by Sam Ryan
“You would think because of all that, we would have all stuck together more,” Sophia said, turning her head resting her cheek on her knee so she was looking over at Allora.
“Yeah right,” Allora snorted. “When we were all together trying to save the world from a crazed king who thought himself a god, we were still at each other’s throats all the time. I can only imagine what it would have been like if we had stayed together afterwards.”
“Really?” Sophia frowned, thinking back to all the time they had spent together while traveling around the Arcane Empire. “I don’t remember it ever being that bad.”
“You kidding?” Allora chuckled. “I had to make a seating chart for when we were eating our meals.”
“That’s right,” Sophia gasped, letting her feet stretch out in front of her. “You and Jezebel would always take the ends. I would sit by Elena and Stella would always sit by Tara. But I would never sit directly across from Tara.”
“Or you two would always start kicking each other under the table.” Allora nodded, a now genuine smile on her face.
Sophia let out a sigh and slowly leaned against Allora, resting the side of her head on Allora’s shoulder. “You were a wonderful big sister.”
“And you were all wonderful little sisters,” Allora said, resting her cheek on top of Sophia’s head. “Even if you drove me crazy most of the time, I still loved every second of our time together.” Allora wrapped her arms around Sophia’s shoulders, drawing her into a tight, loving embrace, resting her chin on top of Sophia’s head after giving it a quick kiss.
The two sat there for several minutes, simply enjoying each other’s company. Sophia could not remember the last time she just sat with another person and held them in her arms. When was the last time she loved someone enough to even want to?
“This what you and Elena do every night?” Sophia teased, shattering the mood they had going.
“Don’t even joke about such things,” Allora chided, jabbing Sophia in the ribs with her thumb.
“You know she is in love with you, right?” Sophia asked, still resting her head on Allora’s chest.
“No, she’s not,” Allora said with a sigh, letting her hand drop from around Sophia’s shoulders to around her waist. “She only thinks she is.”
Sophia pulled away, giving Allora a concerned look. “You think six hundred years of sticking with you is an infatuation?”
“No.” Allora shook her head, pulling her hands back to her lap as she rested her head against the desk. “Elena is a person with no clear goal or purpose in her life. As such, she is drawn to people who have one, and she mistakes those feelings for love. Before me, it was Jezebel, and before her, it was Stella.”
“Wait,” Sophia frowned. “Elena and Stella were once a thing?”
“They were.” Allora nodded. “Stella has always been a very passionate person. Was always,” she corrected herself, her eyes growing somber. “Once she decided to follow through on an idea, she would give it her all, and Elena latched onto that passion. Unfortunately, that passion left little in the way of others, and she quickly drove Elena away. Jezebel, on the other hand, is like me. She loves surrounding herself with people she cares about and treats them like family. But also like, Jezebel knew that the love Elena had was not real. However.” Allora paused, lowering her head. “Jezebel did not handle the situation as well as she should have.”
Sophia nodded, feeling like she was starting to get a clear picture of what had actually transpired between the two. “Hence the fighting. Sorry, passive aggressive ignoring,” Sophia corrected.
“That was part of it.” Allora nodded. “Though, like with all of us, they have had their share of other conflicts and those wounds add up.”
“A thousand years is a long time to accumulate baggage,” Sophia said with a nod.
“But there is also a good side to it,” Allora said.
“What’s that?”
“Given enough time even the worst of enemies can eventually reconcile.” Allora closed her eyes and smiled at Sophia.
“Or turn the best of friends into the worst of enemies,” Sophia pointed out.
CHAPTER 11
“There she is.” Sophia pointed a finger at the shimmering dot, made from the light of the setting sun reflecting off the brass city. “New Albion. The self-proclaimed capital of the world.”
“Not your first time here, I take it,” Madilyn said.
“I actually helped found it, in my own little way.” Sophia flashed Madilyn a smile.
The two of them had been coming up to the Iron Rose’s observation deck every day since their departure from Itona in order to watch the sun set. Madilyn had told Sophia she had gained a new appreciation for them after being thrown into a cell where she thought she would never be able to see one ever again.
Sophia did not mind the company and was glad to see that Madilyn was starting to appreciate the smaller things in life.
“Is New Albion anything like I’ve heard?” Madilyn asked.
“You mean, is it a place inhabited by redheaded dwarf crime lords, casting silver dice in order to make business decisions?” Sophia asked.
“Or alchemist who craft glass pearls from young girls’ dreams?” Madilyn added.
“Or bringing back the dead inside mechanical dolls,” Sophia laughed. “It is all those things, and yet none of those things. New Albion is the closest you will find to governless city. Not to say they don’t have a government, because they do. But unlike most nations, it was not founded by a noble or a king, staking and fighting for the land. It was founded by a large group of people all coming together one day. Those people then formed their own guilds and then clans. Then those clans formed a representative council to coordinate relations between the different guilds. And that council then became the ruling body, though its ties and connections to those guilds have not gone away. Many say it is a city ruled by a nobility class of criminals, and they are not wrong.”
“So what did you do to help found the city?” Madilyn asked.
