In Service of the Queen Ch. 04

One block from Empyrea Square, a few hours later

The buildings along the street cast long shadows as the sun hung low in the western sky. The oblong shape of Elysium showed only black now, against the orange-tinged clouds.

"One last official duty, my loyal druidesses," said Priestess Eniola, addressing Adelaide and the others. "And perhaps the most enjoyable of them all."

"Here she comes!" shouted a little girl. "It's the priestess!"

Adelaide watched the colorful flower petals raining down as she followed Eniola and the other druidesses to the large gazebo at the center of the square.

Moving to the middle of the gazebo, surrounded by children, with the littlest ones closest to her, Eniola dropped down to sit cross-legged on the floor, smoothing the fabric of her dress over her knees. "Who wants to hear a story?" she asked.

A murmur rose from the gathered crowd.

"It's a story about the equinox and the coming darkness of winter," said Eniola. "But you mustn't be afraid. For my druidesses will be here to protect us and ensure we all emerge safely into the light of spring."

Eniola opened her arms, gesturing to the ring of white-robed women around the perimeter. As Adelaide and the others knelt, a little girl scrambled over to sit on Adelaide's lap. And as Eniola began to weave her tale, Adelaide smiled.

* * *

Two hours later

The shadows of children, hand in hand with their mothers, trailed over the streets as the sun sank to touch the horizon. The evening's light was being replaced bit by bit by the winking on of sodium vapor lamps lining the sidewalks. Knots of people shuffled over to gather at the trolley stop. A young girl draped over her mother's shoulder raised her head just long enough to offer a final wave to the Mabon Priestess before closing her eyes.

"Sleep well, friend," whispered Eniola, as she waved back. Surrounding the Mabon Priestess, her entourage of druidesses returned waves of their own as the group walked on.

From a sidewalk tent, two women with trays of beer steins smiled as they hustled toward the priestess and her entourage. "Happy harvest, Priestess," they said.

"Thank you, friends," said Eniola, as beers were passed around.

"My loyal druidesses," said Eniola, raising her stein. "Friend Tiara's band is playing The Catacombs tonight. So, for my final request of the day. Who among you would be so willing as to accompany your Priestess in search of music, and friendship... and more beer?"

A cheer went up from the white-robed knot of duidesses surrounding Priestess Eniola.

"Great," said Eniola. "But first I need to pee. Tonje? Adelaide?"

"Um," said Adelaide. "I'm fine actually. I don't really need to--"

"I need you to," said Eniola.

"Oh, like Friend Cosette?" Adelaide stopped and knit her eyebrows while her cheeks pinkened. "Um, I didn't mean..."

"Relax," said Tonje, "Everyone knows about Cosette. We all indulge her from time to time."

Eniola nodded in agreement. "I don't need an audience, friend. I need your key. And Tonje's."

"My... key?" Adelaide chewed her lip for a second and then held her hand to the center of her chest, fingers clutching for the outline of the gold key beneath her robe. "Oh, my key. You have a private toilet just for priestesses, is that it? Must be pretty swanky."

"Not exactly," said Eniola. "Come."

"Where are we going?"

"To the Catacombs," said Tonje.

"I thought we were going to the toilet. With Friend Eniola... um, Priestess Eniola."

"We are," said Eniola. "There's one on the way."

"The secret Priestess toilet. Got it," mumbled Adelaide, grinning as she walked along.

"Woo! Priestess!" hollered a group of women from across the street, raising their beer steins in salute. "Big fan of your work!"

"Thank you, friends," replied Eniola. "Happy harvest!"

Coming toward them from a side street, a lone woman in a black leotard twirled a silver baton while simultaneously flipping end over end without using her hands for anything but the baton. Bowing with a flourish, she paused to let the entourage pass. Her face was painted stark white and streaked with black under her eyes.

"Your acrobatics are amazing, friend," said Eniola. "Happy harvest to you."

The woman smiled, twirling around once more before heading off.

The smell of a charcoal fire wafted on the air as the group walked on. A young woman clutching skewers of grilled vegetables in both hands approached the group, running out from under an open-sided tent where the grill smoldered. "For the Priestess and her druids," she said, passing out the kebabs. "The fruits of harvest."

"Thank you friend," said Eniola and several of the druidesses simultaneously as they stood.

