In Service of the Queen Ch. 09

In Service of the Queen

by Davina Lee

An alternative future of women and their adventures

*

Author's Note

At the conclusion of our last chapter, Adelaide started her day with a visit to the Empyrea City Public Library to get a book about sign language and another on the rules of football. The sign language book is Adelaide's attempt to communicate better with Beatrice, the mysterious acrobat who claims to know where to find the legendary cheese cave.

Cheese cave or not, this chapter picks up about a week later with another day in the life of Adelaide and her friends.

Chapter 9: What Friends Do

Empyrea City Café

Adelaide sat alone by the window, resting her chin on her hand and her elbow on the café table. She scanned the sidewalk outside with her eyes. Women were walking briskly, pulling their coats tight, as the light from sodium vapor lamps began to replace the fading sun.

Adelaide raised her head as a woman approached wearing a dark blue woolen coat that extended to her knees. Adelaide studied the woman's face for a moment and then stood up, raising her hand in a wave. The woman waved back as she turned to enter the café.

"Cordelia," said Adelaide.

"Hey, sis."

Adelaide looked her sister up and down as Cordelia unbuttoned her coat to reveal the sky blue pressed shirt, crisp dark blue trousers, and shiny black shoes of the Air Self-Defense Force. "Nice," said Adelaide. "I can understand Vivienne's appreciation for a woman in uniform. You look good."

Cordelia grinned as she dropped her gaze to her feet. She reached up with the finger of her right hand and tucked a single loose strand of hair behind her ear. Looking up again, she said, "You really think so?"

"You make a right proper specialist second class, sis."

"Thanks." Cordelia pulled out the chair on her side of the table and stood beside it.

Adelaide gestured to the table. "I've got appetizers coming," she said, sitting down. Cordelia sat as well.

"Jalapeño poppers?" asked Cordelia.

"Am I that predictable?"

Cordelia smirked as she nodded. She opened her mouth to speak, but before she could say anything, a woman in a white apron, wearing her hair pulled into a bun that that was showing a lot more errant stands of hair than Cordelia's, came by with a plate in one hand and two beer steins in the other.

The café server set the plate of steaming cheese-stuffed jalapeños in the middle of the table and placed one beer stein next to Cordelia and the other near Adelaide.

"Thank you," said Adelaide.

"You are so predictable," teased Cordelia.

Adelaide shrugged before reaching out to snag a jalapeño popper. "When you find something that works..." She bit the end off, pulled back suddenly, and then waved her other hand in front of her mouth. "Ooh, hot... hot."

Adelaide reached for her beer and took a long pull.

Cordelia reached out for a jalapeño popper of her own, but held onto the stem end, spinning it while she pursed her lips and blew across it. "So, I hear you've got yourself a girl," said Cordelia.

"Huh?" replied Adelaide.

"Yeah, and I heard she wrote a song for you." Cordelia grinned as she raised the jalapeño popper to her mouth and bit the end off. "Must be pretty serious," Cordelia said while chewing.

Adelaide lifted her stein and took another swig. "Yeah, I guess. It hasn't been that long."

"Oh, Addie. I'm your sister. You don't have to bullshit me. I know you too well. Remember how hard you fell for Misty Whatsername?"

"That was middle school, Cordelia. That doesn't count."

"You wrote her initials all over your notebooks. Inside little hearts, if I remember correctly."

"She dumped me. Right before the dance. You remember that?"

"You were so love sick." On the other side of the table, Cordelia folded her hands together and brought them toward her face. She tilted her head, leaning her cheek against her hands and batting her eyes.

"Shut up."

Cordelia dropped her hands, straightened up, and reached for her beer. She took a sip. "She wrote you a song, Addie. I don't know much about musicians, but I think that's a good sign this girl's in it for the long haul."

"Enough about my love life, sis. What's new with you?"

"Group Captain Thorne thinks you're in it for the long haul, too."

"Who?" said Adelaide, hoisting her beer stein to her lips.

"The woman who usually sits at the bar and hits on you whenever you come in."

"Oh, for friend's sake." Adelaide set her stein back on the table without taking a drink. "Her? Why did you have to mention her?"

"Well, she's given up on you. I can tell you that. Got herself another girl. A bottle blonde. With legs for days and a fondness for plunging necklines."

"Good for her." Adelaide rolled her eyes. "Please, can we talk about something else? Anything?"

"I've started pilot training." Cordelia picked up her stein and took a swig. "Actual airtime. Not just book learning. Though we still have lots of that."