“I played a game of cards.” Sophia flashed her a smile.
Madilyn frowned, obviously confused how the two tied together.
“It was a really long game of cards.” Sophia’s smile grew and Madilyn figured she was not going to a better explanation.
There was a clanking sound as the hatch to the observation deck unlatched and squeaked open.
“Sorry to interrupt,” Jezebel said, poking her head out through the hole. “But Allora would like to go over everything one last time before we head into the city.”
“Alright,” Sophia said, pushing away from the railing.
Jezebel flashed them both one last smile, slowly lowering her head until only her eyes were left poking up, then descended the ladder once more. Sophia could only frown, shaking her head as she made her way towards the ladder herself.
After climbing down to the bridge, the three of them walked to the Captain’s Ready Room that Allora had since converted into her own personal work area. She had spent a majority of the voyage locked inside, pouring over documents and other scraps of information as she tried to ready herself for the political battle yet to come. Sophia did not envy the task that lay before her. She had never been one for politics.
Jezebel politely knocked at the door and waited until she heard Allora invite them in.
“We the only ones here?” Madilyn asked, closing the door behind them.
“I sent Elena off to go retrieve Clementine and Maxine,” Allora said, sitting behind her desk, her elbows propped up on the desk’s surface. Her fingers woven together, making a surface for her to rest her chin.
“Couldn’t Jezebel have just called them up from the bridge?” Sophia inquired, thinking that was a rather needlessly complicated way of going about it. Not to mention time wasted.
“It’s fine,” Jezebel assured taking her spot against the wall. If she held any resentment for Allora taking her spot, she did not show it. “And Commande
r Yates has the bridge at the moment. I will fill him in afterwards if there is anything he needs to know about.”
“Alright.” Sophia shrugged, deciding to dismiss the mater. She could not help but feel there was some hidden subtext to what was going on but if it did not affect her then she was not about to pry.
A few seconds later there was another knock at the door. Madilyn opened the door for Max and Clementine, letting them both inside. Both of their faces were smeared with engine grease that looked to have been hastily wiped off on their way from the engine room.
Max had been spending a lot of time in the engine room, doing her best to familiarize herself what the mechanics of the Iron Rose. Clementine had even been showing her how to pilot the Rabbit over the past few days. Sophia was not sure how that had been going.
Elena was right behind the two, stepping off to the side of the room and taking a spot next to Allora where she could easily see everyone far away from Jezebel.
“Hello,” Allora said, rising to her feet now that everyone was accounted for. “Now that we are outside of New Albion and we have had some time to process everything.” She casually looked at Elena out of the corner of her eye. “I think it’s time for us to go over some things. Firstly.” She held up a finger to emphasize her point. “While we are here to find out about Stella and Tara, we are first and foremost here to help bring peace to two nations before a war breaks out, possibly costing tens of thousands of lives. Is that understood?” She glared at everyone but her attention mostly lingered on the other Immortals.
They all nodded their understanding, though Jezebel did not seem so convicted in her promise. They all knew that if forced to choose which side she was going to take.
“Secondly,” Allora continued. “I don’t want anyone wandering the city alone. This could still very well be a trap. As such, I want us to pair off. One Immortal per group. Until we know what kind of weapon we are dealing with, I will not have any Immortal go out without one of the others with them.”
Allora gave them a cold glare, signaling there was no negotiating this point. Not that Sophia disagreed with her reasoning. Though Sophia suspected there was a little more to it than what she said. Being with a normal person forced the Immortal to be more cautious with their actions. They were less likely to go rushing off into danger knowing they might get someone else killed.
“We going to draw lots then to see who we are paired up with?” Jezebel asked with a humorous shrug.
“I think the way you are right now is fine,” Allora said, pointing at everyone around the room. “Madilyn with Sophia, Max with Jezebel, and Elena with Clementine.”
Looking around the room, Sophia noticed that they were in fact all standing together that way. The only person who was not standing directly beside their partner was Elena and Clementine but Clementine was the closest person to her.
Sophia and Madilyn exchanged glances and shrugs of indifference at each other.
“Sounds good.” Sophia nodded, looking back to Allora.
“What about you, your Majesty?” Madilyn asked.
“I plan on remaining here for the time being to prepare for the conference,” Allora stated. “Even in a place like New Albion, the Iron Rose would be better off keeping its distance. If I do need to leave, I am sure Commander Yates can find someone to accompany me.” She looked over at Jezebel who gave her an assuring nod.
“I don’t mean to sound like I’m not a team player here.” Max waved her hand in front of her face. “And I really do appreciate being in the inner circle of all this. But, I’m not a soldier,” she reminded. “I really don’t see what help I will be in any of this. Wouldn’t it be better to maybe send one of the other crew with Jezebel? Maybe someone who can actually hold their own in a fight. Like the big guy from back when we first met. Skyler?” Max looked over at Jezebel asking if that was right.
Jezebel gave a quick thumbs up and a nod.
“If that is your wish,” Allora said. “Then I will not force you. However, I would prefer it if you would accompany Jezebel.”
“Why ?” Max said.
