sure they miss her too."

Adelaide blew out a long sigh. "With my luck it'll be that cringy woman, Captain Whatsername. She'll be there, and she'll see me without Tiara and think it's her big chance." Adelaide shook her head. "No thanks."

Vivienne leaned forward with her arms open. She wrapped Adelaide in a hug and whispered in her ear. "If you need anything, I'm here for you."

"Thanks, Viv. I know I'm kind of a mess right now, but I've got your back, too. I want you to know that. I've always got your back."

"I know, Addie. I know."

* * *

Seven-thirty the next morning

Adelaide leaned her head on the door frame for a few seconds before reaching out to twist the handle and shuffle into the apartment. "Viv?" she said, sniffing the air. "Coffee smells good."

Adelaide turned and closed the door. "Viv?"

Looking around, Adelaide settled her gaze on the kitchen table. She picked up the handwritten note in the center.

Going in early. Triple batch today. Stop by if you can. I'll try to save you a custard one.

"Oh, Viv," mumbled Adelaide, "I admire you. You've got your work."

Adelaide let the note slip from her hand and back to the table. She shuffled off to her room, dropping bits of her clothing on her way to the bed, where she flopped down face first.

Adelaide reached for the blanket and pulled it over herself.

Five minutes later, Adelaide flopped onto her side and stuck one bare leg out from under the blanket.

A minute after that, Adelaide peeled the blanket away from her shoulders and draped one arm over her pillow.

Adelaide rolled onto her other side. She cast the blankets aside.

"Ugh," mumbled Adelaide, turning to lie on her back, staring at the ceiling, with her arms and legs stretched out with feet and hands pointing to the four corners of her bed.

Finally, Adelaide rolled onto her side, brought her legs up, and moved to let her feet dangle off the edge. She sat up and held her head in her hands.

"Pfft," Adelaide blew from her lips, as she stood. She looked on the floor at the various pieces of clothing strewn between the door and her bed and began picking them up. She got herself dressed, threw on a sweater, and headed to the front door to find her shoes.

* * *

Empyrea City Trolley Stop #31

Adelaide stood at the trolley stop, looking at the Out of Service notice. Shaking her head, she turned and set off down the sidewalk on foot. A few blocks away, at the sandbagged checkpoint, three women in black and gray camouflaged uniforms were standing guard. A block before reaching the checkpoint, Adelaide turned into an alleyway.

Adelaide walked until she came to a pile of shipping pallets stacked against the rear of a building. Nestled in among one of the pallets was a pry bar that Adelaide used to pull up a metal grating. Glancing quickly over her shoulder, Adelaide sat at the edge of the hole opened up by the hinged grating and pushed her feet out toward the rungs of the ladder embedded in the concrete.

In the distance, the roar of a dirigible's propellers was getting louder.

* * *

Underground in the old wartime shelter

"Friend Adelaide," said Beatrice, raising her open hand to her face and moving it away in a downward arc.

"It is a serious pain in the ass getting to your place these days," said Adelaide, as she returned the gesture.

Beatrice shrugged and returned her attention to the counter where she was slicing carrots. Beatrice set the knife down, gathered up the carrot sticks, and held one out to Adelaide.

Adelaide touched the fingertips of her right hand to her chin, pulling it down in an arc, before accepting the carrot stick. She stuck it between her teeth.

"What are you up to?" asked Beatrice.

"The usual," said Adelaide. "Scrubbing floors, missing Tiara, and wondering what the hell is going on."

Beatrice nodded. She gathered up the remaining slices of carrot and deposited them on a plate. "Come on," said Beatrice, picking up the plate and walking over toward the sofa, one of only two pieces of furniture.

"It's a bit messy," said Beatrice, as she set the plate of carrots down on the only corner of the coffee table that wasn't covered by a pair of covered cardboard boxes. Beatrice sat down and patted the cushion next to her.

"Moving day, is it?" said Adelaide, eyeing the boxes.

"Books," said Beatrice. Leaning forward to snag two more carrot sticks from the plate, she handed one to Adelaide.

"That's a lot of reading."

"Not for me," said Beatrice. "I'm holding them for the librarian."

Adelaide chomped at the end of her carrot. "That seems kind of backward. Shouldn't the librarian be holding onto the books? At the library?"