"You're flying? How cool is that?"

"Well, it's gliding, mostly. That's how it works. We go up in a dirigible, strap on the wings, and jump out of the gondola."

Adelaide's eyes went wide. "You're kidding?"

Cordelia shook her head. "Nope. Angel wings are unpowered. It's all about finding the right air currents and updrafts to stay aloft."

Adelaide took a sip of beer and looked Cordelia in the eye. "How do you land?"

"Not very well," said Cordelia. "So far I've crashed twice."

"That's not so bad. How many times have you been up?"

"Twice."

"Oh," said Adelaide. She took a long pull on her beer before exchanging the handle of the stein for another jalapeño popper. Adelaide blew across the appetizer in her hand. "I'm sure you'll get better."

"I hope so. I'm not sure how many sets of wings you get to bash up before they toss you out of the program. I don't think I want to find out." Cordelia lifted her beer stein to her lips and didn't set it down for several seconds.

Adelaide reached out across the table and laid her hand atop Cordelia's forearm. "They can't toss you out. You're my sister. And you're awesome."

"Thanks." Cordelia took another pull at her stein. "Still though, I'm keeping my options open. Dirigible pilot might not be so bad."

"You'd still be up in the air."

"Yeah." Cordelia picked up another jalapeño popper by the stem and blew across it. "And they've been expanding the fleet, so there's more chances for me there."

Adelaide sipped her beer and set it back down while Cordelia brought the popper to her mouth to chomp the end. "More dirigibles?" mused Adelaide. "I wonder why?"

"I don't know." Cordelia nipped off another bit of jalapeño and chewed while she answered. "They're none of them too big," she said. "Just tenders from the look of it. Running supplies back and forth to Elysium, probably. Perfect job for a specialist second class with a poor landing record."

"You think so?"

Cordelia took a long pull at her beer. "I mean, don't get me wrong, I'd rather be an angel pilot. But I'm keeping my options open just in case."

Adelaide reached out and laid her hand over Cordelia's forearm. "You'll do fine," she said. "No matter what you choose."

"Thanks, sis."

Two hours and two dozen jalapeño poppers later

Cordelia stood at the café entrance. With her hands just below her chin, she finished buttoning her coat. Adelaide stood beside Cordelia, wrapping her scarf around her neck. Cordelia reached out with her arms wide and wrapped Adelaide in an embrace. "Thanks for listening to me babble about my problems, sis."

Adelaide rested her head on Cordelia's shoulder for a moment and then straightened up, "You're such a derp. And you worry too much. You're going to be an ace pilot before you know it."

"And you're going to be hitched to your musician friend before you know it."

Adelaide held her lip in her teeth as she blushed.

"She wrote you a song," said Cordelia.

"Let's not wait so long to get together again."

"Deal," said Cordelia.

Adelaide opened the café's front door and stepped out into the brisk evening with Cordelia on her heels. Cordelia leaned in to hug Adelaide one last time before turning to walk down the sidewalk. Adelaide began walking the other direction.

Passing by closed shops, Adelaide looked into their darkened windows. She came to a corner newsstand with its papers and magazines highlighted in orange by the sodium vapor streetlamp overhead and she paused.

Her browsing of magazines was cut short when Adelaide turned her gaze to a familiar figure across the street. The woman was walking along with a baton she held like cane in her right hand. Every third step, she would bounce the baton off the sidewalk and catch it in the air. After two bounces, the woman turned a cartwheel before catching it a third time.

"Friend Beatrice," shouted Adelaide.

When Beatrice kept walking, Adelaide reached up and slapped her own forehead with the palm of her hand. She quickly looked each direction down the street and made a dash for the other side.

Adelaide made a wide arc around Beatrice and stopped in front of her. Adelaide raised her right hand with her fingers straight and palm facing outward. She placed her hand next to her cheek, smiled, and dropped her hand to the side in an arc.

Beatrice erupted into a grin. "Hello, Friend Adelaide," she said.

"Hi," said Adelaide. After pausing a moment, Adelaide held up both hands at chest height and curved her fingers. She touched the knuckles of her hands together and then dropped her left hand while pointing to Beatrice with her right.

"I'm fine, friend," said Beatrice. "Thank you for asking." Beatrice held her right hand out with her fingers straight. She touched her chin with her fingertips and brought her hand forward and down in a gentle arc.

Adelaide smiled a tight smile. "That looked like thank you, is that right?" she said. "I'm sorry, I'm not very good. I've got a book at home, but I'm still learning."