“Because you are one of two people who isn’t an Immortal and aren’t apart of my crew,” Jezebel said, crossing her arms and looking over at Allora. “That means you won’t just do whatever I say. And I am sure that Allora fears that I would not get along well with Sir Knight. Me being an anti-authority figure and all.” She gave Madilyn a wink and a smile.
“That is correct.” Allora nodded. “Though, please do not think that there is not more to it than simply that. I can see that you have so much fight inside of you Maxine.” The two women locked eyes, Allora’s stare seeming to freeze Max in place. “I really do think that I can depend upon you to help us with this.”
That was all Allora needed to say for Max to melt in her lands like putty. Max looked at her feet as she shifted her weight. Sophia could not help but smile as she watched Max look all bashful from Allora’s praise.
“Not like I can say no after that,” Max muttered.
“Then it’s settled.” Allora gave one final nod sealing the matter. “Next we need to decide who will meet the contact at the opera house. It would do us no good for all of us to go, and we should probably try to look as inconspicuous as possible.”
“I would love to go to the opera,” Sophia volunteered, holding up her hand excitedly. “I haven’t been to the opera in years.”
“You can borrow one of my dresses.” Jezebel smiled, clapping her hands together. “Oh, and Madilyn can have one of my formal suits. With some slight alterations, she will look so handsome.”
“Wait, why do I have to go?” Madilyn protested.
“Partners, remember,” Jezebel said, twirling her finger around at both of them. “We just went over this. Now.” Her smile returned to her face as she looked Madilyn over. “Do you want to go as the faithful manservant or the dashing young noble?”
“The what?” Madilyn frowned, taking a step back, trying to put some space between her and Jezebel’s overbearing presence.
“For your outfit,” Jezebel pressed, taking a few steps towards her. A twinkle growing in her eyes. “You will need to look the part of someone going to the opera. So you can either be Sophia’s escort or her servant. So, which will it be?”
“Why are you asking me this?” Madilyn leaned back as Jezebel bent forward, pushing her face in close. “Why not ask Sophia?”
“Alright.” Jezebel leaned back away from Madilyn and looked over at Sophia. “Which will it be?”
“Oh, I want to wear the pretty dress,” Sophia said with a sway of her hips. “With white lace gloves if you have them.”
“Psh, please,” Jezebel assured. “I got like ten. And with almost two days, I have plenty of times to tailor your outfits. And Yates can help.”
“Wait,” Elena perked up. “Commander Yates can sew.”
“Of course he can,” Jezebel said, sounding offended. “You think I would raise a fool who couldn’t? So it’s settled.” She happily clasped her hands together. “You both will be the aristocratic elite.”
“When did I agree to that?” Madilyn interjected.
“Then the servant for you then?” Jezebel blinked.
“Wait, no.” Madilyn was really off balance now. Sophia shook her head in amusement. It would have been so much easier if she had just gone along with Jezebel from the beginning, but far less amusing for the others to watch.
***
“See, I told you that you would look handsome.” Jezebel smiled, giving the sleeves of Madilyn’s suit a few good tugs.
“Why do you even have this?” Madilyn asked, twisting her hips in shoulders in opposite directions so she could better look herself over in the full length mirror in front of her.
Jezebel was not wrong though. Madilyn had to admit, she did look sharp in the black trousers and tailcoat. The shirt and coat were both tailored for a woman’s proportions, meaning that she did not have to flatten her chest in order for it to fit or else hav
e it too wide around the waist. The coat also slimed in slightly at the waist preventing her from looking like a pole, but she felt more handsome than pretty.
“Over the centuries, I have found uses for countless different outfits,” Jezebel explained, pulling out the pin that was holding Madilyn’s long hair up and began running her finger through it, working out any knots. “And I keep the ones that I like. You would be surprised how long well-made clothes can last when you take good care of them.”
“Please tell me you don’t dress yourself up and dance around your room when no one is watching.” Madilyn glanced over her shoulder at Jezebel.
“I like to feel pretty too you know,” Jezebel stated. “I may be a pirate but I’m still a woman. And there isn’t a woman alive who doesn’t want to be told that they are pretty. Even if it is only said to themselves.”
“I never really thought about it myself,” Madilyn said. She turned back and looked at herself in the mirror once more.
“Really?” Jezebel asked slyly, not sounding convinced. “You’re telling me you have not once wanted someone to tell you that your uniform looked good on you?” Jezebel held a black ribbon between her teeth as she clumped up Madilyn’s hair into a low hanging ponytail that fell down her back.
Madilyn did not immediately responded, thinking the question over. There was no doubt that it would have made her happy if someone had complimented her. When they were still on the run for the Lear Airfleet she had been indecisive about even wearing her uniform any longer as she found it hard to think of herself as an officer in the Lear military. But Sophia had told her that she only looked right when she was wearing it, even saying she looked beautiful. Even if that last part had been said more as an off handed comment, it did make Madilyn feel good to think that Sophia thought her pretty, at least slightly.
“You are thinking of Sophia right now, aren’t you?” Jezebel whispered over Madilyn’s shoulder.