The sunrise peeks over distant hills, speckling the morning clouds with an array of oranges and yellows. Rays of light drift across a landscape deadened by autumn frosts and pass through the glass walls of the solarium onto its white tile floor and floral-printed couches. Miss Helena and Miss Lynn sit at a circular table, sipping espresso and silently enjoying the view, while I kneel underneath and happily accept whatever kind touches or bites of pastry they offer. I can't help but purr and preen at the attention. Yet despite the peaceful atmosphere, even I recognize the sense of finality surrounding our breakfast--this is the calm before the storm, the last moment of quiet companionship before soldiers come knocking at the gates. The signs haven't been particularly subtle: the increase in guards around the palace, the cessation of parties and banquets, and the hurried whispers of the few remaining courtiers all tell the story of danger worming its way toward our corner of the world. Something about a revolt in the south with knights or sorcerers or mercenaries--the details inevitably make my eyes glaze over.
What most clearly indicated a change in our circumstances was the activation of the
automata
. Two days ago, rows upon rows of the machines marched out of the depths of the palace adorned in gleaming armor marked with the royal crest. Since then, they've patrolled the halls and ramparts non-stop in accord with their sorcerous programming, making countless guards and servants remarkably uneasy with their eerie presence. I like them. They carry me around when I ask, and I feel a certain kinship with them as a fellow piece of royal property. I even whisper kind words in their ears sometimes or get on my tiptoes to tuck flowers behind their ears in the hope that a distant part of them appreciates the gestures.
"Good day for a ride," Miss Lynn idly runs a finger along the rim of her coffee cup.
"Indeed," Miss Helena slips an arm over Miss Lynn's broad shoulders, scooting Her chair a little closer to Her consort. "Plenty of sun, not too cold. And roads to the northeast are clear. You should arrive at the monastery before sundown."
"And the driver?"
"Only my very best for you, my dear. You'll also have an escort of two
automata
, just in case."
"I still don't like this," Miss Lynn blurts out. "Leaving your side when you need me most, it just feels...wrong."
"What I need," Her Majesty begins, Her hand stroking the back of Miss Lynn's neck. "Is to know that those I care for most are safe. That's what will give me the strength I need for the coming days."
"But Vera's staying!" Miss Lynn's objection is more a whine than it is an accusation, her voice soft as she leans back into Miss Helena's affectionate touch. I'm struck by sympathy--I know how it feels to be deprived of my Queen's presence, and I don't envy the experience.
Miss Helena sighs. "An unfortunate necessity, I'm afraid. Vera's become a sort of
symbol
for these malcontents, and I imagine they'll demand to see her." She reaches down with Her free hand and rests it on top of my head. Through Her touch, the three of us are briefly connected. "Besides, she's easy to look after. And before you know it, we'll be together again. All of us."
"Promise?"
"Promise." They share a slow kiss, both women exhaling softly as their lips meet. "The carriage is out front whenever you're ready. I only ask that you avoid delaying too long, lest the situation outside change."
Miss Lynn pulls Her Majesty back in for another kiss, not fully satisfied by the first.
"I love you, Helena."
"I love you too, Lynn."
Misses Helena and Lynn get up and share a few more goodbyes and loving sentiments in the corner of the room, arms wrapped around each other and mouths whispering into each other's ears. After a time the priestess looks down at me, uncertain. "Um. Bye, Vera."
"Goodbye, Miss Lynn! Safe travels!" I give her a reassuring smile, one that completely fails to work.
"...right." Even after a week of frequent play together, the Royal Consort hasn't particularly warmed to me--my presence seems to make her uneasy somehow. I get the feeling I was pitched to her as an occasional toy rather than as the full-time companion I've become.
Miss Lynn departs in the wake of one last kiss, and then I'm alone with my Queen once more. The sadness in Her eyes blends seamlessly into resolve as She watches Her lover go. "Well, Vera," She eventually muses, breaking away from Her thoughts and strolling back to the table to finish Her coffee. "Our week of debauchery is over, I'm afraid."
"Yes, Miss Helena." But what a week it was--hours and hours of learning through trial and error how to please Miss Helena: when to tease or flaunt the rules, how Her punishments would inevitably break me, and how best to prove my submission. Days of back talk and bruised thighs, of obeying orders with and without hesitation, and of treasuring the quiet moments when we sat together and She stroked my hair. Days filled with Her love and attention. I couldn't have asked for anything more.
"Have you traveled much, Vera?" Her Majesty's cup clinks against the saucer as She puts it down, a delicate and clear note that dissipates almost instantly.
"No, Miss Helena. I never had the chance." Mother didn't like me traveling much, especially once Alice began straying further and further away from home. Whenever I pitched the idea, she'd go into one of her monologues about both of her daughters abandoning her until I finally relented.
Miss Helena nods thoughtfully. Her gaze finds its way back to the rising sun, which has now managed to pull itself on top of the rolling eastern hills. "Anywhere you'd like to go in particular?"
As I kneel quietly and ponder the question, I realize with some surprise that I've never considered it before. Even the plans Mother had disrupted were always just a matter of obligation; where I'd 'liked' to go was never a factor. I suppose Niol has always been the center of my world.
Had
always been the center of my world, rather--Miss Helena of course now occupies that position. "I...don't really know, Your Highness."
"Think about it, then. Once I'm done here, I'd like to explore the world again." My Queen rolls her shoulders back and indulges in a long stretch. Cracks and pops echo from her back, the sounds like those of pebbles hitting carriage wheels.
"That sounds wonderful, Miss Helena." I can almost picture Her in a shirt, trousers, and a traveler's cloak, holding my hand and walking me across exotic landscapes. The reverent tone She uses to tell anecdotes or describe Her travels is evidence enough that seeing the world brings Her true joy, and I'd be beyond lucky to watch Her experience it. "Whatever makes you happy!"
She pauses mid-stretch and turns to me, a wide grin on Her face. "You've proven to be a remarkably successful experiment, Vera, do you know that?" Miss Helena flicks her index finger upward and I stand. "To place someone else's needs and desires above your own...the broken woman I began with three months ago certainly couldn't have done that." She caresses my chin lightly, turning my head as if inspecting livestock.
"So much I've been able to fix in such a short time: your arrogance, your trust issues, your fear of intimacy. And who
knows
what I'll be able to accomplish with you in the next few decades, what lessons I'll learn from sculpting and refining you. You're a very good girl, Vera.
My