Beatrice reached out for Adelaide's hand and gave her a squeeze. "I appreciate your efforts, friend," said Beatrice.

Adelaide turned her gaze to the side as she blushed.

"Which way are you walking?" asked Beatrice.

"To the trolley," said Adelaide.

"Want to walk together?"

Adelaide nodded. "I'd like that."

Beatrice bounced her baton off the sidewalk and caught it again in her right hand. With her left, she wove her fingers in with Adelaide's. As the two started off again down the sidewalk, Beatrice leaned in to plant a quick peck on Adelaide's cheek.

"You smell like beer, friend," said Beatrice.

Adelaide turned toward Beatrice. "I met my sister for dinner." Adelaide frowned and patted her belly. "Well, mostly appetizers and beer. Probably should have had some vegetables besides jalapeños. Oh, well."

Beatrice chuckled. "I have carrots at my place if you get desperate," she said. "Beetroot too, but not everybody likes those."

"Pickled?" asked Adelaide, wrinkling her nose.

Beatrice shook her head. "Savory. Roasted. With olive oil and a little salt and pepper. That's my favorite."

Adelaide stopped in the middle of the sidewalk. "Beatrice, you're my hero." Adelaide leaned in to kiss Beatrice on the cheek. "My mom made them that way when I was a kid."

"Want to come over?"

Adelaide nodded.

"You still smell like beer, though." Beatrice smirked as the pair started walking again.

Adelaide grinned and bumped Beatrice with her shoulder.

"You still dating that bass player?" asked Beatrice.

"Tiara?"

Beatrice nodded.

"Does everybody know about us? Yeah, were dating."

"I like her music," said Beatrice. "She plays loud. I can feel it in my feet. She makes me want to dance."

"She'd be happy to know that. I'll be sure to tell her. And yeah, she plays loud."

"Nice ass, too."

Adelaide stopped in her tracks and stared. "Beatrice!"

Beatrice grinned. "Make sure you squeeze it for me next time you're in bed with her."

Adelaide leaned over to sock Beatrice in the shoulder and then leaned up against her. "She does have a nice ass though, doesn't she?" said Adelaide. "Nice boobs, too." Adelaide cupped her hands and held them out in front of her chest while grinning.

"Hang on to that girl."

"I will." Adelaide turned to stare at Beatrice. "And you keep your hands off her ass."

Beatrice smirked and Adelaide broke out into a wide grin.

Below ground in the old wartime shelter

"You live down here?" asked Adelaide. "Or is this just your hangout? Like your secret girls' cave."

"I've got an apartment, but I spend most of my time down here. You probably think it's odd, living in an old abandon place like this, but I like it."

Adelaide shrugged. The light from a single lantern flame cast her shrug as a larger than life shadow on the wall.

Beatrice gestured to the sofa, the only piece of furniture in the underground room besides a battered old coffee table. "Make yourself at home," said Beatrice, stepping over to a countertop built into the wall on one side.

Beatrice reached below the counter and pulled out a basket overflowing with beetroots with their green leaves still attached. She pulled out a small, shallow tub and filled it with water from a nearby pitcher. Beatrice began scrubbing at the beetroot.

"Can I help?" asked Adelaide, standing beside Beatrice.

Beatrice pulled out another beetroot and handed it to Adelaide. "Scrub while I chop?" she asked.

Adelaide nodded. She scrubbed the next beetroot Beatrice had given her, while Beatrice pulled out a knife and began to slice, starting by cutting off the stems with their green leaves. Beatrice set the stems aside and began dicing the large, red root.

"I'm done scrubbing," said Adelaide, holding her beetroot by the stems.

"Be sure to wash the leaves, too."

"You save them?"

Beatrice nodded. "Greens," she said. "Very tasty if you cook them right."

Adelaide shrugged. "Never had them," she said.

"You've been missing out."

Beatrice pulled out a round pot with a domed lid from beneath the counter. Next to come up was an old, battered camp stove. Beatrice assembled the stove parts and set the pot over the larger of two burners. She lit the burner and tossed her chopped beetroot into the pot, scooping with her hands.

"Aren't you worried about carbon monoxide?" asked Adelaide, eyeing the camp stove as Beatrice drizzled olive oil over the beetroot.

"It's drafty enough down here," said Beatrice. "Plus, I have the safety lamp." She pointed to the lantern.

"Oh," said Adelaide. "So if there's bad air..."

