Bolt Action Serenade

ARC 2 - Not All Who Wander

By the time the train sett off and we were leaving Parandra, the sun had long since set and the view out of the window was dark. I couldn’t even see stars between moderate cloud cover and the light pollution from the city. I sighed and sat back in my seat before turning to look at the room I was in. This was not the same level of luxury as the train I’d been on before. A pair of benches on either side of the simple cabin that looked like the backs folded down into cots, a simple sliding door with frosted glass being the best privacy we could expect. At least the benches were soft.

Jaina sat across from me, leg bouncing nervously as she stared at nothing out the window. I felt shitty, I wanted to give her the choice of coming along or not but Helanna said that if people were going to be targeted for associating with me, Jaina would be at the very top of that list. Leaving her behind would be too dangerous. So she didn’t even had the option of staying, the General just demanded it happen. I knew she was right about how risky it would be for her to stay, but it still felt wrong to force it on her like that.

“Hey.” I called out to her, waiting for her to look at me before I continued. “I’m really sorry about this. I never wanted to put you in danger or force you out of your home.”

She stifled a small laugh, I couldn’t tell if it was bitter or nervous but it was not a happy one either way. “Cheap apartment with holes in the walls and water that leaks every two weeks. It wasn’t home, it was just where I slept between shifts. Honestly the room they had me in to be close to you was nicer.”

I almost asked about that but realized of course she got the cheapest thing she could find, she was saving money for Aylin’s medicine. “It still has to suck to not even get a choice.”

She paused and looked down. “Yes. It really does. I’m actually pretty upset about it. Especially because I would have said yes, without hesitation. I’d give up the world for you at this point, you have to know that.”

I felt my cheeks flush and suddenly realized I was far, far more pale than I used to be. Blushing was probably vastly more obvious now. How had this not occurred to me yet? Well that’s getting filed under ‘more things to be embarrassed about’. I cleared my throat “I wanted to give you a choice, but Helanna…” I sighed and ran my hand through my hair, leaving my violet curls bouncing around my head and giving me a moment to breath before I continued. I was trying to not be upset with anyone right now after all. “Her ‘threat assessment deemed the nurse at a greater than acceptable risk’. Her words exactly.”

“But why? Just because of some rumors? Why does what some jerks think matter?” she sounded more frustrated by the minute.

“Because, and I’m probably not supposed to share all this but I think you deserve it, it was more than just a few off color rumors. It looks like someone in intelligence was spreading ones that made me out to be actively dangerous and then doing some other underhanded stuff like threatening them to make them more afraid and paranoid. With shit like that it’s only a matter of time before someone hits a breaking point and resorts to violence.”

She stared at me, her anger visibly shifting into fear. “… oh. Why would they do that though? I thought the military wanted to woo you over to our side.”

“Politics is never that simple. If it were the world would be a much better place.” I grumbled. “But where we’re going is Helanna’s base of influence so it will be a lot harder for anyone to pull something there.” I tried to sound as confident and soothing as I could, but wasn’t sure it was working that well when I didn’t feel confident or soothed.

“But why me? And I don’t mean why target me, that’s obvious enough I guess. Why would General Devatius bother saving some random nurse? Is is just because of you? If she likes you, then shouldn’t she… not like me?”

[Jaina, dear, I told you. Love has no bottom to reach. Jealousy is an ugly thing and you and Helanna are both too beautiful for it. I think she is concerned about things, about how you two will get along with one another. But I do not think she dislikes you.]

The nurse whimpered slightly, not excessively comforted by Carmilla’s words, and I hobbled over to sit next to her. “You want to know the truth? I think you make her feel ugly.”

Jaina’s eyes widened “What? But she’s gorgeous!”

“Well of course you think so, you have eyes.” I smirked and Jaina swatted my arm “But really, I think she’s afraid that you’re the younger prettier girl that I’m trading her in for because I got tired of the old lady.”

Her eyes narrowed slightly at me “That isn’t what you’re doing, is it?”

[Not at all, my love is greedier than that and wants you both.]

“Thank you Carmilla, really selling the romance here.” I shook my head and let out a sigh. But Jaina smiled at it and leaned against my shoulder. “No, no I’m not. Carmilla’s right in that much. I want both of you.”

“So, are you building a harem?”

“Gods no! Don’t be gross.” I made an overly dramatic gagging sound “I simply want to love who I love, and let them do the same.”

She took a breath and relaxed a bit. “Well, if she’s as nice as you say then I suppose I can get along with her. But I want an apology. It may have been for my safety and it may have been something I would have agreed to, but she still basically kidnapped me.”

The door slid open at that point and Helanna stepped in. There was a long moment of quiet as she slid the door shut and moved to sit on the other bench. The awkward silence hanging between us all was practically visible, like an uncomfortable fog. But she eventually spoke.