"For safe keeping," said Beatrice. "She says when things like this happen, they often come for the books first. These are some of the hardest titles to replace, so I'm keeping them safe down here."

"Things like this?" said Adelaide, straightening up. "Like the checkpoints. And me sneaking into an alley and prying up a sewer grate to come visit you."

Beatrice nodded.

"This is bad, isn't it?" Adelaide shivered and rubbed at her arms.

Again, Beatrice nodded. "Would you like a blanket, friend? It gets cold down here."

Adelaide shook her head.

Beatrice reached for another carrot stick and stuck her finger in the air while hopping up onto her feet. Adelaide watched as Beatrice returned to the countertop that served as her kitchen and reached below it.

Beatrice came back carrying a metal cylinder that looked like a lantern, but had no glass shade. She set it on the floor between the sofa and the coffee table, nearest where Adelaide sat. Leaning across Adelaide, Beatrice twisted the single knob on the cylinder in a clockwise direction.

"What is that?" asked Adelaide.

"Just wait," said Beatrice.

"Oh," said Adelaide, leaning toward the cylinder and rubbing her hands together. "Oh, it's warm."

Beatrice nodded. "A gift from Friend Eniola."

"A heater?" said Adelaide. "But there's no flame. How does it work?"

Beatrice shrugged. "Catalytic something or other. Eniola explained how it works. I still don't understand it."

"No flame," said Adelaide, tilting her head to stare at the cylinder side-on.

Beatrice reached for another carrot and slouched back into the couch cushion.

"Your girls' cave is pretty swanky, friend," said Adelaide.

Beatrice grinned.

Adelaide reached for another carrot stick and settled back into the cushions. "You want to go to the café?" asked Adelaide. "Vivienne's been making cream puffs. The custard ones are to die for."

Beatrice shrugged. "Did you want to go?"

Adelaide held her half-finished carrot stick in her hand and held her lip in her teeth for a moment. Finally, she shrugged. "Nah. Not really. I mean, I love Viv and I'm glad she's doing something that makes her happy and all. I'm just not ready to see a lot of people."

Beatrice shrugged and leaned forward for another carrot. When she settled back into the cushion, Adelaide turned to face her. "Thanks for listening to me," said Adelaide.

Beatrice pointed to her ears and chuckled.

"You know what I mean."

Beatrice nodded, stuffing the carrot stick between her teeth, and reached out to tousle Adelaide's hair. Adelaide let herself slip sideways to lean up against Beatrice's shoulder.

"You miss your bass player," said Beatrice.

Adelaide nodded. She reached up and wiped under her eye with the back of her hand. Beatrice reached out to rub her hand over Adelaide's arm.

* * *

One hour later

Adelaide rubbed her eyes and opened them to stare at the two boxes of books in front of her. She stretched out her legs until her feet bumped up against the arm of the sofa. Adelaide lifted her head, pulling her cheek away from the cushion and turned her gaze toward the ceiling. Above her, Beatrice was looking down with a blanket in her hands.

"Did I...?" asked Adelaide.

"It's okay," said Beatrice, opening the blanket lengthwise and laying it over Adelaide.

Adelaide shifted and pulled her feet up, letting them dangle toward the floor. Above her, Beatrice shook her head. "You're tired," said Beatrice. "Rest."

"But it's your couch."

"Do you mind having company?"

Adelaide shook her head. As Beatrice walked around behind the sofa, Adelaide scooted forward and pulled her feet back up to straighten her legs. Beatrice hopped up over the back and settled in behind Adelaide with a hand on her shoulder.

"This okay?" asked Beatrice.

Adelaide nodded. She turned to face Beatrice. "I have to work at twenty-two thirty," said Adelaide.

"I won't let you oversleep."

While still facing Beatrice, Adelaide touched the fingertips of her right hand to her chin and pulled her hand away in an arc.

"Just rest, friend," said Beatrice.

* * *

Afterword

The Empyrea gals are having a tough time. Tiara, Cosette, and the others visitors living in the youth hostel have been deported. The letters sent to them by Adelaide and Vivienne aren't getting through. And though some things appear to have returned to normal, like Vivienne's job at the café, the streets are still crawling with Self Defense Forces.