"Poof goes the lamp and out we go," said Beatrice. She scooped up the beetroot Adelaide had diced and added it to the pot.

"That's smart."

"When you live in a girls' cave..." Beatrice shrugged. "Pass me the salt and pepper, please?"

Adelaide scanned the countertop with her eyes before settling her gaze on the two glass shakers with screw-on metal tops. "These look suspiciously like the ones they have on the tables at the café," said Adelaide.

"Do they now?" Beatrice laid her index finger over her lips.

While Adelaide did her best to suppress a grin, Beatrice reached down below the counter for another pot, this one about half the size of the one containing the diced beetroot. Beatrice tossed all the beet greens inside along with a pinch of salt and pepper. She added a bit of water from the pitcher and a dash of olive oil before covering the pot and lighting the burner with a low flame.

"Now we wait," said Beatrice.

As she stepped back from the camp stove, Adelaide focused her gaze on a tear welling in the corner of Beatrice's right eye.

"Too much pepper?" asked Adelaide.

Beatrice shook her head and reached up to wipe away the tear with the back of her hand. "Just memories, that's all."

"Sorry, friend." Adelaide moved her hand to lay atop Beatrice's shoulder. "If I can help..."

"It's been some time. I should be better adjusted by now."

"Still," offered Adelaide, "if you need to talk..."

"I used to have a girl," said Beatrice. "Like you have your bass player. She and I would make this meal sometimes. Just memories. That's all."

Adelaide moved around behind Beatrice, encircling the woman's waist with her arms. She laid her cheek atop Beatrice's shoulder. Beatrice said nothing, but moved her hand to lay across the back of Adelaide's neck and sunk into Adelaide's embrace.

Finally, after a sniffle, Beatrice straightened up. "The sofa is more comfortable, friend," she said.

Adelaide let go with her arms and followed Beatrice to sit down beside her on the cushions.

"I don't want to unload my trauma on you," said Beatrice.

"We haven't known each other that long, but I'd like to be your friend. And listening is something friends do."

Beatrice nodded. As another tear welled in her eye, Beatrice leaned into Adelaide. "Thank you, friend," she said.

Adelaide wrapped her arm around Beatrice's shoulders. For a long time, neither of them said a word.

"Many years ago," said Beatrice, "before the queen who resides in the air aboard Elysium, there was another queen. A queen who lived here in Empyrea, among the people. The queen who built this fair city we live in."

"I don't remember any other queen," said Adelaide.

"You would have been very small," said Beatrice. "I was barely of age myself when she passed."

"She died?"

Beatrice nodded.

"She wasn't your mother, was she?"

"No." Beatrice shook her head. "My family were entertainers in her court."

"And that's where you learned your acrobat skills?"

Beatrice nodded. "And also where I fell in love with the queen's daughter."

"Our queen? The queen in Elysium is your lover?"

Beatrice shook her head. "The woman residing in Elysium is not the true queen. She is a usurper."

Adelaide straightened up. "Cosette told us this story, while we were looking for the secret cheese cave. She told us the queen in Elysium is an impostor. Cosette also told us she was with La Resistance. I thought she was drunk."

"I do not know Friend Cosette's affiliations with any resistance groups, but I can tell you she is right about the queen."

"So who's the real queen and where is she?"

"Danika, the woman I fell in love with, is the elder daughter. By rights, she is the next in line to rule. But I don't care about any of that. The woman up there, circling in her dirigible, she can have all of this. I just want my girl back in my arms. That's all I want."

Beatrice sniffled again as the tears welled in her eyes. Adelaide pulled her in tight.

"There is no cheese cave, friend," mumbled Beatrice. "That's just what I tell people when I'm out searching. I'm searching for where Danika is being held against her will."

"Your girl is locked up down here in these tunnels?"

"Those are the rumors. Just rumors, and it's not much to hope for, but it's something."

"So you live down here and keep searching?"

Beatrice nodded.

"Friend Beatrice." Adelaide wiped under her eye with the back of her hand as she turned to face Beatrice. "I can't imagine what you're going through. If someone took Tiara from me... well... I mean, we haven't even known each other for that long and I'd be devastated. I can't imagine what it's like to have your love stolen from you like that. It's not fair."

Beatrice nodded again, then turned to rest her head on Adelaide's shoulder. She stayed there for some time before straightening up again and wiping under her eyes with the back of her hand.

"You want to come over to my apartment?" asked Adelaide. "I don't think you should have to be alone. And if Cosette's up, she can make you an omelet..."