In the distance, the baton twirling woman headed toward an archway and paused her flips to trot down the staircase beneath it. A group of black-clad women streamed in behind her. "Priestess!" hollered one of the group, raising her fist in the air.

Eniola waved back.

"I thought you had to pee," said Adelaide, ripping the last chunk from her kebab and downing the last of her beer stein, to let it dangle from her finger. "I think I might have to. Pretty soon, anyway."

"A little farther, Friend Adelaide."

"Are we taking the subway?"

Eniola shook her head. "There is no underground rail service in Empyrea, friend. This is one of the old wartime shelters."

"Um, okay." Adelaide followed along as Eniola and the knot of druidesses filed toward the stairway.

"Woo!" yelled a group of women, running toward the staircase and hopping up on the center-mounted railing to run down, headlong, before dismounting with a flip. "Hot druid babes!"

"I love you, Priestess!" shouted one of them.

"Happy harvest, friend!"

"And to you!" The sound of their feet echoed in the tunnel of the stairway as the group ran on ahead.

"I hear music!" exclaimed Adelaide, turning her ear forward and cupping her hand behind. "I bet that's Tiara's band."

"Sounds like they're getting started," said Eniola.

The crunch of an electric guitar echoed as the group walked on. It was followed by a brief pounding of drums and a descending pentatonic scale from an overdriven bass.

"Empyrea City!" hollered an amplified voice. "Are you ready to rock and roll?"

A muffled roar of distant voices filled the tunnel.

"I said are you ready to rock and roll?"

The roar rose again, at twice the volume.

"We are Deus Contra Machina! Happy equinox and happy harvest, friends!"

"That's Tiara's band," said Adelaide, just before another cheer rising from the distance drowned out her words.

"We'd like to start things with a cover from one of our favorite bands across the channel in London," shouted the amplified voice of Deus Contra Machina's lead singer. "You might have heard of them. The Fae Godmothers! This is their latest hit! Birth...! School...! Work...! Death...!"

The crowd chanted along with the final words of the lead singer's announcement until the crunch of guitar, the roar of Tiara's bass, and the clatter of drums made conversation next to impossible.

Eniola stopped and pointed to a doorway cut into the side wall. On the door just beyond was a placard showing the outline of a commode. Adelaide nodded and followed in behind Eniola and Tonje.

* * *

In the toilet

"Friend Tiara told me of her bass amp," said Adelaide. "She said it was too loud for practice at the hostel. Now I understand. I think I felt my chest walls vibrating."

"Friend Adelaide, Friend Tonje," said Eniola, gathering her dress in her fingers, exposing her legs. "I require your keys, please."

"But," said Adelaide, "we're already in the toilet. It wasn't even locked. And it's not nearly as swanky as I thought it would be for a secret Priestess toilet. Kind of average."

"The key's not for the toilet," said Tonje, digging under her robe to free the key around her neck.

"Oh," said Adelaide, staring down at just below Eniola's waist, where she held her dress gathered up in her fingers. "Oh."

Adelaide fumbled under her robe searching for her key as she kept her gaze locked on the silver strip of metal running between Eniola's thighs and locked to another, thinner band around her waist.

"It takes two keys, Friend Adelaide," said Tonje, kneeling in front of Eniola with her key in her hand.

"Um..." said Adelaide, finally freeing her key from under her robe and dropping to her knees in front of Eniola. "And here's me thinking... never mind."

Adelaide inserted her key. She and Tonje turned their hands simultaneously and a muted click announced the release of Eniola from her bonds.

"Um," said Adelaide. "I know I'm new to this whole druidess thing, but this...? This is kind of weird."

Eniola wandered off to sit on the toilet, but turned her gaze toward Adelaide. "I am the Mabon Priestess, Friend Adelaide. From one summer solstice to the next, I am beholden to the queen during that time."

"Yeah, but... I mean, you're the priestess... And here she's got your lady bits all locked up? Doesn't the queen trust you?"

"The queen trusts no one, friend."

* * *

Afterword

In a comment on a previous chapter, an astute anonymous reader had asked if everything was really okay in Empyrea City? I think if you asked Adelaide at the end of this chapter, her answer would be a solid no.

As the facade begins chip away, we find out more about what lies beneath Empyrea City. Hint: It's not a secret Priestess-only toilet.

See you in the next chapter, friend!