“I was eavesdropping, I apologize. I also apologize for forcing you to leave with us, though I don’t regret doing it. You are important to Esme and I am under orders to see to both her safety and comfort-”

“Helanna.” I interrupted. “Mask off, you owe her that much. Especially if you were listening in on our conversation.”

Jaina looked too nervous to talk so simply sat and chewed on her lip. Helanna nodded and let out a breath “Okay, yes. I’m not jealous but I am…” She struggled to find a word.

“Self conscious?” Jaina offered hesitantly.

“That, yes. Which is stupid, this is all so ridiculous for me.” She grunted in annoyance. “I am fifty eight years old and I’ve been working in intelligence since I was twenty three. I have Classes and Skills that make me a master manipulator and some smirking brat comes along and suddenly all I can think about is how soft her skin is and how nice she tastes and how I just want to see her smile. What the hell did you do to me? You don’t have mental control abilities do you?”

I shook my head “Not anything that I think actually affects a person’s agency, no. I wouldn’t use anything I had like that if I did anyway. Consent is sacred.” She looked like she had more to say on the matter but I cut her off. “You’re diverting. We’ll talk about my Skills later because I do think they are having an effect on our relationship. But not like that. Either way, say how you feel.”

She huffed. “Fine, you make me feel sexy, desirable, you make me want things I figured I’d given up on ages ago. It drives me absolutely batty to feel like this, but I was okay with it, happy even, before…” she glanced at Jaina.

“So I do make you jealous?” the Nurse asked, sounding honestly apologetic.

“No, not, not jealous. Less sexy, less wanted. Like, how do I measure up to a pretty young thing like you?”

I smiled at the General “I suppose it’s a good thing you don’t have to. Carmilla said it before, I’ll say it again. Love does not run out. You are not fighting over something in limited quantity. I find Jaina sexy, I find you sexy too. There is no competition as far as I am concerned and I really hope neither of you decides to make one. Right Carmilla?”

[I don’t know, I think the two having certain contests involving your body might be fun.]

Jaina fought back a laugh and blushed hard. Helanna narrowed her eyes at Carmilla’s words but her lips curled up in amusement. “That gal of yours is trouble.”

I grinned “And worth every bit of it.”

[Oh! Or, they could both go down on each other and see who peaks first! That would also be fun!]

This time both of the other women blushed, looking at each other and clearly thinking about it. I sighed “How about they just talk for a bit?” I looked between Helanna and Jaina “You two should have a little heart to heart. You’ve both been working on some lopsided emotional assumptions about one another.” As I spoke I stood and walked to the door, smiling that I could do so just with a hand against the wall now. I’d gotten pretty used to my prosthetic.

“Wait, where are you going?” Helanna asked

“Dining car, I smell pastries. I’ll be fine, you said you vetted all eight of the guards with us right?”

“Yes, I trust them and they are all talented, but I should still-” she began to stand up.

“No, you sit. Talk to Jaina, I’ll make sure to bring at least two of them with me. I want to practice walking while the train is moving anyway. It’ll be good for me. I’ll be fine with your people looking out for me and you two need to clear the air.” Neither looked completely convinced but they seemed to agree that a talk was needed and might be better alone.

I stepped out and closed the cabin door, letting the two have a heart to heart and damn it Carmilla, now I was imagining them making out. Oh well, pastries await.

Four of the guards escorted me, that is not a complaint. I’m not stupid enough to think I was completely safe and I promised Carmilla I would accept any help I needed. My ego wasn’t going to stop someone trying to hurt me after all.

The light swaying and bouncing of the train was easier to adjust to than I thought and I found after a minute I could walk fine with just the occasional brace against a wall. Thus I was able to make my way through three cars to my destination.

The dining car was mostly empty, it was well past dinner after all and most passengers were laid up in their cabins asleep by now. But the staff had some warm pastries made for late night guests, some kind of sweet bread wrapped around baked apples and drizzled with honey and I swear to my night sky goddess they were a divine experience.

The man at the small bar was trying not to stare obviously, but I knew I looked weird and he was getting nervous. I sighed and gestured at my body “Fae-Lord’s idea of a prank.” I said in oteva, testing both my mastery of the language and Helanna’s idea for a cover story.

His face immediately relaxed and shifted to pity “Damn, you get lost in the woods?”

The exact meaning was a bit missing for me but I could pick up on the general contex. Fae must be primarily woodland critters. “For whole a week. After I finally found my way out and was getting treated for a nasty infection I’d gotten, the changes started. It was not fun let me tell you.”

He set down a glass and poured a shot of something red. “On the house. My uncle stepped in a fairy ring when he was a kid and had feathers for hair for nearly thirty years so I know how crazy that gets.”

I slid into the stool and thanked the man before downing the something raspberry and strong. Okay, the Fae-Lord story would work. Good to know. “Well it’s not all bad, I like the hair.”

And that got an honest to gods laugh from him.